Growth of single-domain monatomic In chain arrays on the vicinal Si(0 0 1) surface

Using the annealed vicinal Si(0 0 1) surface with 4° miscut toward the [1 1 0] direction as a substrate, single-domain monatomic In chain arrays have been fabricated. High-resolution STM images reveal that deposited In atoms preferentially form In dimers between two neighboring Si dimer rows along the step edges on the lower terrace. Formation of In dimers removes the surface dangling bonds and saturates the In valency. With increasing coverage, the In dimers develop into straight monatomic In chains along the step running direction. It is found that the ordered narrow terrace and rebonded double-layer (D_B) step edge are the keys for the formation of monatomic In chains.     

单畴的单原子In纳米线阵列的制备与研究

利用Si（001）向［110］方向偏4°角的斜切表面作为衬底，成功地制备了分布均匀的单畴的单原子In链阵列.扫描隧道显微镜分析表明，沉积的In原子优先吸附在台面上沿着台阶内边缘的位置，并在两个Si的二聚体链之间形成稳定的In二聚体.In二聚体组成直的单原子链，其生长机理与Car提出的“表面聚合反应”相一致.另外，衬底具有非常窄的台面和双原子层台阶边的特殊结构是形成单畴的单原子链的关键. 关键词： 铟单原子链 硅邻近面 扫描隧道显微镜     

Ab-initio electron transport calculations of carbon based string structures

First-principles calculations show that monatomic strings of carbon have high cohesive energy and axial strength, and exhibit stability even at high temperatures. Because of their flexibility and reactivity, carbon chains are suitable for structural and chemical functionalizations; they also form stable ring, helix, grid, and network structures. Analysis of electronic conductance of various infinite, finite, and doped string structures reveal fundamental and technologically interesting features. Changes in doping and geometry give rise to dramatic variations in conductance. In even-numbered linear chains, strain induces a substantial decrease of conductance. The double covalent bonding of carbon atoms underlies their unusual chemical, mechanical, and transport properties.     

Role of oxygen and carbon on donor formation in step-annealed CZ-silicon

Step-annealing schedules for two different annealing chains, i.e. 450-650-450 and 650-450-700 °C have been followed to study the effect of oxygen and carbon on donor formation in carbon-rich Czochralski-silicon. It has been found that the annealing time does not have reasonable effect on substitutional carbon atoms. On the other hand, interstitial oxygen atoms are drastically reduced depending on annealing temperature. Carbon concentration does not exhibit any relationship with new donor (ND) concentration. The result suggests that the ND formation is not controlled by the substitutional carbon concentration directly, but by a density of some unknown embryos. The energy of formation of NDs was found to be 1.84 eV. All these results with plausible explanation are reported here.     

Computer simulations in the study of gold nanowires: the effect of impurities

Suspended gold nanowires have recently been made in an ultra-high vacuum ambient and were imaged by electron microscopy. Two puzzles were presented: one atom thick wires are produced and some of the atomic distances between these atoms before their breaking were too large. Simulations using realistic molecular dynamics method were able to unveil some processes to explain the mechanisms of formation, evolution, and breaking of these atomically thin Au nanowires under stress. The calculations showed how defects induce the formation of constrictions that eventually will form the one-atom chains. Atomically thin chains, five atoms long were obtained, before breaking. The results were in excellent agreement with experimental results except for the large Au-Au distances. In fact no theoretical calculation of pure gold nanowires have been able to produce such large distances. Light impurities that cannot be imaged in these experiments may be responsible for these large Au-Au distances. Using ab initio total energy calculations based on the density functional theory, we have studied the effect of H, C, O, N, B, S, CH, CH₂, and H₂ impurities on the nanowire’s electronic and structural properties, in particular how they affect the rupture of the nanowire. We find that the impurities tend to locally increase the nanowire’s strength, in such a way that its rupture always occurs at an Au-Au bond and never at an Au-X bond (X being an impurity). In particular, oxygen seems to form very stable bonds that may be used to pull longer Au chains. Regarding the observed large Au-Au bond lengths, it was found, based on quasi-static calculations, that the best candidate to explain the large distances is H. However, some particular experimental conditions may lead to different results. PACS 68.65.-k; 68.37.Lp; 71.15.Pd     

