Device applications of self-assembled monolayers and monolayer-protected nanoclusters

The present status of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on different surfaces (2D systems) as well as monolayer formation on metallic and semiconducting cluster surfaces (3D SAM) to form monolayer-protected nanoclusters (MPCs) and their assemblies is reviewed briefly. Attention is focused mainly on the potential electronic and photonic applications of SAMs, MPCs and their 2D and 3D structures fabricated using covalent and hydrophobic interactions in contrast to the usual electrostatic assemblies. These examples illustrate the rational use of organic molecules and nanoclusters using the concept of self-assembly, where subtle systems of double tunnel junctions, hetero junctions and single-electron transition devices could be developed based on the structure and chemistry of multifunctional molecules. The tailoring of cluster size and cluster–cluster spacing to reveal interesting transitions in electronic properties is also demonstrated using the low temperature behavior of the 3D network of nanoclusters as an example. These devices are believed to play an important role in the coming years as the chip functions and clock frequencies reach orders of magnitude beyond those extrapolated from Moore’s law.     

Probing of energy gap distribution in superconducting tunnel junctions by low temperature scanning electron microscopy

A two-dimensional voltage image of the energy gap distribution of a superconducting tunnel junction was obtained by scanning the current biased junction with an electron beam and detecting the voltage change δV. The value of the energy gap at the point of irradiation was determined quantitatively from the δV σ(V) curves, where σ(V) is the electric conductance of the junction. Further the quasiparticle diffusion length was found by measuring the length of the transition between a high- and low-gap region generated by a double tunnel junction configuration. The theoretical predictions could be verified by investigating a double tunnel junction configuration, where the energy gap could be changed deliberately by quasiparticle injection.     

多层结构双自旋过滤隧道结中的电子输运特性

在转移矩阵方法及Mireles和Kirczenow的量子相干输运理论的基础上,研究了正常金属层/磁性半导体层/非磁绝缘层/磁性半导体层/正常金属层型双自旋过滤隧道结中Rashba自旋轨道耦合效应和自旋过滤效应对自旋相关输运的影响.讨论了隧穿磁电阻（TMR）、隧穿电导与各材料层厚度、Rashba自旋轨道耦合强度以及两磁性半导体中磁矩的相对夹角θ之间的关系.研究表明：含磁性半导体层的双自旋过滤隧道结由于磁性半导体层的自旋过滤效应和Rashba自旋轨道耦合作用可获得极大的TMR值.另外TMR和隧穿电导随着Rashba自旋轨道耦合强度的变化而振荡,振荡周期随Rashba自旋轨道耦合强度的增大逐渐减小. 关键词： 双自旋过滤隧道结 Rashba自旋轨道耦合 隧穿磁电阻 隧穿电导     

Spin-filtering junctions with double ferroelectric barriers

An FS/FE/NS/FE/FS double tunnel junction is suggested to have the ability to inject, modulate and detect the spin-polarized current electrically in a single device, where FS is the ferromagnetic semiconductor electrode, NS is the nonmagnetic semiconductor, and FE the ferroelectric barrier. The spin polarization of the current injected into the NS region can be switched between a highly spin-polarized state and a spin unpolarized state. The high spin polarization may be detected by measuring the tunneling magnetoresistance ratio of the double tunnel junction.     

The study of a new n/p tunnel recombination junction and its application in a-Si：H/μc-Si：H tandem solar cells

This paper reports that a double N layer (a-Si:H/μc-Si:H) is used to substitute the single microcrystalline silicon n layer (n-μc-Si:H) in n/p tunnel recombination junction between subcells in a-Si:H/μc-Si:H tandem solar cells. The electrical transport and optical properties of these tunnel recombination junctions are investigated by current-voltage measurement and transmission measurement. The new n/p tunnel recombination junction shows a better ohmic contact. In addition, the n/p interface is exposed to the air to examine the effect of oxidation on the tunnel recombination junction performance. The open circuit voltage and FF of a-Si:H/μc-Si:H tandem solar cell are all improved and the current leakage of the subcells can be effectively prevented efficiently when the new n/p junction is implemented as tunnel recombination junction.     

