Surface morphology study of recrystallization dynamics of amorphous ZnO layers prepared on different substrates

Amorphous oxides-based devices are exposed, during fabrication, to different processing conditions affecting their properties. Zinc oxide is a prospective candidate for transparent amorphous oxides, but its structure is changing under the influence of temperature. We investigated surface recrystallization of amorphous zinc oxide layers deposited onto fused silica, sapphire and Si substrates by pulsed laser deposition. The prepared three series of layers had highly nonequilibrium phase structures. Using atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, the effect was studied of subsequent annealing at 200, 400, 600, 800 °C for 60 min upon the surface structural properties of the layers. The following parameters were analyzed: average roughness, RMS roughness and size of formed grains on selected places with 1 × 1 μm² area. Surface structural analysis revealed that annealing led to recrystallization of the prepared layers and roughening of the structural features on the surface. With increasing annealing temperature, the calculated parameters were increasing. The average surface roughness of zinc oxide layers annealed at 800 °C is three times higher than that of the layers annealed at lower temperatures for all substrates used. The process dynamics of thermally caused recrystallization of the layers was different for each of the substrates used.     

Multielectron dimples on a thick helium film

The theory of a multielectron dimple on a thick helium film is offered. The diagram of the dimple stability is built and the drastically non-monotonous dependence of the total energyW of the dimple on the helium film thicknessd is considered. The results of calculations are compared with the experimental data [1].     

Selective laser sintering of amorphous metal powder

For the first time, selective sintering of amorphous PtCuNiP powder with a pulsed Nd:YAG laser has been studied. Upon pulsed interaction, the grains melt only superficially to build necks between the grains. Depending on the laser parameters, the sintered material can be crystallized or retained amorphous. By contrast with crystalline powder, laser sintering of amorphous powder is achieved at substantially lower pulse energies due to its low melting point. The obtained results are compared with previous results from selective laser sintering of titanium powder. PACS 61.43.Dq; 81.20.Ev, 81.05.Rm     

Effect of nanoporous GaN templates with different pore diameters on the subsequent thick GaN layers by HVPE

A set of GaN films were overgrown by hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) on nanoporous GaN templates with different pore diameters. These samples have various properties as seen from the measurements of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and photoluminescence (PL). Cross-sectional observations under a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) reveal that the overgrowth mechanism and process are strongly related to the dimension of nanopores, indicating that an optimum diameter exists for the properties of subsequent HVPE–GaN layers. When the diameters of nanopores are less than the optimum value, the pores on top of GaN templates can be left, and the properties of HVPE–GaN films show significant improvement. In contrast, the pores are almost stuffed with HVPE–GaN films, which obviously limit the improvement degree of HVPE–GaN films.     

Electrical conductivity of thick film YSZ

When yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte is coated and co-sintered on top of Ni–YSZ anode support, the measured conductivities of YSZ thick films (10–30 μm thick) are often lower than that of bulk YSZ. In this study, we found the observation by fabricating free-standing YSZ thick films and measuring and comparing in-plain and across-plain conductivities. The in-plane conductivity of free-standing YSZ film matched very well with the conductivity of mm-thick bulk sample. It was further shown that the conductivity decrease can be minimized by using better electrode morphology.Another factor that decreases the film conductivity was identified when the thick film was reduced. The conductivity decrease, ∼26% after reduction for 1h in humidified hydrogen gas, was due to Ni-doping into YSZ during sintering process.In order to minimize the conductivity drop of thick film YSZ during SOFC (solid oxide fuel cell) operation, an intermediate layer may be used between YSZ and anode support to prevent Ni-doping during co-sintering process in addition to the well-designed electrode morphology.     

Thermal redistribution of indium in amorphous silicon layers

A new impurity redistribution mechanism is reported for low temperature annealing (525°C) of (100) Si samples implanted with high indium doses. The redistribution is a strong function of implant dose and is believed to be stress related.     

Temperature dependence of EXAFS in amorphous arsenic

EXAFS measurements at different temperatures on amorphous arsenic are reported. The low values of the EXAFS mean square relative displacement σ² for the first coordination shell are consistent with a distribution of As₄ pyramidal units throughout the amorphous network, giving a locally very ordered first shell, whose disorder is essentially dynamic in character. The temperature dependence of the vibrational contribution to the EXAFS Debye-Waller factor is well described by an Einstein oscillator model.     

GaN厚膜中的质子辐照诱生缺陷研究

本文采用正电子湮没谱研究质子辐照诱生缺陷, 实验发现: 能量为5 MeV的质子辐照在GaN厚膜中主要产生的是Ga单空位, 没有双空位或者空位团形成; 在10 K测试的低温光致发光谱中, 带边峰出现了"蓝移", 辐照后黄光带的发光强度减弱, 说明黄光带的起源与Ga空位(V_Ga)之间不存在必然的联系, 各激子发光峰位置没有改变, 仅强度随质子注量发生变化; 样品(0002)面双晶XRD扫描曲线的半峰宽在辐照后明显增大, 说明质子辐照对晶格的周期性产生了影响, 薄膜晶体质量下降. 关键词： GaN 缺陷 质子 辐照     

Size dependence of the plasmon peak position in electron stimulated photon emission spectra of Ag clusters supported on amorphous carbon film

The plasmon energy of Ag clusters produced on an amorphous carbon substrate by gas-aggregation technique has been measured. It has been determined from the plasmon peak position in the light emission spectrum obtained during bombardment of Ag clusters by low-energy electrons. For Ag cluster films with maximum of the cluster size distribution at 30, 8 and 2.5 nm, the plasmon energy comprised 3.76, 4.13 and 4.28 eV (the wavelength was 330, 300 and 290 nm), respectively. The blue shift of the plasmon energy is probably related to the effect of confounding of collective and single-particle excitations.     

