Correlation of structure and spin–phonon coupling in (La,Nd) doped BiFeO3 films

We studied the effect of structural change on the spin–phonon coupling in doped BiFeO₃ (BFO) films (Bi_0.8La_0.1Nd_0.1FeO₃) grown on SrTiO₃ (001) substrate. The temperature‐dependent Raman studies show phonon anomalies in the vicinity of magnetic ordering temperature T_N owing to the spin–phonon coupling. Doped films exhibit strong anomalies in the line widths of Raman bands around T_N revealing the presence of strong spin–lattice coupling. The modification in structure as a result of A‐site doping in BFO films plays an important role in controlling the nature of spin–phonon coupling. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Probing the ferroelectric phase transition in sol–gel‐derived polycrystalline bismuth ferrite thin films

Polycrystalline BiFeO₃ (BFO) thin films were successfully grown on Pt/Ti/SiO₂/Si(100) and SrTiO₃ (STO) (100) substrates using the chemical solution deposition (CSD) technique. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) patterns indicate the polycrystalline nature of the films with rhombohedrally distorted perovskite crystal structure. Differential thermal analysis (DTA) was performed on the sol–gel‐derived powder to countercheck the crystal structure, ferroelectric (FE) to paraelectric (PE) phase transition, and melting point of bismuth ferrite. We observed a significant exothermic peak at 840 °C in DTA graphs, which corresponds to an FE–PE phase transition. Raman spectroscopy studies were carried out on BFO thin films prepared on both the substrates over a wide range of temperature. The room‐temperature unpolarized Raman spectra of BFO thin films indicate the presence of 13 Raman active modes, of which five strong modes were in the low‐wavenumber region and eight weak Raman active modes above 250 cm⁻¹. We observed slight shifts in the lower wavenumbers towards lower values with increase in temperature. The temperature‐dependent Raman spectra indicate a complete disappearance of all Raman active modes at 840 °C corresponding to the FE–PE phase transitions. There is no evidence of soft mode phonons. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Mn3TeO6 – a new multiferroic material with two magnetic substructures

From magnetic susceptibility, dielectric permittivity, electric polarization and specific heat measurements we discover spin‐induced ferroelectricity and magnetoelectric coupling in Mn₃TeO₆ and observe two successive magnetic transitions at low temperatures. A non‐ferroelectric intermediate magnetic state occurs below 23 K and a multiferroic ground state emerges below 21 K. Moreover, Mn₃TeO₆ is a candidate for a multiferroic material where two types of incommensurate spin structures, cycloidal and helical, coexist. Theoretically, both spin substructures may contribute to the macro electric polarization via different mechanisms. This could open new ways of manipulating the ferroelectric polarization in a multiferroic material. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

基底温度对电子束蒸发制备氧化铝薄膜的影响

为了考察基底温度对氧化铝薄膜折射率以及沉积厚度的影响情况,在不同基底温度环境下,通过离子辅助电子束蒸发方式,在玻璃基底上制备了同一Tooling因子条件下所监测到相同厚度的Al2O3薄膜,利用分光光度计测量光谱透过率,依据光学薄膜相关理论,计算了基底温度在25℃～300℃范围内获得的膜层实际物理厚度为275.611 nm～348.447 nm,以及膜层折射率的变化。通过对实验结果的数值计算和曲线模拟,给出了基底温度对于薄膜的折射率和实际厚度的影响情况。     

衬底类型对于Ga-N共掺杂ZnMgO薄膜性能的影响

利用直流反应磁控溅射技术分别在玻璃、n-〈111〉Si、氧化硅(SiO2/Si)、石英衬底上制得Ga-N共掺杂ZnMgO薄膜。利用X射线衍射(XRD)、Hall实验、场发射扫描电镜(FE-SEM)和X射线光电子能谱(XPS)对不同衬底上生长的ZnMgO薄膜的性能进行表征。结果表明,Ga-N共掺杂p型ZnMgO薄膜具有高度c轴择优取向的结构特征。生长在玻璃、(111)Si和氧化硅衬底上的ZnMgO薄膜显示p型导电性,而生长在石英衬底上的ZnMgO薄膜显示n型导电性。生长在氧化硅片衬底上的共掺杂ZnMgO薄膜的晶体质量和电学性能最优,载流子浓度为2.28×1017cm-3,电阻率为27.7Ω·cm。而且其表面形貌明显不同于生长在其他衬底上的薄膜。Ga2p和N1s的XPS谱表明Ga-N共掺杂ZnMgO薄膜中存在Ga—N键,有利于N的掺入,从而易于实现p型生长。     

