Curie temperatures of CoPt ultrathin continuous films

The effects of layer thickness and thermal annealing on Curie temperature have been studied for CoPt ultrathin continuous layers in AlN/CoPt multilayer structures. It is found that there exists a critical thickness below which Curie temperature rapidly decreases due to the loss of spin-spin interactions in the vicinity of interface. After high temperature annealing, the in-plane lattice constant of CoPt film is increased and the exchange coupling parameter is decreased. Consequently, Curie temperatures decrease for some films with large thickness, compared with as-deposited state. Upon annealing at 600?^°C, CoPt undergoes ordering transformation, which also contributes to the degradation of the Curie temperature. However, when the CoPt film thickness is below 2?nm, the Curie temperature is increased after annealing. Especially for 1?nm thick film, the Curie temperature is strikingly increased from 173?^°C to 343?^°C after annealing at 600?^°C. This effect is attributed to the out-of-plane lattice deformation of CoPt thin layers in AlN/CoPt multilayer structures.     

SiPM-based veto detector for the pion beam at FOPI

Conversion electron M?ssbauer Spectroscopy measurements have been made on ZnO single crystals implanted with 60?keV ⁵⁷Fe to 4 and 8 at.% peak concentrations, and annealed up to 800°C. The spectra show quite strong changes with annealing, but no evidence of magnetic components, thus precluding the formation of large sized precipitates or secondary phases. Above an annealing temperature of 650°C, the dominant spectral component is a doublet with hyperfine parameters typical of Fe^3?+?, which is attributed to Fe^3?+? ions in nano-precipitates ～5?nm in size.     

Lattice location and thermal annealing behaviour studies of GaAs single crystals implanted with Co-atoms

Co-atoms have been implanted into n-type GaAs single crystals up to a dose of 2×10¹⁵ atoms/cm². Mössbauer Spectroscopy was used together with Proton Induced X-ray Excitation and Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry in Channeling geometry to study the recovery of the GaAs-crystal from the implantation damage and the final lattice locations of the Co-atoms. Epitaxial regrowth of the GaAs was found to take place in the annealing temperature region from 300°–450°C. At 900°C rapid thermal annealing an epitaxial Co-phase was found at the surface with the Co-atoms partially blocking the GaAs <110> channel.     

Structural and microwave properties of (Ba,Sr)TiO3 films grown by pulsed laser deposition

The relationship between the structure and the microwave dielectric properties of epitaxial Ba_0.5Sr_0.5TiO₃ (BST) films has been investigated. Single-phase BST films (40-160 nm) have been deposited onto (100) MgO substrates by pulsed laser deposition. As-deposited films show a significant tetragonal distortion. The in-plane lattice parameters (a) are always larger than the surface normal lattice parameters (c). The tetragonal distortion depends on the thickness of the films and the post-deposition annealing conditions. Films annealed at 900 °C show less tetragonal distortion than the as-deposited film and the films annealed at higher temperatures. The distortion in the film is due to stress caused by the lattice mismatch and thermal expansion coefficient differences between the film and the substrate. The dielectric constant and its change with dc bias voltage of BST films on MgO at microwave frequencies increase with increasing annealing temperature from 900 °C to 1200 °C, which corresponds to an increase in the tetragonal distortion.     

Dopant Spin States and Magnetic Interactions in Transition Metal (Fe3+)-Doped Semiconductor Nanoparticles: An EMR and Magnetometric Study

In this work, electron magnetic resonance (EMR) spectroscopy and magnetometry studies were employed to investigate the origin of the observed room-temperature ferromagnetism in chemically synthesized Sn_1?x Fe _x O₂ powders. EMR data clearly established the presence of two different types of signals due to the incorporated Fe ions: paramagnetic spectra due to isolated Fe³⁺ ions and broad ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) spectra due to magnetically coupled Fe³⁺ dopant ions. EMR data analysis and simulation suggested the presence of high-spin (S = 5/2) Fe³⁺ ions incorporated into the SnO₂ host lattice both at substitutional and at interstitial sites. The FMR signal intensity and the saturation magnetization M _s of the ferromagnetic component increased with increasing Fe concentration. For Sn_0.953Fe_0.047O₂ samples, well-defined EMR spectra revealing FMRs were observed only for samples prepared in the 350–600°C range, whereas for samples prepared at higher annealing temperatures up to 900°C, the FMRs and saturation magnetization were vanished due to diffusion and eventual expulsion of the Fe ions from the nanoparticles, in agreement with data obtained from Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.     

