Oxide-assisted growth of silicon nanowires by carbothermal evaporation

Silicon nanowires (SiNWs) have successfully been synthesized by carbothermal evaporation method. By ramping-up the furnace system at 20 °C min⁻¹ to 1100 °C for 6 h, the vertically aligned coexist with crooked SiNWs were achieved on the silicon substrate located at 12 cm from source material. The processing parameters such as temperature, heating rate, duration, substrate position and location are very important to produce SiNWs. Morphology and chemical composition of deposited products were investigated by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) equipped with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). The existence of small sphere silicon oxide capped nanowires suggested that the formation of SiNWs was governed by oxide-assisted growth (OAG) mechanism.     

Catalyst formation at various temperatures by hydrogen radical treatment and synthesis of silicon nanowires

Metal nanocrystals as catalyst from a metal oxide film were fabricated at various temperatures after hydrogen radical treatment and great quantities of silicon nanowires (SiNWs) were successfully synthesized using the hydrogen microwave afterglow deposition method. Indium (In) metal nanocrystals with size of about 12 nm were obtained from indium oxide film after hydrogen radical pre-treatment for 5 min at 400 °C and their quantity reached approximately 3 × 10¹⁰ cm⁻². Subsequently, a numerous SiNWs were grown with the crystal diffraction of (1 1 1), (2 2 0) and (3 1 1). The diameters of the SiNWs mainly ranged from 5 to 120 nm and their lengths extended to about 8.5 μm.     

Effects of carbonization and substrate temperature on the growth of 3C-SiC on Si(1 1 1) by SSMBE

The growth of 3C-SiC on Si(1 1 1) substrate was performed at different carbonization temperatures and substrate temperatures by solid-source molecular beam epitaxy (SSMBE). The properties of SiC film were analyzed with in situ reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED), X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The best carbonization temperature of 810 °C was found to be optimal for the surface carbonization. The quality of SiC film grown on Si at substrate temperature of 1000 °C is best. The worse crystalline quality for the sample grown at higher temperature was attributed to the large mismatch of thermal expansion coefficient between SiC and Si which caused more dislocation when sample was cooled down to room temperature from higher substrate temperature. Furthermore, the larger size of single pit and the total area of the pits make the quality of SiC films grown at higher temperature worse. More Si atoms for the sample grown at lower temperature were responsible for the degradation of crystalline quality for the sample grown at lower temperature.     

Influence of deposition temperature on the structural and morphological properties of Be3N2 thin films grown by reactive laser ablation

Be₃N₂ thin films have been grown on Si(1 1 1) substrates using the pulsed laser deposition method at different substrate temperatures: room temperature (RT), 200 °C, 400 °C, 600 °C and 700 °C. Additionally, two samples were deposited at RT and were annealed after deposition in situ at 600 °C and 700 °C. In order to obtain the stoichiometry of the samples, they have been characterized in situ by X-ray photoelectron (XPS) and reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy (REELS). The influence of the substrate temperature on the morphological and structural properties of the films was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results show that all prepared films presented the Be₃N₂ stoichiometry. Formation of whiskers with diameters of 100-200 nm appears at the surface of the films prepared with a substrate temperature of 600 °C or 700 °C. However, the samples grown at RT and annealed at 600 °C or 700 °C do not show whiskers on the surface. The average root mean square (RMS) roughness and the average grain size of the samples grown with respect the substrate temperature is presented. The films grown with a substrate temperature between the room temperature to 400 °C, and the sample annealed in situ at 600 °C were amorphous; while the αBe₃N₂ phase was presented on the samples with a substrate temperature of 600 °C, 700 °C and that deposited with the substrate at RT and annealed in situ at 700 °C.     