探索基于人工超晶格LaFeO3-YMnO3和自然超晶格n-LaFeO3-Bi4Ti3O12薄膜多铁性

基于纳米尺寸下复合铁电材料和反铁磁性材料是一个探索多铁性材料有效的方法. 利用激光脉冲沉积制备出LaFeO₃-YMnO₃人工超晶格和掺入不同层LaFeO₃, BiFeO₃的Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂的外延薄膜. 通过系统的X射线衍射、透射电子显微术、扫描透射电子显微术下的能量损失谱表征证明这些样品具有原子尺寸上清晰的界面和完整的层状结构. 磁性测试证明这些材料具有亚铁磁性. 特别是在0.5和1.5LaFeO₃-Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂中的亚铁磁性甚至能保持到室温. 就铁电性而言, 铁电性测试显示出LaFeO₃-YMnO₃和插入BiFeO₃的Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂样品中存在较大的漏电流, 而在0.5LaFeO₃-Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂样品中存在铁电性. 因此在0.5LaFeO₃-Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂中能够实现亚铁磁和铁电共存. 其次发现当掺入多层的钙钛矿(3层SrTiO₃或2.5层LaFeO₃)后, Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂ 的层状结构将出现结构失稳现象. 这些工作对于利用纳米复合开发新颖多铁性提供一些实例.     

电子束蒸发在Si衬底上制备MgB2超导薄膜

利用电子束蒸发法在 Si(111)衬底上制备了 Mg B2 超导薄膜。首先在衬底上按照 1∶ 2的原子比交替蒸发 Mg和 B,所形成的夹层先驱膜在 15 0 Pa99.99% Ar气氛下进行原位热处理 6 30℃× 30 m in。实验发现超导薄膜在正常态下无半导体电阻特性 ,超导起始转变温度为 2 4 .7K,零电阻温度为 16 .5 K。     

Electric control of magnetism in a multiferroic metal–organic framework

Electric control of magnetism is demonstrated in a multiferroic metal–organic framework with a perovskite structure. A moderate electric field of a few kV/cm applied during the cooling process is able to cause a large (more than 50%) change of the magnetization at low temperature. This significant magnetoelectric effect is ascribed to the electric field manipulation of orientation of hydrogen bonds that modify the superexchange interaction between metal ions.

     

Si基Sc膜的制备及结构分析

采用电子束镀膜方法在Si基底上制备了Sc膜,利用XRD,SEM分析了不同镀膜工艺条件下制备的Sc膜的形貌和结构。结果表明:基底温度在350～550 ℃时,薄膜主要由单质Sc组成,而且随着基底温度的升高,膜的颗粒尺寸增大,膜也变得更加致密;基底温度提高至650 ℃时,膜全部由ScSi化合物组成,膜变成颗粒状结构。沉积速率对低温时Sc膜的形貌与结构的影响不明显,颗粒尺寸随沉积速率的增大而增大,但物相结构基本没有发生变化;而在高温650 ℃时,沉积速率对膜的形貌与结构产生了很大的影响,随着沉积速率的增大,膜表面出现了大量微裂纹,而且较低的沉积速率有利于获得衍射峰单一的膜,增大沉积速率将会导致衍射峰数量明显增加。     

Si基Sc膜的制备及结构分析

采用电子束镀膜方法在Si基底上制备了Sc膜,利用XRD,SEM分析了不同镀膜工艺条件下制备的Sc膜的形貌和结构。结果表明：基底温度在350～550 ℃时,薄膜主要由单质Sc组成,而且随着基底温度的升高,膜的颗粒尺寸增大,膜也变得更加致密;基底温度提高至650 ℃时,膜全部由ScSi化合物组成,膜变成颗粒状结构。沉积速率对低温时Sc膜的形貌与结构的影响不明显,颗粒尺寸随沉积速率的增大而增大,但物相结构基本没有发生变化;而在高温650 ℃时,沉积速率对膜的形貌与结构产生了很大的影响,随着沉积速率的增大,膜表面出现了大量微裂纹,而且较低的沉积速率有利于获得衍射峰单一的膜,增大沉积速率将会导致衍射峰数量明显增加。     

Si衬底上生长的GaAs薄膜中深中心发光的温度效应

测量了Ｓｉ衬底上生长的ＧａＡｓ薄膜中与深中心有关的发光带的变温光谱，研究了０．７８ｅＶ、０．８４ｅＶ和０．９３ｅＶ发光带的峰值位置和发光强度随着温度的变化关系，发现它们的发光强度随温度的变化服从描述非晶半导体中局域态发光的公式。最后讨论了这些发光带的来源。     

Surface State‐Induced Anomalous Negative Thermal Quenching of Multiferroic BiFeO3 Nanowires

Wide‐bandgap semiconductor nanowires with surface defect emission centers have the potential to be used as sensitive thermometers and optical probes. Here, we show that the green luminescence of multiferroic BiFeO₃ (BFO) nanowires shows an anomalous negative thermal quenching (NTQ) with increasing temperatures. The release of trapped carriers from localized surface defect states is suggested as the possible mechanism for the increased green luminescence which was experimentally observed at elevated temperatures. A reasonable interpretation of the photoluminescence (PL) processes in BFO nanowires is achieved, and the activation energies of the PL quenching and thermal hopping are deduced. Negative thermal quenching of BFO nanowires provides a new strategy for optical thermometry at higher temperatures.     