Molecular electronics and spintronics devices produced by the plasma oxidation of photolithographically defined metal electrode

Tunnel junction based molecular devices, which utilize the two metal electrodes of a metal–insulator–metal tunnel junction as the two electrical leads to connect with molecular channels, can overcome the long standing fabrication challenges for developing futuristic molecular devices. However, producing an ultrathin insulator is the most challenging step in this tunnel junction based molecular device fabrication. A simplified molecular device approach was developed by avoiding the need of depositing a new material on the bottom electrode for growing ultrathin insulator. This paper discusses the new approach for insulator growth by one-step oxidation of a tantalum (Ta) bottom electrode, in the pholithographically defined region, i.e., ultrathin tantalum oxide (TaO _x ) insulator was grown by oxidizing bottom Ta metal electrode itself. Organometallic molecular clusters (OMCs) were bridged across 1–3 nm TaO _x along the perimeter of a tunnel junction to establish the highly efficient molecular conduction channels. OMC transformed the asymmetric transport profile of TaO _x based tunnel junction into symmetric one. A TaO _x based tunnel junction with the top ferromagnetic (NiFe) electrode exhibited the transient current suppression by several orders. Further studies by independent research groups will be needed to strengthen the current suppression phenomenon, and to realize the full potential of TaO _x based molecular devices.     

Double rotation mechanism in small Cu clusters concerted diffusion over Cu{1 1 1} surfaces

In this work, we study the role of the double rotation mechanism in the concerted diffusion of two-dimensional small Cu clusters (up to 10 atoms) over Cu{1 1 1} surfaces. Our results show that the necessary energy to diffuse the cluster on any direction over the surface (overall activation energy) increases proportionally to the cluster size. However, the minimum energy necessary to just move the cluster center of mass presents a nonmonotonic increase. The reason for this behavior relies on the double rotation mechanism, which is observed in some clusters with diamond shape configuration. Consequently, clusters as big as hexamers can be expected to be surprisingly mobile with activation energies around 0.15 eV.     

自组装双硫醇分子膜阻抗谱的研究

对交流电场下双巯基烷烃硫醇自组装分子膜的阻抗谱进行了研究.利用汞金属作为衬底,制备出双巯基烷烃硫醇自组装分子膜,并通过交流频谱仪对其进行频谱的扫描．明确了膜的作用范围为阻抗谱中频部分为了解释该阻抗谱,提出了一种串联的等效电路来进行了拟合,并与其他的模型进行比较.同时,观察到在损耗谱中损耗峰随硫醇碳链原子数的增加而向低频方向移动并得出双巯基硫醇(C6-C10)在交流电场下的激活能为23～39 meV．     

Magnetoresistance in silicon based ferrite magnetic tunnel junction

We report magnetoresistance for silicon based magnetic tunnel junction. We used cobalt ferrite & cobalt nickel ferrite as free layer and pinned layer. The magnetoresistance measured at room temperature through silicon by fabricating FM/Si/FM magnetic tunnel junction. Magnetoresistance shows a loop type behavior with 3.7%. We have successfully demonstrated spin tunneling through silicon with ferrite junction that opens the door for potential candidate for spintronics devices. The spin-filtering effect for this double spin-filter junction is also discussed.     

1-萘酚团簇的紫外光电离质谱研究

用飞行时间质谱仪和超声速脉冲分子束技术研究了紫外激光对1-萘酚(1HN)团簇的电离质谱.观测到(1HN)_n~+系列的团簇离子,且离子强度随团簇尺寸的增大而减小.电离激光的强度(在5μJ/pulse～100μJ/pulse范围内)对团簇离子强度的相对分布影响较小,说明软电离为产生团簇离子的主要过程,团簇离子的强度分布反映出电离前中性团簇的分布特征.增大电离区的进样气压可以产生更大尺寸的团簇离子,同时在(1HN)_n~+后面观测到新系列的团簇离子.这些新生离子与(H_2O)_m有关,考虑到1-萘酚团簇可以通过OH形成H键,推测该新生团簇离子通过团簇内的反应而产生.     

