Electrical properties of composites based on polystyrene with hybrid silicon dioxide particles

Composites based on polysterene and hybrid core-shell nanoparticles are studied; the nanoparticle core consists of silicon dioxide, and ethylphenylic groups (organic shell) are grafted to the core surface. It is shown that the permittivity, the volume resistivity, the thermostimulated depolarization current spectra, and the glass transition temperature of these materials depend on the nanofiller content and, what is more important, the nanofiller distribution over the polymer volume in the form of particles or their aggregates.     

Electrical and optical properties of thin film of amorphous silicon nanoparticles

Electrical and optical properties of thin film of amorphous silicon nanoparticles (a-Si) are studied. Thin film of silicon is synthesized on glass substrate under an ambient gas (Ar) atmosphere using physical vapour condensation system. We have employed Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) to study the morphology and microstructure of this film. It is observed that this silicon film contains almost spherical nanoparticles with size varying between 10 and 40 nm. The average surface roughness is about 140 nm as evident from the AFM image. X-ray diffraction analysis is also performed. The XRD spectrum does not show any significant peak which indicates the amorphous nature of the film. To understand the electrical transport phenomena, the temperature dependence of dc conductivity for this film is studied over a temperature range of (300-100 K). On the basis of temperature dependence of dc conductivity, it is suggested that the conduction takes place via variable range hopping (VRH). Three-dimensional Mott's variable range hopping (3D VRH) is applied to explain the conduction mechanism for the transport of charge carriers in this system. Various Mott's parameters such as density of states, degree of disorder, hopping distance, hopping energy are estimated. In optical properties, we have studied Fourier transform infra-red spectra and the photoluminescence of this amorphous silicon thin film. It is found that these amorphous silicon nanoparticles exhibits strong Si-O-Si stretching mode at 1060 cm⁻¹, which suggests that the large amount of oxygen is adsorbed on the surface of these a-Si nanoparticles. The photoluminescence observed from these amorphous silicon nanoparticles has been explained with the help of oxygen related surface state mechanism.     

Nonlinear optical properties of composites based on conductive metal-alkanoate liquid crystals

The dynamic holography in new composite materials based on a novel class of metal-alkanoate ionic liquid crystals (ILCs) is studied experimentally and theoretically. The composites are formed as a dielectric dye film covered by lyotropic metal-alkanoate ILC and ionic smectic glasses with doped dye molecules. The dynamic gratings are created by nanosecond pulses of double frequency Nd:YAP laser, the recording demonstrates fast erasure time of residual thermal gratings. The nonlinear optical properties are determined by the resonance nonlinearity in photosensitive centres of ILC. Note, that permanent relief gratings will be formed on a dielectric dye film only as well as in composite cells either with nematic LC or with polymers under action of pulsed laser radiation. Lyotropic ILC layer applied over the dye film provides the dynamic regime of grating recording in composite cells. We found a secondary thermal grating is much smaller, the conductive ILC matrix provides effective heat dissipation and erasure of this thermal grating. A theory of Raman-Nath self-diffraction holography on thin films followed from the wave equation and the nonlinear mechanism of absorption saturation is developed to explain experimental results.     

Effect of annealing on structural, optical and electrical properties of ZnS/porous silicon composites

ZnS films were prepared by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on porous silicon (PS) substrates. This paper investigates the effect of annealing temperature on the structural, morphological, optical and electrical properties of ZnS/PS composites by x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), photoluminescence (PL) and I--V characteristics. It is found that the ZnS films deposited on PS substrates were grown in preferred orientation along β-ZnS (111) direction, and the intensity of diffraction peak increases with increasing annealing temperature, which is attributed to the grain growth and the enhancement of crystallinity of ZnS films. The smooth and uniform surface of the as-prepared ZnS/PS composite becomes rougher through annealing treatment, which is related to grain growth at the higher annealing temperature. With the increase of annealing temperature, the intensity of self-activated luminescence of ZnS increases, while the luminescence intensity of PS decreases, and a new green emission located around 550~nm appeared in the PL spectra of ZnS/PS composites which is ascribed to the defect-center luminescence of ZnS. The I--V characteristics of ZnS/PS heterojunctions exhibited rectifying behavior, and the forward current increases with increasing annealing temperature.     

