电触发二氧化钒纳米线发生金属-绝缘体转变的机理

二氧化钒(VO_2)是一种强关联相变材料,在341 K下发生金属-绝缘体转变.尽管对于VO_2相变的物理机理进行了大量研究,但科学家仍未形成统一认识.与热致VO_2相变相比,电触发VO_2相变应用前景更为广阔,但其机理也更为复杂.本文利用原位通电杆和超快相机技术,在透射电镜下原位观察了单晶VO_2纳米线通电时的相转变过程,记录了相变过程中对应的电压-电流值,并在毫秒尺度下捕捉到了VO_2的过渡相态.发现VO_2电致相变并非由焦耳热引起,推断其机理是载流子注入.同时观察到电子结构相变和晶体结构相变存在解耦现象,进一步支持了上述推断.将VO_2纳米线两端施加非接触式电场,观察到VO_2纳米线在电场中的极化偏移,而未观察到相变发生,该现象同样支持相变的载流子注入机理.研究表明VO_2的金属-绝缘体转变遵循电子-电子关联机理,即根据电子关联的Mott转变进行.     

电子关联效应在固体物理教学中的意义探讨

固体的电子理论是以独立电子和单电子近似为基础,单电子在周期势场中的运动发展成能带理论.能带理论重要的成就之一是成功地预言了晶体的导电性,而对一些过渡金属氧化物特性的解释出现了问题. Mott首先在物理上指出,其根本原因是基于单电子近似得到的能带理论忽略了电子之间的关联作用.本文通过介绍单电子近似的基本思路和所获得的成就及其不足,进而讨论电子关联在目前凝聚态物理如超导、魔角石墨烯等前沿问题中的重要意义.在教学中,电子关联效应是固体物理基础知识和前沿问题相互连接的纽带,具有承上启下的作用.因此,在教学中应重视电子关联现象的讲解及在前沿物理领域中作用.     

量子相变和量子临界现象

本文综述凝聚态物理学中的量子相变和量子临界现象,首先考察了相变中存在量子效应的可能性,通过横磁场Ising模型介绍了量子相变的基本特征;接下来对照热临界现象,引入了量子标度和量子重正化的基本概念和操作方式;然后利用量子临界现象的方案,分析了密度驱动、无序驱动和关联驱动的金属-绝缘体相变;继续利用量子临界性的概念探讨如重电子化合物、铜氧化物和巡游铁磁体这类复杂的相互作用多粒子系统;最后选择量子点、碳纳米管和单层石墨为例,介绍了量子临界性在低维和纳米系统研究中的作用.     

量子材料GaTa4Se8的基态研究

量子材料GaTa₄Se₈(GTS)不仅展现出绝缘体到金属相变、J_eff量子态以及拓扑超导等多种有趣的物理性质,而且还是电阻开关和存储介质材料,一直以来备受关注。当前科学家们对其绝缘基态的结构仍存在争议,基态结构的不确定阻碍了对其各种物理性质的深入理解。GaTa₄Se₈的绝缘基态长期被认为具有立方对称结构(空间群F43m),其电子能隙是由自旋轨道耦合效应和电子关联共同作用形成的Mott型能隙。最近第一性原理计算表明,立方结构的声子谱存在虚频而不稳定,并预测立方对称存在结构畸变会形成更稳定的三方结构(R3m)或四方结构(F43₁m)。为此,本研究通过压力调节该材料的电子能隙,结合Raman光谱、X射线衍射、电阻测量等多种实验表征手段,对比实验得到的数据与第一性原理计算结果,进一步探索GaTa₄Se₈的基态结构。研究表明三方对称结构(R3m)更符合实验观察结果。     

