LP MOVPE growth of AlGalnP/GalnP and its application to visible laser diodes

High-quality and uniform bulk layers of (Al _x Ga_1–x )_0.5In_0.5P (x=0–0.7) and AlGalnP/GainP quantum wells (QWs) are grown on 2°-off (100) GaAs substrates by low-pressure metal organic vapour phase epitaxy at a low growth rate of 0.3 nm s^-1. The amount of lattice mismatch and the variation of PL peak energy of (Al_0.5Ga_0.5)_0.5In_0.5P on the 50-mm substrate are less than 6×10^-4 and 2 meV, respectively. (Al_0.5Ga_0.5)_0.5In_0.5P/Ga_0.5In_0.5P SQWs show narrow PL spectra even from a 0.6 nm well measured at 20 K. The variation of PL peak energy from (Al_0.5Ga_0.5)_0.5In_0.5P/Ga_0.5In_0.5P MQWs is less than 10 meV. Also, as-cleaved AlGalnP/GalnP lasers fabricated by a three-step MOVPE show a pulsed threshold current of 82 mA at room temperature, output power of 12 mW, and the lasing wavelength at 668.2 nm.     

Effect of carbon coating process on the structure and electrochemical performance of LiNi<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>Mn<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>O<Subscript>2</Subscript> used as cathode in Li-ion batteries

LiNi_0.5Mn_0.5O₂ powder was synthesized by a coprecipitation method. LiOH.H₂O and coprecipitated [(Ni_0.5Mn_0.5)C₂O₄] precursors were mixed carefully together and then calcined at 900°C. Surface modified cathode materials were obtained by coating LiNi_0.5Mn_0.5O₂ with a thin layer of amorphous carbon using table sugar and starch as carbon source. Both parent and carbon-coated samples have the characteristic layered structure of LiNi_0.5Mn_0.5O₂ as estimated from X-ray diffractometry measurements. Transmission electron microscope showed the presence of C layer around the prepared particles. TGA analysis emphasized and confirmed the presence of C coating around LiNi_0.5Mn_0.5O₂. It is obvious that the carbon coating appears to be beneficial for the electrochemical performance of the LiNi_0.5Mn_0.5O₂. A capacity of about 150 mAh/g is delivered in the voltage range 2.5–4.5 V at current density C/15 for carbon coated LiNi_0.5Mn_0.5O₂ in comparison with about 165 mAh/g obtained for carbon free LiNi_0.5Mn_0.5O₂ at the same current density and voltage window. About 92% and 82% capacity retention was obtained at 50th cycle for coated LiNi_0.5Mn_0.5O₂ using sucrose and starch, respectively; whereas, 75% was retained after only 30th cycle for carbon free LiNi_0.5Mn_0.5O₂. This improvement is mainly attributed to the presence of thin layer of carbon layer that encapsulate the nanoparticles and improve the conductivity and the electrochemical performance of LiNi_0.5Mn_0.5O₂.     

Structure and magnetization studies of Nd0.5−xPrxSr0.5MnO3 system

The structural and magnetic properties of Nd_0.5−xPr_xSr_0.5MnO₃ (x=0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5) system have been investigated. With the substitution of Pr in Nd_0.5Sr_0.5MnO₃, it shows a gradual structure transformation from the Imma orthorhombic symmetry to the tetragonal I4/mcm phase, and the crystallographic transition remains incomplete, even in Pr_0.5Sr_0.5MnO₃. A large bifurcation between zero-field-cooled (ZFC) and field-cooled (FC) susceptibility has been observed below Curie temperature (T_C), which is characteristic of coexistence of ferromagnetism (FM) and antiferromagnetism (AFM) at low temperature region. The magnetization of Pr_0.5Sr_0.5MnO₃ is larger than that of Nd_0.5Sr_0.5MnO₃, while Nd_0.5Sr_0.5MnO₃ with more CE-type AFM shows larger magnetization than Nd_0.3Pr_0.2Sr_0.5MnO_3, which mixed with CE-type (majority) and A-type (minority) AFM at low temperature, indicating that the magnetization of Nd_0.5−xPr_xSr_0.5MnO₃ system is affected by A-site disorder combined with orbital ordering of A-type AFM and CE-type AFM.     

