Influence of the deposition parameters on the transition region of hydrogenated silicon films growth

Hydrogenated microcrystalline and amorphous silicon thin films were prepared by very high frequency plasmaenhanced chemical vapour deposition （VHF PECVD） by using a mixture of silane and hydrogen as source gas. The influence of deposition parameters on the transition region of hydrogenated silicon films growth was investigated by varying the silane concentration （SC）, plasma power （Pw）, working pressure （P）, and substrate temperature （Ts）. Results suggest that SC and Ts are the most critical factors that affect the film structure transition from microcrystalline to amorphous phase. A narrow region in the range of SC and Ts, in which the rapid phase transition takes place, was identified. It was found that at lower P or higher Pw, the transition region is shifted to larger SC. In addition, the dark conductivity and photoconductivity decrease with SC and show sharp changes in the transition region. It proposed that the transition process and the transition region are determined by the competition between the etching effect of atomic hydrogen and the growth of amorphous phase.     

Coulombic interaction in the colloidal oriented-attachment growth of tetragonal nanorods

In this report, the analytical expression of Coulombic interaction between a spherical nanoparticle and a tetragonal nanorod is derived. To evaluate the Coulombic interaction in the oriented attachment growth of tetragonal nanorods, we analyze the correlation between the Coulombic interaction and the important growth parameters, including： nanoparticle- nanorod separation, aspect ratio of the nanorods, and surface charge density. Our work opens up the opportunity to investi-gate interparticle interactions in the oriented attachment growth of tetragonal nanorods.     

Investigation of the growth process of Si nanowires using the vapour－liquid－solid mechanism

Silicon nanowires have been grown by the thermal decomposition of silane via the vapour－liquid－solid (VLS) mechanism. Three different stages of VLS growth (eutectic alloy formation, crystal nucleation and unidirectional growth) were studied separately using a scanning electron microscope and a high-resolution transmission electron microscope. Very short silicon nanowires prepared under particular conditions provide direct evidence of the VLS mechanism on a nanometre scale. Our results will be very helpful for the controllable synthesis of Si nanowires.     

Challenge to the suppression of tumor growth by the β4-galactosyltransferase genes

It has been well established that structural changes in glycans attached to proteins and lipids are associated with malignant transformation of cells. We focused on galactose residues among the sugars since they are involved in the galectin-mediated biology, and many carbohydrate antigens are frequently expressed on this sugar. We found changes in the expression of the β4-galactosyltransferase (β4GalT) 2 and 5 genes in cancer cells: decreased expression of the β4GalT2 gene and increased expression of the β4GalT5 gene. The growth of mouse melanoma cells showing enhanced expression of the β4GalT2 gene or reduced expression of the β4GalT5 gene is inhibited remarkably in syngeneic mice. Tumor growth inhibition is probably caused by the induction of apoptosis, inhibition of angiogenesis, and/or reduced MAPK signals. Direct transduction of human β4GalT2 cDNA together with the adenovirus vector into human hepatocellular carcinoma cells grown in SCID mice results in marked growth retardation of the tumors. β4GalT gene-transfer appears to be a potential tool for cancer therapy.     

Note on “Continuous matter creation and the acceleration of the universe: the growth of density fluctuations”

Recently, de Roany and Pacheco (Gen Relativ Gravit, doi:) performed a Newtonian analysis on the evolution of perturbations for a class of relativistic cosmological models with Creation of Cold Dark Matter (CCDM) proposed by the present authors (Lima et al. in JCAP 1011:027, 2010). In this note we demonstrate that the basic equations adopted in their work do not recover the specific (unperturbed) CCDM model. Unlike to what happens in the original CCDM cosmology, their basic conclusions refer to a decelerating cosmological model in which there is no transition from a decelerating to an accelerating regime as required by SNe type Ia and complementary observations.     