轨道选择性相变——多轨道物理中一类独特的现象

金属—绝缘体相变是凝聚态物理中被大量研究并有广泛应用前景的一种物理现象。通常具有巡游性的电子由于受到各种因素(如无序或电子相互作用等)的影响发生局域化,从而形成了金属—绝缘体相变。然而在实际材料中,由于电子还具有轨道属性而使该相变的发生变得更加复杂。文章简要回顾了一类考虑电子轨道自由度后发生的较为特殊的金属—绝缘体相变——轨道选择性相变,即由于电子相互作用的影响而在同一原子壳层中出现局域化的电子和巡游电子共存的现象,并讨论了其形成机理和相关的实验。     

关联电子体系中的轨道物理

轨道自由度为凝聚态关联电子材料带来丰富多彩的新量子相的同时也导致了复杂性,对理解强关联电子体系的本质带来了挑战。文章系统地介绍了多轨道关联电子体系的各种物理性质。首先简要地介绍了轨道自由度在过渡金属氧化物和稀土化合物中的重要作用和轨道序的物理图象;其次论述了轨道极化、轨道序及其与晶格畸变的联系;然后讨论了轨道序的理论研究及其在实验上的可能探测;接着介绍了多轨道体系中的金属—绝缘体相变和多轨道超导电性的新特征;最后简短讨论了目前轨道物理研究中面临的问题和挑战。     

凝聚态物理从头计算的最新进展

文章评述了凝聚态物理从头计算(ab initio calculation)的一些最新进展.分8个问题进行了介绍,它们是:(1)静态密度泛函发展的两种思路;(2)固体的泛函:晶格常数的准确确定;(3)动态(含时)密度泛函及动态密度矩阵泛函;(4)半导体电子结构的计算:带隙和带序;(5)f电子和强关联金属;(6)莫特(Mott)绝缘体;(7)非共价(弱)相互作用;(8)以波函数为基础的研究.此外,文章还提供了一些相关的背景知识.     

VO2金属-绝缘体相变机理的研究进展

VO₂是一种热致相变金属氧化物. 在341 K附近, VO₂发生由低温绝缘体相到高温金属相的可逆转变, 同时伴随着光学、电学和磁学等性质的可逆突变, 这种独特的性质使得VO₂在光电开关材料、智能玻璃、存储介质材料等领域有着广阔的应用前景. 因此, VO₂金属-绝缘体可逆相变一直是人们的研究热点, 但其相变机理至今未有定论. 首先, 简要概述了VO₂相变时晶体结构和能带结构的变化情况: 从晶体结构来讲, 相变前后VO₂从低温时的单斜相VO₂(M)转变为高温稳定的金红石相VO₂(R), 在一定条件下此过程也可能伴随着亚稳态单斜相VO₂(B)与四方相VO₂(A)的产生; 从能带结构来看, VO₂处于低温单斜相时, 其d_//能带和π^*能带之间存在一个禁带, 带宽约为0.7 eV, 费米能级恰好落在禁带之间, 表现出绝缘性, 而在高温金红石相时, 其费米能级落在π^*能带与d_//能带之间的重叠部分, 因此表现出金属导电性. 其次, 着重总结了VO₂相变物理机理的研究现状. 主要包括: 电子关联驱动相变、结构驱动相变以及电子关联和结构共同驱动相变的3种理论体系以及支撑这些理论体系的实验结果. 文献报道争论的焦点在于, VO₂是否是Mott绝缘体以及结构相变与MIT相变是否精确同时发生. 最后, 展望了VO₂材料研究的发展方向.     

无序效应对1T-TaS_2材料中Mott绝缘相的影响

电子强关联效应使得过渡金属硫化物1T-TaS_2在低温时为Mott绝缘体,而层间堆叠错位及杂质又会引入相当强的无序效应.利用统计动力学平均场理论数值方法研究了无序效应对Mott绝缘相的影响,发现非对角跃迁无序和对角无序效应均不会引起从绝缘体到金属的相变.杂质引入的对角无序达到一定强度后Mott能隙会完全闭合,而堆叠错位引入的非对角跃迁无序不论多强都无法关闭Mott能隙.在半满情况,非对角无序会导致上下Hubard带对称地分别出现一个奇异态,而通过晶格尺寸标度研究证明了这种反常的电子态仍然是Anderson局域态.     

