Improvement of cubic silicon carbide crystals grown from solution

Cubic-silicon carbide crystals have been grown from carbon-rich silicon solutions using the travelling-zone method. To improve the growth process, we investigated the effect of controlling more tightly some of the growth parameters. Using such improved growth conditions, our best sample is a 12 mm diameter and 3 mm long 3C–SiC crystal. It is grown on a (0001) 2 off, 6H–SiC seed and has 111-orientation. The low amount of silicon inclusions results in a reduced internal stress, which is demonstrated by the consideration of μ-Raman spectra collected at room temperature on a large number of samples.     

Electrical characterisation of phosphorus-doped ZnO thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition

Phosphorus-doped ZnO films were grown by pulsed laser deposition using a ZnO:P₂O₅-doped target as the phosphorus source with the aim of producing p-type ZnO material. ZnO:P layers (with phosphorus concentrations of between 0.01 to 1 wt%) were grown on a pure ZnO buffer layer. The electrical properties of the films were characterised from temperature dependent Hall-effect measurements. The samples typically showed weak n-type conduction in the dark, with a resistivity of 70 Ω cm, a Hall mobility of μ_n0.5 cm² V ⁻¹ s⁻¹ and a carrier concentration of n3×10¹⁷ cm⁻³ at room temperature. After exposure to an incandescent light source, the samples underwent a change in conduction from n- to p-type, with an increase in mobility and decrease in concentration for temperatures below 300 K.     

Blue cathodoluminescence from thulium implanted AlxGa1−xN and InxAl1−xN

Room temperature cathodoluminescence (RTCL) was obtained from Tm implanted Al_xGa_1−xN with different AlN contents (in the range 0≤x≤0.2) and from implanted In_xAl_1−xN with different InN contents (x=0.13 and 0.19) close to the lattice match with GaN. The Tm³⁺ emission spectrum depends critically on the host material. The blue emission from Al_xGa_1−xN:Tm peaks in intensity for an AlN content of x0.11. The emission is enhanced by up to a factor of 50 times with an increase of annealing temperature from 1000 to 1300 C. The blue emission from In_0.13Al_0.87N:Tm, annealed at 1200 C, is more than ten times stronger than that from Al_xGa_1−xN:Tm, x≤0.2. However, the intensity decreases significantly as the InN fraction increases from 0.13 to 0.19.     

Correlation between structural and electrical properties of InN thin films prepared by molecular beam epitaxy

The strain-relaxation phenomena and the formation of a dislocation network in 2H-InN epilayers during molecular beam epitaxy are reported. The proposed growth model emphasizes the dominant role of the coalescence process in the formation of a dislocation network in 2H-InN. Edge type threading dislocations and dislocations of mixed character have been found to be the dominating defects in wurtzite InN layers. It is demonstrated that these dislocations are active suppliers of electrons and an exponential decay of their density with the thickness implies a corresponding decay in the carrier density. Room temperature mobility in excess of 1500 cm² V ⁻¹ s⁻¹ was obtained for 800 nm thick InN layers with dislocation densities of 3×10⁹ cm⁻².     

Al Schottky contact on p-GaSe

A new Schottky diode, Al/p-GaSe, was presented in this study. It shows an effective barrier height of 0.96 eV with an ideality factor of 1.24 over five decades and a reverse leakage current density of 4.12×10⁻⁷ A/cm² at −2 V after rapid thermal annealing at 400 C for 30 s. The generation–recombination effect of the Schottky diode was decreased as the annealing temperature was increased. The formation of Al_1.33Se₂ was observed by X-ray diffraction analysis after the diode was annealed at 400 C for 30 s. Owing to the grains’ growth, the surface morphology of the 400 C-annealed diode was rougher than that of the unannealed diode, which was observed both by the AFM and the SEM analysis.     

Tunneling conductance in a gapped graphene-based superconducting structure: Case of massive Dirac electrons

The tunneling conductance in a NG/SG graphene junction in which the graphene was grown on a SiC substrate is simulated. The carriers in the normal graphene (NG) and the superconducting graphene (SG) are treated as massive relativistic particles. It is assumed that the Fermi energy in the NG and SG are E_FN400 meV and E_FS400 meV+U, respectively. Here U is the electrostatic potential from the superconducting gate electrode. It is seen that the Klein tunneling disappears in the case where a gap exist in the energy spectrum. As U→∞, the zero bias normalized conductance becomes persistent at a minimal value of G/G₀1.2. The normalized conductance G/G₀ is found to depend linearly on U with constant slope of , where is the size of the gap Δ opening up in the energy spectrum of the graphene grown on the SiC substrate. It is found that G/G₀2+αU for potentials in the range −270 meV<U<0 meV and G=0 for potentials U<−270 meV. As α→∞, the conductance for eV=Δ (V is the bias voltage placed across the NG/SG junction) can be approximated by a unit step function G(eV=Δ,U)/G₀2Θ(U). This last behavior indicates that a NG/SG junction made with gapped graphene could be used as a nano switch having excellent characteristics.     

