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Microstructural properties of BaTiO3 ceramics and thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Fundora C, A.; Portelles, J.J.; Siqueiros, J.M.
A microstructural study of BaTiO 3 ceramics obtained by the conventional ceramic method is presented. Targets were produced to grow BaTiO 3 thin films by pulsed laser deposition on Pt/Ti/Si (100) substrates. X-ray diffraction, Auger Electron Spectroscopy, X-ray Photon Spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy were used to study the properties of the BaTiO 3 ceramic samples and thin films, as deposited and after an annealing process. (Author)
Pulsed Laser Deposition of BaTiO3 Thin Films on Different Substrates
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Yaodong Yang
Full Text Available We have studied the deposition of BaTiO3 (BTO thin films on various substrates. Three representative substrates were selected from different types of material systems: (i SrTiO3 single crystals as a typical oxide, (ii Si wafers as a semiconductor, and (iii Ni foils as a magnetostrictive metal. We have compared the ferroelectric properties of BTO thin films obtained by pulsed laser deposition on these diverse substrates.
Structural and electrical properties of barium titanate (BaTiO3 thin films obtained by spray pyrolysis method
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Kumbhar S.S.
Full Text Available Barium titanate (BaTiO3 thin films have been prepared using the spray pyrolysis method. The films were deposited onto a glass substrate at varying substrate temperature ranging from 250 to 350 °C with the interval of 50 °C. The structural, morphological, electrical and dielectric properties of the deposited films have been studied. The X-ray diffraction pattern confirmed the polycrystalline nature of the films with a cubic crystal structure. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS showed a good agreement of the thin films stoichiometry with BaTiO3. A presence of Ba, Ti and O in the BaTiO3 thin films was observed by energy dispersive X-ray analysis. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM showed the heterogeneous distribution of cubical grains all over the substrate. The grain size decreased with an increase in substrate temperature. The dielectric constant and dielectric loss showed the dispersion behaviour as a function of frequency, measured in the frequency range of 20 Hz to 1 MHz. The AC conductivity (σac measurement showed the linear nature of obtained films, which confirms conduction mechanism due to small polarons. Impedance spectroscopy has been used to study the electrical behaviour of BaTiO3 ferroelectric thin films. The ferroelectric hysteresis loop has been recorded at room temperature.
Synthesis and characterization of multilayered BaTiO3/NiFe2O4 thin films
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Branimir Bajac
Full Text Available Presented research was focused on the fabrication of multiferroic thin film structures, composed of ferrielectric barium titanate perovskite phase and magnetostrictive nickel ferrite spinel phase. The applicability of different, solution based, deposition techniques (film growth from solution, dip coating and spin coating for thefabrication of multilayered BaTiO3 /NiFe2O4 thin films was investigated. It was shown that only spin coating produces films of desired nanostructure, thickness and smooth and crackfree surfaces.
Epitaxial growth of BaTiO3 thin films by plasma-enhanced metalorganic chemical vapor deposition
Chern, C. S.; Zhao, J.; Luo, L.; Lu, P.; Li, Y. Q.; Norris, P.; Kear, B.; Cosandey, F.; Maggiore, C. J.; Gallois, B.; Wilkens, B. J.
High-quality BaTiO3 thin films have been epitaxially grown on (001) LaAlO3 and (001) NdGaO3 substrates by plasma-enhanced metalorganic chemical vapor deposition at a substrate temperature of 680 °C. X-ray diffraction θ-2θ, ω, and φ scan results all indicate that single-crystalline BaTiO3 thin films were epitaxially grown on the substrates with orientation perpendicular to the substrates. The high degree of epitaxial crystallinity is further confirmed by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry which gives a minimum yield of 7.5% and 11% for films deposited on LaAlO3 and NdGaO3, respectively. Cross-section high-resolution electron microscopy images also showed that the layer epitaxy of BaTiO3 was characterized by an atomically abrupt film/substrate interface. Scanning electron micrographs showed that these films had very smooth surface morphologies.
Ferroelectric BaTiO3 thin films on Ti substrate fabricated using pulsed-laser deposition.
He, J; Jiang, J C; Liu, J; Collins, G; Chen, C L; Lin, B; Giurgiutiu, V; Guo, R Y; Bhalla, A; Meletis, E I
We report on the fabrication of ferroelectric BaTiO3 thin films on titanium substrates using pulsed laser deposition and their microstructures and properties. Electron microscopy studies reveal that BaTiO3 films are composed of crystalline assemblage of nanopillars with average cross sections from 100 nm to 200 nm. The BaTiO3 films have good interface structures and strong adhesion with respect to Ti substrates by forming a rutile TiO2 intermediate layer with a gradient microstructure. The room temperature ferroelectric polarization measurements show that the as-deposited BTO films possess nearly the same spontaneous polarization as the bulk BTO ceramics indicating formation of ferroelectric domains in the films. Successful fabrication of such ferroelectric films on Ti has significant importance for the development of new applications such as structural health monitoring spanning from aerospace to civil infrastructure. The work can be extended to integrate other ferroelectric oxide films with various promising properties to monitor the structural health of materials.
Hydrothermal–galvanic couple synthesis of directionally oriented BaTiO3 thin films on TiN-coated substrates
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Yang, Chia-Jung; Tsai, Di-You; Chan, Pei-Hsuan; Wu, Chu-Tsun; Lu, Fu-Hsing
BaTiO 3 films were synthesized on TiN-coated Si substrate below 100 °C by a hydrothermal–galvanic couple technique in barium contained alkaline solutions. X-ray diffraction and electron backscatter diffraction results show that the BaTiO 3 thin films were directionally oriented grown on the TiN/Si substrates, i.e., (111) BaTiO 3 over (111) TiN. The surface morphologies revealed that BaTiO 3 nucleated and grew over the TiN surface with a single layer. From kinetic analyses, the growth rates of BaTiO 3 films prepared by the hydrothermal–galvanic couple technique were faster than a hydrothermal method. The galvanic effects were confirmed by investigating the induced currents and energies. The galvanic currents were generated and controlled by both the dissolution of TiN and the formation of BaTiO 3 . The output electric energies increased rapidly with the reaction time and leveled off at the full coverage of BaTiO 3 . - Highlights: • Cubic BaTiO 3 films are synthesized by a hydrothermal–galvanic couple method (HT–GC). • Growth rates of BaTiO 3 films made by HT–GC are faster than a hydrothermal method. • BaTiO 3 films are directionally oriented grown on the TiN/Si substrates. • Galvanic currents are controlled by dissolution of TiN and formation of BaTiO 3
Correlation of High Magnetoelectric Coupling with Oxygen Vacancy Superstructure in Epitaxial Multiferroic BaTiO3-BiFeO3 Composite Thin Films
Lorenz, Michael; Wagner, Gerald; Lazenka, Vera; Schwinkendorf, Peter; Bonholzer, Michael; Van Bael, Margriet J.; Vantomme, Andr?; Temst, Kristiaan; Oeckler, Oliver; Grundmann, Marius
Epitaxial multiferroic BaTiO3-BiFeO3 composite thin films exhibit a correlation between the magnetoelectric (ME) voltage coefficient αME and the oxygen partial pressure during growth. The ME coefficient αME reaches high values up to 43 V/(cm·Oe) at 300 K and at 0.25 mbar oxygen growth pressure. The temperature dependence of αME of the composite films is opposite that of recently-reported BaTiO3-BiFeO3 superlattices, indicating that strain-mediated ME coupling alone cannot explain its origin. ...
Correlation of High Magnetoelectric Coupling with Oxygen Vacancy Superstructure in Epitaxial Multiferroic BaTiO3-BiFeO3 Composite Thin Films
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Michael Lorenz
Full Text Available Epitaxial multiferroic BaTiO3-BiFeO3 composite thin films exhibit a correlation between the magnetoelectric (ME voltage coefficient αME and the oxygen partial pressure during growth. The ME coefficient αME reaches high values up to 43 V/(cm·Oe at 300 K and at 0.25 mbar oxygen growth pressure. The temperature dependence of αME of the composite films is opposite that of recently-reported BaTiO3-BiFeO3 superlattices, indicating that strain-mediated ME coupling alone cannot explain its origin. Probably, charge-mediated ME coupling may play a role in the composite films. Furthermore, the chemically-homogeneous composite films show an oxygen vacancy superstructure, which arises from vacancy ordering on the {111} planes of the pseudocubic BaTiO3-type structure. This work contributes to the understanding of magnetoelectric coupling as a complex and sensitive interplay of chemical, structural and geometrical issues of the BaTiO3-BiFeO3 composite system and, thus, paves the way to practical exploitation of magnetoelectric composites.
Correlation of High Magnetoelectric Coupling with Oxygen Vacancy Superstructure in Epitaxial Multiferroic BaTiO3-BiFeO3 Composite Thin Films
Lorenz, Michael; Wagner, Gerald; Lazenka, Vera; Schwinkendorf, Peter; Bonholzer, Michael; Van Bael, Margriet J.; Vantomme, André; Temst, Kristiaan; Oeckler, Oliver; Grundmann, Marius
Epitaxial multiferroic BaTiO3-BiFeO3 composite thin films exhibit a correlation between the magnetoelectric (ME) voltage coefficient αME and the oxygen partial pressure during growth. The ME coefficient αME reaches high values up to 43 V/(cm·Oe) at 300 K and at 0.25 mbar oxygen growth pressure. The temperature dependence of αME of the composite films is opposite that of recently-reported BaTiO3-BiFeO3 superlattices, indicating that strain-mediated ME coupling alone cannot explain its origin. Probably, charge-mediated ME coupling may play a role in the composite films. Furthermore, the chemically-homogeneous composite films show an oxygen vacancy superstructure, which arises from vacancy ordering on the {111} planes of the pseudocubic BaTiO3-type structure. This work contributes to the understanding of magnetoelectric coupling as a complex and sensitive interplay of chemical, structural and geometrical issues of the BaTiO3-BiFeO3 composite system and, thus, paves the way to practical exploitation of magnetoelectric composites. PMID:28787843
Microstructure defects mediated charge transport in Nb-doped epitaxial BaTiO3 thin films
Zhou, Jian; Jing, Xiaosai; Alexe, Marin; Dai, Jiyan; Qin, Minghui; Wu, Sujuan; Zeng, Min; Gao, Jinwei; Lu, Xubing; Liu, J.-M.
Nb-doped BaTiO3 (BNTO) films were deposited on MgO substrates at different substrate temperatures by pulsed laser deposition. The temperature dependence of their resistivity, carrier mobility and carrier concentration were systematically investigated. It reveals that the BNTO films deposited at lower temperature show higher resistivity and lower carrier mobility, and only show semiconductor characteristics at measurement temperatures ranging from 10 to 400 K. There is a metal-semiconductor transition at about 20 K for the films grown at relatively higher temperature. The intrinsic mechanism responsible for the different charge transport behavior was revealed by microstructure studies. Low crystal quality and high density of microstructure defects, observed for BNTO films grown at low temperatures, are, in particular, massively affecting the charge transport behavior of the BNTO films. The mediated charge transport of the microstructure defects is dominated by the thermal excitation process.
Enhanced flux pinning in pulsed laser deposited Y Ba 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ : BaTiO 3 nanocomposite thin films
Jha, Alok K.; Khare, Neeraj; Pinto, R.
The effect of incorporation of BaTiO 3(BTO) nanoparticles on the flux pinning properties of pulsed laser deposited YBCO:BTO thin films was studied. Substantial increase in the critical current density ( JC) and the pinning force density ( Fp) of the nanocomposite thin films was observed. At 77 K, and zero applied magnetic field, the value of JC for YBCO and YBCO:BTO (2%) thin films were 2.93 MA/cm 2 and 6.43 MA/cm 2, respectively. At the same temperature and an applied magnetic field of 4 T, the value of JC increases from 3.6×10 4 A/cm 2 for YBCO thin film to 2.7×10 5 A/cm 2 for YBCO:BTO (2%) nanocomposite thin film. The study of temperature and field dependence of J of YBCO and YBCO:BTO thin films indicates similar type of pinning. The lattice mismatch between YBCO and BTO seems to introduce more defects resulting in the improvement of flux pinning properties.
Effects of Nb and Sr doping on crystal structure of epitaxial BaTiO3 thin films on MgO substrates
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kim, Yongsam; Chen, Chunhua; Saiki, Atsushi; Wakiya, Naoki; Shinozaki, Kazuo; Mizutani, Nobuyasu
Niobium (Nb) and strontium (Sr) doped barium titanate (BT) films were deposited by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering with Nb and Sr doped BT ceramic targets, respectively. The effect of Nb and Sr doping on the crystal structure of epitaxial BaTiO 3 thin films on MgO substrates was investigated. The crystal structure of the films was examined using the reciprocal space mapping measurement. All the films exhibit a cube-on-cube relation with respect to the substrates. As the amount of doped Sr increased, both of the in-plane and out-of-plane lattice constants of Sr doped BT films slowly approached the BT bulk values. On the other hand, the lattice constants of Nb doped BT films were rapidly coming close to the bulk values. These indicated that the lattices of doped BT films were relaxed as the amount of doped elements increased. In addition, Nb doping had greater influence on the relaxation of the films than Sr doping for the same content of dopant. (author)
Influence of grain size dispersion on the magnetic properties of nanogranular BaTiO3-CoFe2O4 thin films.
Barbosa, J; Almeida, B G; Mendes, J A; Leitão, D; Araújo, J P
Thin film nanogranular composites of cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) dispersed in a barium titanate (BaTiO3) matrix were deposited by laser ablation with different cobalt ferrite concentrations (x). Their structural and magnetic properties were characterized. The films were polycrystalline and composed by a mixture of tetragonal-BaTiO3 and CoFe2O4 with the cubic spinel structure. A slight (111) barium titanate phase orientation and (311) CoFe2O4 phase orientation were observed. The lattice parameter of the CoFe2O4 was always smaller than the bulk value indicating that the cobalt ferrite was under compressive stress. From atomic force microscopy a broad distribution of grain sizes was observed in the nanocomposites, with a significant amount of smaller grains (magnetic measurements show an increase of the magnetic moment from the low concentration region where the magnetic grains are more isolated and their magnetic interaction is small, towards the bulk value for higher CoFe2O4 content in the films. A corresponding decrease of coercive field with increasing cobalt ferrite concentration was also observed, due to the higher inter-particle magnetic interaction (and reduced stress) of the agglomerated grains.
Vacancy-induced magnetism in BaTiO3(001) thin films based on density functional theory.
Cao, Dan; Cai, Meng-Qiu; Hu, Wang-Yu; Yu, Ping; Huang, Hai-Tao
The origin of magnetism induced by vacancies on BaTiO(3)(001) surfaces is investigated systematically by first-principles calculations within density-functional theory. The calculated results show that O vacancy is responsible for the magnetism of the BaO-terminated surface and the magnetism of the TiO(2)-terminated surface is induced by Ti vacancy. For the BaO-terminated surface, the magnetism mainly arises from the unpaired electrons that are localized in the O vacancy basin. In contrast, for the TiO(2)-terminated surface, the magnetism mainly originates from the partially occupied O-2p states of the first nearest neighbor O atoms surrounding the Ti vacancy. These results suggest the possibility of implementing magneto-electric coupling in conventional ferroelectric materials.
Ferroelectric properties of BaTiO3/PbZr0.2Ti.08O3 bilayer thin film
Salev, Pavel; Yang, Chun; Grigoriev, Alexei
The thin film ferroelectric BaTiO3/PbZr0.2Ti0.8O3 bilayer was epitaxially grown on SrRuO3/SrTiO3 substrate by RF sputtering. Electrical measurements of polarization switching revealed two different switching regimes - a small ferroelectric hysteresis loop at low applied voltage and a larger loop at a high voltage. The measured dielectric permittivity corresponds to weak electrostatic coupling between two layers according to Landau-Ginsburg-Devonshire theory. This weak coupling may allow for independent polarization states to exist in individual layers. This can lead to stable head-to-head and tail-to-tail polarization domain configurations, which would explain the two switching regimes observed in electrical measurements. The compensation of polarization gradient across the interface can be explained by the enhancement of interface charge carrier density due to strong bending of electron energy bands. This work was supported by NSF award DMR-1057159.
Ferroelectric properties of NaNbO3-BaTiO3 thin films deposited on SrRuO3/(001)SrTiO3 substrate by pulsed laser deposition
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Yamazoe, Seiji; Oda, Shinya; Sakurai, Hiroyuki; Wada, Takahiro; Adachi, Hideaki
(NaNbO 3 ) 1-x (BaTiO 3 ) x (NN-xBT) thin films with low BaTiO 3 (BT) concentrations x (x=0.05 and 0.10) were fabricated on SrRuO 3 /(001)SrTiO 3 (SRO)/(001)STO) substrate by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD) and transmission electron diffraction pattern (TED) showed that NN-0.10BT thin film was epitaxially grown on SRO/(001)STO substrate with a crystallographic relationship of [001] NN-xBT parallel [001] STO . From reciprocal space maps, the lattice parameters of the out-of-plane direction of NN-xBT thin films became larger with an increase in BT concentration, although the lattice parameter of the in-plane was hardly changed by the BT concentration. The value of relative dielectric constant ε r of the NN-xBT thin films were increased with BT concentration. The ε r and the dielectric loss tanδ of NN-0.10BT were 1220 and 0.02 at 1 kHz, respectively. The P-E hysteresis loops of the NN-xBT thin films showed clear ferroelectricity. Although the value of remanent polarization P r decreased with the BT concentration, the behaviors of ε r , P r , and coercive electric field E c of the NN-xBT thin films against the BT concentration accorded with those of NN-xBT ceramics, in which NN-0.10BT ceramics exhibited the largest piezoelectric property. Therefore, the NN-0.10BT thin film is expected to show high piezoelectricity. (author)
Growth of BaTiO3-PVDF composite thick films by using aerosol deposition
Cho, Sung Hwan; Yoon, Young Joon
Barium titanate (BaTiO3)-polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) composite thick films were grown by using aerosol deposition at room temperature with BaTiO3 and PVDF powders. To produce a uniform composition in ceramic and polymer composite films, which show a substantial difference in specific gravity, we used PVDF-coated BaTiO3 powders as the starting materials. An examination of the microstructure confirmed that the BaTiO3 were well distributed in the PVDF matrix in the form of a 0 - 3 compound. The crystallite size in the BaTiO3-PVDF composite thick films was 5 ˜ 50 times higher than that in pure BaTiO3 thick films. PVDF plays a role in suppressing the fragmentation of BaTiO3 powder during the aerosol deposition process and in controlling the relative permittivity.
Crystallization and electrical characteristics of 0.95 (Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO3-0.05 BaTiO3 thin films under different annealing temperature and atmosphere.
Diao, Chien-Chen; Yang, Cheng-Fu; Lin, Jing-Jenn
0.95 (Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO3-0.05 BaTiO3 +1 wt% Bi2O3 (NBT-BT3) ceramic is used as target to deposit the NBT-BT3 thin films. The excess 1wt% Bi2O3 is used to compensate the vaporization of Bi2O3 during the sintering and annealing processes. NBT-BT3 thin films are successfully deposited using radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputter method and crystallized subsequently using a conventional furnace annealing (CFA) process. The annealed process is conducted in air and in oxygen atmosphere at temperatures ranging from 600-800 degrees C for 60 min. As compared with the as-deposited NBT-BT3 thin films, the CFA-treated process has improved the grain growth and crystallization. We will show that the annealing atmosphere is the more important parameter to influence the grain growth and crystallization of NBT-BT3 thin films than the annealing temperature. The influences of CFA-treated temperature and atmosphere on the electrical characteristics of NBT-BT3 thin films, including the polarization characteristics (Pr, Ps, and Ec values), the capacitance-voltage (C-V) curves, and the leakage current density-electric field (J-E) curves, are also investigated in this study.
Ferroelectric substrate effects on the magnetism, magnetotransport, and electroresistance of La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 thin films on BaTiO3
Alberca, A.; Munuera, C.; Tornos, J.; Mompean, F. J.; Biskup, N.; Ruiz, Amalia; Nemes, N. M.; Andrés, Alicia de; León, Carlos; Santamaría, Jacobo; García-Hernández, M.
La 0.7Ca 0.3MnO 3 optimally doped epitaxial films were grown on ferroelectric BaTiO 3 substrates. Electronic transport (magnetoresistance and electroresistance) and magnetic properties showed important anomalies in the temperature interval between 60 and 150 K, below the metal-insulator transition. Scanning probe microscopy revealed changes in BaTiO 3 surface morphology at those temperatures. La 0.7Ca 0.3MnO 3 thickness is a critical factor: 120-thick films showed large anomalies sensitive to...
Effect of Zn-doping on the structural and optical properties of BaTiO3 thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Fasasi, A.Y.; Maaza, M.; Rohwer, E.G.; Knoessen, D.; Theron, Ch.; Leitch, A.; Buttner, U.
Thin films of zinc oxide doped barium titanate (BaZn x Ti 1-x O 3 ) have been prepared by pulsed laser ablation using different targets having zinc composition varying between x = 1 to 5 wt.% at a step of 1 wt.% on corning glass microscope slide and silicon substrates. X-ray diffraction analyses showed films to be of tetragonal phase with an average grain size of 20 nm and c/a ratio of 1.08 indicating lattice expansion due to ZnO incorporation. Atomic force microscopy studies of the prepared thin films indicated smooth surfaces with average roughness of 1.84 and 4.6 nm for as-deposited and sintered specimens respectively. Scanning electron microscopy showed films to be smooth and uniform. UV-Visible as well as Fourier Transform Infrared transmission measurements showed a transmission of more than 80% in the visible and 5-20% in the near infrared. The transmittance is strongly affected by annealing. There is a dependence of band gap energy on film thickness as well as on the amount of ZnO added. High ZnO dopant level led to an increase in the band gap
Nucleation control and inhibition of BaTiO3 films using hydrothermal-electrochemical method
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Escobar, Ivan; Silva, Carmen; Silva, Eric; Vargas, Tomas; Fuenzalida, Victor
The microstructure of BaTiO 3 films on titanium by the hydrothermal-electrochemical method was investigated using a three electrode high pressure electrochemical cell in a 0.2 M Ba(OH) 2 electrolyte at 150 0 C. The spontaneous initial linked to pure hydrothermal BaTiO 3 formation can be inhibited by cathodically protecting titanium electrode since its immersion in the electrolyte. The application of initial nucleation pulses of varying the cathodic potentials affected the grain size of the deposit. It is suggested that the formation of a titanium oxide layers is a necessary step previous to the nucleation of BaTiO 3
Electric and Mechanical Switching of Ferroelectric and Resistive States in Semiconducting BaTiO3-δ Films on Silicon.
Gómez, Andrés; Vila-Fungueiriño, José Manuel; Moalla, Rahma; Saint-Girons, Guillaume; Gázquez, Jaume; Varela, María; Bachelet, Romain; Gich, Martí; Rivadulla, Francisco; Carretero-Genevrier, Adrián
Materials that can couple electrical and mechanical properties constitute a key element of smart actuators, energy harvesters, or many sensing devices. Within this class, functional oxides display specific mesoscale responses which often result in great sensitivity to small external stimuli. Here, a novel combination of molecular beam epitaxy and a water-based chemical-solution method is used for the design of mechanically controlled multilevel device integrated on silicon. In particular, the possibility of adding extra functionalities to a ferroelectric oxide heterostructure by n-doping and nanostructuring a BaTiO 3 thin film on Si(001) is explored. It is found that the ferroelectric polarization can be reversed, and resistive switching can be measured, upon a mechanical load in epitaxial BaTiO 3- δ /La 0.7 Sr 0.3 MnO 3 /SrTiO 3 /Si columnar nanostructures. A flexoelectric effect is found, stemming from substantial strain gradients that can be created with moderate loads. Simultaneously, mechanical effects on the local conductivity can be used to modulate a nonvolatile resistive state of the BaTiO 3- δ heterostructure. As a result, three different configurations of the system become accessible on top of the usual voltage reversal of polarization and resistive states. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
Multiphase nanodomains in a strained BaTiO3 film on a GdScO3 substrate
Kobayashi, Shunsuke; Inoue, Kazutoshi; Kato, Takeharu; Ikuhara, Yuichi; Yamamoto, Takahisa
Controlling the crystal structure of ferroelectric materials via epitaxial strain, which is a well-known technique in strain engineering, can lead to the formation of unique domain structures generating non-intrinsic phenomena such as electronic conductivity, photovoltages, and enhanced piezoelectric characteristics. Strained BaTiO3 films are promising ferroelectric materials as theoretical modeling predicts that different domain morphologies can introduce additional properties not observed in conventional BaTiO3 ceramics. To rationally design materials for practical application, a thorough understanding of the formation mechanisms and stabilities of different domain structures in strained BaTiO3 films is required. However, there have been very few experimental reports on this topic, and details about the domain structures in strained BaTiO3 films are currently lacking. In this paper, we report multiphase nanodomains in a strained BaTiO3 film deposited on an orthorhombic GdScO3 substrate. The phase-transition behavior of the strained BaTiO3 film reveals that it contains multiple phases at room temperature; the film first undergoes a phase-transition upon heating at around 550 K, and then a paraelectric phase forms at temperatures above 690 K. A picometer-scale analysis of the Ti ion displacements, using an advanced scanning transmission electron microscopy technique, is used to characterize the complex multiphase nanodomains, providing useful insights into the control of domain structures in BaTiO3 films by applying epitaxial strain.
Giant Strain and Induced Ferroelectricity in Amorphous BaTiO3 Films under Poling
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Pegah Mirzadeh Vaghefi
Full Text Available We report an effect of giant surface modification of a 5.6 nm thick BaTiO3 film grown on Si (100 substrate under poling by conductive tip of a scanning probe microscope (SPM. The surface can be locally elevated by about 9 nm under −20 V applied during scanning, resulting in the maximum strain of 160%. The threshold voltage for the surface modification is about 12 V. The modified topography is stable enough with time and slowly decays after poling with the rate ~0.02 nm/min. Strong vertical piezoresponse after poling is observed, too. Combined measurements by SPM and piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM prove that the poled material develops high ferroelectric polarization that cannot be switched back even under an oppositely oriented electric field. The topography modification is hypothesized to be due to a strong Joule heating and concomitant interface reaction between underlying Si and BaTiO3. The top layer is supposed to become ferroelectric as a result of local crystallization of amorphous BaTiO3. This work opens up new possibilities to form nanoscale ferroelectric structures useful for various applications.
Electrical properties of (1 0 0)-predominant BaTiO3 films derived from alkoxide solutions of two concentrations
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Guo Yiping; Suzuki, Kazuyuki; Nishizawa, Kaori; Miki, Takeshi; Kato, Kazumi
Lead-free piezoelectric films with thickness larger than 1 μm integrated on silicon substrates have been receiving considerable attention because of environmental concerns and their potential applications in microelectromechanical systems. We demonstrate that, by chemical solution deposition, it is possible to process (1 0 0)-predominant 1 μm BaTiO 3 films on LaNiO 3 /Pt/TiO x /SiO 2 /Si substrates using thinner high-crystallinity columnar BaTiO 3 films as buffer layers. We point out that this kind of buffer layer prepared with a lower concentration solution on the surface of an LaNiO 3 /Pt electrode is effective in enhancing the crystallinity and orientation degree of final BaTiO 3 films prepared with a higher concentration solution. The 1 μm BaTiO 3 films show good dielectric and insulating characteristics against an applied field, and the conduction current shows Schottky emission behavior at modest voltage and space-charge-limited behavior at higher voltage. We also demonstrate that the (1 0 0)-predominant 1 μm BaTiO 3 films have excellent piezoelectric properties: piezoelectric coefficients d 33 higher than 50 pm/V have been determined for the bare films using atomic force microscopy, which are comparable to those of Pb(Zr,Ti)O 3 films. These results indicate that the (1 0 0)-predominant BaTiO 3 films should be promising candidates for microelectromechanical systems applications
A first-principles study of phase transitions in ultrathin films of BaTiO 3
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
We determine the effects of film thickness, epitaxial strain and the nature of electrodes on ferroelectric phase transitions in ultrathin films of BaTiO3 using a first-principles effective Hamiltonian in classical molecular dynamics simulations. We present results for polarization and dielectric properties as a function of temperature ...
Electric controlling of surface metal-insulator transition in the doped BaTiO3 film
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Wei Xun
Full Text Available Based on first-principles calculations, the BaTiO3(BTO film with local La-doping is studied. For a selected concentration and position of doping, the surface metal-insulator transition occurs under the applied electric field, and the domain appears near the surface for both bipolar states. Furthermore, for the insulated surface state, i.e., the downward polarization state in the doped film, the gradient bandgap structure is achieved, which favors the absorption of solar energy. Our investigation can provide an alternative avenue in modification of surface property and surface screening effect in polar materials.
Electric controlling of surface metal-insulator transition in the doped BaTiO3 film
Xun, Wei; Hao, Xiang; Pan, Tao; Zhong, Jia-Lin; Ma, Chun-Lan; Hou, Fang; Wu, Yin-Zhong
Based on first-principles calculations, the BaTiO3(BTO) film with local La-doping is studied. For a selected concentration and position of doping, the surface metal-insulator transition occurs under the applied electric field, and the domain appears near the surface for both bipolar states. Furthermore, for the insulated surface state, i.e., the downward polarization state in the doped film, the gradient bandgap structure is achieved, which favors the absorption of solar energy. Our investigation can provide an alternative avenue in modification of surface property and surface screening effect in polar materials.
Electric controlling of surface metal-insulator transition in the doped BaTiO3 film
Wei Xun; Xiang Hao; Tao Pan; Jia-Lin Zhong; Chun-Lan Ma; Fang Hou; Yin-Zhong Wu
Based on first-principles calculations, the BaTiO3(BTO) film with local La-doping is studied. For a selected concentration and position of doping, the surface metal-insulator transition occurs under the applied electric field, and the domain appears near the surface for both bipolar states. Furthermore, for the insulated surface state, i.e., the downward polarization state in the doped film, the gradient bandgap structure is achieved, which favors the absorption of solar energy. Our investiga...
BaTiO3 FILMS DEPOSITED ONTO TiNb AND Ti SUBSTRATES - AMOUNT AND STABILITY OF BARIUM
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Kamila Moriová
Full Text Available BaTiO3 films deposited onto TiNb and Ti substrates using hydrothermal synthesis method were studied in the presented work. These films are supposed to improve properties of bone implants due to their ferroelectric behaviour, because ferroelectrics induce improved bone formation. A great question is the chemical stability of the used material. It can be crucial for its biocompatibility and possible in vivo application. We studied chemical composition of prepared samples, especially concentration of Ba and Ti and trends of these concentrations stimulated by a solution saline action. The Ba and Ti concentrations were determined by XPS under ultra - high vacuum condition. The BaTiO3 films were investigated as received after the preparation procedure as well as after a long - time treatment in solution saline. Every sample was introduced to the solution saline at first for 1 and later for 3 weeks. Ti concentration almost does not change during our experiments while a meaningful Ba decrease is observed. Nevertheless, barium release seems to slow down with respect to the time of solution saline action. Stability of barium titanate films in a period of several months and an absolute amount of the released barium will be a subject of the next research.
Tuning electrical conductivity, charge transport, and ferroelectricity in epitaxial BaTiO3 films by Nb-doping
Jing, Xiaosai; Xu, Wenchao; Yang, Cheng; Feng, Jiajun; Zhang, Aihua; Zeng, Yanping; Qin, Minghui; Zeng, Min; Fan, Zhen; Gao, Jinwei; Gao, Xingsen; Zhou, Guofu; Lu, Xubing; Liu, J.-M.
The electrical conductivity, charge transport behavior, and ferroelectricity of epitaxial BaNbxTi1-xO3 films (BNTO, 0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.5) prepared by pulsed laser deposition are investigated. It is found that Nb-doping can tune the conventional insulating BaTiO3 films from an insulating to highly conductive semiconducting or metallic state, resulting in a variation of the electrical conductivity of the BNTO films over 105. For x ≤ 0.25, the charge transport is dominated by the small polaron hopping mechanism, while the charge transport for x = 0.5 transits from the bipolaron to the small-polaron, and then the thermal phonon scattering mechanisms with increasing temperature. Interestingly, the piezo-force microscopy imaging reveals the presence of ferroelectricity in the properly Nb-doped conductive BNTO films (x ≤ 0.25) deposited in the presence of a small amount of oxygen (3 × 10-3 Pa). Our work provides additional technical roadmaps to manipulate the conductivity and charge transport behaviors in ferroelectric films, which will boost potential applications in future information storage, sensors, and photovoltaic devices.
Origin of thermally stable ferroelectricity in a porous barium titanate thin film synthesized through block copolymer templating
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Norihiro Suzuki
Full Text Available A porous barium titanate (BaTiO3 thin film was chemically synthesized using a surfactant-assisted sol-gel method in which micelles of amphipathic diblock copolymers served as structure-directing agents. In the Raman spectrum of the porous BaTiO3 thin film, a peak corresponding to the ferroelectric tetragonal phase was observed at around 710 cm−1, and it remained stable at much higher temperature than the Curie temperature of bulk single-crystal BaTiO3 (∼130 °C. Measurements revealed that the ferroelectricity of the BaTiO3 thin film has high thermal stability. By analyzing high-resolution transmission electron microscope images of the BaTiO3 thin film by the fast Fourier transform mapping method, the spatial distribution of stress in the BaTiO3 framework was clearly visualized. Careful analysis also indicated that the porosity in the BaTiO3 thin film introduced anisotropic compressive stress, which deformed the crystals. The resulting elongated unit cell caused further displacement of the Ti4+ cation from the center of the lattice. This displacement increased the electric dipole moment of the BaTiO3 thin film, effectively enhancing its ferro(piezoelectricity.
Nanocomposites of ferroelectric polymers with surface-hydroxylated BaTiO 3 nanoparticles for energy storage applications
Almadhoun, Mahmoud Nassar Mahmoud
A facile surface hydroxylation treatment using hydrogen peroxide to modify the surface of BaTiO 3 nanofillers dispersed in a ferroelectric copolymer host has been investigated. We demonstrate that the surface functionalization of the BaTiO 3 nanofillers (<100 nm) with hydroxyl groups results in as much as two orders of magnitude reduction in the leakage current of nanocomposite thin-film capacitors. This reduction is observed concurrently with the enhancement of the effective permittivity and breakdown strength of the thin-film nanocomposites. Surface modified BaTiO 3 particles display better dispersion within the polymer matrix, resulting in enhanced relative permittivity and reduced dielectric loss. The dielectric behavior of the nanocomposite films containing up to 30 vol.% BaTiO 3 agreed well with the Bruggeman model. These results demonstrate the potential of facile surface hydroxylation of nanoparticles towards the fabrication of higher energy-density nanocomposites. © 2012 The Royal Society of Chemistry.
Ultrathin BaTiO3 templates for multiferroic nanostructures
Chen, Xumin; Yang, Seolun; Kim, Ji-Hyun; Kim, Hyung-Do; Kim, Jae-Sung; Rojas, Geoffrey; Skomski, Ralph; Lu, Haidong; Bhattacharya, Anand; Santos, Tiffany; Guisinger, Nathan; Bode, Matthias; Gruverman, Alexei; Enders, Axel
Structural, electronic and dielectric properties of high-quality ultrathin BaTiO3 films are investigated. The films, which are grown by ozone-assisted molecular beam epitaxy on Nb-doped SrTiO3 (001) substrates and having thicknesses as thin 8 unit cells (3.2 nm), are unreconstructed and atomically smooth with large crystalline terraces. A strain-driven transition to 3D island formation is observed for films of of 13 unit cells thickness (5.2 nm). The high structural quality of the surfaces, t...
Electric double layer transistors with ferroelectric BaTiO3 channels
Ito, M.; Matsubara, Y.; Kozuka, Y.; Takahashi, K. S.; Kagawa, F.; Ye, J. T.; Iwasa, Y.; Ueno, K.; Tokura, Y.; Kawasaki, M.
We report the surface conduction of a BaTiO3 thin film using electric double layer transistor (EDLT) structure. A transistor operation was observed at 220 K with an on/off ratio exceeding 10(5), demonstrating that ionic liquid gating is effective to induce carriers at the surface of ferroelectric
Barium titanate thin films deposited by electrophoresis on p-Doped Si (001) substrates.
Barbosa, J G; Pereira, M R; Moura, C; Mendes, J A; Almeida, B G
Barium titanate (BaTiO3) thin films have been prepared by electrophoretic deposition on p-doped and platinum covered silicon (Si) substrates. Their structure, nanostructure and dielectric properties were characterized. The as-deposited films were polycrystalline and composed by barium titanate nanograins with an average grain size approximately 9 nm. Annealing at high temperatures promoted grain growth, so that the samples annealed at 600 degrees C presented average grain sizes approximately 24 nm. From Raman spectroscopy measurements it was found that the tetragonal (ferroelectric) BaTiO3 phase was stabilized on the films. Also, at higher annealing temperatures, cation disorder was reduced on the films. From measurements of the temperature dependence of the dielectric permittivity the corresponding paraelectric-ferroelectric phase transition was determined. The observed transition temperature (approximately 100 degrees C) was found to be below the BaTiO3 bulk or thick film values, due to the small nanosized grains composing the films.
Conduction Mechanisms in Multiferroic Multilayer BaTiO3/NiFe2O4/BaTiO3 Memristors
Samardzic, N.; Bajac, B.; Srdic, V. V.; Stojanovic, G. M.
Memristive devices and materials are extensively studied as they offer diverse properties and applications in digital, analog and bio-inspired circuits. In this paper, we present an important class of memristors, multiferroic memristors, which are composed of multiferroic multilayer BaTiO3/NiFe2O4/BaTiO3 thin films, fabricated by a spin-coating deposition technique on platinized Si wafers. This cost-effective device shows symmetric and reproducible current-voltage characteristics for the actuating voltage amplitude of ±10 V. The origin of the conduction mechanism was investigated by measuring the electrical response in different voltage and temperature conditions. The results indicate the existence of two mechanisms: thermionic emission and Fowler-Nordheim tunnelling, which alternate with actuating voltage amplitude and operating temperature.
Self-assembled core-shell CoFe2O4@BaTiO3 particles loaded P(VDF-HFP) flexible films with excellent magneto-electric effects
Zhou, Ling; Fu, Qiuyun; Zhou, Dongxiang; Zheng, Zhiping; Hu, Yunxiang; Luo, Wei; Tian, Yahui; Wang, Chaohong; Xue, Fei; Tang, Xiahui
Flexible composited multiferroic films with excellent magnetic-electric effects were prepared. The films were composed of self-assembled CoFe2O4@BaTiO3 core-shell nanoparticle fillers and a poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropene) matrix. The CoFe2O4@BaTiO3 core-shell particles were prepared using a hydrolysis-hydrothermal method. The surface modification of CoFe2O4 with the cationic surfactant cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide promoted the BaTiO3 nanocrystals' self-assembly precipitation. Compared with the films loaded by bare CoFe2O4, the films filled with core-shell particles exhibited reduced leakage current density, enhanced dielectric properties, ferroelectric (FE) polarization, and magneto-electric (ME) effects. An excellent ME voltage coefficient of 1835 mV/cm Oe was measured at a DC bias field of -3500 Oe and an AC magnetic field of 3.5 Oe with a frequency of 45 kHz. This enhancement of ME effects was attributed to the large FE-ferromagnetic (FM) interface to volume and the increment of induced polarization, which were originated from the efficient impediment of the aggregation of FM fillers in the core-shell matrix.
Frustration of Negative Capacitance in Al2O3/BaTiO3 Bilayer Structure.
Kim, Yu Jin; Park, Min Hyuk; Lee, Young Hwan; Kim, Han Joon; Jeon, Woojin; Moon, Taehwan; Kim, Keum Do; Jeong, Doo Seok; Yamada, Hiroyuki; Hwang, Cheol Seong
Enhancement of capacitance by negative capacitance (NC) effect in a dielectric/ferroelectric (DE/FE) stacked film is gaining a greater interest. While the previous theory on NC effect was based on the Landau-Ginzburg-Devonshire theory, this work adopted a modified formalism to incorporate the depolarization effect to describe the energy of the general DE/FE system. The model predicted that the SrTiO3/BaTiO3 system will show a capacitance boost effect. It was also predicted that the 5 nm-thick Al2O3/150 nm-thick BaTiO3 system shows the capacitance boost effect with no FE-like hysteresis behavior, which was inconsistent with the experimental results; the amorphous-Al2O3/epitaxial-BaTiO3 system showed a typical FE-like hysteresis loop in the polarization - voltage test. This was due to the involvement of the trapped charges at the DE/FE interface, originating from the very high field across the thin Al2O3 layer when the BaTiO3 layer played a role as the NC layer. Therefore, the NC effect in the Al2O3/BaTiO3 system was frustrated by the involvement of reversible interface charge; the highly stored charge by the NC effect of the BaTiO3 during the charging period could not be retrieved during the discharging process because integral part of the polarization charge was retained within the system as a remanent polarization.
Simultaneous achievement of high dielectric constant and low temperature dependence of capacitance in (111-oriented BaTiO3-Bi(Mg0.5Ti0.5O3-BiFeO3 solid solution thin films
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Junichi Kimura
Full Text Available The temperature dependence of the capacitance of (111c-oriented (0.90–xBaTiO3-0.10Bi(Mg0.5Ti0.5O3-xBiFeO3 solid solution films is investigated. These films are prepared on (111cSrRuO3/(111Pt/TiO2/SiO2/(100Si substrates by the chemical solution deposition technique. All the films have perovskite structures and the crystal symmetry at room temperature varies with increasing x ratio, from pseudocubic when x = 0–0.30 to rhombohedral when x = 0.50–0.90. The pseudocubic phase shows a high relative dielectric constant (εr (ranging between 400 and 560 at room temperature and an operating frequency of 100 kHz and a low temperature dependence of capacitance up to 400°C, while maintaining a dielectric loss (tan δ value of less than 0.2 at 100 kHz. In contrast, εr for the rhombohedral phase increases monotonically with increasing temperature up to 250°C, and increasingly high tan δ values are recorded at higher temperatures. These results indicate that pseudocubic (0.90–xBaTiO3-0.10Bi(Mg0.5Ti0.5O3-xBiFeO3 solid solution films with (111 orientation are suitable candidates for high-temperature capacitor applications.
Luminescent Properties of Surface Functionalized BaTiO3 Embedded in Poly(methyl methacrylate
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Sebastian Requena
Full Text Available As-received BaTiO3 nanopowders of average grain sizes 50 nm and 100 nm were functionalized by (3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES and mixed with poly(methyl methacrylate/toluene solution. The nanocomposite solution was spin coated on Si substrates to form thin films. The photoluminescence spectrum of the pure powder was composed of a bandgap emission at 3.0 eV and multiple bands centered about 2.5 eV. Surface functionalization of the BaTiO3 powder via APTES increases overall luminescence at room temperature while only enhancing bandgap emission at low-temperature. Polymer coating of the functionalized nanoparticles significantly enhances bandgap emissions while decreasing emissions associated with near-surface lattice distortions at 2.5 eV.
Luminescent Properties of Surface Functionalized BaTiO3 Embedded in Poly(methyl methacrylate)
Requena, Sebastian; Lacoul, Srijan; Strzhemechny, Yuri M.
As-received BaTiO3 nanopowders of average grain sizes 50 nm and 100 nm were functionalized by (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) and mixed with poly(methyl methacrylate)/toluene solution. The nanocomposite solution was spin coated on Si substrates to form thin films. The photoluminescence spectrum of the pure powder was composed of a bandgap emission at 3.0 eV and multiple bands centered about 2.5 eV. Surface functionalization of the BaTiO3 powder via APTES increases overall luminescence at room temperature while only enhancing bandgap emission at low-temperature. Polymer coating of the functionalized nanoparticles significantly enhances bandgap emissions while decreasing emissions associated with near-surface lattice distortions at 2.5 eV. PMID:28788468
African Journals Online (AJOL)
organic substances. KEY WORDS: Photoelectrocatalysis, Titanium dioxide, Cuprous oxide, Composite thin film, Photo electrode. INTRODUCTION ... reddish p-type semiconductor with a direct band gap of 2.0-2.2 eV [18, 19]. ... Photoelectrocatalytic removal of color from water using TiO2 and TiO2/Cu2O electrodes. Bull.
Novel phases in ferroelectric BaTiO3 thin films : Enhanced piezoelectricity and low hysteresis
Everhardt, Arnoud
Technology is able to provide solutions for the challenges that the modern world needs, and one of the great new ideas is the development of a network of small autonomous, communicating sensors. A combination of microtechnology and energy harvesting is needed for such a network to operate. The
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
The anionic precursor was 1% H2O2 solution. Both the cationic and anionic precursors were kept at room temperature (∼300 K). One SILAR cycle consists of two steps: (i) adsorption of Sn4+ ions on the substrate surface for 20 s and (ii) reaction with H2O2 solution for 40 s to form stable SnO2:H2O thin film on the substrate.
Band-offsets at BaTiO3/Cu2O heterojunction and enhanced photoelectrochemical response: theory and experiment(Conference Presentation)
Sharma, Dipika; Satsangi, Vibha R.; Dass Kaura, Sahab; Shrivastav, Rohit; Waghmare, Umesh V.
Band-offsets at BaTiO3/Cu2O heterojunction and enhanced photoelectrochemical response: theory and experiment Dipika Sharmaa, Vibha R. Satsangib, Rohit Shrivastava, Umesh V. Waghmarec, Sahab Dassa aDepartment of Chemistry, Dayalbagh Educational Institute, Agra-282 110 (India) bDepartment of Physics and Computer Sciences, Dayalbagh Educational Institute, Agra-282 110 (India) cTheoretical Sciences Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Jakkur, Bangalore-560 064 (India) * Phone: +91-9219695960. Fax: +91-562-2801226. E-mail: email@example.com. Study on photoelectrochemical activity of pristine BaTiO3, Cu2O and BaTiO3/Cu2O heterojunction has been carried out using DFT based band offsets and charge carriers effective mass calculations and their experimental verification. The results of DFT calculations show that BaTiO3 and Cu2O have staggered type band alignment after the heterojunction formation and high mobility of electrons in Cu2O as compared to the electrons in BaTiO3. Staggered type band edges alignment and high mobility of electrons and holes improved the separation of photo-generated charge carriers in BaTiO3/Cu2O heterojunction. To validate the theoretical results experiments were carried out on pristine BaTiO3, Cu2O and BaTiO3/Cu2O heterojunction with varying thickness of Cu2O. All samples were characterized by X- Ray Diffractometer, SEM and UV-Vis spectrometry. Nanostructured thin films of pristine BaTiO3, Cu2O and BaTiO3/Cu2O heterojunction were used as photoelectrode in the photoelectrochemical cell for water splitting reaction. Maximum photocurrent density of 1.44 mA/cm2 at 0.90 V/SCE was exhibited by 442 nm thick BaTiO3/Cu2O heterojunction photoelectrode Increased photocurrent density and enhanced photoconversion efficiency, exhibited by the heterojunction may be attributed to improved conductivity and enhanced separation of the photogenerated carriers at the BaTiO3/Cu2O interface. The experimental results and first
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M. Benmouss
the optical absorption are consistent with the film color changes. Finally, the optical and electrochromic properties of the films prepared by this method are compared with those of our sputtered films already studied and with other works.
Enhanced Flux Pinning in Laser Ablated YBCO:BaTiO3 Nanocomposite Thin Film
Jha, Alok K.; Khare, Neeraj; Pinto, R.
The effect of incorporation of BaTiO3 (BTO) nanoparticles on the flux pinning properties of laser deposited YBCO:BTO thin films has been studied. Substantial increase in critical current density (JC) and pinning force density of the nanocomposite thin films was observed. The study of temperature and field dependence of JC of YBCO and YBCO:BTO thin films indicates similar type of pinning. The lattice mismatch between YBCO and BTO seems to introduce more defects resulting in improved flux pinning properties.
Growth and characterization of multiferroic barium titanate-cobalt ferrite thin film nanostructures
Zheng, Haimei
Multiferroic materials which display simultaneous ferroelectricity and magnetism have been stimulating significant interest both from the basic science and application point of view. It was proposed that composites with one piezoelectric phase and one magnetostrictive phase can be magnetoelectrically coupled via a stress mediation. The coexistence of magnetic and electric subsystems as well as the magnetoelectric effect of the material allows an additional degree of freedom in the design of actuators, transducers, and storage devices. Previous work on such materials has been focused on bulk ceramics. In the present work, we created vertically aligned multiferroic BaTiO 3-CoFe2O4 thin film nanostructures using pulsed laser deposition. Spinel CoFe2O4 and perovskite BaTiO 3 spontaneously separated during the film growth. CoFe2O 4 forms nano-pillar arrays embedded in a BaTiO3 matrix, which show three-dimensional heteroepitaxy. CoFe2O4 pillars have uniform size and spacing. As the growth temperature increases the lateral size of the pillars also increases. The size of the CoFe2O 4 pillars as a function of growth temperature at a constant growth rate follows an Arrhenius behaviour. The formation of the BaTiO3-CoFe 2O4 nanostructures is a process directed by both thermodynamic equilibrium and kinetic diffusion. Lattice mismatch strain, interface energy, elastic moduli and molar ratio of the two phases, etc., are considered to play important roles in the growth dynamics leading to the nanoscale pattern formation of BaTiO3-CoFe2O4 nanostructures. Magnetic measurements exhibit that all the films have a large uniaxial magnetic anisotropy with an easy axis normal to the film plane. It was calculated that stress anisotropy is the main contribution to the anisotropy field. We measured the ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties of the films, which correspond to the present of BaTiO3 phase. The system shows a strong coupling of the two order parameters of polarization and
Flexoelectricity induced increase of critical thickness in epitaxial ferroelectric thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Zhou Hao; Hong Jiawang; Zhang Yihui; Li Faxin; Pei Yongmao; Fang Daining
Flexoelectricity describes the coupling between polarization and strain/stress gradients in insulating crystals. In this paper, using the Landau-Ginsburg-Devonshire phenomenological approach, we found that flexoelectricity could increase the theoretical critical thickness in epitaxial BaTiO 3 thin films, below which the switchable spontaneous polarization vanishes. This increase is remarkable in tensile films while trivial in compressive films due to the electrostriction caused decrease of potential barrier, which can be easily destroyed by the flexoelectricity, between the ferroelectric state and the paraelectric state in tensile films. In addition, the films are still in a uni-polar state even below the critical thickness due to the flexoelectric effect.
Multiple Interfacial Fe3O4@BaTiO3/P(VDF-HFP) Core-Shell-Matrix Films with Internal Barrier Layer Capacitor (IBLC) Effects and High Energy Storage Density.
Zhou, Ling; Fu, Qiuyun; Xue, Fei; Tang, Xiahui; Zhou, Dongxiang; Tian, Yahui; Wang, Geng; Wang, Chaohong; Gou, Haibo; Xu, Lei
Flexible nanocomposites composed of high dielectric constant fillers and polymer matrix have shown great potential for electrostatic capacitors and energy storage applications. To obtain the composited material with high dielectric constant and high breakdown strength, multi-interfacial composited particles, which composed of conductive cores and insulating shells and possessed the internal barrier layer capacitor (IBLC) effect, were adopted as fillers. Thus, Fe 3 O 4 @BaTiO 3 core-shell particles were prepared and loaded into the poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (P(VDF-HFP)) polymer matrix. As the mass fraction of core-shell fillers increased from 2.5 wt % to 30 wt %, the dielectric constant of the films increased, while the loss tangent remained at a low level (energy storage density of 7.018 J/cm 3 was measured at 2350 kV/cm, which shows significant enhancement than those of the pure P(VDF-HFP) films and analogous composited films with converse insulating-conductive core-shell fillers. A Maxwell-Wagner capacitor model was also adopted to interpret the efficiency of IBLC effects on the suppressed loss tangent and the superior breakdown strength. This work explored an effective approach to prepare dielectric nanocomposites for energy storage applications experimentally and theoretically.
