Adsorbed state and vibrational excitation of N2 on Pd(110)

High-resolution vibrational electron energy loss spectroscopy, low-energy electron diffraction and Auger electron spectroscopy have been used to study the interactions of nitrogen with the Pd(110) surface. At 120 K, N₂ is chemisorbed molecularly on the Pd(110) surface, and the (2 × 1)-N₂ structure is formed. Most probably, the N₂ molecules are chemisorbed in the on-top sites of the bulk-like Pd(110) surface in the upright-linear structure. The Pd---N₂ bond energy is estimated to be ˜ 6 kcal/mol. The Pd---N₂ and N---N stretching vibrations of N₂ admolecules on Pd(110) are observed at 30 and 278 meV, respectively. The primary-energy dependence and angle dependence of their excitation cross sections agree reasonably well with the prediction of the dipole theory. The electron beam-induced effects are briefly discussed.     

Reduction of the concentration of slow insulator states in SiO2/InP-MIS structures

The well-known drift phenomena usually found in the InP-metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) devices can be explained by the assumption of a spatial and energetical distribution of slow states located within the insulator. The concentration of these states can be reduced by far more than one order of magnitude if a suitable technique of insulator deposition is applied. In this paper we will discuss the influence of the deposition temperature, the spatial separation of sample and plasma (“indirect plasma method”), and the addition of phosphorus into the reaction chamber during the initial period of insulator deposition on the properties of n-type and p-type InP-MIS capacitors. Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposited silicon dioxide is used as insulator. The samples were characterized by means of capacitance/voltage (C(V)) and deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) measurements. Only minor hysteresis of the C(V) curves and concentrations of slow insulator states of only (1–2)×10¹¹ cm^-2 eV^-1 are measured for the best of our samples.     

Spin structure and weak ferromagnetism of Mn3Sn

The compound Mn₃Sn shows an interesting magnetic behavior. A triangular screw spin structure has been observed below 250 K, whose period is independent of temperature. The screw structure is sensitive to heat treatment, alloy composition and impurity content.     

High-throughput concept for tailoring switchable mirrors

The optical properties, the switching kinetics and the lifetime of hydrogen switchable mirrors based on Mg-Ni alloys are determined with particular regard to the composition of the optically active metal-hydride layer in combination with the thickness of the catalytic capping layer. For this, a high-throughput experiment is introduced. The switching kinetics and the reversibility of switchable mirrors are strongly thickness dependent, though the details hinge on the fine structure of the clustered capping layer. Therefore, the kinetics is correlated with the surface structures of Pd on Mg_yNi_1−y as investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy. The results are explained by the so-called strong metal-support interaction (SMSI) state, characterized by a complete encapsulation of the capping layer clusters by oxidized species originating from the support. The SMSI-effect is less important with increasing Pd-layer thickness, and is suppressed by a good wetting of the Pd-clusters on the optically active film. This explains the critical thickness for the catalyzed hydrogen uptake observed in many switchable mirror systems. Moreover, the degradation of the kinetics during cycling is found to depend on the Pd-layer thickness and on the gas environment. Only films, covered with at least 15 nm Pd, show small degradation caused by the SMSI-effect. The SMSI-effect is partly reversible: after changing the gas environment from hydrogen to oxygen, the oxide on the Pd-clusters can be partly removed.     

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.     

VUV-UV excited luminescent properties of LnCa4O(BO3)3:RE (Ln=Y, La, Gd; Re=Eu, Tb, Dy, Ce)

Calcium lanthanide oxyborate doped with rare-earth ions LnCa₄O(BO₃)₃:RE³⁺ (LnCOB:RE, Ln=Y, La, Gd, RE=Eu, Tb, Dy, Ce) was synthesized by the method of solid-state reaction at high temperature. Their fluorescent spectra were measured from vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) to visible region at room temperature. Their excitation spectra all have a broadband center at about 188 nm, which is ascribed to host absorption. Using Dorenbos’ and Jφrgensen's work [P. Dorenbos, J. Lumin. 91 (2000) 91, R. Resfeld, C.K. Jφrgensen, Lasers and Excite States of Rare Earth [M], Springer, Berlin, 1977, p. 45], the position of the lowest 5d levels E(Ln,A) and charge transfer band E_ct were calculated and compared with their excitation spectra.Eu³⁺ and Tb³⁺ ions doped into LnCOB show efficient luminescence under VUV and UV irradiation. In this system, Ce³⁺ ions do not show efficient luminescence and quench the luminescence of Tb³⁺ ions when Tb³⁺ and Ce³⁺ ions are co-doped into LnCOB. GdCOB doped with Dy³⁺ shows yellowish white light under irradiation of 254 nm light for the reason that Gd³⁺ ions transfer the energy from itself to Dy³⁺. Because of the existence of Gd³⁺, the samples of GdCOB:RE³⁺ show higher excitation efficiency than LaCOB:RE³⁺ and YCOB:RE³⁺, around 188 nm, which indicates that the Gd³⁺ ions have an effect on the host absorption and can transfer the excitation energy to the luminescent center such as Tb³⁺, Dy³⁺ and Eu³⁺.     

Low-temperature reaction of magnesium with fluorobenzene

The low-temperature reaction of magnesium with fluorobenzene has been investigated. Joint condensation of magnesium and fluorobenzene vapours at low temperatures quantitatively gave phenylmagnesium fluoride in one stage.     

Intrinsic echolocation capability of Hector's dolphin, Cephalorhynchus hectori.

A sonar system's echolocation capabilities can be inferred from the ambiguity distribution (defined here in terms of the conventional signal response function) of each of its transmitted signals. Several records of sounds emitted by Hector's dolphin are analyzed. The computed ambiguity distributions indicate that the sonar clicks of Hector's dolphins should be capable of resolving the ranges of targets as close together as 2 cm apart, but that target velocities cannot be resolved to any useful degree from a single echo.     

Quantum General Relativity and the Meaning of (R + R2) Theories

It is argued that, due to the cut-off lengths arising in Quantum General Relativity, R2 corrections of Einstein's theory cannot be interpreted as quantum corrections.     

Observation of nonresonant coulomb break-up of 156 MeV6Li projectiles

The neutron coherent scattering length b_c=9.26(13) fm of the lead isotope²⁰⁸Pb was determined by neutron interferometry.