Is Gold Really Softer than Silver? HSAB Principle Revisited

A detailed comparison of the softness of gold and silver has been reported in the light of hard soft acid base (HSAB) principle. Gold and silver nanoparticles in organic media (i.e., organosol) have been exploited individually to establish the principle. Sulfur and nitrogen were employed as soft and borderline donating atoms to examine the metal-ligand interactions. In this regard, thiols and amines have been considered as interacting ligands with sulfur and nitrogen donor atoms respectively. The stronger affinity of gold towards softer sulfur donor as compared to nitrogen and conversely a reasonable interaction of silver nanoparticles with both the atoms authenticate the softer nature of gold nanoparticle as compared to silver one.     

Bonding, conductance, and magnetization of oxygenated Au nanowires

Spin-density-functional calculations of tip-suspended gold chains, with molecular oxygen, or dissociated oxygen atoms, incorporated in them, reveal structural transitions for varying lengths. The nanowires exhibit enhanced strength for both oxygen incorporation modes, and upon stretching tip atoms join the wire. With incorporated molecular oxygen the wire conductance is about 1(2e2/h), transforming to an insulating state beyond a critical length. The nanowire conductance with embedded oxygen atoms is low, 0.2 (2e2/h), and it develops magnetic moments localized on the oxygens and the neighboring Au atoms.     

Ab initio study of the formation of structural kinks in carbon chains

Our theoretical studies using methods of electron density functional theory show that hydrogen, fluorine, and oxygen impurities must be present in the chamber during the synthesis of linear-chain carbon to form and stabilize experimentally observed kinks in carbon chains. The kink in the carbon chain forms during the adsorption of impurity atoms onto the chain. It is shown that it is energetically advantageous for impurity atoms to form kinks rather than to occupy other adsorption positions. The optimal kink angle of carbon chains is determined. The stability of bent carbon chains is estimated as a function of the length of linear fragments. It is shown that the formation of kinks leads to that the formation of a narrow band gap near the Fermi level: E _gH = 0.56 eV, E _gF = 0.59 eV, and E _gO = 1.04 eV.     

一种制备单原子碳链的方案

考虑到迄今为止实验上尚不能制备含有上百个原子的自由单原子链,本文提出利用探针从graphene中拉伸较长单原子碳链的设想,并通过分子动力学计算发现,室温下可以利用C60探针以1 m/s的速度从graphene的zigzag边缘拉出较长的一维单原子碳链,为实验提供了一种制备单原子碳链的可能方案. 关键词： 碳链 一维 分子动力学 探针     

Single-molecule conductance determinations on HS(CH2)4O(CH2)4SH and HS(CH2)2O(CH2)2O(CH2)2SH, and comparison with alkanedithiols of the same length

The acetyl-protected, thiol-terminated ethers AcS(CH(2))(4)O(CH(2))(4)SAc and AcS(CH(2))(2)O(CH(2))(2)O(CH(2))(2)SAc have been synthesised, and a range of related scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM)-based methods have been employed to fabricate and electrically characterise gold | single molecule | gold junctions involving these molecules. The single-molecule conductance values obtained are consistently found to be substantially higher (by a factor of 2-3) than the conductances of analogous alkanedithiols of similar length (HS(CH(2))(9)SH and HS(CH(2))(8)SH, respectively). A rationalisation of these findings is suggested, namely that the lone pair electrons on the oxygen atoms are substantially closer in energy to the Fermi energy of the gold leads than are the occupied and unoccupied states of methylene chains, so that the ether oxygens behave in a manner analogous to 'wells' in a double-tunnelling-barrier system. In agreement with this suggestion, the current-voltage behaviour of the monoether can be fitted using the Simmons approach, and the barrier height is found to be significantly lower than for alkanedithiols of approximately the same length.     