Dielectric/piezoelectric properties and temperature dependence of domain structure evolution in lead free single crystal

(K_0.5Na_0.5)NbO₃ (KNN) single crystals were grown using a high temperature flux method. The dielectric permittivity was measured as a function of temperature for [001]-oriented KNN single crystals. The ferroelectric phase transition temperatures, including the rhombohedral–orthorhombic T_R−O, orthorhombic–tetragonal T_O−T and tetragonal–cubic T_C were found to be located at −149  C, 205 C and 393 C, respectively. The domain structure evolution with an increasing temperature in [001]-oriented KNN single crystal was observed using polarized light microscopy (PLM), where three distinguished changes of the domain structures were found to occur at −150  C, 213 C and 400 C, corresponding to the three phase transition temperatures.     

Photoproduction of and of high mass in ultra-peripheral Au + Au collisions at

We present the first measurement of photoproduction of J/ψ and of two-photon production of high-mass e⁺e⁻ pairs in electromagnetic (or ultra-peripheral) nucleus–nucleus interactions, using Au + Au data at . The events are tagged with forward neutrons emitted following Coulomb excitation of one or both Au nuclei. The event sample consists of 28 events with m_e⁺e⁻>2 GeV/c² with zero like-sign background. The measured cross sections at midrapidity of and for m_e⁺e⁻[2.0,2.8] GeV/c² have been compared and found to be consistent with models for photoproduction of J/ψ and QED based calculations of two-photon production of e⁺e⁻ pairs.     

Infrared spectral study of molecular vibrations in amorphous, nanocrystalline and AlO(OH) · αH2O bulk crystals

Amorphous, nanocrystalline, and bulk AlO(OH) · xH₂O crystals have six fundamental modes (FM) of vibration in a nonlinear AlO(OH) molecular structure. Most of them appear in groups of four IR and Raman bands. Their positions and relative intensities differ significantly in three specimens. The nanocrystals (monoclinic structure with z=8 molecules per unit cell) have four OH stretching bands at values enhanced by up to 360 cm⁻¹ at 3120, 3450, 3560 cm⁻¹ in comparison to those in bulk crystals or amorphous specimens. The first two bands are broad, bandwidth Δν_1/2200 to 350 cm⁻¹, while the other two are sharp, Δν_1/290 cm⁻¹. The sharp bands shift to 3525 and 3595 cm⁻¹ after heating the sample at 100°C. They no longer appear after heating at 300 or 500°C for 2 h (the specimen decomposes to Al₂O₃), leaving behind only two bands at 3100 and 3400 cm⁻¹. A Δν_1/2 value of 500 cm⁻¹ appears in the 3400 cm⁻¹ in a delocalized distribution of H atoms. Two bands also occur at 3098 and 3300 cm⁻¹ in bulk crystals (orthorhombic structure with z=4) or at 2990 and 3515 cm⁻¹ in an amorphous sample. More than one bands appear in a FM vibration in occurrence of sample in more than one conformers. The amorphous sample has approximately the same conformer structure as the bulk crystals. An amorphous surface structure exists in nanocrystals with a group of three bands at 1420, 1510 and 1635 cm⁻¹ in an interconnected network structure. It encapsulates the nanocrystals in an amorphous shell. Its volume fraction, 33% estimated from the integrated intensity in three bands, determines 2.2 nm thickness in the shell in spherical shape of nanocrystals in 35 nm diameter.     

