Structural characteristics and morphology of SmxCe1−xO2−x/2 thin films

Effect of the deposition temperature (200 and 500 °C) and composition of Sm_xCe_1−xO_2−x/2 (x = 0, 10.9–15.9 mol%) thin films prepared by electron beam physical vapor deposition (EB-PVD) and Ar⁺ ion beam assisted deposition (IBAD) combined with EB-PVD on structural characteristics and morphology/microstructure was investigated. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) of the surface and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) of the bulk of the film revealed the dominant occurrence of Ce⁴⁺ oxidation state, suggesting the presence of CeO₂ phase, which was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The Ce³⁺ oxidation states corresponding to Ce₂O₃ phase were in minority. The XRD and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed the polycrystalline columnar structure and a rooftop morphology of the surface. Effects of the preparation conditions (temperature, composition, IBAD) on the lattice parameter, grain size, perfection of the columnar growth and its impact on the surface morphology are analyzed and discussed.     

Optical properties of Cd1−xZnxTe thin films fabricated through sputtering of compound semiconductors

Cd_1−xZn_xTe thin film fabrication is necessary for its photovoltaic and imaging applications in large scale. Thermally annealed and thereby interdiffused r.f. sputtered multilayers comprising of CdTe and ZnTe have been utilized here for the fabrication of Cd_1−xZn_xTe thin films. Photoluminescence and change of resistance of the multilayer under illumination were studied using different annealing temperatures and varying number of repetitions. It was found that three number of repetitions annealed at 300 °C exhibited the best results.     

Effect of lower growth temperature on C incorporation in GeC epilayers on Si(0 0 1) grown by MBE

Effect of lower growth temperature T_s on C incorporation to substitutional sites in Ge_1−xC_x/Si(0 0 1) grown by molecular beam epitaxy was investigated. To enhance the non-equilibrium growth condition, the temperature T_s was lowered from 600°C down to 300°C. The C incorporation into substitutional sites of GeC epilayers was very sensitive to T_s. X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurement indicated that the substitutional C composition x increased with decrease in T_s from 600°C to 400°C. At T_s350°C, the estimation of x by the XRD analysis was impossible because of polycrystallization. The Raman shift measurement enables to estimate x for T_s350°C, as consequently larger x than that grown at T_s=400°C was verified. The enhancement of non-equilibrium growth condition by decreasing T_s was important to increase x.     

Classical in-plane negative magnetoresistance and quantum positive magnetoresistance in undoped InSb thin films on GaAs (1 0 0) substrates

Magnetoresistance (MR) effects have been investigated in perpendicular and parallel magnetic fields at 300, 80 K and liquid He temperatures for undoped InSb thin films 0.1–2.3 μm thick grown on GaAs(1 0 0) substrates by MBE. At high temperatures, the intrinsic carriers show the parabolic negative MR observable only in magnetic fields parallel to the film. The skipping-orbit effect due to surface boundary scattering in the classical orbits in the plane vertical to the film has been argued to be responsible for the negative MR. At low temperatures (T=80 K), the transport is dominated by the two-dimensional (2D) electrons in the accumulation layers at the InSb/GaAs(1 0 0) hetero interface; MR is positive and shows a logarithmic increase with anisotropy between parallel and perpendicular field orientation, arising from the 2D weak anti-localization (WAL) that reflects the interplay between the spin-Zeeman effect and strong spin–orbit interaction caused by the asymmetric potential at the interface (Rashba term). The zero-field spin splitting energy of Δ₀13 meV, the electron effective mass of m^*0.10m₀ seven times of the band edge mass in bulk InSb and the effective g-factor of |g^*|15 in the accumulation layer have been inferred from fits of MR for the 0.1 μm thick film to the 2D WL theory.     

Dispersive optical constants of a-Se100−xSbx films

Thin films of amorphous Se_100−xSb_x (x=5,10 and 20 at%) system are deposited on a silicon substrate at room temperature (300 K) by thermal evaporation technique. The optical constant such as refractive index (n) has been determined by a method based on the envelope curves of the optical transmission spectrum at normal incidence by a Swanpoel method. The oscillator energy (E_o), dispersion energy (E_d) and other parameters have been determined by the Wemple–DiDomenico method. The absorption coefficient (α) has been determined from the reflectivity and transmitivity spectrum in the range 300–2500 nm. The optical-absorption data indicate that the absorption mechanism is a non-direct transition. We found that the optical band gap, E_g^opt, decreases from 1.66±0.01 to 1.35±0.01 eV with increase Sb content.     

