Angle-resolved photoemission study of a vacancy-induced state in substoichiometric VC

A vacancy induced state has been identified at about 1.8eV binding energy on the (100) face of VC_0.80 using angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy. The recorded spectra are compared with calculated spectra for VC_1.0 and the results show that the origin of the observed state cannot be accounted for by the energy band structure of VC_1.0. Photoemission spectra recorded after exposing the clean surface to O₂ and CO are also presented and used in a discussion of the sensitivity of the vacancy induced state to surface contamination.     

Is Auger-free luminescence present in CeF3?

It is well known that Auger-free luminescence (AFL) is observable when the condition E_g>E_VC is satisfied, where E_g is the band-gap energy between the lowest unoccupied band and the highest occupied band and E_VC the energy difference between the top of the highest occupied band and the top of the next lower occupied band. From measurements of reflection and X-ray photoelectron spectra, CeF₃ is demonstrated to really satisfy this condition. No evidence for AFL is found, nevertheless. The absence of AFL in CeF₃ is related to a characteristic nature of its highest and next lower occupied bands, which are quite different from those of previously studied AFL-materials.     

Order-disorder phase transformations and specific heat of nonstoichiometric vanadium carbide

AbstractA study has been made of the order-disorder phase transformations in the homogeneity region of the VC_y nonstoichiometric cubic vanadium carbide (0.66<y<0.88). It has been established that an ordered V₆C₅ phase with monoclinic (space group C2/m) or trigonal (P3₁) symmetry, and a cubic (space group P4₃32) ordered V₈C₇ phase can form in the VC_y carbide below 1450 K, depending on the actual composition. The effect of off-stoichiometry and structural vacancy ordering on the specific heat of the VC_y carbide has been investigated. The temperatures and heats of the reversible order-disorder equilibrium transitions have been determined. The ordering in the VC_y carbide is shown to be a first-order phase transition. An equilibrium diagram of the V-C system taking into account ordering in the nonstoichiometric vanadium carbide has been constructed. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 41, 529–536 (March 1999)     

Effect of carbon vacancies on the electric resistivity of nonstoichiometric VC<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">y</Emphasis></Subscript> vanadium carbide

The influence of the temperature, concentration, and distribution of structure vacancies of the carbon sublattice on the electric resistivity ρ of nonstoichiometric VC _y vanadium carbide (0.66 ≤ y ≤ 0.875) has been studied in the temperature range of 300–1200 K. The symmetry and structure characteristics of the ordered V₆C₅ and V₈C₇ phases formed owing to low-temperature annealing on various sections of the homogeneity region of the VC _y carbide. The dependence of the residual electric resistivity on the content of the disordered vanadium carbide is explained by the atom-vacancy interaction and the change in the carrier concentration in the homogeneity region of VC _y .     

Effects of nonstoichiometry and ordering on the basic lattice constant of vanadium carbide VC<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">y</Emphasis></Subscript>

The effect of nonstoichiometry and ordering on the lattice constant a _B1 of the basic lattice of vanadium carbide VC _y (0.65 < y < 0.875) is studied. A change in the lattice constant of disordered carbide VC _y at the reduction of the carbon content is considered using the direction of static displacements of atoms near a vacancy. A model for the calculation of the basic lattice constant a _B1 of vanadium carbide is proposed taking into account nonstoichiometry and ordering. It is shown that the ordering of vanadium carbide VC _y with the formation of V₆C₅ and V₈C₇ superstructures results in an increase in the basic lattice constant as compared to disordered carbide.     

Effect of nonstoichiometry on the lattice constant of cubic vanadium carbide VC<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">y</Emphasis></Subscript>

The effect of nonstoichiometry on the lattice constant of cubic vanadium carbide VC _y (0.65 < y < 0.875) is studied. It is found that the ordering of vanadium carbide VC _y with the formation of superstructures V₆C₅ and V₈C₇ leads to an increase in the base lattice constant in comparison with disordered carbide. Taking into account the change in the lattice constant, the direction of the static displacements of atoms near the vacancy is discussed.     

Nanostructure and atomic ordering in vanadium carbide

Nanostructured nonstoichiometric vanadium carbide VC_0.87 was obtained in powdered form using the ordering effect. The composition, structure, and properties of the carbide were studied by chemical and thermogravimetric analysis, gas chromatography, x-ray diffraction, optical and electronic microscopy, electron-positron annihilation, magnetic susceptibility, and microhardness methods. Nanostructured vanadium carbide VC_0.87 possesses the crystal structure of the cubic ordered phase V₈C₇ with space group P4₃32. Vanadium carbide nanocrystallites are shaped in the form of 400–600 nm in diameter and 15–20 nm thick curved petals. The surface layer of the nanocrystallites contains defects of the vacancy agglomerate type. The microhardness of vanadium carbide, obtained by vacuum sintering of VC_0.87 nanopowder was 60–80 GPa, which is 3–4 times greater than the microhardness of coarse-grained vanadium carbide with the same composition and close to the hardness of diamond. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 69, No. 6, 436–442 (25 March 1999)     