Growth of AlN nanostructures by a rapid thermal process

Aluminum nitride nanorods were grown during rapid thermal annealing of multi-layered Al₂S₃ /BaS thin films. Depending on the thickness ratio between the BaS and Al₂S₃ layers, nanowires or straight nanorods were obtained. Typical dimensions for the nanorods were a diameter in the range of 50-100 nm and a length of 2-5 μm. The nanostructures are formed upon annealing at a relatively low temperature of 900 ^°C when aluminum evaporates from the thin film, but remains trapped between the thin film surface and the Si wafer, which is used as a support during the annealing. The nitrogen is provided by N₂ gas flushed through the annealing chamber. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy showed crystalline, wurtzite-structured AlN nanorods. The growth mechanism in terms of thin film composition, annealing parameters and the role of catalysts is discussed.     

Nitrogen implantation in GaAs1−xPx (x=0.4; 0.65)

Nitrogen ions were implanted in GaAs_1−xP_x (x=0.4; 0.65) at room temperature at various doses from 5×10¹² cm⁻² to 5×10¹⁵ cm⁻² and annealed at temperatures from 600°C up to 950°C using a sputtered SiO₂ encapsulation to investigate the possibility of creating isoelectronic traps by ion implantation. Photoluminescence and channeling measurements were performed to characterize implanted layers. The effects of damage induced by optically inactive neon ion implantation on photoluminescence spectrum were also investigated. By channeling measurements it was found that damage induced by nitrogen implantation is removed by annealing at 800°C. A nitrogen induced emission intensity comparable to the intensity of band gap emission for unimplanted material was observed for implanted GaAs_0.6P_0.4 after annealing at 850°C, while an enhancement of the emission intensity by a factor of 180 as compared with an unimplanted material was observed for implanted GaAs_0.35P_0.65 after annealing at 950°C. An anomalous diffusion of nitrogen atoms was found for implanted GaAs_0.6P_0.4 after annealing at and above 900°C.     

Hot electron studies of lattice damage created in silicon by implantation of 2.8 MeV protons

Abstract

In this paper we report the results of a study of the annealing properties of the ionized defect density associated with the damage created in the silicon lattice by implantation of 2.8 MeV protons at room temperature. In particular, the annealing of damage created by implanting to a level of 4.43 × 10¹² protons/cm² is reported. The resulting isochronal annealing curve covered the temperature range from 70°C to 460°C. Two major annealing stages are discussed, one a broad stage between 70°C to 200°C and the other an abrupt annealing stage between 440°C to 460°C. Between the temperature range 200°C to 440°C the number of ionized defects remained relatively constant. Above 460°C no detectable effects of the proton implantation remained.     

CW CO2-laser annealing of arsenic implanted silicon

CW CO₂-laser annealing of arsenic implanted silicon was investigated in comparison with thermal annealing. Ion channeling, ellipsometry, and Hall effect measurements were performed to characterize the annealed layers and a correlation among the different methods was made. The laser annealing was done with power densities of 100 to 640 W cm⁻² for 1 to 20 s. It was found that the lattice disorder produced during implantation can be completely annealed out by laser annealing with a power density of 500 W cm⁻² and the arsenic atoms are brought on lattice sites up to 96±2%. The maximum sheet carrier concentration of 6×10¹⁵ cm⁻² was obtained for 1×10¹⁶ cm⁻² implantation after laser annealing, which was up to 33% higher than that after thermal annealing at 600 to 900°C for 30 min.     

The measurement of cone length and range in etched plastics

Abstract

Group V impurities implanted at 400 keV into silicon have been detected in substitutional lattice positions by EPR. Three samples of VFZ, p-type 1200–1500 ohm-cm silicon from the same ingot were implanted with As⁷⁵, Sb¹²¹, and Sb¹²³, respectively. The EPR spectrum of each implanted substitutional impurity was observed after annealing the lattice damage. Only the isotope implanted in each sample was seen. Since only those donors which are electrically active can be observed, this technique measures the electrically active fraction of the implanted species. Upon annealing to 970°C, most of the antimony was active whereas only about 1/5 of the arsenic was observed. Comparisons with backscattering results indicate that between 350 and 600°C, ～95 per cent of the implanted antimony is substitutional but ～0 per cent is electrically active. The increase in electrical activity at 600°C is due to the rise of the Fermi level to the donor level as the residual lattice damage anneals. The paramagnetic damage centers observed were those also seen in oxygen-implanted silicon, Si-P3 and Si-Pl, but the Si-P3 center was not as well resolved and grows upon annealing to 200°C.     

