Laser-plasma deposited nanosized layers of ferromagnetic semiconductors and silicon- and germanium-based Heusler alloys

The electric, magnetic resonance, and magneto-optical properties of thin laser-plasma deposited 50–100-nm layers of diluted magnetic semiconductors Ge:(Mn, Al)/GaAs, Ge:(Mn, Al)/Si, and Heusler alloys Co₂MnSi/Si, Co₂MnSi/GaAs, and Fe₂CrSi/GaAs with T _c > 293 K were studied. Anomalous ferromagnetic resonance in Ge:(Mn, Al) layers, ferromagnetism in CoSi/Si characterized by strong hysteresis in the magneto-optic Kerr effect, and the anomalous Hall effect at 293 K were observed.     

Photoelectron spectra of thin films of the high-T c superconductor YBa2Cu3O7−δ

The results of calculations of the energy band structure of thin films are used to obtain theoretical photoelectron spectra of the valence band of the compound YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ for δ=0 and δ=1 at various photon energies; the spectra are averaged over the photoelectron emission angles. The principal structural features of the spectra are determined by the d states of copper atoms, while the variation of the shape of the spectra with increasing photon energy is attributed to a relative decrease in the contribution from the p states of oxygen atoms. The density of d states around the Fermi level for YBa₂Cu₃O₆ films is observed to increase relative to YBa₂Cu₃O₇ films. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 39, 437–440 (March 1997)     

Optical and magneto-optical properties of Fe/Cu multilayered films: Influence of the modulation period and the bcc-fcc phase transition in iron

The optical and magneto-optical properties of multilayered film samples of the Fe/Cu system prepared by high-frequency sputtering on an Si(100) substrate are studied by ellipsometry and by measuring the equatorial Kerr effect (the δ _p effect) in the spectral range 0.25–7 μm. The optical characteristics, the plasma frequency ω _p and the relaxation frequency γ ₀ of the conduction electrons, and the δ _p effect are found as functions of the modulation period D=12.5–100 Å. Anomalous behavior of the optical and magneto-optical characteristics is discovered in short-period Fe/Cu structures. The results are discussed within a phenomenological theory of optical and magneto-optical properties for layered structures. Several factors, such as the indirect exchange interaction between the iron layers, the presence of a transition layer on the internal boundaries, the possible “magnetizing” of copper, and the formation of an fcc iron phase in the thin layers, are taken into account in the analysis of the experimental data. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 112, 1694–1709 (November 1997)     

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study of the electronic structure of La<Subscript>1–<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Ca<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3+δ</Subscript> solid solutions

The electronic structure of La_1–x Ga _x MnO_3+δ. solid solutions is studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The valence state of the manganese is estimated by various methods: by analyzing the difference in the binding energies of the Mn2p_3/2 and O1s electronic levels, analyzing exchange splitting in the spectrum of Mn3s, and from the dependence of the binding energy of the XPS spectrum of Mn2p_3/2 on the calcium concentration. The state of oxidation of the manganese in the compositions containing calcium lies between Mn³⁺ and Mn⁴⁺. The efficacies of these methods are compared. A correlation is found between the type of crystalline structure of La_1–x Ga _x MnO_3+δ. (0 ≤ x < 1) and the binding energy of the Mn2p_3/2 peak. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 76, No. 3, pp. 419–427, May–June, 2009.     

Self-propagating high-temperature synthesis and formation of quasicrystals in Al/Mn bilayer thin films

Self-propagating high-temperature synthesis in Al/Mn bilayer thin films was investigated. It was found that a quasicrystalline phase forms after the passage of self-propagating high-temperature synthesis through the sample. It is shown that after multiple initiation (n>5) of self-propagating high-temperature synthesis in a sample the quasicrystalline phase transforms into a stable Al₆Mn phase. It is conjectured that self-propagating high-temperature synthesis can play the main role in the formation of quasicrystals in other film systems as well. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 68, No. 2, 121–124 (25 July 1998)     

Electrically active defects in BiSiO crystals undoped and doped with Cr and Mn ions

The influence of doping of Bi₁₂SiO₂₀ (BSO) with chromium and manganese ions on the thermal depolarization currents (TDCs) is investigated. Measurements are performed in the temperature interval 300–800 K as the preliminary polarization temperature is varied in the range T _p=300–523 K. It is shown that doping significantly alters the structure of the TDC spectra. The Cr and Mn ions produce a set of new peaks over the entire investigated temperature range. The thermal activation energies are 0.85–1.98 eV (BSO:Cr) and 0.58–1.72 eV (BSO:Mn). Another consequence of doping is an increase in the amplitudes of the peaks and the charge accumulated during preliminary polarization. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 472–474 (March 1998)     

