Low frequency lattice vibrations of LaF3 by neutron scattering

The phonon modes having frequencies less than 3 THz in the high symmetry directions of LaF₃ are reported. These are compared to the results of previous optical studies. A previously unobserved branch of low group velocity is found near 1.2 THz polarized both parallel and perpendicular to the basal plane. Its significance for the lifetimes of zone boundary acoustic phonons is discussed.     

Small polaron electron transport in reduced CeO2 single crystals

An investigation of the electrical properties of reduced ceria, CeO_2?x, carried out on single crystals, shows that CeO_2?x provides one of the clearest examples of hopping conduction and the small polaron mechanism. Included are conductivity and Seebeck coefficient measurements at constant x, obtained by sealing off the specimen chamber after reduction. The Seebeck coefficient is independent of temperature, suggesting that the number of carriers is constant. On the other hand, the mobility is activated, with activation energy E_h = 0.40 eV at small x and increasing to 0.52 eV at x = 0.25. The results for the mobility preexponential are consistent with the adiabatic theory of small polaron behavior. A puzzling feature of the Seebeck data as a function of x is that, for low x, the data fit the well-known Heikes formula, without a degeneracy factor of 2 for spin. Nevertheless, these data are interpreted to show that the proportion of mobile carriers decreases as x increases, presumably because of the presence of short-range ordered configurations which immobilize some carriers.     

Photoelectron asymmetries and two-electron satellites near the 3p → 3d giant-resonance region in atomic Mn

The partial cross-sections and photoelectron angular distributions for several lines in atomic Mn have been measured at photon energies between 50 and 72eV. The intensities of the 3d correlation satellites at 24–26 eV binding energy behave similarly to the mainline intensity near the 3p → 3d giant resonance, but show an enhancement near the 3p threshold which is not present for the main line. A configuration-interaction analysis is applied to help identify the origins of the satellites. The 3p/3d branching ratio from 55–72eV and the shape of the 3d cross section in the resonance region are in good agreement with many-body perturbation-theory calculations.     

Far infrared measurements of (TMTSF)2ClO4

Polarized far infrared reflectance measurements from 20 to 330 cm^?1 have been made on the organic superconductor (TMTSF)₂ClO₄. The feature in the reflectance at 28 cm^?1 has been studied as a function of temperature and applied magnetic field. Our results suggest that this feature is associated with a coupled electron-phonon mode rather than a pseudogap due to fluctuational superconductivity as has been suggested by others. In addition, a Kramers-Kronig analysis of the reflectance indicates that there is a concentration of oscillator strength above 100–150 cm^?1.     

Modification of the electrical properties in Fe-Al2O3 granular thin films due to increased bias potential

We studied the electrical properties in Fe-Al₂O₃ granular films when the injected direct current or bias potential are varied in the low-field regime (eΔV?k_BT). Measurements of the electrical resistance as a function of temperature and applied bias at different temperatures were performed. We found that the electrical properties are best described using variable range hopping. The variation in resistance showed unexpected characteristics in distinct regions of potential. These regions of potential could be due to modification of the electronic localization length. We have shown that the electrical resistance decreases when the applied bias and/or current increases. We associate this behavior of the resistance with the activation of new electronic paths. The total resistance of our samples is reduced as additional parallel electronic paths are formed.     

The energy dependence of photoelectron peak intensities,Part I: Experimental methods

With the increasing popularity of synchrotron radiation as a tunable photon source for photoemission spectroscopy, the significance of photoelectron peak variation with photon energy is becoming apparent. This variation is due to a number of intrinsic factors (excitation cross section, photon and electron reflection and refraction, inelastic processes, etc.) as well as instrumental factors (monochromator transmission and spectral purity, electron analyzer transmission and resolution, etc.). In this paper we develop methods for factoring out these contributions with the goal of determining the excitation cross section from a peak area measurement. Parts II and III will deal with a range of cross section measurements, and the use of relative peak area information to determine stoichiometry vs. probe depth.     