Dielectric enhancement of BaTiO3/SrTiO3 superlattices with embedded Ni nanocrystals
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Xiong Zhengwei; Sun Weiguo; Wang Xuemin; Jiang Fan; Wu Weidong
Highlights: ► The BaTiO 3 /SrTiO 3 superlattices with embedded Ni NCs were successfully fabricated by L-MBE. ► The influence with the various concentrations of Ni nanocrystals embedded in BaTiO 3 /SrTiO 3 superlattices was also discussed. ► The BaTiO 3 /SrTiO 3 superlattices with lower concentration of embedded Ni NCs had higher permittivity and dielectric loss compared with the pure BaTiO 3 /SrTiO 3 superlattices. ► The dielectric enhancement of BaTiO 3 /SrTiO 3 superlattices with embedded Ni NCs was proposed to explained by Drude quasi-free-electron theory. - Abstract: The self-organized Ni nanocrystals (NCs) were embedded in BaTiO 3 /SrTiO 3 superlattices using laser molecular beam epitaxy (L-MBE). The stress of the composite films was increased with the increasing concentration of embedded Ni NCs, as investigation in stress calculation. The influence with the various concentrations of Ni NCs embedded in BaTiO 3 /SrTiO 3 superlattices was also discussed. The internal stress of the films was too strong to epitaxial growth of BaTiO 3 /SrTiO 3 superlattices. Compared with the pure BaTiO 3 /SrTiO 3 superlattices, the BaTiO 3 /SrTiO 3 superlattices with lower concentration of embedded Ni NCs had higher permittivity and dielectric loss. Furthermore, the dielectric enhancement of BaTiO 3 /SrTiO 3 superlattices with embedded Ni NCs was proposed to explained by Drude quasi-free-electron theory.
Increased Curie Temperature Induced by Orbital Ordering in La0.67Sr0.33MnO3/BaTiO3 Superlattices
Zhang, Fei; Wu, Biao; Zhou, Guowei; Quan, Zhi-Yong; Xu, Xiao-Hong
Recent theoretical studies indicated that the Curie temperature of perovskite manganite thin films can be increased by more than an order of magnitude by applying appropriate interfacial strain to control orbital ordering. In this work, we demonstrate that the regular intercalation of BaTiO3 layers between La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 layers effectively enhances ferromagnetic order and increases the Curie temperature of La0.67Sr0.33MnO3/BaTiO3 superlattices. The preferential orbital occupancy of eg( x 2 -y 2 ) in La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 layers induced by the tensile strain of BaTiO3 layers is identified by X-ray linear dichroism measurements. Our results reveal that controlling orbital ordering can effectively improve the Curie temperature of La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 films and that in-plane orbital occupancy is beneficial to the double exchange ferromagnetic coupling of thin-film samples. These findings create new opportunities for the design and control of magnetism in artificial structures and pave the way to a variety of novel magnetoelectronic applications that operate far above room temperature.
Kern, Werner
This sequel to the 1978 classic, Thin Film Processes, gives a clear, practical exposition of important thin film deposition and etching processes that have not yet been adequately reviewed. It discusses selected processes in tutorial overviews with implementation guide lines and an introduction to the literature. Though edited to stand alone, when taken together, Thin Film Processes II and its predecessor present a thorough grounding in modern thin film techniques.Key Features* Provides an all-new sequel to the 1978 classic, Thin Film Processes* Introduces new topics, and sever
Study of the photovoltaic effect in thin film barium titanate
Grannemann, W. W.; Dharmadhikari, V. S.
The feasibility of making non-volatile digital memory devices of barium titanate, BaTiO3, that are integrated onto a silicon substrate with the required ferroelectric film produced by processing, compatible with silicon technology was examined.
Vossen, John L.
This sequel to the 1978 classic, Thin Film Processes, gives a clear, practical exposition of important thin film deposition and etching processes that have not yet been adequately reviewed. It discusses selected processes in tutorial overviews with implementation guide lines and an introduction to the literature. Though edited to stand alone, when taken together, Thin Film Processes II and its predecessor present a thorough grounding in modern thin film techniques. Key Features * Provides an all-new sequel to the 1978 classic, Thin Film Processes * Introduces new topics, and several key topics presented in the original volume are updated * Emphasizes practical applications of major thin film deposition and etching processes * Helps readers find the appropriate technology for a particular application
Mao, Shuzheng
Thin film devices are applied to almost all modern scientific instruments, and these devices, especially optical thin film devices, play an essential role in the performances of the instruments, therefore, they are attracting more and more attention. Now there are numerous kinds of thin film devices and their applications are very diversified. The 300-page book, 'Thin Film Device and Applications,' by Prof. K. L. Chopra gives some general ideas, and my paper also outlines the designs, fabrication, and applications of some optical thin film devices made in my laboratory. Optical thin film devices have been greatly developed in the recent decades. Prof. A. Thelan has given a number of papers on the theory and techniques, Prof. H. A. Macleod's book, 'Thin Film Optical Filters,' has concisely concluded the important concepts of optical thin film devices, and Prof. J. A. Dobrowobski has proposed many successful designs for optical thin film devices. Recently, fully-automatic plants make it easier to produce thin film devices with various spectrum requirements, and some companies, such as Balzers, Leybold AG, Satis Vacuum AG, etc., have manufactured such kinds of coating plants for research or mass-production, and the successful example is the production of multilayer antireflection coatings with high stability and reproducibility. Therefore, it could be said that the design of optical thin film devices and coating plants is quite mature. However, we cannot expect that every problem has been solved, the R&D work still continues, the competition still continues, and new design concepts, new techniques, and new film materials are continually developed. Meanwhile, the high-price of fully-automatic coating plants makes unpopular, and automatic design of coating stacks is only the technique for optimizing the manual design according to the physical concepts and experience, in addition, not only the optical system, but also working environment should be taken into account when
Nazeer, H.
The main goal of the work compiled in this thesis is to investigate thin films for integration in micro electromechanical systems (MEMS). The miniaturization of MEMS actuators and sensors without compromising their performance requires thin films of different active materials with specific
Thin Film & Deposition Systems (Windows)
Federal Laboratory Consortium — Coating Lab: Contains chambers for growing thin film window coatings. Plasma Applications Coating Lab: Contains chambers for growing thin film window coatings. Solar...
Collier, R. S.; Sparks, L. L.; Strobridge, T. R.
The work concerning carbon thin film thermometry is reported. Optimum film deposition parameters were sought on an empirical basis for maximum stability of the films. One hundred films were fabricated for use at the Marshall Space Flight Center; 10 of these films were given a precise quasi-continuous calibration of temperature vs. resistance with 22 intervals between 5 and 80 K using primary platinum and germanium thermometers. Sensitivity curves were established and the remaining 90 films were given a three point calibration and fitted to the established sensitivity curves. Hydrogen gas-liquid discrimination set points are given for each film.
Observation of ferroelectricity at room temperature in 1 nm thick conducting BaTiO3'δ
Lee, Seungran; Baasanforj, Lkhagvasuren; Chang, Jungwon; Hwang, Inwoong; Kim, Jungrae; Shim, Seungbo; Song, Jonghyun; Kim, Jinhee
Requirements of multi-functionalities in thin-film systems have led important findings of unique physical character and degree of freedom which only exist in film forms. As growth technique gets advanced, one can decrease the film thickness even nm scale where its unique physical character still appears. Among those intriguing film systems, ferroelectric has been of interest. As a prototype ferroelectric, electrical properties of ultra-thin BaTiO3 (BTO) films have extensively studied, which is found that ferroelectricity sustains down to nm-thick films as theoretically predicted. However, efforts on determination of the minimum thickness in ferroelectric films was hindered by large leakage current. In this study, we used nm-thick BTO films showing metallic-like behaviour around room temperature (RT). Surprisingly, even the 2 unit-cells-thick metallic-like BTO film shows ferroelectric switching behaviour at RT! Observation of such ultra-thin conducting ferroelectric will enlarge its applicable fields leading realization of new functional devices and investigations of further physical phenomena.
Optically tuned dielectric property of barium titanate thin film by THz spectroscopy
Zhou, Siyan; Ji, Jie; Tian, Yue; Ling, Furi; Yu, Wenfeng
The dielectric property of ferroelectric barium titanate (BaTiO3) thin film with optical field was investigated by terahertz time-domain spectroscopy at room temperature. Experimental results showed that dielectric constant of BTO film was increased with the optical pump powers, and tunability of the real part of dielectric constant could be reached to74%. The reason of realizing high modulation depth could be explained as photorefractive and photothermal effects. Furthermore, the variation of refractive index displayed a monotonically increase with the optical powers.
Cheng, Yang-Tse; Poli, Andrea A.; Meltser, Mark Alexander
A thin film hydrogen sensor, includes: a substantially flat ceramic substrate with first and second planar sides and a first substrate end opposite a second substrate end; a thin film temperature responsive resistor on the first planar side of the substrate proximate to the first substrate end; a thin film hydrogen responsive metal resistor on the first planar side of the substrate proximate to the fist substrate end and proximate to the temperature responsive resistor; and a heater on the second planar side of the substrate proximate to the first end.
Kaur, Inderjeet
Two-dimensional materials created ab initio by the process of condensation of atoms, molecules, or ions, called thin films, have unique properties significantly different from the corresponding bulk materials as a result of their physical dimensions, geometry, nonequilibrium microstructure, and metallurgy. Further, these characteristic features of thin films can be drasti cally modified and tailored to obtain the desired and required physical characteristics. These features form the basis of development of a host of extraordinary active and passive thin film device applications in the last two decades. On the one extreme, these applications are in the submicron dimensions in such areas as very large scale integration (VLSI), Josephson junction quantum interference devices, magnetic bubbles, and integrated optics. On the other extreme, large-area thin films are being used as selective coatings for solar thermal conversion, solar cells for photovoltaic conver sion, and protection and passivating layers. Ind...
Multifunctional thin film surface
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Brozik, Susan M.; Harper, Jason C.; Polsky, Ronen; Wheeler, David R.; Arango, Dulce C.; Dirk, Shawn M.
A thin film with multiple binding functionality can be prepared on an electrode surface via consecutive electroreduction of two or more aryl-onium salts with different functional groups. This versatile and simple method for forming multifunctional surfaces provides an effective means for immobilization of diverse molecules at close proximities. The multifunctional thin film has applications in bioelectronics, molecular electronics, clinical diagnostics, and chemical and biological sensing.
Mechanism(s) for the suppression of the switchable polarization in PZT and BaTiO3
Warren, William L.; Dimos, Duane; Tuttle, Bruce A.; Pike, Gordon E.; Raymond, Mark V.; Nasby, Robert D.; Ramesh, R.; Evans, Joseph T., Jr.
Switchable polarization can be significantly suppressed in ferroelectric (FE) materials by optical, thermal, and electrical processes. The thermal process can occur by either annealing the FE in a reducing environment or by heating it in air to 100 C while impressing a bias near the switching threshold. The optical process occurs while biasing the FE near the switching threshold and illuminating with bandgap light. And the electrical suppression effect occurs by subjecting the FE to repeated polarization reversals. Using electron paramagnetic resonance, polarization-voltage measurements, and charge injection scenarios, the authors have been able to elucidate both electronic and ionic trapping effects that lead to a suppression in the amount of switchable polarization in FE materials. The relative roles of electronic and ionic effects in the same material can depend on the stress condition. For instance, in oxidized BaTiO3 crystals, optical and thermal suppressions occur by electronic domain pinning; electrical fatigue in the BaTiO3 crystals also appears to involve electronic charge trapping, however, it is suggested that these electronic traps are further stabilized by nearby ionic defects. In sol-gel PZT thin films with either Pt, RuO2, or La-Sr-Co-O electrodes it appears that the polarization suppression induced by electrical fatigue, a temperature/bias combination, or a light/bias combination are all primarily due to the trapping of electronic charge carriers to first order.
Symmetry, strain, defects, and the nonlinear optical response of crystalline BaTiO3/silicon
Kormondy, Kristy; Abel, Stefan; Popoff, Youri; Sousa, Marilyne; Caimi, Daniele; Siegwart, Heinz; Marchiori, Chiara; Rossell, Marta; Demkov, Alex; Fompeyrine, Jean
Recent progress has been made towards exploiting the linear electro-optic or Pockels effect in ferroelectric BaTiO3 (BTO) for novel integrated silicon photonics devices. In such structures, the crystalline symmetry and domain structure of BTO determine which electro-optic tensor elements are accessible under application of an external electric field. For epitaxial thin films of BTO on Si (001), the role of defects in strain relaxation can lead to very different crystalline symmetry even for films of identical thickness. Indeed, through geometric phase analysis of high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy images, we map changes of the in-plane and out-of-plane lattice parameters across two 80-nm-thick BTO films. A corresponding 20% difference in the effective electro-optic response was measured by analyzing induced rotation of the polarization of a laser beam (λ = 1550 nm) transmitted through lithographically defined electrodes. Understanding, controlling, and modelling the role of BTO symmetry in nonlinear optics is of fundamental importance for the development of a hybrid BTO/Si photonics platform.. Work supported by the NSF (IRES-1358111), AFOSR (FA9550-12-10494), and European Commission (FP7-ICT-2013-11-619456-SITOGA).
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Jayakumar, S.; Kannan, M.D.; Prasanna, S.
The objective of this book is to disseminate the most recent research in Thin Films, Nanomaterials, Corrosion and Metallurgy presented at the International Conference on Advanced Materials (ICAM 2011) held in PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, India during 12-16 December 2011. The book is a compilation of 113 chapters written by active researchers providing information and critical insights into the recent advancements that have taken place. Important new applications are possible today in the fields of microelectronics, opto-electronics, metallurgy and energy by the application of thin films on solid surfaces. Recent progress in high vacuum technology and new materials has a remarkable effect in thin film quality and cost. This has led to the development of new single or multi-layered thin film devices with diverse applications in a multitude of production areas, such as optics, thermal barrier coatings and wear protections, enhancing service life of tools and to protect materials against thermal and atmospheric influence. On the other hand, thin film process techniques and research are strongly related to the basic research activities in nano technology, an increasingly important field with countless opportunities for applications due to the emergence of new properties at the nanoscale level. Materials and structures that are designed and fabricated at the nano scale level, offer the potential to produce new devices and processes that may enhance efficiencies and reduce costs in many areas, as photovoltaic systems, hydrogen storage, fuel cells and solar thermal systems. In the book, the contributed papers are classified under two sections i) thin films and ii) nanomaterials. The thin film section includes single or multi layer conducting, insulating or semiconducting films synthesized by a wide variety of physical or chemical techniques and characterized or analyzed for different applications. The nanomaterials section deals with novel or exciting materials
Dielectric and piezoelectric properties of lead-free (Bi,Na)TiO3-based thin films
Abazari, M.; Safari, A.; Bharadwaja, S. S. N.; Trolier-McKinstry, S.
Dielectric and piezoelectric properties of morphotropic phase boundary (Bi,Na)TiO3-(Bi,K)TiO3-BaTiO3 epitaxial thin films deposited on SrRuO3 coated SrTiO3 substrates were reported. Thin films of 350 nm thickness exhibited small signal dielectric permittivity and loss tangent values of 750 and 0.15, respectively, at 1 kHz. Ferroelectric hysteresis measurements indicated a remanent polarization value of 30 μC/cm2 with a coercive field of 85-100 kV/cm. The thin film transverse piezoelectric coefficient (e31,f) of these films after poling at 600 kV/cm was found to be -2.2 C/m2. The results indicate that these BNT-based thin films are a potential candidate for lead-free piezoelectric devices.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Macleod, H.A.
The potential usefulness in the production of optical thin-film coatings of some of the processes for thin film deposition which can be classified under the heading of ion-assisted techniques is examined. Thermal evaporation is the process which is virtually universally used for this purpose and which has been developed to a stage where performance is in almost all respects high. Areas where further improvements would be of value, and the possibility that ion-assisted deposition might lead to such improvements, are discussed. (author)
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Zweibel, K.
The motivation to develop thin film technologies dates back to the inception of photovoltaics. It is an idea based on achieving truly low-cost photovoltaics appropriate for mass production and energy significant markets. The key to the idea is the use of pennies worth of active materials. Since sunlight carries relatively little energy in comparison with combustion-based energy sources, photovoltaic (PV) modules must be cheap to produce energy that can be competitive. Thin films are presumed to be the answer to that low-cost requirement. But how cheap do they have to be? The following is an oversimplified analysis that allows some insight into this question.
Hunt, Andrew Tye; Deshpande, Girish; Lin, Wen-Yi; Jan, Tzyy-Jiuan
Epitatial thin films for use as buffer layers for high temperature superconductors, electrolytes in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), gas separation membranes or dielectric material in electronic devices, are disclosed. By using CCVD, CACVD or any other suitable deposition process, epitaxial films having pore-free, ideal grain boundaries, and dense structure can be formed. Several different types of materials are disclosed for use as buffer layers in high temperature superconductors. In addition, the use of epitaxial thin films for electrolytes and electrode formation in SOFCs results in densification for pore-free and ideal gain boundary/interface microstructure. Gas separation membranes for the production of oxygen and hydrogen are also disclosed. These semipermeable membranes are formed by high-quality, dense, gas-tight, pinhole free sub-micro scale layers of mixed-conducting oxides on porous ceramic substrates. Epitaxial thin films as dielectric material in capacitors are also taught herein. Capacitors are utilized according to their capacitance values which are dependent on their physical structure and dielectric permittivity. The epitaxial thin films of the current invention form low-loss dielectric layers with extremely high permittivity. This high permittivity allows for the formation of capacitors that can have their capacitance adjusted by applying a DC bias between their electrodes.
Estudio del perfil de defectos y de las propiedades eléctricas de BaTiO3 dopado con Nb y La
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Castro, M. S.
Full Text Available The aim of this work is to study the impact of two different and typical donor –dopants; Nb2O5 and La2O3, on the electrical properties of BaTiO3. Besides, the influence of Nb5+ and La3+ on the charge compensation mechanism was evaluated. On this way, it was determined that, the defect structure is not only affected by the dopant ion but also by its concentration. Amount of dopant also affects the electrical properties of BaTiO3 ceramics. In fact, for low Nb2O5 or La2O3 concentration, electronic compensation prevails, leading to a low – resistive material with an important PTCR effect. By EPR an increases in the oxygen vacancies with a low lanthanum addition was determined. This phenomenon could be associated to the lanthanum acceptor behavior. On the other hand, high dopant concentration leads to a high – resistive material showing GBBL characteristics. In this case, a high content of double – ionized barium vacancies able to trap electrons, and a thin glassy – phase film covering the BaTiO3 grains lead to a high – resistive material. This phenomenon encourages the hypothesis in which barium vacancies act as acceptor centers at the grain boundaries in BaTiO3 ceramics.En este trabajo, se estudia el impacto de la adición de Nb2O5 o La2O3 sobre las propiedades eléctricas de cerámicos basados en BaTiO3. Asimismo, se estudia la influencia de estos dos típicos dopantes en los mecanismos de compensación de cargas. En este sentido, se ha determinado que la estructura de defectos en el BaTiO3 no sólo se encuentra afectada por el tipo de dopante sino tambien por su concentración. En efecto, para bajas concentraciones de Nb2O5 o La2O3, predomina un mecanismo de compensación de cargas por generación de electrones. Sin embargo, los resultados de EPR muestran que la adición de una pequeña cantidad de La2O3 produce un notable incremento en la concentración de vacantes de oxígeno respecto del BaTiO3 sin dopar. Este fenómeno podr
Ramanathan, Shriram
Presents an account of the fundamental structure-property relations in oxide thin films. This title discusses the functional properties of thin film oxides in the context of applications in the electronics and renewable energy technologies.
Fanciulli, Marco
Thin rare earth (RE) oxide films are emerging materials for microelectronic, nanoelectronic, and spintronic applications. The state-of-the-art of thin film deposition techniques as well as the structural, physical, chemical, and electrical properties of thin RE oxide films and of their interface with semiconducting substrates are discussed. The aim is to identify proper methodologies for the development of RE oxides thin films and to evaluate their effectiveness as innovative materials in different applications.
Federici, Stefania; Oliviero, Giulio; Hamad-Schifferli, Kimberly; Bergese, Paolo
We report the first example of microcantilever beams that are reversibly driven by protein thin film machines fueled by cycling the salt concentration of the surrounding solution. We also show that upon the same salinity stimulus the drive can be completely reversed in its direction by introducing a surface coating ligand. Experimental results are throughout discussed within a general yet simple thermodynamic model.
Thin film superconductor magnetic bearings
Weinberger, Bernard R.
A superconductor magnetic bearing includes a shaft (10) that is subject to a load (L) and rotatable around an axis of rotation, a magnet (12) mounted to the shaft, and a stator (14) in proximity to the shaft. The stator (14) has a superconductor thin film assembly (16) positioned to interact with the magnet (12) to produce a levitation force on the shaft (10) that supports the load (L). The thin film assembly (16) includes at least two superconductor thin films (18) and at least one substrate (20). Each thin film (18) is positioned on a substrate (20) and all the thin films are positioned such that an applied magnetic field from the magnet (12) passes through all the thin films. A similar bearing in which the thin film assembly (16) is mounted on the shaft (10) and the magnet (12) is part of the stator (14) also can be constructed.
Scharnberg, Michael
Organic thin films are used in many technological and engineering applications nowadays. They find use as coatings, sensors, detectors, as matrix materials in nanocomposites, as self-assembled monolayers for surface functionalization, as low-k dielectrics in integrated circuits and in advanced organic electronic applications like organic light emitting diodes, organic field effect transistors and organic photovoltaics (esp. organic solar cells) and many other applications. OLED displays are n...
Vossen, John L
Remarkable advances have been made in recent years in the science and technology of thin film processes for deposition and etching. It is the purpose of this book to bring together tutorial reviews of selected filmdeposition and etching processes from a process viewpoint. Emphasis is placed on the practical use of the processes to provide working guidelines for their implementation, a guide to the literature, and an overview of each process.
Handbook of thin film technology
Frey, Hartmut
"Handbook of Thin Film Technology" covers all aspects of coatings preparation, characterization and applications. Different deposition techniques based on vacuum and plasma processes are presented. Methods of surface and thin film analysis including coating thickness, structural, optical, electrical, mechanical and magnetic properties of films are detailed described. The several applications of thin coatings and a special chapter focusing on nanoparticle-based films can be found in this handbook. A complete reference for students and professionals interested in the science and technology of thin films.
Surface cation nonstoichiometry in undoped BaTiO3
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Zhang, Z.; Nowotny, J.; Pigram, P.J.; Lamb, R.N.
This paper considers the effect of high temperature treatment on the local chemistry of the surface region of undoped BaTiO 3 . Segregation-induced cation nonstoichiometry has been investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Samples were thermally treated at 1000 deg C in a tube furnace under different oxygen activities, and then cooled to room temperature at different rates. For slowly cooled samples, Ti enrichment is found in the surface region of oxidised BaTiO 3 , while less Ti segregation occurs in reduced BaTiO3. Increasing the cooling rate reduces the degree of Ti segregation, but it does not change the general behaviour of segregation in either oxidised or reduced BaTiO 3
Interfacial structure of multi-layered thin-films produced by pulsed laser deposition for use in small-scale ceramic capacitors
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Araki, Takao; Hino, Takanori; Ohara, Masahiro
The aim of this study was to develop thin film capacitors with superior properties that could provide an alternative to materials currently used in conventional multi-layer ceramic capacitors fabricated by sintering. To this end, an artificial dielectric super lattice technique, incorporating pulsed laser deposition, was applied to improving the dielectric properties of thin film capacitors. This method permits the A-site atoms of a perovskite ABO 3 structure to be selected layer by layer at a nanoscopic scale; consequently, multi-layer BaTiO 3 - SrTiO 3 thin films were produced on Pt(111)/Ti/SiO 2 /Si(100) and SrTiO 3 (111) substrates. Hetero-epitaxial grain growth was observed between BaTiO 3 and SrTiO 3 , with the lattice mismatch between them introducing a compressive residual strain at the interface. The dielectric properties of these multi-layer thin-film capacitors were found to be superior to those of conventional solid-solution thin films once the thickness of the layers and the ratio of the two oxides were optimized
Metselaar, J.W.; Kuznetsov, V.I.
The invention relates to a thin-film solar cell provided with at least one p-i-n junction comprising at least one p-i junction which is at an angle alpha with that surface of the thin-film solar cell which collects light during operation and at least one i-n junction which is at an angle beta with
Krishnan, Kannan M.
A ferromagnetic .delta.-Mn.sub.1-x Ga.sub.x thin film having perpendicular anisotropy is described which comprises: (a) a GaAs substrate, (b) a layer of undoped GaAs overlying said substrate and bonded thereto having a thickness ranging from about 50 to about 100 nanometers, (c) a layer of .delta.-Mn.sub.1-x Ga.sub.x overlying said layer of undoped GaAs and bonded thereto having a thickness ranging from about 20 to about 30 nanometers, and (d) a layer of GaAs overlying said layer of .delta.-Mn.sub.1-x Ga.sub.x and bonded thereto having a thickness ranging from about 2 to about 5 nanometers, wherein x is 0.4 .+-.0.05.
BaTiO3–P(VDF-HFP) nanocomposite dielectrics—Influence of surface modification and dispersion additives
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ehrhardt, Claudia; Fettkenhauer, Christian; Glenneberg, Jens; Münchgesang, Wolfram; Pientschke, Christoph; Großmann, Thomas; Zenkner, Mandy; Wagner, Gerald; Leipner, Hartmut S.; Buchsteiner, Alexandra; Diestelhorst, Martin; Lemm, Sebastian; Beige, Horst; Ebbinghaus, Stefan G.
Highlights: • Polymer composites were prepared using a sol–gel synthesized BaTiO 3 . • BaTiO 3 surface hydroxyle groups act as linkers for surfactant molecules. • The effect of chemical adjustment between surfactant and polymer host is studied. • A positive effect of an additional dispersant was found. • Dielectric properties of the resulting composite films are presented. -- Abstract: We report on BaTiO 3 –polymer composites as dielectrics for film capacitors. BaTiO 3 was synthesized by a sol–gel soft-chemistry method leading to spherical nanoparticles with a high degree of surface hydroxyl groups which turned out to be important for the bonding of surfactant molecules. As surfactants, n-octylphosphonic acid and 2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzyl phosphonic acid were used to inhibit particle agglomeration and to improve the wetting behaviour with the polymer. The phosphonic acid-coated BaTiO 3 nanoparticles were dispersed in solutions of poly(vinylidefluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene). Composite films were prepared by the spin-coating technique. A systematic study was performed on the influence of varying oxide fractions, different surfactants and the effect of additional dispersion aids such as sodium dodecyl sulphate or BYK-W 9010 on the quality and dielectric properties of the films obtained. The chemical adjustment of the 2,3,4,5,6-pentaflourobenzyl phosphonic acid within the fluorinated organic host form a more uniform particle distribution and increase relative permittivity of the resulting composite material compared to the unflourinated surfactant. Additionally, an enhancement of the relative permittivity can be realized by adding of dispersants. These two components can increase the relative permittivity by factor 5 compared to the pure polymer material
Characterization of organic thin films
Ulman, Abraham; Evans, Charles A
Thin films based upon organic materials are at the heart of much of the revolution in modern technology, from advanced electronics, to optics to sensors to biomedical engineering. This volume in the Materials Characterization series introduces the major common types of analysis used in characterizing of thin films and the various appropriate characterization technologies for each. Materials such as Langmuir-Blodgett films and self-assembled monolayers are first introduced, followed by analysis of surface properties and the various characterization technologies used for such. Readers will find detailed information on: -Various spectroscopic approaches to characterization of organic thin films, including infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy -X-Ray diffraction techniques, High Resolution EELS studies, and X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy -Concise Summaries of major characterization technologies for organic thin films, including Auger Electron Spectroscopy, Dynamic Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry, and Tra...
Interfaces and thin films physics
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Equer, B.
The 1988 progress report of the Interfaces and Thin Film Physics laboratory (Polytechnic School France) is presented. The research program is focused on the thin films and on the interfaces of the amorphous semiconductor materials: silicon and silicon germanium, silicon-carbon and silicon-nitrogen alloys. In particular, the following topics are discussed: the basic processes and the kinetics of the reactive gas deposition, the amorphous materials manufacturing, the physico-chemical characterization of thin films and interfaces and the electron transport in amorphous semiconductors. The construction and optimization of experimental devices, as well as the activities concerning instrumentation, are also described [fr
Properties of polycarbonate containing BaTiO3 nanoparticles
Lomax, J. F.; Fontanella, J. J.; Edmondson, C. A.; Wintersgill, M. C.; Wolak, M. A.; Westgate, M. A.; Lomax, E. A.; Lomax, P. Q.; Bogle, X.; Rúa, A.; Greenbaum, S. G.
The real part of the relative permittivity, ɛ', and dielectric loss, tan δ, have been determined at audio frequencies at temperatures from about 5 K to 350 K for nano-composites composed of BaTiO3 nanoparticles and polycarbonate. The room temperature breakdown strength was also measured and thermal analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance and scanning electron microscopy studies were carried out. For some films the nanoparticles were surface-treated (STNP) while for others they were not (UNP). For concentrations of UNP greater than about 3.4 vol. %, ɛ' is much larger than expected on the basis of laws of mixing. On the other hand, ɛ' for materials made using STNP is well-behaved. Correspondingly, increased loss (ɛ″ or tan δ) in the vicinity of room temperature is observed for the materials made from UNP. The anomalously large values of relative permittivity and increased loss are attributed to the presence of large aggregates in the materials made using the UNP. For both UNP-and STNP-based materials, the breakdown strength is found to decrease as nanoparticle concentration increases. The breakdown strength for the materials made using STNP is found to be larger for all concentrations than for those containing UNP despite the presence of large aggregates in some of the STNP-based materials. This shows that breakdown is strongly affected by the nanoparticle surfaces and/or the interface layer. It is also found that the breakdown strength for materials made using UNP increases as particle size increases. Finally, variable temperature and pressure proton nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation measurements were made to assess the effect of nanoparticle inclusion on polymer motion, and the effects were found to be very minor.
Multiferroicity in oxide thin films and heterostructures
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Glavic, Artur
In this work a variety of different systems of transition metal oxides ABO 3 (perovskite materials, where B stands for a transition metal and A for a rare earth element) were produced as thin films and heterostructures and analyzed for the structural, magnetic and ferroelectric properties. For the epitaxial film preparation mostly pulse laser deposition (PLD) was applied. For one series high pressure oxide sputter deposition was used as well. The bulk multiferroics TbMnO 3 and DyMnO 3 , which develop their electric polarization due to a cycloidal magnetic order, have been prepared as single layers with thicknesses between 2 and 200 nm on YAlO 3 substrates using PLD and sputter deposition. The structural characterization of the surfaces and crystal structure where performed using X-ray reflectometry and diffraction, respectively. These yielded low surface roughness and good epitaxial growth. The magnetic behavior was macroscopically measured with SQUID magnetometry and microscopically with polarized neutron diffraction and resonant magnetic X-ray scattering. While all investigated samples showed antiferromagnetic order, comparable with the collinear magnetic phase of their bulk materials, only the sputter deposited samples exhibited the multiferroic low temperature cycloidal order. The investigation of the optical second harmonic generation in a TbMnO 3 sample could proof the presence of a ferroelectric order in the low temperature phase. The respective transition temperatures of the thin films have been very similar to those of the bulk materials. In contrast an increase in the rare earth ordering temperature has been observed, which reduces the Mn order slightly, an effect not known from bulk TbMnO 3 crystals. The coupling of the antiferromagnetic order in TbMnO 3 to ferromagnetic layers of LaCoO 3 was investigated in super-lattices containing 20 bilayers produced with PLD on the same substrates. The SQUID magnetometry yielded a strong influence of the
Katti, Romney R.
Transformer core made of thin layers of insulating material interspersed with thin layers of ferromagnetic material. Flux-linking conductors made of thinner nonferromagnetic-conductor/insulator multilayers wrapped around core. Transformers have geometric features finer than those of transformers made in customary way by machining and mechanical pressing. In addition, some thin-film materials exhibit magnetic-flux-carrying capabilities superior to those of customary bulk transformer materials. Suitable for low-cost, high-yield mass production.
Low temperature dielectric relaxation and charged defects in ferroelectric thin films
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
A. Artemenko
Full Text Available We report a dielectric relaxation in BaTiO3-based ferroelectric thin films of different composition and with several growth modes: sputtering (with and without magnetron and sol-gel. The relaxation was observed at cryogenic temperatures (T < 100 K for frequencies from 100 Hz up to 10 MHz. This relaxation activation energy is always lower than 200 meV and is very similar to the relaxation that we reported in the parent bulk perovskites. Based on our Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR investigation, we ascribe this dielectric relaxation to the hopping of electrons among Ti3+-V(O charged defects. Being dependent on the growth process and on the amount of oxygen vacancies, this relaxation can be a useful probe of defects in actual integrated capacitors with no need for specific shaping.
A study on the damping capacity of BaTiO3-reinforced Al-matrix ...
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
To study the damping capacity of BaTiO 3 /Al composites, Al composites reinforced with BaTiO 3 powder (average grain sizes: 100 and 1000 nm) were fabricated by the hot-pressing sintering method. The damping properties of pure Al and BaTiO 3 /Al composites were investigated and compared based on the dynamic ...
Modulation of resistive switching characteristics for individual BaTiO3 microfiber by surface oxygen vacancies
Miao, Zhilei; Chen, Lei; Zhou, Fang; Wang, Qiang
Different from traditional thin-film BaTiO3 (BTO) RRAM device with planar structure, individual microfiber-shaped RRAM device, showing promising application potentials in the micro-sized non-volatile memory system, has not been investigated so far to demonstrate resistive switching behavior. In this work, individual sol-gel BTO microfiber has been formed using the draw-bench method, followed by annealing in different atmospheres of air and argon, respectively. The resistive switching characteristics of the individual BTO microfiber have been investigated by employing double-probe SEM measurement system, which shows great convenience to test local electrical properties by modulating the contact sites between the W probes and the BTO microfiber. For the sample annealed in air, the average resistive ON/OFF ratio is as high as 108, enhanced about four orders in comparison with the counterpart that annealed in Argon. For the sample annealed in argon ambience, the weakened resistive ON/OFF ratio can be attributed to the increased presence of oxygen vacancies in the surface of BTO fibers, and the underlying electrical conduction mechanisms are also discussed.
Strain and electric field mediated manipulation of magnetism in La(1-x)SrxMnO3/BaTiO3 heterostructures
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Schmitz, Markus
Heterostructures of ferromagnetic La 1-x Sr x MnO 3 (LSMO) and ferroelectric BaTiO 3 (BTO) were produced and investigated for their structural and magnetic properties. The combination of these ferroic properties can lead to an artificial multiferroic. Special emphasis was given to the manipulation of magnetic properties by applying electric fields. A magneto-electric coupling could be observed in the heterostructures under investigation. Epitaxial LSMO thin films were grown on BTO substrates using a state-of-the-art oxide molecular beam epitaxy (OMBE) and a high oxygen sputtering system (HOPSS). Stoichiometric La 1-x Sr x MnO 3 films with doping levels of x=0.5 and x=0.3 were produced. The film quality in terms of roughness and crystalline structure was confirmed by X-ray scattering methods. The presence of structural domains in the BaTiO 3 single crystal substrate, whose proportion could be altered due to the application of electric fields, was shown by X-ray diffraction. Tensile strain is induced into the epitaxial La 1-x Sr x MnO 3 films in the whole temperature range under investigation. The magnetization of LSMO alteres by the variation of strain induced into the film, generated by the different structural phases of single crystal BaTiO 3 substrates. The magnetization shows sharp steps at the structural phase transition temperatures of BTO. The evaluation of magnetic hysteresis loops reveals a change of the magnetic anisotropy of LSMO for each structural phase of BTO, but also within the orthorhombic phase. Special focus was given to the manipulation of magnetic properties by the application of electric fields. A newly established measurement option was used to determine the magnetic response to an applied electric field as a function of temperature and magnetic field. The electrically induced modification of the magnetization is profound near the structural phase transition temperatures. Electrical hysteresis loops give a detailed view on the influence of the
Beryllium thin films for resistor applications
Fiet, O.
Beryllium thin films have a protective oxidation resistant property at high temperature and high recrystallization temperature. However, the experimental film has very low temperature coefficient of resistance.
Electroluminescence properties of In-doped Zn2SiO4 thin films prepared by sol-gel process
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ogawa, Hirotaka; Kan, Akinori; Ikeda, Norihiro; Fujita, Akihiro
The effect of In doping on the electroluminescence (EL) properties of Zn 2 SiO 4 :In thin films was investigated. In-doped Zn 2 SiO 4 thin films were deposited on BaTiO 3 substrates and their EL properties were characterized in this study. X-ray powder diffraction patterns of In-doped Zn 2 SiO 4 powders revealed a single phase of Zn 2 SiO 4 for In concentrations up to approximately 1.5 mol%, whereas a secondary phase of In 2 O 3 was observed for In concentrations in the range of 2-10 mol%. The maximum luminance of thin film electroluminescent (TFEL) devices varied significantly with the amount of In doping. The highest luminance with blue emission was obtained when 2 mol% In was doped. The blue emission of In-doped Zn 2 SiO 4 thin film may be related to the In substitution for Zn. The 2 mol% In-doped Zn 2 SiO 4 thin film exhibited blue emission with CIE color coordinates of x=0.208 and y=0.086.
Preparation of thin vyns films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Blanc, R.; Chedin, P.; Gizon, A.
The fabrication of thin films of VYNS resin (copolymer of chloride and vinyl acetate) of superficial density from 3 to 50 μg/cm 2 with solutions in cyclohexanone is presented. Study and discussion of some properties compared with formvar film (polyvinyl formals). It appears that both can be used as source supports but formvar films are prepared more easily and more quickly, in addition they withstand higher temperatures. The main quality of VYNS is that they can be easily separated even several days after their preparation [fr
Epitaxial growth of barium titanate thin films on germanium via atomic layer deposition
Lin, Edward L.; Posadas, Agham B.; Wu, Hsin Wei; Smith, David J.; Demkov, Alexander A.; Ekerdt, John G.
Barium titanate BaTiO3 (BTO) thin films were epitaxially grown at 225 °C on 2 × 1-reconstructed Ge(001) surfaces via atomic layer deposition (ALD). Approximately 2 nm of BTO film was grown directly on Ge(001) as an amorphous film. Electron diffraction confirmed the epitaxy of the BTO films after post-deposition annealing at 650 °C. Additional BTO layers grown on the crystalline BTO/Ge(001) film were crystalline as-deposited. X-ray diffraction indicated that the epitaxial BTO films had a c-axis out-of-plane orientation, and the abrupt BTO/Ge interface was preserved with no sign of any interfacial germanium oxide. Scanning transmission electron microscopy provided evidence of Ba atoms occupying the troughs of the dimer rows of the 2 × 1-reconstructed Ge(001) surface, as well as preservation of the 2 × 1-reconstructed Ge(001) surface. This study presents a low-temperature process to fabricate BTO/Ge heterostructures.
Laser applications in thin-film photovoltaics
Bartlome, R.; Strahm, B.; Sinquin, Y.; Feltrin, A.; Ballif, C.
We review laser applications in thin-film photovoltaics (thin-film Si, CdTe, and Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells). Lasers are applied in this growing field to manufacture modules, to monitor Si deposition processes, and to characterize opto-electrical properties of thin films. Unlike traditional panels based on crystalline silicon wafers, the individual cells of a thin-film photovoltaic module can be serially interconnected by laser scribing during fabrication. Laser scribing applications are descri...
Nanocrystal thin film fabrication methods and apparatus
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Kagan, Cherie R.; Kim, David K.; Choi, Ji-Hyuk; Lai, Yuming
Nanocrystal thin film devices and methods for fabricating nanocrystal thin film devices are disclosed. The nanocrystal thin films are diffused with a dopant such as Indium, Potassium, Tin, etc. to reduce surface states. The thin film devices may be exposed to air during a portion of the fabrication. This enables fabrication of nanocrystal-based devices using a wider range of techniques such as photolithography and photolithographic patterning in an air environment.
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
carry out a careful study of steady state conduction of poly- styrene (PS) thin film thermo-electrets sandwiched be- tween metal electrodes both in doped and undoped forms. 2. Experimental. 2.1 Sample preparation. Polystyrene supplied by Polymer Chemical Industry,. Mumbai and naphthalene by S.G. Sisco Pvt Ltd., New ...
Magnetization in permalloy thin films
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
1VES College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Sindhi Society, Chembur, Mumbai 400 071,. India. 2UGC-DAE Consortium for Scientific Research, R5 Shed, ... gas alone, while PNR measurements on 5 and 10% sample show splitting in the spin-up and spin-down reflectivity. Keywords. Permalloy; NiFe thin films; NiFe ...
resultant film could be varied right up to virtually pure aluminum oxide simply by varying the background oxygen pressure. More recently we have been...aT , m..a, lot,, o ,,f,02,d I4 k -1-1..... autocovariance lengths, less than 0.5 um, indicate that , 514n, ob0 o p',Ofclllc....,,o,,oy0,1- agua sblrt
Cubic erbium trihydride thin films
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Adams, D.P., E-mail: email@example.com; Rodriguez, M.A.; Romero, J.A.; Kotula, P.G.; Banks, J.
High-purity, erbium hydride thin films have been deposited onto {alpha}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and oxidized Si by reactive sputtering methods. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and elastic recoil detection show that films deposited at temperatures of 35, 150 and 275 Degree-Sign C have a composition of 3H:1Er. Erbium trihydride films consist of a face-centered cubic erbium sub-lattice with a lattice parameter in the range of 5.11-5.20 A. The formation of cubic ErH{sub 3} is intriguing, because previous studies demonstrate a single trihydride phase with a hexagonal metal sub-lattice. The formation of a stable, cubic trihydride phase is attributed to a large, in-plane stress resulting from ion beam sputter deposition. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Cubic erbium trihydride thin films produced by ion beam sputter deposition. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Face-centered cubic metal sub-lattice verified by X-ray and electron diffraction. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Composition evaluated using four different techniques. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Film stress monitored during deposition. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Formation of cubic erbium trihydride attributed to a large, in-plane film stress.
Optical properties of BaTiO3 nanoparticles and silver nanoprisms in polymer host matrices
Requena, Sebastian
Nanocomposites are materials comprised of a host matrix, such as glass or polymer, with embedded nanoparticles. Embedding nanoparticles into the host makes it possible to create materials with properties that are distinctly unique from those of their host and nanoparticle constituents. Nanocomposites can have superior mechanical, thermal, and optical properties compared to their host materials. We characterized the photoluminescent properties of BaTiO3 polymer nanocomposites and the effects of chemically modifying the nanoparticles surface on said properties. BaTiO3 nanopowders of average grain sizes 50 nm and 100 nm were functionalized by (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (3APTS) and mixed with poly(methyl methacrylate)/toluene solution. The nanocomposites films morphology and chemical structure were studied via AFM and FTIR. The photoluminescence spectrum of the pure nanoparticles was composed of an emission at ˜3.0 eV and multiple bands centered at ˜2.5 eV. Surface functionalization of the BaTiO3 nanoparticles via 3APTS increased overall luminescence at room temperature while only enhancing the ˜3.0 eV emission at low-temperature. On the other hand, polymer coating of the functionalized nanoparticles significantly enhances ˜3.0 eV emissions while decreasing emissions associated with near-surface lattice distortions at ˜2.5 eV. Chemical modification of the surface with 3APTS and PMMA presents a pathway to tune and control the photoluminescent properties of BTO nanoparticles. We also present optical studies of two different size distributions of silver triangular nanoprisms, one with a dipole resonance at ˜520 nm and the other with a dipole resonance at ˜650 nm, placed in different media. The silver nanoprisms were embedded in a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer matrix and oriented by stretching the polymer/nanoprism nanocomposite films. We observe significantly increased linear dichroism in the region associated with the plasmonic in-plane dipole mode upon
Polycrystalline thin films : A review
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Valvoda, V. [Charles Univ., Prague (Czech Republic). Faculty of Mathematics and Physics
Polycrystalline thin films can be described in terms of grain morphology and in terms of their packing by the Thornton`s zone model as a function of temperature of deposition and as a function of energy of deposited atoms. Grain size and preferred grain orientation (texture) can be determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods. A review of XRD analytical methods of texture analysis is given with main attention paid to simple empirical functions used for texture description and for structure analysis by joint texture refinement. To illustrate the methods of detailed structure analysis of thin polycrystalline films, examples of multilayers are used with the aim to show experiments and data evaluation to determine layer thickness, periodicity, interface roughness, lattice spacing, strain and the size of diffraction coherent volumes. The methods of low angle and high angle XRD are described and discussed with respect to their complementary information content.
Kalliadasis, Serafim
A detailed overview and comprehensive analysis of the main theoretical and experimental advances on free surface thin film and jet flows of soft matter is given. At the theoretical front the book outlines the basic equations and boundary conditions and the derivation of low-dimensional models for the evolution of the free surface. Such models include long-wave expansions and equations of the boundary layer type and are analyzed via linear stability analysis, weakly nonlinear theories and strongly nonlinear analysis including construction of stationary periodic and solitary wave and similarity solutions. At the experimental front a variety of very recent experimental developments is outlined and the link between theory and experiments is illustrated. Such experiments include spreading drops and bubbles, imbibitions, singularity formation at interfaces and experimental characterization of thin films using atomic force microscopy, ellipsometry and contact angle measurements and analysis of patterns using Minkows...
Phase stabilization in plasma sprayed BaTiO3
Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database
Ctibor, Pavel; Seiner, Hanuš; Sedláček, J.; Pala, Zdeněk; Vaněk, Přemysl
Roč. 39, č. 5 (2013), s. 5039-5048 ISSN 0272-8842 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA101/09/0702 Institutional support: RVO:61389021 ; RVO:61388998 ; RVO:68378271 Keywords : Spectroscopy * BaTiO3 * Plasma spraying * Spark plasma sintering Subject RIV: JH - Ceramics, Fire-Resistant Materials and Glass; BJ - Thermodynamics (UT-L); JH - Ceramics, Fire-Resistant Materials and Glass (FZU-D) Impact factor: 2.086, year: 2013 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272884212013582
Elemental intermixing within an ultrathin SrRuO3 electrode layer in epitaxial heterostructure BaTiO3/SrRuO3/SrTiO3
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
H. B. Zhang
Full Text Available Aberration corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy is used to directly observe atom columns in an epitaxial BaTiO3 thin film deposited on a 3.6 nm-thick SrRuO3 electrode layer above an SrTiO3 (001 substrate. Compositional gradients across the heterointerfaces were examined using electron energy-loss spectroscopy techniques. It was found that a small amount of Ba and Ti had diffused into the SrRuO3 layer, and that this layer contained a non-negligible concentration of oxygen vacancies. Such point defects are expected to degrade the electrode's electronic conductivity drastically, resulting in a much longer screening length. This may explain the discrepancy between experimental measurements and theoretical estimates of the ferroelectric critical thickness of a BaTiO3 ferroelectric barrier sandwiched between metallic SrRuO3 electrodes, since theoretical calculations generally assume ideal (stoichiometric perovskite SrRuO3.
A flexible, planar energy harvesting device for scavenging road side waste mechanical energy via the synergistic piezoelectric response of K0.5Na0.5NbO3-BaTiO3/PVDF composite films.
Vivekananthan, Venkateswaran; Alluri, Nagamalleswara Rao; Purusothaman, Yuvasree; Chandrasekhar, Arunkumar; Kim, Sang-Jae
Flexible, planar composite piezoelectric nanogenerators (C-PNGs) were developed to harness waste mechanical energy using cost-effective composite films (CFs) prepared via a probe-sonication technique. CFs, made up of highly crystalline, randomly oriented lead free piezoelectric nanoparticles (1 - x)K 0.5 Na 0.5 NbO 3 -xBaTiO 3 , where x = 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, or 0.08 [designated as KNN-xBTO], were impregnated in a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) matrix. The KNN piezoelectric properties were tuned via the substitution of BTO nanoparticles, without altering the orthorhombic phase. A C-PNG device (x ≈ 0.02) generates a maximum open circuit voltage ≈160 V, and the instantaneous area power density is ≈14 mW m -2 upon a low mechanical force ≈0.4 N. The effects of BTO concentration in the KNN lattice, electrical poling effects, the fixed weight ratio of nanoparticles in the PVDF matrix, switching polarity tests, and load resistance analysis of C-PNG devices were investigated with constant mechanical force. Furthermore, the experimentally demonstrated C-PNG device output is sufficient to drive commercial blue light emitting diodes. The C-PNG device was placed on a road side, and the maximum energy generation and stability under real time harsh conditions, such as vehicle motion (motorcycle and bicycle) and human walking, were tested. C-PNG generates a peak-to-peak output voltage ≈16 V, when motorcycle forward/backward motion acts on it. This result indicates that the C-PNG device is a potential candidate to power road side sensors, speed tachometers, light indicators, etc. on highways.
Flexible thin film magnetoimpedance sensors
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Kurlyandskaya, G.V., E-mail: email@example.com [Universidad del País Vasco, UPV/EHU, Departamento de Electricidad y Electrónica, P.O. Box 644, Bilbao 48080 (Spain); Ural Federal University, Laboratory of Magnetic sensoric, Lenin Ave. 51, 620083 Ekaterinburg (Russian Federation); Fernández, E. [BCMaterials UPV-EHU, Vizcaya Science and Technology Park, 48160 Derio (Spain); Svalov, A. [Universidad del País Vasco, UPV/EHU, Departamento de Electricidad y Electrónica, P.O. Box 644, Bilbao 48080 (Spain); Ural Federal University, Laboratory of Magnetic sensoric, Lenin Ave. 51, 620083 Ekaterinburg (Russian Federation); Burgoa Beitia, A. [Universidad del País Vasco, UPV/EHU, Departamento de Electricidad y Electrónica, P.O. Box 644, Bilbao 48080 (Spain); García-Arribas, A. [Universidad del País Vasco, UPV/EHU, Departamento de Electricidad y Electrónica, P.O. Box 644, Bilbao 48080 (Spain); BCMaterials UPV-EHU, Vizcaya Science and Technology Park, 48160 Derio (Spain); Larrañaga, A. [SGIker, Servicios Generales de Investigación, Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), 48080 Bilbao (Spain)
Magnetically soft thin film deposited onto polymer substrates is an attractive option for flexible electronics including magnetoimpedance (MI) applications. MI FeNi/Ti based thin film sensitive elements were designed and prepared using the sputtering technique by deposition onto rigid and flexible substrates at different deposition rates. Their structure, magnetic properties and MI were comparatively analyzed. The main structural features were sufficiently accurately reproduced in the case of deposition onto cyclo olefine polymer substrates compared to glass substrates for the same conditions. Although for the best condition (28 nm/min rate) of the deposition onto polymer a significant reduction of the MI field sensitivity was found satisfactory for sensor applications sensitivity: 45%/Oe was obtained for a frequency of 60 MHz. - Highlights: • [FeNi/Ti]{sub 3}/Cu/[FeNi/Ti]{sub 3} films were prepared by sputtering at different deposition rates. • Polymer substrates insure sufficiently accurate reproducibility of the film structure. • High deposition rate of 28 nm/min insures the highest values of the magnetoimpedance sensitivity. • Deposition onto polymer results in the satisfactory magnetoimpedance sensitivity of 45%/Oe.