Optical parameters of epitaxial GaN thin film on Si substrate from the reflection spectrum

A method has been proposed for determining the optical properties of a thin film layer on absorbing substrates. The film optical parameters such as thickness, refractive index, absorption coefficient, extinction coefficient and the optical energy gap of an absorbing film are retrieved from the interference fringes of the reflection spectrum at normal incidence. The envelopes of the maxima of the spectrum E_M and of the minima E_m are introduced in analytical forms to find the reflectance amplitudes at the interfaces and approximate values of the thin film refractive index. Then, the interference orders and film thickness are calculated to get accurate values of the needed optical parameters. There are no complex fitting procedures or assumed theoretical refractive index dispersion relations. The method is applied to calculate the optical properties of an epitaxial gallium nitride thin film on a silicon (1 1 1) substrate. Good agreement between our results and the published data are obtained.     

Si衬底对ZnO薄膜性能影响的研究

使用脉冲激光沉积(pulsed laser deposition,PLD)技术,采用两种不同纯度(99.5%和99.99%)的ZnO靶材,在p型Si衬底上制备了两种ZnO/Si薄膜.原子力显微镜与X射线衍射分析表明,两种样品具有相似的显微形貌与相同的晶体结构.霍尔效应测试发现,两种ZnO/Si薄膜都展现出了低电阻率、高迁移率的电学性能,但是其导电类型完全相反.研究结果表明,衬底的性能对霍尔效应测试有巨大影响.利用二次离子质谱仪,发现了在低纯度的样品中存在着S杂质向Si衬底中扩散的现象,并直接导致了衬底的导电性能的反型.     

The influence of SixNy interlayer on GaN film grown on Si(111) substrate

A method to drastically reduce dislocation density in a GaN film grown on an Si(111) substrate is newly developed. In this method, the Si_xN_y interlayer which is deposited on an AlN buffer layer in situ is introduced to grow the GaN film laterally. The crack-free GaN film with thickness over 1.7 micron is grown on an Si(111) substrate successfully. Synthesized GaN epilayer is characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscope (AFM), and Raman spectrum. The test results show that the GaN crystal reveals a wurtzite structure with the <0001> crystal orientation and the full width at half maximum of the X-ray diffraction curve in the (0002) plane is as low as 403 arcsec for the GaN film grown on the Si substrate with an Si_xN_y interlayer. In addition, Raman scattering is used to study the stress in the sample. The results indicate that the Si_xN_y interlayer can more effectively accommodate the strain energy. So the dislocation density can be reduced drastically, and the crystal quality of GaN film can be greatly improved by introducing Si_xN_y interlayer.     

Thin tantalum films on crystalline silicon – a metallic glass

Thin amorphous tantalum films are prepared on Si(111) substrates in a metallic glassy state. The amorphous monoatomic state of the film is characterized by X‐ray diffraction studies. The glassy state leads to a negative t emperature c oefficient of the r esistivity (TCR) for low sample temperatures <200 K which is attributed to incipient localization. Above 200 K a positive TCR is observed as expected for a normal Boltzmann transport regime. Upon heating the Si substrate to 1200 K TaSi₂ is formed out of the amorphous tantalum film and the silicon substrate. The TaSi₂ layer is crystalline as evident from X‐ray diffraction data.

     

Characteristics of indirect laser-induced plasma from a thin film of oil on a metallic substrate

Optical emissions from the major and trace elements embodied in a transparent gel prepared from cooking oil were detected after the gel was spread in a thin film on a metallic substrate. Such emissions are due to the indirect breakdown of the coating layer. The generated plasma, a mixture of substances from the substrate, the layer, and the ambient gas, was characterized using emission spectroscopy. The characteristics of the plasma formed on the metal with and without the coating layer were investigated. The results showed that Al emission induced from the aluminum substrates coated with oil films extends away from the target surface to ablate the oil film. This finally formed a bifurcating circulation of aluminum vapor against a spherical confinement wall in the front of the plume, which differed from the evolution of the plasma induced from the uncoated aluminum target. The strongest emissions of elements from the oil films can be observed at 2 mm above the target after a detection delay of 1.0 μs. A high temperature zone has been observed in the plasma after the delay of 1.0 μs for the plasma induced from the coated metal. This higher temperature determined in the plasma allows the consideration of the sensitive detection of trace elements in liquids, gels, biological samples, or thin films.