Eu3+-based optical centers with a high efficiency of the 5D0 → 7F4 transition in alumina gel films

A record peak luminescence intensity of the ⁵ D ₀ → ⁷ F ₄ transition in Eu³⁺ ions and broadening of their UV excitation band are obtained by doping of Eu-containing alumina gel films with bismuth oxyfluoride and subsequent thermal treatment at T ≥ 700°C. The results obtained are explained by the formation of complex Eu—Bi centers with C _3V symmetry in the Al₂O₃ structure, efficient migration of excitations from EuAlO₃ crystallites to these centers, and the sensitization of the luminescence of the rare-earth activator by Bi³⁺ ions. __________ Translated from Optika i Spektroskopiya, Vol. 98, No. 2, 2005, pp. 224–228. Original Russian Text Copyright ? 2005 by Malashkevich, Shevchenko, Bokshits, Kornienko, Pershukevich.     

Investigation of the optical properties of AgGaTe2 films obtained by laser deposition

We obtain thin films of AgGaTe₂ by laser vaporization of starting crystals. The compositions of the starting crystals and of the films obtained are determined by x-ray spectral analysis, with their structure and the parameters of the crystal lattice being determined by the x-ray method. The energies of interband transitions and crystalline (Δ _cr ) and spin-orbit (Δ _so ) splitting are calculated from transmission spectra in the region of the main absorption band. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 64, No. 6, pp. 793–796, November–December, 1997.     

Structure of the free exciton luminescence band of heteroepitaxial ZnSe/GaAs layers

The exciton reflectance and photoluminescence spectra of epitaxial ZnSe/GaAs layers with a thickness of 2–4 μm are investigated in the temperature range 10–120 K. It is shown that one of the causes of the formation of the doublet structure of the A _n=1 photoluminescence band is interference of the exciton radiation at the boundaries of the near-surface dead layer. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 881–883 (May 1998)     

MnBiAl薄膜的磁光及磁性能研究

用真空电子束蒸发制备了MnBi_xAl_0.15薄膜.当0.4≤x≤0.7时,MnBi_xAl_0.15薄膜的Kerr角与MnBi_x薄膜相比有显著增大;而当x＞0.7时,MnBi_xAl_0.15的Kerr角则比MnBi_x的要不,633nm波长测量时,MnBi_{0.5Al0.15的Kerr角为2.75°,而相对应的MnBi0.5薄膜只有1.56°.MnBi05Al0.15薄膜的室温饱和磁化强度Ms为3×10⁵A/m,比MnBi0.5薄膜的Ms(4×10⁵A/m)要小.推测当0.4≤x≤0.7时,Al可能部分占据Bi空位和部分取代Mn位,由于晶格收缩使得Mn 3d电子与Bi 6p电子的杂化概率增大,从而导致其Kerr效应增强. 关键词：}     

Light Dispersion in Bismuth Germanate Crystals and Bismuth Oxide Films

The dispersion of light in Bi₄Ge₃O₁₂ and Bi₁₂GeO₂₀ single crystals and thin Bi₂O₃ films with a monoclinic structure was investigated in the visible spectral region. The parameters of a single-oscillator approximation have been found. It is established that in Bi₄Ge₃O₁₂ crystals the absorption band caused by the O2p–Bi6p transitions makes the main contribution to the dispersion curve in the visible region, whereas in Bi₁₂GeO₂₀ crystals this is made by transitions from the hybrid O2p–Bi6p states to the conduction band. The dispersion energy, the degree of the ionicity of binding, and the coordination number of the first coordination sphere of the Bi³⁺ cation have been determined.     

