Density of vapor deposited amorphous Ge films

The density of vapor-deposited amorphous Ge films (a-Ge) was determined by spectrophotometry combined with Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy. It was found to be 0.99±3% of the bulk value for crystalline Ge (c-Ge). This density is in agreement with the Lorentz-Lorenz law which, based upon the existing infrared data on the index of refraction of a-Ge, suggests that the density of a-Ge should be close (within 4%) to that of c-Ge.     

Structural relaxation and crystallization of amorphous Ge films

The irreversible changes in conductivity occurring in evaporated amorphous Ge films just after deposition and during annealing are investigated in detail. Their analysis leads to a model for the structural relaxation of real amorphous networks. Electron diffraction and electron microscope experiments provide additional information on annealing effects and crystallization processes.     

Low-temperature metal-induced crystallization of Mn-containing amorphous Ge thin films

This work focuses on the crystallization of amorphous germanium (a-Ge) thin films induced by manganese species. A series of Mn-containing a-Ge films ([Mn] ~ 0?3.7 at.% range) was deposited at 150 °C by the cosputtering technique. After deposition, all films were submitted to isochronal thermal annealing treatments up to 600 °C and analyzed by Raman scattering, optical transmission spectroscopy and electrical resistivity measurements. The experimental results indicate that: (a) Mn impurity lowers the crystallization temperature of a-Ge in ~ 100 °C, as confirmed by the Raman analyses, (b) the optical properties of the films are affected by both the insertion of Mn and the temperature of thermal treatment, with the optical bandgap staying in the range of ~ 0.7?1 eV, and (c) the electrical resistivity of the samples is also influenced by the Mn concentration and by the temperature of annealing, varying between ~ 1.0×10¹ and 1.6×10⁴ Ω cm. These experimental observations were systematically studied and the possible reasons associated to them are presented and discussed.     

Formation of amorphous Mn-Bi films and their crystallization process

Mn-Bi alloy films were prepared by simultaneous vacuum deposition at liquid N₂ temperature and their structures were investigated by transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction. Films with compositions in the range of 34 to 63 at% Mn have the Bi lattice structure at room temperature. Films with composition in the range of 68 to 95 at% Mn show diffuse haloes at room temperature. When they are heated above room temperature, those in the range of 70 to 85 at% Mn show nucleation and grain growth crystallization, whereas the films of 68 and 95 at% Mn show only grain growth crystallization. The films in the range of 70 to 85 at% Mn are concluded to be amorphous at low and at room temperature. Some of the crystals obtained by nucleation and the grain growth crystallization grow as large as 10 μm in length. Their diffraction patterns are not ascribable to reported crystals in this alloy system.     

Formation of surface structures on amorphous chalcogenide films

The high spatial resolution of the localized structural transformations induced by different irradiations in amorphous chalcogenides, as well as the possibility of inducing volume expansion, promotes applications of these inorganic resists for optical recording, data storage and makes them attractive for nanolithography. This paper focuses on the fabrication of surface reliefs at submicrometer length scales in a direct, one-step process of recording by light or ion beam on Se layers or Se/As₂S₃ nanolayered films due to induced volume expansion.     

Photoinduced metal surface deposition in amorphous GeSAg films

Metallic silver photosurface deposition (PSD) and photoinduced stractural transformation in amorphous GeSAg films containing a large quantity of Ag have been studied. The photosensitivity of the films was greatly enhanced by the addition of gold, and also the morphology and distributing density of the deposits were markedly influenced. It has been found that the PSD effect can be reversed by a thermal annealing.     

Formation of hydrogenated amorphous carbon films containing fullerene-like structures

Hydrogenated amorphous carbon films containing fullerene-like structures were obtained by magnetron sputtering of a titanium target in methane and argon atmosphere. The microstructure of the film was investigated by transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectra. Additionally, the three stage model proposed by Ferrari and Robertson was used to explain the formation process of fullerene-like structures. The results show that titanium target was covered by a hydrocarbon layer, and the new-produced hydrocarbon layer on titanium target rather than the titanium surface was sputtered during deposition. The product of the sputtering can serve as ‘seeds’ for the formation of fullerene-like structures. These ‘seeds’ or nuclei are proposed to be open graphene structures, at the effect of ions bombardment, more defects are introduced and the curved structure arises due to incorporation of odd member rings into the graphene sheets, which resulted in the formation of curved planes with small radii of curvature and closed fullerene-like structure.     

The effects of incorporating fluorine in amorphous germanium-silicon alloy films

The structural, electrical and optical properties of rf sputtered fluorinated amorphous GeSi alloy films have been studied as a function of the amount of fluorine incorporated in the films. The results indicate an increased coordination in the binary semiconductor alloys with the increasing fluorine content. Fluorine attaches with extreme preference to silicon over germanium in the alloys. Due to this high preferential ratio, the increase in coordination on fluorination is much less than that observed in fluorinated amorphous silicon. The thermal stability of fluorinated alloys is found to be higher than similarly prepared hydrogenated samples.     