Accommodation of the Lattice Mismatch at the VCx-WC Interface

A VC doped WC-Co alloy is investigated using high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The VC grain growth inhibitor induces the presence of a thin layer on the surfaces of the WC grains in contact with Co and precipitates in the corners of Co pockets. These (VW)C_x compounds adopt an epitaxial orientation relationship with regards to the (0001) base facets of the WC crystals. Due to the small difference in lattice parameters, misfit dislocations are expected in the interfaces. Unlike the thin layers where no defects are observed, two kinds of dislocations are pointed out for larger precipitates. 1/6〈112〉_VC interfacial dislocations are sometimes present while more often 1/2〈1¯10〉_VC dislocations lying above the interface in the (VW)C_x phase are visible.     

Microstructure of nanocrystalline nonstoichiometric vanadium carbide VC0.875

A nanocrystalline powder of nonstoichiometric vanadium carbide VC_0.875 has been prepared by the high-energy ball milling method. The crystal structure, microstructure, morphology, and size distribution of particles of the initial and milled powders have been investigated using X-ray diffraction, laser diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. For vanadium carbide, the model calculation of the particle size of a VC_0.875 nanopowder as a function of the milling duration has been performed for the first time. A comparison of the experimental and theoretical results has demonstrated that a nanopowder with an average particle size of 40–80 nm can be obtained by a 10-h high-energy ball milling of the initial vanadium carbide powder with an average particle size of ～6 μm.     

Microstructure of nanocrystalline powders of nonstoichiometric vanadium VC<Subscript>0.875</Subscript> and niobium NbC<Subscript>0.93</Subscript> carbides

The evolution of the microstructure of nonstoichiometric vanadium VC_0.875 and niobium NbC_0.93 carbide powders subjected to high-energy ball milling is investigated by neutron diffraction. It is established that milling produces non uniform powders and two distinct fractions with differing microstructure can be identified in them. It is shown that the time-of-flight neutron-diffraction technique is promising for studying the microstructure of highly deformed nonstoichiometric carbides and for quantitative determination of the anisotropy of microstrains.     

磁性半导体/磁性d波超导结中的自旋极化输运

通过求解磁性d波超导中的能隙与磁交换能的自恰方程,利用推广的Blonder-Tinkham-Klapwijk 理论研究磁性半导体/磁性d波超导结中自旋极化准粒子输运系数与微分电导. 计算表明： 1) 磁性d波超导结中的磁交换能h₀可导致零偏压电导峰与能隙电导峰劈裂,劈裂的宽度为2h₀;2) 磁性半导体中的磁交换能h_FS可使零偏压电导峰劈裂的峰值变低. 而由能隙电导峰劈裂的两个子峰,当两种磁性材料的磁 关键词： 磁性半导体 磁性d波超导体 自旋极化输运     

A study of LaH3 by auger electron appearance potential spectroscopy

The Auger electron appearance potential spectra (AEAPS) of M_4,5 levels of lanthanum in the elemental state and in LaH₃ are presented. AEAPS measures the total differential secondary electron yield from the surface constituents as a function of incident electron energy. In the presence of a 3d hole, the 4f level is pulled down below the Fermi energy, E_F. In the metallic La spectrum this is seen as a shoulder on the low energy side of the main peak, but in the LaH₃ spectrum this shoulder disappears and is replaced by two peaks, again on the low energy side. The high binding energy satellite reported in the M₅ level XPS spectra in La insulating compounds has been attributed to the lowering of the 4f level above the ligand band. Since no high binding energy satellite is observed in the M_4,5 level AEAPS of LaH₃, the lowest energy peak is assigned as the transition of the 3d electron to the 4f level pulled down below the hydrogen induced band. The other peak is related to the partially filled hydrogen induced band below E_F. Tentative energy level diagrams for these transitions are proposed.     

X-ray emission spectra and electronic structure of VO,VN, VC

The experimental K_β5 and L_α emission spectra for vanadium and K_α spectra for nonmetal are studied for vanadium monoxide, nitride and carbide. Using the spectra unfolding the experimental molecular orbital diagrams have been obtained. By the semiempirical Mulliken-Wolfsberg-Helmholz method with the self-consistency on charges and configurations the calculations of electronic structure of clusters [VO₆]^10?, [VN₆]^15? and [VC₆]^20? have been carried out. The results of calculations are compared with the X-ray data. The effects of chemical bonding and charge densities on metal atoms in VO, VN, VC are discussed.     

Effect of ordering on the structure and heat capacity of cubic vanadium carbonitrides VC<Subscript>x</Subscript>N<Subscript>y</Subscript>

Experimental results are presented on measurements of the crystal structure and heat capacity of nonstoichiometric cubic vanadium carbonitrides VC_xN_y (x + y = 0.85) in the region of disorder-order phase transitions. It is found that ordered phases V₆(C,N)₅□ and V₈(C,N)₇□ with the structures of the V₆C₅ and V₈C₇ types form in vanadium carbonitrides at a temperature of ～1100 K through the first-order phase transition mechanism. The channels of disorder-order transitions are determined. It is found that, in the nonmetal sublattice of the detected ordered phases, C and N atoms form one sublattice and structural vacancies □ form another sublattice. C and N atoms are randomly distributed in their sublattice.     