Blue cathodoluminescence from thulium implanted AlxGa1−xN and InxAl1−xN

Room temperature cathodoluminescence (RTCL) was obtained from Tm implanted Al_xGa_1−xN with different AlN contents (in the range 0≤x≤0.2) and from implanted In_xAl_1−xN with different InN contents (x=0.13 and 0.19) close to the lattice match with GaN. The Tm³⁺ emission spectrum depends critically on the host material. The blue emission from Al_xGa_1−xN:Tm peaks in intensity for an AlN content of x0.11. The emission is enhanced by up to a factor of 50 times with an increase of annealing temperature from 1000 to 1300 C. The blue emission from In_0.13Al_0.87N:Tm, annealed at 1200 C, is more than ten times stronger than that from Al_xGa_1−xN:Tm, x≤0.2. However, the intensity decreases significantly as the InN fraction increases from 0.13 to 0.19.     

Water incorporation into the Ba2(In1 − xMx)2O5‪ (M = Sc 0 ≤ x < 0.5 and M = Y 0 ≤ x < 0.35) system and protonic conduction

Ba₂(In_1 − xM_x)₂O_{5 − y / 2}(OH)_y‪□_{1 − y / 2} (y ≤ 2; M = Sc³⁺ 0 ≤ x < 0.5 and M = Y³⁺ 0 ≤ x < 0.35) compounds were prepared by reacting Ba₂(In_1 − xM_x)₂O₅‪ phases with water vapor. This reaction is reversible. Analyses of the hydration process by TG and XRD studies show that the thermal stability of hydrated phases increases when x increases and that the incorporation of water is not a single-phase reaction inducing either a crystal system or space group modification. Fully hydrated (y = 2) and dehydrated (y = 0) samples have been stabilized at room temperature and characterized for all compositions. In wet air, all phases show a proton contribution to the total conductivity at temperatures between 350 and 600 °C. At a given temperature, proton conductivity increases with the substitution ratio and reaches at 350 °C, 5.4 10^− 3 S cm^− 1 for Ba₂(In_0.65Sc_0.35)₂O_4.2□_0.2(OH)_1.6.     

Formation of silicon oxide nanowires directly from Au/Si and Pd–Au/Si substrates

Amorphous silicon oxide (SiO_x) nanowires were directly grown by thermal processing of Si substrates. Au and Pd–Au thin films with thicknesses of 3 nm deposited on Si (0 0 1) substrates were used as catalysts for the growth of nanowires. High-yield synthesis of SiO_x nanowires was achieved by a simple heating process (1000–1150 °C) in an Ar ambient atmosphere without introducing any additional Si source materials. The as-synthesized products were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy measurements. The SiO_x nanowires with lengths of a few and tens of micrometers had an amorphous crystal structure. The solid–liquid–solid model of nanowire formation was shown to be valid.     

Pressure studies of conduction-band N-pair-state mixing in dilute GaAs1−xNx alloys

High-pressure photoluminescence (PL) experiments (at 9 K) are reported for GaAs_1−xN_x/GaAs quantum wells having N compositions (x=0.0025, 0.004) in the dilute regime where the GaAs_1−xN_x alloy conduction band (CB) evolves rapidly by incorporation of N-pair states. Under increasing pressure, the PL spectra exhibit several new N-pair features that derive from CB-resonant states at 1 atm. Two of these features appear strongly at sub-band-gap energies for P29 kbar in the x=0.0025 sample, but are absent for all pressures in the x=0.004 sample. Several competing PL assignments due to bound-exciton recombination at NN_i pairs (i=1–4 is the anion separation) are considered in light of prior findings for N-doped (10¹⁷ cm⁻³) GaAs. The absence of certain PL features in the x=0.004 sample shows that N-pair states mix into the CB-continuum via a selective process, and this selectivity offers an important test for band-structure calculations in dilute GaAs_1−xN_x alloys.     

Growth and studies of Hg1−xCdxTe based low dimensional structures

The band structure of HgTe quantum wells (QWs) has been determined from absorption experiments on superlattices in conjunction with calculations based on an 8×8 k·p model. The band structure combined with self-consistent Hartree calculations has enabled transport results to be quantitatively explained.Rashba spin–orbit, (SO) splitting has been investigated in n-type modulation doped HgTe QWs by means of Shubnikov–de Haas oscillations (SdH) in gated Hall bars. The heavy hole nature of the H1 conduction subband in QWs with an inverted band structure greatly enhances the Rashba SO splitting, with values up to 17 meV.By analyzing the SdH oscillations of a magnetic two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in modulation-doped n-type Hg_1−xMn_xTe QWs, we have been able to separate the gate voltage-dependent Rashba SO splitting from the temperature-dependent giant Zeeman splitting, which are of comparable magnitudes. In addition, hot electrons and Mn ions in a magnetic 2DEG have been investigated as a function of current.Nano-scale structures of lower dimensions are planned and experiments on sub-micrometer magneto-transport structures have resulted in the first evidence for ballistic transport in quasi-1D HgTe QW structures.     