Magnetic properties of nanostructured MnZn ferrite

Mn_0.5Zn_0.5Fe₂O₄ nanoparticles (10-30 nm) have been prepared via mechanochemical processing, using a mixture of two single-phase ferrites, MnFe₂O₄ and ZnFe₂O₄. SQUID measurements (field-cooled magnetization curves and hysteresis loops) were performed to follow the mechanically induced evolution of the MnFe₂O₄/ZnFe₂O₄ mixture submitted to the high-energy milling process. The resulting single MnZn nanoferrite phase was characterized by SQUID (M-H curve), Faraday balance (M-T curve) and transmission electron microscopy. The magnetic characteristics of the mechanosynthesized material were compared with those of bulk Mn_0.5Zn_0.5Fe₂O₄. It was found that the saturation magnetization of nanostructured Mn_0.5Zn_0.5Fe₂O₄ (87.2 emu/g) is lower than that of the bulk Mn_0.5Zn_0.5Fe₂O₄, but, the Néel temperature of the sample (583 K) is higher than that of the bulk Mn_0.5Zn_0.5Fe₂O₄.     

K0.5Bi0.5TiO3—Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3系统铁电陶瓷相界的X射线研究

用X射线衍射方法测定了K_0.5Bi_0.5TiO₃—Na_0.5Bi_0.5TiO₃系统不同组分试样的点阵常数和相变温度,确定了四方-三方相界组成。给出了K_0.5Bi_0.5TiO₃和Na_0.5Bi_0.5TiO₃的多晶X射线衍射数据。 关键词：     

Substantial Ca doping site effect on structure of La0.5Ca0.5MnO3 at low temperature

Six possible structures of La_0.5Ca_0.5MnO₃ corresponding to different Ca doping sites are studied at low temperature using atomistic simulation techniques. It is found that Ca doping site has substantial effect on structure of La_0.5Ca_0.5MnO₃ and this effect may explain the existence of four similar phases with slightly different lattice parameters in La_0.5Ca_0.5MnO₃ at low temperature. Structures I and II are found to be favorable La_0.5Ca_0.5MnO₃ structures. They have an ordering arrangement of La³⁺ and Ca²⁺ ions and different arrangements of Mn³⁺ and Mn⁴⁺ ions, which may affect the charge, orbital and magnetic ordering in La_0.5Ca_0.5MnO₃ at low temperature.     

Optimizing conditions of fabrication and the properties of BaNb2O6-SrNb2O6 binary ceramics

Conditions for fabricating (Ba_0.5Sr_0.5)Nb₂O₆ ceramics are optimized. It is shown that materials synthesized at T = 1250°C and sintered at T = 1375–21400°C exhibit the best ceramic characteristics. The (Ba_0.5Sr_0.5)Nb₂O₆ solid solution is found to be a ferroelectric with a diffuse phase transition. The possibility of fabricating Ba_0.5Sr_0.5Nb₂O₆ thin films from ceramic targets prepared in the resulting optimum regimes is shown.     

The ac conductivity and complex impedance of CuO-doped (Ba0.5Sr0.5)TiO3 ceramic

The AC conductivity and complex impedance spectroscopy of CuO-doped (Ba_0.5Sr_0.5)TiO₃ ceramic were investigated. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that CuO-doped (Ba_0.5Sr_0.5)TiO₃ has a perovskite structure without any pyrochlore phase. Frequency dependent dielectric permittivity was discussed at a different temperature range. The activation energy was calculated and discussed through the Arrehnius equation from the ac conductivity with different frequency plots. CuO-doped (Ba_0.5Sr_0.5)TiO₃ ceramics have a negative temperature coefficient of resistivity. Dependence of impedance spectroscopy on frequency and temperature showed that the conduction process in the CuO-doped (Ba_0.5Sr_0.5)TiO₃ ceramic follows the thermally activated conduction mechanism.     