Processes involved in the formation of silver clusters on silicon surface

We analyze scanning electron microscopy measurements for structures formed in the deposition of solid silver clusters onto a silicon(100) substrate and consider theoretical models of cluster evolution onto a surface as a result of diffusion and formation of aggregates of merged clusters. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) data are presented in addition to energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX) measurements of the these films. Solid silver clusters are produced by a DC magnetron sputtering source with a quadrupole filter for selection of cluster sizes (4.1 and 5.6 nm or 1900 and 5000 atoms per cluster in this experiment); the energy of cluster deposition is 0.7 eV/atom. Rapid thermal annealing of the grown films allows analysis of their behavior at high temperatures. The results exhibit formation of cluster aggregates via the diffusion of deposited solid clusters along the surface; an aggregate consists of up to hundreds of individual clusters. This process is essentially described by the diffusion-limited aggregation (DLA) model, and thus a grown porous film consists of cluster aggregates joined by bridges. Subsequent annealing of this film leads to its melting at temperatures lower than to the melting point of bulk silver. Analysis of evaporation of this film at higher temperatures gives a binding energy in bulk silver of ɛ₀= (2.74 ± 0.03) eV/atom. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Mobility of large clusters on a semiconductor surface:Kinetic Monte Carlo simulation results

The mobility of clusters on a semiconductor surface for various values of cluster size is studied as a function of temperature by kinetic Monte Carlo method. The cluster resides on the surface of a square grid. Kinetic processes such as the diffusion of single particles on the surface, their attachment and detachment to/from clusters, diffusion of particles along cluster edges are considered. The clusters considered in this study consist of 150–6000 atoms per cluster on average.A statistical probability of motion to each direction is assigned to each particle where a particle with four nearest neighbors is assumed to be immobile. The mobility of a cluster is found from the root mean square displacement of the center of mass of the cluster as a function of time. It is found that the diffusion coefficient of clusters goes as D = A(T)Nαwhere N is the average number of particles in the cluster, A(T) is a temperature-dependent constant and α is a parameter with a value of about-0.64 α -0.75. The value of α is found to be independent of cluster sizes and temperature values(170–220 K)considered in this study. As the diffusion along the perimeter of the cluster becomes prohibitive, the exponent approaches a value of-0.5. The diffusion coefficient is found to change by one order of magnitude as a function of cluster size.     

Effects of single-electron charging in a tunnel structure with a metallic cluster

The effects of single-electron tunnel charging and Coulomb blockade in a cluster structure (molecular transistor) are studied theoretically with allowance for the quantization of the electronic levels in an island electrode. The electronic spectrum is calculated for small spherical and disk-shaped clusters. Under the assumption that the total energy of the system is conserved with inclusion of the contact potential difference, equations are derived for analyzing the current-voltage characteristic. Limitations associated with the Coulomb instability of a cluster and with electron relaxation are introduced into the theory. For single-electron transistors with small gold clusters, the current gap and the asymmetry in its position on the voltage axis are calculated. The current gap is shown to vary nonmonotonically with the cluster size.     

Spin-relaxation and magnetoresistance in FM/SC/FM tunnel junctions

The effect of spin relaxation on tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) in a ferromagnet/superconductor/ferromagnet (FM/SC/FM) double tunnel junction is theoretically studied. The spin accumulation in SC is determined by balancing of the spin-injection rate and the spin-relaxation rate. In the superconducting state, the spin-relaxation time τ_s becomes longer with decreasing temperature, resulting in a rapid increase of TMR. The TMR of FM/SC/FM junctions provides a useful probe to extract information about spin-relaxation in superconductors.     

Si6X(X=Cu,Ag,和Au)团簇多激子产生的从头算研究

利用对称性组态相互作用理论（SAC-CI）和LANL2DZ基组研究Si₆X（X=Cu、Ag和Au）团簇的多激子产生（MEG）.在团簇的MEG计算之前,基于密度泛函理论和全电子基组DZP-DKH,对团簇的几何结构进行优化并且经过频率分析确认团簇的能量稳定性.结果表明：多激子的主导成分是双激子,这些团簇的MEG都出现在可见光范围内,团簇的MEG强的部分在紫外线范围内,为利用MEG制备光俘获材料提供信息.     