Thermal and photochemical reactivity of oxygen atoms on gold nanocluster surfaces

Reduction of oxidized gold nanoclusters by exposures to foreign gases and irradiation of UV photons has been investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Gold nanoclusters with narrow size distributions protected by alkanethiolate ligands were deposited on a TiO₂(1 1 0) surface with dip coating. Oxygen plasma etching was used for removal of alkanethiolate ligands and oxidization of gold clusters. The oxidized gold clusters were exposed to CO, C₂H₂, C₂H₄, H₂, and hydrogen atoms. Although, C₂H₄ and H₂ did not show any indications of reduction of oxidized gold clusters, CO, C₂H₂, and hydrogen atoms reduced the oxides on gold cluster surfaces. Among them, hydrogen atoms were most effective for reduction. Irradiation of UV photons around 400 nm could also reduce the oxidized gold clusters. The photochemical reduction mechanism was proposed as follows. The photo-reduction was initiated by electronic excitation of gold clusters and oxygen atoms activated reacted with carbon atoms at the surfaces of gold clusters. Carbon species were likely absorbed in gold clusters or remained at the boundaries between gold clusters when gold clusters agglomerated during oxygen plasma exposures. As the photochemical reduction progressed, carbon atoms segregated to the surfaces of gold clusters.     

Étude de l'adsorption électrochimique de l'oxygène sur des lames minces d'or par la mesure de leur résistance électrique

The electrical resistance changes of thin gold film electrodes of preferential orientation [111] with film thickness and potential have been studied. The applicability of the Fuchs-Sondheimer (FS) relation to the decrease of resistance observed at the first negative polarization and the first few potential sweeps for different thicknesses have shown that this phenomenon is due to a surface process, interpreted as a cleaning of the electrodes. The resistance changes observed during the electrochemical adsorption and desorption of oxygen also obey the FS relation. The analysis of the resistance variation with the charge exchanged during these reactions has allowed us to show that the electrochemical adsorption of oxygen, on these gold films occurs by a two-dimensional island mechanism with formation of different structures of the surface layer. The values of the resistivity change caused by the adsorption of 1% oxygen atoms (with respect to the total number of metal atoms in the films) at low coverage have been compared with those observed in other systems (metal-gas, metal-metal).     

Influence of sulfur doping on the molecular fluorophore and synergistic effect for citric acid carbon dots

In citric acid-based carbon dots, molecular fluorophore contributes greatly to the fluorescence emission. In this paper,the nitrogen and sulfur co-doped carbon dots(N,S-CDs) were prepared, and an independent sulfur source is selected to achieve the doping controllability. The influence of sulfur doping on the molecular fluorophore was systematically studied.The introduction of sulfur atoms may promote the formation of molecular fluorophore due to the increased nitrogen content in CDs. The addition surface states containing sulfur were produced, and S element exists as –SO_3, and –SO_4 groups.Appreciate ratio of nitrogen and sulfur sources can improve the fluorescence emission. The photoluminescence quantum yields(PLQY) is increased from 56.4% of the single N-doping CDs to 63.4% of double-doping CDs, which ascribes to the synergistic effect of molecular fluorophores and surface states. The sensitivity of fluorescence to p H response and various metal ions was also explored.     

Oxygen-enhanced atomic chain formation

We report experimental evidence for atomic chain formation during stretching of atomic-sized contacts for gold and silver, that is strongly enhanced due to oxygen incorporation. While gold has been known for its tendency to form atomic chains, for silver this is only observed in the presence of oxygen. With oxygen the silver chains are as long as those for gold, but the conductance drops with chain length to about 0.1 conductance quantum. A relation is suggested with previous work on surface reconstructions for silver (110) surfaces after chemisorption of oxygen.     

Conductance oscillations in zigzag platinum chains

Using first principles simulations we perform a detailed study of the structural, electronic, and transport properties of monatomic platinum chains, sandwiched between platinum electrodes. First, we demonstrate that the most stable atomic configuration corresponds to a zigzag arrangement that gradually straightens as the chains are stretched. Second, we find that the averaged conductance shows slight parity oscillations with the number of atoms in the chain. Additionally, the conductance of chains of fixed oscillates as the end atoms are pulled apart, due to the gradual closing and opening of conductance channels as the chain straightens.     