Recrystallization of hexagonal silicon carbide after gold ion irradiation and thermal annealing

Silicon carbide (SiC) single crystals with the 6H polytype structure were irradiated with 4.0-MeV Au ions at room temperature (RT) for increasing fluences ranging from 1?×?10¹² to 2?×?10¹⁵ cm^?2, corresponding to irradiation doses from ~0.03 to 5.3 displacements per atom (dpa). The damage build-up was studied by micro-Raman spectroscopy that shows a progressive amorphization by the decrease and broadening of 6H-SiC lattice phonon peaks and the related growth of bands assigned to Si–Si and C–C homonuclear bonds. A saturation of the lattice damage fraction deduced from Raman spectra is found for ~0.8?dpa (i.e. ion fluence of 3?×?10¹⁴ cm^?2). This process is accompanied by an increase and saturation of the out-of-plane expansion (also for ~0.8?dpa), deduced from the step height at the sample surface, as measured by phase-shift interferometry. Isochronal thermal annealing experiments were then performed on partially amorphous (from 30 to 90%) and fully amorphous samples for temperatures from 200 °C up to 1500 °C under vacuum. Damage recovery and densification take place at the same annealing stage with an onset temperature of ~200 °C. Almost complete 6H polytype regrowth is found for partially amorphous samples (for doses lower than 0.8 dpa) at 1000 °C, whereas a residual damage and swelling remain for larger doses. In the latter case, these unrelaxed internal stresses give rise to an exfoliation process for higher annealing temperatures.     

Positron annihilation study of the vacancy clusters in ODS Fe–14Cr alloys

Abstract

Oxide dispersion strengthened Fe14Cr and Fe14CrWTi alloys produced by mechanical alloying and hot isostatic pressing were subjected to isochronal annealing up to 1400 °C, and the evolution and thermal stability of the vacancy-type defects were investigated by positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS). The results were compared to those from a non-oxide dispersion strengthened Fe14Cr alloy produced by following the same powder metallurgy route. The long lifetime component of the PAS revealed the existence of tridimensional vacancy clusters, or nanovoids, in all these alloys. Two recovery stages are found in the oxide dispersion strengthened alloys irrespective of the starting conditions of the samples. The first one starting at T > 750 °C is attributed to thermal shrinkage of large vacancy clusters, or voids. A strong increase in the intensity of the long lifetime after annealing at temperatures in the 800–1050 °C range indicates the development of new vacancy clusters. These defects appear to be unstable above 1050 °C, but some of them remain at temperatures as high as 1400 °C, at least for 90 min.     

Oxygen nonstoichiometry and hydrogen bonds in BaTiO3

The origin of hydroxyl in the lattice of barium titanate as a consequence of the reaction of hydrogen with oxygen ions in the lattice is described. A band at the wave number 1770 cm^?1 was assigned to this hydroxyl in the infra-red spectrum. The samples were annealed in a stream of hydrogen and in sealed ampoules containing hydrogen or deuterium at temperatures above 900°C, and at 50 to 500° C when hydrogen plasma was used. The defect structure of the sample after prolonged annealing in hydrogen is discussed.     

Mössbauer study of 57Fe in GaAs and GaP following 57Mn+ implantation

Ion implantation provides a precise method of incorporating dopant atoms in semiconductors, provided lattice damage due to the implantation process can be annealed and the dopant atoms located on regular lattice sites. We have undertaken ⁵⁷Fe emission Mössbauer spectroscopy measurements on GaAs and GaP single crystals following implantation of radioactive ⁵⁷Mn^?+? ions, to study the lattice sites of the implanted ions, the annealing of implantation induced damage and impurity–vacancy complexes formed. The Mössbauer spectra were analyzed with four spectral components: an asymmetric doublet (D1) attributed to Fe atoms in distorted environments due to implantation damage, two single lines, S1 assigned to Fe on substitutional Ga sites, and S2 to Fe on interstitial sites, and a low intensity symmetric doublet (D2) assigned to impurity–vacancy complexes. The variations in the extracted hyperfine parameters of D1 for both materials at high temperatures (T?> 400 K) suggests changes in the immediate environment of the Fe impurity atoms and different bonding mechanism to the Mössbauer probe atom. The results show that the annealing of the radiation induced damage is more prominent in GaAs compared to GaP.     