Influence of Ga(Al)As substrates on surface morphology and critical thickness of InGaAs quantum dots

Influence of Ga(Al)As substrates on surface morphology of InGaAs quantum dots and critical thickness of In_0.5Ga_0.5As film grown by molecular beam epitaxy is investigated. The In_0.5Ga_0.5As quantum dots are grown on (001) surfaces of GaAs and Al_0.25Ga_0.75 A at 450 °C, scanning tunneling microscope images show that the size of quantum dots varied slightly for 10 ML of In_0.5Ga_0.5As grown on GaAs and Al_0.25Ga_0.75As surfaces. Reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) is used to monitor the growth of 4 monolayers (ML) In_0.5Ga_0.5As on Al_0.25Ga_0.75As and GaAs surfaces during deposition. The critical thickness is theoretically calculated by adding energy caused by surface roughness and heat from substrate. The calculations show that the critical thickness of In_0.5Ga_0.5As grown on GaAs and Al_0.25Ga_0.75As are 3.2 ML and 3.8 ML, respectively. The theoretical calculation agrees with the experimental results.     

TEM observations of rhombohedral and monoclinic domains in LaCoO3-based ceramics

Twin structures in rhombohedrally distorted polycrystalline LaCoO₃, La_0.8Ca_0.2CoO_3-δ and La_0.5Sr_0.5Co_0.5Fe_0.5O_3-δ have been studied by transmission electron microscopy. Normal {100} and {110} twinning was predominant in LaCoO₃ and La_0.8Ca_0.2CoO_3-δ. In addition, ferroelastic domains with a one-dimensional superstructure corresponding to a tripling of the pseudocubic lattice parameter, a _c, were found in some grains. The monoclinic superstructure vanished over time and was sensitive to external mechanical stress. In La_0.5Sr_0.5Co_0.5Fe_0.5O_3-δ no normal twinning was observed, but domains with a one-dimensional superstructure of two times a _c were observed. The superstructures have been interpreted as atomic scale twinning, which reduce the crystal symmetry from rhombohedral to monoclinic.     

New perovskite related-compounds of Ru(V) in K2NiF4 type structure

The preparation of the new K₂NiF₄-type compounds, Sr₂Co_0.5Ru_0.5O₄, Sr₂Ni_0.5Ru_0.5O₄ and Sr₂Ga_0.5Ru_0.5O₄ by direct solid state synthesis and the subsequent characterization by powder X-ray diffraction measurements are described. From Rietveld refinements, we found that the compounds have a K₂NiF₄-type structure with the symmetry of space group I4/mmm. It was found that in these compounds, the substituted trivalent metal ions (M=Co, Ni, and Ga) and the Ru ions are disordered over the octahedral B sites of the K₂NiF₄ structure. The octahedral Ru-O environment is less elongated in the apical direction in these compounds than in the Sr₂RuO₄ compound. We also found that the octahedron in Sr₂Ga_0.5Ru_0.5O₄ is more symmetric than that of Sr₂Co_0.5Ru_0.5O₄ and Sr₂Ni_0.5Ru_0.5O₄. The Ru K-edge X-ray absorption measurements showed that Ru ions were in a pentavalent oxidation state.     

Research on charge-ordering state in La0.5Sr0.5MnO2.88 and La0.5Sr0.5Mn0.5Ti0.5O3 systems