Self-field reduces critical current density in thick YBCO layers

The engineering current density in YBCO coated conductor applications can be improved in two ways. Either the critical current density should be improved or the superconducting films made thicker. Unfortunately, it has often been observed that the average critical current density decreases when the thickness of films increases. Suggested reasons for this behaviour include e.g. two dimensional pinning properties, microcracks and imperfect crystallographic alignment. However, it is often forgotten that the self-field effect unavoidably reduces the critical current density when the thickness of YBCO films increases and thereby total current rises. In this paper, the influence of self-field on the average critical current density is studied computationally as a function of film thickness. The situation is also scrutinized at different external magnetic fields in order to find ways to distinguish self-field effects from problems related to the manufacturing process. For this purpose, critical current measurements in external field perpendicular to the film surface are proposed.     

Optical nonlinearity in hydrogenated amorphous silicon-selenium film

The nonlinear absorption and nonlinear refractive index of hydrogenated amorphous silicon-selenium (a-Si,Se:H) film prepared by a plasma-enhanced chemical deposition process was measured using a z-scan technique. Intensity dependent transmission was observed and attributed to reverse saturation absorption (optical limiting). The thermal contribution to nonlinear refractive index is discussed. The nonlinear response time was measured by using the pump and probe technique. Reverse saturating absorption was utilized to demonstrate all optical switching.     

Effect of self-conjugate perforation in amorphous silicon carbide layers

SiC films on glass substrates are found to have an amorphous structure, high insulating properties, and good mechanical strength. The integrated transmission coefficient of the SiC films in the spectral range λ=0.4–0.7 µm depends on their thickness. The SiC films subjected to etching in hydrofluoric acid exhibit self-conjugate perforation.     

Temperature dependence of photodegradation in amorphous hydrogenated silicon

Measurements of steady-state photoconductivity with respect to light-induced defect generation in amorphous hydrogenated silicon (a-Si: H) show that the power index of the time evolution (long-term observation) of the photodegradation is determined by the exposure temperature and the material.     

Intrinsic mechanical properties of ultra-thin amorphous carbon layers

In this work, we extracted the film's hardness (H_F) of ultra-thin diamond-like carbon layers by simultaneously taking into account the tip blunting and the substrate effect. As compared to previous approaches, which did not consider tip blunting, this resulted in marked differences (30-100%) for the H_F value of the thinner carbon coatings. We find that the nature of the substrate influences this intrinsic film parameter and hence the growth mechanisms. Moreover, the H_F values generally increase with film thickness. The 10 nm and 50 nm thick hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H) films deposited onto Si have H_F values of, respectively, ∼26 GPa and ∼31 GPa whereas the 10 nm and 50 nm thick tetrahedral amorphous carbon (t-aC) films deposited onto Si have H_F values of, respectively, ∼29 GPa and ∼38 GPa. Both the a-C:H and t-aC materials also show higher density and refractive index values for the thicker coatings, as measured, respectively by X-ray reflectometry and optical profilometry analysis. However, the Raman analysis of the a-C:H samples show bonding characteristics which are independent of the film thickness. This indicates that in these ultra-thin hydrogenated carbon films, the arrangement of sp² clusters does not relate directly to the hardness of the film.     

Domain wall dynamics in a double-layer uniaxial magnetic film with different magnetic anisotropy in the layers

Motion of an isolated domain wall in a double-layered magnetic film is investigated through solving the Slonczewski equations by a numerical method for the same gyromagnetic ratio and different anisotropy constants in the layers. Dependences of the threshold field and the limiting velocity of disruption of the steady state motion of the film on the magnetic anisotropy constant in one of the layers are obtained. __________ Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 8, pp. 3–7, August, 2007.     

Laser sintering of Cu paste film printed on polyimide substrate

We here show that highly conductive copper films are obtainable from Cu paste by laser sintering. The Cu paste synthesized using an organo-metallic compound was screen-printed onto polyimide substrate and the printed films were scanned by an ultraviolet laser beam at 355 nm under nitrogen atmosphere. Very compact microstructure was observed throughout the whole thickness and the sintered films were mechanically robust. Although Cu is known susceptible to oxidation, no Cu oxides were incorporated into the film during laser sintering. An electrical resistivity of 1.86 × 10⁻⁵ Ω cm was obtained. This resistivity is several orders of magnitude lower than those reported for the copper nanoparticle paste thermally sintered under N₂ or H₂ atmosphere.