Structural relaxation and optical properties in amorphous Ge33As12Se55 films

Amorphous Ge₃₃As₁₂S₅₅ films prepared by ultra fast pulsed laser deposition (PLD) have been vacuum annealed over a range of different temperatures. Raman scattering measurements indicated that the features corresponding to Ge–Se and As–Se clusters increase in intensity with increasing annealing temperature (T_a) up to their respective glass transition temperature, and then decrease with further increasing T_a up to 300 °C. Optical property measurements showed that the refractive index deceases but the optical band gap increases with increasing T_a, and both of them could be fitted by the exponential function. The corresponding characteristic time extracted was found not to obey Arrhenius behavior, which is consistent with the existence of a broken network cut by cross-linking bonds and different clusters in films.     

Formation and stability of amorphous molecular systems: As the prototype of functional amorphous organic materials

Structural changes in vapor-deposited amorphous states of simple organic compounds were studied by Raman scattering, X-ray diffraction, and light interference in the sample. Two types of processes, namely direct crystallization and structural relaxation leading to glass transition, were observed depending on the flexibility of the molecule. Gradual relaxations were also found to occur in amorphous states of butyronitrile and 1,2-dichloroethane at temperatures much lower than their T_g or crystallization temperature. The observed structural changes are discussed by referring to the high enthalpy of the vapor-deposited amorphous systems.     

The case for sharp band edges in amorphous Ge and Si

Must the absence of long range order alone result in the loss of well defined valence and conduction band edges in the density of states? The available experimental data for amorphous Ge and Si is examined. It is concluded that, for samples where the density of microvoids and other extrinsic defects are kept sufficiently small, the experimental data strongly suggests sharp band edges.     

Formation and properties of Fe-based amorphous/nanocrystalline alloy coating prepared by wire arc spraying process

Wire arc spraying process was used to deposit FeBSiCrNbMnY amorphous/nanocrystalline alloy coating onto stainless steel substrate. The microstructure of the coating was characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning election microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDXA) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The coating is about 500 μm in thickness with fully dense and low porosity. The microstructure of the coating is classified into two regions, namely, a full amorphous phase region and homogeneous dispersion of α Fe, Cr nanoscale particles with a scale of 30–60 nm in a residual amorphous matrix region. The formation mechanism of the amorphous and nanocrystalline alloy was discussed. Mechanical properties, such as microhardness and wear resistance of the coating were also analyzed. The Vickers hardness of the coating is around Hv = 900–1050. The relatively wear resistance of the amorphous/nanocrystalline alloy coating is about 3× than that of crystalline structure 3Cr13 martensite stainless steel coating under the same wear testing condition. The FeBSiCrNbMnY amorphous/nanocrystalline alloy coating has high microhardness and excellent wear resistance.     

Smallest (∼10 nm) phase-change marks in amorphous and crystalline Ge2Sb2Te5 films

Electrical nano-scale crystallization and amorphization in amorphous and crystalline Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ films have been studied using scanning probe microscopes. In scanning tunneling microscopes, the phase changes can be induced, not by tunneling currents, but by conducting currents flowing through contacted probes. In an atomic force microscope, metallic cantilevers can produce phase-change marks with minimal sizes of ∼10 nm. The crystallization and amorphization processes show different dependences upon thickness of Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ films. These features are discussed from thermo-dynamical and microscopic structural points-of-view.     

Photoconductivity of amorphous CdS films

The photoconductivity of amorphous CdS films, vacuum evaporated onto cooled substrates, has been investigated. The conditions and possible reasons for the appearance of a low temperature maximum in the photoconductivity temperature dependence of chalcogen rich samples have been found. The presence of a slow recombination centre related to the lone pair level of the one-fold coordinated negative chalcogen has been assumed. The energy necessary for both the electron (2 eV) and hole (0.4 eV) escape from this centre has been determined. Photoinduced changes in photoconductivity have been examined as well.     

Crystallization of amorphous germanium films

Kinetics of isothermal crystallization has been studied in the temperature range from 375 to 525°C. The kinetic curves are obtained and the rate of isothermal transformation of amorphous films into crystalline ones has been determined. Using experimentally determined kinetic curves the stability diagram of the amorphous films has been plotted in the temperature range from 400 to 525°C. The value of effective activation energy has been defined.     

Crystallization and decomposition of amorphous silicon-aluminium films

The crystallization and decomposition of vacuum-deposited amorphous silicon-aluminium films have been examined by means of transmission electron microscopy. Depending on the aluminium concentration, the transformation of the metastable amorphous phase into the stable phases of aluminium and silicon proceeds by different reactions such as pre-crystallization of aluminium, polymorphous transformation into supersaturated crystalline solid solutions or eutectic decomposition. The temperature dependence of the eutectic crystallization was measured. The results are discussed in terms of the thermodynamics of amorphous-to-crystalline transformation.