X-ray evidence for the absence of 90°-domains in polycrystalline PbTiO3 thin films with grains below a critical size

3 thin films is systematically studied by using X-ray diffraction (XRD). The PbTiO₃ thin films with different average grain sizes were prepared on various substrates by a sol-gel process. The films on NaCl and fused glass are randomly grain-oriented, while those on (111)Pt/Ti/SiO₂/Si are highly {100} cubic index grain-oriented . It is found from the XRD patterns of the films on NaCl that with decreasing average grain size from 230 to 80 nm, the intensities of high h index (h>l) peaks (hkl), such as (100), (110), (200), (201), (210), (211), etc., decrease rapidly and ultimately disappear, whereas another set of peaks (lkh), including (001), (002), (102), (112), etc., are still intense. This interesting result suggests that at grain size below a certain critical size an increasing number of grains no longer show 90°-domains, which is confirmed by TEM observations. Meanwhile, X-ray evidence of such a grain-size-related absence of 90°-domains is also found for PbTiO₃ films on Pt(111) and fused-glass substrates. The volume fractions of single-domain grains (without 90°-domains) in the films are estimated from their XRD patterns. By combining SEM and TEM investigations, the critical grain size for the formation of 90°-domains is further determined to be near 200 nm. Received: 19 December 1996/Accepted: 24 March 1997     

Inhomogeneities in silicon p-n-junctions

Latent macroscopic defects in silicon are detected by electrical and electron microscope measurements. They lead to anomalous temperature dependence of the Fermi level position and growth in the hole capture coefficient. A level with energy of 0.55 eV measured from the conduction zone controls the recombination process. It is proposed that macroscopic defects develop upon association of oxygen-silicon vacancy complexes. Action of an electron beam leads to reversible changes which increase upon multiple scanning, affecting the value of the diffusion length.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 4, pp. 71–75, April, 1991.     

Optical quenching of the magnetoplastic effect in NaCl crystals

Observations indicate that illuminating NaCl crystals by ultraviolet light (λ=350 nm) suppresses the magnetoplastic effect. The processes induced by illumination take place in a subsystem of point defects and are related to a change in the state of magnetically sensitive dislocation pinning sites. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 39, 1389–1391 (1996)     

Variational perturbation theory. Anharmonic oscillator

A nonperturbative method is suggested for calculating functional integrals. Its efficiency is demonstrated for the quantum-mechanical anharmonic oscillator. A quantity we are interested in is represented by a series, a finite number of terms of which describes not only the region of small coupling constants but well reproduces the strong coupling limit. The method is formulated only in terms of the Gaussian functional quadratures and diagrams are used of the conventional perturbation theory.