Flexible thin film magnetoimpedance sensors
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kurlyandskaya, G.V.; Fernández, E.; Svalov, A.; Burgoa Beitia, A.; García-Arribas, A.; Larrañaga, A.
Magnetically soft thin film deposited onto polymer substrates is an attractive option for flexible electronics including magnetoimpedance (MI) applications. MI FeNi/Ti based thin film sensitive elements were designed and prepared using the sputtering technique by deposition onto rigid and flexible substrates at different deposition rates. Their structure, magnetic properties and MI were comparatively analyzed. The main structural features were sufficiently accurately reproduced in the case of deposition onto cyclo olefine polymer substrates compared to glass substrates for the same conditions. Although for the best condition (28 nm/min rate) of the deposition onto polymer a significant reduction of the MI field sensitivity was found satisfactory for sensor applications sensitivity: 45%/Oe was obtained for a frequency of 60 MHz. - Highlights: • [FeNi/Ti] 3 /Cu/[FeNi/Ti] 3 films were prepared by sputtering at different deposition rates. • Polymer substrates insure sufficiently accurate reproducibility of the film structure. • High deposition rate of 28 nm/min insures the highest values of the magnetoimpedance sensitivity. • Deposition onto polymer results in the satisfactory magnetoimpedance sensitivity of 45%/Oe.
Fabrication of Crack-Free Barium Titanate Thin Film with High Dielectric Constant Using Sub-Micrometric Scale Layer-by-Layer E-Jet Deposition
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Junsheng Liang
Full Text Available Dense and crack-free barium titanate (BaTiO3, BTO thin films with a thickness of less than 4 μm were prepared by using sub-micrometric scale, layer-by-layer electrohydrodynamic jet (E-jet deposition of the suspension ink which is composed of BTO nanopowder and BTO sol. Impacts of the jet height and line-to-line pitch of the deposition on the micro-structure of BTO thin films were investigated. Results show that crack-free BTO thin films can be prepared with 4 mm jet height and 300 μm line-to-line pitch in this work. Dielectric constant of the prepared BTO thin film was recorded as high as 2940 at 1 kHz at room temperature. Meanwhile, low dissipation factor of the BTO thin film of about 8.6% at 1 kHz was also obtained. The layer-by-layer E-jet deposition technique developed in this work has been proved to be a cost-effective, flexible and easy to control approach for the preparation of high-quality solid thin film.
Enhanced bipolar resistive switching behavior in polar Cr-doped barium titanate thin films without electro-forming process
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Atul Thakre
Full Text Available An enhanced, repeatable and robust resistive switching phenomenon was observed in Cr substituted BaTiO3 polar ferroelectric thin films; fabricated and deposited by the sol-gel approach and spin coating technique, respectively. An enhanced bistable bipolar resistive switching (BRS phenomenon without electro-forming process, low switching voltage (∼ 2 V and moderate retention characteristics of 104 s along with a high Roff/Ron resistance ratio ∼103 was achieved. The current conduction analysis showed that the space charge limited conduction (SCLC and Schottky emission conduction dominate in the high voltage range, while thermally active charge carriers (ohmic in the lower voltage range. The impedance spectroscopy study indicates the formation of current conducting path and rupturing of oxygen vacancies during SET and RESET process.
Enhanced bipolar resistive switching behavior in polar Cr-doped barium titanate thin films without electro-forming process
Thakre, Atul; Kumar, Ashok
An enhanced, repeatable and robust resistive switching phenomenon was observed in Cr substituted BaTiO3 polar ferroelectric thin films; fabricated and deposited by the sol-gel approach and spin coating technique, respectively. An enhanced bistable bipolar resistive switching (BRS) phenomenon without electro-forming process, low switching voltage (˜ 2 V) and moderate retention characteristics of 104 s along with a high Roff/Ron resistance ratio ˜103 was achieved. The current conduction analysis showed that the space charge limited conduction (SCLC) and Schottky emission conduction dominate in the high voltage range, while thermally active charge carriers (ohmic) in the lower voltage range. The impedance spectroscopy study indicates the formation of current conducting path and rupturing of oxygen vacancies during SET and RESET process.
Energy Storage Characteristics of BiFeO3/BaTiO3 Bi-Layers Integrated on Si
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Menglin Liu
Full Text Available BiFeO3/BaTiO3 bi-layer thick films (~1 μm were deposited on Pt/Ti/SiO2/(100 Si substrates with LaNiO3 buffer layers at 500 °C via a rf magnetron sputtering process. X-ray diffraction (XRD analysis revealed that both BiFeO3 and BaTiO3 layers have a (00l preferred orientation. The films showed a small remnant polarization (Pr ~ 7.8 μC/cm2 and a large saturated polarization (Ps ~ 65 μC/cm2, resulting in a slim polarization-electric field (P-E hysteresis loop with improved energy storage characteristics (Wc = 71 J/cm3, η = 61%. The successful "slim-down" of the P-E loop from that of the pure BiFeO3 film can be attributed to the competing effects of space charges and the interlayer charge coupling on charge transport of the bi-layer film. The accompanying electrical properties of the bi-layer films were measured and the results confirmed their good quality.
Organic Thin Films for Photonics Applications
National Research Council Canada - National Science Library
Thorner, John
The Organic Thin Films for Photonics Applications Topical Meeting provided an interdisciplinary forum for the presentation and discussion of new and previously unpublished results on advanced organic...
Analysis of Hard Thin Film Coating
Shen, Dashen
MSFC is interested in developing hard thin film coating for bearings. The wearing of the bearing is an important problem for space flight engine. Hard thin film coating can drastically improve the surface of the bearing and improve the wear-endurance of the bearing. However, many fundamental problems in surface physics, plasma deposition, etc, need further research. The approach is using electron cyclotron resonance chemical vapor deposition (ECRCVD) to deposit hard thin film an stainless steel bearing. The thin films in consideration include SiC, SiN and other materials. An ECRCVD deposition system is being assembled at MSFC.
Thin films for emerging applications v.16
Francombe, Maurice H
Following in the long-standing tradition of excellence established by this serial, this volume provides a focused look at contemporary applications. High Tc superconducting thin films are discussed in terms of ion beam and sputtering deposition, vacuum evaporation, laser ablation, MOCVD, and other deposition processes in addition to their ultimate applications. Detailed treatment is also given to permanent magnet thin films, lateral diffusion and electromigration in metallic thin films, and fracture and cracking phenomena in thin films adhering to high-elongation substrates.
Progress in thin film techniques
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Weingarten, W.
Progress since the last Workshop is reported on superconducting accelerating RF cavities coated with thin films. The materials investigated are Nb, Nb 3 Sn, NbN and NbTiN, the techniques applied are diffusion from the vapour phase (Nb 3 Sn, NbN), the bronze process (Nb 3 Sn), and sputter deposition on a copper substrate (Nb, NbTiN). Specially designed cavities for sample evaluation by RF methods have been developed (triaxial cavity). New experimental techniques to assess the RF amplitude dependence of the surface resistance are presented (with emphasis on niobium films sputter deposited on copper). Evidence is increasing that they are caused by magnetic flux penetration into the surface layer. (R.P.)
Thin film solar energy collector
Aykan, Kamran; Farrauto, Robert J.; Jefferson, Clinton F.; Lanam, Richard D.
A multi-layer solar energy collector of improved stability comprising: (1) a substrate of quartz, silicate glass, stainless steel or aluminum-containing ferritic alloy; (2) a solar absorptive layer comprising silver, copper oxide, rhodium/rhodium oxide and 0-15% by weight of platinum; (3) an interlayer comprising silver or silver/platinum; and (4) an optional external anti-reflective coating, plus a method for preparing a thermally stable multi-layered solar collector, in which the absorptive layer is undercoated with a thin film of silver or silver/platinum to obtain an improved conductor-dielectric tandem.
Minerals deposited as thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Vazquez, Cristina; Leyt, D.V. de; Custo, Graciela
Free matrix effects are due to thin film deposits. Thus, it was decided to investigate this technique as a possibility to use pure oxide of the desired element, extrapolating its concentration from analytical curves made with avoiding, at the same time, mathematical corrections. The proposed method was employed to determine iron and titanium concentrations in geological samples. The range studied was 0.1-5%m/m for titanium and 5-20%m/m for iron. For both elements the reproducibility was about 7% and differences between this method and other chemical determinations were 15% for titanium and 7% for iron. (Author) [es
Characterization, dielectric and electrical behaviour of BaTiO3 ...
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
7600F, Jeol) was used ... CO2 absorbed in BaTiO3 during condensation from air. 3.2 XRD analysis. Figure 1 shows the XRD pattern of .... The OH, CO2 and CO3 peaks were reduced in the sam- ple of BaTiO3 when calcined at 600 and 800 °C. The ...
Microemulsion mediated synthesis of BaTiO3 – Ag nanocomposites
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Songhak Yoon
Full Text Available BaTiO3 – Ag composite nanopowders were synthesized via microemulsion mediated synthesis through the hydrolytic decomposition of mixed metal alkoxide solutions as precursor for the BaTiO3 and the reduction of silver nitrate in the presence of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP as source for the Ag nanoparticles. The X-ray diffraction (XRD patterns indicate that BaTiO3 and Ag phases were successfully synthesized in the composite powders. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM and transmission electron microscopy (TEM show that the synthesized BaTiO3 nanoparticles were aggregates of nanosized primary particles as small as 10 nm in diameter and the average particle size of nanocrystalline Ag was about 100 nm. Calcination and sintering studies reveal that there exists a difference in the sintering behaviour of BaTiO3 and Ag in the composite nanopowders. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA shows weight losses due to the burnout of organic residues arising from the synthesis, the release of water from the surface and separation of hydroxyl ions from the lattice of BaTiO3 nanoparticles. A dilatometric study of BaTiO3-Ag composite confi rmed a strong difference in the shrinkage behaviour compared to that of the pure BaTiO3 obtained by microemulsion mediated synthesis.
Characterization of BaTiO3 piezoelectric perovskite material for ...
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
Jul 28, 2017 ... properties with decreasing size of barium titanate particles to closely follow the magnetic analogue. Pure BaTiO3 exhibits a great change in dielectric con- stant close to the transition temperature [7]. To modify the properties and to widen the number of potential applications the BaTiO3 is doped with ...
Grain-size effects on thermal properties of BaTiO3 ceramics
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
Grain-size effects on thermal properties of BaTiO3 ceramics. C J XIAO*, Z X LI and X R DENG. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, China. MS received 5 January 2010. Abstract. Dense nanocrystalline BaTiO3 ceramics are successfully prepared by the high ...
Thin liquid films dewetting and polymer flow
Blossey, Ralf
This book is a treatise on the thermodynamic and dynamic properties of thin liquid films at solid surfaces and, in particular, their rupture instabilities. For the quantitative study of these phenomena, polymer thin films haven proven to be an invaluable experimental model system. What is it that makes thin film instabilities special and interesting, warranting a whole book? There are several answers to this. Firstly, thin polymeric films have an important range of applications, and with the increase in the number of technologies available to produce and to study them, this range is likely to expand. An understanding of their instabilities is therefore of practical relevance for the design of such films. Secondly, thin liquid films are an interdisciplinary research topic. Interdisciplinary research is surely not an end to itself, but in this case it leads to a fairly heterogeneous community of theoretical and experimental physicists, engineers, physical chemists, mathematicians and others working on the...
Pulse electrodeposition of Prussian Blue thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Najafisayar, P.; Bahrololoom, M.E.
The effects of pulse electrodeposition parameters like peak current density and frequency on the electrochemical properties of Prussian Blue thin films were investigated. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy, Cyclic Voltammetry and Chronoamperometry tests were carried out on Prussian Blue thin films which were pulse electrodeposited on Indium Tin Oxide coated glass substrates. The results showed that increase in the peak current densities and using higher pulsating frequencies during electrodeposition decreases the charge transfer resistance of the thin films while the diffusion coefficient of electroactive species in the films is increased as a consequence of using the same pulsating parameters. In addition, pulse electrodeposition technique does not alter deposition mechanism and morphology of the Prussian Blue thin films. - Highlights: • Prussian Blue thin films were pulse electrodeposited onto the ITO coated glass. • Pulse current condition affected thin films' electrochemical properties. • High pulsating current and frequency lower thin films' charge transfer resistance. • High pulsating current and frequency increase diffusion coefficient in thin films
Excimer Laser Deposition of PLZT Thin Films
National Research Council Canada - National Science Library
Petersen, GAry
.... In order to integrate these devices into optical systems, the production of high quality thin films with high transparency and perovskite crystal structure is desired. This requires development of deposition technologies to overcome the challenges of depositing and processing PLZT thin films.
Permalloy Thin-film Magnetic Sensors
Groenland, J.P.J.; Eijkel, C.J.M.; Fluitman, J.H.J.; de Ridder, R.M.
An introduction to the theory of the anisotropic magnetoresistance effect in ferromagnetic thin films is given, ending in a treatment of the minimalization of the free energy which is the result of the intrinsic and extrinsic anisotropies of the thin-film structure. The anisotropic magnetoresistance
Characterization of nanocrystalline cadmium telluride thin films ...
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
Abstract. Structural, electrical and optical characteristics of CdTe thin films prepared by a chemical deposi- tion method, successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR), are described. For deposition of CdTe thin films, cadmium acetate was used as cationic and sodium tellurite as anionic precursor in aqueous me-.
Characterization of nanocrystalline cadmium telluride thin films ...
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
Home; Journals; Bulletin of Materials Science; Volume 29; Issue 2. Characterization of nanocrystalline ... Structural, electrical and optical characteristics of CdTe thin films prepared by a chemical deposition method, successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR), are described. For deposition of CdTe thin films, ...
Laser thermoreflectance for semiconductor thin films metrology
Gailly, P.; Hastanin, J.; Duterte, C.; Hernandez, Y.; Lecourt, J.-B.; Kupisiewicz, A.; Martin, P.-E.; Fleury-Frenette, K.
We present a thermoreflectance-based metrology concept applied to compound semiconductor thin films off-line characterization in the solar cells scribing process. The presented thermoreflectance setup has been used to evaluate the thermal diffusivity of thin CdTe films and to measure eventual changes in the thermal properties of 5 μm CdTe films ablated by nano and picosecond laser pulses. The temperature response of the CdTe thin film to the nanosecond heating pulse has been numerically investigated using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. The computational and experimental results have been compared.
Nanostructured thin films and coatings functional properties
Zhang, Sam
The second volume in ""The Handbook of Nanostructured Thin Films and Coatings"" set, this book focuses on functional properties, including optical, electronic, and electrical properties, as well as related devices and applications. It explores the large-scale fabrication of functional thin films with nanoarchitecture via chemical routes, the fabrication and characterization of SiC nanostructured/nanocomposite films, and low-dimensional nanocomposite fabrication and applications. The book also presents the properties of sol-gel-derived nanostructured thin films as well as silicon nanocrystals e
Micromechanics of substrate-supported thin films
He, Wei; Han, Meidong; Wang, Shibin; Li, Lin-An; Xue, Xiuli
The mechanical properties of metallic thin films deposited on a substrate play a crucial role in the performance of micro/nano-electromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS) and flexible electronics. This article reviews ongoing study on the mechanics of substrate-supported thin films, with emphasis on the experimental characterization techniques, such as the rule of mixture and X-ray tensile testing. In particular, the determination of interfacial adhesion energy, film deformation, elastic properties and Bauschinger effect are discussed.
Thin film bioreactors in space
Hughes-Fulford, M.; Scheld, H. W.
Studies from the Skylab, SL-3 and D-1 missions have demonstrated that biological organisms grown in microgravity have changes in basic cellular functions such as DNA, mRNA and protein synthesis, cytoskeleton synthesis, glucose utilization and cellular differentiation. Since microgravity could affect prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells at a subcellular and molecular level, space offers us an opportunity to learn more about basic biological systems with one important variable removed. The thin film bioreactor will facilitate the handling of fluids in microgravity, under constant temperature and will allow multiple samples of cells to be grown with variable conditions. Studies on cell cultures grown in microgravity would enable us to identify and quantify changes in basic biological function in microgravity which are needed to develop new applications of orbital research and future biotechnology.
BDS thin film damage competition
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Stolz, C J; Thomas, M D; Griffin, A J
A laser damage competition was held at the 2008 Boulder Damage Symposium in order to determine the current status of thin film laser resistance within the private, academic, and government sectors. This damage competition allows a direct comparison of the current state-of-the-art of high laser resistance coatings since they are all tested using the same damage test setup and the same protocol. A normal incidence high reflector multilayer coating was selected at a wavelength of 1064 nm. The substrates were provided by the submitters. A double blind test assured sample and submitter anonymity so only a summary of the results are presented here. In addition to the laser resistance results, details of deposition processes, coating materials, and layer count will also be shared.
Method of producing thin cellulose nitrate film
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Lupica, S.B.
An improved method for forming a thin nitrocellulose film of reproducible thickness is described. The film is a cellulose nitrate film, 10 to 20 microns in thickness, cast from a solution of cellulose nitrate in tetrahydrofuran, said solution containing from 7 to 15 percent, by weight, of dioctyl phthalate, said cellulose nitrate having a nitrogen content of from 10 to 13 percent
Synthesis and characterization of BaTiO3 ferroelectric material
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Osman, K.I.
BaTiO 3 powder was prepared at low temperatures using the solid-state reaction, starting with two different precursors; the BaCO 3 /TiO 2 and the Ba(NO 3 ) 2 /TiO 2 powder mixtures. It was found that, a single phase BaTiO 3 was formed after calcination at 750 degree C for 10 h and at 600 degree C for 6 h for the first and second mixtures, respectively. Thermal and XRD analyses were used to study the formation kinetics of BaTiO 3 . Contracting volume reaction model was found to control both reactions. The SEM of the as milled powder, TMA, TG and thermodynamics analysis have been used to propose a realistic approach describing the reaction mechanism of BaTiO 3 . Characterization and the dielectric properties of the sintered BaTiO 3 were investigated. The relative permittivity and the dielectric loss measured at room temperature and at 1 khz were 2028.5 and 0.043 for BaTiO 3 prepared from BaCO 3 /TiO 2 , while they were 1805.33 and 0.41 for BaTiO 3 prepared from Ba(NO 3 ) 2 /TiO 2 .
Ferroelectric BaTiO3 and LiNbO3 Nanoparticles Dispersed in Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal Mixtures: Electrooptic and Dielectric (Postprint)
KEYWORDS Ferroelectric liquid crystals; solid state ferroelectrics; FLC- nanocomposites ; surface phenomena Introduction Nematic Liquid Crystals are...FLC/ BaTiO3 nanocolloids were investigated. Similar results were obtained in [10] and [11] for FLC/BaTiO3 nanocomposites studied on non- harvested...polymer concentrations were spin coated at 3500 rpm for three minutes on the ITO coated glass plates to obtain films of different thick- ness
Optical constant of thin gold films
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Yakubovsky, D. I.; Fedyanin, D. Yu; Arsenin, A. V.
The performance of metal-based devices is limited by ohmic losses in the metal, which are determined by electron scattering. The structural properties of gold thin films also play an important role in the film quality, which may affect its' optical properties and the overall capability of the dev......The performance of metal-based devices is limited by ohmic losses in the metal, which are determined by electron scattering. The structural properties of gold thin films also play an important role in the film quality, which may affect its' optical properties and the overall capability...... and spectroscopic ellipsometry, the structural morphology and optical properties of polycrystalline gold thin films (fabricated by e-beam deposition at a low sputtering rate smooth gold) in the thickness range of 20 - 200 nm. By extracting the real and imaginary dielectric function and the Drude parameter...... predicts optical losses based on structure of the gold films....
Plasmonic modes in thin films: quo vadis?
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Antonio ePolitano
Full Text Available Herein, we discuss the status and the prospect of plasmonic modes in thin films. Plasmons are collective longitudinal modes of charge fluctuation in metal samples excited by an external electric field. Surface plasmons (SPs are waves that propagate along the surface of a conductor with applications in magneto-optic data storage, optics, microscopy, and catalysis. In thin films the electronic response is influenced by electron quantum confinement. Confined electrons modify the dynamical screening processes at the film/substrate interface by introducing novel properties with potential applications and, moreover, they affect both the dispersion relation of SP frequency and the damping processes of the SP.Recent calculations indicate the emergence of acoustic surface plasmons (ASP in Ag thin films exhibiting quantum well states and in graphene films. The slope of the dispersion of ASP decreases with film thickness. We also discuss open issues in research on plasmonic modes in graphene/metal interfaes.
Stabilized thin film heterostructure for electrochemical applications
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
The invention provides a method for the formation of a thin film multi-layered heterostructure upon a substrate, said method comprising the steps of: a. providing a substrate; b. depositing a buffer layer upon said substrate, said buffer layer being a layer of stable ionic conductor (B); c...... or less; and e. repeating steps b. and c. a total of N times, such that N repeating pairs of layers (A/B) are built up, wherein N is 1 or more. The invention also provides a thin film multi-layered heterostructure as such, and the combination of a thin film multi-layered heterostructure and a substrate...
Macro stress mapping on thin film buckling
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Goudeau, P.; Villain, P.; Renault, P.-O.; Tamura, N.; Celestre, R.S.; Padmore, H.A.
Thin films deposited by Physical Vapour Deposition techniques on substrates generally exhibit large residual stresses which may be responsible of thin film buckling in the case of compressive stresses. Since the 80's, a lot of theoretical work has been done to develop mechanical models but only a few experimental work has been done on this subject to support these theoretical approaches and nothing concerning local stress measurement mainly because of the small dimension of the buckling (few 10th mm). This paper deals with the application of micro beam X-ray diffraction available on synchrotron radiation sources for stress mapping analysis of gold thin film buckling
Study of zinc oxide thin film characteristics
Johari Shazlina; Muhammad Nazalea Yazmin; Zakaria Mohd Rosydi
This paper presents the characterization of ZnO thin films with the thickness of 8nm, 30nm, and 200nm. The thin films were prepared using sol-gel method and has been deposited onto different substrate of silicon wafer, glass and quartz. The thin films were annealed at 400, 500 and 600°C. By using UV-Vis, the optical transmittance measurement were recorded by using a single beam spectrophotometer in the wavelength 250nm to 800nm. However, the transmittance in the visible range is hardly influe...
High density nonmagnetic cobalt in thin films
Banu, Nasrin; Singh, Surendra; Basu, Saibal; Roy, Anupam; Movva, Hema C. P.; Dev, B. N.
Recently high density (HD) nonmagnetic (NM) cobalt has been discovered in a cobalt thin film, grown on Si(111). This cobalt film had a natural cobalt oxide at the top. The oxide layer forms when the film is taken out of the electron-beam deposition chamber and exposed to air. Thin HD NM cobalt layers were found near the cobalt/silicon and the cobalt-oxide/cobalt interfaces, while the thicker mid-depth region of the film was hcp cobalt with normal density and normal magnetic moment. If an ultr...
Performance Characterization of Monolithic Thin Film Resistors
Yin, Rong
Thin film resistors have a large resistance range and stable performance under high temperature operating condition. Thin film resistors trimmed by laser beam are able to achieve very high precision on resistance value. As a result, thin film resistors have been widely used to improve the performance of integrated circuits such as operational amplifier, analog-to-digital (A/D) and digital -to-analog (D/A) converters, etc. In this dissertation, a new class of thin film resistors, silicon chrome (SiCr) thin film resistors, has been investigated at length. From thin film characterization to aging behavior modelling, we have carried out a series of engineering activities. The characteristics of the SiCr thin film incorporated into three bipolar processes were first determined. After laser trimming, we have measured a couple of physical parameters of the SiCr film in the heat affected zone (HAZ). This is the first time the sheet resistance and the temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of thin film in the HAZ have been characterized. Both thermal and d.c. load accelerated aging tests were performed. The test structures were subjected to the aging for 1000 hours. Based on the test data, we not only evaluated the classical thermal aging model for untrimmed thin film resistors, but also established several empirical thermal aging models for trimmed resistors and d.c. load aging models for both trimmed and untrimmed thin film resistors. All the experiments were carried out for both conventional bar resistors and our new Swiss Cheese (SC) resistors. For the first time, the performance of laser trimmed SC resistors, which was experimentally evaluated, shown a clear superiority over that of trimmed bar resistors. Besides these experiments, we have examined different die attach techniques and their effects on thin film resistors. Also, we have developed a number of hardware systems and software tools, such as a temperature controller, d.c. current source, temperature
Thermal conductivity model for nanoporous thin films
Huang, Congliang; Zhao, Xinpeng; Regner, Keith; Yang, Ronggui
Nanoporous thin films have attracted great interest because of their extremely low thermal conductivity and potential applications in thin thermal insulators and thermoelectrics. Although there are some numerical and experimental studies about the thermal conductivity of nanoporous thin films, a simplified model is still needed to provide a straightforward prediction. In this paper, by including the phonon scattering lifetimes due to film thickness boundary scattering, nanopore scattering and the frequency-dependent intrinsic phonon-phonon scattering, a fitting-parameter-free model based on the kinetic theory of phonon transport is developed to predict both the in-plane and the cross-plane thermal conductivities of nanoporous thin films. With input parameters such as the lattice constants, thermal conductivity, and the group velocity of acoustic phonons of bulk silicon, our model shows a good agreement with available experimental and numerical results of nanoporous silicon thin films. It illustrates that the size effect of film thickness boundary scattering not only depends on the film thickness but also on the size of nanopores, and a larger nanopore leads to a stronger size effect of the film thickness. Our model also reveals that there are different optimal structures for getting the lowest in-plane and cross-plane thermal conductivities.
Formation and Photocatalytic Activity of BaTiO3 Nanocubes via Hydrothermal Process
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Xinrun Xiong
Full Text Available We reported a facile hydrothermal approach to synthesize BaTiO3 nanocubes with controlled sizes for degradation of methylene blue (MB. The nanocubes with reaction time of 48 hours exhibited the highest photocatalytic efficiency, owing to their narrower size distribution and better crystallinity compared to those of 24 hours and, at the meantime, smaller particle size than those of 72 hours. This work also demonstrated the degradation of methylene orange (MO using BaTiO3 nanocubes synthesized for 48 hours. Compared with the removal of MB, BaTiO3 had lower photocatalytic activity on MO, mainly due to the poorer absorption behavior of MO on the surface of BaTiO3 nanocubes. The degradation efficiency for each photocatalytic reaction was calculated. The possible mechanism of the photocatalytic decomposition on MB has been addressed as well.
Surfactant-assisted synthesis of BaTiO3 nanoparticles by micro-emulsion method
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
J. L. Gao
Full Text Available Barium titanate (BaTiO3 nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by using a surfactant-assisted method. The various processing parameters, namely, th e species of surfactant, reaction temperature and micro-emusion concentration had been varied, and the effects on the micrographs and crystal structure of BaTiO3 particles had been analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM, transmission electron microscopy (TEM and X-ray diffraction (XRD. XRD analyses confirming the tetragonal structure of the BaTiO3 nanoparticles using hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium Bromide (CTAB or nonylphenol polyoxyethylene ether (NP-10 as surfactant. The SEM analysis showed that by changing the species of surfactant, grains with different dimensions could be synthesized. TEM analyses indicate that BaTiO3 nanoparticles with 15–20 nm in diameter were successfully synthesized.
Controlled Confinement of Half-metallic 2D Electron Gas in BaTiO3/Ba2FeReO6/BaTiO3 Heterostructures: A First-principles Study
Saha-Dasgupta, Tanusri; Baidya, Santu; Waghmare, Umesh; Paramekanti, Arun
Using density functional theory calculations, we establish that the half-metallicity of bulk Ba2FeReO6 survives down i to 1 nm thickness in BaTiO3/Ba2FeReO6/BaTiO3 heterostructures grown along the (001) and (111) directions. The confinement of the two-dimensional (2D) electron gas in this quantum well structure arises from the suppressed hybridization between Re/Fe d states and unoccupied Ti d states, and it is further strengthened by polar fields for the (111) direction. This mechanism, distinct from the polar catastrophe, leads to an order of magnitude stronger confinement of the 2D electron gas than that at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface. We further show low-energy bands of (111) heterostructure display nontrivial topological character. Our work opens up the possibility of realizing ultra-thin spintronic devices. Journal Ref: Phys. Rev. B 92, 161106(R) (2015) S.B. and T.S.D thank Department of Science and Technology, India for the support through Thematic Unit of Excellence. AP was supported by NSERC (Canada).
Thin film production method and apparatus
Loutfy, Raouf O.; Moravsky, Alexander P.; Hassen, Charles N.
A method for forming a thin film material which comprises depositing solid particles from a flowing suspension or aerosol onto a filter and next adhering the solid particles to a second substrate using an adhesive.
Highly stretchable wrinkled gold thin film wires.
Kim, Joshua; Park, Sun-Jun; Nguyen, Thao; Chu, Michael; Pegan, Jonathan D; Khine, Michelle
With the growing prominence of wearable electronic technology, there is a need to improve the mechanical reliability of electronics for more demanding applications. Conductive wires represent a vital component present in all electronics. Unlike traditional planar and rigid electronics, these new wearable electrical components must conform to curvilinear surfaces, stretch with the body, and remain unobtrusive and low profile. In this paper, the piezoresistive response of shrink induced wrinkled gold thin films under strain demonstrates robust conductive performance in excess of 200% strain. Importantly, the wrinkled metallic thin films displayed negligible change in resistance of up to 100% strain. The wrinkled metallic wires exhibited consistent performance after repetitive strain. Importantly, these wrinkled thin films are inexpensive to fabricate and are compatible with roll to roll manufacturing processes. We propose that these wrinkled metal thin film wires are an attractive alternative to conventional wires for wearable applications.
Epitaxy, thin films and superlattices
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Jagd Christensen, Morten
This report is the result of structural investigations of 3d transition metal superlattices consisting of Fe/V, Cr/Mn, V/Mn and Fe/Mn, and a structural and magnetic study of a series of Ho/Pr alloys. The work includes preparation and characterization of substrates as well as growth of thin films and Fe/V superlattices by molecular beam epitaxy, including in-situ characterization by reflection high energy electron diffraction and Auger electron spectroscopy. Structural characterization has been done by x-ray diffraction and neutron diffraction. The x-ray diffraction experiments have been performed on the rotating copper anode at Risoe, and at synchrotron facilities in Hamburg and Brookhaven, and the neutron scattering was done at the Danish research reactor DR3 at Risoe. In addition to longitudinal scans, giving information about the structural parameters in the modulation direction, non-specular scans were also performed. This type of scans gives information about in-plane orientation and lattice parameters. From the analysis, structural information is obtained about lattice parameters, epitaxial strain, coherence lengths and crystallographic orientation for the superlattice systems, except Fe/Mn superlattices, which could not be modelled. For the Ho/Pr alloys, x-ray magnetic scattering was performed, and the crystal and magnetic structure was investigated. (au)
Epitaxy, thin films and superlattices
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Jagd Christensen, Morten
This report is the result of structural investigations of 3d transition metal superlattices consisting of Fe/V, Cr/Mn, V/Mn and Fe/Mn, and a structural and magnetic study of a series of Ho/Pr alloys. The work includes preparation and characterization of substrates as well as growth of thin films and Fe/V superlattices by molecular beam epitaxy, including in-situ characterization by reflection high energy electron diffraction and Auger electron spectroscopy. Structural characterization has been done by x-ray diffraction and neutron diffraction. The x-ray diffraction experiments have been performed on the rotating copper anode at Risoe, and at synchrotron facilities in Hamburg and Brookhaven, and the neutron scattering was done at the Danish research reactor DR3 at Risoe. In addition to longitudinal scans, giving information about the structural parameters in the modulation direction, non-specular scans were also performed. This type of scans gives information about in-plane orientation and lattice parameters. From the analysis, structural information is obtained about lattice parameters, epitaxial strain, coherence lengths and crystallographic orientation for the superlattice systems, except Fe/Mn superlattices, which could not be modelled. For the Ho/Pr alloys, x-ray magnetic scattering was performed, and the crystal and magnetic structure was investigated. (au) 14 tabs.; 58 ills., 96 refs.
Synthesis of BaTiO3 powder from barium titanyl oxalate (BTO ...
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
Abstract. Cubic barium titanate (BaTiO3) powder was synthesized by heating barium titanyl oxalate hydrate,. BaTiO(C2O4)2⋅4H2O (BTO) precursor in microwave heating system in air at 500°C. Heating BTO in micro- wave above 600°C yielded tetragonal form of BaTiO3. Experiments repeated in silicon carbide furnace ...
Molecular Catalysis at Polarized Interfaces Created by Ferroelectric BaTiO3 (Postprint)
AFRL-RX-WP-JA-2016-0197 MOLECULAR CATALYSIS AT POLARIZED INTERFACES CREATED BY FERROELECTRIC BaTiO3 (POSTPRINT) Eugene S. Beh, Xiaofeng Feng, and...TITLE AND SUBTITLE MOLECULAR CATALYSIS AT POLARIZED INTERFACES CREATED BY FERROELECTRIC BaTiO3 (POSTPRINT) 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER FA8650-09-D-5434...way to inves- tigate and exploit the effects of interfacial polarization on catalysis . Acknowledgements We thank the Air Force Office of Scientic
Synthesis of BaTiO3 powder from barium titanyl oxalate (BTO ...
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
the synthesis of BaTiO3 from the mixture of barium car- bonate and titanium dioxide employing microwave heat- ing. They observed that hypostoichiometric TiO2 (TiO2–x) reacted with BaCO3 in the presence of microwave field at temperature as low as 350°C to give the mixture of hexa- gonal and tetragonal forms of BaTiO3 ...
Laser processing for thin-film photovoltaics
Compaan, Alvin D.
Over the past decade major advances have occurred in the field of thin- film photovoltaics (PV) with many of them a direct consequence of the application of laser processing. Improved cell efficiencies have been achieved in crystalline and polycrystalline Si, in hydrogenated amorphous silicon, and in two polycrystalline thin-film materials. The use of lasers in photovoltaics includes laser hole drilling for emitter wrap-through, laser trenching for buried bus lines, and laser texturing of crystalline and polycrystalline Si cells. In thin-film devices, laser scribing is gaining increased importance for module interconnects. Pulsed laser recrystallization of boron-doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon is used to form highly conductive p-layers in p-i-n amorphous silicon cells and in thin-film transistors. Optical beam melting appears to be an attractive method for forming metal semiconductor alloys for contact formation. Finally, pulsed lasers are used for deposition of the entire semiconductor absorber layer in two types of polycrystalline thin-film cells-those based on copper indium diselenide and those based on cadmium telluride. In our lab we have prepared and studied heavily doped polycrystalline silicon thin films and also have used laser physical vapor deposition (LPVD) to prepare 'all-LPVD' CdS/CdTe solar cells on glass with efficiencies tested at NREL at 10.5%. LPVD is highly flexible and ideally suited for prototyping PV cells using ternary or quaternary alloys and for exploring new dopant combinations.
Laser applications in thin-film photovoltaics
Bartlome, R.; Strahm, B.; Sinquin, Y.; Feltrin, A.; Ballif, C.
We review laser applications in thin-film photovoltaics (thin-film Si, CdTe, and Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells). Lasers are applied in this growing field to manufacture modules, to monitor Si deposition processes, and to characterize opto-electrical properties of thin films. Unlike traditional panels based on crystalline silicon wafers, the individual cells of a thin-film photovoltaic module can be serially interconnected by laser scribing during fabrication. Laser scribing applications are described in detail, while other laser-based fabrication processes, such as laser-induced crystallization and pulsed laser deposition, are briefly reviewed. Lasers are also integrated into various diagnostic tools to analyze the composition of chemical vapors during deposition of Si thin films. Silane (SiH4), silane radicals (SiH3, SiH2, SiH, Si), and Si nanoparticles have all been monitored inside chemical vapor deposition systems. Finally, we review various thin-film characterization methods, in which lasers are implemented.
Atomistic description for temperature-driven phase transitions in BaTiO3
Qi, Y.; Liu, S.; Grinberg, I.; Rappe, A. M.
Barium titanate (BaTiO3) is a prototypical ferroelectric perovskite that undergoes the rhombohedral-orthorhombic-tetragonal-cubic phase transitions as the temperature increases. In this paper, we develop a classical interatomic potential for BaTiO3 within the framework of the bond-valence theory. The force field is parametrized from first-principles results, enabling accurate large-scale molecular dynamics (MD) simulations at finite temperatures. Our model potential for BaTiO3 reproduces the temperature-driven phase transitions in isobaric-isothermal ensemble (N P T ) MD simulations. This potential allows for the analysis of BaTiO3 structures with atomic resolution. By analyzing the local displacements of Ti atoms, we demonstrate that the phase transitions of BaTiO3 exhibit a mix of order-disorder and displacive characters. Besides, from a detailed observation of structural dynamics during phase transition, we discover that the global phase transition is associated with changes in the equilibrium value and fluctuations of each polarization component, including the ones already averaging to zero, Contrary to the conventional understanding that temperature increase generally causes bond-softening transition, the x -polarization component (the one which is polar in both the orthorhombic and the tetragonal phases) exhibits a bond-hardening character during the orthorhombic-to-tetragonal transition. These results provide further insight about the temperature-driven phase transitions in BaTiO3.
Wet routes of high purity BaTiO3 nanopowders
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Wang Liqiu; Liu Liang; Xue Dongfeng; Kang Hongmin; Liu Changhou
High purity BaTiO 3 nanopowders were prepared in wet routes through stearic acid gel (SAG) and acetic acid gel (AAG) techniques, respectively. BaTiO 3 samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, and thermal gravimetric analysis. The present results indicate that both methods have a similar reaction process during calcination, while BaTiO 3 crystallites were initially formed at 550 deg. C by SAG and 800 deg. C by AAG. Both methods could produce BaTiO 3 powders with a cubic perovskite structure, while they had different grain size distributions within 25-50 nm for SAG and 50-80 nm for AAG. BaTiO 3 samples prepared by SAG had a lower agglomeration than those by AAG. SAG has shown many distinctive advantages in the preparation of high purity BaTiO 3 nanopowders, without Ba and Ti losses and hazardous wastes
Probing the Metal-Insulator Transition in BaTiO3 by Electrostatic Doping
Raghavan, Santosh; Zhang, Jack Y.; Shoron, Omor F.; Stemmer, Susanne
The metal-to-insulator transition in BaTiO3 is investigated using electrostatic doping, which avoids effects from disorder and strain that would accompany chemical doping. SmTiO3/BaTiO3/SrTiO3 heterostructures are doped with a constant sheet carrier density of 3 ×1014 cm-2 that is introduced via the polar SmTiO3/BaTiO3 interface. Below a critical BaTiO3 thickness, the structures exhibit metallic behavior with high carrier mobilities at low temperatures, similar to SmTiO3/SrTiO3 interfaces. Above this thickness, data indicate that the BaTiO3 layer becomes ferroelectric. The BaTiO3 lattice parameters increase to a value consistent with a strained, tetragonal unit cell, the structures are insulating below ˜125 K , and the mobility drops by more than an order of magnitude, indicating self-trapping of carriers. The results shed light on the interplay between charge carriers and ferroelectricity.
Humidity sensing characteristics of hydrotungstite thin films
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
variety of tungstate materials, such as thick-film manga- nese tungstate, have been applied as humidity sensors. (Qu and Mayer 1997). The humidity sensing characteristics of bulk metal oxide–tungsten oxide systems have also been studied in the literature (Ichinose 1993). Thin films of tungsten oxide have been prepared ...
A thin film magnetoresistive angle detector
Eijkel, C.J.M.; Wieberdink, Johan W.; Fluitman, J.H.J.; Popma, T.J.A.; Groot, Peter; Leeuwis, Henk
An overview is given of the results of our research on a contactless angle detector based on the anisotropic magnetoresistance effect (AMR effect) in a permalloy thin film. The results of high-temperature annealing treatment of the pemalloy film are discussed. Such a treatment suppresses the effects
Measurements of acoustic properties for thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kushibiki, J.; Maehara, H.; Chubachi, N.
A measurement method for determining thin-film acoustic properties, such as characteristic acoustic impedance, sound velocity, density, and stiffness constant, is developed with a simple measurement principle and high measurement accuracy. The acoustic properties are determined from a maximum reflection loss and a center frequency obtained through a frequency response of the reflection loss for an acoustic transmission line composed of a sapphire/film/water system by using the acoustic pulse mode measurement system in the UHF range. The determination of the acoustic properties is demonstrated for sputtered fused quartz film, low-expansion borosilicate glass films, and chalcogenide glass films of evaporated As 2 S 3 and As 2 Se 3 , within the measurement accuracy around 1--2%. It is also found that the acoustic properties of thin films are generally different from those of bulk materials, depending on the fabrication techniques and conditions
Large grain gallium arsenide thin films
Chu, S. S.; Chu, T. L.; Firouzi, H.; Han, Y. X.; Chen, W. J.; Wang, Q. H.
Polycrystalline gallium arsenide films deposited on tungsten/graphite substrates have been used for the fabrication of thin film solar cells. Gallium arsenide films deposited on foreign substrates of 10 microns or less thickness exhibit, in most cases, pronounced shunting effects due to grain boundaries. MOS solar cells of 9 sq cm area with an AM1 efficiency of 8.5 percent and p(+)/n/n(+) homojunction solar cells of 1 sq cm area with an AM1 efficiency of 8.8 percent have been prepared. However, in order to further improve the conversion efficiency before the development of effective passivation techniques, gallium arsenide films with large and uniform grain structure are necessary. The large grain gallium arsenide films have been prepared by using (1) the arsine treatment of a thin layer of molten gallium on the substrate surface and (2) the recrystallized germanium films on tungsten/graphite as substrates.
Electrochemical fabrication of nanoporous polypyrrole thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Li Mei; Yuan Jinying; Shi Gaoquan
Polypyrrole thin films with pores in nanometer scale were synthesized by direct electrochemical oxidation of pyrrole in a mixed electrolyte of isopropyl alcohol, boron trifluoride diethyl etherate, sodium dodecylsulfonate and poly(ethylene glycol) using well-aligned ZnO nanowires arrays as templates. The thin films exhibit high conductivity of ca. σ rt ∼ 20.5 s/cm and can be driven to bend during redox processes in 1.0 M lithium perchlorate aqueous solution. The movement rate of an actuator based on this nanoporous film was measured to be over 90 o /s at a driving potential of 0.8 V (vs. Ag/AgCl)
Polymer surfaces, interfaces and thin films
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Stamm, M. [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Polymerforschung, Mainz (Germany)
Neutron reflectometry can be used in various ways to investigate surfaces, interfaces and thin films of polymers. Its potential comes mostly from the possibilities offered by selective deuteration, where a particular component can be made visible with respect to its activity at the interface. In addition the depth resolution is much better than with most other direct techniques, and details of the profiles may be resolved. Several examples will be discussed including the segment diffusion at the interface between two polymer films, the determination of the narrow interfaces between incompatible polymer blends and the development of order in thin diblock copolymer films. (author) 10 figs., 2 tabs., 38 refs.
Polymer surfaces, interfaces and thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Stamm, M.
Neutron reflectometry can be used in various ways to investigate surfaces, interfaces and thin films of polymers. Its potential comes mostly from the possibilities offered by selective deuteration, where a particular component can be made visible with respect to its activity at the interface. In addition the depth resolution is much better than with most other direct techniques, and details of the profiles may be resolved. Several examples will be discussed including the segment diffusion at the interface between two polymer films, the determination of the narrow interfaces between incompatible polymer blends and the development of order in thin diblock copolymer films. (author) 10 figs., 2 tabs., 38 refs
Restructuring in block copolymer thin films
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Posselt, Dorthe; Zhang, Jianqi; Smilgies, Detlef-M.
Block copolymer (BCP) thin films have been proposed for a number of nanotechnology applications, such as nanolithography and as nanotemplates, nanoporous membranes and sensors. Solvent vapor annealing (SVA) has emerged as a powerful technique for manipulating and controlling the structure of BCP...... thin films, e.g., by healing defects, by altering the orientation of the microdomains and by changing the morphology. Due to high time resolution and compatibility with SVA environments, grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) is an indispensable technique for studying the SVA process......, providing information of the BCP thin film structure both laterally and along the film normal. Especially, state-of-the-art combined GISAXS/SVA setups at synchrotron sources have facilitated in situ and real-time studies of the SVA process with a time resolution of a few seconds, giving important insight...
Microwave-assisted nonaqueous sol-gel deposition of different spinel ferrites and barium titanate perovskite thin films.
Kubli, Martin; Luo, Li; Bilecka, Idalia; Niederberger, Markus
Rapid and selective heating of solvents by microwave irradiation coupled to nonaqueous sol-gel chemistry makes it possible to simultaneously synthesize metal oxide nanoparticles within minutes and deposit them on substrates. The simple immersion of substrates, such as glass slides, in the reaction solution results after microwave heating in the deposition of homogeneous porous thin films whose thickness can be adjusted through the precursor concentration. Here we use such a microwave-assisted nonaqueous sol-gel process for the formation of various spinel ferrite MFe2O4 (M = Fe, Co, Mn, Ni) and BaTiO3 nanoparticles and their deposition as thin films. The approach offers high flexibility with respect to controlling the crystal size by adjusting the reaction time and/or temperature. Based on the example of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles, we show how the crystal size can carefully be tuned from 4 to 8 nm, resulting in a continuous change of the magnetic properties.
Aerosol Combustion Synthesis of Nanopowders and Processing to Functional Thin Films
Yi, Eongyu
conducted in the LiTi2(PO4)3 system to modify the lattice constant, conduction channel width, and sintering behavior by introducing Al3+ and Si4+ dopants. Excess Li2O content was also adjusted to observe its effect on final microstructures and phase compositions. Improved densification rates were found in Li1.7 Al0.3Ti1.7Si0.4P2.6O 12 composition and thin films (52+/-1 microm) with conductivities of 0.3-0.5 mS cm-1 were achieved. Li6.25M0.25La3Zr2O12 (M = Al3+, Ga3+) thin films (25-28 microm) with conductivities of 0.2-1.3 mS cm-1 were also successfully processed using flame made NPs, overcoming processing challenges extant, resulting in significantly reduced energy input required for densification. Heating schedules, sintering atmospheres, and types of substrates were controlled to observe their effect on the sintering behavior. Furthermore, green film thicknesses were found to be a crucial variable determining the final microstructures and phase compositions due to the varying Li2O loss rates with change in thicknesses (surface/volume ratios). Using fully decomposed NP mixtures (Li2CO3/off-stoichiometric La2Zr2O 7), as obtained by LF-FSP, provides an ideal approach to use high surface/reaction energy and liquid phase sintering to drive densification.
DC magnetron sputtering prepared Ag-C thin film anode for thin film lithium ion microbatteries
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Li, Y.; Tu, J.P.; Shi, D.Q.; Huang, X.H.; Wu, H.M.; Yuan, Y.F.; Zhao, X.B.
An Ag-C thin film was prepared by DC magnetron co-sputtering, using pure silver and graphite as the targets. The microstructure and morphology of the deposited thin film were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Electrochemical performances of the Ag-C thin film anode were investigated by means of discharge/charge and cyclic voltammogram (CV) tests in model cells. The electrochemical impedance spectrum (EIS) characteristics and the chemical diffusion coefficient, D Li of the Ag-C thin film electrode at different discharging states were discussed. It was believed that the excellent cycling performance of the Ag-C electrode was ascribed to the good conductivity of silver and the volume stability of the thin film
Solution based approaches for the morphology control of BaTiO3 particulates
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Florentina Maxim
Full Text Available Within the action COST 539 - ELENA our contribution was aimed at studying solution based approaches for the morphology control of BaTiO3 particulates. Initially, our kinetic analysis and systematic structural and morphological studies, demonstrated that during hydrothermal synthesis from layered titanate nanotubes (TiNTS, BaTiO3 forms via two mechanisms depending on the temperature and time. At low temperatures (90°C, "wild" type BaTiO3 dendritic particles with cubic structure were formed through a phase boundary topotactic reaction. At higher temperatures and/or for longer times time, the reaction is controlled by a dissolution precipitation mechanism and "seaweed" type BaTiO3 dendrites are formed. Our results unambiguously elucidated why TiNTs do not routinely act as templates for the formation of 1D BaTiO3.In our subsequent investigations, the effect of additives on the aqueous and hydrothermal synthesis of BaTiO3 was assessed. We reported that although the tested additives influenced the growth of BaTiO3, their behaviour varied; poly(acrylic acid (PAA adsorbed on specific crystallographic faces changing the growth kinetics and inducing the oriented attachment of the particles; poly(vinyl pyrrolidone (PVP, sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC act as growth inhibitors rather than crystal habit modifiers; and DFructose appeared to increase the activation energy for nucleation, resulting in small crystals (26 nm. Our work clearly indicates that the synthesis of 1D nanostructures of complex oxides by chemical methods is non trivial.
Critical behavior of ferromagnetic Ising thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Cossio, P.; Mazo-Zuluaga, J.; Restrepo, J.
In the present work, we study the magnetic properties and critical behavior of simple cubic ferromagnetic thin films. We simulate LxLxd films with semifree boundary conditions on the basis of the Monte Carlo method and the Ising model with nearest neighbor interactions. A Metropolis dynamics was implemented to carry out the energy minimization process. For different film thickness, in the nanometer range, we compute the temperature dependence of the magnetization, the magnetic susceptibility and the fourth order Binder's cumulant. Bulk and surface contributions of these quantities are computed in a differentiated fashion. Additionally, according to finite size scaling theory, we estimate the critical exponents for the correlation length, magnetic susceptibility, and magnetization. Results reveal a strong dependence of critical temperature and critical exponents on the film thickness. The obtained critical exponents are finally compared to those reported in literature for thin films
Magnetostrictive thin films prepared by RF sputtering
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Carabias, I.; Martinez, A.; Garcia, M.A.; Pina, E.; Gonzalez, J.M.; Hernando, A.; Crespo, P.
Fe 80 B 20 thin films have been prepared by ion beam sputtering magnetron on room temperature. The films were fabricated on different substrates to compare the different magnetic and structural properties. In particular the growth of films on flexible substrates (PDMS, Kapton) has been studied to allow a simple integration of the system in miniaturized magnetostrictive devices. X-ray diffraction patterns indicate that films are mainly amorphous although the presence of some Fe nanoparticles cannot be ruled out. The coercive field of thin films ranges between 15 and 35 Oe, depending on substrate. Magnetostriction measurements indicate the strong dependence of the saturation magnetostriction with the substrate. Samples on flexible substrates exhibit a better performance than samples deposited onto glass substrates
Dynamics of Polymer Thin Film Mixtures
Besancon, Brian M.; Green, Peter F.; Soles, Christopher L.
We examined the influence of film thickness and composition on the glass transition temperature (Tg) and mean square atomic displacements (MSD) of thin film mixtures of deuterated polystyrene (dPS) and tetramethyl bisphenol-A polycarbonate (TMPC) on Si/SiOx substrates using incoherent elastic neutron scattering (ICNS). The onset of dissipative motions, such as those associated with the glass transition and sub-Tg relaxations, are manifested as ``kinks'' in the curve of elastic intensity (or MSD) versus temperature. From the relevant kinks, the Tg was determined as a function of composition and of film thickness. The dependence of the Tg on film thickness exhibited qualitatively similar trends, at a given composition, as determined by the ICNS and ellipsometry measurements. However, with increasing PS content, the values of Tg measured by INS were consistently larger then those measured by ellipsometry. These results are examined in light of existing models on the thin film glass transition and component blend dynamics.
Thin Films in the Photovoltaic Industry
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Jaeger-Waldau, A.
