Thermal stability of nanoscale silver metallization in Ag/W/Co/Si(1 0 0) multilayer

In this work, we have studied thermal stability of nanoscale Ag metallization and its contact with CoSi₂ in heat-treated Ag(50 nm)/W(10 nm)/Co(10 nm)/Si(1 0 0) multilayer fabricated by sputtering method. To evaluate thermal stability of the systems, heat-treatment was performed from 300 to 900 °C in an N₂ ambient for 30 min. All the samples were analyzed by four-point-probe sheet resistance measurement (R_s), Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Based on our data analysis, no interdiffiusion, phase formation, and R_s variation was observed up to 500 °C in which the Ag layer showed a (1 1 1) preferred crystallographic orientation with a smooth surface and R_s of about 1 Ω/□. At 600 °C, a sharp increase of R_s value was occurred due to initiation of surface agglomeration, WSi₂ formation, and interdiffusion between the layers. Using XRD spectra, CoSi₂ formed at the Co/Si interface preventing W silicide formation at 750 and 800 °C. Meantime, RBS analysis showed that in this temperature range, the W acts as a cap layer, so that we have obtained a W encapsulated Ag/CoSi₂ contact with a smooth surface. At 900 °C, the CoSi₂ layer decomposed and the layers totally mixed. Therefore, we have shown that in Ag/W/Co/Si(1 0 0) multilayer, the Ag nano-layer is thermally stable up to 500 °C, and formation of W-capped Ag/CoSi₂ contact with R_s of 2 Ω/□ has been occurred at 750-800 °C.     

Thee + e −→¯nn cross section predicted remarkably larger than thee + e −→¯pp one

It is shown that all global analyses of nucleon electromagnetic form factor data predict the electron-positron annihilation into neutron-antineutron cross section (for which there are no data till now) to be in a finite energy region substantially larger than the electron-positron annihilation into the proton-antiproton one.Dedicated to the memory of M. Gmitro.     

Interference of circularly polarized light: contrast and application in fabrication of three-dimensional periodic microstructures

The contrast of interference pattern formed by two circularly polarized waves and by a linearly polarized wave and a circularly polarized one is discussed. The results are compared with that by two linear beams. It shows that the use of circular light in holographic fabrication of three-dimensional periodic microstructures may remove the necessity of beam ratio and polarization optimization needed in the interference of three linear noncoplanar beams and improve the uniform contrast of resultant pattern simultaneously.     

J-aggregates of pseudoisocyanine with long alkyl substituents in thin films: Synthesis, spectral properties, and thermal stability

The formation and properties of J-aggregates in thin solid films of pseudoisocyanines with long N-alkyl groups, obtained by centrifuging from solutions in organic solvents, were studied. It is shown for the first time that nonsymmetric cyanine dyes, containing a C₂H₅ group at one nitrogen atom and a C₁₀H₂₁, C₁₅H₃₁, or C₁₈H₃₇ group at another nitrogen atom, spontaneously form J-aggregates stable at room temperature and pressing a narrow absorption band with a half-width at half maximum of 200 cm^?1. The thermal stability of J-aggregates in thin films of pseudoisocyanines with alkyl substituents decreases in the following order: C₂H₅-C₂H₅> C₂H₅-C₆H₁₃>C₂H₅-C₁₈H₃₇>C₂H₅-C₁₀H₂₁>C₂H₅-C₁₅H₃₁. By introducing 1-octadecyl-2-methylquinolinium iodide in the film, it was found that the J-aggregates studied consist of a small number (2–4) of dye molecules.     

Optical spectroscopy of Yb/Er codoped NaY(WO4)2 crystal

Erbium and ytterbium codoped double tungstates NaY(WO₄)₂ crystals were prepared by using Czochralski (CZ) pulling method. The absorption spectra in the region 290-2000 nm have been recorded at room temperature. The Judd-Ofelt theory was applied to the measured values of absorption line strengths to evaluate the spontaneous emission probabilities and stimulated emission cross sections of Er³⁺ ions in NaY(WO₄)₂ crystals. Intensive green and red lights were measured when the sample were pumped by a 974 nm laser diode (LD), especially, the intensities of green upconversion luminescence are very strong. The mechanism of energy transfer from Yb³⁺ to Er³⁺ ions was analyzed. Energy transfer and nonradiative relaxation played an important role in the upconversion process. Photoexcited luminescence experiments are also fulfilled to help analyzing the transit processes of the energy levels.     

Kinetic studies of antimony and selenium atomization processes including a chemical modifier during their determination by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

We have studied antimony and selenium atomization processes including a chemical matrix modifier (palladium-containing activated carbon) during their determination by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. We have developed and fine-tuned an experimental setup for determining the kinetic characteristics (activation energy and frequency factor) for element atomization processes from measurements in the initial section of the analytical signal. We provide a rationale for the most likely mechanism for the interactions that occur. The results of the kinetic studies of the atomization processes showed that the modifier we developed was highly effective, as a result of formation of a thermally stable condensed system C-Pd-A (where A is the analyte). __________ Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 73, No. 4, pp. 530–534, July–August, 2006.     

A result on sets,with applications to vector optimization

In this paper there is stated a result on sets in ordered linear spaces which can be used to show that some properties of the sets are inherited by their convex hulls under suitable conditions. As applications one gives a characterization of weakly efficient points and a duality result for nonconvex vector optimization problems.     

Initial study on the structure and photoluminescence properties of SiC films doped with Al

SiC films doped with aluminum (Al) were prepared by the rf-magnetron sputtering technique on p-Si substrates with a composite target of a single crystalline SiC containing several Al pieces on the surface. The as-deposited films were annealed in the temperature range of 400-800 °C under nitrogen ambient. The thin films have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results show that the introduction of Al into films hinders crystalline formation process. And with the increase of annealing temperature, more Si particles are formed in the films, which strongly affect the optical absorption properties. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra of the samples show two peaks at 370 nm and 412 nm. The intensities of the PL peaks are evidently improved after Al doped. We attribute the origin of the two PL peaks to a kind of Si-related defect centres. The obtained results are expected to have important applications in modern optoelectronic devices.     

Extremal positive and self-adjoint extensions of suboperators

This work is supported in part by the fund OTKA (No. 5-134).     

Transition of 3D to 2D growth modes of InAs grown on GaAs

We report a method to grow thin strain-released InAs layer on GaAs (1 0 0) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. We have shown that by controlling the growth parameters, a thin 2D InAs layer can be grown during initial stages, which eventually serves as a buffer layer to trap dislocations and epitaxial regrowth of InAs on this buffer results in high crystal quality. The size dependence of the InAs islands formed during initial stages with growth time has been studied by atomic force microscopy. With continuous short-time epitaxial growth during various stages, the InAs growth mode transfers from 3D to 2D. The introduction of dislocations into InAs epitaxial islands and their behavior during initial growth stage has been theoretically studied. The theoretical results are in remarkable agreement with the experimental results and shows that once the film is formed, the film strain is totally relaxed. The 200 nm thick InAs epilayer grown on this buffer shows a narrow X-ray diffraction peak. Such InAs strain-released buffer layer would be useful for regrowth of high In content based materials on top of it for electronics and optoelectronics device applications.