Electrical and optical characteristics of various PPV derivatives (MEH-PPV, CzEH-PPV, OxdEH-PPV)

To investigate the electrical characteristics of polymer based light emitting diode (LED) devices, we fabricated the hole transport device (HTD) and the electron transport device (ETD). The ITO and Au with high work function were used as electrodes for the HTD, and the Al and Li:Al with low work function were used for the ETD. The active layer materials were poly[2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene] (MEH-PPV), poly[2-(N-carbazolyl)-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene] (CzEH-PPV), and poly[2-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-5-phenyl-1,3,4-oxadiazole-5(2-ethylhexoxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene] (OxdEH-PPV). We measured the current density–applied field (J–E) characteristics of the HTD and ETD with various thickness at different temperatures. The results of the J–E curves were analyzed by using tunneling model, space charge limited conduction (SCLC) model, etc. In the SCLC model, the mobility of the hole and the electron of MEH-PPV is 10⁻⁶ and 10⁻⁸ cm²/Vs, respectively. For CzEH-PPV and OxdEH-PPV, the hole mobility is similar to the value of the electron mobility with 10⁻¹⁰ cm²/Vs. The luminescent efficiency of CzEH-PPV or OxdEH-PPV is higher than that of MEH-PPV. The results of photoconductivity of the systems qualitatively agrees with the result of the electrical measurement. We analyze that the balance of the electron and the hole mobility plays an important role for the efficiency of the LEDs.     

Peculiarities of electron field emission from ZnO nanocrystals and nanostructured films

ZnO microcrystals and nanocrystals were grown on silicon substrates by condensation from vapour phase. Nanostructured ZnO films were deposited by plasma enhanced metal organic chemical vapour deposition (PEMOCVD). The parameters of field emission, namely form-factor β and work function , were calculated for ZnO structures by the help of the Fowler–Nordheim equation. The work functions from ZnO nanostructured films were evaluated by a comparison method. The density of emission current from ZnO nanostructures reaches 0.6 mA/cm² at electric force F=2.110⁵ V/cm. During repeatable measurements β changes from 5.810⁴ to 2.310⁶ cm⁻¹, indicating improvement of field emission. Obtained values of work functions were 3.7±0.37 eV and 2.9–3.2 eV for ZnO nanostructures and ZnO films respectively.     

Electron drag in intermediate magnetic fields with low electron density

Electron drag between two two-dimensional electron systems has been measured in intermediate magnetic fields (/τ<ω_ck_BT) with a relatively low electron density. We explore, in this sample, the unusual increase of drag in intermediate magnetic fields which was well characterized by a nearly temperature independent B³ dependence. The anomalous behavior of electron drag observed in higher density samples is found to persist for low sample density.     

Laser gain by electron collisional pumping of Ar VII–V XII

Gain coefficients have been calculated for transitions of singlet levels ns–np of orbital n=4 and n=5 in magnesium-like ions with atomic numbers Z=18, 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23. Population inversions for 4p and 5p levels in these ions were also calculated, via electron collisional excitation, for electron temperature range of 93–231 eV and electron density range of 10¹⁶–10¹⁷ cm⁻³. Under these plasma conditions, the maximum gain that occurred for 4s–4p transition was at electron temperature of 231 eV and electron density of 4×10¹⁷ cm⁻³. Scaling of the maximum gain coefficients with atomic number Z and the plasma parameters is also presented.     

Energetics of dopant atoms in subsurface positions of diamond semiconductor

We present a set of ab initio energetics for a substitutional boron (B) impurity atom in subsurface positions, from the topmost to the fifth atomic layer, of both C(001)-2×1:H and C(111)-1×1:H. We compare the calculated surface-B binding energies with those obtained for P [T. Miyazaki, H. Kato, H. Okushi, S. Yamasaki, e-J. Surf. Sci. Nanotech. 4 (2006) 124]. The surface-P binding energies become larger as the position of P is closer to the two surfaces. They are up to 4 eV for C(001)-2×1:H and 2.6 eV for C(111)-1×1:H, respectively. For B, in contrast, the binding energies are within 0.5 eV for both surfaces. An implication of our finding in the context of a mechanism for P and B doping in diamond is discussed.     

Arsenic-related recombination in MOVPE-grown ZnO/GaAs films

In this paper, ZnO films grown by metalorganic vapour phase epitaxy on various substrates (GaAs, silicon, sapphire) and using different VI /II ratios, are investigated by photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The PL spectra of layers grown on GaAs show significant recombination at 3.320 eV, 3.305 eV and 3.270 eV. These energies are remarkably similar to what have been reported for hybrid beam deposited ZnO:As [Y.R. Ryu, T.S. Lee, H.W. White, Appl. Phys. Lett. 83 (2003) 87] and arsenic-implanted ZnO crystals [T.S. Jeong, M.S. Han, C.J. Youn, Y.S. Park, J. Appl. Phys. 96 (2004) 175], and the lines are ascribed to the incorporation of arsenic, which diffuses from the substrate into the films. Two acceptor levels are deduced at 120 meV and at 140–150 meV.     