In the past years, the yearly world market growth rate for Photovoltaics was an average of more than 40%, which makes it one of the fastest growing industries at present. Business analysts predict the market volume to increase to 40 billion euros in 2010 and expect rising profit margins and lower prices for consumers at the same time. Today PV is still dominated by wafer based Crystalline Silicon Technology as the 'working horse' in the global market, but thin films are gaining market shares. For 2007 around 12% are expected. The current silicon shortage and high demand has kept prices higher than anticipated from the learning curve experience and has widened the windows of opportunities for thin film solar modules. Current production capacity estimates for thin films vary between 3 and 6 GW in 2010, representing a 20% market share for these technologies. Despite the higher growth rates for thin film technologies compared with the industry average, Thin Film Photovoltaic Technologies are still facing a number of challenges to maintain this growth and increase market shares. The four main topics which were discussed during the workshop were: Potential for cost reduction; Standardization; Recycling; Performance over the lifetime.
Ion beam-based characterization of multicomponent oxide thin films and thin film layered structures
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Krauss, A.R.; Rangaswamy, M.; Lin, Yuping; Gruen, D.M.; Schultz, J.A.; Schmidt, H.K.; Chang, R.P.H.
Fabrication of thin film layered structures of multi-component materials such as high temperature superconductors, ferroelectric and electro-optic materials, and alloy semiconductors, and the development of hybrid materials requires understanding of film growth and interface properties. For High Temperature Superconductors, the superconducting coherence length is extremely short (5--15 Angstrom), and fabrication of reliable devices will require control of film properties at extremely sharp interfaces; it will be necessary to verify the integrity of thin layers and layered structure devices over thicknesses comparable to the atomic layer spacing. Analytical techniques which probe the first 1--2 atomic layers are therefore necessary for in-situ characterization of relevant thin film growth processes. However, most surface-analytical techniques are sensitive to a region within 10--40 Angstrom of the surface and are physically incompatible with thin film deposition and are typically restricted to ultra high vacuum conditions. A review of ion beam-based analytical methods for the characterization of thin film and multi-layered thin film structures incorporating layers of multicomponent oxides is presented. Particular attention will be paid to the use of time-of-flight techniques based on the use of 1- 15 key ion beams which show potential for use as nondestructive, real-time, in-situ surface diagnostics for the growth of multicomponent metal and metal oxide thin films
Thermal conductivity of dielectric thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Lambropoulos, J.C.; Jolly, M.R.; Amaden, C.A.; Gilman, S.E.; Sinicropi, M.J.; Diakomihalis, D.; Jacobs, S.D.
A direct reading thermal comparator has been used to measure the thermal conductivity of dielectric thin film coatings. In the past, the thermal comparator has been used extensively to measure the thermal conductivity of bulk solids, liquids, and gases. The technique has been extended to thin film materials by making experimental improvements and by the application of an analytical heat flow model. Our technique also allows an estimation of the thermal resistance of the film/substrate interface which is shown to depend on the method of film deposition. The thermal conductivity of most thin films was found to be several orders of magnitude lower than that of the material in bulk form. This difference is attributed to structural disorder of materials deposited in thin film form. The experimentation to date has centered primarily on optical coating materials. These coatings, used to enhance the optical properties of components such as lenses and mirrors, are damaged by thermal loads applied in high-power laser applications. It has been widely postulated that there may be a correlation between the thermal conductivity and the damage threshold of these materials. 31 refs., 11 figs., 8 tabs
Organic thin films and surfaces directions for the nineties
Ulman, Abraham
Physics of Thin Films has been one of the longest running continuing series in thin film science consisting of 20 volumes since 1963. The series contains some of the highest quality studies of the properties ofvarious thin films materials and systems.In order to be able to reflect the development of todays science and to cover all modern aspects of thin films, the series, beginning with Volume 20, will move beyond the basic physics of thin films. It will address the most important aspects of both inorganic and organic thin films, in both their theoretical as well as technological aspects. Ther
Domains in Ferroic Crystals and Thin Films
Tagantsev, Alexander K; Fousek, Jan
Domains in Ferroic Crystals and Thin Films presents experimental findings and theoretical understanding of ferroic (non-magnetic) domains developed during the past 60 years. It addresses the situation by looking specifically at bulk crystals and thin films, with a particular focus on recently-developed microelectronic applications and methods for observation of domains with techniques such as scanning force microscopy, polarized light microscopy, scanning optical microscopy, electron microscopy, and surface decorating techniques. Domains in Ferroic Crystals and Thin Films covers a large area of material properties and effects connected with static and dynamic properties of domains, which are extremely relevant to materials referred to as ferroics. In most solid state physics books, one large group of ferroics is customarily covered: those in which magnetic properties play a dominant role. Numerous books are specifically devoted to magnetic ferroics and cover a wide spectrum of magnetic domain phenomena. In co...
Nanostructured thin films and coatings mechanical properties
The first volume in "The Handbook of Nanostructured Thin Films and Coatings" set, this book concentrates on the mechanical properties, such as hardness, toughness, and adhesion, of thin films and coatings. It discusses processing, properties, and performance and provides a detailed analysis of theories and size effects. The book presents the fundamentals of hard and superhard nanocomposites and heterostructures, assesses fracture toughness and interfacial adhesion strength of thin films and hard nanocomposite coatings, and covers the processing and mechanical properties of hybrid sol-gel-derived nanocomposite coatings. It also uses nanomechanics to optimize coatings for cutting tools and explores various other coatings, such as diamond, metal-containing amorphous carbon nanostructured, and transition metal nitride-based nanolayered multilayer coatings.
Solid surfaces, interfaces and thin films
Lüth, Hans
This book emphasises both experimental and theoretical aspects of surface, interface and thin-film physics. As in previous editions the preparation of surfaces and thin films, their atomic and morphological structure, their vibronic and electronic properties as well as fundamentals of adsorption are treated. Because of their importance in modern information technology and nanostructure research, particular emphasis is paid to electronic surface and interface states, semiconductor space charge layers and heterostructures. A special chapter of the book is devoted to collective phenomena at interfaces and in thin films such as superconductivity and magnetism. The latter topic includes the meanwhile important issues giant magnetoresistance and spin-transfer torque mechanism, both effects being of high interest in information technology. In this new edition, for the first time, the effect of spin-orbit coupling on surface states is treated. In this context the class of the recently detected topological insulators,...
Solid Surfaces, Interfaces and Thin Films
Lüth, Hans
This book emphasises both experimental and theoretical aspects of surface, interface and thin film physics. As in previous editions the preparation of surfaces and thin films, their atomic and morphological, their vibronic and electronic properties as well as fundamentals of adsorption are treated. Because of their importance in modern information technology and nanostructure physics particular emphasis is paid to electronic surface and interface states, semiconductor space charge layers and heterostructures as well as to superconductor/semiconductor interfaces and magnetic thin films. The latter topic was significantly extended in this new edition by more details about the giant magnetoresistance and a section about the spin-transfer torque mechanism including one new problem as exercise. Two new panels about Kerr-effect and spin-polarized scanning tunnelling microscopy were added, too. Furthermore, the meanwhile important group III-nitride surfaces and high-k oxide/semiconductor interfaces are shortly discu...
Capillary stress in microporous thin films
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Samuel, J.; Hurd, A.J.; Frink, L.J.D.; Swol, F. van [Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States); Brinker, C.J. [Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States). Ceramic Processing Science Dept.]|[Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States). Center for Micro Engineering Ceramics; Raman, N.K. [Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States). Center for Micro Engineered Ceramics
Development of capillary stress in porous xerogels, although ubiquitous, has not been systematically studied. The authors have used the beam bending technique to measure stress isotherms of microporous thin films prepared by a sol-gel route. The thin films were prepared on deformable silicon substrates which were then placed in a vacuum system. The automated measurement was carried out by monitoring the deflection of a laser reflected off the substrate while changing the overlying relative pressure of various solvents. The magnitude of the macroscopic bending stress was found to reach a value of 180 MPa at a relative pressure of methanol, P/Po = 0.001. The observed stress is determined by the pore size distribution and is an order of magnitude smaller in mesoporous thin films. Density Functional Theory (DFT) indicates that for the microporous materials, the stress at saturation is compressive and drops as the relative pressure is reduced.
Vibration welding system with thin film sensor
Cai, Wayne W; Abell, Jeffrey A; Li, Xiaochun; Choi, Hongseok; Zhao, Jingzhou
A vibration welding system includes an anvil, a welding horn, a thin film sensor, and a process controller. The anvil and horn include working surfaces that contact a work piece during the welding process. The sensor measures a control value at the working surface. The measured control value is transmitted to the controller, which controls the system in part using the measured control value. The thin film sensor may include a plurality of thermopiles and thermocouples which collectively measure temperature and heat flux at the working surface. A method includes providing a welder device with a slot adjacent to a working surface of the welder device, inserting the thin film sensor into the slot, and using the sensor to measure a control value at the working surface. A process controller then controls the vibration welding system in part using the measured control value.
The future of rare earth thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Gasgnier, M.
This paper presents some recent applications in the rare earth field and also may be, some of the future new developments of laboratory works. The field of investigations will concern only materials which contain at least one rare earth element (lanthanide series, from La to Lu, Sc and Y). After a rapid survey of the experimental procedures relative to the preparation and to the analytical characterization of thin films, technological applications in various fields of research are briefly reviewed: for polycrystalline metals (superconductors, neutron absorption, photovoltaic effect...), alloys (hydrogen storage, superconductors) and compounds (target for intense neutron sources, radiology...) and for amorphous magnetic thin films. 81 refs [fr
Intrinsically conductive polymer thin film piezoresistors
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Lillemose, Michael; Spieser, Martin; Christiansen, N.O.
We report on the piezoresistive effect in the intrinsically conductive polymer, polyaniline. A process recipe for indirect patterning of thin film polyaniline has been developed. Using a specially designed chip, the polyaniline thin films have been characterised with respect to resistivity...... and strain sensitivity using two- and four-point measurement method. We have found that polyaniline has a negative gauge factor of K = -4.9, which makes it a candidate for piezoresistive read-out in polymer based MEMS-devices. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved....
Micro-sensor thin-film anemometer
Sheplak, Mark (Inventor); McGinley, Catherine B. (Inventor); Spina, Eric F. (Inventor); Stephens, Ralph M. (Inventor); Hopson, Jr., Purnell (Inventor); Cruz, Vincent B. (Inventor)
A device for measuring turbulence in high-speed flows is provided which includes a micro-sensor thin-film probe. The probe is formed from a single crystal of aluminum oxide having a 14.degree. half-wedge shaped portion. The tip of the half-wedge is rounded and has a thin-film sensor attached along the stagnation line. The bottom surface of the half-wedge is tilted upward to relieve shock induced disturbances created by the curved tip of the half-wedge. The sensor is applied using a microphotolithography technique.
A generalized theory of thin film growth
Du, Feng; Huang, Hanchen
This paper reports a theory of thin film growth that is generalized for arbitrary incidence angle during physical vapor deposition in two dimensions. The accompanying kinetic Monte Carlo simulations serve as verification. A special theory already exists for thin film growth with zero incidence angle, and another theory also exists for nanorod growth with a glancing angle. The theory in this report serves as a bridge to describe the transition from thin film growth to nanorod growth. In particular, this theory gives two critical conditions in analytical form of critical coverage, ΘI and ΘII. The first critical condition defines the onset when crystal growth or step dynamics stops following the wedding cake model for thin film growth. The second critical condition defines the onset when multiple-layer surface steps form to enable nanorod growth. Further, this theory also reveals a critical incidence angle, below which nanorod growth is impossible. The critical coverages, together with the critical incidence angle, defines a phase diagram of thin growth versus nanorod growth.
Lattice Mismatch in Crystalline Nanoparticle Thin Films.
Gabrys, Paul A; Seo, Soyoung E; Wang, Mary X; Oh, EunBi; Macfarlane, Robert J; Mirkin, Chad A
For atomic thin films, lattice mismatch during heteroepitaxy leads to an accumulation of strain energy, generally causing the films to irreversibly deform and generate defects. In contrast, more elastically malleable building blocks should be better able to accommodate this mismatch and the resulting strain. Herein, that hypothesis is tested by utilizing DNA-modified nanoparticles as "soft," programmable atom equivalents to grow a heteroepitaxial colloidal thin film. Calculations of interaction potentials, small-angle X-ray scattering data, and electron microscopy images show that the oligomer corona surrounding a particle core can deform and rearrange to store elastic strain up to ±7.7% lattice mismatch, substantially exceeding the ±1% mismatch tolerated by atomic thin films. Importantly, these DNA-coated particles dissipate strain both elastically through a gradual and coherent relaxation/broadening of the mismatched lattice parameter and plastically (irreversibly) through the formation of dislocations or vacancies. These data also suggest that the DNA cannot be extended as readily as compressed, and thus the thin films exhibit distinctly different relaxation behavior in the positive and negative lattice mismatch regimes. These observations provide a more general understanding of how utilizing rigid building blocks coated with soft compressible polymeric materials can be used to control nano- and microstructure.
Perovskite Thin Films via Atomic Layer Deposition
Sutherland, Brandon R.
© 2014 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA. (Graph Presented) A new method to deposit perovskite thin films that benefit from the thickness control and conformality of atomic layer deposition (ALD) is detailed. A seed layer of ALD PbS is place-exchanged with PbI2 and subsequently CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite. These films show promising optical properties, with gain coefficients of 3200 ± 830 cm-1.
Silver buffer layers for YBCO thin films
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Azoulay, J. [Tel Aviv Univ. (Israel). Center for Technol. Education Holon
A simple economical conventional vacuum system was used for evaporation of YBCO thin films on as-deposited unbuffered Ag layers on MgO substrates. The subsequent heat treatment was carried out in low oxygen partial pressure at a relative low temperature and short dwelling time. The films thus obtained were characterized for electrical properties using dc four probe electrical measurements and inspected for structural properties and chemical composition by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). (orig.)
Mechanical integrity of thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hoffman, R.W.
Mechanical considerations starting with the initial film deposition including questions of adhesion and grading the interface are reviewed. Growth stresses, limiting thickness, stress relief, control aging, and creep are described
Mesoscale simulations of confined Nafion thin films
Vanya, P.; Sharman, J.; Elliott, J. A.
The morphology and transport properties of thin films of the ionomer Nafion, with thicknesses on the order of the bulk cluster size, have been investigated as a model system to explain the anomalous behaviour of catalyst/electrode-polymer interfaces in membrane electrode assemblies. We have employed dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) to investigate the interaction of water and fluorocarbon chains, with carbon and quartz as confining materials, for a wide range of operational water contents and film thicknesses. We found confinement-induced clustering of water perpendicular to the thin film. Hydrophobic carbon forms a water depletion zone near the film interface, whereas hydrophilic quartz results in a zone with excess water. There are, on average, oscillating water-rich and fluorocarbon-rich regions, in agreement with experimental results from neutron reflectometry. Water diffusivity shows increasing directional anisotropy of up to 30% with decreasing film thickness, depending on the hydrophilicity of the confining material. A percolation analysis revealed significant differences in water clustering and connectivity with the confining material. These findings indicate the fundamentally different nature of ionomer thin films, compared to membranes, and suggest explanations for increased ionic resistances observed in the catalyst layer.
Magnetocaloric effect of thin Terbium films
Mello, V. D.; Anselmo, D. H. A. L.; Vasconcelos, M. S.; Almeida, N. S.
We report a theoretical study of the magnetocaloric effect of Terbium (Tb) thin films due to finite size and surface effects in the helimagnetic phase, corresponding to a temperature range from TC=219 K to TN=231 K, for external fields of the order of kOe. For a Tb thin film of 6 monolayers submitted to an applied field (ΔH =30 kOe, ΔH =50 kOe and ΔH = 70 kOe) we report a significative change in adiabatic temperature, ΔT / ΔH , near the Néel temperature, of the order ten times higher than that observed for Tb bulk. On the other hand, for small values of the magnetic field, large thickness effects are found. For external field strength around few kOe, we have found that the thermal caloric efficiency increases remarkably for ultrathin films. For an ultrathin film with 6 monolayers, we have found ΔT / ΔH = 43 K/T while for thicker films, with 20 monolayers, ΔT / ΔH = 22 K/T. Our results suggest that thin films of Tb are a promising material for magnetocaloric effect devices for applications at intermediate temperatures.
Lattice distortion under an electric field in BaTiO3 piezoelectric single crystal
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Tazaki, Ryoko; Fu Desheng; Daimon, Masahiro; Koshihara, Shin-ya; Itoh, Mitsuru
Lattice distortions under an electric field in a mono-domain of BaTiO 3 ferroelectric crystal have been detected with synchrotron x-ray radiation. The variation of the lattice constant with an electric field observed with high angle diffraction shows a linear response nature of the piezoelectric effect. When an electric field is applied along the spontaneous polarization direction, the c-axis of the lattice elongates and the a-axis of the lattice shrinks at a rate of d 33 = 149 ± 54 pm V -1 and d 31 = -82 ± 61 pm V -1 ; these represent the longitudinal and transverse piezoelectric coefficients of BaTiO 3 crystal, respectively. These results give an insight into the intrinsic piezoelectric response on the lattice scale in BaTiO 3 that has been widely used to explore high performance lead-free piezoelectric alloys.
Study of radiation damage in BaTiO3, using Molecular-dynamics simulations
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Gonzalez, E.; Abreu, Y.; Cruz, C. M.; Pinnera, I.; Leyva, A.
Molecular-dynamics (MD) simulations were used to calculate atomic displacement probability curves along main crystallographic directions in BaTiO 3 perovskite. A primary knock-on atom (PKA) with a energy range between 10 to 300 eV in principal crystallographic directions at 300 K was introduced. For each sublattice, the simulation was repeated from different initial conditions to estimate the variation in the defect formation process. The formation of Frenkel pairs vary considerably with crystallographic direction and sublattice. Major quantity oxygen defects were found for all the simulated crystallographic directions. Threshold displacement energies are calculated for each atomic specie in the BaTiO 3 material. Also simulations with SRIM code, modeling + Mn implantation in a BaTiO 3 target, at 250 keV were made. (Author)
The influence of doping style on the grain growth of BaTiO3 ceramics
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Qi Jianquan; Li Longtu; Li Wen; Wang Yongli; Gui Zhilun
Decrease the sintering temperature and doping with multiple functional impurities are necessary to develop the new ceramic electronic components. In this study, we used CdO as a dopant to lower sintering temperature of BaTiO 3 with two doping styles: one is synthesis CdO into BaTiO 3 to form compound as basic powder, another is adding CdO to the basic powder BaTiO 3 before sintering as sintering aid. The different doping style resulted in very different effects. The grain size of the ceramics was controlled efficiently and the sintering was promoted greatly by the first doping style. On the contrary, the ceramic grain is much bigger and the sintering was not promoted efficiently by another doping style. Therefore, the style of doping is very important to the graingrowth controlling. The mechanism of these differences is also discussed
Optical characterization of niobium pentoxide thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Pawlicka, A.
Thin films of Nb 2 O 5 were obtained by sol-gel method using ultrasonic irradiation and deposited by dip-coating technique. After calcination at temperatures superior than 500 deg C these films (300 nm thick) were characterized by cyclic voltametry and cronoamperometry. The memory measurements, color efficiency, optical density as a function of wave number and applied potential were effectuated to determine their electrochromic properties. The study of electrochromic properties of these films shows that the insertion process of lithium is reversible and changes their coloration from transparent (T=80%) to dark blue (T=20%). (author)
Pyroelectric coupling in thin film photovoltaics
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Karpov, Victor G.; Shvydka, Diana [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Toledo, OH (United States)
We propose a theory of thin film photovoltaics in which one of the polycrystalline films is made of a pyroelectric material grains such as CdS. That film is shown to generate strong polarization improving the device open circuit voltage. Implications and supporting facts for the major photovoltaic types based on CdTe and CuIn(Ga)Se{sub 2} absorber layers are discussed. Band diagram of a pyroelectric (CdS) based PV junction. Arrows represent the charge carrier photo-generation. (copyright 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)
Influence of Impurities on the Luminescence of Er3+ Doped BaTiO3 Nanophosphors
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
G. D. Webler
Full Text Available The influence of the presence of barium carbonate (BaCO3 phase on the luminescence properties of barium titanate nanocrystals (BaTiO3 powders was investigated. Structural and optical characterizations of erbium (Er3+ doped BaTiO3 synthesized by the sol-emulsion-gel were performed. Using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction, we identified the presence of impurities related to BaCO3 and quantified its fraction. It was observed that the presence of BaCO3 phase, even at low levels, depletes significantly the infrared-to-visible upconverted luminescence efficiency of the produced nanopowders.
Dielectric response of BaZrO3/BaTiO3 superlattice
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
D. Wang
Full Text Available We use the first-principles-based molecular dynamic approach to simulate dipolar dynamics of BaZrO3/BaTiO3 superlattice, and obtain its dielectric response. The dielectric response is decomposed into its compositional, as well as the in-plane and out-of-plane parts, which are then discussed in the context of chemical ordering of Zr/Ti ions. We reveal that, while the in-plane dielectric response of BaZrO3/BaTiO3 superlattice also shows dispersion over probing frequency, it shall not be categorized as relaxor.
Direct synthesis of ultrafine tetragonal BaTiO3 nanoparticles at room temperature
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Hu Yong
Full Text Available Abstract A large quantity of ultrafine tetragonal barium titanate (BaTiO3 nanoparticles is directly synthesized at room temperature. The crystalline form and grain size are checked by both X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The results revealed that the perovskite nanoparticles as fine as 7 nm have been synthesized. The phase transition of the as-prepared nanoparticles is investigated by the temperature-dependent Raman spectrum and shows the similar tendency to that of bulk BaTiO3 materials. It is confirmed that the nanoparticles have tetragonal phase at room temperature.
HRTEM study of a new non-stoichiometric BaTiO(3-δ) structure
Yang, G. Y.; Dickey, E. C.; Randall, C. A.; Woodward, David I.; Reaney, I. M.
BaTiO3-based multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) with Ni internal electrodes are co-fired in\\ud reducing atmospheres to avoid oxidation of the electrode. Although dielectric materials are doped by\\ud acceptor, donor and amphoteric dopants to minimize the oxygen vacancy content, there is still a\\ud large concentration of oxygen vacancies that are accommodated in the BaTiO3 active layers. In\\ud general, ABO3 perovskites demonstrates a strong ability to accommodate the oxygen vacancies and\\ud ...
Correlated dewetting patterns in thin polystyrene films
Neto, C; Seemann, R; Blossey, R; Becker, J; Grün, G
We describe preliminary results of experiments and simulations concerned with the dewetting of thin polystyrene films (thickness < 7 nm) on top of silicon oxide wafers. In the experiments we scratched an initially flat film with an atomic force microscopy (AFM) tip, producing dry channels in the film. Dewetting of the films was imaged in situ using AFM and a correlated pattern of holes ('satellite holes') was observed along the rims bordering the channels. The development of this complex film rupture process was simulated and the results of experiments and simulations are in good agreement. On the basis of these results, we attempt to explain the appearance of satellite holes and their positions relative to pre-existing holes.
Tailored piezoelectric thin films for energy harvester
Wan, X.
Piezoelectric materials are excellent materials to transfer mechanical energy into electrical energy, which can be stored and used to power other devices. PiezoMEMS is a good way to combine silicon wafer processing and piezoelectric thin film technology and lead to a variety of miniaturized and
Reliability growth of thin film resistors contact
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Lugin A. N.
Full Text Available Necessity of resistive layer growth under the contact and in the contact zone of resistive element is shown in order to reduce peak values of current flow and power dissipation in the contact of thin film resistor, thereby to increase the resistor stability to parametric and catastrophic failures.
Thermoviscoelastic models for polyethylene thin films
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Li, Jun; Kwok, Kawai; Pellegrino, Sergio
This paper presents a constitutive thermoviscoelastic model for thin films of linear low-density polyethylene subject to strains up to yielding. The model is based on the free volume theory of nonlinear thermoviscoelasticity, extended to orthotropic membranes. An ingredient of the present approach...
Incipient plasticity in metallic thin films
Soer, W. A.; De Hosson, J. Th. M.; Minor, A. M.; Shan, Z.; Asif, S. A. Syed; Warren, O. L.
The authors have compared the incipient plastic behaviors of Al and Al-Mg thin films during indentation under load control and displacement control. In Al-Mg, solute pinning limits the ability of dislocations to propagate into the crystal and thus substantially affects the appearance of plastic
Thin film hydrous metal oxide catalysts
Dosch, Robert G.; Stephens, Howard P.
Thin film (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.
Polyaniline. Thin films and colloidal dispersions
Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database
Stejskal, Jaroslav; Sapurina, I.
Roč. 77, č. 5 (2005), s. 815-826 ISSN 0033-4545 R&D Projects: GA MŠk ME 539; GA AV ČR IAA4050313 Grant - others:IUPAC project 2002-019-1-400 Keywords : polyaniline * thin films * dispersions Subject RIV: CD - Macromolecular Chemistry Impact factor: 1.679, year: 2005
A ferroelectric transparent thin-film transistor
Prins, MWJ; GrosseHolz, KO; Muller, G; Cillessen, JFM; Giesbers, JB; Weening, RP; Wolf, RM
Operation is demonstrated of a field-effect transistor made of transparant oxidic thin films, showing an intrinsic memory function due to the usage of a ferroelectric insulator. The device consists of a high mobility Sb-doped n-type SnO2 semiconductor layer, PbZr0.2Ti0.8Os3 as a ferroelectric
Flexoelectricity in barium strontium titanate thin film
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Kwon, Seol Ryung; Huang, Wenbin; Yuan, Fuh-Gwo; Jiang, Xiaoning, E-mail: email@example.com [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695 (United States); Shu, Longlong [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695 (United States); Electronic Materials Research Laboratory, International Center for Dielectric Research, Xi' an Jiao Tong University, Xi' an, Shaanxi 710049 (China); Maria, Jon-Paul [Department of Material Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695 (United States)
Flexoelectricity, the linear coupling between the strain gradient and the induced electric polarization, has been intensively studied as an alternative to piezoelectricity. Especially, it is of interest to develop flexoelectric devices on micro/nano scales due to the inherent scaling effect of flexoelectric effect. Ba{sub 0.7}Sr{sub 0.3}TiO{sub 3} thin film with a thickness of 130 nm was fabricated on a silicon wafer using a RF magnetron sputtering process. The flexoelectric coefficients of the prepared thin films were determined experimentally. It was revealed that the thin films possessed a transverse flexoelectric coefficient of 24.5 μC/m at Curie temperature (∼28 °C) and 17.44 μC/m at 41 °C. The measured flexoelectric coefficients are comparable to that of bulk BST ceramics, which are reported to be 10–100 μC/m. This result suggests that the flexoelectric thin film structures can be effectively used for micro/nano-sensing devices.
Flexoelectricity in barium strontium titanate thin film
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kwon, Seol Ryung; Huang, Wenbin; Yuan, Fuh-Gwo; Jiang, Xiaoning; Shu, Longlong; Maria, Jon-Paul
Flexoelectricity, the linear coupling between the strain gradient and the induced electric polarization, has been intensively studied as an alternative to piezoelectricity. Especially, it is of interest to develop flexoelectric devices on micro/nano scales due to the inherent scaling effect of flexoelectric effect. Ba 0.7 Sr 0.3 TiO 3 thin film with a thickness of 130 nm was fabricated on a silicon wafer using a RF magnetron sputtering process. The flexoelectric coefficients of the prepared thin films were determined experimentally. It was revealed that the thin films possessed a transverse flexoelectric coefficient of 24.5 μC/m at Curie temperature (∼28 °C) and 17.44 μC/m at 41 °C. The measured flexoelectric coefficients are comparable to that of bulk BST ceramics, which are reported to be 10–100 μC/m. This result suggests that the flexoelectric thin film structures can be effectively used for micro/nano-sensing devices.
Magnetic surfaces, thin films, and multilayers
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Parkin, S.S.P.; Renard, J.P.; Shinjo, T.; Zinn, W.
This paper details recent developments in the magnetism of surfaces, thin films and multilayers. More than 20 invited contributions and more than 60 contributed papers attest to the great interest and vitality of this subject. In recent years the study of magnetic surfaces, thin films and multilayers has undergone a renaissance, partly motivated by the development of new growth and characterization techniques, but perhaps more so by the discovery of many exciting new properties, some quite unanticipated. These include, most recently, the discovery of enormous values of magnetoresistance in magnetic multilayers far exceeding those found in magnetic single layer films and the discovery of oscillatory interlayer coupling in transition metal multilayers. These experimental studies have motivated much theoretical work. However these developments are to a large extent powered by materials engineering and our ability to control and understand the growth of thin layers just a few atoms thick. The preparation of single crystal thin film layers and multilayers remains important for many studies, in particular, for properties dependent. These studies obviously require engineering not just a layer thicknesses but of lateral dimensions as well. The properties of such structures are already proving to be a great interest
Functional planar thin film optical waveguide lasers
Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database
Jelínek, Miroslav
Roč. 9, č. 2 (2012), 91-99 ISSN 1612-2011 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP106/10/1477 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100522 Keywords : waveguide laser * planar waveguides * thin films * pulsed laser deposition * optical waveguides * laser materials Subject RIV: BH - Optics, Masers, Lasers Impact factor: 7.714, year: 2012
Dielectric loss of strontium titanate thin films
Dalberth, Mark Joseph
Interest in strontium titanate (STO) thin films for microwave device applications continues to grow, fueled by the telecommunications industry's interest in phase shifters and tunable filters. The optimization of these devices depends upon increasing the phase or frequency tuning and decreasing the losses in the films. Currently, the dielectric response of thin film STO is poorly understood through lack of data and a theory to describe it. We have studied the growth of STO using pulsed laser deposition and single crystal substrates like lanthanum aluminate and neodymium gallate. We have researched ways to use ring resonators to accurately measure the dielectric response as a function of temperature, electric field, and frequency from low radio frequencies to a few gigahertz. Our films grown on lanthanum aluminate show marked frequency dispersion in the real part of the dielectric constant and hints of thermally activated loss behavior. We also found that films grown with conditions that optimized the dielectric constant showed increased losses. In an attempt to simplify the system, we developed a technique called epitaxial lift off, which has allowed us to study films removed from their growth substrates. These free standing films have low losses and show obvious thermally activated behavior. The "amount of tuning," as measured by a figure of merit, KE, is greater in these films than in the films still attached to their growth substrates. We have developed a theory that describes the real and imaginary parts of the dielectric constant. The theory models the real part using a mean field description of the ionic motion in the crystal and includes the loss by incorporating the motion of charged defects in the films.
Gravitationally driven drainage of thin films
Naire, Shailesh
In this thesis we develop theory for an experiment done by Snow and coworkers at Dow Corning that involves a vertically-oriented, thinned polyurethane film with silicone surfactant, draining under gravity. We present the mathematical formulation for a 1+1- and 2+1-dimensional model to study the evolution of a vertically-oriented thin liquid film draining under gravity when there is an insoluble surfactant with finite surface viscosity on its free surface. This formulation has all the ingredients that include: surface tension, gravity, surface viscosity, the Marangoni effect, convective and diffusive surfactant transport; essential to describe the behavior of a vertical draining film with surfactant. We study a hierarchy of mathematical models with increasing complexity starting with the flat film model where gravity balances viscous shear and surface tension is neglected, this is generalized to include surface tension. We further generalize to incorporate variable surface viscosity and more complicated constitutive laws for surface tension as a function of surfactant concentration. Lubrication theory is employed to derive three coupled nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs) describing the free surface shape, a component of surface velocity and the surfactant transport at leading order. A large surface viscosity limit recovers the tangentially-immobile model; for small surface viscosity, the film is mobile. Transition from a mobile to an immobile film is observed for intermediate values of surface viscosity and Marangoni number. The above models reproduce a number of features observed in experiments, these include film shapes and thinning rates which can be correlated to experiment. The 2+1-dimensional model for simplified surface properties has also been studied. Numerical experiments were performed to understand the stability of the system to perturbations across the film. An instability was seen in the mobile case; this was caused by a competition
Thin film preparation of semiconducting iron pyrite
Smestad, Greg P.; Ennaoui, Ahmed; Fiechter, Sebastian; Hofmann, Wolfgang; Tributsch, Helmut; Kautek, Wolfgang
Pyrite (Fe52) has been investigated as a promising new absorber material for thin film solar cell applications because of its high optical absorption coefficient of 1OL cm1, and its bandgap of 0.9 to 1.0 eV. Thin layers have been prepared by Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition, MOCVD, Chemical Spray Pyrolysis, CSP, Chemical Vapor Transport, CVT, and Sulfurization of Iron Oxide films, 510. It is postulated that for the material FeS2, if x is not zero, a high point defect concentration results from replacing 2 dipoles by single S atoms. This causes the observed photovoltages and solar conversion efficiencies to be lower than expected. Using the Fe-O-S ternary phase diagram and the related activity plots, a thermodynamic understanding is formulated for the resulting composition of each of these types of films. It is found that by operating in the oxide portion of the phase diagram, the resulting oxidation state favors pyrite formation over FeS. By proper orientation of the grains relative to the film surface, and by control of pinholes and stoichiometry, an efficient thin film photovolatic solar cell material could be achieved.
Study of zinc oxide thin film characteristics
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Johari Shazlina
Full Text Available This paper presents the characterization of ZnO thin films with the thickness of 8nm, 30nm, and 200nm. The thin films were prepared using sol-gel method and has been deposited onto different substrate of silicon wafer, glass and quartz. The thin films were annealed at 400, 500 and 600°C. By using UV-Vis, the optical transmittance measurement were recorded by using a single beam spectrophotometer in the wavelength 250nm to 800nm. However, the transmittance in the visible range is hardly influenced by the film thickness, substrate used and annealed temperature and the averages are all above 80%. On surface morphology observed by AFM and FESEM, the results show that the increase of film thickness and annealed temperature will increase the mean grain size, surface-to-volume ration and RMS roughness. Besides that, higher annealing temperature cause the crystalline quality to gradually improve and the wurtzite structure of ZnO can be seen more clearly. Nonetheless, the substrate used had no effect on surface morphology, yet the uniformity of deposition on silicon wafer is better than glass and quartz.
Practical design and production of optical thin films
Willey, Ronald R
Fundamentals of Thin Film Optics and the Use of Graphical Methods in Thin Film Design Estimating What Can Be Done Before Designing Fourier Viewpoint of Optical Coatings Typical Equipment for Optical Coating Production Materials and Process Know-How Process Development Monitoring and Control of Thin Film Growth Appendix: Metallic and Semiconductor Material Graphs Author IndexSubject Index
Density functional study of ferromagnetism in alkali metal thin films
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
model (UJM), and it is argued that within LSDA or GGA, alkali metal thin films cannot be claimed to have an FM ground state. Relevance of these results to the experiments on transition metal-doped alkali metal thin films and bulk hosts are also discussed. Keywords. Alkali metal; thin films; magnetism; density functional ...
Optical and electrical properties of nickel xanthate thin films
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
Keywords. Nickel xanthate thin film; organometallic thin film; chemical bath deposition. Abstract. Nickel xanthate thin films (NXTF) were successfully deposited by chemical bath deposition, on to amorphous glass substrates, as well as on - and -silicon, indium tin oxide and poly(methyl methacrylate). The structure of the ...
Electrochemical fabrication of nanoporous polypyrrole thin films
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Li Mei [Key Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 (China); Yuan Jinying [Key Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 (China)], E-mail: email@example.com; Shi Gaoquan [Key Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 (China)], E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Polypyrrole thin films with pores in nanometer scale were synthesized by direct electrochemical oxidation of pyrrole in a mixed electrolyte of isopropyl alcohol, boron trifluoride diethyl etherate, sodium dodecylsulfonate and poly(ethylene glycol) using well-aligned ZnO nanowires arrays as templates. The thin films exhibit high conductivity of ca. {sigma}{sub rt} {approx} 20.5 s/cm and can be driven to bend during redox processes in 1.0 M lithium perchlorate aqueous solution. The movement rate of an actuator based on this nanoporous film was measured to be over 90{sup o}/s at a driving potential of 0.8 V (vs. Ag/AgCl)
PLD prepared bioactive BaTiO.sub.3./sub. films on TiNb implants
Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database
Jelínek, Miroslav; Vaněk, Přemysl; Tolde, Z.; Buixaderas, Elena; Kocourek, Tomáš; Studnička, Václav; Drahokoupil, Jan; Petzelt, Jan; Remsa, Jan; Tyunina, Marina
Roč. 70, Jan (2017), s. 334-339 ISSN 0928-4931 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA15-05864S; GA ČR(CZ) GA15-01558S Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : BaTiO 3 * thin films * pld * implants * TiNb * ferroelectricity Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism OBOR OECD: Condensed matter physics (including formerly solid state physics, supercond.)
Thin film diamond microstructure applications
Roppel, T.; Ellis, C.; Ramesham, R.; Jaworske, D.; Baginski, M. E.; Lee, S. Y.
Selective deposition and abrasion, as well as etching in atomic oxygen or reduced-pressure air, have been used to prepare patterned polycrystalline diamond films which, on further processing by anisotropic Si etching, yield the microstructures of such devices as flow sensors and accelerometers. Both types of sensor have been experimentally tested in the respective functions of hot-wire anemometer and both single- and double-hinged accelerometer.
Flexible magnetic thin films and devices
Sheng, Ping; Wang, Baomin; Li, Runwei
Flexible electronic devices are highly attractive for a variety of applications such as flexible circuit boards, solar cells, paper-like displays, and sensitive skin, due to their stretchable, biocompatible, light-weight, portable, and low cost properties. Due to magnetic devices being important parts of electronic devices, it is essential to study the magnetic properties of magnetic thin films and devices fabricated on flexible substrates. In this review, we mainly introduce the recent progress in flexible magnetic thin films and devices, including the study on the stress-dependent magnetic properties of magnetic thin films and devices, and controlling the properties of flexible magnetic films by stress-related multi-fields, and the design and fabrication of flexible magnetic devices. Project supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (No. 2016YFA0201102), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 51571208, 51301191, 51525103, 11274321, 11474295, 51401230), the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. 2016270), the Key Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. KJZD-EW-M05), the Ningbo Major Project for Science and Technology (No. 2014B11011), the Ningbo Science and Technology Innovation Team (No. 2015B11001), and the Ningbo Natural Science Foundation (No. 2015A610110).
Nanocomposite thin films for triggerable drug delivery.
Vannozzi, Lorenzo; Iacovacci, Veronica; Menciassi, Arianna; Ricotti, Leonardo
Traditional drug release systems normally rely on a passive delivery of therapeutic compounds, which can be partially programmed, prior to injection or implantation, through variations in the material composition. With this strategy, the drug release kinetics cannot be remotely modified and thus adapted to changing therapeutic needs. To overcome this issue, drug delivery systems able to respond to external stimuli are highly desirable, as they allow a high level of temporal and spatial control over drug release kinetics, in an operator-dependent fashion. Areas covered: On-demand drug delivery systems actually represent a frontier in this field and are attracting an increasing interest at both research and industrial level. Stimuli-responsive thin films, enabled by nanofillers, hold a tremendous potential in the field of triggerable drug delivery systems. The inclusion of responsive elements in homogeneous or heterogeneous thin film-shaped polymeric matrices strengthens and/or adds intriguing properties to conventional (bare) materials in film shape. Expert opinion: This Expert Opinion review aims to discuss the approaches currently pursued to achieve an effective on-demand drug delivery, through nanocomposite thin films. Different triggering mechanisms allowing a fine control on drug delivery are described, together with current challenges and possible future applications in therapy and surgery.
Thin-film cadmium telluride solar cells
Chu, T. L.
Cadmium telluride, with a room-temperature band-gap energy of 1.5 eV, is a promising thin-film photovoltaic material. The major objective of this research has been to demonstrate thin-film CdTe heterojunction solar cells with a total area greater than 1 sq cm and photovoltaic efficiencies of 13 percent or more. Thin-film p-CdTe/CdS/SnO2:F/glass solar cells with an AM1.5 efficiency of 10.5 percent have been reported previously. This report contains results of work done on: (1) the deposition, resistivity control, and characterization of p-CdTe films by the close-spaced sublimation process; (2) the deposition of large-band-gap window materials; (3) the electrical properties of CdS/CdTe heterojunctions; (4) the formation of stable, reproducible, ohmic contacts (such as p-HgTe) to p-CdTe; and (5) the preparation and evaluation of heterojunction solar cells.
Nanostructured thin film coatings with different strengthening effects
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Panfilov Yury
Full Text Available A number of articles on strengthening thin film coatings were analyzed and a lot of unusual strengthening effects, such as super high hardness and plasticity simultaneously, ultra low friction coefficient, high wear-resistance, curve rigidity increasing of drills with small diameter, associated with process formation of nanostructured coatings by the different thin film deposition methods were detected. Vacuum coater with RF magnetron sputtering system and ion-beam source and arc evaporator for nanostructured thin film coating manufacture are represented. Diamond Like Carbon and MoS2 thin film coatings, Ti, Al, Nb, Cr, nitride, carbide, and carbo-nitride thin film materials are described as strengthening coatings.
Thin film bismuth iron oxides useful for piezoelectric devices
Zeches, Robert J.; Martin, Lane W.; Ramesh, Ramamoorthy
The present invention provides for a composition comprising a thin film of BiFeO.sub.3 having a thickness ranging from 20 nm to 300 nm, a first electrode in contact with the BiFeO.sub.3 thin film, and a second electrode in contact with the BiFeO.sub.3 thin film; wherein the first and second electrodes are in electrical communication. The composition is free or essentially free of lead (Pb). The BFO thin film is has the piezoelectric property of changing its volume and/or shape when an electric field is applied to the BFO thin film.
Characterization of BaTiO 3 piezoelectric perovskite material for ...
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
The properties of bariumtitanate material, at each stage of its fabrication (powder, granulate, sintered material), influencing on its application forthe stacked-disk multilayer actuator were determined. Particularly, the four parameters of BaTiO 3 sinter affecting on theusability properties of actuators, not found before in the ...
Synthesis and luminescence properties of BaTiO3: RE (RE= Gd 3 ...
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
Gd3+, Dy3+, Tb3+ and Lu3+ doped BaTiO3-based phosphors were synthesized with modified solidstate technique at 1000 °C. The optimization of reaction conditions were carried out by thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis methods (DTA/TG). The reaction products obtained in an air atmosphere were ...
A study on the damping capacity of BaTiO3-reinforced Al-matrix ...
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
strength and high damping capacity. Ferroelectric and piezoelectric ceramics can exhibit con- siderable high vibration damping capacity due to the anelas- tic response of ferroelastic domains to an external applied stress. Some piezoelectric materials such as BaTiO3 PZT. (Pb(ZrTi)O3) and LiNbO3 have been focussed and ...
Total energy calculation of perovskite, BaTiO3, by self-consistent ...
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
We present results of numerical computation on some characteristics of BaTiO3 such as total energy, lattice constant, density of states, band structure etc using self-consistent tight binding method. Besides strong Ti–O bond between 3 on titanium and 2 orbital on oxygen states, we also include weak hybridization ...
Synthesis and luminescence properties of BaTiO3:RE (RE = Gd , Dy ...
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
and surface effects (Tissue 1998; Williams et al 1998; Yan et al 2003; Lehmann et al 2004), have attracted great ... defects are regarded as a bad factor to the nanophosphors because they quench the luminescence .... that the radiation band of the new luminescent formed by doping 1% mole Tb3+ ion into the BaTiO3 host ...
Total energy calculation of perovskite, BaTiO3, by self-consistent ...
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
ods were applied for calculation of BaTiO3. Among them are the first-principle calculations based on the local den- sity approximation (LDA, see for example, ... It is also interpreted as occupation numbers of one-electron orbital. ψλ(r о. ) can be expanded in the series of tight binding orthogonal orbital, ν, localized at site i,. )(r.
Characterization of BaTiO3 piezoelectric perovskite material for ...
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
In this study, we present the results of the manufacturing of BaTiO 3 powder, which is meant for use in stacked-diskmultilayer actuator production. ... Poland; Department of Materials Forming and Processing, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautics, Rzeszow University of Technology, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland ...
Characterization, dielectric and electrical behaviour of BaTiO3 ...
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
A new sol-precipitation technique for the preparation of nano BaTiO3 crystallite has been deve- ... dependent on the methods of preparation (Subbarao et al 1981; Frey and Payne 1996; Zhao et al 2004). Recent advances in nanotechnology such as MLCC, MEMS and ... (TG–DTA) instrument (Model: Pyris Diamond, Perkin-.
Structure and properties of plasma sprayed BaTiO3 coatings after thermal posttreatment
Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database
Ctibor, Pavel; Sedláček, J.; Pala, Zdeněk
Roč. 41, č. 6 (2015), s. 7453-7460 ISSN 0272-8842 Institutional support: RVO:61389021 Keywords : Electrical properties * BaTiO3 * Plasma spraying * Annealing * Microstructure Subject RIV: JH - Ceramics, Fire-Resistant Materials and Glass Impact factor: 2.758, year: 2015 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2015.02.065
Total energy calculation of perovskite, BaTiO 3 , by self-consistent ...
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
We present results of numerical computation on some characteristics of BaTiO3 such as total energy, lattice constant, density of states, band structure etc using self-consistent tight binding method. Besides strong Ti–O bond between 3 on titanium and 2 orbital on oxygen states, we also include weak hybridization ...
Linear electro-optical properties of tetragonal BaTiO 3
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
Linear optical susceptibility and clamped linear electro-optical tensor coefficients of tetragonal BaTiO3 are calculated using a formalism based on bond charge theory. Calculated values are in close agreement with experimental data. The covalent Ti–O bonds constituting distorted TiO6 octahedral groups are found to be ...
Structural Studies of BaTiO 3 Ferroelectric Material Prepared by ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Nano particle Barium Titanate (BT) is the first ferroelectric ceramics and a good nominee for a variety of applications from large family of Perovskite. In this study BaTiO3 was synthesised by using Sol-gel (green chemistry) method. It is environmental friendly method and has a significant influence on the structure and ...
Correlation of magnetoelectric coupling in multiferroic BaTiO3-BiFeO3 superlattices with oxygen vacancies and antiphase octahedral rotations
Lorenz, Michael; Wagner, Gerald; Lazenka, Vera; Schwinkendorf, Peter; Modarresi, Hiwa; Van Bael, Margriet; Vantomme, André; Temst, Kristiaan; Oeckler, Oliver; Grundmann, Marius
Multiferroic (BaTiO3-BiFeO3) × 15 multilayer heterostructures show high magnetoelectric (ME) coefficients αME up to 24 V/cm·Oe at 300 K. This value is much higher than that of a single-phase BiFeO3 reference film (αME = 4.2 V/cm·Oe). We found clear correlation of ME coefficients with increasing oxygen partial pressure during growth. ME coupling is highest for lower density of oxygen vacancy-related defects. Detailed scanning transmission electron microscopy and selected area electron diffract...
Investigation of electrodeposited cuprous oxide thin films
Mortensen, Emma L.
This dissertation focuses on improvements to electrodeposited cuprous oxide as a candidate for the absorber layer for a thin film solar cell that could be integrated into a mechanical solar cell stack. Cuprous oxide (Cu2O) is an earth abundant material that has a bandgap of 2 eV with absorption coefficients around 102-106 cm-1. This bandgap is not optimized for use as a single-junction solar cell, but could be ideal for use in a tandem solar cell device. The theoretical efficiency of a material with a bandgap of 2.0 eV is 20%. The greatest actual efficiency that has been achieved for a Cu2O solar cell is only 8.1%. For the present work the primary focus has been on improving the microstructure of the absorber layer film. The Cu2O films were fabricated using electrodeposition. A seeding layer was developed using gold (Au); which was manipulated into nano-islands and used as the substrate for the Cu2O electrodeposition. The films were characterized and compared to determine the growth mechanism of each film using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to establish and compare the chemical phases that were present in each of the films. The crystal structure of the Cu2O film grown on gold was explored using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and this helped confirm the effect that the gold had on the growth of Cu2O. The Tauc method was then used to determine the bandgap of the films of Cu2O grown on both substrates and this showed that the Au based Cu2O film was a superior film. Electrical tests were also completed using a solar simulator and this established that the film grown on gold exhibited photoconductivity that was not seen on the film without gold. In addition, for this thesis, a method for depositing an n-type Cu2O film, based on a Cu-metal solution-boiling process, was investigated. Three forms of copper were tested: a sheet of copper, electrodeposited copper, and sputtered copper. The chemical phases were observed using
Deposition and characterization of CuInS2 thin films deposited over copper thin films
Thomas, Titu; Kumar, K. Rajeev; Kartha, C. Sudha; Vijayakumar, K. P.
Simple, cost effective and versatile spray pyrolysis method is effectively combined with vacuum evaporation for the deposition of CuIns2 thin films for photovoltaic applications. In the present study In2s3 was spray deposited over vacuum evaporated Cu thin films and Cu was allowed to diffuse in to the In2S3 layer to form CuInS2. To analyse the dependence of precursor volume on the formation of CuInS2 films structural, electrical and morphological analzes are carried out. Successful deposition of CuInS2thin films with good crystallinity and morphology with considerably low resistivity is reported in this paper.
Thermal conductivities of thin, sputtered optical films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Henager, C.H. Jr.; Pawlewicz, W.T.
The normal component of the thin film thermal conductivity has been measured for the first time for several advanced sputtered optical materials. Included are data for single layers of boron nitride (BN), aluminum nitride (AIN), silicon aluminum nitride (Si-Al-N), silicon aluminum oxynitride (Si-Al-O-N), silicon carbide (SiC), and for dielectric-enhanced metal reflectors of the form Al(SiO 2 /Si 3 N 4 ) n and Al(Al 2 O 3 /AIN) n . Sputtered films of more conventional materials like SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , Ta 2 O 5 , Ti, and Si have also been measured. The data show that thin film thermal conductivities are typically 10 to 100 times lower than conductivities for the same materials in bulk form. Structural disorder in the amorphous or very fine-grained films appears to account for most of the conductivity difference. Conclusive evidence for a film/substrate interface contribution is presented
Optical thin films and coatings from materials to applications
Flory, Francois
Optical coatings, including mirrors, anti-reflection coatings, beam splitters, and filters, are an integral part of most modern optical systems. This book provides an overview of thin film materials, the properties, design and manufacture of optical coatings and their use across a variety of application areas.$bOptical coatings, including mirrors, anti-reflection coatings, beam splitters, and filters, are an integral part of most modern optical systems. Optical thin films and coatings provides an overview of thin film materials, the properties, design and manufacture of optical coatings and their use across a variety of application areas. Part one explores the design and manufacture of optical coatings. Part two highlights unconventional features of optical thin films including scattering properties of random structures in thin films, optical properties of thin film materials at short wavelengths, thermal properties and colour effects. Part three focusses on novel materials for optical thin films and coatings...
Band-gap narrowing and magnetic behavior of Ni-doped Ba(Ti0.875Ce0.125)O3 thin films
Zhou, Wenliang; Deng, Hongmei; Yu, Lu; Yang, Pingxiong; Chu, Junhao
Band-gap narrowing and magnetic effects have been observed in a Ni-doped Ba(Ti0.875Ce0.125)O3 (BTC) thin film. Structural characterizations and microstructural analysis show that the as-prepared Ba(Ti0.75Ce0.125Ni0.125)O3-δ (BTCN) thin film exhibits a cubic perovskite structure with an average grain size of 25 nm. The Ce doping at the Ti-site results in an increasing perovskite volume to favour an O-vacancy-stabilized Ni2+ substitution. Raman spectroscopy, however, shows the cubic symmetry of crystalline structures is locally lowered by the presence of dopants, significantly deviating from the ideal Pm3m space group. Moreover, BTCN presents a narrowed band-gap, much smaller than that of BaTiO3 and BTC, due to new states of both the highest occupied molecular orbital and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital in an electronic structure with the presence of Ni. Also, magnetic enhancement driven by co-doping has been confirmed in the films, which mainly stems from the exchange interaction of Ni2+ ions via an electron trapped in a bridging oxygen vacancy. These findings may open an avenue to discover and design optimal perovskite compounds for solar-energy devices and information storage.