Influence of samarium on optical absorption in thin films of the solid electrolyte RbAg4I5

The fundamental optical absorption of films of the solid electrolyte RbAg₄I₅ electrolyte films decreases (by approximately 25%) after vacuum evaporation of Sm films onto them, and a broad strong-absorption band with a maximum at 2.4 eV appears within the bad gap. The films bleach after 5–10 days in dry air. The observed phenomena are attributed to a high concentration (∼3×10²⁰ cm⁻³) of point defects, including F-centers, in nonstoichiometric RbAg₄I₅:Sm, and also to the oxidation of Sm. In colored films the ionic conductivity is σ⋍0.9σ ₀, and in bleached films it is close to the initial value σ ₀. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 39, 1544–1547 (September 1997)     

Fluorescence of N,N-di(2-carboxyethyl)-<Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-anisidine in solution and crystalline states

The fluorescence properties of N,N-di(2-carboxyethyl)-p-anisidine (I) in solvents of various nature and in the crystalline state have been studied at room temperature (273 K) and at the boiling point of liquid nitrogen (77 K). Fluorescence in aqueous solutions of I with protonated (λ _ex /λ _fl ^max = 225/290 nm) and unprotonated (λ _ex /λ _fl ^max = 270/380 nm) amino nitrogen has been detected. On going from aqueous solutions to nonaqueous, the fluorescence band of unprotonated I experiences a blue shift and its intensity rises. The fluorescence intensity of the band in aprotic polar solvents is higher than that in protic solvents. A linear dependence of the fluorescence intensity of deprotonated I on Cu(II) concentration (ranging from 1.0 to 5.0 mg/dm³) in aqueous solution has been found. The fluorescence intensity of I in aqueous solutions at 77 K and pH 1–6 has been shown to increase in the presence of Zn(II) (1–170 mg/dm³) and Cd(II) (2–330 mg/dm³) although a similar dependence is not observed at 293 K.     

Anisotropy of permittivity of the hexagonal multiferroic HoMnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> in the spectral range 0.6–5.0 eV

The anisotropy of the optical properties of a single crystal of the hexagonal manganite HoMnO₃ has been investigated by spectroscopic ellipsometry in the spectral range 0.6–5.0 eV. It has been demonstrated that the optical absorption edge for the polarization E ⊥ c is determined by the intense narrow transition O(2p) → Mn(3d) centered at 1.5 eV, whereas this transition for the polarization E ‖ c is strongly suppressed and shifted toward higher energies by 0.2 eV. It has been revealed that, at the temperature T = 293 K, the spectra for both polarizations E ‖ c and E ⊥ c exhibit a broad absorption band centered at ∼2.4 eV, which was earlier observed in nonlinear spectra during optical second harmonic generation.     

Doping and bond length contributions to Mn K-edge shift in La1 ? xSrxMnO3 (x=0?0.7) and their correlation with electrical transport properties

The room temperature experimental Mn K-edge X-ray absorption spectra of La_{1 − x} Sr _x MnO₃ (x = 0−0.7) are compared with the band structure calculations using spin polarized density functional theory. It is explicitly shown that the observed shift in the energy of Mn K-edge on substitution of divalent Sr on trivalent La sites corresponds to the shift in the center of gravity of the unoccupied Mn 4p-band contributing to the Mn K-absorption edge region. This correspondence is then used to separate the doping and size contributions to the edge shift due to variation in the number of electrons in valence band and Mn-O bond lengths, respectively, when Sr is doped into LaMnO₃. Such separation is helpful to find the localization behaviour of charge carriers and to understand the observed transport properties of these compounds.      

Structural and magnetic features of solid-phase transformations in Mn/Bi and Bi/Mn films

Solid-phase transformations at different annealing temperatures in Mn/Bi (Mn on Bi) and Bi/Mn (Bi on Mn) films have been studied using X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, and magnetic measurements. It has been shown that the synthesis of the α-MnBi phase in polycrystalline Mn/Bi films begins at a temperature of ~120°C and the Mn and Bi layers react completely at 300°C. The resulting α-MnBi(001) samples have a large perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (K _u ? 1.5 × 10⁷ erg/cm³) and a coercive force H > H _C ~ 3 kOe. In contrast to Mn/Bi, the ferromagnetic α-MnBi phase in Bi/Mn films is not formed even at annealing processes up to 400°C and Mn clusters are formed in a Bi melt. This asymmetry in phase transformations occurs because chemosorbed oxygen existing on the surface of the Mn film in Bi/Mn films suppresses a solid-phase reaction between Mn and Bi. The analysis of the results obtained implies the existence of new low-temperature (~120°C) structural transformation in the Mn–Bi system.     