Density and temperature dependence of electron attachment to O2 molecules in helium gas

The electron attachment frequency to O₂ molecules in dense helium gas shows a sharp peak at a temperature-dependent density N_p. The shape of the peak is simply related to the energy distribution function, and gives information on the tail states.     

Disaccomodation phenomenon in Fe82B18-xCx and Fe82B18-xSix metallic glasses

The isochronal disaccomodation (DA) of the initial permeability was measured in Fe₈₂B_18-xC_x and Fe₈₂B_18-xSi_x metallic glasses in the temperature range from 77 to 600 K. An asymmetric isochronal spectrum with a single relaxation peak was observed on each studied glassy alloy. The peak shifts to the lower temperature side with increasing C content in Fe₈₂B_18-xC_x, whereas the influence of Si on the peak in Fe₈₂B_18-xSi_x is opposite to the effect of C. The kinet ic behavior of DA was examined and the activation energy spectrum was evaluated. The replacement of B by C gives rise to the reduction of the activation energy, whereas the addition of Si increases the energy. A clearly annealing effect on DA was observed on each examined alloy.     

Possible evidence for heavy-ion-induced collective electron emission from solids

A peak has been observed for the first time in the angular distributions of low energy electrons (E_c<5 eV) emitted under heavy-ion bombardment of solids. The peak energy and angle coincide with the peak energy and angle predicted recently for collective electron emission in heavy-ion-solid collisions.     

Fractional-dimensional polaron corrections in asymmetric GaAs-Ga1−xAlxAs quantum wells

Polaron effects in asymmetric GaAs-Ga_1−xAl_xAs quantum wells (QWs) are investigated within the framework of the fractional-dimensional space approach and by using second-order perturbation theory. A well-width dependence of the polaron corrections with a dip and a peak is obtained for both symmetric and asymmetric QWs. The dip and the peak occur in the case of asymmetric QWs for larger well widths than in the case of symmetric QWs. An enhancement of the contrast between the dip and the peak of the polaron energy shift is found for the case of asymmetric QWs. These results show the convenience of using asymmetric QWs instead of symmetric ones in any experimental attempt of detecting the dip and the peak of the polaron energy shift.     

The energy spectra of secondary ions emitted during ion bombardment

Secondary ion energy spectra have been measured for singly charged ions emitted from targets irradiated with 43 keV A⁺ ions. Targets studied include the 3d transition metals (Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Ni) Cu and Zn, Zr, Al and Si and the compounds SiO₂, Al₂O₃, NaCl, KCl. Energy spectra were measured in the energy range 1–600 eV. In several cases a peak in the energy spectrum in the region around 200 eV has been found. This is in addition to the usual low energy peaks in the region of 5–10 eV. In many cases the low energy peak was observed to decay steadily with irradiation time or to increase with oxygen pressure. In the case of the cleanest Zn spectrum, only the high energy peak can be detected. The data are discussed in relation to current models of secondary ion emission. We conclude that, in general, elemental metal targets which are clean are characterised by the high energy peak in the secondary ion energy spectrum. The slower ions emitted have been neutralised by electron exchange processes. The low energy peaks in unclean, partially clean, oxide coated or compound targets (NaCl, KCl) arise because the neutralisation of the slower ions is either not as efficient or is not possible. The secondary ion emission model of Blaise and Slodzian could account for the emission of ions from most targets.     

Classical trajectory calculations of the energy distribution of ejected atoms from ion bombarded single crystals

The energy distribution of particles ejected from single crystal surfaces has been calculated using classical dynamics. The model utilizes a microcrystallite of 4 layers with ~60 atoms/layer which is bombarded by 600 eV Ar⁺ at normal incidence. Calculations have been performed for the clean (100) face of copper as well as for copper with oxygen placed in various coverages and site geometries. The energy distributions for Cu, O, Cu₂, CuO and Cu₃ are reported for this system. The distribution for clean Cu exhibits structure which is shown to arise from preferred ejection mechanisms in the crystal. For oxygen adsorbates, the effect of the oxygen binding energy on the peak in the energy distribution of the ejected oxygen atoms is examined by arbitrarily varying the well-depth of the Cu-O pair potential. In general, higher values of the binding energy produce a maximum in the curve at higher energies and also produce a broader energy distribution. The O₂ and Cu₂ dimer distributions are found to peak at approximately the same energy as the O and Cu curves when compared on a kinetic energy/particle basis, although their widths are considerably smaller. Finally, we predict that the CuO energy distribution should be wider than either the Cu₂ or O₂ distributions since it results from the convolution of the Cu and O distributions which are quite different.