Doping of amorphous silicon by ion implantation: Electrical,optical and photoelectrical properties

Results of electrical, optical and photoelectrical properties of a-Si and a-Si(H) doped by means of ion implantation of Ga and N respectively show that the hydrogenated Si can be doped with higher efficiency. Ga seems to be built in the amorphous network as an acceptor and N in the form of (Si-N)_x complexes.We thank Drs. Koc, Vorlíek, Krasnopevcev and Gregora for stimulating discussions and Mrs lová and Miss Håjková for technical assistence.     

The effect of annealing on structural,optical and electrical properties of ZnS/porous silicon composites

ZnS films were prepared by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on porous silicon (PS) substrates. This paper investigates the effect of annealing temperature on the structural, morphological, optical and electrical properties of ZnS/PS composites by x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), photoluminescence (PL) and I–V characteristics. It is found that the ZnS films deposited on PS substrates were grown in preferred orientation along β-ZnS (111) direction, and the intensity of diflraction peak increases with increasing annealing temperature, which is attributed to the grain growth and the enhancement of crystallinity of ZnS films. The smooth and uniform surface of the as-prepared ZnS/PS composite becomes rougher through annealing treatment, which is related to grain growth at the higher annealing temperature. With the increase of annealing temperature,the intensity of self-activated luminescence of ZnS increases, while the luminescence intensity of PS decreases, and a new green emission located around 550 nm appeared in the PL spectra of ZnS/PS composites which is ascribed to the defect-center luminescence of ZnS. The I-V characteristics of ZnS/PS heterojunctions exhibited rectifying behavior, and the forward current increases with increasing annealing temperature.     

Effects of post-thermal annealing temperature on the optical and structural properties of gold particles on silicon suboxide films

In this work, silicon suboxide (SiO_x) thin films were deposited using a RF magnetron sputtering system. A thin layer of gold (Au) with a thickness of about 10 nm was sputtered onto the surface of the deposited SiO_x films prior to the thermal annealing process at 400 °C, 600 °C, 800 °C and 1000 °C. The optical and structural properties of the samples were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and optical transmission and reflection spectroscopy. SEM analyses demonstrated that the samples annealed at different temperatures produced different Au particle sizes and shapes. SiO_x nanowires were found in the sample annealed at 1000 °C. Au particles induce the crystallinity of SiO_x thin films in the post-thermal annealing process at different temperatures. These annealed samples produced silicon nanocrystallites with sizes of less than 4 nm, and the Au nanocrystallite sizes were in the range of 7-23 nm. With increased annealing temperature, the bond angle of the Si-O bond increased and the optical energy gap of the thin films decreased. The appearance of broad surface plasmon resonance absorption peaks in the region of 590-740 nm was observed due to the inclusion of Au particles in the samples. The results show that the position and intensity of the surface plasmon resonance peaks can be greatly influenced by the size, shape and distribution of Au particles.     

Electrical properties of indium implanted silicon

Electrical conductivity and Hall effect were measured from 100° to 278°K as a function of layer removal to determine the indium ionization energy and the presence of compensating centers resulting from the implantation of indium into silicon. The implants were fully annealed to reduce the influence of radiation damage. For comparison, similar measurements were performed on silicon shallow diffused with indium. Differential analysis methods were used to compute carrier concentration, mobility, and resistivity for the stripped layers. In addition, Hall measurements were performed on silicon uniformly doped with indium. In all three cases an indium energy level of 160 meV was observed. Mobility plots versus temperature were also consistent. However, significant compensation effects were noticed in the implants.     

