Radiation damage in Si1−x Ge x heteroepitaxial devices

Results are presented of an extended study on the induced lattice defects and their effects on the degradation of Si_1−x Ge _x devices, subjected to a 20 MeV alpha-ray, 1 MeV electron, 1 MeV fast neutron, and 20 and 86 MeV proton irradiations. The degradation of the electrical device performance increase with increasing fluence, while it decreases with increasing germanium content. In the Si_1−x Ge _x epitaxial layers, electron capture levels associated with an interstitial-substitutional boron complex are induced. The radiation source dependence of performance degradation is attributed to the difference of mass and the probability of nuclear collision for the formation of lattice defects.     

Radiation damage in InGaAs photodiodes by 1 MeV fast neutrons

Irradiation damage in In_0.53Ga_0.47As p-i-n photodiodes by 1 MeV fast neutrons has been studied as a function of fluence for the first time, and the results are discussed in this paper. The degradation of the electrical and optical performance of diodes increases with increasing fluence. The induced lattice defects in the In_0.53Ga_0.47As epitaxial layers and the InP substrate are studied by Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy (DLTS) methods. In the In_0.53Ga_0.47As epitaxial layers, hole and electron capture levels are induced by irradiation. The influence of the type of radiation source on the device degradation is then discussed by comparison to 1 MeV electrons with respect to the numbers of knock-on atoms and the nonionizing energy loss (NIEL). The radiation source dependence of performance degradation is attributed to the difference of mass between the two irradiating particles and the probability of nuclear collision for the formation of lattice defects.     

Radiation resistance of ionic and ionic-molecular crystals

The factors that determine the stability of ionic and ionic-molecular crystals in ionizing radiation fields are analyzed. The concepts of the fundamental reactivity (stability) of a solid (the ability of the ideal crystal lattice of the material, in which only intrinsic point defects—interstitial ions and vacancies—are present, to undergo radiation-chemical degradation) and the structure-sensitive reactivity determined by the presence of structural and extrinsic defects are introduced. Data on the radiation resistance of crystalline solids (alkali halides, silver halides, and silver azide) are summarized. It is pointed out that the AgHal crystalline matrix should be resistant toward radiation and alkali halide and AgN₃ crystals should not.     

Degradation of MOSFETs on SIMOX by irradiation

Results are presented of a study on the degradation and recovery of the electrical performance of MOSFETs processed on SIMOX substrates, subjected to 1 and 2 MeV electron and to 20 MeV alpha-ray irradiations. The damage coefficient for alpha-ray irradiation is about three orders of magnitude larger than the one for electron irradiation, which is attributed to the difference of incident particle mass and the possibility of nuclear collision during radiation damage.     

Similar Structural Dynamics for the Degradation of CH3NH3PbI3 in Air and in Vacuum

We investigate the degradation path of MAPbI₃ (MA=methylammonium) films over flat TiO₂ substrates at room temperature by means of X‐ray diffraction, spectroscopic ellipsometry, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy. The degradation dynamics is found to be similar in air and under vacuum conditions, which leads to the conclusion that the occurrence of intrinsic thermodynamic mechanisms is not necessarily linked to humidity. The process has an early stage, which drives the starting tetragonal lattice in the direction of a cubic atomic arrangement. This early stage is followed by a phase change towards PbI₂. We describe how this degradation product is structurally coupled with the original MAPbI₃ lattice through the orientation of its constituent PbI₆ octahedra. Our results suggest a slight octahedral rearrangement after volatilization of HI+CH₃NH₂ or MAI, with a relatively low energy cost. Our experiments also clarify why reducing the interfaces and internal defects in the perovskite lattice enhances the stability of the material.     

Computer Simulation of the Destruction of the Organic Lanthanide Complexes under Ionizing Radiation

The calculation of defects in the structures of the Sc, La, Nd, Sm, Tb, and Yb complexes with substituted phenolate and naphtholate ligands formed under the action of neutrons with a mean energy of 2 MeV shows that the shifts of the target atoms depend on their masses and can achieve 1 μm for O, N, and S. A similar result is obtained for the calculation of the destruction of the Eu(TTA)₃(DME)₂ complex (HTTA is thenoyltrifluoroacetone). However, the treatment of the samples with the n,γ radiation does not result in destruction. Possible reasons for the found divergence between the calculated and experimental data are discussed.

