Multilayer x-ray mirrors based on W/B 4 C with ultrashort (d = 0.7–1.5 nm) periods

A method using resonance diffuse x-ray scattering has been developed to investigate the properties of multilayer structures composed of ultrathin films. Multilayer structures W/B ₄ C with ultra-short periods (d=0.7–1.5 nm) have been studied using specular and diffuse x-ray scattering. The contributions of the interface roughness and the mixing of the layer materials to the total width of the transition region between the layers have been separated for these structures. Quasi-Bragg peaks in the diffuse scattering spectra have been observed experimentally, and their analysis has shown that the interface roughnesses in multilayer W/B ₄ C structures are correlated well.     

Phenomenological description of strain relief in step-graded metamorphic buffer layers based on In<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Al<Subscript>1 − <Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>As ternary solutions

Spatial distributions of the residual elastic strains in layers of step-graded metamorphic buffers of two different designs, grown via molecular beam epitaxy on the basis of In _x Al_{1 ? x} As ternary solutions, are obtained by means of reciprocal space mapping. It is shown that with allowance for work hardening, which affects strain relief in buffer layers and increases the strain in dislocation-free layers, the mechanism of strain relief in the final buffer steps, and the residual elastic strain in a buffer dislocation-free layer, are governed by the same phenomenological law as in a single-layer heterostructure.     

Si layer transfer to InP substrate using low-temperature wafer bonding

Using a low-temperature wafer bonding process, InP substrates are bonded to silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrates at 220 °C. A combination of oxygen plasma and chemical treatment results in a direct contact bonding at room temperature. After the bonding process at 220 °C for 45 min, removal of the Si handle substrate by sacrificial etching of the buried oxide layer in SOI, results in a thin membrane of Si robustly bonded to InP. The thin Si membrane bonded to InP shows uniformly bonded interface under high-resolution electron microscopy. Micro-Raman analysis has also been carried out to study the bonded interface. I-V characteristics of the bonded structures suggest that such bonding and layer transfer processes are suitable for device integration.     

Electronic states and vibration spectra of CdTe/ZnTe quantum dot superlattices

Electronic and vibrational states in CdTe/ZnTe quantum dot superlattices are studied using optical spectroscopy techniques (photoluminescence in a wide temperature range, IR reflection, and Raman scattering). The effect of the ZnTe barrier layer thickness on the luminescence spectra of the structures is discussed. The luminescence from electronically coupled islands is assumed to be due to spatially indirect excitons because of the specific features of the CdTe/ZnTe heterostructure band structure. A combination of quantum-dot vibrational modes, which has not been observed earlier, is detected in the Raman spectra. Analysis of the lattice IR reflection spectra shows that, in the case of large barrier thicknesses between the quantum-dot planes, elastic stresses are concentrated in the Zn_1?xCd_xTe layers, whereas in structures with lower barrier thicknesses the elastic-strain distribution exhibits a more complicated pattern.     

Photochemically induced burning of a spectral line in infrared reflection spectra of silicates

The change in IR reflection spectra of natural silicates caused by exposure of the surface of these materials to pulsed radiation of a CO₂ laser (P=10⁷ W/cm²,τ _p =200 ns) was investigated. Burning of a line in the IR reflection spectra in the vicinity of 10.6µm was observed. This burning of a line is attributed to laser-induced selective sublimation of Si-O groups from the silicates. The phenomenon of selective sublimation of silicon dioxide from the silicates was confirmed by x-ray electron-microprobe analysis of laser-irradiated samples.     

Broadband ferromagnetic resonance studies on influence of interface bonding on magnetoeletric effects in ferrite-ferroelectric composites

A systematic study has been carried out on the effects of interface bonding on the strain mediated magnetoelectric (ME) coupling in ferromagnetic-ferroelectric bilayers. The technique used involves the static electric field E tuning of the ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) in yttrium iron garnet (YIG) and lead zirconate titanate (PZT) or lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate (PMN-PT). A broad band detection technique has been developed for studies over 1?C40 GHz in three types of bilayers: epoxy bonded, eutectic bonded and YIG films directly grown onto piezoelectric substrate by electrophoretic deposition. The strength A of the converse ME effect (CME) defined as the ratio of the frequency shift ??f in FMR in E, A = ??f/E, varies over the range 0.8 to 4.3 MHz??cm/kV, and is the highest for eutectic bonded samples and is the weakest for epoxy bonded bilayers. The results presented here as of importance for dual electric and magnetic field tunable ferrite-ferroelectric microwave resonators and filters.     