The structural, magnetic and transport properties of La_0.5Sr_0.5MnO_2.88 and La_0.5Sr_0.5Mn_0.5Ti_0.5O₃ samples have been investigated systematically. Indeed, this series has been considered to understand the influence of physical parameters such as oxygen deficiency and titanium doping effect in undoped La_0.5Sr_0.5MnO₃ sample. Ceramic material based on La_0.5Sr_0.5MnO_2.88 exhibits interesting behaviours of charge-ordering (CO), ferromagnetic (FM) states and a good conductivity down to the lowest temperatures. The substitution of Ti for Mn destroyed drastically the CO, damaged the motion of itinerant e_g electrons and changed the local parameters of perovskite cell. A change of the structure from tetragonal to rhombohedral symmetry is observed causing a weakening of double-exchange interaction. The experiment results show that the suppression of the CO is sensitive to the variety of Mn³⁺/Mn⁴⁺ ratio. In a field of 8 T at 10 K, FM and CO phase can be evaluated to be ∼20:80 according to the μ_exp/μ_cal ratio for La_0.5Sr_0.5MnO_2.88, whereas the CO state is suppressed for La_0.5Sr_0.5Mn_0.5Ti_0.5O₃ sample, FM and anti-ferromagnetic (AFM) phase are coexisted and evaluated to be ∼54:46, respectively.     

Photoluminescence of Rare Earth Phosphors Na0.5Gd0.5WO4: RE3+ and Na0.5Gd0.5(Mo0.75W0.25)O4: RE3+ (RE=Eu, Sm, Dy)

Two series of phosphors, Na_0.5Gd_0.5WO₄: RE³⁺ and Na_0.5Gd_0.5(Mo_0.75W_0.25)O₄: RE³⁺ (RE?=?Eu, Sm, Dy) have been synthesized by hydrothermal process to obtain the high purity, which have been characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results suggest that Na_0.5Gd_0.5(Mo_0.75W_0.25)O₄: RE³⁺ phosphors are more easily to crystallize than Na_0.5Gd_0.5WO₄: RE³⁺ ones. Both of them present the characteristic luminescence of Eu³⁺, Sm³⁺ and Dy³⁺. Especially the photoluminescent properties of Na_0.5Gd_0.5WO₄: x%Eu³⁺ (Sm³⁺) can be obtained to show white luminescence as the suitable doping concentration of Eu³⁺ or Sm³⁺.     

Initial oxidation kinetics and energetics of Cu0.5Au0.5 (0 0 1) film investigated by in situ ultrahigh vacuum transmission electron microscopy

The initial oxidation behavior of Cu_0.5Au_0.5 (0 0 1) thin film was investigated by in situ ultrahigh vacuum transmission electron microscopy to model nano-oxidation of alloys with one active component and one noble component. The formation of irregular-shaped octahedron Cu₂O islands with cube-on-cube crystallographic orientation to the substrate film was observed at all temperature studied. The energetics of Cu₂O nucleation for Cu and Cu_0.5Au_0.5 oxidation was compared. Cu_0.5Au_0.5 oxidation has lower nucleation activation energy due to the reduced mismatch strain between Cu₂O and Cu_0.5Au_0.5 films. On the other hand, the reaction kinetics for Cu_0.5Au_0.5 alloy oxidation is slower due to the higher diffusion activation energy of Cu.     

Electron paramagnetic resonance studies on manganite Pr0.5Sr0.5Mn1−x Ga x O3 (x=0 and 0.05)

In this paper, we present the investigations of electron paramagnetic resonance on perovskite manganite Pr_0.5Sr_0.5MnO₃ and Ga-doped Pr_0.5Sr_0.5Mn_0.95Ga_0.05O₃. The temperature dependent paramagnetic resonance spectra parameters (effective g-factor, peak-to-peak linewidth ΔH _pp and double integrated intensities) have been used to study the paramagnetic spin correlations and spin dynamics. The gradual increase of effective g-factor is attributed to the presence of orbital ordering above T _C. The model fittings of temperature dependent double integrated intensities reveal Arrhenius law is appropriate for describing Pr_0.5Sr_0.5Mn_0.95Ga_0.05O₃ instead of Pr_0.5Sr_0.5MnO₃ system. As for Pr_0.5Sr_0.5MnO₃, the broadening of linewidth with the temperature increase origins from the contribution of small polaron hopping in the PM regime. However, as for Pr_0.5Sr_0.5Mn_0.95Ga_0.05O₃, the broadening of EPR linewidth can be understood with the spin-lattice relaxation mechanism.     

