Temperature distribution in a film heated with a laser spot: Theory and measurement

For the measurement of the thermal capacity and the thermal conductivity of films, the thermal excitation of the sample is commonly performed by the absorption of light. This results in a spatial and temporal temperature distribution within the film. With a variety of methods static or dynamic temperature recordings are performed.Two problems with these methods are discussed, the calculation of the temperature distribution in the film and the measurement of the mean surface temperature of the film. An analytical solution of the heat conduction problem for a cylindrical geometry with any radial distribution of the absorbed light is given. Resistive bolometers are introduced for the measurement of the mean surface temperature of the film within a circular area. Experiments with a 25 m thick PVDF film give excellent agreement with the theoretical calculations within the modulation frequency range 10^–3 Hz to 10³ Hz, thus allowing a determination of various thermal parameters of the investigated film.     

Transient thermal gratings at surfaces for thermal characterization of bulk materials and thin films

Transient Thermal Gratings (TTGs) at surfaces of absorbing materials have been utilized for investigating heat diffusion in bulk materials and thin films. In this report, we describe the theoretical background of the technique and present experimental data. TTGs were excited in the surface plane by interference of two pulsed laser beams and monitored by a cw probe beam, either via temperature dependence of the reflectivity or by deflection from the displacement pattern. A theoretical model describing the thermal and thermoelastic surface response was developed, both for a homogeneous material and a multilayer structure. The potential of the technique will be demonstrated by experimental results on (i) thermal diffusivities of bulk materials, (ii) anisotropic lateral heat transport, and (iii) thermal diffusivities of metal and diamond films. Furthermore, we will show that TTGs allow thermal depth profiling of inhomogeneous materials whenever there is a vertical gradient in thermal conductivity.     

Modeling for thermal conductivity measurements of thin films using photothermal deflection with obliquely crossed configuration

Received: 21 December 1996     

Elastic modulus and in-plane thermal diffusivity measurements in thin polyimide films using symmetry-selective real-time impulsive stimulated thermal scattering

We describe a technique for extending the utility of the real-time Impulsive Stimulated Thermal Scattering (ISTS) method for thin film characterization. Using weakly absorbed excitation pulses, we show how to selectively drive acoustic waveguide modes that are unobservable when strongly absorbed pulses are used. The ability to excite and monitor these modes is important because it allows for a significant increase in the experimental sensitivity to the film longitudinal velocity. This arrangement also greatly simplifies determination of the in-plane thermal diffusivity. The technique is illustrated through study of unsupported polyimide films with six different thicknesses.     

Substrate influence in electron-phonon coupling measurements in thin Au films

Accurate understanding and measurement of the energy transfer mechanisms during thermal nonequilibrium between electrons and the surrounding material systems is critical for a wide array of applications. With device dimensions decreasing to sizes on the order of the thermal penetration depth, the equilibration of the electrons could be effected by boundary effects in addition to electron-phonon coupling. In this study, the rate of electron equilibration in 20 nm thick Au films is measured with the Transient ThermoReflectance (TTR) technique. At very large incident laser fluences which result in very high electron temperatures, the electron-phonon coupling factors determined from TTR measurements deduced using traditional models are almost an order of magnitude greater than predicted from theory. By taking excess electron energy loss via electron-substrate transport into account with a proposed three temperature model, TTR electron-phonon coupling factor measurements are more in line with theory, indicating that in highly nonequilibrium situations, the high temperature electron system looses substantial energy to the substrate in addition to that transferred to the film lattice through coupling.     

Thermal conductivity of C60 and C70 crystals

We have performed thermal conductivity measurements on C₆₀ and C₇₀ crystals grown by sublimation. For single crystal C₆₀, the thermal conductivity k is 0.4 W/m K at room temperature and is nearly temperature independent down to 260K. We observed a sharp orientational phase transition at 260K, indicated by a 25% jump in k. Below 90K, k is time dependent, which manifests itself as a shoulder-like structure at 85K. The temperature and time dependence of k below 260K can be described by a simple model which accounts for the thermally activated hopping of C₆₀ molecules between two nearly degenerate orientations, separated by an energy barrier of 240 meV. It is found that solvents have a strong influence on the physical properties of C₇₀ crystals. For solvent-free C₇₀ crystal, k is about constant above 300K. There is a broad first-order phase transition in k at 300K with a 25% jump. We associate this transition with the aligning of the fivefold axes of the C₇₀ molecules along the c-axis of the hexagonal lattice. Upon further cooling, k increases and is time independent.     