Preparation and electrical properties of a pyrochlore-related Ce2Zr2O8−x phase

A pyrochlore-related Ce₂Zr₂O_8−x phase has been prepared in a reduction reoxidation process from Ce_0.5Zr_0.5O₂ powders. Ce₂Zr₂O_8−x, based on a cubic symmetry with a=1.053 nm, decomposes in nitrogen at 800 °C, but remains stable up to 900 °C in air. It shows mixed oxygen ionic and electronic conductivity. The bulk conductivity at 700 °C is 4×10⁻⁴ S cm⁻¹ in air and 1×10⁻² S cm⁻¹ in nitrogen, and the activation energy is 1.27 eV in air. In nitrogen, the Arrhenius law is not obeyed, and a curved plot was obtained from 400 to 700 °C; then, the conductivity decreased rapidly due to the thermal decomposition of Ce₂Zr₂O_8−x.     

Luminescence from ZnO/MgO nanoparticle structures prepared by solution techniques

The optical and structural properties of mixed ZnO/MgO particles prepared by solution techniques are investigated by the cathodoluminescence and electron microscopy techniques. The samples annealed at 400–1000 °C show well crystalline wurtzite structure of the ZnO (MgZnO) particles with the size in range of 10–100 nm. Annealing at high temperatures (>700 °C) leads to Mg diffusion in ZnO and Mg_xZn_1−xO alloy formation. The blue shifts of the near-band-edge emission as a result of the alloy band gap widening and quantum confinement effect for the small size particles are demonstrated.     

Laterally patterned high mobility two-dimensional electron gases obtained by overgrowth of focused ion beam implanted Al1−xGaxAs

The use of focused ion beam implantation doping of an inverted GaAs/Al_1−xGa_xAs heterostructure during a growth interruption allows for the lateral modulation of the heterostructure doping. Hence, laterally patterned two dimensional electron gases (2DEGs) are obtained with no further processing steps required. We have performed the direct writing of a 2DEG with a Hall-bar pattern, such that only the application of ohmic contacts was necessary and the sample surface remained unharmed otherwise. The 2DEG has an electron density of 3.6×10¹¹ cm⁻² and an electron mobility of 4.8×10⁵ cm²/V s, as determined by magnetotransport measurements. A conventional mesa-etched Hall-bar with almost identical electronic properties has also been studied. Different behaviour of the longitudinal as well as the transversal magnetoresistance for the two Hall-bars is observed and can be concluded to be due to a different confinement potential.     

About some optical properties of AlxGa1−xN /GaN quantum wells grown by molecular beam epitaxy

Wurtzitic nitride quantum wells grown along the (0001) axis experience a large Stark effect induced by the differences of spontaneous and piezoelectric polarizations between the well and barrier materials. In Al_xGa_1−xN/GaN quantum wells, due to the adverse actions of quantum confinement, that blue-shifts transition energies, and of the Stark field, that red-shifts them, the transition energies are nearly independent of barrier compositions at a particular well thickness (L₀2.6 nm), at least for x≤0.3. The effect of alloy fluctuations is then minimal, as reflected by a minimum in the quantum well luminescence linewidth when LL₀ for wells grown by molecular beam epitaxy on silicon or sapphire substrates. We use this effect to estimate the average variances of well widths and alloy composition fluctuations. Both results are in good agreement with, respectively, a scanning tunneling microscopy study of GaN (0001) surfaces, and estimates based on the lateral extent of the quantum well excitons.We then discuss the optical properties of the Al_xGa_1−xN barrier material, with particular emphasis on the symmetry of the valence band maximum (Γ₉ or Γ₇). We show that it may play an important role in the apparent barrier luminescence efficiency. We analyse the possible consequences of the barrier Γ₉–Γ₇ crossover on the Al_xGa_1−xN/GaN quantum well properties.     

Isoscalar quadrupole strength in Ca from the (p,p′α0) reaction at Ep = 100 MeV

The ⁴⁰Ca(p,p′ α) reaction has been studied at an incident proton energy E_p = 99.5 MeV for proton laboratory scattering angles Θ_p^lab = 17°, 23° and 27°. Emission of α particles coincident with the scattered proton has been measured for an angular range Θ_α 0° − 180° relative to the recoil axis. A multipole decomposition for the α₀-decay channel to the ³⁶Ar ground state has been performed from the angular-correlation functions. The energy distribution of the dominating E2 strength deduced in the excitation energy range E_x = 11–21 MeV agrees reasonably well with the results from electron and α-induced α₀-decay investigations. The exhaustion of the E2 energy-weighted sum rule in this channel up to an energy of 17 MeV is 16.1(4.0)%, in accord with the study of the (α, α′ α₀) reaction. However, this value is twice what is found in the (e,e′ α₀) experiment in the same energy region. Thus, the puzzling discrepancy in the E2 strengths derived from electromagnetic and hadronic probes remains unsolved.     