UV-Raman scattering study of lattice recovery by thermal annealing of Eu -implanted GaN layers

Lattice recovery of Eu-implanted GaN has been studied by means of Raman scattering under UV excitation. GaN epilayers implanted at 300 keV with doses ranging from 2×10¹⁴ to 4×10¹⁵ cm⁻² and subsequently annealed at 1000 C for 20 min show an increasing degree of disorder as the implantation dose increases. Higher temperature annealings up to 1300 C were also investigated in samples having an AlN capping layer. Disorder related modes, observed in samples annealed at 1000 C, disappear at higher annealing temperatures, indicating an incomplete lattice recovery at 1000 C. The Raman scattering spectra show resonant A₁(LO) multiphonon scattering up to sixth order, whose relative intensities depend on the implantation dose. The intensity ratios between multiphonon peaks observed for the highest implantation doses suggest a spread of the resonance, which could be related to a heterogeneous strain distribution, also indicative of incomplete lattice recovery.     

Velocity of electroweak bubble walls

We study the velocity of bubble walls in the electroweak phase transition. For several extensions of the Standard Model, we estimate the friction and calculate the wall velocity, taking into account the hydrodynamics. We find that deflagrations are generally more likely than detonations. Nevertheless, for models with extra bosons, which give a strongly first-order phase transition, the deflagration velocity is in general quite high, 0.1v_w0.6. Therefore, such phase transitions may produce an important signal of gravitational waves. On the other hand, models with extra fermions which are strongly coupled to the Higgs boson may provide a strongly first-order phase transition and small velocities, 10⁻²v_w10⁻¹, as required by electroweak baryogenesis.     

A comparative study of coordination between host polymers and Li ions in UV-cured gel polymer electrolytes

Crosslinked gel polymer electrolytes are prepared via free radical photo-polymerization of 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate (HDDA) or tri(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (TEGDA) with 1 M LiClO₄ dissolved in a solvent mixture of ethylene carbonate (EC) and propylene carbonate (PC). TEGDA-based gel polymer electrolytes containing a polar moiety of ethylene oxide exhibit relatively high ionic conductivities over a temperature range from − 15 to 65 °C in comparison to those based on HDDA. The coordination structure between polar moieties of a polymer backbone and Li⁺ ions is examined using a Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The results of FT-IR analyses manifest that the CO and COC groups of TEGDA-based polymer matrix form the complex with Li⁺ ions.     

Si-nanostructures formation in amorphous silicon nitride SiNx:H deposited by remote PECVD

The formation of silicon nanoclusters embedded in amorphous silicon nitride (SiN_x:H) can be of great interest for optoelectronic devices such as solar cells. Here amorphous SiN_x:H layers have been deposited by remote microwave-assisted chemical vapor deposition at 300 °C substrate temperature and with different ammonia [NH₃]/silane [SiH₄] gas flow ratios (R=0.5−5). Post-thermal annealing was carried out at 700 °C during 30 min to form the silicon nanoclusters. The composition of the layers was determined by Rutherford back scattering (RBS) and elastic recoil detection analysis (ERDA). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) showed that the densities of SiH (2160 cm⁻¹) and NH (3330 cm⁻¹) molecules are reduced after thermal annealing for SiN:H films deposited at flow gas ratio R>1.5. Breaking the SiH bonding provide Si atoms in excess in the bulk of the layer, which can nucleate and form Si nanostructures. The analysis of the photoluminescence (PL) spectra for different stoichiometric layers showed a strong dependence of the peak characteristics (position, intensity, etc.) on the gas flow ratio. On the other hand, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis proves the presence of silicon nanoclusters embedded in the films deposited at a gas flow ratio of R=2 and annealed at 700 °C (30 min).     

Bragg grating writing through the polyimide coating of high NA optical fibres with femtosecond IR radiation

Bragg gratings are written with ultrafast 800 nm radiation and a phase mask through the polyimide polymer coatings of commercially available high NA fibres that are both unloaded and loaded with high pressure hydrogen gas. For polyimide coated fibres with very high germanium core concentrations, index modulations greater than 1 × 10⁻⁴ are induced. Stable core index modulations 60% of their original value were present after 115 h at 500 °C.