     

Defect chemistry of doped bixbyite oxides

Activated bixbyite oxides (e.g. Eu:Lu₂O₃) are being considered as radiation detectors. In an attempt to improve their optical efficiency and decrease afterglow, these compounds have been doped with aliovalent cations. Here, atomistic scale computer simulation has been used to predict the defect processes associated with the solution of extrinsic divalent and tetravalent ions. These calculations provide a mechanistic framework through which it is possible to identify how specific doping schemes modify the populations of defects that could influence scintillator performance. A change in solution site preference is predicted for both divalent and tetravalent solutions as a function of dopant and host lattice cation radii.     

Photoluminescence study of silicon solar cells irradiated with large fluence electrons or protons

In order to investigate the anomalous degradation of space silicon solar cells which was found in large fluence region, photoluminescence measurements are carried out for the cells irradiated with 1 MeV electrons with a fluence exceeding 1×10¹⁶ e/cm² and 10 MeV protons with a fluence exceeding 1×10¹³ p/cm². For both irradiation, the intensity of boron-related bound exiton line decreases with fluence and it disappears at the fluences where the anomalous degradation occurs. The dominant defect is a complex of an interstitial carbon and an interstitial oxygen (C_I–O_I). The generation of five-vacancy-defects was also observed for the proton irradiation. Variations of photoluminescence line intensity are discussed in terms of displacement damage dose calculated based on non-ionizing energy loss (NIEL).     

Ce掺杂Bi2MoO6/TiO2纳米纤维异质结的制备及可见光催化性能

以静电纺丝技术制备的TiO₂纳米纤维为基质,通过溶剂热法制备了异质结型稀土Ce掺杂Bi₂MoO₆/TiO₂复合纳米纤维。利用X射线衍射（XRD）、扫描电子显微镜（SEM）、X射线光电子能谱（XPS）、透射电镜（TEM）、紫外-可见漫反射光谱（UV-Vis DRS）以及荧光光谱（PL）等分析测试手段对样品的物相、形貌和光学性能等进行表征。以罗丹明B为模拟有机污染物,研究了样品的可见光催化性能。结果表明：在稀土掺杂样品中,Ce离子进入Bi₂MoO₆晶格,部分取代Bi³⁺,导致晶胞膨胀,晶格畸变,形成缺陷;与TiO₂复合形成异质结,有利于光生电荷的产生、转移和有效分离,从而提高TiO₂纳米纤维的光催化活性。可见光照射180 min,罗丹明B的降解率达到95.1%。经5次循环光催化降解活性基本不变,样品具有良好的光催化稳定性。     

Ce掺杂Bi2MoO6/TiO2纳米纤维异质结的制备及可见光催化性能

以静电纺丝技术制备的TiO_2纳米纤维为基质,通过溶剂热法制备了异质结型稀土Ce掺杂Bi_2MoO_6/TiO_2复合纳米纤维。利用X射线衍射(XRD)、扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、X射线光电子能谱(XPS)、透射电镜(TEM)、紫外-可见漫反射光谱(UV-Vis DRS)以及荧光光谱(PL)等分析测试手段对样品的物相、形貌和光学性能等进行表征。以罗丹明B为模拟有机污染物,研究了样品的可见光催化性能。结果表明:在稀土掺杂样品中,Ce离子进入Bi_2MoO_6晶格,部分取代Bi3+,导致晶胞膨胀,晶格畸变,形成缺陷;与TiO_2复合形成异质结,有利于光生电荷的产生、转移和有效分离,从而提高TiO_2纳米纤维的光催化活性。可见光照射180 min,罗丹明B的降解率达到95.1%。经5次循环光催化降解活性基本不变,样品具有良好的光催化稳定性。     