Epitaxial growth of Sc-doped ZnO films on Si by sol-gel route

The epitaxial growth of doped ZnO films is of great technological importance. Present paper reports a detailed investigation of Sc-doped ZnO films grown on (1 0 0) silicon p-type substrates. The films were deposited by sol-gel technique using zinc acetate dihydrate as precursor, 2-methoxyethanol as solvent and monoethanolamine (MEA) as a stabilizer. Scandium was introduced as dopant in the solution by taking 0.5 wt%¹ of scandium nitrate hexahydrate. The effect of annealing on structural and photoluminescence properties of nano-textured Sc-doped films was investigated in the temperature range of 300-550 °C. Structural investigations were carried out using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. X-ray diffraction study revealed that highly c-axis oriented films with full-width half maximum of 0.21° are obtained at an annealing temperature of 400 °C. The SEM images of ZnO:Sc films have revealed that coalescence of ZnO grains occurs due to annealing. Ostwald ripening was found to be the dominant mass transport mechanism in the coalescence process. A surface roughness of 4.7 nm and packing density of 0.93 were observed for the films annealed at 400 °C. Room temperature photoluminescence (PL) measurements of ZnO:Sc films annealed at 400 °C showed ultraviolet peak at about (382 nm) with FWHM of 141 meV, which are comparable to those found in high-quality ZnO films. The films annealed below or above 400 °C exhibited green emission as well. The presence of green emission has been correlated with the structural changes due to annealing. Reflection high energy electron diffraction pattern confirmed the nearly epitaxial growth of the films.     

Growth and annealing of zinc-blende CdSe thin films on GaAs (0 0 1) by molecular beam epitaxy

CdSe thin films have been grown on GaAs (0 0 1) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The effects of substrate temperature and annealing treatment on the structural properties of CdSe layers were investigated. The growth rate slightly decreases due to the accelerated desorption of Cd from CdSe surface with an increase in the temperature. The sample grown at 260 °C shows a polycrystalline structure with rough surface. As the temperature increases over 300 °C, crystalline CdSe (0 0 1) epilayers with zinc-blende structure are achieved and the structural quality is improved remarkably. The epilayer grown at 340 °C displays the narrowest full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) from (0 0 4) reflection in double-crystal X-ray rocking curve (DCXRC) and the smallest root-mean-square (RMS) roughness of 0.816 nm. Additionally, samples fabricated at 320 °C were annealed in air for 30 min to study the films’ thermal stability. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results indicate that the zinc-blende structure remains unchanged when the annealing temperature is elevated to 460 °C, meaning a good thermal stability of the cubic CdSe epilayers.     

Effect of annealing temperature on the structural, photoluminescence and magnetic properties of sol-gel derived Magnetoplumbite-type (M-type) hexagonal strontium ferrite

Magnetoplumbite-type (M-type) hexagonal strontium ferrite particles were synthesized via sol-gel technique employing ethylene glycol as the gel precursor at two different calcination temperatures (800 and 1000 °C). Structural properties were systematically investigated via X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), photoluminescence spectrophotometry and superconducting quantum interference device magnetometer. XRD results showed that the sample synthesized at 1000 °C was of single-phase with a space group of P6₃/mmc and lattice cell parameter values of a=5.882 Å and c=23.048 Å. EDS confirmed the composition of strontium ferrite calcined at 1000 °C being mainly of M-type SrFe₁₂O₁₉ with HRTEM micrographs confirming the ferrites exhibiting M-type long range ordering along the c-axis of the crystal structure. The photoluminescence (PL) property of strontium ferrite was examined at excitation wavelengths of 260 and 270 nm with significant PL emission peaks centered at 350 nm being detected. Strontium ferrite annealed at higher temperature (1000 °C) was found to have grown into larger particle size, having higher content of oxygen vacancies and exhibited 83-85% more intense PL. Both the as-prepared strontium ferrites exhibited significant oxygen vacancies defect structures, which were verified via TGA. Higher calcination temperature turned strontium ferrite into a softer ferrite.     