Microstructure evolution and electrical characterization of Lanthanum doped Barium Titanate (BaTiO3) ceramics
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Billah, Masum; Ahmed, A.; Rahman, Md. Miftaur; Mahbub, Rubbayat; Gafur, M. A.; Bashar, M. Shahriar
In the current work, we investigated the structural and dielectric properties of Lanthanum oxide (La 2 O 3 ) doped Barium Titanate (BaTiO 3 ) ceramics and established a correlation between them. Solid state sintering method was used to dope BaTiO 3 with 0.3, 0.5 and 0.7 mole% La 2 O 3 under different sintering parameters. The raw materials used were La 2 O 3 nano powder of ~80 nm grain size and 99.995% purity and BaTiO 3 nano powder of 100 nm grain size and 99.99% purity. Grain size distribution and morphology of fracture surface of sintered pellets were examined by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope and X-Ray Diffraction analysis was conducted to confirm the formation of desired crystal structure. The research result reveal that grain size and electrical properties of BaTiO 3 ceramic significantly enhanced for small amount of doping (up to 0.5 mole% La 2 O 3 ) and then decreased with increasing doping concentration. Desired grain growth (0.80-1.3 µm) and high densification (<90% theoretical density) were found by proper combination of temperature, sintering parameters and doping concentration. We found the resultant stable value of dielectric constant was 10000-12000 at 100-300 Hz in the temperature range of 30°-50° C for 0.5 mole% La 2 O 3 with corresponding shift of curie temperature around 30° C. So overall this research showed that proper La 3+ concentration can control the grain size, increase density, lower curie temperature and hence significantly improve the electrical properties of BaTiO 3 ceramics.
Substrate heater for thin film deposition
Foltyn, Steve R.
A substrate heater for thin film deposition of metallic oxides upon a target substrate configured as a disk including means for supporting in a predetermined location a target substrate configured as a disk, means for rotating the target substrate within the support means, means for heating the target substrate within the support means, the heating means about the support means and including a pair of heating elements with one heater element situated on each side of the predetermined location for the target substrate, with one heater element defining an opening through which desired coating material can enter for thin film deposition and with the heating means including an opening slot through which the target substrate can be entered into the support means, and, optionally a means for thermal shielding of the heating means from surrounding environment is disclosed.
Multiferroic oxide thin films and heterostructures
Lu, Chengliang
Multiferroic materials promise a tantalizing perspective of novel applications in next-generation electronic, memory, and energy harvesting technologies, and at the same time they also represent a grand scientific challenge on understanding complex solid state systems with strong correlations between multiple degrees of freedom. In this review, we highlight the opportunities and obstacles in growing multiferroic thin films with chemical and structural integrity and integrating them in functional devices. Besides the magnetoelectric effect, multiferroics exhibit excellent resistant switching and photovoltaic properties, and there are plenty opportunities for them to integrate with other ferromagnetic and superconducting materials. The challenges include, but not limited, defect-related leakage in thin films, weak magnetism, and poor control on interface coupling. Although our focuses are Bi-based perovskites and rare earth manganites, the insights are also applicable to other multiferroic materials. We will also review some examples of multiferroic applications in spintronics, memory, and photovoltaic devices.
Quantifying clustering in disordered carbon thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Carey, J.D.
The quantification of disorder and the effects of clustering in the sp 2 phase of amorphous carbon thin films are discussed. The sp 2 phase is described in terms of disordered nanometer-sized conductive sp 2 clusters embedded in a less conductive sp 3 matrix. Quantification of the clustering of the sp 2 phase is estimated from optical as well as from electron and nuclear magnetic resonance methods. Unlike in other disordered group IV thin film semiconductors, we show that care must be exercised in attributing a meaning to the Urbach energy extracted from absorption measurements in the disordered carbon system. The influence of structural disorder, associated with sp 2 clusters of similar size, and topological disorder due to undistorted clusters of different sizes is also discussed. Extensions of this description to other systems are also presented
Thin film photovoltaic panel and method
Ackerman, Bruce; Albright, Scot P.; Jordan, John F.
A thin film photovoltaic panel includes a backcap for protecting the active components of the photovoltaic cells from adverse environmental elements. A spacing between the backcap and a top electrode layer is preferably filled with a desiccant to further reduce water vapor contamination of the environment surrounding the photovoltaic cells. The contamination of the spacing between the backcap and the cells may be further reduced by passing a selected gas through the spacing subsequent to sealing the backcap to the base of the photovoltaic panels, and once purged this spacing may be filled with an inert gas. The techniques of the present invention are preferably applied to thin film photovoltaic panels each formed from a plurality of photovoltaic cells arranged on a vitreous substrate. The stability of photovoltaic conversion efficiency remains relatively high during the life of the photovoltaic panel, and the cost of manufacturing highly efficient panels with such improved stability is significantly reduced.
Domain switching of fatigued ferroelectric thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Tak Lim, Yun; Yeog Son, Jong; Shin, Young-Han
We investigate the domain wall speed of a ferroelectric PbZr 0.48 Ti 0.52 O 3 (PZT) thin film using an atomic force microscope incorporated with a mercury-probe system to control the degree of electrical fatigue. The depolarization field in the PZT thin film decreases with increasing the degree of electrical fatigue. We find that the wide-range activation field previously reported in ferroelectric domains result from the change of the depolarization field caused by the electrical fatigue. Domain wall speed exhibits universal behavior to the effective electric field (defined by an applied electric field minus the depolarization field), regardless of the degree of the electrical fatigue
Pires, Jose Miguel Alves Correia
Nos ultimos anos tem-se assistido a um aumento dos investimentos na investigacao de novos materiais para aplicacao em sensores. Apesar de ja existir um bom numero de dispositivos explorados comercialmente, muitas vezes, quer devido aos elevados custos de producao, quer devido a uma crescente exigencia do ponto de vista das caracteristicas de funcionamento, continua a ser necessario procurar novos materiais ou novas formas de producao que permitam baixar os custos e melhorar o desempenho dos dispositivos. No campo dos sensores de gases tem-se verificado continuos avancos nos ultimos anos. Continua todavia a ser necessario conhecer melhor, tanto os processos de producao dos materiais, como os mecanismos que regulam a sensibilidade dos dispositivos aos gases, de modo a orientar adequadamente a investigacao dos novos materiais, nomeadamente no que se refere a optimizacao dos parâmetros que nao satisfazem ainda os requisitos do mercado. Um dos materiais que tem mostrado melhores qualidades para aplicacao em sensores de gases de tipo resistivo e o dioxido de estanho. Este material tem sido produzido sob diversas formas e usando diferentes tecnicas, como sejam: sol-gel [1], pulverizacao catodica (sputtering) por magnetrao [2-4], sinterizacao de pos [5, 6], ablacao laser [7] ou RGTO [8]. Os resultados obtidos revelam que as caracteristicas dos dispositivos sao muito dependentes das tecnicas usadas na sua producao. A deposicao usando sputtering reactivo por magnetrao e uma tecnica que permite obter filmes finos de oxido de estanho com diferentes caracteristicas, quer do ponto de vista da estrutura, quer da composicao, e por isso, tambem, com diferentes sensibilidades aos gases. No âmbito deste trabalho, foram produzidos filmes de SnO2 usando sputtering DC reactivo com diferentes condicoes de deposicao. Os substratos usados foram lâminas de vidro e o alvo foi estanho com 99.9% de pureza. Foi estudada a influencia da atmosfera de deposicao, da pressao parcial do O2, da
The carbonization of thin polyaniline films
Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database
Morávková, Zuzana; Trchová, Miroslava; Exnerová, Milena; Stejskal, Jaroslav
Roč. 520, č. 19 (2012), s. 6088-6094 ISSN 0040-6090 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA400500905; GA AV ČR IAA100500902; GA ČR GAP205/12/0911 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40500505 Institutional support: RVO:61389013 Keywords : polyaniline * thin films * infrared spectroscopy Subject RIV: CD - Macromolecular Chemistry Impact factor: 1.604, year: 2012
Thin film interfaces for microelectrochemical sensors
Tvarozek, Vladimir; Ivanic, Rastislav; Jakubec, Andrej; Novotny, Ivan; Rehacek, Vlastimil
Planar microelectrochemical chips with thin film electodes of different shapes and arrangement, have been developed and fabricated. Micro electrochemical cell with closely vertically spaced electrodes allows to exploit the effect of redox recycling and an increase of collection efficiency for a high current amplification. PC simulations of electro- mechanical properties of sl-BLM is useful tool for evaluation and prediction of BLM behavior. Non-symmetric microelectrode arrays were designed and fabricated for electrical monitoring of human skin.
Thin-film silicon solar cell technology
Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database
Shah, A. V.; Schade, H.; Vaněček, Milan; Meier, J.; Vallat-Sauvain, E.; Wyrsch, N.; Kroll, U.; Droz, C.; Bailat, J.
Roč. 12, - (2004), s. 113-142 ISSN 1062-7995 R&D Projects: GA MŽP SN/320/11/03 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z1010914 Keywords : thin-film silicon modules * hydrogenerated amorphous silicon(a-Si:H) * hydrogenerated microcrystalline (ćc-Si:H) * transparent conductive oxydes(TCOs) * building -integrated photovoltaics(BIPV) Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 1.196, year: 2004
Mesoscale simulations of confined Nafion thin films
Vanya, Peter; Sharman, Jonathan; Elliott, James A.
The morphology and transport properties of thin films of the ionomer Nafion, with thicknesses on the order of the bulk cluster size, have been investigated as a model system to explain the anomalous behaviour of catalyst/electrode-polymer interfaces in membrane-electrode assemblies. We have employed dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) to investigate the interaction of water and fluorocarbon chains with carbon and quartz as confining materials for a wide range of operational water contents and...
Mesoscale simulations of confined Nafion thin films
Vanya, Peter; Sharman, J; Elliott, James Arthur
The morphology and transport properties of thin films of the ionomer Nafion, with thicknesses on the order of the bulk cluster size, have been investigated as a model system to explain the anomalous behaviour of catalyst/electrode-polymer interfaces in membrane electrode assemblies. We have employed dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) to investigate the interaction of water and fluorocarbon chains with carbon and quartz as confining materials for a wide range of operational water contents and...
Optical characterization of thin solid films
Ohlídal, Miloslav
This book is an up-to-date survey of the major optical characterization techniques for thin solid films. Emphasis is placed on practicability of the various approaches. Relevant fundamentals are briefly reviewed before demonstrating the application of these techniques to practically relevant research and development topics. The book is written by international top experts, all of whom are involved in industrial research and development projects.
P-type CuxS thin films: Integration in a thin film transistor structure
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Nunes de Carvalho, C.; Parreira, P.; Lavareda, G.; Brogueira, P.; Amaral, A.
Cu x S thin films, 80 nm thick, are deposited by vacuum thermal evaporation of sulfur-rich powder mixture, Cu 2 S:S (50:50 wt.%) with no intentional heating of the substrate. The process of deposition occurs at very low deposition rates (0.1–0.3 nm/s) to avoid the formation of Cu or S-rich films. The evolution of Cu x S films surface properties (morphology/roughness) under post deposition mild annealing in air at 270 °C and their integration in a thin film transistor (TFT) are the main objectives of this study. Accordingly, Scanning Electron Microscopy studies show Cu x S films with different surface morphologies, depending on the post deposition annealing conditions. For the shortest annealing time, the Cu x S films look to be constructed of grains with large dimension at the surface (approximately 100 nm) and consequently, irregular shape. For the longest annealing time, films with a fine-grained surface are found, with some randomly distributed large particles bound to this fine-grained surface. Atomic Force Microscopy results indicate an increase of the root-mean-square roughness of Cu x S surface with annealing time, from 13.6 up to 37.4 nm, for 255 and 345 s, respectively. The preliminary integration of Cu x S films in a TFT bottom-gate type structure allowed the study of the feasibility and compatibility of this material with the remaining stages of a TFT fabrication as well as the determination of the p-type characteristic of the Cu x S material. - Highlights: • Surface properties of annealed Cu x S films. • Variation of conductivity with annealing temperatures of Cu x S films. • Application of evaporated Cu x S films in a thin film transistor (TFT) structure. • Determination of Cu x S p-type characteristic from TFT behaviour
Aluminum nitride and nanodiamond thin film microstructures
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Knoebber, Fabian; Bludau, Oliver; Roehlig, Claus-Christian; Williams, Oliver; Sah, Ram Ekwal; Kirste, Lutz; Cimalla, Volker; Lebedev, Vadim; Nebel, Christoph; Ambacher, Oliver [Fraunhofer-Institute for Applied Solid State Physics, Freiburg (Germany)
In this work, aluminum nitride (AlN) and nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) thin film microstructures have been developed. Freestanding NCD membranes were coated with a piezoelectrical AlN layer in order to build tunable micro-lens arrays. For the evaluation of the single material quality, AlN and NCD thin films on silicon substrates were fabricated using RF magnetron sputtering and microwave chemical vapor deposition techniques, respectively. The crystal quality of AlN was investigated by X-ray diffraction. The piezoelectric constant d{sub 33} was determined by scanning laser vibrometry. The NCD thin films were optimized with respect to surface roughness, mechanical stability, intrinsic stress and transparency. To determine the mechanical properties of the materials, both, micromechanical resonator and membrane structures were fabricated and measured by magnetomotive resonant frequency spectroscopy and bulging experiments, respectively. Finally, the behavior of AlN/NCD heterostructures was modeled using the finite element method and the first structures were characterized by piezoelectrical measurements.
Fontcuberta, Josep
Multiferroic materials have received an astonishing attention in the last decades due to expectations that potential coupling between distinct ferroic orders could inspire new applications and new device concepts. As a result, a new knowledge on coupling mechanisms and materials science has dramatically emerged. Multiferroic RMnO3 perovskites are central to this progress, providing a suitable platform to tailor spin-spin and spin-lattice interactions. With views towards applications, the development of thin films of multiferroic materials have also progressed enormously and nowadays thin-film manganites are available, with properties mimicking those of bulk compounds. Here we review achievements on the growth of hexagonal and orthorhombic RMnO3 epitaxial thin films and the characterization of their magnetic and ferroelectric properties, we discuss some challenging issues, and we suggest some guidelines for future research and developments. En ce qui concerne les applications, le développement de films minces de matériaux multiferroïques a aussi énormément progressé, et de nos jours des films minces de manganites avec des propriétés similaires à celles des matériaux massifs existent. Nous passons en revue ici les résultats obtenus dans le domaine de la croissance de couches minces épitaxiés de RMnO3 hexagonal et orthorhombique et de la caractérisation de leurs propriétés magnétiques et ferroélectriques. Nous discutons certains enjeux et proposons quelques idées pour des recherches et développements futurs.
Additives to silane for thin film silicon photovoltaic devices
Hurley, Patrick Timothy; Ridgeway, Robert Gordon; Hutchison, Katherine Anne; Langan, John Giles
Chemical additives are used to increase the rate of deposition for the amorphous silicon film (.alpha.Si:H) and/or the microcrystalline silicon film (.mu.CSi:H). The electrical current is improved to generate solar grade films as photoconductive films used in the manufacturing of Thin Film based Photovoltaic (TFPV) devices.
Electrical resistivity of thin metal films
Wissmann, Peter
The aim of the book is to give an actual survey on the resistivity of thin metal and semiconductor films interacting with gases. We discuss the influence of the substrate material and the annealing treatment of the films, presenting our experimental data as well as theoretical models to calculate the scattering cross section of the conduction electrons in the frame-work of the scattering hypothesis. Main emphasis is laid on the comparison of gold and silver films which exhibit nearly the same lattice structure but differ in their chemical activity. In conclusion, the most important quantity for the interpretation is the surface charging z while the correlation with the optical data or the frustrated IR vibrations seems the show a more material-specific character. Z can be calculated on the basis of the density functional formalism or the self-consistent field approximation using Mulliken's population analysis.
Thermal properties of methyltrimethoxysilane aerogel thin films
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Leandro N. Acquaroli
Full Text Available Aerogels are light and porous solids whose properties, largely determined by their nanostructure, are useful in a wide range of applications, e.g., thermal insulation. In this work, as-deposited and thermally treated air-filled silica aerogel thin films synthesized using the sol-gel method were studied for their thermal properties using the 3-omega technique, at ambient conditions. The thermal conductivity and diffusivity were found to increase as the porosity of the aerogel decreased. Thermally treated films show a clear reduction in thermal conductivity compared with that of as-deposited films, likely due to an increase of porosity. The smallest thermal conductivity and diffusivity found for our aerogels were 0.019 W m−1 K−1 and 9.8 × 10-9 m2 s−1. A model was used to identify the components (solid, gaseous and radiative of the total thermal conductivity of the aerogel.
Deposition and characterization of ZnSe nanocrystalline thin films
Temel, Sinan; Gökmen, F. Özge; Yaman, Elif; Nebi, Murat
ZnSe nanocrystalline thin films were deposited at different deposition times by using the Chemical Bath Deposition (CBD) technique. Effects of deposition time on structural, morphological and optical properties of the obtained thin films were characterized. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis was used to study the structural properties of ZnSe nanocrystalline thin films. It was found that ZnSe thin films have a cubic structure with a preferentially orientation of (111). The calculated average grain size value was about 28-30 nm. The surface morphology of these films was studied by the Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM). The surfaces of the thin films were occurred from small stacks and nano-sized particles. The band gap values of the ZnSe nanocrystalline thin films were determined by UV-Visible absorption spectrum and the band gap values were found to be between 2.65-2.86 eV.
Temperature-dependent leakage current behavior of epitaxial Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3-based thin films made by pulsed laser deposition
Hejazi, M. M.; Safari, A.
This paper discusses the electrical conduction mechanisms in a 0.88 Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3-0.08 Bi0.5K0.5TiO3-0.04 BaTiO3 thin film in the temperature range of 200-350 K. The film was deposited on a SrRuO3/SrTiO3 substrate by pulsed laser deposition technique. At all measurement temperatures, the leakage current behavior of the film matched well with the Lampert's triangle bounded by three straight lines of different slopes. The relative location of the triangle sides varied with temperature due to its effect on the density of charge carriers and un-filled traps. At low electric fields, the ohmic conduction governed the leakage mechanism. The calculated activation energy of the trap is 0.19 eV implying the presence of shallow traps in the film. With increasing the applied field, an abrupt increase in the leakage current was observed. This was attributed to a trap-filling process by the injected carriers. At sufficiently high electric fields, the leakage current obeyed the Child's trap-free square law suggesting the space charge limited current was the dominant mechanism.
Effects of vacancies on atom displacement threshold energy calculations through Molecular Dynamics Methods in BaTiO3
Gonzalez Lazo, Eduardo; Cruz Inclán, Carlos M.; Rodríguez Rodríguez, Arturo; Guzmán Martínez, Fernando; Abreu Alfonso, Yamiel; Piñera Hernández, Ibrahin; Leyva Fabelo, Antonio
A primary approach for evaluating the influence of point defects like vacancies on atom displacement threshold energies values Td in BaTiO3 is attempted. For this purpose Molecular Dynamics Methods, MD, were applied based on previous Td calculations on an ideal tetragonal crystalline structure. It is an important issue in achieving more realistic simulations of radiation damage effects in BaTiO3 ceramic materials. It also involves irradiated samples under severe radiation damage effects due to high fluency expositions. In addition to the above mentioned atom displacement events supported by a single primary knock-on atom, PKA, a new mechanism was introduced. It corresponds to the simultaneous excitation of two close primary knock-on atoms in BaTiO3, which might take place under a high flux irradiation. Therefore, two different BaTiO3 Td MD calculation trials were accomplished. Firstly, single PKA excitations in a defective BaTiO3 tetragonal crystalline structure, consisting in a 2×2×2 BaTiO3 perovskite like super cell, were considered. It contains vacancies on Ba and O atomic positions under the requirements of electrical charge balance. Alternatively, double PKA excitations in a perfect BaTiO3 tetragonal unit cell were also simulated. On this basis, the corresponding primary knock-on atom (PKA) defect formation probability functions were calculated at principal crystal directions, and compared with the previous one we calculated and reported at an ideal BaTiO3 tetrahedral crystal structure. As a general result, a diminution of Td values arises in present calculations in comparison with those calculated for single PKA excitation in an ideal BaTiO3 crystal structure.
Scanning tunneling spectroscopy of Pb thin films
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Becker, Michael
The present thesis deals with the electronic structure, work function and single-atom contact conductance of Pb thin films, investigated with a low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope. The electronic structure of Pb(111) thin films on Ag(111) surfaces is investigated using scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS). Quantum size effects, in particular, quantum well states (QWSs), play a crucial role in the electronic and physical properties of these films. Quantitative analysis of the spectra yields the QWS energies as a function of film thickness, the Pb bulk-band dispersion in {gamma}-L direction, scattering phase shifts at the Pb/Ag interface and vacuum barrier as well as the lifetime broadening at anti {gamma}. The work function {phi} is an important property of surfaces, which influences catalytic reactivity and charge injection at interfaces. It controls the availability of charge carriers in front of a surface. Modifying {phi} has been achieved by deposition of metals and molecules. For investigating {phi} at the atomic scale, scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) has become a widely used technique. STM measures an apparent barrier height {phi}{sub a}, which is commonly related to the sample work function {phi}{sub s} by: {phi}{sub a}=({phi}{sub s}+{phi}{sub t}- vertical stroke eV vertical stroke)/2, with {phi}{sub t} the work function of the tunneling tip, V the applied tunneling bias voltage, and -e the electron charge. Hence, the effect of the finite voltage in STM on {phi}{sub a} is assumed to be linear and the comparison of {phi}{sub a} measured at different surface sites is assumed to yield quantitative information about work function differences. Here, the dependence of {phi}{sub a} on the Pb film thickness and applied bias voltage V is investigated. {phi}{sub a} is found to vary significantly with V. This bias dependence leads to drastic changes and even inversion of contrast in spatial maps of {phi}{sub a}, which are related to the QWSs in the Pb
Photoelectrochemical (PEC) studies on CdSe thin films ...
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
Abstract. Thin films of CdSe were deposited by potentiostatic mode on different substrates such as stainless steel, titanium and fluorine tin–oxide (FTO) coated glass using non-aqueous bath. The preparative parameters were optimized to get good quality CdSe thin films. These films were characterized by X-ray diffraction.
Oriented growth of thin films of samarium oxide by MOCVD
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
Infrared spectroscopic study reveals that films grown above 600°C are free of carbon. Keywords. MOCVD; thin films .... Simultaneous thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis (TG/DTA) of the complex was carried ..... quality thin films of rare earth oxides by MOCVD, using the phenanthroline adducts of pentadionate ...
Dynamics of a spreading thin film with gravitational counterflow ...
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
In the present work, dynamics of a thin film spreading due to a thermocapillary stress is mod- eled within lubrication approximation. In microscale flows, the large surface to volume ratios allow interfacial stresses to exert a driving influence. This ability to drive thin film using thermo- capillary stress is used to spread film for ...
Structural characterization of vacuum evaporated ZnSe thin films
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
The lattice parameter, grain size, average internal stress, microstrain, dislocation density and degree of pre- ferred orientation in the film are calculated and correlated with Ts. Keywords. ZnSe thin films; X-ray diffraction; average internal stress; microstrain; dislocation density. 1. Introduction. Thin films of ZnSe has attracted ...
Síntesis de polvos de BaTiO3 por mecanoquímica
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Villaquirán Raigoza, C. F.
Full Text Available The barium titanato, BaTiO3, is one of the electronic ceramics with more history of technological application in the industry of the ceramic capacitores. The actual technological demands, and the high quality required for the electronic devices, have driven to new alternatives of prosecution of these materials and to optimize the traditional techniques of raw materials synthesis it prevails. An alternative synthesis is to use the mechanical energy to modify the physiochemical properties of the dispersed system and to favor the obtaining of powders of BaTiO3. In this work the results are indicated obtained when using mechanical activation, physicochemistry, in the obtaining of the BaTiO3. It has been analyzed the effect of the time of mill and the nature of the precursor of the titanium on the transformation of phases in the samples during the thermal treatment to that are subjected. X-ray diffraction, DRX, was used to study the phases evolution and infrared spectroscopy, FTIR, to determine the functional groups present in the samples.El titanato de bario, BaTiO3, es uno de los cerámicos electrónicos con mayor historia de aplicación tecnológica en la industria de los capacitores cerámicos. Las demandas tecnológicas actuales, y la alta calidad requerida para los dispositivos electrónicos, han conducido a nuevas alternativas de procesamiento de estos materiales y a optimizar las técnicas tradicionales de síntesis de materia prima. Una alternativa de síntesis es utilizar la energía mecánica para modificar las propiedades fisicoquímicas del sistema disperso y favorecer la obtención de polvos de BaTiO3. En este trabajo se indican los resultados obtenidos al utilizar activación mecánica, mecanoquímica, en la obtención del BaTiO3. Se ha analizado el efecto del tiempo de molienda y la naturaleza del precursor del titanio sobre la transformación de fases que experimentan las muestras durante el tratamiento térmico a que son sometidas. Para estudiar la evolución de fases se utilizó difracción de rayos-x, DRX, y espectroscopia infrarroja, FTIR, para determinar los grupos funcionales presentes en las muestras.
Metallic Thin-Film Bonding and Alloy Generation
Fryer, Jack Merrill (Inventor); Campbell, Geoff (Inventor); Peotter, Brian S. (Inventor); Droppers, Lloyd (Inventor)
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.
DFT study of Ag and La codoped BaTiO3
Maldonado, Frank; Stashans, Arvids
Density functional theory and generalized gradient approximation including a Hubbard-like term was used in the present work to analyse structure as well as electronic and electrical properties of Ag and La codoped BaTiO3 material. Intrinsic oxygen vacancy defect has been taken into consideration throughout the calculations. Results on atomic shifts indicate the significance of Coulomb electrostatic interaction in finding equilibrium state of the system. It is shown that the n-type electrical conductivity should be expected as a result of codoping. Computed concentrations of free-carriers manifest the advantage of codoping procedure compared to the single impurity doping in the BaTiO3 crystal. It is also shown that oxygen vacancy alone can produce the n-type conductivity.
Nanoscale symmetry fluctuations in ferroelectric barium titanate, BaTiO3.
Shao, Yu Tsun; Zuo, Jian Min
Crystal charge density is a ground-state electronic property. In ferroelectrics, charge is strongly influenced by lattice and vice versa, leading to a range of interesting temperature-dependent physical properties. However, experimental determination of charge in ferroelectrics is challenging because of the formation of ferroelectric domains. Demonstrated here is the scanning convergent-beam electron diffraction (SCBED) technique that can be simultaneously used for imaging ferroelectric domains and identifying crystal symmetry and its fluctuations. Results from SCBED confirm the acentric tetragonal, orthorhombic and rhombohedral symmetry for the ferroelectric phases of BaTiO 3 . However, the symmetry is not homogeneous; regions of a few tens of nanometres retaining almost perfect symmetry are interspersed in regions of lower symmetry. While the observed highest symmetry is consistent with the displacive model of ferroelectric phase transitions in BaTiO 3 , the observed nanoscale symmetry fluctuations are consistent with the predictions of the order-disorder phase-transition mechanism.
Surface structures and dielectric response of ultrafine BaTiO3 particles
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Jiang, B.; Peng, J.L.; Bursill, L.A.
Characteristic differences are observed for the dielectric response and microstructures of BaTiO 3 nanoscale fine powders prepared using sol gel (SG) and steric acid gel (SAG) methods. The former exhibit a critical size below which there is no paraelectric/ferroelectric phase transition whereas BaTiO 3 prepared via the SAG route remained cubic for all conditions. Atomic resolution images of both varieties showed a high density of interesting surface steps and facets. Computer simulated images of surface structure models showed that the outer (100) surface was typically a BaO layer and that at corners and ledges the steps are typically finished with Ba+2 ions; i.e. the surfaces and steps are Ba-rich. Otherwise the surfaces were typically clean and free of amorphous layers. The relationship between the observed surfaces structures and theoretical models for size effects on the dielectric properties is discussed. (authors)
Porous Organic Cage Thin Films and Molecular-Sieving Membranes.
Song, Qilei; Jiang, Shan; Hasell, Tom; Liu, Ming; Sun, Shijing; Cheetham, Anthony K; Sivaniah, Easan; Cooper, Andrew I
Porous organic cage molecules are fabricated into thin films and molecular-sieving membranes. Cage molecules are solution cast on various substrates to form amorphous thin films, with the structures tuned by tailoring the cage chemistry and processing conditions. For the first time, uniform and pinhole-free microporous cage thin films are formed and demonstrated as molecular-sieving membranes for selective gas separation. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
Solution processed pentacene thin films and their structural properties
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Tao Chunlan; Zhang Xuhui; Zhang Fujia; Liu Yiyang; Zhang Haoli
The paper reported the solution process of pentacene thin films from organic solvent O-dichlorobenzene. The pentacene thin films obtained from different conditions were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and UV-vis spectroscopy. The result shows that the pentacene solution was successfully obtained at a minimum temperature of 40 deg. C. The optimum temperature of forming pentacene thin films was 100 deg. C
Polycrystalline-thin-film thermophotovoltaic cells
Dhere, Neelkanth G.
Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) cells convert thermal energy to electricity. Modularity, portability, silent operation, absence of moving parts, reduced air pollution, rapid start-up, high power densities, potentially high conversion efficiencies, choice of a wide range of heat sources employing fossil fuels, biomass, and even solar radiation are key advantages of TPV cells in comparison with fuel cells, thermionic and thermoelectric convertors, and heat engines. The potential applications of TPV systems include: remote electricity supplies, transportation, co-generation, electric-grid independent appliances, and space, aerospace, and military power applications. The range of bandgaps for achieving high conversion efficiencies using low temperature (1000-2000 K) black-body or selective radiators is in the 0.5-0.75 eV range. Present high efficiency convertors are based on single crystalline materials such as In1-xGaxAs, GaSb, and Ga1-xInxSb. Several polycrystalline thin films such as Hg1-xCdxTe, Sn1-xCd2xTe2, and Pb1-xCdxTe, etc., have great potential for economic large-scale applications. A small fraction of the high concentration of charge carriers generated at high fluences effectively saturates the large density of defects in polycrystalline thin films. Photovoltaic conversion efficiencies of polycrystalline thin films and PV solar cells are comparable to single crystalline Si solar cells, e.g., 17.1% for CuIn1-xGaxSe2 and 15.8% for CdTe. The best recombination-state density Nt is in the range of 10-15-10-16 cm-3 acceptable for TPV applications. Higher efficiencies may be achieved because of the higher fluences, possibility of bandgap tailoring, and use of selective emitters such as rare earth oxides (erbia, holmia, yttria) and rare earth-yttrium aluminium garnets. As compared to higher bandgap semiconductors such as CdTe, it is easier to dope the lower bandgap semiconductors. TPV cell development can benefit from the more mature PV solar cell and opto
Characterization, dielectric and electrical behaviour of BaTiO3 ...
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
A new sol-precipitation technique for the preparation of nano BaTiO3 crystallite has been developed by reacting 0.2 M each of Ti(IV) triethanolaminato isopropoxide and hydrated barium hydroxide in methanol such that the molar ratio of Ba : Ti is 1.02 at 80 °C under stirring (1200 rpm) for one hour in alkaline media using ...
Properties of TiO2 prepared by acid treatment of BaTiO3
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Okada, Kiyoshi; Yanagisawa, Tomoki; Kameshima, Yoshikazu; Nakajima, Akira
TiO 3 powders were prepared by acid treatment of BaTiO 3 and their properties were investigated. The BaTiO 3 powder was subjected to HNO 3 in concentrations ranging from 10 -3 to 8 M at 90 deg. C for 0.5-6 h. Dissolution of BaTiO 3 and precipitation of TiO 2 occurred at acid concentrations of 2-5 M. BaTiO 3 dissolves completely to form a clear solution at reaction times of 0.5-1 h, but a rutile precipitate is formed after 2 h of acid treatment. By contrast, anatase is precipitated by adjusting the pH of the clear solution to 2-3 using NaOH or NH 4 OH solution. The rutile crystals were small and rod-shaped, consisting of many small coherent domains connected by grain boundaries with small inclination angles and edge dislocations, giving them a high specific surface area (S BET ). With increasing HNO 3 concentration, the S BET value increased from 100 to 170 m 2 /g while the crystallite size decreased from 25 to 11 nm. The anatase crystals obtained here were very small equi-axial particles with a smaller crystallite size than the rutile and S BET values of about 270 m 2 /g (higher than the rutile samples). The photocatalytic activity of these TiO 2 was determined from the decomposition rate of Methylene Blue under ultraviolet irradiation. Higher decomposition rates were obtained with larger crystallite sizes resulting from heat treatment. The maximum decomposition rates were obtained in samples heated at 500-600 deg. C. The photocatalytic activity of the TiO 2 was found to depend more strongly on the sample crystallite size than on S BET
Synthesis and dielectric investigations of BaTiO3 obtained by soft chemistry route
Wypych, A.; Opasińska, A.; Bobowska, I.; Wojciechowski, P.
A new strategy for preparation of nano-sized barium titanate (BaTiO3) particles was applied by using: layered (tetramethyl) ammonium titanate, barium acetate and tetramethylammonium hydroxide. An addition of barium salt to aqueous layered titanate colloids leads to a precipitation phenomenon by which barium titanate precursor was obtained. The mechanism of this reaction is based on ions exchange which permits to incorporate barium ions into titanate layers. This was confirmed by comparison...
Valence and Spin fluctuations in Mn-doped ferroelectric BaTiO3
Mandal, Subhasish; Cohen, R. E.; Haule, K.
We study Mn substitution for Ti in BaTiO$_3$ with and without compensating oxygen vacancies using density functional theory (DFT) in combination with dynamical mean field theory (DMFT). We find strong charge and spin fluctuations. Without compensating oxygen vacancies, the ground state is found to be a quantum superposition of two distinct atomic valences, 3{\\it d}$^4$ and 3{\\it d}$^5$. Introducing a compensating oxygen vacancy at a neighboring site reduces both charge and spin fluctuations d...
Photon and electron irradiation influence examination on electric properties of BaTiO3
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Cvetkovic, B.; Manic, G.; Mitic, V.
In order to investigate the influence of photon and electron projectiles from accelerator on electric properties of BaTiO 3 - ceramics, frequent dependence of Z/R ratio is recorded before and after irradiation. Evident differences between frequent dependence of the Z/R ratio recorded on the RLC-meter before and after irradiation for each sample is presented, and that is of practical importance for further application of BaTiO sub 3 - ceramics (author)
The effects of additive on microstructure and electrical properties of batio3 ceramics
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Paunović Vesna V.
Full Text Available In this paper comparative investigations of microstructure and dielectric properties of BaTiO3 ceramics doped with 1.0 wt% of Nb2O5, MnCO3 and CaZrO3 have been done. BaTiO3 samples were prepared using conventional method of solid state sintering at 13000C for two hours. Two distinguish micro structural regions can be observed in sample doped with Nb2O5. The first one, with a very small grained microstructure and the other one, with a rod like grains. In MnCO3 and CaZrO3 doped ceramics the uniform microstructure is formed with average grain size about 0.5- 2µm and 3-5µm respectively. The highest value of dielectric permittivity at room temperature and the greatest change of permittivity in function of temperature were observed in MnCO3/BaTiO3. In all investigated samples dielectric constant after initially large value at low frequency attains a constant value at f = 6kHz. A dissipation factor is independent of frequency greater than 10 kHz and, depending of systems, lies in the range from 0.035 to 0.25. At temperatures above Curie temperatures, the permittivity of all investigated samples follows a Curie- Weiss law. A slight shift of Curie temperature to the lower temperatures, in respect of Curie temperature for undoped BaTiO3, was observed in all investigated samples.
Review of the fundamentals of thin-film growth.
Kaiser, Norbert
The properties of a thin film of a given material depend on the film's real structure. The real structure is defined as the link between a thin film's deposition parameters and its properties. To facilitate engineering the properties of a thin film by manipulating its real structure, thin-film formation is reviewed as a process starting with nucleation followed by coalescence and subsequent thickness growth, all stages of which can be influenced by deposition parameters. The focus in this review is on dielectric and metallic films and their optical properties. In contrast to optoelectronics all these film growth possibilities for the engineering of novel optical films with extraordinary properties are just beginning to be used.
Progress on thin-film sensors for space propulsion technology
Kim, Walter S.
The objective is to develop thin-film thermocouples for Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) components. Thin-film thermocouples have been developed for aircraft gas turbine engines and are in use for temperature measurement on turbine blades to 1800 F. The technology established for aircraft gas turbine engines will be adapted to the materials and environment encountered in the SSME. Specific goals are to expand the existing in-house thin-film sensor technology and to test the survivability and durability of thin-film sensors in the SSME environment.
Physics of thin films advances in research and development
Hass, Georg; Vossen, John L
Physics of Thin Films: Advances in Research and Development, Volume 12 reviews advances that have been made in research and development concerning the physics of thin films. This volume covers a wide range of preparative approaches, physics phenomena, and applications related to thin films. This book is comprised of four chapters and begins with a discussion on metal coatings and protective layers for front surface mirrors used at various angles of incidence from the ultraviolet to the far infrared. Thin-film materials and deposition conditions suitable for minimizing reflectance changes with
Sputtering materials for VLSI and thin film devices
Sarkar, Jaydeep
An important resource for students, engineers and researchers working in the area of thin film deposition using physical vapor deposition (e.g. sputtering) for semiconductor, liquid crystal displays, high density recording media and photovoltaic device (e.g. thin film solar cell) manufacturing. This book also reviews microelectronics industry topics such as history of inventions and technology trends, recent developments in sputtering technologies, manufacturing steps that require sputtering of thin films, the properties of thin films and the role of sputtering target performance on overall p
Crystalline thin films: The electrochemical atomic layer deposition (ECALD) view
CSIR Research Space (South Africa)
Modibedi, M
Full Text Available Electrochemical atomic layer deposition technique is selected as one of the methods to prepare thin films for various applications, including electrocatalytic materials and compound....
Thin-Film Materials Synthesis and Processing Facility
Federal Laboratory Consortium — FUNCTION: Provides a wide capability for deposition and processing of thin films, including sputter and ion-beam deposition, thermal evaporation, electro-deposition,...
Seebeck effect of some thin film carbides
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Beensh-Marchwicka, G.; Prociow, E.
Several materials have been investigated for high-temperature thin film thermocouple applications. These include silicon carbide with boron (Si-C-B), ternary composition based on Si-C-Mn, fourfold composition based on Si-C-Zr-B and tantalum carbide (TaC). All materials were deposited on quartz or glass substrates using the pulse sputter deposition technique. Electrical conduction and thermoelectric power were measured for various compositions at 300-550 K. It has been found, that the efficiency of thermoelectric power of films containing Si-C base composition was varied from 0.0015-0.034 μW/cmK 2 . However for TaC the value about 0.093 μW/cmK 2 was obtained. (author)
TEM characterization of nanodiamond thin films.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Qin, L.-C.; Zhou, D.; Krauss, A. R.; Gruen, D. M.; Chemistry
The microstructure of thin films grown by microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD) from fullerene C{sub 60} precursors has been characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), selected-area electron diffraction (SAED), bright-field electron microscopy, high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM), and parallel electron energy loss spectroscopy (PEELS). The films are composed of nanosize crystallites of diamond, and no graphitic or amorphous phases were observed. The diamond crystallite size measured from lattice images shows that most grains range between 3-5 nm, reflecting a gamma distribution. SAED gave no evidence of either sp2-bonded glassy carbon or sp3-bonded diamondlike amorphous carbon. The sp2-bonded configuration found in PEELS was attributed to grain boundary carbon atoms, which constitute 5-10% of the total. Occasionally observed larger diamond grains tend to be highly faulted.
Thin Film Photovoltaics: Markets and Industry
Jäger-Waldau, Arnulf
Since 2000, total PV production increased almost by two orders of magnitude, with a compound annual growth rate of over 52%. The most rapid growth in annual cell and module production over the last five years could be observed in Asia, where China and Taiwan together now account for about 60% of worldwide production. Between 2005 and 2009, thin film production capacity and volume increased more than the overall industry but did not keep up in 2010 and 2011 due to the rapid price decline for s...
Thin-film optical shutter. Final report
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Matlow, S.L.
A specific embodiment of macroconjugated macromolecules, the poly (p-phenylene)'s, has been chosen as the one most likely to meet all of the requirements of the Thin Film Optical Shutter project (TFOS). The reason for this choice is included. In order to be able to make meaningful calculations of the thermodynamic and optical properties of the poly (p-phenylene)'s a new quantum mechanical method was developed - Equilibrium Bond Length (EBL) Theory. Some results of EBL Theory are included.
Thin molecular films of supramolecular porphyrins
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Full Text Available A relevant series of symmetric supramolecular porphyrins has been obtained by attaching four [Ru II(bipy2Cl] groups to the pyridyl substituents of meso-tetra(4-pyridylporphyrin and its metallated derivatives. These compounds display a rich electrochemistry and versatile catalytic, electrocatalytic and photochemical properties, associated with the ruthenium-bipyridine and the porphyrin complexes. These properties can be transferred to the electrodes by attaching thin molecular films of the compounds, by dip-coating, electrostatic assembly or electropolymerization. In this way, the interesting properties of those supermolecules and supramolecular assemblies can be used to prepare molecular devices and sensors.
Infrared control coating of thin film devices
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Berland, Brian Spencer; Stowell, Jr., Michael Wayne; Hollingsworth, Russell
Systems and methods for creating an infrared-control coated thin film device with certain visible light transmittance and infrared reflectance properties are disclosed. The device may be made using various techniques including physical vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, thermal evaporation, pulsed laser deposition, sputter deposition, and sol-gel processes. In particular, a pulsed energy microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process may be used. Production of the device may occur at speeds greater than 50 Angstroms/second and temperatures lower than 200.degree. C.
Atomic Structure Control of Silica Thin Films on Pt(111)
Crampton, Andrew S
Metal oxide thin films grown on metal single crystals are commonly used to model heterogeneous catalyst supports. The structure and properties of thin silicon dioxide films grown on metal single crystals have only recently been thoroughly characterized and their spectral properties well established. We report the successful growth of a three- dimensional, vitreous silicon dioxide thin film on the Pt(111) surface and reproduce the closed bilayer structure previously reported. The confirmation of the three dimensional nature of the film is unequivocally shown by the infrared absorption band at 1252 cm−1. Temperature programmed desorption was used to show that this three-dimensional thin film covers the Pt(111) surface to such an extent that its application as a catalyst support for clusters/nanoparticles is possible. The growth of a three-dimensional film was seen to be directly correlated with the amount of oxygen present on the surface after the silicon evaporation process. This excess of oxygen is tentatively attributed to atomic oxygen being generated in the evaporator. The identification of atomic oxygen as a necessary building block for the formation of a three-dimensional thin film opens up new possibilities for thin film growth on metal supports, whereby simply changing the type of oxygen enables thin films with different atomic structures to be synthesized. This is a novel approach to tune the synthesis parameters of thin films to grow a specific structure and expands the options for modeling common amorphous silica supports under ultra high vacuum conditions.
High power impulse magnetron sputtering of CIGS thin films for high efficiency thin film solar cells
Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database
Olejníček, Jiří; Hubička, Zdeněk; Kohout, Michal; Kšírová, Petra; Kment, Štěpán; Brunclíková, Michaela; Čada, Martin; Darveau, S.A.; Exstrom, C.L.
Roč. 1, č. 3 (2014), s. 135-137 ISSN 2336-2626 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LH12045 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : CIGS * HiPIMS * emission spectroscopy * thin films * magnetron sputtering Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics http://fyzika.feld.cvut.cz/misc/ppt/articles/2014/olejnicek.pdf
Thin films of metal-organic compounds and metal nanoparticle ...
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
matrix. The methodology can be used to produce free-standing films. Optical limiting capability of the nanoparticle-embedded polymer film is demonstrated. Keywords. Polar crystal; uniaxial orientational order; thin film; second harmonic gen- eration; silver nanoparticle; polyvinyl alcohol; free-standing film; optical limiter.
Methods for producing thin film charge selective transport layers
Hammond, Scott Ryan; Olson, Dana C.; van Hest, Marinus Franciscus Antonius Maria
Methods for producing thin film charge selective transport layers are provided. In one embodiment, a method for forming a thin film charge selective transport layer comprises: providing a precursor solution comprising a metal containing reactive precursor material dissolved into a complexing solvent; depositing the precursor solution onto a surface of a substrate to form a film; and forming a charge selective transport layer on the substrate by annealing the film.
Dimensional scaling of perovskite ferroelectric thin films
Keech, Ryan R.
Dimensional size reduction has been the cornerstone of the exponential improvement in silicon based logic devices for decades. However, fundamental limits in the device physics were reached ˜2003, halting further reductions in clock speed without significant penalties in power consumption. This has motivated the research into next generation transistors and switching devices to reinstate the scaling laws for clock speed. This dissertation aims to support the scaling of devices that are based on ferroelectricity and piezoelectricity and to provide a roadmap for the corresponding materials performance. First, a scalable growth process to obtain highly {001}-oriented lead magnesium niobate - lead titanate (PMN-PT) thin films was developed, motivated by the high piezoelectric responses observed in bulk single crystals. It was found that deposition of a 2-3 nm thick PbO buffer layer on {111} Pt thin film bottom electrodes, prior to chemical solution deposition of PMN-PT reduces the driving force for Pb diffusion from the PMN-PT to the bottom electrode, and facilitates nucleation of {001}-oriented perovskite grains. Energy dispersive spectroscopy demonstrated that up to 10% of the Pb from a PMN-PT precursor solution may diffuse into the bottom electrode. PMN-PT grains with a mixed {101}/{111} orientation in a matrix of Pb-deficient pyrochlore phase were then promoted near the interface. When this is prevented, phase pure films with {001} orientation with Lotgering factors of 0.98-1.0, can be achieved. The resulting films of only 300 nm in thickness exhibit longitudinal effective d33,f coefficients of ˜90 pm/V and strain values of ˜1% prior to breakdown. 300 nm thick epitaxial and polycrystalline lead magnesium niobate - lead titanate (70PMN-30PT) blanket thin films were studied for the relative contributions to property thickness dependence from interfacial and grain boundary low permittivity layers. Epitaxial PMN-PT films were grown on SrRuO 3 /(001)SrTiO3, while
Characterization of ultrasonic spray pyrolysed ruthenium oxide thin films
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Patil, P.S.; Ennaoui, E.A.; Lokhande, C.D.; Mueller, M.; Giersig, M.; Diesner, K.; Tributsch, H. [Hahn-Meitner-Institut Berlin GmbH (Germany). Bereich Physikalische Chemie
The ultrasonic spray pyrolysis (USP) technique was employed to deposit ruthenium oxide thin films. The films were prepared at 190 C substrate temperature and further annealed at 350 C for 30 min in air. The films were 0.22 {mu} thick and black grey in color. The structural, compositional and optical properties of ruthenium oxide thin films are reported. Contactless transient photoconductivity measurement was carried out to calculate the decay time of excess charge carriers in ruthenium oxide thin films. (orig.) 28 refs.
Glassy dynamics and heterogeneity of polymer thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kanaya, Toshiji; Inoue, Rintaro; Kawashima, Kazuko; Miyazaki, Tsukasa; Matsuba, Go; Nishida, Koji; Tsukushi, Itaru; Shibata, Kaoru; Hino, Masahiro
We review our recent studies on glassy dynamics and glass transition of polymer thin films using neutron and X-ray reflectivity and inelastic neutron techniques. In the last decade extensive studies have been performed on polymer thin films to reveal very interesting but unusual properties such as reduction in the glass transition temperature T g with film thickness and negative thermal expansivity for thin films below about 25 nm, and often some contradictory experimental results have been reported. It is believed that a key to solve the controversial situation is to disclose heterogeneous structure or multi-layer structure in polymer thin films. In the review, therefore, we summarize our recent experimental results by neutron and X-ray reflectivity and inelastic neutron scattering, focusing on the dynamic heterogeneity in polymer thin films. (author)
Ta-based amorphous metal thin films
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
McGlone, John M., E-mail: email@example.com [School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331-5501 (United States); Olsen, Kristopher R. [Department of Chemistry, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331-4003 (United States); Stickle, William F.; Abbott, James E.; Pugliese, Roberto A.; Long, Greg S. [Hewlett-Packard Company, Corvallis, OR, 97333 (United States); Keszler, Douglas A. [Department of Chemistry, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331-4003 (United States); Wager, John F. [School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331-5501 (United States)
With their lack of grains and grain boundaries, amorphous metals are known to possess advantageous mechanical properties and enhanced chemical stability relative to crystalline metals. Commonly, however, they exhibit poor high-temperature stability because of their metastable nature. Here, we describe two new Ta-based ternary metal thin films that retain thermal stability to 600 °C and above. The new thin-film compositions, Ta{sub 2}Ni{sub 2}Si{sub 1} and Ta{sub 2}Mo{sub 2}Si{sub 1}, are amorphous, exhibiting ultra-smooth surfaces (<0.4 nm) and resistivities typical of amorphous metals (224 and 177 μΩ cm, respectively). - Highlights: • New Ta-based amorphous metals were sputter deposited from individual targets. • As-deposited amorphous structure was confirmed through diffraction techniques. • Electrical and surface properties were characterized and possess smooth surfaces. • No evidence of crystallization up to 600 °C (TaNiSi) and 800 °C (TaMoSi). • Ultra-smooth surfaces remained unchanged up to crystallization temperature.
Stable organic thin-film transistors
Jia, Xiaojia; Fuentes-Hernandez, Canek; Wang, Cheng-Yin; Park, Youngrak; Kippelen, Bernard
Organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) can be fabricated at moderate temperatures and through cost-effective solution-based processes on a wide range of low-cost flexible and deformable substrates. Although the charge mobility of state-of-the-art OTFTs is superior to that of amorphous silicon and approaches that of amorphous oxide thin-film transistors (TFTs), their operational stability generally remains inferior and a point of concern for their commercial deployment. We report on an exhaustive characterization of OTFTs with an ultrathin bilayer gate dielectric comprising the amorphous fluoropolymer CYTOP and an Al2O3:HfO2 nanolaminate. Threshold voltage shifts measured at room temperature over time periods up to 5.9 × 105 s do not vary monotonically and remain below 0.2 V in microcrystalline OTFTs (μc-OTFTs) with field-effect carrier mobility values up to 1.6 cm2 V−1 s−1. Modeling of these shifts as a function of time with a double stretched-exponential (DSE) function suggests that two compensating aging mechanisms are at play and responsible for this high stability. The measured threshold voltage shifts at temperatures up to 75°C represent at least a one-order-of-magnitude improvement in the operational stability over previous reports, bringing OTFT technologies to a performance level comparable to that reported in the scientific literature for other commercial TFTs technologies. PMID:29340301
Metal nanoparticles for thin film solar cells
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Gritti, Claudia
Among the different renewable ways to produce energy, photovoltaic cells have a big potential and the research is now focusing on getting higher efficiency and at the same time saving the manufacturing costs improving the performance of thin film solar cells. The spectral distribution in the infr......Among the different renewable ways to produce energy, photovoltaic cells have a big potential and the research is now focusing on getting higher efficiency and at the same time saving the manufacturing costs improving the performance of thin film solar cells. The spectral distribution...... characterized. Spectral responses are measured and in two types of measured GaAs solar cells (with Au and Ag nanoparticles) there was no clear efficiency enhancement in the NIR spectral range. In the case of Au nanoparticles it could be explained in similar way to the absorption data: the effect being broad...... cells spectral response to longer wavelengths, through possibly cheap and simple technologies: EBL can be substituted by colloidal solutions implementation and electroless plating is not expensive and results to be effective within a broad set of parameters (size, shape, density). Another application...