Thermodielectric properties of polymer composites based on CuO-covered Cu particles in high-pressure polyethylene

An artificial nanocomposite medium made by embedding copper nanoparticles covered by copper oxide in a high-pressure polyethylene matrix is studied. Pioneering experiments are reported aimed at finding the temperature dependences of its insulating properties, dielectric relaxation time, and activation energy for polarization relaxation. The measurements are taken at a variable signal applied to the composite.     

Study on a vapor sensor based on the optical properties of porous silicon microcavities

In this paper, we set up a sensing model of PSMs (porous silicon microcavities) by applying the Bruggeman effective medium approximation theory and the transfer matrix method. In addition, we explain in detail the adsorption characteristics of porous silicon. Finally, using an experimental setup to measure the reflectivity spectrum of PSMs when the sensor is exposed to different organic vapors, the experimental results prove that it is a feasible optical sensor for the detection of organic species. Resolution of the PSMs sensor is high, response time and resume time is short and repetition is good.      

Electrical and optical properties of chalcopyrite compounds

Optical and electrical properties of Zn- and Cd-modified Cu₂SnSe₄ amorphous films have been studied. The results show that Zn and Cd incorporation decreases the thermal activation energy, the pre-exponential factor and the optical gap. Variation in the refractive index and extinction coefficient with the wavelength has been also reported. The relations between the optical gap and the chemical composition in the investigated films have been discussed in terms of the average heat of atomization. The effect of γ-radiation up to 71.25 Mrad dose on the optical gap was also studied.     

Electrical and optical properties of transition-metal oxides

Abstract

Transition-metal oxides can be insulators, semiconductors, metals, or undergo semiconductor-metal transitions. The nonmetallic materials are characterized by a primarily localized optical spectrum but a band-like electrical conductivity. However, a pure band approach predicts metallic rather than nonmetallic behavior, and so cannot be used without serious modification. Agreement with the optical and electrical results can be obtained by requiring the d electrons to be almost completely localized. The primarily p-type semiconduction which occurs must then take place in the 2p band associated with the oxygen ions. A method for representing the strongly-correlated localized levels on an effective one-electron density-of-states diagram is discussed.     

Fracture of composites based on polyethylene and elastic particles

The composites based on low-density polyethylene with elastomer filling particles are studied. A fracture mechanism induced by the fracture of filler particles or their separation from the matrix polymer is revealed. The fracture of the composites is caused by the growth of formed rhombic pores. The natural relative elongation in a neck is shown to be an important characteristic of a polymer. If the relative elongation in a neck is lower than the strain of appearance of rhombic pores, they form at the stage of uniform tension after necking, and the composite remains plastic. If the relative elongation in a neck is higher than the strain of formation of rhombic pores, they nucleate during necking, and the material undergoes quasi-brittle fracture. Good adhesion between the matrix polymer and elastic particles hinders the appearance of rhombic pores in a neck and, thus, retains high deformation properties of the composites.     

Electrical properties of surface functionalized silicon nanoparticles

The present study relates to the applicability of silicon nanoparticles as basic component in printing inks for the fabrication of printable electronic devices. It is systematically investigated, how the surface functionalization of silicon nanoparticles with 1-alkenes affects the electrical properties of thin films made of them. Therefore, films of as-prepared silicon nanoparticles with a size of 42 nm as well as freshly etched ones, both terminated with hydrogen, are compared with films of silicon nanoparticles functionalized with n-octene, n-dodecene, allylmercaptan, and allylamine, respectively. It is found, that the activation energy of the electron transport through the films is in the range of 0.5 eV and scales with the polarity of the functionalization.     