Structural, compositional, thermal resistant and hydro-oleophobic properties of fluorine based block-co-polymer films on quartz substrates by wet chemical process

Crack free and smooth surfaces of poly [4,5-difluoro 2,2-bis (trifluoromethyl)-(1,3 dioxole)-co-tetrafluoroethylene] (TFE-co-TFD) thin films have been deposited by wet chemical dip coating technique on polished quartz and glass slide substrates. The deposited films have been subjected to annealing at different temperatures ranging from 100 to 500 °C for 1 h in argon atmosphere. The elemental composition of the as-deposited (xerogel) thin film as well as film annealed at 400 °C was measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and observed that there was no change in the composition of the film. X-ray diffraction pattern revealed the amorphous behaviour of both as-deposited and film annealed at 400 °C. Surface morphology and elemental composition of the films have been examined by employing scanning electron microscopy attached with energy dispersive X-ray analyser, respectively. It was found that as the annealing temperature increased from 100 to 400 °C, nano-hemisphere-like structures have been grown, which in turn has shown increase in the water contact angle from 122^o to 148^o and oil (peanut) contact angle from 85° to 96°. No change in the water contact angle (122°) has been observed when the films deposited at room temperature were heated in air from 30 to 80 °C as well as exposed to steam for 8 days for 8 h/day indicating thermal stability of the film.     

The effect of hydrogen irradiation and annealing on the low-temperature growth of homoepitaxial ZnO layers grown on (0 0 0 1) ZnO substrates by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy

Low-temperature growth of high quality homoepitaxial ZnO is realized by using hydrogen irradiation and annealing processes (modified method). By modified method, two-dimensional growth and atomically smooth surface with steps (terrace length ∼75 nm) are achieved at 400 °C. Furthermore, FWHMs of high resolution X-ray rocking curves for (0 0 0 2) and (10-11) reflections are evaluated as narrow as 21 arcsec, which indicates that high crystallinity of the ZnO grown at 400 °C by modified method is almost similar to that grown at 600 °C by conventional method. Photoluminescence results show the considerable improvement of optical properties, such as an emersion of free exciton (FX) and a decrease of donor bound exciton (D°X) linewidth, by using modified method, even at growth temperature as low as 400 °C.     

Microstructural and surface property variations due to the amorphous region formed by thermal annealing in Al-doped ZnO thin films grown on n-Si (1 0 0) substrates

X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns revealed that the as-grown and annealed Al-doped ZnO (AZO) films grown on the n-Si (1 0 0) substrates were polycrystalline. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images showed that bright-contrast regions existed in the grain boundary, and high-resolution TEM (HRTEM) images showed that the bright-contrast regions with an amorphous phase were embedded in the ZnO grains. While the surface roughness of the AZO film annealed at 800 °C became smoother, those of the AZO films annealed at 900 and 1000 °C became rougher. XRD patterns, TEM images, selected-area electron diffraction patterns, HRTEM images, and atomic force microscopy (AFM) images showed that the crystallinity in the AZO thin films grown on the n-Si (1 0 0) substrates was enhanced resulting from the release in the strain energy for the AZO thin films due to thermal annealing at 800 °C. XRD patterns and AFM images show that the crystallinity of the AZO thin films annealed at 1000 °C deteriorated due to the formation of the amorphous phase in the ZnO thin films.     

High resolution X-ray diffraction of GaN grown on Si (1 1 1) by MOVPE

High temperature GaN layers have been grown on Si (1 1 1) substrate by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE). AlN was used as a buffer layer and studied as a function of thickness and growth temperature. The growth was monitored by in situ laser reflectometry. High resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD) revealed that optimized monocrystalline GaN was obtained for a 40 nm AlN grown at 1080 °C. This is in good agreement with the results of morphological study by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and also confirmed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) observations. The best morphology of AlN with columnar structure and lower rms surface roughness is greatly advantageous to the coalescence of the GaN epilayer. Symmetric and asymmetric GaN reflections were combined for twist and stress measurements in monocrystalline GaN. It was found that mosaicity and biaxial tensile stress are still high in 1.7 μm GaN. Curvature radius measurement was also done and correlated to the cracks observations over the GaN surface.     