X-ray photoelectron diffraction from adsorbate core levels in the energy range 500–10000 ev and with polarized radiation: a theoretical study

X-ray photoelectron diffraction (XPD) from adsorbate core levels shows considerable promise as a surface-structural probe, especially since a simple single-scattering theory appears capable of describing such photoelectron diffraction. In the past, several types of XPD structural investigations have been made using conventional Al Kα radiation, including determinations of bond orientations for diatomic molecular adsorption and of vertical bond distances for atomic adsorption. In this work, a theoretical investigation has been made within the single-scattering cluster model to determine the possible advantages and disadvantages of using different photon energies over a broad range from 500 to 10000 eV and/or a polarized radiation source in such structure determinations. Two test cases, of intramolecular scattering in C 1s polar scans above vertically adsorbed CO and of interatomic scattering in O 1s azimuthal scans for c (2 × 2) O on Cu(100), are considered in detail. In general, precision in determining bond orientations can be unproved by using higher energies and/or polarized radiation, although it may be more difficult to obtain the data owing to lower percent effects and lower total intensities. In azimuthal scans, going to higher energy yields narrower features, but requires much lower takeoff angles and concomitantly lower intensities. Other aspects of using variable energy and polarization in XPD are also considered.     

Thermoluminescence of rare earth activated CdSO4, SrSO4 and BaSO4

The thermoluminescence (TL) of rare earth (RE) activated sulfates of Cd, Sr and Ba was studied above room temperature. Many of the phosphors prepared exhibit an extremely bright TL following X-irradiation (most notably with Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy and Tm dopants), having an efficiency comparable to that of the highest sensitivity phosphors available for TL dosimetry, and exhibiting activator-induced glow peaks between 405 and 480°K. In a given lattice, the RE³⁺ ions produce a characteristic glow peak at the same temperature (independent of the particular RE ion), whereas Eu²⁺ produces a single glow peak at a different temperature. A decrease in glow peak temperature with increasing interatomic spacing was observed in the homologous SrSO₄-BaSO₄ system - this shift being most pronounced in the Eu²⁺ -doped materials. TL emission spectra were obtained for trivalent Sm, Tb, Dy and Tm and for divalent Eu in these sulfates (and also in CaSO₄).     

Magnetic anisotropic properties in Fe3O4 and CoFe2O4 ferrite epitaxy thin films

Epitaxial thin films of Fe₃O₄ and CoFe₂O₄ on MgO (0 0 1) substrates were grown by molecular beam epitaxy at low temperature growth process. Magnetization and hysteresis loop of both films were measured to investigate magnetic anisotropic properties at various temperatures. Anomalous magnetic properties are found to be correlated with crystalline, shape, and stress anisotropies. The Fe₃O₄ film below Verwey structural transition has a change in crystal structure, thus causing many anomalous magnetic properties. Crystalline anisotropy and anomalous magnetic properties are affected substantially by Co ions. The saturation magnetization of Co–ferrite film becomes much lower than that of Fe₃O₄ film, being very different from the bulks. It indicates that the low temperature growth process could not provide enough energy to have the lowest energy state.     

Growth of the Bi2O3 thin films under atmospheric pressure by means of halide CVD

Films of Bi₂O₃ were grown on glass substrate under atmospheric pressure by means of halide chemical vapour deposition (AP-HCVD) using BiI₃ and O₂ as the starting materials. In the XRD diffractogram of the film a strong diffraction peak appears at 27.91° assigned to the (111) diffraction of the δ-Bi₂O₃ with cubic structure. X-ray pole figure suggested that the 〈111〉 direction of the film is perpendicular to the substrate surface, while the 〈110〉 axis directs towards all directions parallel to the substrate surface. It is for the first that δ-Bi₂O₃ film was prepared on glass substrate.     

Formation of V2O3 nanocrystals by thermal reduction of V2O5 thin films

We report the formation of homogeneous and stable V₂O₃ nanocrystals, directly from V₂O₅ thin films, at 600 °C, as observed by using in situ electron microscopy experiments. Thermally-induced reduction of V₂O₅ thin films in vacuum is remarkably different when compared to reduction of V₂O₅ single crystals and results in the formation of nanophase V₂O₃. Thermally grown V₂O₃ nanocrystals exhibit hexagon or square shape and are stable at higher temperature as well as room temperature. The formation of stable nanocrystals through the reduction process in a non-chemical environment (vacuum) could provide a basis for understanding the complex processes of vanadium oxide phase transitions and for controlling the chemical processes to produce oxide nanocrystals.     

