Hydrothermal growth and structural studies of Si(1-x)Ge(x)O2 single crystals

The substitution of germanium in the α-quartz structure is a method investigated to improve the piezoelectric properties and the thermal stability of α-quartz. Growth of α-quartz type Si(1-x)Ge(x)O(2) single crystals was performed using a temperature gradient hydrothermal method under different experimental conditions (pressure, temperature, nature of the solvent, and the nutrient). To avoid the difference of dissolution kinetics between pure SiO(2) and pure GeO(2), single phases Si(1-x)Ge(x)O(2) solid solutions were prepared and used as nutrients. The influence of the nature (cristobalite-type, glass) and the composition of this nutrient were also studied. Single crystals were grown in aqueous NaOH (0.2-1 M) solutions and in pure water. A wide range of pressures (95-280 MPa) and temperatures (315-505 °C) was investigated. Structures of single crystals with x = 0.07, 0.1, and 0.13 were refined, and it was shown that the structural distortion (i.e., θ and δ) increases with the atomic fraction of Ge in an almost linear way. Thus, the piezoelectric properties of Si(1-x)Ge(x)O(2) solid solution should increase with x, and this material could be a good candidate for technological applications requiring a high piezoelectric coupling factor or high thermal stability.     

Direct formation of Ge-C bonds from GeO(2)

Germanium dioxide in the presence of 5% KOH reacted with dimethyl carbonate (DMC) at 250 degrees C to give (MeO)(4)Ge. The reaction of GeO(2) and DMC is similar to that reported for SiO(2); however, the rate of reaction for germanium is much higher than that of the corresponding silicon reaction. In a side-by-side experiment using SiO(2) and GeO(2) where the surface area of the silicon dioxide was 2 orders of magnitude higher than that of the GeO(2), the base-catalyzed reaction with DMC was about an order of magnitude higher for the germanium dioxide. When GeO(2) and 5% KOH were reacted with DMC at 350 degrees C, two products formed: (MeO)(4)Ge (70%) and MeGe(OMe)(3) (30%). Confirmation of the identity of MeGe(OMe)(3) was by GCMS, (1)H and (13)C NMR, and comparison to an authentic sample made by reaction of MeGeCl(3) with NaOMe. Experiments to determine the mechanism of the direct formation of Ge-C from GeO(2) ruled out participation from CO, H(2), or carbon. The KOH-catalyzed reaction of other metal oxides was explored including B(2)O(3), Ga(2)O(3), TiO(2), Sb(2)O(3), SnO(2), and SnO. Boron reacted to give unknown volatile products. Antimony reacted to give a solid which analyzed as Sb(OMe)(3). SnO reacted with DMC to give a mixture that included (MeO)(4)Sn and possibly Me(3)Sn(OMe).     

New cuprates featuring ladderlike periodic arrays of [Cu3O8]10- trimeric magnetic nanostructures

A new family of cuprates, Li2Cu3(SiO3)4 (1) and Na2Cu3(GeO3)4 (2), was isolated in molten salt media. The extended lattices contain ladderlike periodic arrays of [Cu3O8]10- magnetic nanostructures. Magnetic properties of the Na2Cu3Ge(4-x)SixO12 series, where x = 0, 0.86, and 1.72, were systematically studied. The geometrically induced magnetic couplings are tunable upon cation substitution.     

Structural investigation of sol–gel derived SiO2–GeO2 noncrystalline and nanocomposite materials

Noncrystalline and nanocomposite materials of (1?x)SiO₂·xGeO₂ system, with Si:Ge ratio from 8:1 to 2:1 (x?=?0.111; 0.142; 0.2; 0.333), initially obtained by sol?Cgel method, were characterized by thermal analyses, X-ray diffraction, nuclear magnetic resonance and Raman spectroscopy. According to DTA and XRD results, the noncrystalline state of the as-prepared samples is stable up to 1,000?°C and only after 30?min heat treatment at 1,200?°C the samples become partial crystalline, due to development of cristobalite and quartz nanocrystals. Solid-state ²⁹Si MAS-NMR was employed in order to characterize the local structure around silicon as a function of composition and thermal history of the samples. The NMR data indicate the presence of Q², Q³ and Q⁴ units in all samples. The fraction of the highly interconnected SiO₄ tetrahedra increases both with germanium content and with annealing temperature. The Raman spectroscopy results evidence structural changes related to silicon- and germanium-oxygen units but also to their interconnection, that depend on Si:Ge ratio and annealing temperature.     

