Force constant variation from crystalline to amorphous germanium

The phonon density of states for crystalline germanium (cz.sbnd;Ge) and amorphous germanium (aGe) have been computed by means of de Launay angular force model, considering only the first nearest neighbour interactions. The relevancy of computed phonon density of states to the interpretation of infrared and Raman spectra of az.sbnd;Ge are discussed, and the decrease in force constants of the order of 10% has been observed when the phase changes from crystalline to amorphous state.     

Antiferromagnetic interactions between localized states in amorphous germanium

The temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility (300 → 1.6°K) and ESR (300 → 6°K) of amorphous germanium have been determined. There is a temperature dependent paramagnetic term to the magnetic susceptibility due to a density of localized unpaired spins (dangling bonds) of 10¹⁹ spins/cm³. There is an antiferromagnetic interaction between at least some of these localized unpaired spins with an exchange energy estimated by various models to be on the order of a degree Kelvin.     

Neutron interactions as seen by a segmented germanium detector

The GERmanium Detector Array (GERDA) is designed for the search for “neutrinoless double-beta decay” ( 0ν2β with germanium detectors enriched in ⁷⁶Ge . An 18-fold-segmented prototype detector for GERDA Phase II was exposed to an AmBe neutron source to improve the understanding of neutron-induced backgrounds. Neutron interactions with the germanium isotopes themselves and in the surrounding materials were studied. Segment information is used to identify neutron-induced peaks in the recorded energy spectra. The Geant4-based simulation package MaGe is used to simulate the experiment. Though many photon peaks from germanium isotopes excited by neutrons are correctly described by Geant4, some physics processes were identified as being incorrectly treated or even missing.     

Coordination changes in crystalline and vitreous GeO2

Abstract

High pressure x ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) has been performed up to 29 GPa on crystalline and amorphous GeO₂. The modification of the x ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) as well as the variation of the Ge-O distance, indicate that the coordination of Ge changes from 4 to 6 above 6.5 GPa. The transition is confirmed by Raman spectroscopy.     

Pressure-induced phase transition of crystalline and amorphous silicon and germanium at low temperatures

Abstract

X-ray diffraction has been measured for crystalline silicon, crystalline germanium, amorphous silicon and amorphous germanium at temperatures down to 100 K and pressures up to 20 GPa using a diamond anvil cell and synchrotron radiation. The structural phase transitions, including amorphization, take place in the pressure-temperature range. It has been found that the structures after the phase transitions strongly depend on the path in the pressure-temperature diagram through which the system undergoes the phase transitions. For any of the aforementioned four materials, the high-pressure phase with the p-Sn structure is quenched during a release of pressure at 100 K, and transforms into an amorphous state when heated up to around 2 GPa. The path dependence of the states is discussed in relation to the pressure dependence of the heights of the energy barriers which have to be overcome when phase transitions occur. The effect of a structural disorder on the phase transition is also discussed by comparing the experimental results for the crystalline and amorphous materials.     

Theoretical investigations of the spin Hamiltonian parameters and local tetragonal distortions for Cu2+ in crystalline and amorphous TeO2 and GeO2

The spin Hamiltonian parameters (i.e., anisotropic g factors and hyperfine structure constants) and local tetragonal distortions for Cu²⁺ in crystalline and amorphous TeO₂ and GeO₂ are theoretically investigated using the high-order perturbation formulas of these parameters for a tetragonally elongated octahedral 3d⁹ cluster. The impurity Cu²⁺ occupying the octahedral sites are found to experience the relative tetragonal elongation ratios of about 11.4% and 9.5% for crystalline TeO₂ and GeO₂ and 10.8% and 6.6% for amorphous TeO₂ and GeO₂, respectively, along the C₄ axis due to the Jahn–Teller effect. This reveals the larger tetragonal elongation distortions for the Cu²⁺ centres in crystalline than amorphous systems (especially TeO₂). The theoretical spin Hamiltonian parameters show good agreement with the experimental data. The results are discussed.     