Effects of annealing temperature on YAG:Ce synthesized by spray-drying method

In this report, YAG:Ce phosphors were synthesized by spray-drying method. The effects of annealing temperature on crystal structure, morphology and photoluminescence property (PL) of as-prepared samples were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and spectrofluorometer, respectively. The XRD patterns showed all the samples are in consistence with a single garnet phase, and the location of strongest peak shifts to smaller angle with increasing the annealing temperature. The SEM micrographs revealed the sample annealed at 1200 °C appears to be a spherical polycrystalline aggregate; as the samples were annealed at 1300?1400 °C, spherical grains obviously grow up; but the sample annealed at over 1400 °C forms an irregular bulk. The emission spectra of samples indicated the PL of samples annealed at 1200?1400 °C improve with increasing the annealing temperature because of the diffusion of Si⁴⁺ ions; whereas the PL of sample annealed at the temperature over 1400 °C decreases likely resulting from inflection effects of multiangular shape of grains. Therefore, the samples annealed at 1400 °C are suitable for gaining phosphor with high brightness and good morphology.     

A novel method to synthesize LiVPO4F/C composite materials and its electrochemical Li-intercalation performances

Triclinic LiVPO₄F/C composite materials were prepared from a sucrose-containing precursor by one-step heat treatment. As-prepared composites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electrochemical measurements. XRD studies showed that Li₃PO₄ impurity phase appeared in the sample synthesized at 600 °C and pure LiVPO₄F samples could be obtained when the sintered temperature was higher than 650 °C. The sample synthesized at 650 °C presents the highest initial discharge capacity of 132 mAh g⁻¹ at 0.2 C rate, and exhibited better cycling stability (124 mAh g⁻¹ at 50th cycle at 0.2 C rate) and better rate capability (100 mAh g⁻¹ at 50th cycle under 1 C rate) in the voltage range 3.0-4.4 V.     

Effect of Ag doping on the photoluminescence properties of ZnO films

ZnO:Ag films were grown on Si (1 0 0) substrates by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis at various substrate temperatures. The effect of deposition temperature on the structural and the room temperature photoluminescence (RT-PL) properties of ZnO:Ag films was studied. With the deposition temperature rising to 550 °C, the intensity of the near-band edge (NBE) emission at 378 nm decreased and a new emission peak at 399 nm was observed. On the basis of the X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD), the X-ray photoelectron (XPS) spectra of ZnO:Ag films, and the effects of annealing on the PL, we suggest that the 399 nm emission should be attributed to the electron transition from the conduction band to Ag_Zn-related complexes defects radiative centers above the valence band.     

An interface study of crystalline Fe/Ge multilayers grown by molecular beam epitaxy

Fe/Ge multilayers were grown on single crystal Ge(0 0 1) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. The structural, electronic and magnetic properties of Fe/Ge have been studied. The analysis shows that Fe grows in a layer-by-layer epitaxial growth mode on Ge(0 0 1) substrates at 150 °C and no intermixing has been observed. Growth of a crystalline Ge film at 150 °C on a single crystal Fe film has been observed. At this temperature Ge films grow by means of the island growth mode according to reflection of high energy electron diffraction patterns. Fe layers of 36 nm thickness, deposited at 150 °C on Ge(0 0 1) substrates, show two magnetization reversal values indicating the growth of Fe in two different crystal orientations. 36 nm thick Fe and Ge layers grown at 150 °C in Ge/Fe/Ge/Fe/Ge(0 0 1) sequence shows ferromagnetic behavior, however, the same structure grown at 200 °C shows paramagnetic behavior.     