Structural study of ternary iron-lead-germanate glass ceramics

Glass ceramics with the composition xFe(2)O(3)·(100-x)[7GeO(2)·3PbO(2)] where 0≤x≤60 mol% were obtained and studied using XRD, FTIR and UV-vis spectroscopy investigations. Heat treatment of glass samples at 400°C for 8 h led to the formation of α, γ-PbGe(4)O(9), Pb(3)Fe(2)Ge(4)O(14) and PbO(1.44) crystalline phases. The content of these crystalline phases depends of Fe(2)O(3) concentration. FTIR spectroscopy data suggest that the lead ions have a pronounced affinity towards [GeO(5)] structural units containing non-bridging oxygens and [FeO(4)] anions producing formation of the Pb(3)Fe(2)Ge(4)O(14) crystalline phase. The introduction of low concentrations of Fe(2)O(3) into the host matrix results in the formation of new absorption UV bands between 320 and 450 nm. These bands arise from to the d-d transitions of the Fe(+3) ions. The light absorption in the range from 250 to 600 nm increases with increasing iron oxide content in matrix network, accompanied with the changes on color from white to brown yellow and darker brown.     

Gel-incorporated PbS and PbI2 single-crystals

Gel-incorporated single-crystals provide unique combinational properties of long-range order and composite structures, which is desired for semiconducting and conducting materials. However, the reported gel-incorporated single-crystals are limited to insulating crystals. Here, we examine crystals of two typical semiconductors, lead sulfide (PbS) and lead iodide (PbI2), grown from both silica gels and agarose gels. In all the four crystal-gel pairs, single-crystals of the cubic phase of PbS and the hexagonal phase of PbI2 were obtained according to the X-ray diffraction analysis. Dissolution of the gel-grown crystals exposed insoluble materials with the shape similar to the original crystals, indicative of gelincorporation inside the crystals. As such, this work creates a facile strategy to construct 3D heterostructures inside semiconducting single-crystals without destroying their long-range order.     

Structural and thermochemical chemisorption of CO2 on Li(4+x)(Si(1-x)Al(x))O4 and Li(4-x)(Si(1-x)V(x))O4 solid solutions

Different Li(4)SiO(4) solid solutions containing aluminum (Li(4+x)(Si(1-x)Al(x))O(4)) or vanadium (Li(4-x)(Si(1-x)V(x))O(4)) were prepared by solid state reactions. Samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction and solid state nuclear magnetic resonance. Then, samples were tested as CO(2) captors. Characterization results show that both, aluminum and vanadium ions, occupy silicon sites into the Li(4)SiO(4) lattice. Thus, the dissolution of aluminum is compensated by Li(1+) interstitials, while the dissolution of vanadium leads to lithium vacancies formation. Finally, the CO(2) capture evaluation shows that the aluminum presence into the Li(4)SiO(4) structure highly improves the CO(2) chemisorption, and on the contrary, vanadium addition inhibits it. The differences observed between the CO(2) chemisorption processes are mainly correlated to the different lithium secondary phases produced in each case and their corresponding diffusion properties.     