Electron-beam treatment of poly(lactic acid) to control degradation profiles

Bioresorbable polymers such as polylactide (PLA) and polylactide-co-glycolide (PLGA) have been used successfully as biomaterials in a wide range of medical applications. However, their slow degradation rates and propensity to lose strength before mass have caused problems. A central challenge for the development of these materials is the assurance of consistent and predictable in vivo degradation. Previous work has illustrated the potential to influence polymer degradation using electron beam (e-beam) radiation. The work addressed in this paper investigates further the utilisation of e-beam radiation in order to achieve a more surface specific effect. Variation of e-beam energy was studied as a means to control the effective penetrative depth in poly-l-lactide (PLLA). PLLA samples were exposed to e-beam radiation at individual energies of 0.5 MeV, 0.75 MeV and 1.5 MeV. The near-surface region of the PLLA samples was shown to be affected by e-beam irradiation with induced changes in molecular weight, morphology, flexural strength and degradation profile. Moreover, the depth to which the physical properties of the polymer were affected is dependent on the beam energy used. Computer modelling of the transmission of each e-beam energy level used corresponded well with these findings.     

Distribution of chain defects and microstructures of melt crystallized polyethylene. II. Influence of defect size and of plastic deformation

Unit cell expansion data for (a) melt-crystallized polyethylene (PE) containing known amounts of methyl, ethyl, and butyl branches and for (b) plastically deformed samples, are examined in the light of a model which takes into account the penetration of constitutional defects (branches) at interstitial crystal sites by means of a generation of 2g1 step chain defects (kink isomers). The present analysis complements previous results obtained for melt-crystallized PE samples with a widely varying number concentration ? of butyl or longer branches. An estimation of the concentration of chain defects incorporated into the crystal lattice is carried out. The results reveal that the fraction χ_c of defects which are accomodated within the lattice depends on both the amount and size of the chain defects and on the mechanical deformation of the sample. For PE chains with methyl and ethyl groups, χ_c ≈ 50%, whereas for butyl and longer branches, χ_c does not exceed 20% of the total concentration of defects. In addition, after cold drawing, PE with low amounts (? < 1%) of butyl or longer chain branching, χ_c turns out to be zero; i.e., during deformation single molecular chain rearrangements leading to a chain segregation of defects into the amorphous phase must occur.     

Enhanced photocatalytic activity of La and Zr-codoped AgNbO3 for rhodamine B and methylene blue degradation

In this study, AgNbO₃, 1%, 5%, and 10% La, Zr-codoped AgNbO₃ photocatalyst were synthesized by the solid state method. The synthesized AgNbO₃ was codoped with La and Zr to enhance its effectiveness in photocatalytic dye degradation. The as-synthesized materials were also characterized via XRD and SEM analysis to determine their structural and morphological properties. The vibrational bands of the photocatalysts observed in FT-IR spectroscopy confirmed the presence of NbO₆ octahedra which can be found in AgNbO₃. Furthermore, all the photocatalysts showed high crystallinity and are single-phase materials with an orthorhombic crystal structure. It was observed that the particle size decreased with the increasing concentration of La and Zr codopants. The calculated lattice parameters showed that codoping AgNbO₃ with 10% La and Zr had caused its unit cell volume to expand. The UV–Vis absorption spectra showed a slight band gap widening and a decrease in surface plasmonic resonance (SPR) effect with increasing La, Zr-codoping. The photocatalytic RhB and MB degradation results of undoped AgNbO₃ and La, Zr-codoped AgNbO₃ were compared and they showed that there are improvements in the photocatalytic performance. The highest degradation (98.1%) of RhB was achieved by 5% La, Zr-codoped AgNbO₃ while the highest MB degradation (48.3%) was achieved by 1% La, Zr-codoped AgNbO₃. Last but not least, La, Zr-codoped AgNbO₃ is a promising material for water remediation application as it showed enhanced performance for photocatalytic dye degradation under visible light irradiation.     

On screening for Special Nuclear Materials (SNMs) with X-ray diffraction

A novel detection technique employing X-ray diffraction (XRD) to screen for Special Nuclear Materials (SNMs), in particular for uranium, has been recently proposed. It is based on the interesting fact that uranium (and incidentally, plutonium) has a non-cubic lattice structure, in contrast to all other non-SNM, high-density elements of the Periodic Table. The principle of this screening technique is briefly elucidated by comparing the XRD lines of uranium with those of lead, a material of high atomic number (Z) commonly found in container traffic.Several physical conditions that must be satisfied to enable XRD for SNM screening are considered. To achieve adequate penetration, both of suspicious high-Z materials and their containers, photon energies of 1 MeV and above must be employed. Implications from partial coherence theory for the XRD measurement geometry at such photon energies are presented. The question of multiple scatter degradation of the coherent scatter signal is addressed.Technological considerations relevant to performing XRD at 1 MeV, particularly regarding the radiation source and detector, are discussed. A novel secondary aperture scheme permitting high energy XRD is presented. It is concluded that the importance of the application and the prospect of its feasibility are sufficient to warrant experimental verification.     