Stabilization of monoatomic gold wires by carbon impurities

The influence of atomic and molecular carbon on the structural and electronic properties of a monoatomic gold wire has been studied by means of projector augmented-wave method (PAW) within density functional theory (DFT). Our calculations show that carbon is able to enhance the stability of linear gold chains with large interatomic separations. The Au-Au spacing at breakage can be as long as ∼4.5 and 6 Å for the wires incorporating atomic (Au-C) and molecular carbon (Au-C₂), respectively. The calculated band structure for nonmagnetic Au-C reveals the presence of one conduction channel for linear chains, but two channels for zigzag-like ones. A close similarity of this behaviour, to that known for a pure gold wire might indicate little influence of carbon on the conduction properties of gold nanowires.     

Effect of hydrogen on the formation of the atomic structure of linear carbon chains: An ab initio approach

An ab initio study of the features of the formation of the atomic structure of carbon chains, which are structural parts of films of linear carbon chains, has been performed using the electron density functional theory. It has been shown that the formation and stabilization of experimentally observed kinks of carbon chains require the presence of hydrogen impurities in the chamber during the synthesis of linear carbon chains. The kinks of a carbon chain are formed in the process of the adsorption of hydrogen atoms on a chain. The optimal kink angle of carbon chains has been determined. The stability of kinks of carbon chains has been estimated as a function of the length of linear fragments. An additional mechanism has been proposed for the formation of kinks in carbon chains owing to the joining of short carbon chains with hydrogen ends.     

Structural phenomena in glassy carbon induced by cobalt ion implantation

Glassy carbon (GC) was implanted by 150 keV Co⁺ ions to the doses of 1×10¹⁶ (low dose) and 1×10¹⁷ ions/cm² (high dose). The low dose implantation results in GC structure disordering with formation of amorphous carbon (a-C). Analysis of Rutherford backscattering (RBS) and Raman spectra has revealed 15 at.% of sp³-bonded C atoms in the a-C structure. The in-pane size of sp² clusters was estimated to be 1.1 nm. On the contrary, the high dose ion implantation results in ordering of the a-C structure. Content of the sp³ atoms in a-C was reduced to about 5% and, respectively, the in-plane sp² cluster size was increased up to 2.8 nm. Together with the a-C structure ordering the Raman spectra identifies formation of transpolyacetylene (TPA)-like chains after the high-dose Co⁺ implantation. In parallel, RBS suggests an enhanced diffusion of the implanted cobalt within the modified carbon layer. Correlation of the RBS and Raman results argues a driving role of cobalt diffusion in the TPA-like chains formation and a-C ordering. Great surface roughening observed after the high dose Co⁺ implantation suggests also the pronounced cobalt clustering causing large flux of “free volume” to the surface.     

An XPS—AES study of gaseous xanthates and related sulfur-containing compounds

Core XPS spectra for carbon, oxygen, and sulfur and KLL Auger spectra for sulfur in CH₃OCS₂CH₃, (CH₃OCS₂)₂, CS₂, and OCS have been measured and relaxation shifts determined for the sulfur atoms by combining the S 1s measurement with the S KLL (¹D₂) measurement.Relaxation shifts of the sulfur atoms were also estimated from CNDO results for the neutral and core-ionized molecules using the equivalent cores approximation. The results are in qualitative agreement with the measurements, but exaggerate the relaxation by about 100%.The results show that the bonding of the (CH₃O-) group in the two xanthate compounds is very similar. The ionization energies of the S and -S- atoms within the xanthate molecules differ from each other by 1.5 eV; this difference arises almost entirely from the initial-state charge distribution rather than from final-state relaxation. However, the ionization energies of similarly bonded sulfur atoms are nearly the same. The effect of the oxygen atom on the bonding of the carbon and -S- atoms in the (-CS₂-) group in the xanthate compounds is to increase the (C 1s-S 2p_{$\text{3}\text{2}$}) ionization energy difference from the value reported for aliphatic disulfides.