Ferromagnetic half-metallic characteristic in bulk Ni0.5M0.5O (M=Cu,Zn and Cd): A GGA+U study

Ferromagnetic half metallicity with a high spin polarization of 100% was predicted in the bulk Ni_0.5Cu_0.5O using density-functional theory method. The band gap of majority spin is 3.45 eV for Ni_0.5Cu_0.5O. The density of states of minority spin at the Fermi level are mainly from Cu 3d and O 2p in the Ni_0.5Cu_0.5O. The magnetic moments are from Ni 3d states. Ni_0.5Zn_0.5O and Ni_0.5Cd_0.5O systems are ferromagnetic insulators, but the magnetic moment of Ni²⁺ ions is enhanced by the Zn and Cd incorporation. Therefore, Ni_0.5Cu_0.5O is the potential candidate for spintronics devices because of the predicted high spin polarization.     

Elastic and electronic properties of a new MAX compound (Cr0.5V0.5)2GeC from first-principles calculations

Based on first-principles calculations, we have investigated the elastic properties and electronic structure of a new MAX compound (Cr_0.5V _0.5)₂GeC. The obtained lattice parameters agree very well with available experimental and theoretical data. Elastic constants are calculated, then the mechanical properties such as compressibility, ductility and stiffness, especially elastic anisotropy of (Cr_0.5V _0.5)₂GeC are discussed in detail. The calculated charge density and density of state exhibit a mixture of covalent and ionic features in (Cr_0.5V _0.5)₂GeC due to the strong hybridization of C 2p with Cr 5d and V 4d states. The coexistence of the stronger and stiffer Cr–C and V–C covalent bonds reveals the underlying mechanism for the higher bulk modulus of (Cr_0.5V _0.5)₂GeC.     

Effects of large cation size-disorder on the magnetic properties of the rare earth cobaltates, Ln0.5Ba0.5CoO3

Magnetic and electrical properties of Ln_0.5Ba_0.5CoO_3−δ with Ln=Dy and Er have been investigated to examine the effects of large cation size-disorder. While the Dy compound shows the small magnetic anomaly around 290 K just as the Gd derivative, the Er compound is essentially paramagnetic due to the large cation size-disorder. Compositions with the same average A-site cation radii as Dy_0.5Ba_0.5CoO_2.91 and Er_0.5Ba_0.5CoO_2.9, but with smaller size-disorder, show progressive evolution of ferromagnetism and metallic properties with decreasing disorder.     

Low-temperature magnetic properties of HoMn0.5Co0.5O3 single crystals

The magnetic behavior of a HoMn_0.5Co_0.5O₃ single crystal grown by electrochemical deposition was studied by measuring magnetization in the temperature range 5–300 K in magnetic fields of up to 50 kOe. The results obtained are treated within a model of the two-phase magnetic state of a crystal. A comparative analysis of the magnetic properties of HoMn_0.5Co_0.5O₃ and LaMn_0.5Co_0.5O₃ single crystals was carried out.     

Analysis of low temperature specific heat in Nd0.5Sr0.5MnO3 and R0.5Ca0.5MnO3 (R=Nd,Sm, Dy and Ho) compounds

We report on the specific heat C(T) of doped manganites Nd_0.5Sr_0.5MnO₃, Nd_0.5Ca_0.5MnO₃, Sm_0.5Ca_0.5MnO₃, Dy_0.5Ca_0.5MnO₃ and Ho_0.5Ca_0.5MnO₃ in the temperature range 2?T?300 K using modified rigid ion model (MRIM). The present specific heat results are in general satisfactory agreement with experimental data except at very low temperatures (i.e. T?12 K). Also a sharp peak observed in the experimental results for these compounds around 5 K could not be revealed by our computed results as they arise due to Schottky-like anomaly. Besides, we have reported the cohesive and the thermal properties of these compounds. The results obtained by us are discussed in detail.