Effect of Ni content on the diffusion-controlled growth of the product phases in the Cu(Ni)–Sn system

A strong influence of Ni content on the diffusion-controlled growth of the (Cu,Ni)₃Sn and (Cu,Ni)₆Sn₅ phases by coupling different Cu(Ni) alloys with Sn in the solid state is reported. The continuous increase in the thickness ratio of (Cu,Ni)₆Sn₅ to (Cu,Ni)₃Sn with the Ni content is explained by combined kinetic and thermodynamic arguments as follows: (i) The integrated interdiffusion coefficient does not change for the (Cu,Ni)₃Sn phase up to 2.5 at.% Ni and decreases drastically for 5 at.% Ni. On the other hand, there is a continuous increase in the integrated interdiffusion coefficient for (Cu,Ni)₆Sn₅ as a function of increasing Ni content. (ii) With the increase in Ni content, driving forces for the diffusion of components increase for both components in both phases but at different rates. However, the magnitude of these changes alone is not large enough to explain the high difference in the observed growth rate of the product phases because of Ni addition. (iv) Kirkendall marker experiments indicate that the Cu₆Sn₅ phase grows by diffusion of both Cu and Sn in the binary case. However, when Ni is added, the growth is by diffusion of Sn only. (v) Also, the observed grain refinement in the Cu₆Sn₅ phase with the addition of Ni suggests that the grain boundary diffusion of Sn may have an important role in the observed changes in the growth rate.     

Consideration of the growth mode in isochronal austenite-ferrite transformation of ultra-low-carbon Fe–C alloy

The three cooling rates of 10, 100, 200 K/min dilatometry experiments are used to investigate the kinetics of the isochronal austenite (γ) to ferrite (α) transformation of Fe–0.0036wt.%C alloy. “Normal transformation” and “abnormal transformation” have both been observed for transformations at different cooling rates. In accordance with the thermodynamic characteristics of the γ→α transformation investigated here and previous kinetic considerations, a JMAK-like approach for the kinetics of isochronal phase transformations was developed that incorporates three overlapping processes: site saturation nucleation, alternate growth modes (from interface-controlled to diffusion-controlled to interface-controlled growth), as well as impingement for random distribution nuclei. The JMAK-like approach has been employed to fit the experimental results, and the fitting results show that for the γ→α transformation of the Fe–C alloy at all applied cooling rates, the growth mode evolves in the corresponding order: from interface-controlled to diffusion-controlled growth; from interface-controlled to diffusion-controlled to interface-controlled growth; and interface-controlled growth.     

“In vivo” STM studies of the growth of Germanium and Silicon on Silicon

A scanning tunneling microscope (STM) capable of imaging during crystal growth from the vapour is described. This method (MBSTM) opens the possibility to follow the growth process of semiconductor molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) in vivo. The ability of the microscope to access the evolution of specific features during growth is demonstrated by images of the Si homoepitaxy. The transition from initial multilayer to layer-by-layer growth was imaged in Si(1 1 1) homoepitaxy. In Si/Si(1 0 0) homoepitaxy the fractional coverage of non-equivalent terraces was studied as function of coverage and a theoretically predicted transient growth mode was observed. In Ge on Si(1 1 1) heteroepitaxy the nucleation of 3D Ge islands was observed. When 3D islands occurred on the surface an etching of the 2D Stranski-Krastanov layer was observed.     

A b initio calculation of the growth of Te nanorods and Bi2Te3 nanoplatelets

In this paper the growth mechanism of a Te/Bi2Te3 novel structure is studied by ab-initio calculations. The results show that the growth of Te nanorods is determined by the adsorption energy of Te atoms on different crystalline Te surfaces. The adsorption energy of Te on the Te （001） surface is 3.29 eV, which is about 0.25 eV higher than that of Te on the Te （110）. This energy difference makes the preferential growth direction along the 〈 001 〉 direction. In addition, the higher surface energy of Bi2Te3 （110） and the lattice misfit between crystalline Bi2We3 and Te along 〈 001 〉 direction are considered to explain the growth of the Bi2Te3 nanoplatelets, in which Volmer-Weber model is used. The theoretical results are in agreement with experimental observation.     