Electrical properties of plastically deformed silicon crystals

The influence of the nature of the interaction of deformation and impurity defects on the scattering of majority carriers is investigated in silicon single crystals. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 1816–1817 (October 1998)     

Enhanced optical nonlinearity based on silicon ring

The photoelectron spectrum of ethylene is studied using coupled cluster methods, including an existing ambiguity in what are reported to be its experimental vertical ionization potentals. Two complementary methods are used for generating the ionization potentials: δE CCSD(T) and IP-EOM-CCSD. The adiabatic IP of the neutral molecule in the ground state is well known and widely accepted to be 10.5122eV. The basis set extrapolated adiabatic IPS with zero-point corrections are 10.46 eV and 10.56 eV, respectively, but a vibronic coupling between the ground state cation and its first excited state can reduce these values by ～0.03 eV. From an exponential basis set extrapolation the vertical ionization potentials are predicted to be 10.8 eV (B_3u, 13.2eV (B_3g 15.0eV (A_g), 16.4eV (B_2u), and 19.6eV (B_1u) ±0.1 eV.     

Electrical and optical properties of nanowires based solar cell with radial p-n junction

In our studies the absorption, transmittance and reflectance spectra for periodic nanostructures with different parameters were calculated by the FDTD (Finite-Difference Time-Domain) method. It is shown that the proportion of reflected light in periodic structures is smaller than in case of thin films. The experimental results showed the light reflectance in the spectral range of 400–900 nm lower than 1% and it was significantly lower in comparison with surface texturing by pyramids or porous silicon.Silicon nanowires on p-type Si substrate were formed by the Metal-Assisted Chemical Etching method (MacEtch). At solar cells with radial p-n junction formation the thermal diffusion of phosphorus has been used at 790 °C. Such low temperature ensures the formation of an ultra-shallow p-n junction. Investigation of the photoelectrical properties of solar cells was carried out under light illumination with an intensity of 100 mW/cm². The obtained parameters of NWs' solar cell were I_sc = 22 mA/cm², U_oc = 0.62 V, FF = 0.51 for an overall efficiency η = 7%. The relatively low efficiency of obtained SiNWs solar cells is attributed to the excessive surface recombination at high surface areas of SiNWs and high series resistance.     

Electronic and optical properties of single-layered silicon sheets

The electronic and optical properties of a number of single-layered silicon sheets are investigated using density functional calculations. The energy bands of silicon sheets are found to possess direct gaps and thus facilitate the material’s potential applications in optoelectronics. Bridging one-dimensional silicon chains and three-dimensional bulk silicon, two-dimensional single-layered silicon sheets present unique dimension and orientation dependencies of band structures and imaginary dielectric functions, which offer tunable band gaps and peaks in the dielectric functions associated with symmetry breaking and quantum confinement. Our study is expected to facilitate the understanding of general low-dimensional materials and their applications.     

First-principles optical properties of silicon and germanium nanowires

In this work we study the optical properties of hydrogen-passivated, free-standing silicon and germanium nanowires, oriented along the [1 0 0], [1 1 0], [1 1 1] directions with diameters up to about 1.5 nm, using ab-initio techniques. In particular, we show how the electronic gap depends on wire’s size and orientation; such behaviour has been described in terms of quantum confinement and anisotropy effects, related to the quasi one-dimensionality of nanowires. The optical properties are analyzed taking into account different approximations: in particular, we show how the many-body effects, namely self-energy, local field and excitonic effects, strongly modify the single particle spectra. Further, we describe the differences in the optical spectra of silicon and germanium nanowires along the [1 0 0] direction, as due to the different band structures of the corresponding bulk compounds.     

Electrical and optical analyses of Er-doped silicon grown by liquid-phase epitaxy

We have studied the deep levels present in Er-doped silicon epilayers grown by the liquid-phase epitaxy method by deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) and optical DLTS, in order to identify the majority and minority carrier traps and a possible correlation between these traps and the observed photoluminescence (PL) and cathodoluminescence (CL) spectra. Capacitance–voltage analyses have been performed to analyze uniformity and depth distribution of the existing traps and marked differences have been observed between the luminescent and non-luminescent materials.The PL and depth resolved CL revealed the presence of dislocation-related emission lines which can possibly be correlated to the broadened peaks observed in DLTS analyses of luminescent material.