"Nanoscale zippers" in Gd5(SixGe(1-x))4: symmetry and chemical influences on the nanoscale zipping action

One critical parameter influencing the structural nature of the phase transitions in magnetocaloric materials Gd5(SixGe(1-x))4 is the Si/Ge ratio (x/1-x), because transition temperatures and structures depend crucially on this value. In this study, single-crystal X-ray diffraction indicates that Si and Ge atoms are neither completely ordered nor randomly mixed among the three crystallographic sites for these elements in these structures. Ge atoms enrich the T sites linking the characteristic slabs in these structures, while Si atoms enrich the T sites within them. Decomposition of the total energy into site and bond energy terms provides a rationale for the observed distribution, which can be explained by symmetry and electronegativity arguments. For any composition in Gd5(SixGe(1-x))4, a structure map is presented that will allow for a rapid assessment of the specific structure type.     

XANES and XPS investigations of the local structure and final-state effects in amorphous metal silicates: (ZrO2)(x)(TiO2)(y)(SiO2)(1-x-y)

Amorphous quaternary [(ZrO(2))(x)(TiO(2))(y)(SiO(2))(1-x-y)] and ternary [(ZrO(2))(x)(SiO(2))(1-x)] silicates were synthesized using a sol-gel method and examined via XPS and XANES. Metal silicates are important industrial materials, though structural characterization is complicated because of their amorphous nature. Hard (Ti K- and Zr K-edge) and soft (Ti L(2,3)-edge) X-ray XANES spectra suggest the Ti and Zr coordination numbers in the quaternary silicates remain constant as the metal identity or total metal content (x, y, or x + y in the chemical formula) is varied. XPS core-line spectra from the quaternary silicates show large decreases in Ti 2p(3/2), Zr 3d(5/2), Si 2p(3/2), and O 1s binding energies due to increasing final-state relaxation with greater next-nearest neighbour substitution of Si for less-electronegative Ti/Zr, which was confirmed by analysis of the O Auger parameter. These decreases in binding energy occur without any changes in the ground-state energies (e.g., oxidation state) of these atoms, as examined by Ti L(2,3)-edge, Si L(2,3)-edge, and O K-edge XANES. Because most spectroscopic investigations are concerned with ground-state properties, knowledge of the contributions from final-state effects is important to understand the spectra from materials of interest.     

Small gas-phase dianions of Zn3O(4)(2-), Zn4O(5)(2-), CuZn2O(4)(2-), Si2GeO(6)(2-), Ti2O(5)(2-) and Ti3O(7)(2-)

We have searched for new species of small oxygen-containing gas-phase dianions produced in a secondary ion mass spectrometer by Cs+ ion bombardment of solid samples with simultaneous exposure of their surfaces to O2 gas. The targets were a pure zinc metal foil, a copper-contaminated zinc-based coin, two silicon-germanium samples (Si(1-x)Ge(x)(with x= 6.5% or 27%)) and a piece of titanium metal. The novel dianions Zn3O(4)(2-), Zn4O(5)(2-), CuZn2O(4)(2-), Si2GeO(6)(2-), Ti2O(5)(2-) and Ti3O(7)(2-) have been observed at half-integer m/z values in the negative ion mass spectra. The heptamer dianions Zn3O(4)(2-) and Ti2O(5)(2-) have been unambiguously identified by their isotopic abundances. Their flight times through the mass spectrometer are approximately 20 micros and approximately 17 micros, respectively. The geometrical structures of the two heptamer dianions Ti2O(5)(2-), and Zn3O(4)(2-) are investigated using ab initio methods, and the identified isomers are compared to those of the novel Ge2O(5)(2-) and the known Si2O(5)(2-) and Be3O(4)(2-) dianions.     