Solid–state diffusion–controlled growth of the phases in the Au–Sn system

The solid state diffusion-controlled growth of the phases is studied for the Au–Sn system in the range of room temperature to 200 °C using bulk and electroplated diffusion couples. The number of product phases in the interdiffusion zone decreases with the decrease in annealing temperature. These phases grow with significantly high rates even at the room temperature. The growth rate of the AuSn₄ phase is observed to be higher in the case of electroplated diffusion couple because of the relatively small grains and hence high contribution of the grain boundary diffusion when compared to the bulk diffusion couple. The diffraction pattern analysis indicates the same equilibrium crystal structure of the phases in these two types of diffusion couples. The analysis in the AuSn₄ phase relating the estimated tracer diffusion coefficients with grain size, crystal structure, the homologous temperature of experiments and the concept of the sublattice diffusion mechanism in the intermetallic compounds indicate that Au diffuses mainly via the grain boundaries, whereas Sn diffuses via both the grain boundaries and the lattice.     

Simulation of surfactant effects on the growth of metal homoexpitaxial Sb-Ag/Ag(111)

A kinetic Monte Carlo simulation is performed in order to study the effect of Sb atoms as a surfactant on the growth of Ag on Ag(111).In our model the repulsive mechanism in which the surfactant Sb atoms repel diffusing Ag adatoms,and the exchange mechanism between Ag and Sb atoms,are considered.Our simulations show that the effects of Sb atoms for Ag/Ag(111) growth system are mainly to increase the chances for Ag atoms to overcome the Ehrlich-Schwoebel barrier both in the interlayer growth and along the edge diffusion.The influence of the coverage of Sb atoms and substrate temperature on the growth of Ag/Sb/Ag(111) is discussed.     

Influence of growth morphology on the Néel temperature of CrRu thin films and heterostructures

Dimensionality effects on epitaxial and polycrystalline Cr_1?xRu_x alloy thin films and in Cr/Cr–Ru heterostructures are reported. X-ray analysis on Cr_0.9965Ru_0.0035 epitaxial films indicates an increase in the coherence length in growth directions (1 0 0) and (1 1 0) with increasing thickness (d), in the range 20≤d≤300 nm. Atomic force microscopy studies on these films shows pronounced vertical growth for d>50 nm, resulting in the formation of columnar structures. The Néel temperatures (T_N) of the Cr_0.9965Ru_0.0035 films show anomalous behaviour as a function of d at thickness d≈50 nm. It is interesting to note that this thickness corresponds to that for which a change in film morphology occurs. Experiments on epitaxial Cr_1?xRu_x thin films, with 0≤x≤0.013 and d=50 nm, give T_N–x curves that correspond well with that of bulk Cr_1?xRu_x alloys. Studies on Cr/Cr_0.9965Ru_0.0035 superlattices prepared on MgO(1 0 0), with the Cr layer thickness varied between 10 and 50 nm, keeping the Cr_0.9965Ru_0.0035 thickness constant at 10 nm, indicate a sharp decrease in T_N as the Cr separation layers reaches a thickness of 30 nm; ascribed to spin density wave pinning in the Cr layers for d<30 nm by the adjacent CrRu layers.     

Effect of heat and time-period on the growth of ZnO nanorods by sol–gel technique

Sol–gel routes to metal oxide nanoparticles in organic solvents under exclusion of water have become a versatile alternative to aqueous methods. We focus on the preparation of well-aligned ZnO nanorod arrays using non-aqueous sol–gel synthesis route, where ZnO nanorods arrays have been grown on glass substrates. This work provides a systematic study of controlled morphology and crystallinity of ZnO nanorod arrays. The investigation demonstrates that the synthesis process conditions of ZnO thin film have strong influences on the morphology and crystallinity of the ZnO nanorod arrays grown thereon, where non-aqueous process offers the possibility of better understanding and controlling the reaction pathways on the molecular level, enabling the synthesis of nanomaterials with high crystallinity and well-defined, uniform particle morphologies. Here the annealing temperature plays an important role on the growth of nanostructures of the ZnO grains and nanorod arrays. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image shows that the growth of ZnO nanorod arrays are high-quality single crystals growing along the c-axis perpendicular to the substrates. A detailed analysis of the growth characteristics of ZnO nanostructures as functions of growth time is also reported.     