Photoacoustic measurements of the thermal properties of AlyGa1-yAs alloys in the region 0<y<0.5

y Ga_1-yAs alloys grown by liquid phase epitaxy on GaAs substrates, by means of the open photoacoustic cell detection technique and the temperature-rise method under continuous light illumination. The values of the thermal conductivity, diffusivity and specific heat were obtained in the 0<y<0.5 region, where the Al_yGa_1-yAs band gap is mainly direct. The technique presented here is based upon an effective sample model which is shown to be suitable for the determination of the thermal properties of two layer semiconductor specimens. Received: 15 November 1996/Accepted: 5 March 1997     

The mechanism of copper oxide segregations in Y-Ba-Cu-O/YSZ thin films

Experimental results show that copper-oxide segregation occurs by chemical reaction at the interface between Y-Ba-Cu-O thin films and ZrO₂ substrates, which results in a layer of BaZrO₃ (thickness 0.8 m). A buffer layer of silver inbetween the film and substrate as a barrier for the diffusion of Ba atoms into YSZ or the formation of silver-copper alloys during a high temperature annealing process prevents the copper oxide segregation. It is concluded that BaZrO₃ is a prospective candidate substrate for the fabrication of high-T _cthin films.This work was supported by the National Center for Research and Development on Superconductivity     

Thermoelectric properties of CoSb3 with maize‐like structure

Maize‐like CoSb₃ powders were obtained via the chemical alloying method. After the consolidation of the nanopowder using hot press, the CoSb₃ compact shows a higher Seebeck coefficient and lower thermal conductivity. For the investigated CoSb₃, a ZT of 0.15 at 673 K is shown. Though the achieved ZT does not reach the optimal value (0.17 to 0.18) for pure CoSb₃, due to its lower electrical conductivity, the novel structure fabrication provides an interesting and promising approach to enhancing the thermoelectric performance. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Electric field effects on persistent spectral holes: Perylene in the polar polymer polyvinylbutyral

We investigated the effects of an electric field on a spectral hole burned in the inhomogeneously broadened S ₀–S ₁ transition of perylene in different samples of the polar polymer polyvinylbutyral (PVB) and in cellulose nitrate. The spectral hole is broadened and reduced in depth by the electric field. It was checked experimentally for perylene in PVB that the hole area remains constant when an electric field is applied. We determined the effective matrix-induced electric dipole moment differences * for perylene in different PVB samples and in cellulose nitrate. Within experimental accuracy the value of * is approximately independent of the composition of PVB and its water content. For perylene in cellulose nitrate the value of * is larger by a factor of 1.5 than in PVB. The results are discussed on the basis of a simple model for the electric field effect.     

Fabrication and optical properties of SnS thin films by SILAR method

Although the fabrication of tin disulfide thin films by SILAR method is quiet common, there is, however, no report is available on the growth of SnS thin film using above technique. In the present work, SnS films of 0.20 μm thickness were grown on glass and ITO substrates by SILAR method using SnSO₄ and Na₂S solution. The as-grown films were smooth and strongly adherent to the substrate. XRD confirmed the deposition of SnS thin films. Scanning electron micrograph revealed almost equal distribution of the particle size well covered on the surface of the substrate. EDAX showed that as-grown SnS films were slightly rich in tin component while UV-vis transmission spectra exhibited high absorption in the visible region. The intense and sharp emission peaks at 680 and 825 nm (near band edge emission) dominated the photoluminescence spectra.     

Studies on excimer laser doping of GaAs using sulphur adsorbate as dopant source

Excimer laser doping of GaAs using sulphur adsorbate as a dopant source is demonstrated. Box-like n-type layers of depths of about 100 nm with carrier concentration as high as (23)×10¹⁹ cm^–3 are formed. Passivation of GaAs using a (NH₄)₂S_x solution for 40 min followed by sublimation of the excess sulphur atoms in high vacuum result in an effective dopant for controllable n-type doping. The samples are irradiated using a KrF excimer laser in a N₂ gaseous environment. Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) measurements show that sulphur is successfully incorporated in the GaAs. The sheet resistance is controlled by adjusting the laser energy fluence and number of laser pulses. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry with channeling (RBS/C) alignment measurement indicates that lattice damage is undetectable for N₂ gas pressures of 760 Torr.     

The effects of collisional quenching on degenerate four-wave mixing

We report a theoretical and experimental investigation of the effects of collisional quenching on resonant degenerate four-wave mixing (DFWM). Using single-mode laser radiation, peak signal intensity measurements were performed on an isolated line in the A – X transition of NO. By using appropriate mixtures of N₂ and CO₂ as buffer gases, we varied the collisional quenching rate over several orders of magnitude while maintaining a fixed total collisional dephasing rate. The mixtures had approximately 100 Torr total pressure and were at room temperature. For I/I _sat approximately equal to 0.02, DFWM intensities were found to be less affected by variations in quench rate than were laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) intensities (I and I _sat are the pump laser and one-photon saturation intensities, respectively). Moreover, for I/I _sat roughly equal to 0.5, DFWM intensities were observed to be nearly independent of quench rate. The results are compared to two theoretical predictions, with good agreement observed. Both theories indicate that the minimum sensitivity of DFWM to quenching occurs near I/I _sat1.     