Phase relations and crystal structures in the system Ta-V-Ge

Phase equilibria have been derived for the isothermal section of the Ta-V-Ge system at 1500 °C (for concentrations <45 at% Ge) on the basis of X-ray powder diffraction, EPMA and TEM analyses of argon arc melted alloys annealed in high vacuum at 1500 °C up to 200 hours. Four ternary phases have been identified within the isothermal section, out of which three were characterized by Rietveld refinement of X-ray powder diffraction data. τ(1)-(Ta(1-x)V(x))(5)Ge(3) (0.21 ≤ x ≤ 0.63) adopts the Mn(5)Si(3)-type and τ(2)-Ta(Ta(x)V(1-x-y)Ge(y))(2), x = 0.02, y = 0.12 was found to be a MgZn(2)-type Laves phase. Detailed transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in several crystallographic directions confirmed lattice parameters and crystal symmetry of this phase and rejected the presence of any superstructure. τ(3)-Ta(9-x+y)V(4+x-y-z)Ge(1+z), x = 0.32, y = 0.51, z = 0.98 crystallizes with the Nb(9)Co(4)Ge-type, whereas the structure of τ(4) is not yet known. Although a MgCu(2)-type cubic Laves phase is not present in the Ta-V binary at this temperature, additions of Ge stabilize this phase in the ternary system: C15-Ta(Ta(x)V(1-x-y)Ge(y))(2), x = 0.04, y = 0.05. V(11)Ge(8) (Cr(11)Ge(8) type) shows a large solubility up to (Ta(x)V(1-x))(11)Ge(8), x = 0.64 at 1500 °C.     

In situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy study of Si(1-x)Ge(x)O2 dissolution and germanium aqueous speciation under hydrothermal conditions

The dissolution of Si(1-x)Ge(x)O(2) solid solutions under hydrothermal conditions was studied by in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Experiments were performed at the Ge K-edge using a high-pressure cell mounted on the FAME beamline of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility. Spectra in both transmission and fluorescence mode were collected in isobaric conditions (100 and 150 MPa) up to 475 °C. The local atomic structure around the Ge atom was investigated as a function of the temperature and in pure water and sodium hydroxide solutions. In pure water, the solubility of the cristobalite-type Si(0.8)Ge(0.2)O(2) increases with the temperature and the Ge atom is in 4-fold coordination. In a sodium hydroxide aqueous solution, a complex between Ge and Na atoms forms and gives rise to precipitation of sodium germanates. Under these conditions, the Ge content in the solution decreases with increasing temperature. These results show that a sodium hydroxide aqueous solution, usually used for quartz crystal growth, is not suitable for Ge-containing crystals. The dissolution kinetics and phase transformation of the solid solution were studied as a function of the atomic fraction of Ge. Ge-rich solid solutions dissolve and transform to stable phases faster than Ge-poorer composition, giving rise to important variations of the Ge content in solution.     

K3[Tb(x)Eu(1-x)Ge3O8(OH)2] (x = 1, 0.88, 0.67, 0): 2D-layered lanthanide germanates with tunable photoluminescent properties

A family of novel 2D-layered lanthanide germanates K(3)[Tb(x)Eu(1-x)Ge(3)O(8)(OH)(2)] (x = 1, 0.88, 0.67, 0; denoted as TbGeO-JU-87, Tb(0.88)Eu(0.12)GeO-JU-87, Tb(0.67)Eu(0.33)GeO-JU-87, and EuGeO-JU-87) were synthesized under mild hydrothermal conditions in a concentrated gel system. They are isostructural, as confirmed by the powder X-ray diffraction analysis. The single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of EuGeO-JU-87 reveals that it is a 2D-layered [EuGe(3)O(8)(OH)(2)](n)(3n-) anionic framework, which is built up from GeO(4)H/GeO(4) tetrahedra and EuO(6) octahedra by sharing vertex O atoms. Charge neutrality is achieved by K(+) ions located in the free void space. Interestingly, photoluminescence studies show that Tb(0.88)Eu(0.12)GeO-JU-87 and Tb(0.67)Eu(0.33)GeO-JU-87 exhibit a high Tb(3+)-to-Eu(3+) energy-transfer efficiency and the Tb(x)Eu(1-x)GeO-JU-87 system displays tunable photoluminescent properties.     