Pressure-induced structural transition in amorphous GeO2: a molecular dynamics simulation

We studied the structural and dynamical properties of amorphous germanium dioxide (GeO₂) from low to high pressure by means of the classical molecular dynamics technique. The simulations were done in the micro-canonical ensemble, with systems at densities ranged from 3.16 to 6.79 g/cm³, using a pairwise potential. The network topology of the systems is analyzed at atomic level through partial pair correlations, coordination number and angular distributions. The dynamic properties were characterized by means of the vibrational density of states. According the density increases, a structural transformation from a short-range order, defined by a building block composed by a basic (GeO₄) tetrahedron, to a basic (GeO₆) octahedron is observed. The vibrational density of states also presents important changes when the density increases, with a low frequency band lessened, and a high density band wider and flatter.     

Ion implantation in amorphous germanium and silicon

The effects of Sb and Al implantation on the conductivity of amorphous Ge and Si film are reported. The room temperature conductivity of the vacuum deposited films is found to increase by a factor of 50 to 100 on implantation. The excess conductivity can be removed by annealing at 300°C for 6 hr. Results on a-Si films deposited in a partial pressure of H₂ also indicate that doping effect due to ion implantation is very small. The temperature dependence of conductivity of the films is found to obey a $\text{T}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>?1</mtext><mtext>4</mtext>}}$ law before and after implantation. The value of T₀ is found to be rather insensitive to both hydrogenation and implantation.     

Impurity effects in amorphous germanium and silicon

A systematic study of the hoping conductivity of amorphous germanium-transition metal (Cr, Co, Fe) films reveals an exponential decrease of the hopping parameter, T_o, as a function of the transition metal concentration. A similar, but often unnoticed, behavior is found in the literature. A linear decrease in the energy gap as a function of concentration is postulated as an explanation.     

Ionographic patterns with amorphous/crystalline contrast

Ion irradiation of thin layers of crystalline semiconductors induces a phase transition to the amorphous state. The concomitant optical contrast between unirradiated, crystalline, and irradiated, amorphous, material may be used for pattern fabrication in the submicron range. This process will be explained by the example of silicon single-crystal layers on sapphire.International Patents pending     

Paramagnetic states in doped amorphous silicon and germanium

ESR-results for doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon and germanium are discussed. g-values and linewidths of the resonances as well as effective correlation energies of the corresponding energy states are compared for both materials. It is shown that the existing large differences of these quantities between a-Si : H and a-Ge : H can be explained by the differences of spin-orbit coupling and degree of localization.     

Interaction of ultrasonic phonons with defects in hydrogenated amorphous germanium

The attenuation of acoustic surface waves of 300 MHz has been measured in sputtered films of amorphous Ge and a-GeH_x (0x0.25) at temperatures between 0.5 K and 475 K. A strong absorption maximum due to structural relaxation is found at 135 K in pure a-Ge. This absorption maximum is shifted by annealing and is suppressed by hydrogen incorporation. Below 20 K the attentuation varies linearly with temperatures in all films investigated so far.On leave from: Department of Physics, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, 124001, India     

Localized and nonlocalized impurity states in amorphous germanium

The purpose of this study was to investigate which impurities form localized states in amorphous Ge and to study the concentration dependence of the effect. The low temperature resistivity of amorphous alloy films deposited at 77°K was well fitted by the relation $\text{ρ = ρ}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>0\; </mtext><mtext>exp</mtext>}}\text{[(}\text{T}{}_0\text{T}\text{)}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>4</mtext>}}\text{]}$. The increase in the number of localized states resulting from an increase in the number of impurities is evidenced by a decrease in T₀ Impurities which lead to shallow energy levels in the crystalline form do not form localized states near the Fermi level while impurities with deep lying levels do.     

Persistent photoconductivity and dangling bonds in amorphous germanium

It was shown experimentally that persistent photoconductivity occurs in an amorphous germanium film, submitted to laser irradiation. It is demonstrated that a strong electron-lattice coupling around the dangling bonds present in the material may explain this phenomenom qualitatively.