Nuclear temperature measurements with the double isotope ratio technique: Influence of the experimental conditions

The dependence of the nuclear temperatures of highly excited systems, extracted by means of the double ratios of the emitted isotopes, on the experimental conditions is investigated. Experimental data obtained in the Xe+Cu 30 MeV/nucleon reaction are used to study the sensitivity of the method and the effects of the energy thresholds on the obtained temperature values. We find that the temperatures extracted using the He/Li ratios can be strongly influenced by the experimental energy thresholds which are different for different elements. These distortions depend on the velocity of the emitting system and on the detection angle and therefore particular care is needed in the choice of the detectors in those experiments in which velocities are low and angles are large. The use of four isotopes of the same element make negligible such effects. Received: 6 October 1999 / Accepted: 28 May 2000     

The onset of convection in a couple stress fluid saturated porous layer using a thermal non-equilibrium model

The stability of a couple stress fluid saturated horizontal porous layer heated from below and cooled from above when the fluid and solid phases are not in local thermal equilibrium is investigated. The Darcy model is used for the momentum equation and a two-field model is used for energy equation each representing the solid and fluid phases separately. The linear stability theory is employed to obtain the condition for the onset of convection. The effect of thermal non-equilibrium on the onset of convection is discussed. It is shown that the results of the thermal non-equilibrium Darcy model for the Newtonian fluid case can be recovered in the limit as couple stress parameter C→0. We also present asymptotic analysis for both small and large values of the inter phase heat transfer coefficient H. We found an excellent agreement between the exact solutions and asymptotic solutions when H is very small.     

Two unstable oscillations in the multimode laser with modulated inversion

We present comprehensive results of numerical studies on the dynamical properties of a multimode ring laser under modulation of the population inversion in the bad-cavity condition. Incoherent properties of unstable oscillations in this system are investigated in detail as a function of two control parameters: the dc component of the population inversion and the modulation amplitude. Two kinds of optical chaos in two limiting regions reported in a previous paper are extensively studied to clarify their different characteristics from deterministic and stochastic points of view. The competition between their different origins is revealed. Statistical properties of their stochasticity are investigated to clarify their non-Gaussian natures. Comparison with analytical results for a single-mode laser with fluctuations is also made.     

The effect of thermal annealing and laser irradiation on the microstructure of vanadium oxide nanotubes

The microstructure of vanadium oxide nanotubes (VONTs) have been characterized using FTIR spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The temperature effects on the VONTs were studies by changing the laser irradiation power and thermal annealing temperature in air. Raman spectroscopy studies showed that the VONTs could be decomposed even at low laser power irradiation. Also, together with scanning electron microscopy, it was found that thermal annealing in air could lead to the collapse of the tubular structure and convert the nanotubes into V₂O₅ nanoparticle. It was found that the thermal stability of VONTs was relatively low and the tubular morphology was destroyed at temperatures higher than 300 °C. The spectroscopic analyses showed that the Raman signature of the VONTs could be established for probing tubular structure.     

Rotational tunneling dynamics of methyl groups inn-alkane host lattices: An optical investigation of the internal and external isotope effect

We exploited the slow relaxation of methyl group rotational tunneling states to perform optical hole burning inn-alkane crystals. The dye probe used was dimethyl-s-tetrazine and its perdeuterated derivative. We investigatedn-octane, perdeuteratedn-octane andn-hexane as host crystals. By comparing the experimentally observed hole-antihole splitting of the protonated and perdeuterated dye probe, all parameters, i.e. the tunneling splitting in the ground-and in the electronically excited state as well as the respective heights of the potential can be determined, assuming a threefold rotational symmetry axis. We found that matrix deuteration has a severe influence on the potential heights, which increase by a factor of two. With these parameters determined, many features of the complex relaxation behavior of the tunneling states can be qualitatively understood: We found Raman-type conversion processes inn-octane-h ₁₈, Orbach-type processes inn-octane-d ₁₈ and inn-hexane we found, in addition, a relaxation regime governed by a Direct process. The experimental activation energies as well as the cross-over temperatures are in satisfying agreement with current theories.     

Thermoelectric excess heat effect in electrolytic cells

A new thermo-electrochemical effect similar to Peltier heat is introduced in this paper and suggested as a main cause of the excess heat observed in electrolytic cells. If the cell electrodes are made from different materials, we show that the system will function like a thermoelectric heat pump. With finite work input, this thermodynamic engine will pump in an infinite amount of low-grade environmental heat for vanishing temperature differences between the hot and cold source in the reversible, low current density, limit. A partial irreproducibility of excess heat observations is expected due to differences in the location of the calorimeter wall in each experiment. The heat pump nature and the thermoelectric properties of electrolytic cells are basic new notions introduced here. They may solve the excess heat paradox in electrolytic cold fusion, thus removing the well-known discrepancy between the small output of nuclear reaction products and the large excess heat, redefining this way both the notion of excess heat and the focus of our cold fusion research.