量子相变与量子纠缠

作为量子体系一种内在的非局域性关联,量子纠缠已经成为一个可利用的重要资源并广泛应用于许多领域.强关联体系中的量子相变,作为凝聚态理论中的一个重要现象,也一直是人们研究的热点.本文介绍了量子纠缠的定义,纠缠的判据,以及纠缠的度量.接着,通过一个具体模型对如何利用量子纠缠描述量子相变进行讨论和分析.研究发现,在强关联体系量子相变中量子纠缠扮演着非常重要的角色.     

A double toroidal analyzer for scanning probe electron energy spectrometer

An ultra-high vacuum(UHV) compatible electron spectrometer employing a double toroidal analyzer has been developed. It is designed to be combined with a custom-made scanning tunneling microscope(STM) to study the spatially localized electron energy spectrum on a surface. A tip–sample system composed of a piezo-driven field-emission tungsten tip and a sample of highly ordered pyrolytic graphite(HOPG) is employed to test the performance of the spectrometer.Two-dimensional images of the energy-resolved and angle-dispersed electrons backscattered from the surface of HOPG are obtained, the performance is optimized and the spectrometer is calibrated. A complete electron energy loss spectrum covering the elastic peak to the secondary electron peaks for the HOPG surface, acquired at a tip voltage of-140 V and a sample current of 0.5 pA, is presented, demonstrating the viability of the spectrometer.     

氧化物薄膜研制中的电子能谱技术

随着科学技术的不断发展，人们正在寻求更新的实用材料．金属氧化物，包括金属氧化物薄膜的各种实用材料，在工业界、信息产业界和能源开发等方面的应用前景，早已引起国内外学者的极大关注．例如，由于氧化物具有各种特殊的介电和光学性质，研究和开发基于氧化物薄膜的气敏材料非常热门．如何制备出有实用价值的各种薄膜材料，是科学家们一直关心和深入研究的课题．电子能谱技术在各种材料的基础研究和实际应用中起着重要的作用．本文以有序金属氧化物薄膜研制为例，简要评述了电子能谱技术（包括X射线光电子能谱（XPS），紫外光电子能谱（UPS），俄歇电子能谱（AES）和高分辨电子能量损失谱（HREELS）），以及低能电子衍射（LEED）等技术在氧化物薄膜材料制备和表征中的应用．     

电子能量损失谱学和电子动量谱学

电子能量损失谱学和电子动量谱学经过近３０年的发展已成为原子分子物理的一个重要研究领域，并在化学、聚变等离子体和凝聚态物理等方面获得重要应用．文章介绍了它们的基本原理、最新进展和应用．     

Construction of an electron analyzer with a wide acceptance solid angle

We have developed a new electron energy analyzer with a large solid angle of 0.14π, which is comparable to that of cylindrical mirror analyzer. Typical energy resolution was ΔE/E₀ ∼ 0.016 for the aperture of 1 mm and central radius of 100 mm, and typical angular resolution was less than 0.5°.     

Three-dimensional size and orientation of the precipitates in AZ91 magnesium alloys measured by TEM techniques

Knowledge of the microscopic structure, including three-dimensional (3-D) size and orientation of the precipitates, is essential to fully understand the mechanical properties of the magnesium alloys and designing the alloys with better performance. Analytical TEM with high spatial resolution offers the simultaneous measurements of 3-D size, structure, orientation, composition of the precipitates from one typical sample along an established crystallographic axis. Besides popular Burgers orientation relationship (OR), other ORs such as Pitsch--Schrader OR, Crawley OR, Potter OR and a new OR with the form of [0001]_α 1.0° from [311]_γ and (11\bar 20)_α 2.0° from (03\bar 3)_γ between the magnesium matrix and the precipitate γ -Mg₁₇Al₁₂ are identified by TEM imaging and diffraction techniques. As a case study, the thicknesses of the individual precipitates with Burgers OR are further measured to be 100--200~nm through both electron energy-loss spectroscopy and x-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy combining differential x-ray absorption and extrapolation, which are in agreement with the overall 3-D size statistic distribution results obtained through analysing various samples along various directions. Furthermore, the fabricated wedge-shape structure provides a platform on which to study the dependence of the interfacial strain on the variation of the thickness.     