Finite strain stress fields near the tip of an interface crack between a soft incompressible elastic material and a rigid substrate

We present a numerical study of finite strain stress fields near the tip of an interface crack between a rigid substrate and an incompressible hyperelastic solid using the finite element method (FEM). The finite element (FE) simulations make use of a remeshing scheme to overcome mesh distortion. Analyses are carried out by assuming that the crack tip is either pinned, i.e., the elastic material is perfectly bonded (no slip) to the rigid substrate, or the crack lies on a frictionless interface. We focus on a material which hardens exponentially. To explore the effect of geometric constraint on the near tip stress fields, simulations are carried out under plane stress and plane strain conditions. For both the frictionless interface and the pinned crack under plane stress deformation, we found that the true stress field directly ahead of the crack tip is dominated by the normal opening stress and the crack face opens up smoothly. This is also true for an interface crack along a frictionless boundary in plane strain deformation. However, for a pinned interface crack under plane strain deformation, the true opening normal stress is found to be lower than the shear stress and the transverse normal stress. Also, the crack opening profile for a pinned crack under plane strain deformation is completely different from those seen in plane stress and in plane strain (frictionless interface). The crack face flips over and the tip angle is almost tangential to the interface. Our results suggest that interface friction can play a very important role in interfacial fracture of soft materials on hard substrates.     

Structural self-organization, domain structure, and magnetic characteristics of manganites of the La-Sr-Mn-Ti-Ni-O system

The structure and phase composition of La_0.65Sr_0.35Mn_{1 ? x ? y} Ni_xTi_yO₃ manganites (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.3; 0 ≤ x + y ≤ 0.3) obtained by solid-state reactions in air are studied by x-ray diffraction. All the samples are single-phase materials and have an orthorhombic or pseudocubic structure, depending on the chemical composition and the sintering temperature. The saturation magnetization and the temperature dependences of the magnetic susceptibility are measured. The magnetic structure of manganites is characterized by the existence of inhomogeneities in the form of ring domains or drops whose size is in the range 30–100 μm. A study of the surface by scanning tunneling microscopy reveals the occurrence of ring, spiral, or lamellar structures with a characteristic size of the order of 10 nm. A possible approach to the interpretation of the obtained experimental results based on the concept of self-organization processes leading to the segregation of ion pairs and the formation of elastic concentration domains is discussed.     

n-Si/SiGe quantum cascade structures for THz emission

In this work we report on modeling the electron transport in n-Si/SiGe structures. The electronic structure is calculated within the effective-mass complex-energy framework, separately for perpendicular (X_z) and in-plane (X_xy) valleys, the degeneracy of which is lifted by strain, and additionally by size quantization. The transport is described via scattering between quantized states, using the rate equations approach and tight-binding expansion, taking the coupling with two nearest-neighbour periods. The acoustic phonon, optical phonon, alloy and interface roughness scattering are taken in the model. The calculated U/I dependence and gain profiles are presented for a couple of QC structures.     

Strain localisation in granular media

This paper discusses strain localisation in granular media by presenting experimental, full-field analysis of mechanical tests on sand, both at a continuum level, as well as at the grain scale. At the continuum level, the development of structures of localised strain can be studied. Even at this scale, the characteristic size of the phenomena observed is in the order of a few grains. In the second part of this paper, therefore, the development of shear bands within specimen of different sands is studied at the level of the individual grains, measuring grains kinematics with x-ray tomography. The link between grain angularity and grain rotation within shear bands is shown, allowing a grain-scale explanation of the difference in macroscopic residual stresses for materials with different grain shapes. Finally, rarely described precursors of localisation, emerging well before the stress peak are observed and commented.     

Anisotropic strain effects on light emission characteristics of CdZnO/ZnO quantum well structures

Anisotropic strain effects by strain relaxation on TE-polarized light emission characteristics of c-plane CdZnO/ZnO quantum well (QW) structures were theoretically investigated by using the multiband effective-mass theory. The CdZnO/ZnO QW structure with anisotropic strain has much larger emission intensity than conventional CdZnO/ZnO QW structure without the strain relaxation. In the case of the strain relaxation along x(or y)-direction, the x(or y)-polarized light emission is observed to be larger than the x(or y)-polarized light emission. In particular, in the case of the strain relaxation along both x- and y-directions, the increase in the spontaneous emission peak is significant. This can be explained by the fact that the internal field is reduced owing to the decrease in the piezoelectric field by the strain relaxation.     