Structural properties and Raman spectroscopy of orthorhombic (Eu1−xPrx)0.6Sr0.4MnO3 (0≤x≤1.0)

The effect of Pr doping on structural properties and room temperature Raman spectroscopy measurements is investigated in manganites (Eu_1−xPr_x)_0.6Sr_0.4MnO₃ (0≤x≤1.0) with fixed carrier concentration. The result of the Rietveld refinement of x-ray powder diffraction shows that these compounds crystallize in an orthorhombic distorted structure with a space group Pnma. It is evident that, with increasing Pr substitution, three types of orthorhombic structures can be distinguished. The phonon frequencies of the three main peaks, in room temperature Raman-scattering measurements, have been discussed together with their structural characteristics, such as bond-length, bond-angles, and the change of orthorhombic structure type. With the increase of Pr content, the mode at 491  cm⁻¹ also shows a corresponding change. A step effect becomes evident, which seems to indicate the close dependence between the frequency shift of this mode and the change in crystal symmetry. This further supports the notion that the mode at 491  cm⁻¹ is closely correlated with the Jahn–Teller distortion. Moreover, we have found that the lowest frequency peak (assigned as an A_1g phonon mode) depends linearly on the tolerance factor t.     

Magnetische untersuchungen an mischkristallen der quasibinären legierungssysteme (Cd Te)1-x (Mn Te)x und (Sn Te)1-x (Mn Te)x

The magnetic susceptibility and magnetization are presented for polycrystalline samples of the alloy systems Cd_1-xMn_xTe 0 < x 0.1 and Sn_1-xMn_xTe 0 < 4 0.4. The magnetic measurements were performed between 2.3 K and 300 K in external magnetic fields up to 11 kOe. At sufficiently high temperatures the susceptibility can be described by a Curie-Weiss law. In the system Sn_1-xMn_xTe θ_p is positive. A linear dependence θ_p ∞ x was found with θ_p(0.4) = 49 K. In the series Cd_1-xMn_xTe θ_p changes sign. For θ < x < 0.04 θ_p is positive with a maximum θ_p ≈ 10 K at x = 0.02. In the region x #62; 0.04 θ_p becomes negative with θ_p = -35 K at x = 0.1. The effective spin value of manganese is S_eff #62; 5/2 for all the samples. The investigation was done to check the assumption that ferromagnetic coupling may exist in tellurides of manganese if the shortest distance d_MnMn is greater than 3.4 Å. This hypothesis has been stated. In the case θ_p #62; 0 the results are partly explained by the RKKY exchange coupling.     

In-plane gate transistors in AlxGa1−xN/GaN heterostructures written by focused ion beams

Focused ion beam implantation of gallium and dysprosium was used to locally insulate the near-surface two-dimensional electron gas of Al_xGa_1−xN/GaN heterostructures. The threshold dose for insulation was determined to be 2×10¹⁰ cm⁻¹ for 90 keV Ga⁺ and 1×10⁹ cm⁻¹ for 200 keV Dy²⁺ at 4.2 K. This offers a tool not only for inter-device insulation but also for direct device fabrication. Making use of “open-T” like insulating line patterns, in-plane gate transistors have been fabricated by focused ion beam implantation. An exemplar with a geometrical channel width of 1.5 μm shows a conductance of 32 μS at 0 V gate voltage and a transconductance of around 4 μS, which is only slightly dependent on the gate voltage.     

Superconductivity magnetism and low temperature specific heat in YBa2(Cu1−xFex)3O7−δ with δ0 and δ1

Magnetic and low temperature specific heat measurements have been performed on iron doped YBa₂(Cu_1−xFe_x)₃O_7−δ samples with different oxygen contents (δ0 and δ1). Iron doping induces an orthorhombic to tetragonal transition and a decrease of both T_c and diamagnetic signal. Low temperature specific heat measurements reveal a Schottky type anomaly for δ0 samples with x=0.01 (1.8 K) and x=0.02 (3 K). This anomaly is attributed to magnetic interactions within iron limited chains. A numerical analysis of this effect is proposed.     

Measurement of Vcb from the decay process

A new precise measurement of |V_cb| and of the branching ratio BR ) has been performed using a sample of about 5000 semileptonic decays , selected by the DELPHI detector at LEP I by tagging the soft pion from D^*+→D⁰π⁺. The results are: V_cb=(39.0±1.5 (stat.)^+2.5_−2.6 (syst. exp.)±1.3 (syst. th.))×10⁻³,

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. The analytic dependencies of the differential cross-section and of the Isgur–Wise form factor as functions of the variable w=v_B⁰·v_D^* have also been obtained by unfolding the experimental resolution.