Synthesis of Fe2+ Substituted High-Performance LiMn1−xFexPO4/C (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4) Cathode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries via Sol-Gel Processes

A series of carbon-coated LiMn_1−xFe_xPO₄ (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4) materials are successfully constructed using glucose as carbon sources via sol-gel processes. The morphology of the synthesized material particles are more regular and particle sizes are more homogeneous. The carbon-coated LiMn_0.8Fe_0.2PO₄ material obtains the discharge specific capacity of 152.5 mAh·g⁻¹ at 0.1 C rate and its discharge specific capacity reaches 95.7 mAh·g⁻¹ at 5 C rate. Iron doping offers a viable way to improve the electronic conductivity and lattice defects of materials, as well as improving transmission kinetics, thereby improving the rate performance and cycle performance of materials, which is an effective method to promote the electrical properties.     

Zr离子掺杂TiO2可见光催化剂光催化活性的研究

本文采用溶胶-凝胶法制备了Zr离子掺杂TiO₂光催化剂。光催化降解对氯苯酚实验表明,Zr离子掺杂浓度为10%时活性最高,其紫外光、可见光催化活性分别是纯TiO₂的1.5倍和4倍。利用XRD、Raman、XPS、UV-Vis DRS、PL等技术对样品进行了表征,结果表明：Zr离子以取代式掺杂方式进入TiO₂晶格,在TiO₂导带下方形成掺杂能级,增强了可见光响应,促进了光生载流子的分离,此外Zr离子掺杂在催化剂表面引入大量表面缺陷,增加了表面羟基物种,从而使得Zr离子掺杂TiO₂光催化剂的紫外、可见光催化活性显著提高。     

Influence of hydrothermal synthesis temperature on the redox and oxygen mobility properties of manganese oxides in the catalytic oxidation of toluene

A series of MnO_x samples synthesized by hydrothermal methods at different temperatures were investigated as catalysts for the oxidation of toluene. The optimum oxidation performance was achieved with the catalyst prepared at 120 °C (Mn-120), for which complete conversion of toluene was attained at 250 °C. The Mn-120 sample possessed the highest concentration of Mn³⁺ and the highest initial H₂ consumption rate, which are indicative of abundant crystal defects and superior reducibility. In addition, Mn-120 exhibited excellent oxidation ability due to the abundance of lattice oxygen species and excellent oxygen mobility. Therefore, the superior catalytic performance of Mn-120 could be attributed mainly to its redox performance and abundant crystal defects, both of which are determined by the temperature of the hydrothermal synthesis of MnO_x.

     

Degradation of 4-chlorophenol in aqueous solution by γ-radiation and ozone oxidation

The degradation of 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) by using gamma rays generated by a ⁶⁰Co source in the presence of O₃ was investigated. The radiolysis of 4-CP and the kinetics of 4-CP mineralization were analyzed based on the determination of total organic carbon (TOC). The influence of initial 4-CP concentration and the free radicals scavengers (such as NaHCO₃ and t-butanol) on the 4-CP degradation was also studied. The results showed that when the radiation rate was 336 Gy·min⁻¹, 4-chlorophenol at concentration of 10 mg·L⁻¹ could be completely degraded at the radiation dose of 2 kGy. The degradation of 4-chlorophenol could be described by a first-order reaction model, the rate constant of 4-CP degradation by combined ozonation and radiation was 0.1016 min⁻¹, which was 2.4 times higher than the sum of radiation (0.0294 min⁻¹) and ozonation (0.0137 min⁻¹). It revealed that the combination of radiation and ozonation resulted in synergistic effect, which can remarkably increase the degradation efficiency of 4-CP.