Polycystalline silicon thin films for electronic applications
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Jaeger, Christian Claus
For the thin polycrystalline Si films fabricated with the aluminium-induced-layer-exchange (ALILE) process a good structural quality up to a layer-thickness value of 10 nm was determined. For 5 nm thick layers however after the layer exchange no closes poly-silicon film was present. In this case the substrate was covered with spherically arranged semiconductor material. Furthermore amorphous contributions in the layer could be determined. The electrical characterization of the samples at room temperature proved a high hole concentration in the range 10{sup 18} cm{sup -3} up to 9.10{sup 19} cm{sup -3}, which is influenced by the process temperature and the layer thickness. Hereby higher hole concentrations at higher process temperatures and thinner films were observed. Furthermore above 150-200 K a thermically activated behaviour of the electrical conductivity was observed. At lower temperatures a deviation of the measured characteristic from the exponential Arrhenius behaviour was determined. For low temperatures (below 20 K) the conductivity follows the behaviour {sigma}{proportional_to}[-(T{sub 0}/T){sup 1/4}]. The hole mobility in the layers was lowered by a passivation step, which can be explained by defect states at the grain boundaries. The for these very thin layers present situation was simulated in the framework of the model of Seto, whereby both the defect states at the grain boundaries (with an area density Q{sub t}) and the defect states at the interfaces (with an area density Q{sub it}) were regarded. By this the values Q{sub t}{approx}(3-4).10{sup 12} cm{sup -2} and Q{sub it}{approx}(2-5).10{sup 12} cm{sup -2} could be determined for these thin ALILE layers on quartz substrates. Additionally th R-ALILE process was studied, which uses the reverse precursor-layer sequence substrate/amorphous silicon/oxide/aluminium. Hereby two steps in the crystallization process of the R-ALILE process were found. First a substrate/Al-Si mixture/poly-Si layer structure
The role of microstructural phenomena in magnetic thin films
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Laughlin, D.E.; Lambeth, D.N.
The subject is germane to magnetic recording media. Results during the first 2 years are presented under the following headings: atomic resolution TEM of CoNiCr films; CoNiCr and CoCrTa thin films; development of texture; and CoSm/Cr thin films. The HREM results showed that defects in Co-based films may be responsible for higher coercivity. Findings are presented on the effects of Cr interlayers on the microstructure of the second Co-based film in Co/Cr/Co/Cr multilayer films. Proposed research plans are outlined.
The role of microstructural phenomena in magnetic thin films
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Laughlin, D.E.; Lambeth, D.N.
The subject is germane to magnetic recording media. Results during the first 2 years are presented under the following headings: atomic resolution TEM of CoNiCr films; CoNiCr and CoCrTa thin films; development of texture; and CoSm/Cr thin films. The HREM results showed that defects in Co-based films may be responsible for higher coercivity. Findings are presented on the effects of Cr interlayers on the microstructure of the second Co-based film in Co/Cr/Co/Cr multilayer films. Proposed research plans are outlined.
Laser scribing of polycrystalline thin films
Compaan, A. D.; Matulionis, I.; Nakade, S.
We have investigated the use of several different types of lasers for scribing of the polycrystalline materials used for thin-film solar cells: CdTe, CuInGaSe 2 (CIGS), ZnO, SnO 2, Mo, Al, and Au. The lasers included four different neodymium-yttrium-aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) (both 1064 and 532 nm wavelengths), a Cu vapor (511/578 nm), an XeCl excimer (308 nm), and a KrF excimer (248 nm). Pulse durations ranged from ˜0.1 to ˜250 ns. We found that the fundamental and frequency-doubled wavelengths of the Nd:YAG systems work well for almost all of the above materials except for the transparent conductor ZnO. The diode-laser-pumped Nd:YAG was particularly convenient to use. For ZnO the uv wavelengths of the two excimer lasers produced good results. Pulse duration was found generally not to be critical except for the case of CIGS on Mo where longer pulse durations (≥250 ns) are advantageous. The frequently observed problem of ridge formation along the edges of scribe lines in the semiconductor films can be eliminated by control of intensity gradients at the film through adjustment of the focus conditions.
Alqhtany, Norah H.
Materials with large magnetic anisotropy have received significant attention from the scientific community due to its advantages in technological applications. Equiatomic FePt has been identified as such a material which could possibly be a potential candidate for ultra- high density magnetic recording and other applications like permanent magnets. FePt thin films exhibit ordered L10 texture with high magnetocrystalline anisotropy and high saturation magnetization which seem lucrative for technological applications. This thesis presents an investigation of structural and magnetic properties of granular and epitaxial FePt films with L10 phase prepared by DC sputtering on different substrates (SrTiO3 and glass). X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Atomic Force Microscopy/Magnetic Force Microscopy (AFM/MFM) and Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) were employed in characterization process. The measurements obtained from these equipment were significant in establishing the relationship between the microstructure and the magnetic properties of these films. The symmetry and magnitude of magnetic anisotropy has also been analyzed and discussed in detail.
Pressureless Bonding Using Sputtered Ag Thin Films
Oh, Chulmin; Nagao, Shijo; Suganuma, Katsuaki
To improve the performance and reliability of power electronic devices, particularly those built around next-generation wide-bandgap semiconductors such as SiC and GaN, the bonding method used for packaging must change from soldering to solderless technology. Because traditional solders are problematic in the harsh operating conditions expected for emerging high-temperature power devices, we propose a new bonding method in this paper, namely a pressureless, low-temperature bonding process in air, using abnormal grain growth on sputtered Ag thin films to realize extremely high temperature resistance. To investigate the mechanisms of this bonding process, we characterized the microstructural changes in the Ag films over various bonding temperatures and times. We measured the bonding properties of the specimens by a die-shear strength test, as well as by x-ray diffraction measurements of the residual stress in the Ag films to show how the microstructural developments were essential to the bonding technology. Sound bonds with high die strength can be achieved only with abnormal grain growth at optimum bonding temperature and time. Pressureless bonding allows for production of reliable high-temperature power devices for a wide variety of industrial, energy, and environmental applications.
Surface microtopography of thin silver films
Costa, Manuel F. M.; Almeida, Jose B.
The authors present ne applications for the recently developed nori-contact optical inicrotopographer emphasizing the results of topographic inspections of thin silver films edges. These films were produced by sputtering of silver through different masks, using a planar magnetron source. The results show the influence ot the thickness and position of the masks on the topography of the film near its edge. Topographic information is obtained from the horizontal shift incurred by the bright spot on an horizontal surface, which is displaced vertically, when this is illuminated by an oblique collimated laser beam. The laser beam is focused onto the surface into a diffraction limited spot and is made to sweep the surface to be examined.. The horizontal position of the bright spot is continuously imaged onto a light detector array and the information about individual detectors that are activated is used to compute the corresponding horizontal shift on the reference plane. Simple trignometric calculations are used to relate the horizontal shift to the distance between the surface and a reference plane at each sampling point and thus a map of the surface topography can be built.
Thinning and rupture of a thin liquid film on a heated surface
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Bankoff, S.G.; Davis, S.H.
Results on the dynamics and stability of thin films are summarized on the following topics: forced dryout, film instabilities on a horizontal plane and on inclined planes, instrumentation, coating flows, and droplet spreading. (DLC)
Factors affecting surface and release properties of thin PDMS films
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Vudayagiri, Sindhu; Junker, Michael Daniel; Skov, Anne Ladegaard
Polydimethysiloxane (PDMS) elastomers are commonly used as dielectric electroactive polymers (DEAP). DEAP films are used in making actuators, generators and sensors. In the large scale manufacture of DEAP films, release of films from the substrate (carrier web) induces some defects and pre......-strain in the films which affect the overall performance of the films. The current research is directed towards investigating factors affecting the peel force and release of thin, corrugated polydimethylsiloxane films used in DEAP films. It has been shown that doping the PDMS films with small quantities...
Use of thin films in high-temperature superconducting bearings.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Hull, J. R.; Cansiz, A.
In a PM/HTS bearing, locating a thin-film HTS above a bulk HTS was expected to maintain the large levitation force provided by the bulk with a lower rotational drag provided by the very high current density of the film. For low drag to be achieved, the thin film must shield the bulk from inhomogeneous magnetic fields. Measurement of rotational drag of a PM/HTS bearing that used a combination of bulk and film HTS showed that the thin film is not effective in reducing the rotational drag. Subsequent experiments, in which an AC coil was placed above the thin-film HTS and the magnetic field on the other side of the film was measured, showed that the thin film provides good shielding when the coil axis is perpendicular to the film surface but poor shielding when the coil axis is parallel to the surface. This is consistent with the lack of reduction in rotational drag being due to a horizontal magnetic moment of the permanent magnet. The poor shielding with the coil axis parallel to the film surface is attributed to the aspect ratio of the film and the three-dimensional nature of the current flow in the film for this coil orientation.
Structural and Optical Properties of Nanoscale Galinobisuitite Thin Films
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Omar H. Abd-Elkader
Full Text Available Galinobisuitite thin films of (Bi2S3(PbS were prepared using the chemical bath deposition technique (CBD. Thin films were prepared by a modified chemical deposition process by allowing the triethanolamine (TEA complex of Bi3+ and Pb2+ to react with S2− ions, which are released slowly by the dissociation of the thiourea (TU solution. The films are polycrystalline and the average crystallite size is 35 nm. The composition of the films was measured using the atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS technique. The films are very adherent to the substrates. The crystal structure of Galinobisuitite thin films was calculated by using the X-ray diffraction (XRD technique. The surface morphology and roughness of the films were studied using scanning electron microscopes (SEM, transmission electron microscopes (TEM and stylus profilers respectively. The optical band gaps of the films were estimated from optical measurements.
Magnetic thin films for high-density recording
Lodder, J.C.
Magnetic and magneto-optic recording technologies are continuing to evolve at a rapid pace resulting in longer playing times and more data being stored in ever decreasing volumes. Thin-film media are playing an important role in this process. Three different type of thin-film media are discussed
Bonding of a niobium wire to a niobium thin film
Jaszczuk, W.; Jaszczuk, W.; ter Brake, Hermanus J.M.; Flokstra, Jakob; Veldhuis, Dick; Stammis, R.; Rogalla, Horst
A method for bonding a niobium wire to a niobium thin film is described. The bonds are to be used as superconducting connections between wire-wound gradiometers and thin-film coupling coils on DC SQUIDS. The method is characterized by two steps. Firstly, the hardness of the niobium wire is reduced
Thin films of metal-organic compounds and metal nanoparticle
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
Thin films of metal-organic compounds and metal nanoparticle-embedded polymers for nonlinear optical applications. S Philip Anthony Shatabdi Porel D ... Thin films based on two very different metal-organic systems are developed and some nonlinear optical applications are explored. A family of zinc complexes which ...
Ferroelectricity in Sodium Nitrite Thin Films | Britwum | Journal of the ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Investigations have been conducted on the ferroelectric property of thin films of NaNO2. The thin films were prepared with the dip coating technique. The phase transition was investigated by observing the change in the dielectric constant with temperature change. The presence of ferro-electricity was investigated with a ...
Electrical properties of epitaxially grown VOx thin films
Rata, A.D.; Chezan, A.R; Presura, C.N.; Hibma, T
High quality VOx thin films on MgO(100) substrates were prepared and studied from the structural and electronic point of view. Epitaxial growth was confirmed by RHEED and XRD techniques. The oxygen content of VOx thin films as a function of oxygen flux was determined using RBS. The upper and lower
Stoichiometry control in oxide thin films by pulsed laser deposition
Groenen, R.
A general challenge in the synthesis of complex oxide nanostructures and thin films is the control of the stoichiometry and herewith control of thin film properties. Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) is widely known for its potential for growing near stoichiometric highly crystalline complex metal oxide
Optimized grid design for thin film solar panels
Deelen, J. van; Klerk, L.; Barink, M.
There is a gap in efficiency between record thin film cells and mass produced thin film solar panels. In this paper we quantify the effect of monolithic integration on power output for various configurations by modeling and present metallization as a way to improve efficiency of solar panels. Grid
Cadmium sulphide thin film for application in gamma radiation ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Cadmium Sulphide (CdS) thin film was prepared using pyrolytic spraying technique and then irradiated at varied gamma dosage. The CdS thin film absorption before gamma irradiation was 0.6497. Absorbed doses were computed using standard equation established for an integrating dosimeter. The plot of absorbed dose ...
Thin films of metal-organic compounds and metal nanoparticle ...
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
Thin films based on two very different metal-organic systems are developed and some nonlinear optical applications are explored. A family of zinc complexes which form perfectly polar assemblies in their crystalline state are found to organize as uniaxially oriented crystallites in vapor deposited thin films on glass substrate.
Optical characteristics of transparent samarium oxide thin films ...
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
Transparent metal oxide thin films of samarium oxide (Sm 2 O 3 ) were prepared on pre-cleaned fused optically flat quartz substrates by radio-frequency (RF) sputtering technique. The as-deposited thin films were annealed at different temperatures (873, 973 and 1073 K) for 4 h in air under normal atmospheric pressure.
Piezoelectric MEMS: Ferroelectric thin films for MEMS applications
Kanno, Isaku
In recent years, piezoelectric microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) have attracted attention as next-generation functional microdevices. Typical applications of piezoelectric MEMS are micropumps for inkjet heads or micro-gyrosensors, which are composed of piezoelectric Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT) thin films and have already been commercialized. In addition, piezoelectric vibration energy harvesters (PVEHs), which are regarded as one of the key devices for Internet of Things (IoT)-related technologies, are promising future applications of piezoelectric MEMS. Significant features of piezoelectric MEMS are their simple structure and high energy conversion efficiency between mechanical and electrical domains even on the microscale. The device performance strongly depends on the function of the piezoelectric thin films, especially on their transverse piezoelectric properties, indicating that the deposition of high-quality piezoelectric thin films is a crucial technology for piezoelectric MEMS. On the other hand, although the difficulty in measuring the precise piezoelectric coefficients of thin films is a serious obstacle in the research and development of piezoelectric thin films, a simple unimorph cantilever measurement method has been proposed to obtain precise values of the direct or converse transverse piezoelectric coefficient of thin films, and recently this method has become to be the standardized testing method. In this article, I will introduce fundamental technologies of piezoelectric thin films and related microdevices, especially focusing on the deposition of PZT thin films and evaluation methods for their transverse piezoelectric properties.
Thermal properties and stabilities of polymer thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kanaya, Toshiji; Kawashima, Kazuko; Inoue, Rintaro; Miyazaki, Tsukasa
Recent extensive studies have revealed that polymer thin films showed very interesting but unusual thermal properties and stabilities. In the article we show that X-ray reflectivity and neutron reflectivity are very powerful tools to study the anomalous properties of polymer thin films. (author)
Dip-coated hydrotungstite thin films as humidity sensors
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
Dip-coated hydrotungstite thin films as humidity sensors. G V KUNTE, UJWALA AIL, S A SHIVASHANKAR and A M UMARJI*. Materials Research Centre, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560 012, India. MS received 6 December 2004; revised 28 February 2005. Abstract. Thin films of a hydrated phase of tungsten ...
Thermal stability of gold-PS nanocomposites thin films
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
Low-temperature transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies were performed on polystyrene (PS, w = 234 K) – Au nanoparticle composite thin films that were annealed up to 350°C under reduced pressure conditions. The composite thin films were prepared by wet chemical approach and the samples were then ...
Density functional study of ferromagnetism in alkali metal thin films
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
thickness uniform jellium model (UJM), and it is argued that within LSDA or GGA, alkali metal thin films cannot be claimed to have an FM ground state. Relevance of these results to the experiments on transition metal-doped alkali metal thin films ...
Magnetic damping phenomena in ferromagnetic thin-films and multilayers
Azzawi, S.; Hindmarch, A. T.; Atkinson, D.
Damped ferromagnetic precession is an important mechanism underpinning the magnetisation processes in ferromagnetic materials. In thin-film ferromagnets and ferromagnetic/non-magnetic multilayers, the role of precession and damping can be critical for spintronic device functionality and as a consequence there has been significant research activity. This paper presents a review of damping in ferromagnetic thin-films and multilayers and collates the results of many experimental studies to present a coherent synthesis of the field. The terms that are used to define damping are discussed with the aim of providing consistent definitions for damping phenomena. A description of the theoretical basis of damping is presented from early developments to the latest discussions of damping in ferromagnetic thin-films and multilayers. An overview of the time and frequency domain methods used to study precessional magnetisation behaviour and damping in thin-films and multilayers is also presented. Finally, a review of the experimental observations of magnetic damping in ferromagnetic thin-films and multilayers is presented with the most recent explanations. This brings together the results from many studies and includes the effects of ferromagnetic film thickness, the effects of composition on damping in thin-film ferromagnetic alloys, the influence of non-magnetic dopants in ferromagnetic films and the effects of combining thin-film ferromagnets with various non-magnetic layers in multilayered configurations.
Thermally stable antireflective coatings based on nanoporous organosilicate thin films.
Kim, Suhan; Cho, Jinhan; Char, Kookheon
Thermally stable nanoporous organosilicate thin films were realized by the microphase separation of pore-generating polymers mixed with an organosilicate matrix to be antireflective coatings (ARCs), for which a thin film with a refractive index (n) of 1.23 for zero reflection is required. The refractive index of such nanoporous organosilicate films can be tuned from 1.39 down to 1.23 by incorporating nanopores within the films. With a nanoporous single layer with n approximately 1.23, the light transmittance of the glass above 99.8% was achieved in the visible range (lambda approximately 550 nm). To overcome the limitation on the narrow wavelength for high transmittance imposed by a single antireflective nanoporous thin film, bilayer thin films with different refractive indices were prepared by placing a high refractive index layer with a refractive index of 1.45 below the nanoporous thin film. UV-vis transmittance of a glass coated with the bilayer films was compared with nanoporous single-layer films and it is demonstrated that the novel broadband antireflection coatings in a wide range of visible wavelength can be easily obtained by the organosilicate bilayer thin films described in this study. Also, ARCs developed in this study demonstrate excellent AR durability owing to the hydrophobic nature of the organosilicate matrix.
Modifying thin film diamond for electronic applications
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Baral, B.
The unique combination of properties that diamond possesses are being exploited in both electronic and mechanical applications. An important step forward in the field has been the ability to grow thin film diamond by chemical vapour deposition (CVD) methods and to control parameters such as crystal orientation, dopant level and surface roughness. An extensive understanding of the surface of any potential electronic material is vital to fully comprehend its behaviour within device structures. The surface itself ultimately controls key aspects of device performance when interfaced with other materials. This study has provided insight into important chemical reactions on polycrystalline CVD diamond surfaces, addressing how certain surface modifications will ultimately affect the properties of the material. A review of the structure, bonding, properties and potential of diamond along with an account of the current state of diamond technology and CVD diamond growth is provided. The experimental chapter reviews bulk material and surface analytical techniques employed in this work and is followed by an investigation of cleaning treatments for polycrystalline CVD diamond aimed at removing non-diamond carbon from the surface. Selective acid etch treatments are compared and contrasted for efficacy with excimer laser irradiation and hydrogen plasma etching. The adsorption/desorption kinetics of potential dopant-containing precursors on polycrystalline CVD diamond surfaces have been investigated to compare their effectiveness at introducing dopants into the diamond during the growth stage. Both boron and sulphur-containing precursor compounds have been investigated. Treating polycrystalline CVD diamond in various atmospheres / combination of atmospheres has been performed to enhance electron field emission from the films. Films which do not emit electrons under low field conditions can be modified such that they emit at fields as low as 10 V/μm. The origin of this enhancement
Thin Films for Advanced Glazing Applications
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Ann-Louise Anderson
Full Text Available Functional thin films provide many opportunities for advanced glazing systems. This can be achieved by adding additional functionalities such as self-cleaning or power generation, or alternately by providing energy demand reduction through the management or modulation of solar heat gain or blackbody radiation using spectrally selective films or chromogenic materials. Self-cleaning materials have been generating increasing interest for the past two decades. They may be based on hydrophobic or hydrophilic systems and are often inspired by nature, for example hydrophobic systems based on mimicking the lotus leaf. These materials help to maintain the aesthetic properties of the building, help to maintain a comfortable working environment and in the case of photocatalytic materials, may provide external pollutant remediation. Power generation through window coatings is a relatively new idea and is based around the use of semi-transparent solar cells as windows. In this fashion, energy can be generated whilst also absorbing some solar heat. There is also the possibility, in the case of dye sensitized solar cells, to tune the coloration of the window that provides unheralded external aesthetic possibilities. Materials and coatings for energy demand reduction is highly desirable in an increasingly energy intensive world. We discuss new developments with low emissivity coatings as the need to replace scarce indium becomes more apparent. We go on to discuss thermochromic systems based on vanadium dioxide films. Such systems are dynamic in nature and present a more sophisticated and potentially more beneficial approach to reducing energy demand than static systems such as low emissivity and solar control coatings. The ability to be able to tune some of the material parameters in order to optimize the film performance for a given climate provides exciting opportunities for future technologies. In this article, we review recent progress and challenges in
Thin Films of Quasicrystals: Optical, Electronic, and Mechanical Properties
Symko, Orest G.
In order to extend some of the unusual properties of quasicrystals toward practical applications and to study fundamental aspects of these properties, we have developed a technology for the deposition of high quality thin films of quasicrystals on a variety of substrates. Mechanical support for the thin films is provided by the substrate as bulk quasicrystals are brittle. We have applied the thin films to studies of their optical, electrical, and mechanical properties as well as to coatings of biomedical devices. An important characteristic of a quasicrystal is its pseudogap in the electronic density of states; it is determined directly from optical transmission measurements. Optical and mechanical characteristics of the thin films provide strong support for the cluster nature of quasicrystals and emphasize their importance for coatings. When used in biomedical devices, thin film quasicrystalline coatings show remarkable strength, low friction, and non-stick behavior. This work was in collaboration with W. Park, E. Abdel-Rahman, and T. Klein.
Nanocoatings and ultra-thin films technologies and applications
Tiginyanu, Ion
Gives a comprehensive account of the developments of nanocoatings and ultra-thin films. This book covers the fundamentals, processes of deposition and characterisation of nanocoatings, as well as the applications. It is suitable for the glass and glazing, automotive, electronics, aerospace, construction and biomedical industries in particular.$bCoatings are used for a wide range of applications, from anti-fogging coatings for glass through to corrosion control in the aerospace and automotive industries. Nanocoatings and ultra-thin films provides an up-to-date review of the fundamentals, processes of deposition, characterisation and applications of nanocoatings. Part one covers technologies used in the creation and analysis of thin films, including chapters on current and advanced coating technologies in industry, nanostructured thin films from amphiphilic molecules, chemical and physical vapour deposition methods and methods for analysing nanocoatings and ultra-thin films. Part two focuses on the applications...
Thermoluminescence of thin films deposited by laser ablation
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Escobar A, L.; Camps, E.; Arrieta, A.; Romero, S.; Gonzalez, P.R.; Olea M, O.; Diaz E, R.
Materials in thin film form have received great attention in the last few years mainly because of their singular properties, which may differ significantly from their bulk attributes making them attractive for a wide variety of applications. In particular, thermoluminescence (Tl) properties of thin films have been studied recently owing to their potential applications in detection for both ionizing and non ionizing radiation. The aim of the present work is to report the synthesis and characterization of C Nx, aluminum oxide and titanium oxide thin films. Thermoluminescence response of the obtained thin films was studied after subject thin films to UV radiation (254 nm) as well as to gamma radiation (Co-60). Thermoluminescence glow curves exhibited a peak centered at 150 C for CN x whereas for titanium oxide the glow curve shows a maximum peaking at 171 C. Characterization of the physical properties of the deposited materials is presented. (Author)
Infrared analysis of thin films amorphous, hydrogenated carbon on silicon
Jacob, W; Schwarz-Selinger, T
The infrared analysis of thin films on a thick substrate is discussed using the example of plasma-deposited, amorphous, hydrogenated carbon layers (a-C:H) on silicon substrates. The framework for the optical analysis of thin films is presented. The main characteristic of thin film optics is the occurrence of interference effects due to the coherent superposition of light multiply reflected at the various internal and external interfaces of the optical system. These interference effects lead to a sinusoidal variation of the transmitted and reflected intensity. As a consequence, the Lambert-Beer law is not applicable for the determination of the absorption coefficient of thin films. Furthermore, observable changes of the transmission and reflection spectra occur in the vicinity of strong absorption bands due to the Kramers-Kronig relation. For a sound data evaluation these effects have to be included in the analysis. To be able to extract the full information contained in a measured optical thin film spectrum, ...
Thin films and coatings toughening and toughness characterization
Zhang, Sam
Thin Films and Coatings: Toughening and Toughness Characterization captures the latest developments in the toughening of hard coatings and in the measurement of the toughness of thin films and coatings. Featuring chapters contributed by experts from Australia, China, Czech Republic, Poland, Singapore, Spain, and the United Kingdom, this first-of-its-kind book:Presents the current status of hard-yet-tough ceramic coatingsReviews various toughness evaluation methods for films and hard coatingsExplores the toughness and toughening mechanisms of porous thin films and laser-treated surfacesExamines
Room temperature deposition of magnetite thin films on organic substrate
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Arisi, E.; Bergenti, I.; Cavallini, M.; Murgia, M.; Riminucci, A.; Ruani, G.; Dediu, V.
We report on the growth of magnetite films directly on thin layers of organic semiconductors by means of an electron beam ablation method. The deposition was performed at room temperature in a reactive plasma atmosphere. Thin films show ferromagnetic (FM) hysteresis loops and coercive fields of hundreds of Oersted. Micro Raman analysis indicates no presence of spurious phases. The morphology of the magnetite film is strongly influenced by the morphology of the underlayer of the organic semiconductor. These results open the way for the application of magnetite thin films in the field of organic spintronics
Novel photon management for thin-film photovoltaics
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Menon, Rajesh [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)
The objective of this project is to enable commercially viable thin-film photovoltaics whose efficiencies are increased by over 10% using a novel optical spectral-separation technique. A thin planar diffractive optic is proposed that efficiently separates the solar spectrum and assigns these bands to optimal thin-film sub-cells. An integrated device that is comprised of the optical element, an array of sub-cells and associated packaging is proposed.
Patterns and conformations in molecularly thin films
Basnet, Prem B.
Molecularly thin films have been a subject of great interest for the last several years because of their large variety of industrial applications ranging from micro-electronics to bio-medicine. Additionally, molecularly thin films can be used as good models for biomembrane and other systems where surfaces are critical. Many different kinds of molecules can make stable films. My research has considered three such molecules: a polymerizable phospholipid, a bent-core molecules, and a polymer. One common theme of these three molecules is chirality. The phospolipid molecules studied here are strongly chiral, which can be due to intrinsically chiral centers on the molecules and also due to chiral conformations. We find that these molecules give rise to chiral patterns. Bent-core molecules are not intrinsically chiral, but individual molecules and groups of molecules can show chiral structures, which can be changed by surface interactions. One major, unconfirmed hypothesis for the polymer conformation at surface is that it forms helices, which would be chiral. Most experiments were carried out at the air/water interface, in what are called Langmuir films. Our major tools for studying these films are Brewster Angle Microscopy (BAM) coupled with the thermodynamic information that can be deduced from surface pressure isotherms. Phospholipids are one of the important constituents of liposomes -- a spherical vesicle com-posed of a bilayer membrane, typically composed of a phospholipid and cholesterol bilayer. The application of liposomes in drug delivery is well-known. Crumpling of vesicles of polymerizable phospholipids has been observed. With BAM, on Langmuir films of such phospholipids, we see novel spiral/target patterns during compression. We have found that both the patterns and the critical pressure at which they formed depend on temperature (below the transition to a i¬'uid layer). Bent-core liquid crystals, sometimes knows as banana liquid crystals, have drawn
Preparation and optical characterization of DNA-riboflavin thin films
Paulson, Bjorn; Shin, Inchul; Kong, Byungjoo; Sauer, Gregor; Dugasani, Sreekantha Reddy; Khazaeinezhad, Reza; Jung, Woohyun; Joo, Boram; Oh, Kyunghwan
Thin films of DNA biopolymer thin film are fabricated by a drop casting process on glass and silicon substrates, as well as freestanding. The refractive index is measured by elliposmetry and in bulk DNA film the refractive index is shown to be increased in the 600 to 900 nm DNA transparency window by doping with riboflavin. Further analysis with FT-IR, Raman, and XRD are used to determine whether binding between riboflavin and DNA occurs.
Pulsed laser deposition and characterisation of thin superconducting films
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Morone, A. [CNR, zona industriale di Tito Scalo, Potenza (Italy). Istituto per i Materiali Speciali
Same concepts on pulsed laser deposition of thin films will be discussed and same examples of high transition temperature (HTc) BiSrCaCuO (BISCO) and low transition temperature NbN/MgO/NbN multilayers will be presented. X-ray and others characterizations of these films will be reported and discussed. Electrical properties of superconducting thin films will be realized as a function of structural and morphological aspect.
Thin film adhesion by nanoindentation-induced superlayers. Final report
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Gerberich, William W.; Volinsky, A.A.
This work has analyzed the key variables of indentation tip radius, contact radius, delamination radius, residual stress and superlayer/film/interlayer properties on nanoindentation measurements of adhesion. The goal to connect practical works of adhesion for very thin films to true works of adhesion has been achieved. A review of this work titled ''Interfacial toughness measurements of thin metal films,'' which has been submitted to Acta Materialia, is included.
Thin films of mixed metal compounds
Mickelsen, R.A.; Chen, W.S.
Disclosed is a thin film heterojunction solar cell, said heterojunction comprising a p-type I-III-IV[sub 2] chalcopyrite substrate and an overlying layer of an n-type ternary mixed metal compound wherein said ternary mixed metal compound is applied to said substrate by introducing the vapor of a first metal compound to a vessel containing said substrate from a first vapor source while simultaneously introducing a vapor of a second metal compound from a second vapor source of said vessel, said first and second metals comprising the metal components of said mixed metal compound; independently controlling the vaporization rate of said first and second vapor sources; reducing the mean free path between vapor particles in said vessel, said gas being present in an amount sufficient to induce homogeneity of said vapor mixture; and depositing said mixed metal compound on said substrate in the form of a uniform composition polycrystalline mixed metal compound. 5 figs.
Printed Thin Film Transistors: Research from China.
Tong, Sichao; Sun, Jia; Yang, Junliang
Thin film transistors (TFTs) have experienced tremendous development during the past decades and show great potential applications in flat displays, sensors, radio frequency identification tags, logic circuit, and so on. The printed TFTs are the key components for rapid development and commercialization of printed electronics. The researchers in China play important roles to accelerate the development and commercialization of printed TFTs. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the research progress of printed TFTs on rigid and flexible substrates from China. The review will focus on printing techniques of TFTs, printed TFTs components including semiconductors, dielectrics and electrodes, as well as fully-printed TFTs and printed flexible TFTs. Furthermore, perspectives on the remaining challenges and future developments are proposed as well.
Superconducting fluctuations in molybdenum nitride thin films
Baskaran, R.; Thanikai Arasu, A. V.; Amaladass, E. P.; Vaidhyanathan, L. S.; Baisnab, D. K.
MoN thin films have been deposited using reactive sputtering. The change in resistance near superconducting transition temperature at various magnetic fields has been analyzed based on superconducting fluctuations in the system. The Aslamazov and Larkin scaling theory has been utilized to analyze the conductance change. The results indicate that most of the measurements show two dimensional (2D) nature and exhibit scaling behavior at lower magnetic fields (7T). We have also analyzed our data based on the model in which there is no explicit dependence of Tc. These analyses also substantiate a crossover from a 2D nature to a 3D at larger fields. Analysis using lowest Landau level scaling theory for a 2D system exhibit scaling behavior and substantiate our observations. The broadening at low resistance part has been explained based on thermally activated flux flow model and show universal behavior. The dependence of Uo on magnetic field indicates both single and collective vortex behavior.
Review of Zinc Oxide Thin Films
Chemical Properties ZnO occurs as white powder known as zinc white or as the mineral zincite. Zinc oxide is an amphoteric oxide . It is...AFRL-OSR-VA-TR-2015-0044 Review of Zinc Oxide Thin Films Tom Otiti COLLEGE OF COMPUTING AND INFORMATION SCIENCE MAKERERE U Final Report 12/23/2014...COVERED (From - To) 01-07-2011 to 30-06-2014 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE ZINC OXIDE MATERIALS FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC APPLICATIONS 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b
Amperometric noise at thin film band electrodes.
Larsen, Simon T; Heien, Michael L; Taboryski, Rafael
Background current noise is often a significant limitation when using constant-potential amperometry for biosensor application such as amperometric recordings of transmitter release from single cells through exocytosis. In this paper, we fabricated thin-film electrodes of gold and conductive polymers and measured the current noise in physiological buffer solution for a wide range of different electrode areas. The noise measurements could be modeled by an analytical expression, representing the electrochemical cell as a resistor and capacitor in series. The studies revealed three domains; for electrodes with low capacitance, the amplifier noise dominated, for electrodes with large capacitances, the noise from the resistance of the electrochemical cell was dominant, while in the intermediate region, the current noise scaled with electrode capacitance. The experimental results and the model presented here can be used for choosing an electrode material and dimensions and when designing chip-based devices for low-noise current measurements.
Factors influencing formation of highly dispersed BaTiO3 nanospheres with uniform sizes in static hydrothermal synthesis
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Gao, Jiabing; Shi, Haiyue; Dong, Huina; Zhang, Rui; Chen, Deliang
Highly dispersed BaTiO 3 nanospheres with uniform sizes have important applications in micro/nanoscale functional devices. To achieve well-dispersed spherical BaTiO 3 nanocrystals, we carried out as reported in this paper the systematic investigation on the factors that influence the formation of BaTiO 3 nanospheres by the static hydrothermal process, including the NaOH concentrations [NaOH], molar Ba/Ti ratios (R Ba/Ti ), hydrothermal temperatures, and durations, with an emphasis on understanding the related mechanisms. Barium nitrate and TiO 2 sols derived from tetrabutyl titanate were used as the starting materials. The as-synthesized BaTiO 3 samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, thermogravimetry, differential thermal analysis, and FT-IR spectra. The highly dispersed BaTiO 3 nanospheres (76 ± 13 nm) were achieved under the optimum hydrothermal conditions at 200 °C for 10 h: [NaOH] = 2.0 mol L −1 and R Ba/Ti = 1.5. Higher NaOH concentrations, higher Ba/Ti ratios, higher hydrothermal temperatures, and longer hydrothermal durations are favorable in forming BaTiO 3 nanospheres with larger fractions of tetragonal phase and higher yields; but too long hydrothermal durations resulted in abnormal growth and reduced the uniformity in particle sizes. The possible formation mechanisms for BaTiO 3 nanocrystals under the static hydrothermal conditions were investigated
Optical properties of aluminum oxide thin films and colloidal nanostructures
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Koushki, E.; Mousavi, S.H.; Jafari Mohammadi, S.A.; Majles Ara, M.H.; Oliveira, P.W. de
In this work, we prepared thin films of aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ) with different thicknesses, using a wet chemical process. The Al 2 O 3 nanoparticles with an average size of 40 nm were dispersed in water and deposited on soda glass substrates. The morphology of the resulting thin films was characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy. The optical properties of the thin films were studied by measuring reflectance and transmittance. A theoretical description of the reflection and transmission mechanism of the films was developed by measuring the thickness and spectral behavior of the refractive index. Numerical evaluations were used for modeling the optical spectra of the thin films of alumina. By fitting numerical curves to the experimental data, the extinction coefficient and refractive index were obtained. The dielectric constant and optical properties of the colloidal solution of the particles were also studied. - Highlights: • Optical properties of alumina thin films and nanocolloids were investigated. • New theoretical depiction of transmission and reflection from the thin films was evaluated. • Interference in reflection from thin films was studied. • Real and imaginary parts of the dielectric constant for alumina nanoparticles were calculated. • Using a novel method, evaluation of optical dispersion and UV–visible absorption were performed.
Optical properties of aluminum oxide thin films and colloidal nanostructures
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Koushki, E., E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com [Photonics Laboratory, Physics Faculty, Kharazmi University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Physics Department, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Mousavi, S.H. [INM—Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Campus D2 2, 66123 Saarbrücken (Germany); Jafari Mohammadi, S.A. [INM—Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Campus D2 2, 66123 Saarbrücken (Germany); Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Islamshahr Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Majles Ara, M.H. [Photonics Laboratory, Physics Faculty, Kharazmi University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Oliveira, P.W. de [INM—Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Campus D2 2, 66123 Saarbrücken (Germany)
In this work, we prepared thin films of aluminum oxide (Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}) with different thicknesses, using a wet chemical process. The Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles with an average size of 40 nm were dispersed in water and deposited on soda glass substrates. The morphology of the resulting thin films was characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy. The optical properties of the thin films were studied by measuring reflectance and transmittance. A theoretical description of the reflection and transmission mechanism of the films was developed by measuring the thickness and spectral behavior of the refractive index. Numerical evaluations were used for modeling the optical spectra of the thin films of alumina. By fitting numerical curves to the experimental data, the extinction coefficient and refractive index were obtained. The dielectric constant and optical properties of the colloidal solution of the particles were also studied. - Highlights: • Optical properties of alumina thin films and nanocolloids were investigated. • New theoretical depiction of transmission and reflection from the thin films was evaluated. • Interference in reflection from thin films was studied. • Real and imaginary parts of the dielectric constant for alumina nanoparticles were calculated. • Using a novel method, evaluation of optical dispersion and UV–visible absorption were performed.
Thin Film Approaches to the SRF Cavity Problem Fabrication and Characterization of Superconducting Thin Films
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Beringer, Douglas [College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA (United States)
Superconducting Radio Frequency (SRF) cavities are responsible for the acceleration of charged particles to relativistic velocities in most modern linear accelerators, such as those employed at high-energy research facilities like Thomas Jefferson National Laboratory's CEBAF and the LHC at CERN. Recognizing SRF as primarily a surface phenomenon enables the possibility of applying thin films to the interior surface of SRF cavities, opening a formidable tool chest of opportunities by combining and designing materials that offer greater performance benefit. Thus, while improvements in radio frequency cavity design and refinements in cavity processing techniques have improved accelerator performance and efficiency – 1.5 GHz bulk niobium SRF cavities have achieved accelerating gradients in excess of 35 MV/m – there exist fundamental material bounds in bulk superconductors limiting the maximally sustained accelerating field gradient (≈ 45 MV/m for Nb) where inevitable thermodynamic breakdown occurs. With state of the art Nb based cavity design fast approaching these theoretical limits, novel material innovations must be sought in order to realize next generation SRF cavities. One proposed method to improve SRF performance is to utilize thin film superconducting-insulating-superconducting (SIS) multilayer structures to effectively magnetically screen a bulk superconducting layer such that it can operate at higher field gradients before suffering critically detrimental SRF losses. This dissertation focuses on the production and characterization of thin film superconductors for such SIS layers for radio frequency applications. Correlated studies on structure, surface morphology and superconducting properties of epitaxial Nb and MgB2 thin films are presented.
Glass transition and thermal expansivity of polystyrene thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Inoue, R.; Kanaya, T.; Miyazaki, T.; Nishida, K.; Tsukushi, I.; Shibata, K.
We have studied glass transition temperature and thermal expansivity of polystyrene thin films supported on silicon substrate using X-ray reflectivity and inelastic neutron scattering techniques. In annealing experiments, we have found that the reported apparent negative expansivity of polymer thin films is caused by unrelaxed structure due to insufficient annealing. Using well-annealed films, we have evaluated glass transition temperature T g and thermal expansivity as a function of film thickness. The glass transition temperature decreases with film thickness and is constant below about 10 nm, suggesting the surface glass transition temperature of 355 K, which is lower than that in bulk. We have also found that the thermal expansivity in the glassy state decreases with film thickness even after annealing. The decrease has been attributed to hardening of harmonic force constant arising from chain confinement in a thin film. This idea has been confirmed in the inelastic neutron scattering measurements
Glass transition and thermal expansivity of polystyrene thin films
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Inoue, R. [Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto-fu 611-0011 (Japan); Kanaya, T. [Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto-fu 611-0011 (Japan)]. E-mail: email@example.com; Miyazaki, T. [Nitto Denko Corporation, 1-1-2 Shimohozumi, Ibaraki, Osaka-fu 567-8680 (Japan); Nishida, K. [Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto-fu 611-0011 (Japan); Tsukushi, I. [Chiba Institute of Technology, Narashino, Chiba-ken 275-0023 (Japan); Shibata, K. [Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute, Tokai, Ibaraki-ken 319-1195 (Japan)
We have studied glass transition temperature and thermal expansivity of polystyrene thin films supported on silicon substrate using X-ray reflectivity and inelastic neutron scattering techniques. In annealing experiments, we have found that the reported apparent negative expansivity of polymer thin films is caused by unrelaxed structure due to insufficient annealing. Using well-annealed films, we have evaluated glass transition temperature T {sub g} and thermal expansivity as a function of film thickness. The glass transition temperature decreases with film thickness and is constant below about 10 nm, suggesting the surface glass transition temperature of 355 K, which is lower than that in bulk. We have also found that the thermal expansivity in the glassy state decreases with film thickness even after annealing. The decrease has been attributed to hardening of harmonic force constant arising from chain confinement in a thin film. This idea has been confirmed in the inelastic neutron scattering measurements.
Sensing of volatile organic compounds by copper phthalocyanine thin films
Ridhi, R.; Saini, G. S. S.; Tripathi, S. K.
Thin films of copper phthalocyanine have been deposited by thermal evaporation technique. We have subsequently exposed these films to the vapours of methanol, ethanol and propanol. Optical absorption, infrared spectra and electrical conductivities of these films before and after exposure to chemical vapours have been recorded in order to study their sensing mechanisms towards organic vapours. These films exhibit maximum sensing response to methanol while low sensitivities of the films towards ethanol and propanol have been observed. The changes in sensitivities have been correlated with presence of carbon groups in the chemical vapours. The effect of different types of electrodes on response-recovery times of the thin film with organic vapours has been studied and compared. The electrodes gap distance affects the sensitivity as well as response-recovery time values of the thin films.
Thin film characterization by resonantly excited internal standing waves
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Di Fonzio, S. [SINCROTRONE TRIESTE, Trieste (Italy)
This contribution describes how a standing wave excited in a thin film can be used for the characterization of the properties of the film. By means of grazing incidence X-ray reflectometry one can deduce the total film thickness. On the other hand in making use of a strong resonance effect in the electric field intensity distribution inside a thin film on a bulk substrate one can learn more about the internal structure of the film. The profile of the internal standing wave is proven by diffraction experiments. The most appropriate non-destructive technique for the subsequent thin film characterization is angularly dependent X-ray fluorescence analysis. The existence of the resonance makes it a powerful tool for the detection of impurities and of ultra-thin maker layers, for which the position can be determined with very high precision (about 1% of the total film thickness). This latter aspect will be discussed here on samples which had a thin Ti marker layer at different positions in a carbon film. Due to the resonance enhancement it was still possible to perform these experiments with a standard laboratory x-ray tube and with standard laboratory tool for marker or impurity detection in thin films.
Dip-coated hydrotungstite thin films as humidity sensors
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
Thin films of a hydrated phase of tungsten oxide, viz. hydrotungstite, have been prepared on glass substrates by dip-coating method using ammonium tungstate precursor solution. X-ray diffraction shows the films to have a strong -axis orientation. The resistance of the films is observed to be sensitive to the humidity content ...
Electrical Conductivity of CUXS Thin Film Deposited by Chemical ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Thin films of CuxS have successfully been deposited on glass substrates using the Chemical Bath Deposition (CBD) technique. The films were then investigated for their electrical properties. The results showed that the electrical conductivities of the CuxS films with different molarities (n) of thiourea (Tu), determined using ...
Strain-induced properties of epitaxial VOx thin films
Rata, AD; Hibma, T
We have grown VOx thin films on different substrates in order to investigate the influence of epitaxial strain on the transport properties. We found that the electric conductivity is much larger for films grown under compressive strain on SrTiO3 substrates, as compared to bulk material and VOx films
Thin-film cryogenic resistors from aluminium alloys
Tadros, N. N.; Holdeman, L. B.
The temperature dependence of the resistances of thin films sputtered from three commercially available aluminium alloys (5052, 5086, 5456) has been measured in the temperature range 1.5-4.2 K. The 5052-alloy films had a positive temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) throughout this temperature range, whereas films of the other two alloys had a negative TCR.
OPTIMISATION OF SPRAY DEPOSITED Sno2 THIN FILM FOR ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Dr Obe
Sep 1, 1987 ... ABSTRACT. The use of conducting tin-oxide (SnO2 ) films for fabrication of solar cell is becoming increasingly important because of reasonably high efficiency and ease in fabrication. The role of the thin-oxide film is very critical for high efficiency. Resistivity, thickness and transmittance of the film should be ...
Thin Film Approaches to the SRF Cavity Problem: Fabrication and Characterization of Superconducting Thin Films
Beringer, Douglas B.
Superconducting Radio Frequency (SRF) cavities are responsible for the acceleration of charged particles to relativistic velocities in most modern linear accelerators, such as those employed at high-energy research facilities like Thomas Jefferson National Laboratory's CEBAF and the LHC at CERN. Recognizing SRF as primarily a surface phenomenon enables the possibility of applying thin films to the interior surface of SRF cavities, opening a formidable tool chest of opportunities by combining and designing materials that offer greater benefit. Thus, while improvements in radio frequency cavity design and refinements in cavity processing techniques have improved accelerator performance and efficiency - 1.5 GHz bulk niobium SRF cavities have achieved accelerating gradients in excess of 35 MV/m - there exist fundamental material bounds in bulk superconductors limiting the maximally sustained accelerating field gradient (approximately 45 MV/m for Niobium) where inevitable thermodynamic breakdown occurs. With state of the art niobium based cavity design fast approaching these theoretical limits, novel material innovations must be sought in order to realize next generation SRF cavities. One proposed method to improve SRF performance is to utilize thin film superconducting-insulating-superconducting (SIS) multilayer structures to effectively magnetically screen a bulk superconducting layer such that it can operate at higher field gradients before suffering critically detrimental SRF losses. This dissertation focuses on the production and characterization of thin film superconductors for such SIS layers for radio-frequency applications.
Photoinduced conductivity in tin dioxide thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Muraoka, Y.; Takubo, N.; Hiroi, Z.
The effects of ultraviolet light irradiation on the conducting properties of SnO 2-x thin films grown epitaxially on TiO 2 or Al 2 O 3 single-crystal substrates are studied at room temperature. A large increase in conductivity by two to four orders of magnitude is observed with light irradiation in an inert atmosphere and remains after the light is removed. The high-conducting state reverts to the original low-conducting state by exposing it to oxygen gas. These reversible phenomena are ascribed to the desorption and adsorption of negatively charged oxygen species at the grain boundaries, which critically change the mobility of electron carriers already present inside grains by changing the potential barrier height at the grain boundary. The UV light irradiation provides us with an easy and useful route to achieve a high-conducting state even at low carrier density in transparent conducting oxides and also to draw an invisible conducting wire or a specific pattern on an insulating film.
Electrodeposition of thin Pd-Ag films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hasler, P.; Allmendinger, T.
Thin Pd-Ag layers were electroplated preferably on brass and on nickel substrates using a two-compartment cell separated by an anion exchange membrane. The weakly alkaline electrolyte contained glycine-glycinate as the major complexing agents. The plating experiments were usually carried out without stirring, at different potentials and temperatures and in the absence or in the presence of sodium benzaldehyde-2,4-disulphonate (BDS). The samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy. Their compositions were determined analytically by the inductively coupled plasma technique. In addition, the film porosity was tested. Electrodeposition in almost limiting current conditions for both components and without simultaneous hydrogen evolution led to deposits with compositions being in good agreement with the molar metal ratio in the electrolyte (77:23). The best results were achieved between 0 and -50 mV with respect to a reversible hydrogen electrode at 0 C in the presence of BDS. These deposits were bright, had good adherence and exhibited no pores at a film thickness of 1.2 μm. At too negative potentials, the deposits became black and powdery. (orig.)
Polymer Based Thin Film Screen Preparation Technique
Valais, I.; Michail, C.; Fountzoula, C.; Fountos, G.; Saatsakis, G.; Karabotsos, A.; Panayiotakis, G. S.; Kandarakis, I.
Phosphor screens, mainly prepared by electrophoresis, demonstrate brightness equal to the standard sedimentation on glass or quartz substrate process and are capable of very high resolution. Nevertheless, they are very fragile, the shape of the screen is limited to the substrate shape and in order to achieve adequate surface density for application in medical imaging, a significant quantity of the phosphor will be lost. Fluorescent films prepared by the dispersion of phosphor particles into a polymer matrix could solve the above disadvantages. The aim of this study is to enhance the stability of phosphor screens via the incorporation of phosphor particles into a PMMA (PolyMethyl MethAcrylate) matrix. PMMA is widely used as a plastic optical fiber, it shows almost nearly no dispersion effects and it is transparent in the whole visible spectral range. Different concentrations of PMMA in MMA (Methyl Methacrylate) were examined and a 37.5 % w/w solution was used for the preparation of the thin polymer film, since optical quality characteristics were found to depend on PMMA in MMA concentration. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images of the polymer screens demonstrated high packing density and uniform distribution of the phosphor particles. This method could be potentially used for phosphor screen preparation of any size and shape.
Electroluminescence of doped organic thin films
Tang, C. W.; VanSlyke, S. A.; Chen, C. H.
Electroluminescent (EL) devices are constructed using multilayer organic thin films. The basic structure consists of a hole-transport layer and a luminescent layer. The hole-transport layer is an amorphous diamine film in which the only mobile carrier is the hole. The luminescent layer consists of a host material, 8-hydroxyquinoline aluminum (Alq), which predominantly transports electrons. High radiance has been achieved at an operating voltage of less than 10 V. By doping the Alq layer with highly fluorescent molecules, the EL efficiency has been improved by about a factor of 2 in comparison with the undoped cell. Representative dopants are coumarins and DCMs. The EL quantum efficiency of the doped system is about 2.5%, photon/electron. The EL colors can be readily tuned from the blue-green to orange-red by a suitable choice of dopants as well as by changing the concentration of the dopant. In the doped system the electron-hole recombination and emission zones can be confined to about 50 Å near the hole-transport interface. In the undoped Alq, the EL emission zone is considerably larger due to exciton diffusion. The multilayer doped EL structure offers a simple means for the direct determination of exciton diffusion length.
Subtractive fabrication of ferroelectric thin films with precisely controlled thickness
Ievlev, Anton V.; Chyasnavichyus, Marius; Leonard, Donovan N.; Agar, Joshua C.; Velarde, Gabriel A.; Martin, Lane W.; Kalinin, Sergei V.; Maksymovych, Petro; Ovchinnikova, Olga S.