Preparation and characterization of Cd2Nb2O7 thin films on Si substrates

Thin Cd₂Nb₂O₇ films were grown on single-crystal p-type SiO₂/Si substrates by the metallo-organic decomposition (MOD) technique. The films were investigated by X-ray diffraction, X-ray energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and field emission scanning electron microscopy, and showed a single phase (cubic pyrochlore), a crack-free spherical grain structure, and nanoparticles with a mean size of about 68 nm. A Cauchy model was also used in order to obtain the thickness and index of refraction of the stack layers (transparent layer/SiO₂/Si) by spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE). The dielectric constant (K) of the films was calculated to be about 25 from the capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements.     

Electronic structure of CeAl2 thin films studied by X-ray absorption spectroscopy

We report X-ray absorption near edge structures (XANES) study of CeAl₂ thin films of various thicknesses, 40-120 nm, at Al K- and Ce L₃-edges. The threshold of the absorption features at the Al K-edge shifts to the higher photon energy side as film thickness decreases, implying a decreased in Al p-orbital charges. On the other hand, from Ce L₃-edge spectra, we observed a decrease in the 5d4f occupancy as the surface-to-bulk ratio increases. The valence of Ce in these thin films, as revealed by the Ce L₃-edge spectral results, is mainly trivalent. From a more detailed analysis we found a small amount of Ce⁴⁺ contribution, which increases with decreasing film thickness. Our results indicate that the surface-to-bulk ratio is the key factor which affects the electronic structure of CeAl₂ thin films. The above observations also suggest that charge transfer from Al to Ce is associated with the decrease of the film thickness.     

Growth and characterization of Y2O3 thin films

Y₂O₃ thin films were grown on silicon (1 0 0) substrates by pulsed-laser deposition at different substrate temperatures and O₂ pressures. The structure and composition of films are studied by using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The Y₂O₃ thin films deposited in vacuum strongly oriented their [1 1 1] axis of the cubic structure and the film quality depended on the substrate temperature. The magnitude of O₂ pressure obviously influences the film structure and quality. Due to the silicon diffusion and interface reaction during the deposition, yttrium silicate and SiO₂ were formed. The strong relationship between composition and growth condition was discussed.     

X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) analysis of Fe82B18-Al2O3 granular systems

X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) has been used to investigate the surface composition (down to some hundreds of Å) of granulars consisting of Fe₈₂B₁₈ small particles (?～40–70 Å) dispersed in an alumina insulating matrix.Fully oxidized iron and boron are found in the outermost region of samples while in depth analysis, achieved by Ar⁺ ion etching, provides evidence of both metallic and oxidized states for the two elements.Aluminate forms, suggestive of an interaction at the surface of the alloy particle and alumina, are also present in the sub-surface region and the interaction extent is quantitatively evaluated as a function of the particle size.     

Quasi-molecular angle dependence of photoemission from thin films of polystyrene

Angle-resolved photoelectron spectra from thin films of randomly oriented polystyrene show a pronounced angular dependence of the emission for several peaks derived from benzene molecular orbitals in the valence band region. The analysis yields a clear molecular behaviour for the angular distribution of the uppermost π-band (1e_1g) which can be described by a β parameter of β = 0.6 for hν = 31 eV. These results support, for polystyrene, the notion of weak intermolecular interaction in a randomly oriented “condensed gas”.     

A comparison of thermo- and photo-chromic behaviour in films of amorphous WO3

Amorphous films of WO₃ have been prepared by sublimation in a partiaal pressure of oxygen, and then coloured by either heat-treatment or U.V. radiation. Thermo-chromic films are extremely stable with respect to oxygen and have been compared with oxygen deficient crystals of WO₃. Photo-chromic films are extremely unstable in an oxygen environment similar to hydrogen tungsten bronzes. The variation of the thermoelectric power with colouration suggests that the density-of-states in the neighbourhood of the Fermi energy differs in films coloured by the two methods.     

Experimental investigation of positron self-trapping near the vapour-liquid critical point of hellium-4

Positron self-trapping in helium near the vapor-liquid critical point is investigated using the positron annihilation lifetime technique. A 13% decrease in the slowing-down time for positrons to reach the self-trapped state is observed at the critical temperature 5.190 K relative to the slowing-down time at 5.200 K.