利用XPS 氩离子刻蚀表征锂离子电池Si/C负极材料中含硅的活性物质

以石墨、沥青和纳米硅粉为原料制备了锂离子电池Si/C负极材料,使用SEM/ BSE 、Raman、XRD、XPS及XPS氩离子刻蚀等方法对其硅活性物质进行了具体分析。结果表明,XRD和Raman仅判断出负极材料中含有活性物质单质Si;常规XPS结果发现近一半的Si已被氧化为惰性物质SiO2;而使用XPS氩离子刻蚀方法发现负极材料中Si存在5种化学态,包括活性物质单质Si、Si2O、SiO、Si2O3,及惰性物质SiO2;定量结果表明,复合材料的硅活性物质高于96.56%,且主要结构是低价态硅氧化物,而非单质Si。XPS氩离子刻蚀的分析方法为锂离子电池负极材料中硅活性物质的研究提供了新思路。     

Synthesis and characterization of [PtIn6](GeO4)2O and its solid solution [PtIn6](GaO4)(2-x)(GeO4)xOx/2 (0 < or = x < or = 2): gradual color change of the solid solution from black (x = 0) to yellow (x = 2) as a consequence of quantum dot effect

A new phase [PtIn6](GeO4)2O, a filled variant of [PtIn6](GaO4)2, and the solid solution [PtIn6](GaO4)(2-x)(GeO4)xOx/2 (0 < or = x < or = 2) were prepared and characterized. Single-crystal structure refinements show that [PtIn6](GeO4)2O is isotypic with the mineral, sulfohalite Na6FCl(SO4)2, and crystallizes in the space group Fmm (Z = 4) with a = 1006.0(1) pm. The building units of [PtIn6](GeO4)2O are isolated [PtIn6]10+ octahedra and (GeO4)4- tetrahedra, and the isolated O2- ions occupy the centers of the In6 octahedra made up of six adjacent PtIn6 octahedra. The lattice parameter of the solid solution [PtIn6](GaO4)(2-x)(GeO4)xOx/2 (0 < or = x < or = 2) varies gradually from a = 1001.3(1) pm at x = 0 to a = 1006.0(1) pm at x = 2, and the color of the solid solution changes gradually from black (x = 0) to red (x = 1) to yellow (x = 2). The cause for the gradual color change was examined by performing density functional theory electronic structure calculations for the end members [PtIn6](GaO4)2 and [PtIn6](GeO4)2O. Our analysis indicates that an oxygen atom at the center of a In6 octahedron cuts the In 5p/In 5p bonding interactions between adjacent [PtIn6]10+ octahedra thereby raising the bottom of the conduction bands, and the resulting quantum dot effect is responsible for the color change.     

Chemical pressure and rare-earth orbital contributions in mixed rare-earth silicides La(5-x)Y(x)Si4 (0 ≤ x ≤ 5)

A crystallographic study and theoretical analysis of the structural and La/Y site preferences in the La(5-x)Y(x)Si(4) (0 ≤ x ≤ 5) series prepared by high-temperature methods is presented. At room temperature, La-rich La(5-x)Y(x)Si(4) phases with x ≤ 3.0 exhibit the tetragonal Zr(5)Si(4)-type structure (space group P4(1)2(1)2, Z = 4, Pearson symbol tP36), which contains only Si-Si dimers. On the other hand, Y-rich phases with x = 4.0 and 4.5 adopt the orthorhombic Gd(5)Si(4)-type structure (space group Pnma, Z = 4, Pearson symbol oP36), also with Si-Si dimers, whereas Y(5)Si(4) forms the monoclinic Gd(5)Si(2)Ge(2) structure (space group P2(1)/c, Z = 4, Pearson symbol mP36), which exhibits 50% "broken" Si-Si dimers. Local and long-range structural relationships among the tetragonal, orthorhombic, and monoclinic structures are discussed. Refinements from single crystal X-ray diffraction studies of the three independent sites for La or Y atoms in the asymmetric unit reveal partial mixing of these elements, with clearly different preferences for these two elements. First-principles electronic structure calculations, used to investigate the La/Y site preferences and structural trends in the La(5-x)Y(x)Si(4) series, indicate that long- and short-range structural features are controlled largely by atomic sizes. La 5d and Y 4d orbitals, however, generate distinct, yet subtle effects on the electronic density of states curves, and influence characteristics of Si-Si bonding in these phases.     