The ability to control thin-film growth has led to advances in our understanding of fundamental physics as well as to the emergence of novel technologies. However, common thin-film growth techniques introduce a number of limitations related to the concentration of defects on film interfaces and surfaces that limit the scope of systems that can be produced and studied experimentally. Here, we developed an ion-beam based subtractive fabrication process that enables creation and modification of thin films with pre-defined thicknesses. To accomplish this we transformed a multimodal imaging platform that combines time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry with atomic force microscopy to a unique fabrication tool that allows for precise sputtering of the nanometer-thin layers of material. To demonstrate fabrication of thin-films with in situ feedback and control on film thickness and functionality we systematically studied thickness dependence of ferroelectric switching of lead-zirconate-titanate, within a single epitaxial film. Our results demonstrate that through a subtractive film fabrication process we can control the piezoelectric response as a function of film thickness as well as improve on the overall piezoelectric response versus an untreated film.
Decorating TiO2 Nanowires with BaTiO3 Nanoparticles: A New Approach Leading to Substantially Enhanced Energy Storage Capability of High-k Polymer Nanocomposites.
Kang, Da; Wang, Guanyao; Huang, Yanhui; Jiang, Pingkai; Huang, Xingyi
The urgent demand of high energy density and high power density devices has triggered significant interest in high dielectric constant (high-k) flexible nanocomposites comprising dielectric polymer and high-k inorganic nanofiller. However, the large electrical mismatch between polymer and nanofiller usually leads to earlier electric failure of the nanocomposites, resulting in an undesirable decrease of electrical energy storage capability. A few studies show that the introduction of moderate-k shell onto a high-k nanofiller surface can decrease the dielectric constant mismatch, and thus, the corresponding nanocomposites can withstand high electric field. Unfortunately, the low apparent dielectric enhancement of the nanocomposites and high electrical conductivity mismatch between matrix and nanofiller still result in low energy density and low efficiency. In this study, it is demonstrated that encapsulating moderate-k nanofiller with high-k but low electrical conductivity shell is effective to significantly enhance the energy storage capability of dielectric polymer nanocomposites. Specifically, using BaTiO 3 nanoparticles encapsulated TiO 2 (BaTiO 3 @TiO 2 ) core-shell nanowires as filler, the corresponding poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropylene) nanocomposites exhibit superior energy storage capability in comparison with the nanocomposites filled by either BaTiO 3 or TiO 2 nanowires. The nanocomposite film with 5 wt % BaTiO 3 @TiO 2 nanowires possesses an ultrahigh discharged energy density of 9.95 J cm -3 at 500 MV m -1 , much higher than that of commercial biaxial-oriented polypropylene (BOPP) (3.56 J cm -3 at 600 MV m -1 ). This new strategy and corresponding results presented here provide new insights into the design of dielectric polymer nanocomposites with high electrical energy storage capability.
Electron field emission from amorphous semiconductor thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Forrest, R.D.
The flat panel display market requires new and improved technologies in order to keep up with the requirements of modem lifestyles. Electron field emission from thin film amorphous semiconductors is potentially such a technology. For this technology to become viable, improvements in the field emitting properties of these materials must be achieved. To this end, it is important that a better understanding of the emission mechanisms responsible is attained. Amorphous carbon thin films, amorphous silicon thin films and other materials have been deposited, in-house and externally. These materials have been characterised using ellipsometry, profilometry, optical absorption, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy. An experimental system for evaluating the electron field emitting performance of thin films has been developed. In the process of developing thin film cathodes in this study, it has been possible to add a new and potentially more useful semiconductor, namely amorphous silicon, to the family of cold cathode emitters. Extensive experimental field emission data from amorphous carbon thin films, amorphous silicon thin films and other materials has been gathered. This data has been used to determine the mechanisms responsible for the observed electron emission. Preliminary computer simulations using appropriate values for the different material properties have exhibited emission mechanisms similar to those identified by experiment. (author)
Plasma polymerised thin films for flexible electronic applications
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Jacob, Mohan V.; Olsen, Natalie S.; Anderson, Liam J.; Bazaka, Kateryna; Shanks, Robert A.
The significant advancement and growth of organic and flexible electronic applications demand materials with enhanced properties. This paper reports the fabrication of a nonsynthetic polymer thin film using radio frequency plasma polymerisation of 3,7-dimethyl-1,6-octadien-3-ol. The fabricated optically transparent thin film exhibited refractive index of approximately 1.55 at 500 nm and rate of deposition was estimated to be 40 nm/min. The surface morphology and chemical properties of the thin films were also reported in this paper. The optical band gap of the material is around 2.8 eV. The force of adhesion and Young's modulus of the linalool polymer thin films were measured using force-displacement curves obtained from a scanning probe microscope. The friction coefficient of linalool polymer thin films was measured using the nanoscratch test. The calculated Young's modulus increased linearly with increase in input power while the friction coefficient decreased. - Highlights: • Fabrication of a novel polymer thin film from non-synthetic source • The surface, optical and chemical properties are reported. • The fabricated thin film is transparent and smooth. • An environmentally friendly material • Candidate for flexible electronics as dielectric layer or as an encapsulation layer
Plasma polymerised thin films for flexible electronic applications
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Jacob, Mohan V., E-mail: email@example.com [Electronic Materials Research Lab, School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville 4811 (Australia); Olsen, Natalie S.; Anderson, Liam J.; Bazaka, Kateryna [Electronic Materials Research Lab, School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville 4811 (Australia); Shanks, Robert A. [Applied Sciences, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476V, Melbourne 3001 (Australia)
The significant advancement and growth of organic and flexible electronic applications demand materials with enhanced properties. This paper reports the fabrication of a nonsynthetic polymer thin film using radio frequency plasma polymerisation of 3,7-dimethyl-1,6-octadien-3-ol. The fabricated optically transparent thin film exhibited refractive index of approximately 1.55 at 500 nm and rate of deposition was estimated to be 40 nm/min. The surface morphology and chemical properties of the thin films were also reported in this paper. The optical band gap of the material is around 2.8 eV. The force of adhesion and Young's modulus of the linalool polymer thin films were measured using force-displacement curves obtained from a scanning probe microscope. The friction coefficient of linalool polymer thin films was measured using the nanoscratch test. The calculated Young's modulus increased linearly with increase in input power while the friction coefficient decreased. - Highlights: • Fabrication of a novel polymer thin film from non-synthetic source • The surface, optical and chemical properties are reported. • The fabricated thin film is transparent and smooth. • An environmentally friendly material • Candidate for flexible electronics as dielectric layer or as an encapsulation layer.
Thin Film Evaporation of Receding Meniscus within Micro Pillar Arrays
Alhosani, Mohamed H.; Alsheghri, Ammar A.; Alghaferi, Amal; Zhang, Tiejun
Evaporation is a key process in power generation, water desalination, and thermal management applications. It has been proved that hydrophilic micro structured surfaces can enhance the convection heat transfer by promoting high-performance thin film evaporation and enlarging the total heat transfer surface area. When depositing a water droplet on hydrophilic structured surfaces, two distinct regions can be observed, a) central region with water level higher than the micro pillar height (droplet region), b) thin film region as a result of liquid meniscus receding among micro structures. In this study, we are able to probe the physics of thin film evaporation of receding liquid meniscus among micro pillar arrays with different pillar heights, spacings and diameters. Heat transfer is systematically studied in the droplet and thin film region for each sample. Also, Young-Laplace equation and kinetic theory of mass transport are used to model the thin film evaporation around micro pillars. With the proposed model, the shape of meniscus around micro pillars and the diameter of droplet/extended thin film region can be predicted and compared with the experimental measurement. The model can also be extended to model thin film evaporation of meniscus within nano structured surfaces. Supported by cooperative agreement between Masdar Inst and MIT.
Resistivity of thiol-modified gold thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Correa-Puerta, Jonathan; Del Campo, Valeria; Henríquez, Ricardo; Häberle, Patricio
In this work, we study the effect of thiol self assembled monolayers on the electrical resistivity of metallic thin films. The analysis is based on the Fuchs–Sondheimer–Lucas theory and on electrical transport measurements. We determined resistivity change due to dodecanethiol adsorption on gold thin films. For this purpose, we controlled the deposition and annealing temperatures of the films to change the surface topography and to diminish the effect of electron grain boundary scattering. Results show that the electrical response to the absorption of thiols strongly depends on the initial topography of the surface. - Highlights: • We study the effect of self assembled monolayers on the resistivity of thin films. • Fuchs–Sondheimer theory reproduces the resistivity increase due to thiol deposition. • We determined resistivity change due to dodecanethiol deposition on gold thin films. • The electrical response strongly depends on the substrate surface topography
High piezoelectric BaTiO3 nanorod bundle arrays using epitaxially grown TiO2 nanomaterials.
Jang, Seon-Min; Yang, Su Chul
Low-dimensional piezoelectric nanostructures such as nanoparticles, nanotubes, nanowires, nanoribbons and nanosheets have been developed for potential applications of energy harvesters, tunable sensors, functional transducers and low-power actuators. In this study, lead-free BaTiO3 Nanorod Bundle Arrays (NBA) for high piezoelectric property were successfully synthesized on Fluorine-doped Tin Oxide (FTO) substrate via two-step process, consisting of TiO2 epitaxial growth and BaTiO3 conversion. Through the TiO2 epitaxial growth on FTO substrate, (001) oriented TiO2 nanostructures were formed vertically-aligned NBA with bundle diameter of 80 nm and aspect ratio of 6. In particular, chemical etching of TiO2 NBA was conducted to enlarge surface area for effective Ba2+ ion diffusion during perovskite conversion process from TiO2 to BaTiO3. Final structure of perovskite BaTiO3 NBA was found to exhibit feasible piezoelectric response of 3.56 nm with clear phase change of 180o from single BaTiO3 bundle by point Piezoelectric Forced Microscopy (PFM) analysis. Consequently, high piezoelectric NBA can be a promising nanostructure for various nano-scale electronic devices. © 2018 IOP Publishing Ltd.
Development of Flexible Electrochromic Device with Thin-Film Configuration
Yoshimura, Hideo; Sakaguchi, Tomonori; Koshida, Nobuyoshi
As we reported previously, the carrier accumulation mechanism is very useful for obtaining a quick-response electrochromic (EC) device with the inorganic-thin-film configuration. To confirm the availability of this concept for flexible substrates, the EC device has been fabricated on a polymeric film. The device is composed of a top semitransparent electrode, an electrolytic thin Ta2O5 film, a very thin SiO2 film, a thin amorphous WO3 film, and an indium-tin-oxide-coated poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) film. The experimental results show that the insertion of thin SiO2 film significantly accelerates the EC coloration as in the case of glass substrates. In accordance with cyclic voltammogram analyses, the enhanced EC kinetics is associated with an increased EC efficiency owing to the carrier accumulation effect of thin SiO2 film. The present result is potentially useful for development of flexible paper-like EC display devices and simple optical control systems.
Multifunctional Parylene-C Microfibrous Thin Films
Chindam, Chandraprakash
Towards sustainable development, multifunctional products have many advantageous over single-function products: reduction in number of parts, raw material, assembly time, and cost involved in a product's life cycle. My goal for this thesis was to demonstrate the multifunctionalities of Parylene-C microfibrous thin films. To achieve this goal, I chose Parylene C, a polymer, because the fabrication of periodic mediums of Parylene C in the form of microfibrous thin films (muFTFs) was already established. A muFTFs is a parallel arrangement of identical micrometer-sized fibers of shapes cylindrical, chevronic, or helical. Furthermore, Parylene C had three existing functions: in medical-device industries as corrosion-resistive coatings, in electronic industries as electrically insulating coatings, and in biomedical research for tissue-culture substrates. As the functionalities of a material are dependent on the microstructure and physical properties, the investigation made for this thesis was two-fold: (1) Experimentally, I determined the wetting, mechanical, and dielectric properties of columnar muFTFs and examined the microstructural and molecular differences between bulk films and muFTFs. (2) Using physical properties of bulk film, I computationally determined the elastodynamic and determined the electromagnetic filtering capabilities of Parylene-C muFTFs. Several columnar muFTFs of Parylene C were fabricated by varying the monomer deposition angle. Following are the significant experimental findings: 1. Molecular and microstructural characteristics: The dependence of the microfiber inclination angle on the monomer deposition angle was classified into four regimes of two different types. X-ray diffraction experiments indicated that the columnar muFTFs contain three crystal planes not evident in bulk Parylene-C films and that the columnar muFTFs are less crystalline than bulk films. Infrared absorbance spectra revealed that the atomic bonding is the same in all
Fabrication and Film Qualification of Sr Modified Pb(Ca) TiO3 Thin Films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Naw Hla Myat San; Khin Aye Thwe; Than Than Win; Yin Maung Maung; Ko Ko Kyaw Soe
Strontium and calcium - modified lead titanate (Pb0.7 Ca0.15 Sr0.15 ) TiO3 (PCST)thin films were prepared by using spin coating technique. Phase transition of PCST was interpreted by means of Er-T characteristics. Process temperature dependence on micro-structure of PCST film was studied. Charge conduction mechanism of PCST thin film was also investigated for film qualification.
Molecular simulation of freestanding amorphous nickel thin films
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Dong, T.Q. [Université Paris-Est, Laboratoire Modélisation et Simulation Multi Echelle, UMR 8208 CNRS, 5 Boulevard Descartes, 77454 Marne-la-Vallée, Cedex 2 (France); Hoang, V.V., E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com [Department of Physics, Institute of Technology, National University of Ho Chi Minh City, 268 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City (Viet Nam); Lauriat, G. [Université Paris-Est, Laboratoire Modélisation et Simulation Multi Echelle, UMR 8208 CNRS, 5 Boulevard Descartes, 77454 Marne-la-Vallée, Cedex 2 (France)
Size effects on glass formation in freestanding Ni thin films have been studied via molecular dynamics simulation with the n-body Gupta interatomic potential. Atomic mechanism of glass formation in the films is determined via analysis of the spatio-temporal arrangements of solid-like atoms occurred upon cooling from the melt. Solid-like atoms are detected via the Lindemann ratio. We find that solid-like atoms initiate and grow mainly in the interior of the film and grow outward. Their number increases with decreasing temperature and at a glass transition temperature they dominate in the system to form a relatively rigid glassy state of a thin film shape. We find the existence of a mobile surface layer in both liquid and glassy states which can play an important role in various surface properties of amorphous Ni thin films. We find that glass formation is size independent for models containing 4000 to 108,000 atoms. Moreover, structure of amorphous Ni thin films has been studied in details via coordination number, Honeycutt–Andersen analysis, and density profile which reveal that amorphous thin films exhibit two different parts: interior and surface layer. The former exhibits almost the same structure like that found for the bulk while the latter behaves a more porous structure containing a large amount of undercoordinated sites which are the origin of various surface behaviors of the amorphous Ni or Ni-based thin films found in practice. - Highlights: • Glass formation is analyzed via spatio-temporal arrangements of solid-like atoms. • Amorphous Ni thin film exhibits two different parts: surface and interior. • Mobile surface layer enhances various surface properties of the amorphous Ni thin films. • Undercoordinated sites play an important role in various surface activities.
Structural and electrical properties of Barium Titanate (BaTiO3) and Neodymium doped BaTiO3 (Ba0.995Nd0.005TiO3)
Sulong, Tuan Amirah Tuan; Aina Maulat Osman, Rozana; Sobri Idris, Mohd; Azhar Zahid Jamal, Zul
Barium titanate (BaTiO3) and Neodymium (Nd) doped BaTiO3 with composition Ba0.995Nd0.005TiO3 were prepared using conventional solid state reaction method to study the dielectric properties of materials. Pure phase samples were found at final heating temperature of 1400°C for overnight. X-ray diffraction analysis reveals the changes in the lattice parameter and unit cell volume of the pure perovskite tetragonal structure with space group (P4mm). Electrical analysis is carried out to investigate the dielectric properties, conductivity behaviour and dielectric loss of BaTiO3 and Ba0.995Nd0.005TiO3. Ba0.995Nd0.005TiO3 have a broaden dielectric peaks with high permittivity of 8000 and reasonably low loss tan δ which is about 0.004 (1 kHz).
Nanoscale phenomena in ferroelectric thin films
Ganpule, Chandan S.
Ferroelectric materials are a subject of intense research as potential candidates for applications in non-volatile ferroelectric random access memories (FeRAM), piezoelectric actuators, infrared detectors, optical switches and as high dielectric constant materials for dynamic random access memories (DRAMs). With current trends in miniaturization, it becomes important that the fundamental aspects of scaling of ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties in these devices be studied thoroughly and their impact on the device reliability assessed. In keeping with this spirit of miniaturization, the dissertation has two broad themes: (a) Scaling of ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties and (b) The key reliability issue of retention loss. The thesis begins with a look at results on scaling studies of focused-ion-beam milled submicron ferroelectric capacitors using a variety of scanning probe characterization tools. The technique of piezoresponse microscopy, which is rapidly becoming an accepted form of domain imaging in ferroelectrics, has been used in this work for another very important application: providing reliable, repeatable and quantitative numbers for the electromechanical properties of submicron structures milled in ferroelectric films. This marriage of FIB and SPM based characterization of electromechanical and electrical properties has proven unbeatable in the last few years to characterize nanostructures qualitatively and quantitatively. The second half of this dissertation focuses on polarization relaxation in FeRAMs. In an attempt to understand the nanoscale origins of back-switching of ferroelectric domains, the time dependent relaxation of remnant polarization in epitaxial lead zirconate titanate (PbZr0.2Ti0.8O 3, PZT) ferroelectric thin films (used as a model system), containing a uniform 2-dimensional grid of 90° domains (c-axis in the plane of the film) has been examined using voltage modulated scanning force microscopy. A novel approach of
Stability of tetraphenyl butadiene thin films in liquid xenon
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Sanguino, P.; Balau, F.; Botelho do Rego, A.M.; Pereira, A.; Chepel, V.
Tetraphenyl butadiene (TPB) is widely used in particle detectors as a wavelength shifter. In this work we studied the stability of TPB thin films when immersed in liquid xenon (LXe). The thin films were deposited on glass and quartz substrates by thermal evaporation. Morphological and chemical surface properties were monitored before and after immersion into LXe by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. No appreciable changes have been detected with these two methods. Grain size and surface chemical composition were found to be identical before and after submersion into LXe. However, the film thickness, measured via optical transmission in the ultraviolet–visible wavelength regions, decreased by 1.6 μg/cm 2 (24%) after immersion in LXe during 20 h. These results suggest the necessity of using a protective thin film over the Tetraphenyl butadiene when used as a wavelength shifter in LXe particle detectors. - Highlights: • Stability of tetraphenyl butadiene (TPB) thin films immersed in liquid xenon (LXe). • Thermally evaporated TPB thin films were immersed in LXe for 20 h. • Film morphology and chemical surface properties remained unchanged. • Surface density of the films decreased by 1.6 μg/cm 2 (24%) after immersion in LXe. • For using in LXe particle detectors, TPB films should be protected with a coating.
Buckling of Thin Films in Nano-Scale
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Li L.A.
Full Text Available Investigation of thin film buckling is important for life prediction of MEMS device which are damaged mainly by the delamination and buckling of thin films. In this paper the mechanical and thermal properties of compressed thin film titanium films with 150 nm thickness deposited on an organic glass substrate under mechanical and thermal loads were measured and characterized. In order to simulate the thin films which subjected to compound loads and the buckle modes the external uniaxial compression and thermal loading were subjected to the specimen by the symmetric loading device and the electrical film in this experiment. The temperature of the thin film deposited on substrate was measured using thermoelectric couple. The range of temperature accords with the temperature range of the MEMS. It is found that the size and number of the delamination and buckling of the film are depended upon the pre-fixed mechanical loading and thermal temperature. The thermal transient conduction and thermal stability of the film and substrate was studied with finite element method.
Buckling of Thin Films in Nano-Scale
Wang, S.; Jia, H. K.; Sun, J.; Ren, X. N.; Li, L. A.
Investigation of thin film buckling is important for life prediction of MEMS device which are damaged mainly by the delamination and buckling of thin films. In this paper the mechanical and thermal properties of compressed thin film titanium films with 150 nm thickness deposited on an organic glass substrate under mechanical and thermal loads were measured and characterized. In order to simulate the thin films which subjected to compound loads and the buckle modes the external uniaxial compression and thermal loading were subjected to the specimen by the symmetric loading device and the electrical film in this experiment. The temperature of the thin film deposited on substrate was measured using thermoelectric couple. The range of temperature accords with the temperature range of the MEMS. It is found that the size and number of the delamination and buckling of the film are depended upon the pre-fixed mechanical loading and thermal temperature. The thermal transient conduction and thermal stability of the film and substrate was studied with finite element method.
Principles of electron backscattering by solids and thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Niedrig, H.
The parameters concerning the electron backscattering from thin films and solids (atomic scattering cross-section, atomic number, single/multiple scattering, film thickness of self-supporting films and of surface films on bulk substrates, scattering angular distribution, angle of incidence, diffraction effects) are described. Their influence on some important contrast mechanisms in scanning electron microscopy (thickness contrast, Z/material contrast, tilting/topography contrast, orientation contrast) is discussed. The main backscattering electron detection systems are briefly described. (orig.) [de
Modification of thin film properties by ion bombardment during deposition
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Harper, J.M.E.; Cuomo, J.J.; Gambino, R.J.; Kaufman, H.R.
Many thin film deposition techniques involve some form of energetic particle bombardment of the growing film. The degree of bombardment greatly influences the film composition, structure and other properties. While in some techniques the degree of bombardment is secondary to the original process design, in recent years more deposition systems are being designed with the capability for controlled ion bombardment of thin films during deposition. The highest degree of control is obtained with ion beam sources which operate independently of the vapor source providing the thin film material. Other plasma techniques offer varying degrees of control of energetic particle bombardment. Deposition methods involving ion bombardment are described, and the basic processes with which film properties are modified by ion bombardment are summarized. (Auth.)
The state of the art of thin-film photovoltaics
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Surek, T.
Thin-film photovoltaic technologies, based on materials such as amorphous or polycrystalline silicon, copper indium diselenide, cadmium telluride, and gallium arsenide, offer the potential for significantly reducing the cost of electricity generated by photovoltaics. The significant progress in the technologies, from the laboratory to the marketplace, is reviewed. The common concerns and questions raised about thin films are addressed. Based on the progress to date and the potential of these technologies, along with continuing investments by the private sector to commercialize the technologies, one can conclude that thin-film PV will provide a competitive alternative for large-scale power generation in the future
Rapid protein immobilization for thin film continuous flow biocatalysis.
Britton, Joshua; Raston, Colin L; Weiss, Gregory A
A versatile enzyme immobilization strategy for thin film continuous flow processing is reported. Here, non-covalent and glutaraldehyde bioconjugation are used to immobilize enzymes on the surfaces of borosilicate reactors. This approach requires only ng of protein per reactor tube, with the stock protein solution readily recycled to sequentially coat >10 reactors. Confining reagents to thin films during immobilization reduced the amount of protein, piranha-cleaning solution, and other reagents by ∼96%. Through this technique, there was no loss of catalytic activity over 10 h processing. The results reported here combines the benefits of thin film flow processing with the mild conditions of biocatalysis.
Plasma polymerized hexamethyldisiloxane thin films for corrosion protection
Saloum, S.; Alkhaled, B.; Alsadat, W.; Kakhia, M.; Shaker, S. A.
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.
Optical modeling and simulation of thin-film photovoltaic devices
Krc, Janez
In wafer-based and thin-film photovoltaic (PV) devices, the management of light is a crucial aspect of optimization since trapping sunlight in active parts of PV devices is essential for efficient energy conversions. Optical modeling and simulation enable efficient analysis and optimization of the optical situation in optoelectronic and PV devices. Optical Modeling and Simulation of Thin-Film Photovoltaic Devices provides readers with a thorough guide to performing optical modeling and simulations of thin-film solar cells and PV modules. It offers insight on examples of existing optical models
Organic nanostructured thin film devices and coatings for clean energy
Zhang, Sam
Authored by leading experts from around the world, the three-volume Handbook of Nanostructured Thin Films and Coatings gives scientific researchers and product engineers a resource as dynamic and flexible as the field itself. The first two volumes cover the latest research and application of the mechanical and functional properties of thin films and coatings, while the third volume explores the cutting-edge organic nanostructured devices used to produce clean energy. This third volume, Organic Nanostructured Thin Film Devices and Coatings for Clean Energy, addresses various aspects of the proc
Copper zinc tin sulfide-based thin film solar cells
Ito, Kentaro
Beginning with an overview and historical background of Copper Zinc Tin Sulphide (CZTS) technology, subsequent chapters cover properties of CZTS thin films, different preparation methods of CZTS thin films, a comparative study of CZTS and CIGS solar cell, computational approach, and future applications of CZTS thin film solar modules to both ground-mount and rooftop installation. The semiconducting compound (CZTS) is made up earth-abundant, low-cost and non-toxic elements, which make it an ideal candidate to replace Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) and CdTe solar cells which face material scarcity and tox
Understanding the peculiarities of the piezoelectric effect in macro-porous BaTiO3.
Roscow, James I; Topolov, Vitaly Yu; Bowen, Christopher R; Taylor, John; Panich, Anatoly E
This work demonstrates the potential of porous BaTiO 3 for piezoelectric sensor and energy-harvesting applications by manufacture of materials, detailed characterisation and application of new models. Ferroelectric macro-porous BaTiO 3 ceramics for piezoelectric applications are manufactured for a range of relative densities, α = 0.30-0.95, using the burned out polymer spheres method. The piezoelectric activity and relevant parameters for specific applications are interpreted by developing two models: a model of a 3-0 composite and a 'composite in composite' model. The appropriate ranges of relative density for the application of these models to accurately predict piezoelectric properties are examined. The two models are extended to take into account the effect of 90° domain-wall mobility within ceramic grains on the piezoelectric coefficients [Formula: see text]. It is shown that porous ferroelectrics provide a novel route to form materials with large piezoelectric anisotropy [Formula: see text] at 0.20 ≤ α ≤ 0.45 and achieve a high squared figure of merit [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text]. The modelling approach allows a detailed analysis of the relationships between the properties of the monolithic and porous materials for the design of porous structures with optimum properties.
BaTiO3 OBTENIDO POR EL MÉTODO DE COPRECIPITACIÓN
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Full Text Available El titanato de bario (BaTiO3 es un material con propiedades ferroeléctricas muy importantes. Normalmente se obtiene a través de la mezcla de óxidos, TiO2 y BaCO3, obteniéndose partículas grandes y requiriendo altas temperaturas para su síntesis. En este trabajo se utilizó el método de coprecipitación para obtener BaTiO3, con un tamaño de partícula manométrico, y a una temperatura de síntesis más baja. Para ello se determinaron los parámetros más adecuados de síntesis: pH, concentración de los precursores y temperatura. La materia prima obtenida se caracterizó utilizando ATD/TG, DRX, FTIR y MET.
Gold nanoparticles decorated on BaTiO3 as photocatalyst: effect of SPR and ferroelectricity
Miao, Zhilei; Chen, Lei; Wang, Rui; Yuan, Rongchun; Zhou, Fang; Lv, Pengfei; Zhang, Xiuyun; Wang, Qiang
BaTiO3(BTO) powders with cubic(C) and tetragonal(T) crystalline structures were prepared by sol-gel method followed by calcination at different temperatures, and they were decorated with gold nanoparticles(AuNPs) to form Au-T-BTO and Au-C-BTO respectively. All the samples (C-BTO, T-BTO, Au-C-BTO and Au-T-BTO) were used as photo-catalysts for the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB). Au-T-BTO exhibits the highest photocatalytic activity due to thecombined effect of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and the ferroelectricity of the tetragonalphase BTO. The light absorption peaks at 500 to 600 nm verify the presence of SPR effect from Au NPs. Based on density functional theory (DFC) within the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) approach, it was demonstrated that the tetragonal phase BaTiO3 shows a spontaneous polarization with the calculated value of 0.34 C m-2, which is absent in thecubic phase. The internal space charge layer in tetragonal phase BTO enhances the separation of photoexcited carriers due to the spontaneous ferroelectric polarization, which also benefits photocatalytic activities.
Effects of La-doped BaSnO3epitaxial electrode on the ferroelectric properties of BaTiO3
Lee, Hahoon; Kim, Young Mo; Kim, Youjung; Shin, Juyeon; Char, Kookrin
In order to integrate the newly discovered high-mobility perovskite semiconductor BaSnO3 with a ferroelectric perovskite, we have grown epitaxial ferroelectric BaTiO3 (BTO) on top of the 4 % La-doped BaSnO3 (BLSO). X-ray diffraction measurement suggests that the BTO film on top of BLSO electrode is tensilely strained due to the larger lattice constant of BLSO. An all epitaxial sandwich structure of BLSO/BTO/BLSO was fabricated in order to measure the ferroelectric properties of the BTO under tensile strain. The polarization-electric field (P-E) hysteresis curve will be discussed from the viewpoint of the tensile strain. In addition, the breakdown field will be measured to evaluate the potential of BTO for a gate oxide on top of BLSO. Samsung science and technology foundation.
Improving dielectric properties of BaTiO3/poly(vinylidene fluoride) composites by employing core-shell structured BaTiO3@Poly(methylmethacrylate) and BaTiO3@Poly(trifluoroethyl methacrylate) nanoparticles
Zhang, Xianhong; Zhao, Sidi; Wang, Fang; Ma, Yuhong; Wang, Li; Chen, Dong; Zhao, Changwen; Yang, Wantai
Polymer based dielectric composites were fabricated through incorporation of core-shell structured BaTiO3 (BT) nanoparticles into PVDF matrix by means of solution blending. Core-shell structured BT nanoparticles with different shell composition and shell thickness were prepared by grafting methacrylate monomer (MMA or TFEMA) onto the surface of BT nanoparticles via surface initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP). The content of the grafted polymer and the micro-morphology of the core-shell structured BT nanoparticles were investigated by thermo gravimetric analyses (TGA) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), respectively. The dielectric properties were measured by broadband dielectric spectroscopy. The results showed that high dielectric constant and low dielectric loss are successfully realized in the polymer based composites. Moreover, the type of the grafted polymer and its content had different effect on the dielectric constant. In detail, the attenuation of dielectric constant was 16.6% for BT@PMMA1/PVDF and 10.7% for BT@PMMA2/PVDF composite in the range of 10 Hz to 100 kHz, in which the grafted content of PMMA was 5.5% and 8.0%, respectively. However, the attenuation of dielectric constant was 5.5% for BT@PTFEMA1/PVDF and 4.0% for BT@PTFEMA2/PVDF composite, in which the grafted content of PTFEMA was 1.5% and 2.0%, respectively. These attractive features of BT@PTFEMA/PVDF composites suggested that dielectric ceramic fillers modified with fluorinated polymer can be used to prepare high performance composites, especially those with low dielectric loss and high dielectric constant.
Conley, Raymond
Focusing x-rays with refraction requires an entire array of lens instead of a single element, each contributing a minute amount of focusing to the system. In contrast to their visible light counterparts, diffractive optics require a certain depth along the optical axis in order to provide sufficient phase shift. Mirrors reflect only at very shallow angles. In order to increase the angle of incidence, contribution from constructive interference within many layers needs to be collected. This requires a multilayer coating. Thin films have become a central ingredient for many x-ray optics due to the ease of which material composition and thickness can be controlled. Chapter 1 starts with a short introduction and survey of the field of x-ray optics. This begins with an explanation of reflective multilayers. Focusing optics are presented next, including mirrors, zone plates, refractive lenses, and multilayer Laue lens (MLL). The strengths and weaknesses of each "species" of optic are briefly discussed, alongside fabrication issues and the ultimate performance for each. Practical considerations on the use of thin-films for x-ray optics fabrication span a wide array of topics including material systems selection and instrumentation design. Sputter deposition is utilized exclusively for the work included herein because this method of thin-film deposition allows a wide array of deposition parameters to be controlled. This chapter also includes a short description of two deposition systems I have designed. Chapter 2 covers a small sampling of some of my work on reflective multilayers, and outlines two of the deposition systems I have designed and built at the Advanced Photon Source. A three-stripe double multilayer monochromator is presented as a case study in order to detail specifications, fabrication, and performance of this prolific breed of x-ray optics. The APS Rotary Deposition System was the first deposition system in the world designed specifically for multilayer
Tools to synthesize the learning of thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Rojas, Roberto; Fuster, Gonzalo; Sluesarenko, Viktor
After a review of textbooks written for undergraduate courses in physics, we have found that discussions on thin films are mostly incomplete. They consider the reflected and not the transmitted light for two instead of the four types of thin films. In this work, we complement the discussion in elementary textbooks, by analysing the phase differences required to match the conditions for constructive and destructive interference, in the reflected and transmitted light in four types of thin films. We consider thin films with varied sequences in the refractive index, which we identify as barriers, wells and stairs (up and down). Also, we use the conservation of energy in order to understand the complementary colour fringes observed in the reflected and transmitted light through thin films. We analyse systematically the phase changes by introducing a phase table and we synthesize the results in a circular diagram matching 16 physical situations of interference and their corresponding conditions on the film thickness. The phase table and the circular diagram are a pair of tools easily assimilated by students, and useful to organize, analyse and activate the knowledge about thin films.
Radiation Effects in Interfaces and Thin Films
Mairov, Alexander
One of the key approaches to developing materials with greater radiation damage resistance is to introduce a large fraction of internal interfaces. Interfaces act as sinks for recombination of radiation-induced defects and as sites for accumulation of helium bubbles, thereby diverting them away from grain boundaries, where they can induce embrittlement. The beneficial role of interfaces in mitigating radiation damage has been demonstrated in nanoscale multilayered structures and in nanograined materials. Another more common example is oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steels and nanostructured ferritic alloys (NFA) where a fine distribution of particles (clusters) of varying stoichiometries (e.g., Y2Ti2O7, Y2TiO 5, Y2O3, TiO2 and Y-Ti-O non-stoichiometric oxides) not only confer high creep strength, but also high radiation damage tolerance due to the large area of metal/oxide interfaces. However, the efficacy of these interfaces to act as defect sinks depends on their compositional and physical stability under radiation. With this background, this work focused on the stability of interfaces between Ti, TiO2, and Y2O 3 thin film deposited on Fe-12%Cr substrates after irradiation with 5MeV Ni+2 ions at various temperatures. TEM and STEM-EDS methods were used to understand the compositional changes at the interfaces. Additionally, accumulation of implanted helium at epitaxial and non-epitaxial Fe/Y 2O3 interfaces was also studied. Finally, the study was extended to study irradiation effects (up to 150 dpa) in novel Al2O 3 nanoceramic films with immediate potential applications as coatings for corrosion protection in the harsh high temperature environments of Gen IV reactors. This research is expected to have implications in the development of radiation damage tolerant nanostructured alloys for nuclear reactors while also expanding the scientific knowledge-base in the area of radiation stability of interfaces in solids and protective coatings.
Influence of nanogold additives on phase formation, microstructure and dielectric properties of perovskite BaTiO3 ceramics
Nonkumwong, Jeeranan; Ananta, Supon; Srisombat, Laongnuan
The formation of perovskite phase, microstructure and dielectric properties of nanogold-modified barium titanate (BaTiO3) ceramics was examined as a function of gold nanoparticle contents by employing a combination of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray, Archimedes principle and dielectric measurement techniques. These ceramics were fabricated from a simple mixed-oxide method. The amount of gold nanoparticles was found to be one of the key factors controlling densification, grain growth and dielectric response in BaTiO3 ceramics. It was found that under suitable amount of nanogold addition (4 mol%), highly dense perovskite BaTiO3 ceramics with homogeneous microstructures of refined grains (~0.5-3.1 μm) and excellence dielectric properties can be produced.
Piezoelectric properties of electrospun nanofibers of BaTiO3; Propiedades piezoeletricas de nanofibras eletrofiadas de BaTiO3
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Carvalho, L.F.R.M.; Melo, G.F.; Goncalves, A.M.; Eiras, J.A.; Bretas, R.E.S., E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com [Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos (UFSCar), SP (Brazil)
BaTiO3 nanofibers were produced by the electrospinning method from a mixture of a solution of the precursors Ba (CH{sub 3}COO){sub 2} and [(CH{sub 3}){sub 2}CHO]{sub 4}Ti in acetic acid and a solution of poly(vinylpyrrolidone) in ethanol. A voltage of 10 kV and a working distance of 4.6 cm were used for the electrospinning, at controlled room temperature and humidity of 21 °C and 60% respectively. Nanofibers as spun were dried in air on an air-circulating oven at 100 °C for one hour to remove residual solvent and were subsequently calcined at 750 °C during 2 h. The morphology, crystallographic structure and piezoelectric properties of the nanofibers were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray angle (WAXS) and Piezoresponse Force Microscopy (PFM), respectively. The average diameter of the nanofibers was 414 nm with an aspect ratio of 40. By PFM, there was strong evidence that the nanofibers had piezoelectric activity. (author)
Electrochromic performances of nonstoichiometric NiO thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Moulki, H.; Faure, C.; Mihelčič, M.; Vuk, A. Šurca; Švegl, F.; Orel, B.; Campet, G.; Alfredsson, M.; Chadwick, A.V.; Gianolio, D.; Rougier, A.
Electrochromic (EC) performances of Ni 3+ containing NiO thin films, called modified NiO thin films, prepared either by pulsed laser deposition or by chemical route are reported. When cycled in lithium based electrolyte, the comparison of the EC behavior of nonstoichiometric NiO thin films points out a larger optical contrast for the films synthesized by chemical route with the absence of an activation period on early electrochemical cycling due in particular to a larger porosity. Herein we demonstrate faster kinetics for modified NiO thin films cycled in lithium ion free electrolyte. Finally, X-ray absorption spectroscopy is used for a preliminary understanding of the mechanism involved in this original EC behavior linked to the film characteristics including their disorder character, the presence of Ni 3+ and their porous morphology. - Highlights: • Nonstoichiometric NiO thin films • Electrochromic performances in lithium free electrolyte • X-ray absorption spectroscopy investigation of as-deposited films and upon cycling
Estudio del mecanismo de compensación de BaTiO3 dopado con La2O3
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Castro, M. S.
Full Text Available In this work, the incorporation of several concentrations of the La3+ ion into the BaTiO3 lattice was studied. It was verified that low La3+ concentrations inhibits the grain growth and produces a highly densified material. However, a delay in the sintering behavior in ceramics with high doping concentrations was observed. The La3+ donor incorporation in the BaTiO3 modified the defects structure, favored titanium vacancies formation, and stabilized a pseudocubic phase. This effect influences the dielectric properties and the cubic-tetragonal transition temperature.En este trabajo se estudió la incorporación del ión La3+ en la red de BaTiO3. Se comprobó que bajas concentraciones de La3+ inhiben el crecimiento de los granos de BaTiO3 significativamente, a la vez que originan un material altamente densificado. Sin embargo, se confirmó que existe un límite de concentración de La2O3 a partir del cual se observó un retardo en el sinterizado del BaTiO3. La incorporación de La3+ como donor en el BaTiO3 modificó su estructura de defectos, favoreció la formación de vacantes de titanio y lo estabilizó en una fase pseudocúbica. Este efecto también se refleja en las propiedades dieléctricas del material y en la temperatura de transición de fases cúbica-tetragonal.
Degradation process in organic thin film devices fabricated using ...
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
hexylthiophene); organic semiconductors; conducting polymers; degradation. ... The stability of regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene 2,5-diyl) (P3HT) thin films sandwiched between indium tin oxide (ITO) and aluminium (Al) electrodes have ...
Modeling surface imperfections in thin films and nanostructured surfaces
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Hansen, Poul-Erik; Madsen, J. S.; Jensen, S. A.
Accurate scatterometry and ellipsometry characterization of non-perfect thin films and nanostructured surfaces are challenging. Imperfections like surface roughness make the associated modelling and inverse problem solution difficult due to the lack of knowledge about the imperfection...
Property elucidation of vacuum-evaporated zinc telluride thin film ...
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
J U Ahamed
ZnTe) thin film on glass substrate in order to investigate the ... photovoltaic solar cells, light-emitting diodes, laser diodes, microwave devices .... integrated intensity ratio of a super lattice peak to a fun- damental peak. Comparing ...
Chemical solution deposition of functional oxide thin films
Schneller, Theodor; Kosec, Marija
Chemical Solution Deposition (CSD) is a highly-flexible and inexpensive technique for the fabrication of functional oxide thin films. Featuring nearly 400 illustrations, this text covers all aspects of the technique.
Self-organized structures in soft confined thin films
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
organized creation of mesostructures in soft materials like thin films of polymeric liquids and elas- tic solids. These very small scale, highly confined systems are inherently unstable and thus self-organize into ordered structures which can be ...
Broadband back grating design for thin film solar cells
Janjua, Bilal
In this paper, design based on tapered circular grating structure was studied, to provide broadband enhancement in thin film amorphous silicon solar cells. In comparison to planar structure an absorption enhancement of ~ 7% was realized.
Laser Induced Chemical Vapor Deposition of Thin Films
National Research Council Canada - National Science Library
Zahavi, Joseph
.... It completes the information which was given in the previous two progress reports. Basically, the aim of the first year was to study the possibility of deposition of silicon nitride thin films from silane and ammonia at low temperatures...
Thin carbon film serves as UV bandpass filter
Thin carbon film deposited on a 70 percent transparent screen provides a filter for narrow-band detectors in the extreme ultraviolet. The filter also suppresses scattered light and light of unwanted orders in vacuum spectrographs.
Simple gun for vapor deposition of organic thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Sato, N.; Seki, K.; Inokuchi, H.
A simple evaporation gun for preparing organic thin films was fabricated using commercially available parts of an electron gun for a TV Braun tube. The device permits sample heating to be easily controlled because of the small heat capacity
A thin film hydroponic system for plant studies
Hines, Robert; Prince, Ralph; Muller, Eldon; Schuerger, Andrew
The Land Pavillion, EPCOT Center, houses a hydroponic, thin film growing system identical to that residing in NASA's Biomass Production Chamber at Kennedy Space Center. The system is targeted for plant disease and nutrition studies. The system is described.
Thin films of xyloglucans for BSA adsorption
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Jo, T.A. [Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, PR (Brazil); Laboratory of Biopolymers, Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, PR (Brazil); Petri, D.F.S. [Institute of Chemistry, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil); Valenga, F. [Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, PR (Brazil); Laboratory of Biopolymers, Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, PR (Brazil); Lucyszyn, N. [Laboratory of Biopolymers, Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, PR (Brazil); Sierakowski, M.-R. [Laboratory of Biopolymers, Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, PR (Brazil)], E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
In this work, XG extracted from Tamarindus indica (XGT) and Copaifera langsdorffii (XGC) seeds were deposited onto Si wafers as thin films. The characteristics of XGT and XGC adsorbed layers were compared with a commercial XG sample (TKP, Tamarind kernel powder) by ellipsometry and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Moreover, the adsorption of oxidized derivative of XGT (To60) onto amino-terminated Si wafers and the immobilization of bovine serum albumin (BSA) onto polysaccharides covered wafers, as a function of pH, were also investigated. The XG samples presented molar ratios Glc:Xyl:Gal of 2.4:2.1:1 (XGC); 2.8: 2.3: 1 (XGT) and 1.9:1.9:1 (TKP). The structure of XGT and XGC was determined by O-methy alditol acetate derivatization and showed similar features, but XGC confirmed the presence of more {alpha}-D-Xyl branches due to more {beta}-D-Gal ends. XGT deposited onto Si adsorbed as fibers and small entities uniformly distributed, as evidenced by AFM, while TPK and XGC formed larger aggregates. The thickness of To60 onto amino-terminated surface was similar to that determined for XGT onto Si wafers. A maximum in the adsorbed amount of BSA occurred close to its isoelectric point (5.5). These findings indicate that XGT and To60 are potential materials for the development of biomaterials and biotechnological devices.
Degradation analysis of thin film photovoltaic modules
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Radue, C., E-mail: email@example.com [Department of Physics, PO Box 77000, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth 6031 (South Africa); Dyk, E.E. van [Department of Physics, PO Box 77000, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth 6031 (South Africa)
Five thin film photovoltaic modules were deployed outdoors under open circuit conditions after a thorough indoor evaluation. Two technology types were investigated: amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) and copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS). Two 14 W a-Si:H modules, labelled Si-1 and Si-2, were investigated. Both exhibited degradation, initially due to the well-known light-induced degradation described by Staebler and Wronski [Applied Physics Letters 31 (4) (1977) 292], and thereafter due to other degradation modes such as cell degradation. The various degradation modes contributing to the degradation of the a-Si:H modules will be discussed. The initial maximum power output (P{sub MAX}) of Si-1 was 9.92 W, with the initial light-induced degradation for Si-1 approx30% and a total degradation of approx42%. For Si-2 the initial P{sub MAX} was 7.93 W, with initial light-induced degradation of approx10% and a total degradation of approx17%. Three CIGS modules were investigated: two 20 W modules labelled CIGS-1 and CIGS-2, and a 40 W module labelled CIGS-3. CIGS-2 exhibited stable performance while CIGS-1 and CIGS-3 exhibited degradation. CIGS is known to be stable over long periods of time, and thus the possible reasons for the degradation of the two modules are discussed.
Degradation analysis of thin film photovoltaic modules
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Radue, C.; Dyk, E.E. van
Five thin film photovoltaic modules were deployed outdoors under open circuit conditions after a thorough indoor evaluation. Two technology types were investigated: amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) and copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS). Two 14 W a-Si:H modules, labelled Si-1 and Si-2, were investigated. Both exhibited degradation, initially due to the well-known light-induced degradation described by Staebler and Wronski [Applied Physics Letters 31 (4) (1977) 292], and thereafter due to other degradation modes such as cell degradation. The various degradation modes contributing to the degradation of the a-Si:H modules will be discussed. The initial maximum power output (P MAX ) of Si-1 was 9.92 W, with the initial light-induced degradation for Si-1 ∼30% and a total degradation of ∼42%. For Si-2 the initial P MAX was 7.93 W, with initial light-induced degradation of ∼10% and a total degradation of ∼17%. Three CIGS modules were investigated: two 20 W modules labelled CIGS-1 and CIGS-2, and a 40 W module labelled CIGS-3. CIGS-2 exhibited stable performance while CIGS-1 and CIGS-3 exhibited degradation. CIGS is known to be stable over long periods of time, and thus the possible reasons for the degradation of the two modules are discussed.
Thin wetting film lens-less imaging
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Allier, C.P.; Poher, V.; Coutard, J.G.; Hiernard, G.; Dinten, J.M.
Lens-less imaging has recently attracted a lot of attention as a compact, easy-to-use method to image or detect biological objects like cells, but failed at detecting micron size objects like bacteria that often do not scatter enough light. In order to detect single bacterium, we have developed a method based on a thin wetting film that produces a micro-lens effect. Compared with previously reported results, a large improvement in signal to noise ratio is obtained due to the presence of a micro-lens on top of each bacterium. In these conditions, standard CMOS sensors are able to detect single bacterium, e.g. E. coli, Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus thuringiensis, with a large signal to noise ratio. This paper presents our sensor optimization to enhance the SNR; improve the detection of sub-micron objects; and increase the imaging FOV, from 4.3 mm 2 to 12 mm 2 to 24 mm 2 , which allows the detection of bacteria contained in 0.5 μl to 4 μl to 10 μl, respectively. (authors)
Trends and new applications in thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The proceedings of this symposium comprise 95 communications from which 64 were selected and fall into the scope of INIS subject categories, and 1 was selected for ETDE indexing. The selected communications deal with the techniques used for thin films preparation using chemical or physical vapor deposition techniques (plasma-arc or jet spraying, cathode sputtering, reactive DC or RF magnetron sputtering, plasma-ion deposition, ion implantation, electron or ion beam spraying, ion beam assisted plasma etching, dynamic ion mixing, distributed electron cyclotron resonance plasma sputtering, laser induced plasma sputtering etc..). The effects and interactions with the substrates (ion implantation, crystal growth, crystal-phase transformations, microstructures, penetration depth, changes in lattice parameters etc..) are analysed using various techniques such as grazing incidence X-ray diffraction, X-ray reflectometry, X-ray and angle resolved electron spectroscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, SEM, TEM, IR absorption spectroscopy, UV or visible emission spectroscopy, conversion electron Moessbauer spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence, mass spectroscopy, optical ellipsometry etc.. Mechanical tests such as scratch, microhardness and wear tests are also performed on the coatings to analyse their mechanical properties. (J.S.)
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Guy Beaucarne
with plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD. In spite of the fundamental limitation of this material due to its disorder and metastability, the technology is now gaining industrial momentum thanks to the entry of equipment manufacturers with experience with large-area PECVD. Microcrystalline Si (also called nanocrystalline Si is a material with crystallites in the nanometer range in an amorphous matrix, and which contains less defects than amorphous silicon. Its lower bandgap makes it particularly appropriate as active material for the bottom cell in tandem and triple junction devices. The combination of an amorphous silicon top cell and a microcrystalline bottom cell has yielded promising results, but much work is needed to implement it on large-area and to limit light-induced degradation. Finally thin-film polysilicon solar cells, with grain size in the micrometer range, has recently emerged as an alternative photovoltaic technology. The layers have a grain size ranging from 1 μm to several tens of microns, and are formed at a temperature ranging from 600 to more than 1000∘C. Solid Phase Crystallization has yielded the best results so far but there has recently been fast progress with seed layer approaches, particularly those using the aluminum-induced crystallization technique.
Inverse bilayer magnetoelectric thin film sensor
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Yarar, E.; Piorra, A.; Quandt, E., E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com [Chair for Inorganic Functional Materials, Institute for Materials Science, Faculty of Engineering, Kiel University, Kaiserstraße 2, D-24143 Kiel (Germany); Salzer, S.; Höft, M.; Knöchel, R. [Microwave Laboratory, Institute of Electrical and Information Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kiel University, Kaiserstraße 2, D-24143 Kiel (Germany); Hrkac, V.; Kienle, L. [Chair for Synthesis and Real Structure, Institute for Materials Science, Faculty of Engineering, Kiel University, Kaiserstraße 2, D-24143 Kiel (Germany)
Prior investigations on magnetoelectric (ME) thin film sensors using amorphous FeCoSiB as a magnetostrictive layer and AlN as a piezoelectric layer revealed a limit of detection (LOD) in the range of a few pT/Hz{sup 1/2} in the mechanical resonance. These sensors are comprised of a Si/SiO{sub 2}/Pt/AlN/FeCoSiB layer stack, as dictated by the temperatures required for the deposition of the layers. A low temperature deposition route of very high quality AlN allows the reversal of the deposition sequence, thus allowing the amorphous FeCoSiB to be deposited on the very smooth Si substrate. As a consequence, the LOD could be enhanced by almost an order of magnitude reaching 400 fT/Hz{sup 1/2} at the mechanical resonance of the sensor. Giant ME coefficients (α{sub ME}) as high as 5 kV/cm Oe were measured. Transmission electron microscopy investigations revealed highly c-axis oriented growth of the AlN starting from the Pt-AlN interface with local epitaxy.
Thin film deposition using rarefied gas jet
Pradhan, Sahadev, , Dr.
The rarefied gas jet of aluminium is studied at Mach number Ma = (Uj /√{ kbTj / mg }) in the range .01 PVD) process for the development of the highly oriented pure metallic aluminum thin film with uniform thickness and strong adhesion on the surface of the substrate in the form of ionic plasma, so that the substrate can be protected from corrosion and oxidation and thereby enhance the lifetime and safety, and to introduce the desired surface properties for a given application. Here, H is the characteristic dimension, U_j and T_j are the jet velocity and temperature, n_d is the number density of the jet, m and d are the molecular mass and diameter, and kbis the Boltzmann constant. An important finding is that the capture width (cross-section of the gas jet deposited on the substrate) is symmetric around the centerline of the substrate, and decreases with increased Mach number due to an increase in the momentum of the gas molecules. DSMC simulation results reveals that at low Knudsen number ((Kn=0.01); shorter mean free paths), the atoms experience more collisions, which direct them toward the substrate. However, the atoms also move with lower momentum at low Mach number, which allows scattering collisions to rapidly direct the atoms to the substrate.