Strain-induced photoreflectance spectra in the vicinity of the E 0 transition in GaAs/Si and InP/Si heterostructures

A study is reported of the structure of photoreflectance (PR) spectra in the vicinity of the E ₀ transition from thin (d=1–5 μm) n-GaAs and n-InP films (n=10¹⁶–10¹⁷ cm⁻³) grown epitaxially on Si(001) substrates. A quantitative analysis of the spectra involving multi-component fitting shows that the electronic optical transition from the {3/2;±1/2} subband provides a dominant contribution to the intermediate-field electromodulation component in both systems. The splitting observed in the GaAS/Si PR spectra near the main peak are accounted for not by the strain-induced valence-band splitting but rather by a spectral superposition of the intermediate-field component due to the {3/2;±1/2} subband with a low-energy excitonic component. The analytically established transition energy E ₀ ^3/2;±1/2 is used to calculate biaxial strains in epitaxial films. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 41, 725–731 (April 1999)     

The development of the physical and electrical characteristics of multi-layer TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>–W–TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> thin films

In this study, two different thin films, TiO₂ thin film and TiO₂–W–TiO₂ multi-layer thin films (W, tungsten), are prepared by RF magnetron sputtering onto glass substrates. The crystal structure, morphology, and transmittance of TiO₂ and TiO₂–W–TiO₂ multi-layer thin films are investigated by X-ray diffraction, SEM, and UV-Vis spectrometer, respectively. The amorphous, rutile, and anatase TiO₂ phases are observed in the TiO₂ thin film and in the TiO₂–W–TiO₂ multi-layer thin films. The deposition of tungsten as the inter-layer will have large effect on the transmittance and phase ratios of rutile and anatase phases in the TiO₂–W–TiO₂ multi-layer thin films. The crystal intensities of amorous TiO₂ will decrease as the tungsten is used as the middle layer in the multi-layer structure. The band gap energy values of TiO₂ thin film and TiO₂–W–TiO₂ multi-layer thin films are evaluated from (αhν)^1/2 versus energy plots, and the calculated results show that the energy gap decreases from 3.21 eV (TiO₂ thin film) to 3.08∼3.03 EV (TiO₂–W–TiO₂ multi-layer thin films).     

Growth and absorption properties of Dy-doped and undoped p-type TlGaSe2

2 and Dy-doped p-TlGaSe₂ (p-TlGaSe₂:Dy)single crystals were grown by the Bridgman–Stockbarger method. Absorption spectra were measured on freshly cleaved (001) surfaces. The freshly cleaved crystals had a mirror-like surface and there was no need for mechanical treatment. The absorption measurements were carried out in p-TlGaSe₂ and p-TlGaSe₂:Dy samples in the temperature range 10–320 K with a step of 10 K. The phonon energies calculated in p-TlGaSe₂ and p-TlGaSe₂:Dy are 23.0 meV and 21.0 meV, respectively. The direct band gaps of p-TlGaSe₂ and p-TlGaSe₂:Dy are 2.279 eV and 2.294 eV at 10 K, respectively. There is an abrupt change for the energy peak for p-TlGaSe₂ in the temperature ranges 105–120 K, 240–250 K, and for p-TlGaSe₂:Dy in the temperature ranges 100–110 K, 240–260 K. Received: 3 December 1997 / Accepted: 5 October 1998     

Cathodoluminescence of ZnSe(Bi):Al crystals

The cathodoluminescence (CL) in ZnSe crystals annealed at T=1200 K in a Bi melt containing an aluminum impurity is investigated. The spectra are recorded for different excitation levels, temperatures, and detection delay times t ₀. As t ₀ is increased, the intensity of the orange band at λ _max=630 nm (1.968 eV) in the CL spectrum decreases in comparison to the intensity of the dominant yellow-green band at λ _max=550 nm (2.254 eV), whose half-width increases in the temperature range 6–120 K and then decreases as the temperature increases further. It is shown that such behavior of the yellow-green band is caused by the competition between two processes: recombination of donor-acceptor pairs and of free electrons with holes trapped on acceptors. The former mechanism is dominant at low temperatures, and the latter mechanism is dominant at high temperatures. At T∼120 mK the contributions of the two mechanisms to the luminescence are comparable. The resultant structureless band then achieves its greatest half-width, which is dictated by the interaction of the recombining charge carriers with longitudinal-optical and longitudinal-acoustic phonons and with the free-electron plasma. The mean number of longitudinal-optical phonons emitted per photon is determined mainly by their interaction with holes trapped on deep acceptors in the form of Al atoms replacing Se. The donor in the pair under consideration is an interstitial Al atom. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 39, 1526–1531 (September 1997)