Specific features of the electronic band structure and x-ray spectra of boron nitride in sphalerite and wurtzite modifications

The electronic band structure of boron nitride compounds with crystal lattices of the sphalerite (c-BN) and wurtzite (w-BN) types is calculated by the local coherent potential method in the cluster muffin-tin approximation within the framework of the multiple scattering theory. The local partial densities of 2p states for boron and nitrogen in c-BN and w-BN modifications are compared with the experimental boron and nitrogen K x-ray emission spectra and band-structure calculations. A comparison of the total densities of states in c-BN and w-BN with the x-ray photoelectron spectra and the band calculations has revealed both similarities and differences in the electronic structures of these modifications. The fine structure in the vicinity of the valence band top of boron nitride in different crystal modifications is theoretically calculated for the first time. The specific features of the electronic structure and the x-ray spectra of boron nitride in different modifications are discussed.     

First-order phase transition in potassium dysprosium tungstate induced by the field renormalization and softening of the elastic moduli in the vicinity of a structural Jahn-Teller-type transition

The magnetostriction of KDy(WO₄)₂ single crystals is measured in an external magnetic field at temperatures below the temperature of a structural phase transition of the Jahn-Teller type. A steplike irreversible variation in the elastic strain is observed to occur with an increase in the magnetic field applied along the a or b axis of the monoclinic cell of the crystal. The residual change in the strain is retained after changing the sign of the magnetic field. The return to the initial state characterized by field-induced jumps in the strain is possible only after thermal cycling well above the structural phase transition temperature. The theory of this phenomenon is developed using a phenomenologically derived thermodynamic potential of the elastic sub-system that takes into account the crystal symmetry and the field renormalization of the elastic moduli. The jumplike transitions are interpreted as being due to the magnetic softening of the elastic moduli in the vicinity of the structural phase transition temperature.     

Electronic band structure and x-ray spectra of boron nitride polytypes

The electronic band structures of boron nitride crystal modifications of the graphite (h-BN), wurtzite (w-BN), and sphalerite (c-BN) types are calculated using the local coherent potential method in the cluster muffin-tin approximation within the framework of the multiple scattering theory. The specific features of the electronic band structure of 2H, 4H, and 3C boron nitride polytypes are compared with those of experimental x-ray photoelectron, x-ray emission, and K x-ray absorption spectra of boron and nitrogen. The features of the experimental x-ray spectra of boron nitride in different crystal modifications are interpreted. It is demonstrated that the short-wavelength peak revealed in the total densities of states (TDOS) in the boron nitride polytypes under consideration can be assigned to the so-called outer collective band formed by 2p electrons of boron and nitrogen atoms. The inference is made that the decrease observed in the band gap when changing over from wurtzite and sphalerite to hexagonal boron nitride is associated with the change in the coordination number of the components, which, in turn, leads to a change in the energy location of the conduction band bottom in the crystal.     

Isotope shift in Ni I and changes in mean-square nuclear charge radii of the stable Ni isotopes

The isotope shift in the Ni I spectrum was studied in 17 lines for all stable isotopes by means of a photoelectric recording Fabry-Perot spectrometer with digital data processing. The measured isotope shifts were separated into mass shift and field shift by comparing the optical isotope shift with model-independent δ〈r ²〉 values derived from a combined elastic electron scattering and muonic x-ray data analysis. The ratios of the observed field shifts in different types of transitions could be explained quantitatively by Hartree-Fock calculations. The relative changes in mean-square nuclear charge radii were found to be: [58, 60] 1.293(15); [60, 62]1; [62, 64] 0.641(16); [60, 61] 0.382(9). The absolute value δ〈r ²〉^60,62=0.170(35) fm² was derived using fine structure as well as hyperfine structure data for the determination of the change in the electron charge density at the nucleus in 4s-4p transitions.     

Scattering and reactions of 14C + 14C and 14C + 14C

We have studied elastic scattering, inelastic scattering and several transfer channels of the systems ¹⁴C + ¹⁴C and ¹⁴C + ¹²C over a wide range of energies up to E_c.m. = 35 eMeV and 32 MeV, respectively. The reaction channels were identified by means of kinematic coincidences between solid-state detectors, γγ coincidences were measured to determine cross sections for mutual inelastic scattering of ¹⁴C + ¹⁴C.Pronounced regular gross structures, similar to those found for ¹⁶O + ¹⁶O, are observed in the elastic excitation function of ¹⁴C + ¹⁴C at θ_c.m. = 90°, The angular distributions measured at the energies of the maxima and an optical-model analysis suggest that one or a few surface partial waves dominate the scattering behaviour. Correlated structure of narrower width is found in the inelastic channels and, to a lesser degree, in the transfer channels which appear with rather small cross sections.In ¹⁴C + ¹²C elastic scattering the gross structures are strongly fragmented, in contrast to ¹⁴C + ¹⁴C but similar to ¹²C + ¹²C. While the ¹²C(2⁺) excitation is very weak, the observed strengths of the ¹⁴C(3^?) excitation and of neutron transfer point to a substantial role of these channels as coupling partners to the elastic configuration and to their influence on the elastic scattering behaviour. A correlated intermediate structure is observed near 23.5 MeV, where a dominance of l = 18 is suggested by the elastic scattering angular distribution. This unexpectedly high l-value exceeds l_graz at this energy by at least two units of ?.     