Magnetostatic excitations in thin ferrite films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Zil'berman, P.E.; Lugovskoi, A.V.
The authors discuss the influence of the exchange interaction and dissipative processes in thin ferrite films on the eigenfrequency spectrum of magnetostatic standing waves and on the dispersion relation and attenuation of magnetostatic traveling waves. For the first time they obtain explicitly the dispersion relation for magnetostatic waves (MSWs) in a tangential saturating magnetic field H 0 to second order (inclusive) in the exchange interaction parameter λ. The authors obtain computer solutions for this equation in the complex frequency (ω) plane (for standing waves) or wave-number (q) plane (for traveling waves). The authors show that the dispersion relation constructed from the standing-wave spectrum is different from that of the traveling waves if λ≠0, even if dissipation is neglected. The traveling waves have auxiliary branches of the dispersion relation with weak damping near the spin-wave-resonance (SWR) frequencies. Dissipation has only a relatively weak effect on the frequency spectrum of the standing waves, shifting it upward. For the traveling waves, however, dissipation leads to qualitative changes in the structure of the dispersion relation, giving rise to new branches, forbidden bands, reentrant and anomalous-dispersion regions
Properties of Spray Pyrolysied Copper Oxide Thin Films
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S. S. Roy
Full Text Available Copper oxide (CuO thin films were deposited on well cleaned glass substrates by spray pyrolysis technique (SPT from cupric acetate (Cu(CH3COO2.H2O precursor solutions of 0.05 – 0.15 M molar concentrations (MC at a substrate temperature of 350 °C and at an air pressure of 1 bar. Effect of varying MC on the surface morphology, structural optical and electrical properties of CuO thin films were investigated. XRD patterns of the prepared films revealed the formation of CuO thin films having monoclinic structure with the main CuO (111 orientation and crystalline size ranging from 8.02 to 9.05 nm was observed. The optical transmission of the film was found to decrease with the increase of MC. The optical band gap of the thin films for 0.10 M was fond to be 1.60 eV. The room temperature electrical resistivity varies from 31 and 24 ohm.cm for the films grown with MC of 0.05 and 0.10 M respectively. The change in resistivity of the films was studied with respect to the change in temperature was shown that semiconductor nature is present. This information is expected to underlie the successful development of CuO films for solar windows and other semi-conductor applications including gas sensors.
Crystalline Indium Sulphide thin film by photo accelerated deposition technique
Dhanya, A. C.; Preetha, K. C.; Deepa, K.; Remadevi, T. L.
Indium sulfide thin films deserve special attention because of its potential application as buffer layers in CIGS based solar cells. Highly transparent indium sulfide (InS) thin films were prepared using a novel method called photo accelerated chemical deposition (PCD). Ultraviolet source of 150 W was used to irradiate the solution. Compared to all other chemical methods, PCD scores its advantage for its low cost, flexible substrate and capable of large area of deposition. Reports on deposition of high quality InS thin films at room temperature are very rare in literature. The precursor solution was initially heated to 90°C for ten minutes and then deposition was carried out at room temperature for two hours. The appearance of the film changed from lemon yellow to bright yellow as the deposition time increased. The sample was characterized for its structural and optical properties. XRD profile showed the polycrystalline behavior of the film with mixed phases having crystallite size of 17 nm. The surface morphology of the films exhibited uniformly distributed honey comb like structures. The film appeared to be smooth and the value of extinction coefficient was negligible. Optical measurements showed that the film has more than 80% transmission in the visible region. The direct band gap energy was 2.47eV. This method is highly suitable for the synthesis of crystalline and transparent indium sulfide thin films and can be used for various photo voltaic applications.
Structural And Optical Properties Of VOx Thin Films
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Schneider K.
Full Text Available VOx thin films were deposited on Corning glass, fused silica and Ti foils by means of rf reactive sputtering from a metallic vanadium target. Argon-oxygen gas mixtures of different compositions controlled by the flow rates were used for sputtering. Influence of the oxygen partial pressure in the sputtering chamber on the structural and optical properties of thin films has been investigated.
Health, safety and environmental issues in thin film manufacturing
Alsema, E.A.; Baumann, A.E.; Hill, R.; Patterson, M.H.
An investigation is made of Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) aspects for the manufacturing, use and decommissioning of CdTe, CIS and a-Si modules. Issues regarding energy requirements, resource availability, emissions of toxic materials, occupational health and safety and module waste treatment are reviewed. Waste streams in thin film module manufacturing are analyzed in detail and treatment methods are discussed. Finally the technological options for thin film module recycling are inve...
Growth of cuprate high temperature superconductor thin films
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
H-U Habermeier
Full Text Available This paper reviews briefly the development of physical vapour deposition based HTS thin film preparation technologies to today's state-of-the-art methods. It covers the main trends of in-situ process and growth control. The current activities to fabricate tapes for power applications as well as to tailor interfaces in cuprate are described. Some future trends in HTS thin film research, both for science as well as application driven activities are outlined.
Simple flash evaporator for making thin films of compounds
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Hemanadhan, M.; Bapanayya, Ch.; Agarwal, S. C. [Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 208016 (India)
A simple and compact arrangement for flash evaporation is described. It uses a cell phone vibrator for powder dispensing that can be incorporated into a vacuum deposition chamber without any major alterations. The performance of the flash evaporation system is checked by making thin films of the optical memory chalcogenide glass Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5} (GST). Energy dispersive x-ray analysis shows that the flash evaporation preserves the stoichiometry in thin films.
Optical thin-film technology: past, present, future
Strickland, William P.
The evolution of the vacuum coating industry is reviewed. Vacuum science progressed slowly until the late nineteenth century due to an incomplete understanding of vacuum and lack of applications. Edison's invention of the light bulb launched the vacuum industry and increased developmentof improved vacuum systems. The thin film optical coating industry arose from the needs of the German and U.S. military efforts during World War II. The author presents his experience in thin film coating from 1939 to the present.
Thin film bulk acoustic wave devices : performance optimization and modeling
Pensala, Tuomas
Thin film bulk acoustic wave (BAW) resonators and filters operating in the GHz range are used in mobile phones for the most demanding filtering applications and complement the surface acoustic wave (SAW) based filters. Their main advantages are small size and high performance at frequencies above 2 GHz. This work concentrates on the characterization, performance optimization, and modeling techniques of thin film BAW devices. Laser interferometric vibration measurements together with plat...
The 1989 progress report: interface physics and thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Equer, B.
The 1989 progress report of the laboratory of Interface Physics and Thin Films of the Polytechnic School (France) is presented. The properties and the interfaces of thin films, which show optoelectronic activity, are studied. The materials investigated are hydrogenated amorphous silicon compounds, amorphous compounds of silicon-germanium, silicon-carbon and silicon-mitrogen. The techniques developed for manufacturing and characterizing those materials are included. The published papers, the conferences and the Laboratory staff are listed [fr
Liquid phase epitaxial growth of heterostructured hierarchical MOF thin films
Chernikova, Valeriya
Precise control of epitaxial growth of MOF-on-MOF thin films, for ordered hierarchical tbo-type structures is demonstrated. The heterostructured MOF thin film was fabricated by successful sequential deposition of layers from two different MOFs. The 2-periodic layers, edge-transitive 4,4-square lattices regarded as supermolecular building layers, were commendably cross-linked using a combination of inorganic/organic and organic pillars.
Thermomagnetic marking of rare-earth-transition-metal thin films
Bartholomeusz, Brian Josef
Analytical derivation of temperature profiles in laser-irradiated thin-film structures is hindered by the nature of the heat source terms and by the geometrical complexity that often exists. This study utilizes a combined Laplace-transform-Fourier-integral method to obtain approximate solutions for a number of simple cases. The results are used to study the thermomagnetic marking process in rare-earth-transition-metal (RE-TM) thin films, and the predictions are compared with experimental observations.
CO2 gas sensitivity of sputtered zinc oxide thin films
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
Abstract. For the first time, sputtered zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films have been used as a CO2 gas sensor. Zinc oxide thin films have been synthesized using reactive d.c. sputtering method for gas sensor applications, in the deposition temperature range from 130–153°C at a chamber pressure of 8⋅5 mbar for 18 h. Argon and ...
Deposition and characterisation of epitaxial oxide thin films for SOFCs
Santiso, José
This paper reviews the recent advances in the use of thin films, mostly epitaxial, for fundamental studies of materials for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) applications. These studies include the influence of film microstructure, crystal orientation and strain in oxide ionic conducting materials used as electrolytes, such as fluorites, and in mixed ionic and electronic conducting materials used as electrodes, typically oxides with perovskite or perovskite-related layered structures. The recent effort towards the enhancement of the electrochemical performance of SOFC materials through the deposition of artificial film heterostructures is also presented. These thin films have been engineered at a nanoscale level, such as the case of epitaxial multilayers or nanocomposite cermet materials. The recent progress in the implementation of thin films in SOFC devices is also reported. © 2010 Springer-Verlag.
Silver nanowire-based transparent, flexible, and conductive thin film
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Liu Cai-Hong
Full Text Available Abstract 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.
Femtosecond pulsed laser deposition of cobalt ferrite thin films
Dascalu, Georgiana; Pompilian, Gloria; Chazallon, Bertrand; Caltun, Ovidiu Florin; Gurlui, Silviu; Focsa, Cristian
The insertion of different elements in the cobalt ferrite spinel structure can drastically change the electric and magnetic characteristics of CoFe2O4 bulks and thin films. Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) is a widely used technique that allows the growth of thin films with complex chemical formula. We present the results obtained for stoichiometric and Gadolinium-doped cobalt ferrite thin films deposited by PLD using a femtosecond laser with 1 kHz repetition rate. The structural properties of the as obtained samples were compared with other thin films deposited by ns-PLD. The structural characteristics and chemical composition of the samples were investigated using profilometry, Raman spectroscopy, X-Ray diffraction measurements and ToF-SIMS analysis. Cobalt ferrite thin films with a single spinel structure and a preferential growth direction have been obtained. The structural analysis results indicated the presence of internal stress for all the studied samples. By fs-PLD, uniform thin films were obtained in a short deposition time.
Thin films as an emerging platform for drug delivery
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Sandeep Karki
Full Text Available Pharmaceutical scientists throughout the world are trying to explore thin films as a novel drug delivery tool. Thin films have been identified as an alternative approach to conventional dosage forms. The thin films are considered to be convenient to swallow, self-administrable, and fast dissolving dosage form, all of which make it as a versatile platform for drug delivery. This delivery system has been used for both systemic and local action via several routes such as oral, buccal, sublingual, ocular, and transdermal routes. The design of efficient thin films requires a comprehensive knowledge of the pharmacological and pharmaceutical properties of drugs and polymers along with an appropriate selection of manufacturing processes. Therefore, the aim of this review is to provide an overview of the critical factors affecting the formulation of thin films, including the physico-chemical properties of polymers and drugs, anatomical and physiological constraints, as well as the characterization methods and quality specifications to circumvent the difficulties associated with formulation design. It also highlights the recent trends and perspectives to develop thin film products by various companies.
Epitaxially-Grown Europium-Doped Barium Titanate Films on Various Substrates for Red Emission.
Hwang, Kyu-Seog; Jeon, Young-Sun; Lee, Young-Hwan; Hwangbo, Seung; Kim, Jin-Tae
Intense red photoluminescence under ultraviolet excitation was observed in epitaxially-grown europium-doped perovskite BaTiO3 thin films deposited on the SrTiO3 (100), MgO (100) and sapphire (0001) substrates using metal carboxylate complexes. Precursor films prepared by spin coating were pyrolyzed at 250 °C for 120 min in argon, followed by final annealing at 850 °C for 60 min in argon. Crystallinity and epitaxy of the films were analyzed by X-ray diffraction θ-2θ scan and pole-figure analysis. Photoluminescence of the thin films at room temperature under 254 nm was confirmed by a fluorescent spectrophotometer. The obtained epitaxial BaTiO3 thin films on the SrTiO3 (100) and MgO (100) substrates show an intense red-emission lines at 615 nm corresponding to the (5)D0 --> (7)F2 transitions on Eu(3+) with broad bands at 595 and 650 nm.
Reflectometric monitoring of the dissolution process of thin polymeric films.
Laitinen, Riikka; Räty, Jukka; Korhonen, Kristiina; Ketolainen, Jarkko; Peiponen, Kai-Erik
Pharmaceutical thin films are versatile drug-delivery platforms i.e. allowing transdermal, oral, sublingual and buccal administration. However, dissolution testing of thin films is challenging since the commonly used dissolution tests for conventional dosage forms correspond rather poorly to the physiological conditions at the site of administration. Here we introduce a traditional optical reflection method for monitoring the dissolution behavior of thin polymeric films. The substances, e.g. drug molecules, released from the film generate an increase in the refractive index in the liquid medium which can be detected by reflectance monitoring. Thin EUDRAGIT ® RL PO poly(ethyl acrylate-co-methyl methacrylate-co trimethylammonioethyl methacrylate chloride) (RLPO) films containing the model drug perphenazine (PPZ) were prepared by spraying on a glass substrate. The glass substrates were placed inside the flow cell in the reflectometer which was then filled with phosphate buffer solution. Dissolution was monitored by measuring the reflectance of the buffer liquid. The method was able to detect the distinctive dissolution characteristics of different film formulations and measured relatively small drug concentrations. In conclusion, it was demonstrated that a traditional optical reflection method can provide valuable information about the dissolution characteristics of thin polymeric films in low liquid volume surroundings. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Stoichiometry Calculation in BaxSr1−xTiO3 Solid Solution Thin Films, Prepared by RF Cosputtering, Using X-Ray Diffraction Peak Positions and Boltzmann Sigmoidal Modelling
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J. Reséndiz-Muñoz
Full Text Available A novel procedure based on the use of the Boltzmann equation to model the x parameter, the film deposition rate, and the optical band gap of BaxSr1−xTiO3 thin films is proposed. The BaxSr1−xTiO3 films were prepared by RF cosputtering from BaTiO3 and SrTiO3 targets changing the power applied to each magnetron to obtain different Ba/Sr contents. The method to calculate x consisted of fitting the angular shift of (110, (111, and (211 diffraction peaks observed as the density of substitutional Ba2+ increases in the solid solution when the applied RF power increases, followed by a scale transformation from applied power to x parameter using the Boltzmann equation. The Ba/Sr ratio was obtained from X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy; the comparison with the X-ray diffraction derived composition shows a remarkable coincidence while the discrepancies offer a valuable diagnosis on the sputtering flux and phase composition. The proposed method allows a quick setup of the RF cosputtering system to control film composition providing a versatile tool to optimization of the process.
Sol-Gel Synthesis and Characterization of Ba1-xGdxTiO3+δ Thin Films on SiO2/Si Substrates Using Spin-Coating Technique
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Yen Chin TEH
Full Text Available Ba1-xGdxTiO3+δ, at x = 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2, (BGT thin films have been fabricated on SiO2/Si substrate using Sol-Gel method. The microstructure and surface morphology of the fabricated films have been investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD and atomic force microscopy (AFM. The XRD results show that the fabricated films are crystalline with perovskite structure. There is a shifting of the preferred peak at 31.5o to a higher angle as the doping ratio increases suggesting a distortion lattice exists in the films, which could be due to the substitution of Gd3+ ions into Ba-site. The decreasing of lattice constants confirms the substitution of Gd3+ in BaTiO3 lattice structure. The microstrain and dislocation density are found to be increased with the increase of Gd3+ doping, which attributed to the reduction of lattice volume that due to the ionic size mismatch effect. The AFM results show decreasing trend in both average grain size and roughness parameters. Therefore, the microstructure and surface morphology of BGT samples is strongly dependent on the Gd3+ doping concentration that mainly due to the difference ionic radius substitution.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.23.1.13954
Core – Shell structures in Sb – doped BaTiO3
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Castro, M. S.
Full Text Available In this work, fine – grained microstructures have been obtained after sintering BaTiO3 doped with an organic precursor of antimonium. In this compound, the development of a core – shell structure in the grains takes place influencing on the final grain size and electrical properties of the material. Samples were characterised by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM, X – ray diffraction (XRD analysis, and dielectric constant – temperature curves. Strong inhibition of the grain growth is observed in Sb-doped BaTiO3. Besides, dielectric constant vs temperature curves show the contribution of two regions, corresponding to the grain boundaries and the grain bulk. According to the observed properties, the contribution belonging to the shell region becomes more important as the dopant content and the sintering temperature rise.En el presente trabajo se han obtenido materiales de BaTiO3 dopados con antimonio a partir de un precursor orgánico que presentaron una microestructura homogénea y con tamaño de grano pequeño. En este compuesto se desarrolla una estructura de tipo "core-shell" en los granos que afecta tanto al tamaño de grano final como a las propiedades eléctricas del material. Las muestras fueron analizadas mediante Microscopía Electrónica de Barrido, difracción de rayos-X y la respuesta de la constante dieléctrica frente a la temperatura. Se observó una fuerte inhibición del crecimiento cristalino con la incorporación de antimonio. La respuesta de la constante dieléctrica frente a la temperatura presenta dos contribuciones, una asociada al borde de grano y otra al interior de grano. De acuerdo con las propiedades observadas, la contribución del borde de grano (región "shell" crece en importancia a medida que la concentración de dopante y la temperatura de sinterización aumentan.
High dielectric constant and energy density induced by the tunable TiO2 interfacial buffer layer in PVDF nanocomposite contained with core-shell structured TiO2@BaTiO3 nanoparticles
Hu, Penghao; Jia, Zhuye; Shen, Zhonghui; Wang, Peng; Liu, Xiaoru
To realize application in high-capacity capacitors and portable electric devices, large energy density is eagerly desired for polymer-based nanocomposite. The core-shell structured nanofillers with inorganic buffer layer are recently supposed to be promising in improving the dielectric property of polymer nanocomposite. In this work, core-shell structured TO@BT nanoparticles with crystalline TiO2 buffer layer coated on BaTiO3 nanoparticle were fabricated via solution method and heat treatment. The thickness of the TO buffer layer can be tailored by modulating the additive amount of the titanate coupling agent in preparation process, and the apparent dielectric properties of nanocomposite are much related to the thickness of the TO layer. The relatively thin TO layer prefer to generate high polarization to increase dielectric constant while the relatively thick TO layer would rather to homogenize field to maintain breakdown strength. Simulation of electric field distribution in the interfacial region reveals the improving effect of the TO buffer layer on the dielectric properties of nanocomposite which accords with the experimental results well. The optimized nanoparticle TO@BT-2 with a mean thickness of 3-5 nm buffer layer of TO is effective in increasing both the ε and Eb in the PVDF composite film. The maximal discharged energy density of 8.78 J/cm3 with high energy efficiency above 0.6 is obtained in TO@BT-2/PVDF nanocomposite with 2.5 vol% loading close to the breakdown strength of 380 kV/mm. The present study demonstrates the approach to optimize the structure of core-shell nanoparticles by modulating buffer layer and provides a new way to further enlarge energy density in polymer nanocomposite.
Properties of MoO3 thin film polymorphs
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
McCarron, E.M.; Carcia, P.F.
Thin film polymorphs of molybdenum trioxide have been synthesized by RF sputtering. Films deposited on thermally floating substrates are polycrystalline and exhibit preferred orientation. Depending upon the oxygen partial pressure maintained during sputtering, the films can be made to crystallize in either the thermodynamically stable orthorhombic α MoO 3 form (unique 2D-layered structure) or the metastable monoclinic β MoO 3 phase (3D ReO 3 -related structure). Metastable β films can be converted thermally to the α phase and the transformation appears topotactic. Films deposited on the cooled substrates are amorphous. A correlation between the particular phase formed and adatom mobility is noted
Processing-Structure Correlation in DC Sputtered Molybdenum Thin Films
Khan, Majid; Islam, Mohammad; Akram, Aftab; Manzoor, Umair
Molybdenum thin films were sputter deposited under different conditions of DC power and chamber pressure. The structure and topography of the films were investigated using AFM, SEM and XRD techniques. Van der Pauw method and tape test were employed to determine electrical resistivity and interfacial strength to the substrate, respectively. All the films are of sub-micron thickness with maximum growth rate of 78 nm/min and crystallite size in the range of 4 to 21 nm. The films produced at high power and low pressure exhibit compressive residual strains, low electrical resistivity and poor adhesion to the glass substrate, whereas the converse is true for films produced at high pressure.
The deposition of magnesium fluoride (MGF 2 ) thin films by ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
The Chemical Bath Deposition (CBD) technique was successfully employed in the growth of magnesium fluoride (MgF2) thin films. The films were characterized and optimized. The characterization included: the optical and solid state properties such as the transmittance (T)/reflectance (R) absorbance (A) spectra which ...
Reorientation of magnetic anisotropy in epitaxial cobalt ferrite thin films
Lisfi, A.; Williams, C.M.; Nguyen, L.T.; Lodder, J.C.; Coleman, A.; Corcoran, H.; Johnson, A.; Chang, P.; Abhishek Kumar, A.K.; Kumar, A.; Morgan, W.
Spin reorientation has been observed in CoFe2O4 thin single crystalline films epitaxially grown on (100) MgO substrate upon varying the film thickness. The critical thickness for such a spin-reorientation transition was estimated to be 300 nm. The reorientation is driven by a structural transition
Thin films of metal-organic compounds and metal nanoparticle ...
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
Thin films based on two very different metal-organic systems are developed and some nonlinear optical ... capability of the nanoparticle-embedded polymer film is demonstrated. Keywords. Polar crystal; uniaxial ... systems promising candidates for a wide range of electronic, magnetic and optical applications. However ...
Oriented growth of thin films of samarium oxide by MOCVD
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
Abstract. Thin films of Sm2O3 have been grown on Si(100) and fused quartz by low-pressure chemical va- pour deposition using an adducted β-diketonate precursor. The films on quartz are cubic, with no preferred orientation at lower growth temperatures (~ 550°C), while they grow with a strong (111) orientation as the.
Experimental and Theoretical Approaches to Thin Film Lubrication Problems
Lee-Prudhoe, I.; Venner, C.H.; Cann, P.M.; Spikes, H.; Snidle, R.W.; Evans, H.P.
The last fifty years have seen tremendous advances in the field of thin film lubrication. This is particularly true of steady-state Elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) where the accurate measurement of film thickness combined with advanced numerical modelling methods has been very successful.
Oxide ferroelectric thin films: synthesis from organometallic compounds and properties
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Vertoprakhov, Vladimir N; Nikulina, Lyubov' D; Igumenov, Igor K
Chemical methods for the preparation of oxide ferroelectric thin films from organometallic compounds published over the last 10-15 years are considered systematically and generalised. Layers of these films are promising for the creation of non-volatile memory elements and for use in nano- and microelectronic devices.
Preparation of self-supporting thin metal target films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Wang Xiuying; Ge Suxian; Yin Jianhua; Yin Xu; Jin Genming
The preparation method and equipment for thin metal self-supporting target without oil contamination are described. The influence of target films contaminated by oil vapor on accuracy of nuclear-physics experimental data are also discussed. The analytical results on carbon content in the prepared films of three elements show that the equipment is very effective for eliminating contamination
Ultra thin films of nanocrystalline Ge studied by AFM and ...
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
Initial growth stages of the ultra thin films of germanium (Ge) prepared by ion beam sputter deposition have been studied using atomic force microscope (AFM) and interference enhanced Raman scattering. The growth of the films follows Volmer-Weber growth mechanism. Analysis of the AFM images shows that Ostwald ...
Optical Properties of Lead Silver Sulphide Ternary Thin Films ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Optical Properties of Lead Silver Sulphide Ternary Thin Films Deposited by Chemical Bath Method. ... The optical properties studied include reflectance, absorption coefficient, thickness, refractive index, extinction coefficient, optical conductivity and band gap energy. The films showed very high absorbance in the UV region, ...
Conductance of perovskite oxide thin films and interfaces
Mubeen Dildar, Ishrat
This thesis deals with the properties of doped perovskite manganites in the form of thin films, and with interfaces between insulating perovskites. The first question we investigate has to do with the strong reduction of the metal-insulator (MI) transition temperature when the films are strained.In
WO/sub 3/ thin films for practical electrochromic windows
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Goldner, R.B.; Wong, K.; Foley, G.; Norton, P.; Wamboldt, L.; Seward, G.; Haas, T.; Chapman, R.
This paper shows that practical spectrally-selective transmittance modulation can be achieved with thin (50-100nm) WO/sub 3/ films, and therefore such films should be useful for fabricating electrochromic windows. The transmittance and reflectance modulation results are compared with theoretical predictions. The results indicate an excess intraband absorptance, which is attributed to free electron scattering arising from extended defects
Magnetic hysteresis measurements of thin films under isotropic stress.
Holland, Patrick; Dubey, Archana; Geerts, Wilhelmus
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.
Determination of magnetic properties of multilayer metallic thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Birlikseven, C.
In recent year, Giant Magnetoresistance Effect has been attracting an increasingly high interest. High sensitivity magnetic field detectors and high sensitivity read heads of magnetic media can be named as important applications of these films. In this work, magnetic and electrical properties of single layer and thin films were investigated. Multilayer thin films were supplied by Prof. Dr. A. Riza Koeymen from Texas University. Multilayer magnetic thin films are used especially for magnetic reading and magnetic writing. storing of large amount of information into small areas become possible with this technology. Single layer films were prepared using the electron beam evaporation technique. For the exact determination of film thicknesses, a careful calibration of the thicknesses was made. Magnetic properties of the multilayer films were studied using the magnetization, magnetoresistance measurements and ferromagnetic resonance technique. Besides, by fitting the experimental results to the theoretical models, effective magnetization and angles between the ferromagnetic layers were calculated. The correspondence between magnetization and magnetoresistance was evaluated. To see the effect of anisotropic magnetoresistance in the magnetoresistance measurements, a new experimental set-up was build and measurements were taken in this set-up. A series of soft permalloy thin films were made, and temperature dependent resistivity, magnetoresistance, anisotropic magnetoresistance and magnetization measurements were taken
Unusual strain relaxation in Cu thin films on Ni(001)
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Rasmussen, F.B.; Baker, J.; Nielsen, M.
Surface x-ray diffraction has been used to study the growth of thin Cu films on Ni(001). We give direct evidence for the formation of embedded wedges with internal {111} facets in the film, as recently suggested by Muller et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 76, 2358 (1996)]. The unusual strain distribution...
Epitaxial oxide thin films by pulsed laser deposition: Retrospect and ...
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
Epitaxial thin films of high c cuprates, metallic, ferroelectric, ferromagnetic, dielectric oxides, super conduc tor-metal-superconductor Josephson junctions and oxide superlattices have been made by PLD. In this article, an overview of preparation, characterization and properties of epitaxial oxide films and their applications ...
TI--CR--AL--O thin film resistors
Jankowski, Alan F.; Schmid, Anthony P.
Thin films of Ti--Cr--Al--O are used as a resistor material. The films are rf sputter deposited from ceramic targets using a reactive working gas mixture of Ar and O.sub.2. Resistivity values from 10.sup.4 to 10.sup.10 Ohm-cm have been measured for Ti--Cr--Al--O film Ti--Cr--Al--O as a thin film resistor has been found to be thermodynamically stable, unlike other metal-oxide films. The Ti--Cr--Al--O film can be used as a vertical or lateral resistor, for example, as a layer beneath a field emission cathode in a flat panel display; or used to control surface emissivity, for example, as a coating on an insulating material such as vertical wall supports in flat panel displays.
Thermoanalytical study of the decomposition of yttrium trifluoroacetate thin films
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Eloussifi, H. [GRMT, GRMT, Department of Physics, University of Girona, Campus Montilivi, E17071 Girona, Catalonia (Spain); Laboratoire de Chimie Inorganique, Faculté des Sciences de Sfax, Université de Sfax, BP 1171, 3000 Sfax (Tunisia); Farjas, J., E-mail: email@example.com [GRMT, GRMT, Department of Physics, University of Girona, Campus Montilivi, E17071 Girona, Catalonia (Spain); Roura, P. [GRMT, GRMT, Department of Physics, University of Girona, Campus Montilivi, E17071 Girona, Catalonia (Spain); Ricart, S.; Puig, T.; Obradors, X. [Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona (CSIC), Campus UAB, 08193 Bellaterra, Catalonia (Spain); Dammak, M. [Laboratoire de Chimie Inorganique, Faculté des Sciences de Sfax, Université de Sfax, BP 1171, 3000 Sfax (Tunisia)
We present the use of the thermal analysis techniques to study yttrium trifluoroacetate thin films decomposition. In situ analysis was done by means of thermogravimetry, differential thermal analysis, and evolved gas analysis. Solid residues at different stages and the final product have been characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The thermal decomposition of yttrium trifluoroacetate thin films results in the formation of yttria and presents the same succession of intermediates than powder's decomposition, however, yttria and all intermediates but YF{sub 3} appear at significantly lower temperatures. We also observe a dependence on the water partial pressure that was not observed in the decomposition of yttrium trifluoroacetate powders. Finally, a dependence on the substrate chemical composition is discerned. - Highlights: • Thermal decomposition of yttrium trifluoroacetate films. • Very different behavior of films with respect to powders. • Decomposition is enhanced in films. • Application of thermal analysis to chemical solution deposition synthesis of films.
Thermoanalytical study of the decomposition of yttrium trifluoroacetate thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Eloussifi, H.; Farjas, J.; Roura, P.; Ricart, S.; Puig, T.; Obradors, X.; Dammak, M.
We present the use of the thermal analysis techniques to study yttrium trifluoroacetate thin films decomposition. In situ analysis was done by means of thermogravimetry, differential thermal analysis, and evolved gas analysis. Solid residues at different stages and the final product have been characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The thermal decomposition of yttrium trifluoroacetate thin films results in the formation of yttria and presents the same succession of intermediates than powder's decomposition, however, yttria and all intermediates but YF 3 appear at significantly lower temperatures. We also observe a dependence on the water partial pressure that was not observed in the decomposition of yttrium trifluoroacetate powders. Finally, a dependence on the substrate chemical composition is discerned. - Highlights: • Thermal decomposition of yttrium trifluoroacetate films. • Very different behavior of films with respect to powders. • Decomposition is enhanced in films. • Application of thermal analysis to chemical solution deposition synthesis of films
Conductance Thin Film Model of Flexible Organic Thin Film Device using COMSOL Multiphysics
Carradero-Santiago, Carolyn; Vedrine-Pauléus, Josee
We developed a virtual model to analyze the electrical conductivity of multilayered thin films placed above a graphene conducting and flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate. The organic layers of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) as a hole conducting layer, poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT), as a p-type, phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) and as n-type, with aluminum as a top conductor. COMSOL Multiphysics was the software we used to develop the virtual model to analyze potential variations and conductivity through the thin-film layers. COMSOL Multiphysics software allows simulation and modeling of physical phenomena represented by differential equations such as heat transfer, fluid flow, electromagnetism, and structural mechanics. In this work, using the AC/DC, electric currents module we defined the geometry of the model and properties for each of the six layers: PET/graphene/PEDOT:PSS/P3HT/PCBM/aluminum. We analyzed the model with varying thicknesses of graphene and active layers (P3HT/PCBM). This simulation allowed us to analyze the electrical conductivity, and visualize the model with varying voltage potential, or bias across the plates, useful for applications in solar cell devices.
Impact of X-ray irradiation on PMMA thin films
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Iqbal, Saman, E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com [Physics Department, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore (Pakistan); Rafique, Muhammad Shahid [Physics Department, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore (Pakistan); Anjum, Safia [Physics Department, Lahore College for Woman University, Lahore (Pakistan); Hayat, Asma [Physics Department, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore (Pakistan); Iqbal, Nida [Faculty of Biomedical Engineering and Health Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) (Malaysia)
Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer PMMA thin films were deposited at 300 Degree-Sign C and 500 Degree-Sign C using PLD technique. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer These films were irradiated with different fluence of laser produced X-rays. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Irradiation affects the ordered packing as well as surface morphology of film. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Hardness of film decreases up to certain value of X-ray fluence. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Absorption in UV-visible range exhibits a non linear behavior. - Abstract: The objective of this project is to explore the effect of X-ray irradiation of thin polymeric films deposited at various substrate temperatures. pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique is used for the deposition of PMMA thin films on glass substrate at 300 Degree-Sign C and 500 Degree-Sign C. These films have been irradiated with various X-rays fluences ranging from 2.56 to 5.76 mJ cm{sup -2}. Characterization of the films (before and after the irradiation) is done with help of X-ray Diffractrometer, Optical Microscope, Vickers hardness tester and UV-vis spectroscopy techniques. From XRD data, it is revealed that ordered packing has been improved for the films deposited at 300 Degree-Sign C. However after irradiation the films exhibited the amorphous behavior regardless of the X-ray fluence. Film deposited at 500 Degree-Sign C shows amorphous structure before and after irradiation. Hardness and particle size of thin film have also increased with the increasing substrate temperature. However, the irradiation has reverse effect i.e. the particle size as well as the hardness has reduced. Irradiation has also enhanced the absorption in the UV-visible region.
Impact of X-ray irradiation on PMMA thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Iqbal, Saman; Rafique, Muhammad Shahid; Anjum, Safia; Hayat, Asma; Iqbal, Nida
Highlights: ► PMMA thin films were deposited at 300 °C and 500 °C using PLD technique. ► These films were irradiated with different fluence of laser produced X-rays. ► Irradiation affects the ordered packing as well as surface morphology of film. ► Hardness of film decreases up to certain value of X-ray fluence. ► Absorption in UV–visible range exhibits a non linear behavior. - Abstract: The objective of this project is to explore the effect of X-ray irradiation of thin polymeric films deposited at various substrate temperatures. pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique is used for the deposition of PMMA thin films on glass substrate at 300 °C and 500 °C. These films have been irradiated with various X-rays fluences ranging from 2.56 to 5.76 mJ cm −2 . Characterization of the films (before and after the irradiation) is done with help of X-ray Diffractrometer, Optical Microscope, Vickers hardness tester and UV–vis spectroscopy techniques. From XRD data, it is revealed that ordered packing has been improved for the films deposited at 300 °C. However after irradiation the films exhibited the amorphous behavior regardless of the X-ray fluence. Film deposited at 500 °C shows amorphous structure before and after irradiation. Hardness and particle size of thin film have also increased with the increasing substrate temperature. However, the irradiation has reverse effect i.e. the particle size as well as the hardness has reduced. Irradiation has also enhanced the absorption in the UV–visible region.
The effect of Argon pressure dependent V thin film on the phase transition process of (020) VO2 thin film
Meng, Yifan; Huang, Kang; Tang, Zhou; Xu, Xiaofeng; Tan, Zhiyong; Liu, Qian; Wang, Chunrui; Wu, Binhe; Wang, Chang; Cao, Juncheng
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.
Nanostructured thin films for icephobic applications
Noormohammed, Saleema
Icing on surfaces such as cables or high voltage insulators often leads to severe safety issues such as power outages in cold winter conditions. Conventional methods used to avoid such icing problems include mechanical deicing where the ice is scraped or broken and chemical deicing where deicers such as ethylene glycol are used. These methods have their own disadvantages of being destructive, expensive and time consuming. A better approach would be to prevent ice from forming in the first place by producing coating materials that are icephobic. Superhydrophobic surfaces, which demonstrate high water-repellency due to the negligible contact area of water with those surfaces, are also expected to minimize the contact area of ice. A low dielectric constant surface is also expected to reduce the adhesion of ice due to the screening of mirror charges, thereby eliminating one of the strongest interaction forces---the electrostatic forces of attraction at the ice-surface interface. In the present research work, both concepts were studied by producing superhydrophobic nanorough low-epsilon dielectric surfaces on aluminum or alumina substrates. Superhydrophobic properties were achieved on surfaces of aluminum or alumina by creating a certain nanoroughness using chemical methods followed by a low surface energy coating of rf-sputtered Teflon or fluoroalkyl-silane (FAS-17) providing a water contact angle greater than 160°. The same behavior is reported even when the nanorough substrates were coated with dielectric thin films of ZnO (lower epsilon) or TiO 2, (higher epsilon). It is found that the superhydrophobic nanorough low surface energy surfaces are also icephobic and the presence of a low dielectric constant surface coating of Teflon (lowest epsilon; epsilon = 2) allows a considerable reduction of the ice adhesion strength even on non-nanotextured surfaces where ice would stick. The superhydrophobic nanorough low-epsilon surfaces also demonstrate morphological and
Optical conductivity of topological insulator thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Li, L. L.; Xu, W.; Peeters, F. M.
We present a detailed theoretical study on the optoelectronic properties of topological insulator thin film (TITFs). The k·p approach is employed to calculate the energy spectra and wave functions for both the bulk and surface states in the TITF. With these obtained results, the optical conductivities induced by different electronic transitions among the bulk and surface states are evaluated using the energy-balance equation derived from the Boltzmann equation. We find that for Bi 2 Se 3 -based TITFs, three characteristic regimes for the optical absorption can be observed. (i) In the low radiation frequency regime (photon energy ℏω<200 meV), the free-carrier absorption takes place due to intraband electronic transitions. An optical absorption window can be observed. (ii) In the intermediate radiation frequency regime (200<ℏω<300 meV), the optical absorption is induced mainly by interband electronic transitions from surface states in the valance band to surface states in the conduction band and an universal value σ 0 =e 2 /(8ℏ) for the optical conductivity can be obtained. (iii) In the high radiation frequency regime (ℏω>300 meV), the optical absorption can be achieved via interband electronic transitions from bulk and surface states in the valance band to bulk and surface states in the conduction band. A strong absorption peak can be observed. These interesting findings indicate that optical measurements can be applied to identify the energy regimes of bulk and surface states in the TITF
Negative Capacitance in BaTiO3/BiFeO3 Bilayer Capacitors.
Hou, Ya-Fei; Li, Wei-Li; Zhang, Tian-Dong; Yu, Yang; Han, Ren-Lu; Fei, Wei-Dong
Negative capacitances provide an approach to reduce heat generations in field-effect transistors during the switch processes, which contributes to further miniaturization of the conventional integrated circuits. Although there are many studies about negative capacitances using ferroelectric materials, the direct observation of stable ferroelectric negative capacitances has rarely been reported. Here, we put forward a dc bias assistant model in bilayer capacitors, where one ferroelectric layer with large dielectric constant and the other ferroelectric layer with small dielectric constant are needed. Negative capacitances can be obtained when external dc bias electric fields are larger than a critical value. Based on the model, BaTiO3/BiFeO3 bilayer capacitors are chosen as study objects, and negative capacitances are observed directly. Additionally, the upward self-polarization effect in the ferroelectric layer reduces the critical electric field, which may provide a method for realizing zero and/or small dc bias assistant negative capacitances.
Nanoindentation of BaTiO3: dislocation nucleation and mechanical twinning
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Gaillard, Y; Anglada, M; MacIas, A Hurtado; Munoz-Saldana, J; Trapaga, G
This paper presents a study of the deformation mechanisms of barium titanate under nanoindentation. The (0 0 1) and (1 1 0) crystallographic orientations of BaTiO 3 giant grains were indented and critical mean contact pressures for dislocation nucleation were extracted from the indentation curves. The orientation of the dislocation slip lines was identified by atomic force microscopy, showing that the (1 1 0){1 1 0} glide systems were activated. Twin bands, observed on both orientations, also occur on the {1 1 0} habit planes and actively participate in the accommodation of the plastic deformation. Furthermore, dislocation pile-ups introduced by spherical indentations have shown a close relation between dislocations and twinning formation.
Effect of Electromechanical Properties in Mn-doped BaTiO3
Takenaka, Hiroyuki; Cohen, R. E.
Experimental studies reported that Mn doping in BaTiO3 could improve their electromechanical properties. In addition, ageing process gives rise to a significant reversible strain effect. Performing density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we find that Mn dopant with oxygen vacancy induces local electric field of 20 MV/m in 2x2x2 (39 atom) supercell. In order to understand effects of the electromechanical properties from phenomenological point of view, we optimize electric enthalpies in Landau-Devonshire model, parametrized from DFT results, under applying electric fields. We show dielectric constant and piezoelectric coefficients from the optimized polarization paths. supported by ONR, the ERC Advanced Grant ToMCaT, and the Carnegie Institution for Science.
High-throughput characterization of film thickness in thin film materials libraries by digital holographic microscopy
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Yiu Wai Lai, Michael Krause, Alan Savan, Sigurd Thienhaus, Nektarios Koukourakis, Martin R Hofmann and Alfred Ludwig
Full Text Available A high-throughput characterization technique based on digital holography for mapping film thickness in thin-film materials libraries was developed. Digital holographic microscopy is used for fully automatic measurements of the thickness of patterned films with nanometer resolution. The method has several significant advantages over conventional stylus profilometry: it is contactless and fast, substrate bending is compensated, and the experimental setup is simple. Patterned films prepared by different combinatorial thin-film approaches were characterized to investigate and demonstrate this method. The results show that this technique is valuable for the quick, reliable and high-throughput determination of the film thickness distribution in combinatorial materials research. Importantly, it can also be applied to thin films that have been structured by shadow masking.
Thin film characterisation by advanced X-ray diffraction techniques
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Cappuccio, G.; Terranova, M.L.
The Fifth School on X-ray diffraction from polycrystalline materials was devoted to thin film characterization by advanced X-ray diffraction techniques. Twenty contributions are contained in this volume; all twenty are recorded in the INIS Database. X-ray diffraction is known to be a powerful analytical tool for characterizing materials and understanding their structural features. The aim of these articles is to illustrate the fundamental contribution of modern diffraction techniques (grazing incidence, surface analysis, standing waves, etc.) to the characterization of thin and ultra-thin films, which have become important in many advanced technologies
Highly Mass-Sensitive Thin Film Plate Acoustic Resonators (FPAR
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Ventsislav Yantchev
Full Text Available The mass sensitivity of thin aluminum nitride (AlN film S0 Lamb wave resonators is theoretically and experimentally studied. Theoretical predictions based on modal and finite elements method analysis are experimentally verified. Here, two-port 888 MHz synchronous FPARs are micromachined and subsequently coated with hexamethyl-disiloxane(HMDSO-plasma-polymerized thin films of various thicknesses. Systematic data on frequency shift and insertion loss versus film thickness are presented. FPARs demonstrate high mass-loading sensitivity as well as good tolerance towards the HMDSO viscous losses. Initial measurements in gas phase environment are further presented.
Formation of nanomagnetic thin films by dispersed fullerenes
Zheng, Lingyi A.; Lairson, Bruce M.; Barrera, Enrique V.; Shull, Robert D.
A method of forming magnetic materials using dispersed fullerenes in ferromagnetic materials has been studied. Fullerenes (C60) have been integrated into the matrix of Co, Fe, CoFe thin films by thermal vapor codeposition. The size effects and interaction of the C60 molecules to the metallic atoms promote a self-assembly grain growth mode to produce thin films with unique evoluted microstructures characterized by nanosize columnar grains with uniformly dispersed C60 on the grain boundaries. These nanocrystalline films have displayed a series of promising magnetic properties, such as high out of plane remanence, high coercivity, fast magnetic switching, and unusual hysteresis behavior.
Synthesis of thin films by the pyrosol process
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Tucić Aleksandar
Full Text Available Among many aerosol routes, the Pyrosol process, due to its simplicity, low cost and quality of obtained films, represents a promising technique for the synthesis of thin films. The pyrosol process is based on the transport and pyrolysls of an aerosol of processor solution, generated in an ultrasonic atomizer, on a heated substrate. The theoretical principles of the pyrosol process are presented in this paper, as well as the influence of some synthesis parameters on the deposition of SnO2 thin films.
Infrared reflectance measurement for InN thin film characterization
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Fukui, K.; Kugumiya, Y.; Nakagawa, N.; Yamamoto, A.
Infrared reflectance measurements of a series of InN thin films have been performed and attempt to derive carrier concentration and other physical constants for InN thin film characterization. Fitting calculations are performed by use of the dielectric function equation based on phonon-plasmon coupling model. Longitudinal and transverse optical phonon frequencies, plasma frequency and their damping parameters can be derived from fitting. From those results, electrical and phonon properties of InN and characterization of films are discussed. (copyright 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)
Morphological Study Of Palladium Thin Films Deposited By Sputtering
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Salcedo, K L; Rodriguez, C A [Grupo Plasma Laser y Aplicaciones, Ingenieria Fisica, Universidad Tecnologica de Pereira (Colombia); Perez, F A [WNANO, West Virginia University (United States); Riascos, H [Grupo Plasma Laser y Aplicaciones, Departamento de Fisica, Universidad Tecnologica de Pereira (Colombia)
This paper presents a morphological analysis of thin films of palladium (Pd) deposited on a substrate of sapphire (Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}) at a constant pressure of 3.5 mbar at different substrate temperatures (473 K, 523 K and 573 K). The films were morphologically characterized by means of an Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM); finding a relation between the roughness and the temperature. A morphological analysis of the samples through AFM was carried out and the roughness was measured by simulating the X-ray reflectivity curve using GenX software. A direct relation between the experimental and simulation data of the Palladium thin films was found.
Resistance switching induced by electric fields in manganite thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Villafuerte, M; Juarez, G; Duhalde, S; Golmar, F; Degreef, C L; Heluani, S P
In this work, we investigate the polarity-dependent Electric Pulses Induced Resistive (EPIR) switching phenomenon in thin films driven by electric pulses. Thin films of 0.5 Ca 0.5 MnO 3 (manganite) were deposited by PLD on Si substrate. The transport properties at the interface between the film and metallic electrode are characterized in order to study the resistance switching. Sample thermal treatment and electrical field history are important to be considered for get reproducible EPIR effect. Carriers trapping at the interfaces are considered as a possible explanation of our results
Giant flexoelectric effect in ferroelectric epitaxial thin films.
Lee, D; Yoon, A; Jang, S Y; Yoon, J-G; Chung, J-S; Kim, M; Scott, J F; Noh, T W
We report on nanoscale strain gradients in ferroelectric HoMnO(3) epitaxial thin films, resulting in a giant flexoelectric effect. Using grazing-incidence in-plane x-ray diffraction, we measured strain gradients in the films, which were 6 or 7 orders of magnitude larger than typical values reported for bulk oxides. The combination of transmission electron microscopy, electrical measurements, and electrostatic calculations showed that flexoelectricity provides a means of tuning the physical properties of ferroelectric epitaxial thin films, such as domain configurations and hysteresis curves. © 2011 American Physical Society
Cathodoluminescence study of thin films of high Tc superconductors
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Barkay, Z.; Azoulay, J.; Lereah, Y.; Dai, U.; Hess, N.; Racah, D.; Gruenbaum, E.; Deutscher, G. (School of Physics and Astronomy, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, 69978 Ramat Aviv (Israel))
Cathodoluminescence (CL) of thin films of high {ital T}{sub {ital c}} superconductors was studied in the scanning electron microscope. The depth and the lateral locations of the different phases can be revealed. In thin films, unlike the bulk superconductors, the CL information can be obtained either from the film itself or the substrate by varying the primary beam energy. At high beam energy, substrate defects and slight thickness variations of a single high {ital T}{sub {ital c}} phase are observed. The resolution of the CL measurements improves at low temperatures.
Interplay between size, composition, and phase transition of nanocrystalline Cr(3+)-doped BaTiO3 as a path to multiferroism in perovskite-type oxides.
Ju, Ling; Sabergharesou, Tahereh; Stamplecoskie, Kevin G; Hegde, Manu; Wang, Ting; Combe, Nicole A; Wu, Hongyu; Radovanovic, Pavle V
Multiferroics, materials that exhibit coupling between spontaneous magnetic and electric dipole ordering, have significant potential for high-density memory storage and the design of complex multistate memory elements. In this work, we have demonstrated the solvent-controlled synthesis of Cr(3+)-doped BaTiO(3) nanocrystals and investigated the effects of size and doping concentration on their structure and phase transformation using X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. The magnetic properties of these nanocrystals were studied by magnetic susceptibility, magnetic circular dichroism (MCD), and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) measurements. We observed that a decrease in nanocrystal size and an increase in doping concentration favor the stabilization of the paraelectric cubic phase, although the ferroelectric tetragonal phase is partly retained even in ca. 7 nm nanocrystals having the doping concentration of ca. 5%. The chromium(III) doping was determined to be a dominant factor for destabilization of the tetragonal phase. A combination of magnetic and magneto-optical measurements revealed that nanocrystalline films prepared from as-synthesized paramagnetic Cr(3+)-doped BaTiO(3) nanocrystals exhibit robust ferromagnetic ordering (up to ca. 2 μ(B)/Cr(3+)), similarly to magnetically doped transparent conducting oxides. The observed ferromagnetism increases with decreasing constituent nanocrystal size because of an enhancement in the interfacial defect concentration with increasing surface-to-volume ratio. Element-specific XMCD spectra measured by scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) confirmed with high spatial resolution that magnetic ordering arises from Cr(3+) dopant exchange interactions. The results of this work suggest an approach to the design and preparation of multiferroic perovskite materials that retain the ferroelectric phase and exhibit long-range magnetic ordering by using doped colloidal nanocrystals with optimized composition and
Microstructural and dielectrical characterization of Ho doped BaTiO3 ceramics
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Marjanović Miloš
Full Text Available The Ho doped BaTiO3 ceramics, with different Ho2O3 content, ranging from 0.01 to 1.0 wt % Ho, were investigated regarding their microstructural and dielectric characteristics. Doped BaTiO3 were prepared using conventional solid state reaction and sintered at 1380°C for four hours. SEM analysis of Ho/BaTiO3 doped ceramics showed that the low doped samples exhibit mainly fairly uniform and homogeneous microstructure with the grain size ranged from 20-40 μm. In the samples with the higher dopant concentration the abnormal grain growth is inhibited and the grain size ranged between 2-10 μm. Measurements of dielectric properties were carried out as a function of temperature up to 180 °C at different frequencies. The samples doped with 0.01wt % of Ho, exhibit the high value of dielectric permittivity (εr = 2160 at room temperature. A nearly flat permittivity-response was obtained in specimens with higher additive content. Using a Curie-Weiss law and modified Curie-Weiss law the Curie constant (C, Curie temperature (Tc and a critical exponent of nonlinearity (g were calculated. The Curie temperature of doped samples were ranged from 128 to 130°C. The Curie constant for all series of samples decrease with increase of dopant concentration and the lowest values were observed on samples doped with 0.01 wt % of holmium. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. OI 172057: Directed synthesis, structure and properties of multifunctional materials i br. TR 32026
Characterization of Sucrose Thin Films for Biomedical Applications
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S. L. Iconaru
Full Text Available Sucrose is a natural osmolyte accumulated in the cells of organisms as they adapt to environmental stress. In vitro sucrose increases protein stability and forces partially unfolded structures to refold. Thin films of sucrose (C12H22O11 were deposited on thin cut glass substrates by the thermal evaporation technique (P∼10−5 torr. Characteristics of thin films were put into evidence by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS, scanning electron microscopy (SEM, and differential thermal analysis and thermal gravimetric analysis (TG/DTA. The experimental results confirm a uniform deposition of an adherent layer. In this paper we present a part of the characteristics of sucrose thin films deposited on glass in medium vacuum conditions, as a part of a culture medium for osteoblast cells. Osteoblast cells were used to determine proliferation, viability, and cytotoxicity interactions with sucrose powder and sucrose thin films. The osteoblast cells have been provided from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC Centre. The outcome of this study demonstrated the effectiveness of sucrose thin films as a possible nontoxic agent for biomedical applications.