Metallic single-crystal CoSi nanowires via chemical vapor deposition of single-source precursor

We report the synthesis, structural characterization, and electrical transport properties of free-standing single-crystal CoSi nanowires synthesized via a single-source precursor route. Nanowires with diameters of 10-150 nm and lengths of greater than 10 mum were synthesized through the chemical vapor deposition of Co(SiCl(3))(CO)(4) onto silicon substrates that were covered with 1-2 nm thick SiO(2). Transmission electron microscopy confirms the single-crystal structure of the cubic CoSi. X-ray absorption and emission spectroscopy confirm the chemical identity and show the expected metallic nature of CoSi, which is further verified by room-temperature and low-temperature electrical transport measurements of nanowire devices. The average resistivity of CoSi nanowires is found to be about 510 muOmega cm. Our general and rational nanowire synthesis approach will lead to a broad class of silicide nanowires, including those metallic materials that serve as high-quality building blocks for nanoelectronics and magnetic semiconducting Fe(1-x)Co(x)Si suitable for silicon-based spintronics.     

Stability and interface quality of GeO2 films grown on Ge by atomic oxygen assisted deposition

The composition of GeO(2) films grown on Ge has been studied for different molecular deposition processes and after exposure to ambient air. The stoichiometry, the interaction with moisture, and the interfacial details of the films are shown to be dramatically process dependent.     

Synthesis, structure, and properties of BaAl2Si2

Single crystals of BaAl2Si2 were grown from an Al molten flux and characterized using single-crystal X-ray diffraction at 10 and 90 K and neutron diffraction at room temperature. BaAl2Si2 crystallizes with the alpha-BaCu2S2 structure type (Pnma), is isostructural with alpha-BaAl2Ge2, and is an open 3D framework compound, where Al and Si form a covalent cagelike network with Ba2+ cations residing in the cages. BaAl2Si2 has a unit cell of a=10.070(3) A, b=4.234(1) A, and c=10.866(3) A, as determined by room-temperature single-crystal neutron diffraction (R1=0.0533, wR2=0.1034). The structure as determined by single-crystal neutron and X-ray diffraction (10 and 90 K) indicates that BaAl2Si2 (Pnma) is strictly isostructural to other (alpha)-BaCu2S2-type structures, requiring site specificity for Al and Si. Unlike BaAl2Ge2, no evidence for an alpha to beta (BaZn2P2-type, I4/mmm) phase transition was observed. This compound shows metallic electronic resistivity and Pauli paramagnetic behavior.     

Crystal structure, coloring problem and magnetism of Gd(5-x)Zr(x)Si4

Ternary Gd(5-x)Zr(x)Si(4) silicides were synthesized by arc melting of the constituent elements and subsequent heat treatments. The Gd(5-x)Zr(x)Si(4) phases adopt the orthorhombic Gd(5)Si(4)-type (space group Pnma) structure for x≤ 0.25 and the tetragonal Zr(5)Si(4)-type (space group P4(1)2(1)2) structure for x≥ 1.0, respectively. The samples with intermediate compositions contain two phases. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction reveals a preferential site occupancy for Zr on the three metal sites in the order of M3 > M2 > M1. Size arguments based on the local coordination environments suggest that the larger Gd atoms preferentially occupy the larger M1 site, while the smaller Zr atoms tend to occupy the smaller metal sites, M2 and M3. Tight-binding linear-muffin-tin orbital calculations illustrate a role of the metal-silicon bonds in the metal site occupation. An increase in the valence electron concentration through the Zr substitution weakens the Si-Si interactions but enhances the metal-silicon and metal-metal interactions. The Curie temperature of Gd(5-x)Zr(x)Si(4) decreases gradually with the increasing Zr content.