Embedded silicon nanocrystal interface structure and strain

The structure of nanocrystal-matrix interface and strain in embedded nanocrystals are studied using large-scale atomistic simulations, with the examples of Si nanocrystal embedded in amorphous matrix of SiO₂. Photoluminescence from silicon nanocrystals embedded in a dielectric matrix like SiO₂ and Si₃N₄ are promising for Si-based optical devices. The nanocrystal-matrix interface plays a crucial role in understanding its optical and electrical properties. Nanocrystals with diameters varying from 2.17 to 4.56 nm are studied. A detailed quantitative analysis of the variation of Si/SiO₂ interface structure and strain distribution with nanocrystal diameter is reported. A linear variation of the interface width with nanocrystal diameter is observed with thinner interfaces for larger nanocrystals. Local deformation analysis reveals that the smaller nanocrystals are highly strained, whereas the strain in the larger ones shifts to the interface. This is in accordance with observed increase in total percentage of defect states in the interface from 39 to 70% for diameter increasing from 2.17 to 4.56 nm. Moreover, based on the atomic arrangements at the interface, optically active defects like Pb centres, E centres and non-bridging oxygen centres are identified and a dominance of Pb centres is observed for all the nanocrystals. The detailed structural characterization-related investigations using the proposed simulation approach will find useful application in designing system-level response of embedded nanocrystals and also to correlate various experimental observations.     

The origin of an elastic line in the L 3 x-ray emission spectrum of metallic manganese

A strong elastic line has been found in the L ₃ x-ray emission spectrum of metallic Mn. To unravel its physical nature, the ground-state properties of α-Mn were studied in comparison with those of 3d metals (Cr and Fe in bcc structure), as well as the properties of the L ₃ absorption final states of these three transition metals. To model the electronic structure, LSDA band-structure calculations of Cr, Mn, and Fe were carried out, and L ₃ absorption spectra of these metals were computed in the atomic approximation. A joint analysis of the properties of the ground state and of the final absorption state excited by an x-ray-produced core hole suggests that the elastic line in the α-Mn spectra should be assigned to the specific character of the absorption final-state multiplet.     

Emission and elastic strain in InAs dot-in-a well InGaAs/GaAs structures

The paper presents the photoluminescence (PL) study of InAs quantum dots (QDs) embedded in the asymmetric GaAs/In_xGa_1?xAs/In_0.15Ga_0.85As/GaAs quantum wells (QWs) with the different compositions of capping In_xGa_1?xAs layers. The composition of the buffer In_0.15Ga_0.85As layer was the same in all studied QD structures, but the In content (parameter x) in the capping In_xGa_1?xAs layers varied within the range 0.10–0.25. The In concentration (x) increase in the In_xGa_1?xAs capping layers is accompanied by the variation non-monotonously of InAs QD emission: PL intensity and peak positions. To understand the reasons of PL variation, the PL temperature dependences and X ray diffraction (XRD) have been investigated. It was revealed that the level of elastic deformation (elastic strain) and the Ga/In interdiffusion at the In_xGa_1?xAs/InAs QD interface are characterized by the non-monotonous dependences versus parameter x. The physical reasons for the non-monotonous variation of the elastic strains and PL parameters in studied QD structures have been discussed.     

Phase transition effects in polycrystalline Hg<Subscript>2</Subscript>Br<Subscript>2</Subscript> samples

The effects accompanying the ferroelastic phase transition in Hg₂Br₂ polycrystalline samples are compared in an x-ray diffraction study with similar effects observed to occur in Hg₂Br₂ single crystals. In particular, an analysis is made of the “orthorhombic” splitting of the basal plane reflections and the behavior with temperature of the Bragg and diffuse reflections from the X points of the Brillouin zone, which characterize the behavior of the order parameter and its fluctuations, respectively. Polycrystalline samples exhibit strong smearing of the phase transition effects originating from the existence of damaged surface layers and elastic and plastic strain fields which induce order parameter fluctuations over a wide temperature range.