Surface segregation of aluminum atoms on Cu-9 at.% Al(1 1 1) studied by Auger electron spectroscopy and low energy electron diffraction

Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and low energy electron diffraction (LEED) were applied to investigate the segregation of aluminum atoms on a Cu-9 at.% Al(1 1 1) surface. We observed that the Al concentration in the top layer ranged between about 9 and 36 at.% after the sample we used was annealed at different temperatures. The phenomenon of Al atoms segregating on the surfaces was explained well by considering the diffusion length of Al atoms in bulk Cu. LEED measurements showed that R30° structures grew as the concentration of Al atoms increased. The segregation phenomena on surfaces resulted in a stable two-dimensional Cu₆₇Al₃₃ alloy phase in the top layer.     

Design of a novel correlative reflection electron microscope for in-situ real-time chemical analysis

A novel instrument that integrates reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED), electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), and imaging is designed and simulated. Since it can correlate the structural, elemental, and spatial information of the same surface region via the simultaneously acquired patterns of RHEED, EELS, and energy-filtered electron microscopy, it is named correlative reflection electron microscopy (c-REM). Our simulation demonstrates that the spatial resolution of this c-REM is lower than 50 nm, which meets the requirements for in-situ monitoring the structural and chemical evolution of surface in advanced material.     

The electronic structure of carbon films deposited in rf argon–hydrogen plasma

The electronic structure of C films deposited by sputtering a graphite target in rf. Ar–H₂ plasma is investigated by photoemission, Auger emission and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) as a function of the H₂ concentration in the feed gas, referred to as [H₂]. Adding hydrogen to the plasma causes the films to change from a graphite-like unhydrogenated structure to a non-graphitic hydrogenated structure. The film mass density, as derived from the π + σ plasmon energy, decreases upon H₂ addition to the gas mixture, goes through a minimum at low [H₂] and increases with increasing [H₂]. It reveals a non-monotonous behavior of the film H content as a function of [H₂], the maximum H incorporation occurring at low [H₂]. This appears to be a characteristic of C deposition via graphite sputtering in Ar–H₂ plasma and it is discussed in connection with previous results on the subject.     

Metal interface formation studied by high-energy reflection energy loss spectroscopy and electron Rutherford backscattering

We demonstrate that high-energy, high-resolution reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy can provide unique insights into interface formation, especially for the case where an extended interface is formed. By changing the geometry and/or electron energy the electronic structure can be probed over a range of thicknesses (from 10s of Å to more than 1000 Å). At the same time one resolves the elastically scattered electrons into different components, corresponding to scattering of atoms with different mass (so-called ‘electron Rutherford backscattering’). Thus these high-energy REELS/elastic scattering experiments obtain information on both the electronic structure and the atomic composition of the overlayer formed.     

Vibrational properties of perfluoropentacene thin film

We have studied the vibrational properties of perfluoropentacene (PFP) thin films on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) substrates by high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS) and Raman spectroscopy. The HREELS spectra showed slight but clear increase in the vibrational energies with increasing film thickness as well as with decreasing temperature of the multilayer films. In the polarization-dependent Raman spectra of a multilayer film, the depolarization ratios of all detected vibrations with the Ag irreducible representation were found to be larger than 1, indicating that the molecular structure is distorted in the multilayer. Both results suggest that there is a fairly strong intermolecular interaction in PFP multilayer films.