Attainment of growth stability through the widening of Ostwold–Mier's zone width: A novel technique

A novel method has been found to enhance the metastable zone width of solutions in their supersaturated region in order to grow large size crystals at a faster rate under stabilized conditions. In which, the incorporation of a small quantity of ethylinediamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) a well-known chelating agents, enhances Ostwold–Mier's metastable zone width significantly due to their chelating action. Also this incorporation reduces the secondary nucleation rate and enhances the growth rate of the crystal. Powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), UV–visible–NIR studies for the grown crystal reveal that EDTA and H₂O₂ addition do not affect the crystalline quality. This concept has been realized with barium nitrate Ba(NO₃)₂, a potential SRS crystal. The complexation also promotes the growth rate leading to a rapid growth with high crystalline quality.     

The influence of the growth rate on the eutectic spacings,undercoolings and microhardness of directional solidified bismuth–lead eutectic alloy

Bi–Pb alloy at the eutectic composition was unidirectionally solidified upwards with five different growth rates (V = 7.05–113.09 μm/s) at constant temperature gradient (G = 2.18 K/mm) in a Bridgman type directional growth furnace in order to investigate dependency of eutectic spacing (λ), minimum undercooling (ΔT) and microhardness (HV) on the growth rates (V). The values of λ and HV were measured from the quenched samples and the minimum undercooling (ΔT) were determined from the Jackson–Hunt eutectic theory. The dependency of eutectic spacings, microhardness and undercooling on growth rate was investigated. According to these results it has been found that the value of λ decreases with increasing the value of V and that the values of HV and ΔT increase for a constant G. The values of λ²V, λΔT and ΔTV^?0.5 were determined by using the values of λ, ΔT and V. The results obtained in the present work have been compared with those predicted by the Jackson–Hunt eutectic theory and with similar experimental results.     

Some results of the growth of semiconductor crystals in microgravity conditions (to the 50th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s flight into space)

The history of the growth of semiconductor crystals aboard space vehicles and their subsequent investigation has been described shortly. It has been shown using Ge(Ga), GaSb(Si), and GaSb(Te) crystals as an example that the formation of segregation growth striations can be avoided during their recrystallization by the vertical Bridgman method in conditions of physical simulation of microgravity on the Earth, mainly due to the essential weakening of the thermal gravitation convection. By their structure and impurity distribution, they approach the crystals grown in space. The investigation of recrystallization of Te has made it possible to determine the role of the detachment effect characteristic of the microgravity conditions and the features of the microstructure of the samples that crystallize with a free surface. The analysis of the results obtained from experiments in space allows us to better understand the processes occurring during the crystallization of the melts and to improve the crystal growth in terrestrial conditions.     

Direct measurement of the growth mode of graphene on SiC(0001) and SiC(0001¯)

We have determined the growth mode of graphene on SiC(0001) and SiC(0001ˉ) using ultrathin, isotopically labeled Si(13)C "marker layers" grown epitaxially on the Si(12)C surfaces. Few-layer graphene overlayers were formed via thermal decomposition at elevated temperature. For both surface terminations (Si face and C face), we find that the (13)C is located mainly in the outermost graphene layers, indicating that, during decomposition, new graphene layers form underneath existing ones.     

Influence of impurity elements on the nucleation and growth of Si in high purity melt-spun Al–Si-based alloys

The nucleation and growth of Si has been investigated by TEM in a series of high purity melt spun Al–5Si (wt%)-based alloys with a trace addition of Fe and Sr. In the as-melt-spun condition, some twinned Si particles were found to form directly from the liquid along the grain boundary. The addition of Sr into Al–5Si-based alloys promotes the twinning of Si particles on the grain boundary and the formation of Si precipitates in the α-Al matrix. The majority of plate-shaped and truncated pyramid-shaped Si precipitates were also found to nucleate and grow along {111}_α-Al planes from supersaturated solid solution in the α-Al matrix. In contrast, controlled slow cooling decreased the amount of Si precipitates, while the size of the Si precipitates increased. The orientation relationship between these Si precipitates and the α-Al matrix still remained cube to cube. The β-Al₅FeSi intermetallic was also observed, depending on subsequent controlled cooling.