Fabrication and characterization of 1.55 μm single transverse mode large diameter electrically pumped VECSEL

We report on the design, fabrication, and characterization of InP-based 1.55 μm wavelength large diameter (50 μm) electrically pumped vertical external cavity surface emitting lasers (EP-VECSELs). The hybrid device consists of a half vertical cavity surface emitting laser (1/2-VCSEL) structure assembled with a concave dielectric external mirror. The 1/2-VCSEL is monolithically grown on InP substrate and includes a semiconductor Bragg mirror and a tunnel junction for electrical injection. Buried (BTJ) and ion implanted (ITJ) tunnel junction electrical confinement schemes are compared in terms of their thermal and electrical characteristics. Lower thermal resistance values are measured for BJT, but reduced current crowding effects and uniform current injection are evidenced for ITJ. Using the ITJ technique, we demonstrate Room-Temperature (RT) continuous-wave (CW) single transverse mode laser operation from 50-μm diameter EP-VECSEL devices. We show that the experimental laser optical output versus injected current (L–I) curves are well-reproduced by a simple analytical thermal model, consistent with the thermal resistance measurements performed on the 1/2-VCSEL structure. Our results indicate that thermal heating is the main mechanism limiting the maximum CW output power of 50-μm diameter VECSELs, rather than current injection inhomogeneity.     

低能原子簇轰击金属簿膜引起的级联碰撞(Ⅱ)——注入簇原子的加速

研究了能量为１ｋｅＶ／ａｔｏｍ的金原子簇和０．２ｋｅＶ／ａｔｏｍ的铝原子簇轰击金薄膜产生的级联碰撞。用分子动力学模拟计算了注入靶后的簇原子能量分布及其随时间的演化。结果表明，在原子簇注入引起的级联碰憧中，簇原子除了将能量传递给靶原子外，尚有可能破加速。簇原子的最高能量可大于它的初始能量；分析了原子簇注入引起的多次碰撞效应，并用经典力学守恒定律计算了一个簇原子发生二次散射后的能量增益，用以解释注入原子的加速机制。 关键词：     

Two-dimensional Ir cluster lattice on a graphene moiré on Ir(111)

Lattices of Ir clusters have been grown by vapor phase deposition on graphene moirés on Ir(111). The clusters are highly ordered, and spatially and thermally stable below 500 K. Their narrow size distribution is tunable from 4 to about 130 atoms. A model for cluster binding to the graphene is presented based on scanning tunneling microscopy and density functional theory. The proposed binding mechanism suggests that similar cluster lattices might be grown of materials other than Ir.     

硅团簇自旋电子器件的理论研究

利用过渡金属掺杂的硅基团簇, 构建了一种自旋分子结; 并利用第一性原理方法, 对其电子自旋极化输运性质进行了研究. 计算表明, 通过过渡金属掺杂可以有效地产生自旋极化电流, 磁性金属Fe和非磁性金属Cr和Mn掺杂的体系呈现出较明显的自旋极化透射现象, 但分子结的自旋极化输运能力与团簇孤立状态下的磁矩无一致性.从Sc到Ni的掺杂, 体系的自旋极化透射能力先增大后迅速减小, 在Fe掺杂的Si₁₂团簇中出现最大值. 关键词： 硅团簇 自旋极化输运 密度泛函理论 非平衡格林函数     

Three-Ni-atom cluster formed by sulfur adsorption on Ni(1 1 1)

Sulfur adsorption on Ni(1 1 1) at room temperature has been studied by scanning tunneling microscopy. Irregularly-shaped islands, which are aggregates of small particles, appear with troughs on (1 1 1) terraces. Estimating the number of small particles in the irregular islands and that of Ni atoms ejected through the formation of troughs, we find that each small particle contains three Ni atoms. A three-Ni-atom cluster is proposed, where three S atoms are adsorbed on 4-fold hollow sites formed on the sides of the cluster. The Ni₃S₃ cluster can assume two orientations on the (1 1 1) surface. We show that the apparently-irregular distribution of small particles is well understood by assuming the alternate orientation of neighboring Ni₃S₃ clusters and the slight energy difference between the two orientations of a single Ni₃S₃ cluster. Real-time observation of a Ni(1 1 1) surface under H₂S ambience reveals that small islands composed of three or four Ni₃S₃ clusters change their positions rapidly, preventing the simple growth of islands at the initially-nucleated positions.