Effects of deposition temperature on the structural and morphological properties of SnO2 films fabricated by pulsed laser deposition

Tin oxide (SnO₂) thin films were grown on Si (1 0 0) substrates using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) in O₂ gas ambient (10 Pa) and at different substrate temperatures (RT, 150, 300 and 400 °C). The influence of the substrate temperature on the structural and morphological properties of the films was investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). XRD measurements showed that the almost amorphous microstructure transformed into a polycrystalline SnO₂ phase. The film deposited at 400 °C has the best crystalline properties, i.e. optimum growth conditions. However, the film grown at 300 °C has minimum average root mean square (RMS) roughness of 3.1 nm with average grain size of 6.958 nm. The thickness of the thin films determined by the ellipsometer data is also presented and discussed.     

Structural and optical properties of SrCu2O2 films deposited on sapphire substrates by pulsed laser deposition

We deposited SrCu₂O₂ (SCO) films on sapphire (Al₂O₃) (0 0 0 1) substrates by pulsed laser deposition. The crystallographic orientation of the SCO thin film showed clear dependence on the growth temperature. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis showed that the film deposited at 400 °C was mainly oriented in the SCO [2 0 0] direction, whereas when the growth temperature was increased to 600 °C, the SCO film showed a dominant orientation of SCO [1 1 2]. The SCO film deposited at 500 °C was obvious polycrystalline, showing multi peaks from (2 0 0), (1 1 2), and (2 1 1) diffraction in the XRD spectrum. The SCO film deposited at 600 °C showed a band gap energy of 3.3 eV and transparency up to 80% around 500 nm. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra of the SCO films grown at 500 °C and 600 °C mainly showed blue-green emission, which was attributed to the intra-band transition of the isolated Cu⁺ and Cu⁺–Cu⁺ pairs according to the temperature dependent-PL analysis.     

Temperature-dependent growth mode of W-doped ZnO nanostructures

We report on the effects of glass substrate temperature on the crystal structure and morphology of tungsten (W)-doped ZnO nanostructures synthesized by pulsed-laser deposition. X-ray diffraction analysis data shows that the W-doped ZnO thin films exhibit a strongly preferred orientation along a c-axis (0 0 0 L) plane, while scanning electron and atomic force microscopes reveal that well-aligned W-doped ZnO nanorods with unique shape were directly and successfully synthesized at substrate temperature of 550 °C and 600 °C without any underlying catalyst or template. Possible growth mechanism of these nanorods is suggested and discussed.     

Characterization of ZrB2(0 0 0 1) surface prepared by ex situ HF solution treatment toward applications as a substrate for GaN growth

ZrB₂(0 0 0 1) crystals grown by the rf-floating zone technique were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, reflection high-energy electron diffraction, and atomic force microscopy. These characteristics were investigated as a function of thermal cleaning temperature up to 1000 °C in vacuum for as-received substrates as well as substrates treated ex situ in HF aqueous solution. The HF treatment process removed the ZrO₂ native oxide layer present on as-received substrates and resulted in ZrB₂(0 0 0 1) surfaces exhibiting long-range order. Upon annealing the HF-treated surface in high vacuum, two types of reconstructions were observed: an incommensurate reconstruction from 650 to 900 °C related to residual H₂ gas, and n × n reconstructions at 1000 °C, possibly related to oxygen.     

Raman scattering and photoluminescence of zinc telluride nanopowders at room temperature

Zinc telluride (ZnTe) powders were synthesized in sodium hydroxide solution by the hydrothermal method under different conditions, in which zinc and tellurium powders were used as precursors. Their structures were characterized by X-ray diffractometer, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and micro-Raman spectrometer. The results indicate that the powders are composed of ZnTe nanocrystals with zincblende structure and contain some impurities, and the average sizes of ZnTe nanocrystals are about 67, 92, and 112 nm when they were grown at 120 °C for 1, 2, and 6 h, respectively. The Raman spectra show three peaks centered at about 205, 410, and 616 cm⁻¹, which are attributed to the longitudinal optical phonon vibration modes of ZnTe. The photoluminescence (PL) of ZnTe nanopowders were also investigated at room temperature and the PL spectra show three emission peaks at about 555, 578, and 701 nm, which are related to the complex defects and isolelectronic oxygen trap.