Study of field emission and dielectric properties of AlN films prepared by DC sputtering technique at different substrate temperatures

Nanocrystalline AlN thin films were prepared via DC sputtering technique at different substrate temperature. The crystal orientation and particle size of aluminum nitride thin films were investigated by XRD analysis. Study indicated that the sample contained pure phase hexagonal AlN nanoparticles with a single peak corresponding to the (100) planes. The peak at 665 cm⁻¹ in the FTIR spectrum of film was assigned to the LO phonon of hexagonal AlN. The particle size of the film, prepared at substrate temperature 200°C was about 9.5 nm, as investigated by atomic force microscope. Field emission study indicated that it can be used as a good field emitter. Turn-on field (E_to) of 15.02 V/μm was observed for the AlN films synthesized at substrate temperature 200°C. Dielectric constant of the AlN film was found nearly independent of frequencies in the measured frequency range 1 KHz to 1 MHz, i.e. in the audio frequency range. The values of dielectric constant (ε) were 10.07, 9.46 and 8.65 for the film prepared at 70°C, 150°C and 200°C, respectively, at frequency 1 KHz.     

Neutron irradiation-induced enhancement of electronic carrier transport in ZnO

Irradiation of ZnO single crystals by thermal neutrons with a dose up to 7×10¹⁷ cm^?2 and subsequent annealing at 400 °C for 1 h leads to a significant increase in majority carrier mobility and concentration in this material, with the corresponding decrease of its sheet resistance. Additionally, cathodoluminescence spectra taken before and after neutron irradiation are consistent with the growing carrier lifetime. The observed effects are attributed to irradiation-induced formation of electrically active species of interstitial Zn and improvement of lattice crystallinity due to annealing.     

Role of substrate temperature on structure and magnetization of Cr-implanted GaN thin film

Chromium ions implantation was performed into metal–organic chemical vapor deposition grown GaN thin film of thickness about 2 µm at 5 × 10¹⁶ cm^?2 fluence. Implantation was performed at various substrate temperatures (RT, 250, 350 °C). Rapid thermal annealing was employed at 900 °C to remove implantation-induced damages as well as for activation of dopant. Structural study was performed by Rutherford backscattering and channeling spectrometry and high-resolution X-ray diffraction. To confirm magnetic properties at room temperature, hysteresis loops were obtained using alternating gradient magneto-meter. Well-defined hysteresis loops were achieved at 300 K in implanted and annealed samples. Temperature-dependent magnetization indicated magnetic moment at 5 K and retain up to 380 K.     

Lattice site location and electronic structure of Te in GaAs

High purity <100> wafers of GaAs were implanted with radioactive^129mTe and stable¹²⁸Te at 110 keV to total doses of 2×10¹⁴ and 2×10¹⁵ Te/cm² respectively and studied with RBS/ channeling and Mössbauer spectroscopy on the 27.8 keV level of¹²⁹I. After implantation and/or annealing at temperatures between 200–300°C the Mössbauer spectra are dominated by a single line. Channeling reveals an appreciable residual damage in the host lattice, but also points to a substitutional position of the Te atoms. After annealing above ≌500°C, where nearly complete lattice damage recovery is obtained, the Te atoms become defect-associated. The results clearly point to the formation of Te_As?V_Ga complexes.     

Phase transformations in Mn/Fe(001) films: Structural and magnetic investigations

The solid-phase synthesis in epitaxial Mn/Fe(001) bilayer film systems with 24 at % of Mn has been shown to start at a temperature of 220°C with the formation of a γ-austenite lattice and the Mn and Fe films react completely under annealing to 600°C. In the sample cooling process after annealing below 220°C, the γ austenite undergoes a martensitic transformation to an oriented ∈(100) martensite. When the annealing temperature is increased above 600°C, Mn atoms migrate from the γ-lattice, which becomes unstable, and the film is partially again transformed to the epitaxial Fe(001) layer. The solid-phase synthesis in Mn/Fe(001) bilayer nanofilms and multilayers is assumingly determined by the inverse ε → γ martensitic transformation in the Mn-Fe system. The existence of a new low-temperature (～220°C) structure transition in the Mn-Fe system with a high iron content is assumed.     

Radiation damage by implanted ions in GaAs and GaP

Abstract

The production of lattice disorder in GaAs and GaP by Te ions up to 40 keV has been investigated. For GaAs the build up of damage with implanted ion dose is linear until a saturation level is reached. For Gap, two linear regions are evident; a slow build up of damage to ?15 per cent of the saturation level, followed by a faster rate of increase up to the final 100 per cent level. Radiation annealing, for GaP samples, both by the heavy ion beam during implantation and by the helium beam during back-scattering measurements has been observed. The annealing temperatures required for re-ordering the lattice depend on the percentage of damage present. Samples damaged up to the saturation level require annealing at ?500°C, whilst 300°C is sufficient for samples damaged to ?50 per cent of the saturation value.