Propagation length of surface plasmon polaritons excited by a 1D plasmonic grating

The propagation length of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) is investigated experimentally using a 1D metallic grating fabricated on a higher refractive index substrate (Gallium Phosphide, GaP). The experimentally measured value propagation length of the SPP (L_SPP) at 785 nm wavelength is 13.33 ± 0.13 μm, which is close to the theoretical value of the L_SPP on an ideal Au-thin film. The SPP resonance observed in far-field measurements confirms the underlying process and the related effects on the L_SPP measured by scanning near field optical microscope (SNOM). Far-field measurements shows that L_SPP is associated with the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the SPP resonance which in-turn associated with in-plane directional scattering of the SPP.     

Hierarchically structured copper gallium spinels through microwave hydrothermal methods

The promising structural features of the defect spinel-type oxide γ-Ga₂O₃ and its application potential as a host for new nanoscale solid solutions have been far less explored than its analog γ-alumina, which is widely used in catalysis. Therefore, new synthetic approaches are required to access transition metal-doped γ-Ga₂O₃ materials on the nanoscale. We have established the first microwave–hydrothermal route for the challenging incorporation of Cu²⁺ ions into a nanostructured γ-Ga₂O₃ matrix. Homogeneous γ-Ga₂O₃:Cu²⁺ materials with high surface areas are formed within less than 30 min, and the copper content can be adjusted through the synthetic parameters. The copper distribution within the spinel matrix was analyzed with a wide range of compositional, structural, spectroscopic and magnetic characterizations.     

Reactions of group 13 metal trialkyls with oxamides

Alkyl aluminum-, gallium-, and indium oxamidates Me₄Al₂(dpoa) (1), Me₄Al₂(dboa) (2), Me₄Ga₂(dpoa) (3), Me₄Ga₂(dboa) (4), ^tBu₄Ga₂(dpoa) (5) and Me₄In₂(dboa) (6) (dpoa-H₂ = N,N′-diphenyloxamide, dboa-H₂ = N,N′-di-tert-butyloxamide) have been prepared and characterized. Compounds 1-3, 5 and 6 exist in the form of isomers a only, with a skeleton framework of the molecules consisting of two almost flat, coplanar and fused MNOC₂ (M = Al, Ga, In) heterocyclic rings. Depending on the reaction conditions, the compound 4 was obtained as the isomer 4a or as the mixture of two isomers 4a and 4b. Molecular structures of the compounds 1a-6a have been determined by X-ray crystallography. A structure of the isomer 4b was proposed on the basis of NMR spectroscopy. A skeleton framework of the 4b molecule consists of two fused different cycles, GaO₂C₂ and GaN₂C₂.     

Vacancy profiles and clustering in light-ion-implanted GaN and ZnO

We present experimental results obtained in H-implanted GaN and He- and Li-implanted ZnO. The ion energies were varied in the range 100-850 keV, and the implantation fluences in the range 5 × 10¹³ to 1 × 10¹⁸ cm⁻². In addition, conventional and flash anneals at temperatures 500-1400 °C were performed on the ZnO samples. The data obtained with a slow positron beam show that vacancy clusters are formed in as-implanted samples with fluences above 1 × 10¹⁷ cm⁻². Below this value only single vacancies are detected after implantation, but vacancy clusters can be formed and subsequently dissociated by thermal annealings.     

Magnetic frustration effect in polycrystalline Ga2−xFexO3

In Ga_2−xFe_xO₃ with the Pc2₁n orthorhombic structure, owing to the site disorder of Fe ions on the four nonequivalent sites of Fe1, Fe2, Ga1, and Ga2, there exists a significant amount of non-effective Fe ions with no contribution to the ferrimagnetic ordering. These non-effective Fe ions have been found to induce strong frequency dependent suppression of the peak height in the ac susceptibility, demonstrating the frustration effect in the ferrimagnetic ordering background.     

Efficient excitation and amplification of the surface plasmons

One dimensional (1D) grating has been fabricated (using focused ion beam) on 50 nm gold (Au) film deposited on higher refractive index Gallium phosphate (GaP) substrate. The sub-wavelength periodic metal nano structuring enable to couple photon to couple with the surface plasmons (SPs) excited by them. These grating devices provide the efficient control on the SPs which propagate on the interface of noble metal and dielectric whose frequency is dependent on the bulk electron plasma frequency of the metal. For a fixed periodicity (Λ = 700 nm) and slit width (w = 100 nm) in the grating device, the efficiency of SPP excitation is about 40% compared to the transmission in the near-field. Efficient coupling of SPs with photon in dielectric provide field localisation on sub-wavelength scale which is needed in Heat Assisted Magnetic recording (HAMR) systems. The GaP is also used to emulate Vertical Cavity Surface emitting laser (VCSEL) in order to provide cheaper alternative of light source being used in HAMR technology. In order to understand the underlying physics, far-and near-field results has been compared with the modelling results which are obtained using COMSOL RF module.Apart from this, grating devices of smaller periodicity (Λ = 280 nm) and slit width (w = 22 nm) has been fabricated on GaP substrate which is photoluminescence material to observe amplified spontaneous emission of the SPs at wavelength of 805 nm when the grating device was excited with 532 nm laser light. This observation is unique and can have direct application in light emitting diodes (LEDs).     

Structure of nanocrystalline ammonothermal GaN in dependence of temperature and type of acidic mineralizer

This study investigated ammonothermal synthesis of nanocrystalline gallium nitride (GaN) in supercritical ammonia with acidic mineralizers NH₄X (X=Cl, Br, I) at 400–500 °C. Results showed that three types of acidic mineralizers could effectively accelerate the formation of GaN. The mixed hexagonal/cubic phase fractions and lattice parameters of nanocrystalline GaN were calculated by the Rietveld refinement method. SEM showed an agglomerate of nanocrystalline GaN. A considerable amount of GaN was synthesized using NH₄Cl as the mineralizer, however, there was no yield using NH₄Br or NH₄I at 400 °C. For acidic mineralizers, both hexagonal structures (wurtzite) and cubic structures (zincblende) were obtained in ammonothermal synthesis by XRD and Raman measurement. GaN synthesized with NH₄Br and NH₄I showed mixed phases of hexagonal-GaN (h-GaN) and cubic-GaN (c-GaN) at 450–500 °C. In the case of NH₄Cl mineralizer, GaN only exhibited mixed phases of h-GaN and c-GaN at 500 °C, but pure h-GaN at 400–450 °C. Based on the results, NH₄Cl favored pure h-GaN, and NH₄Br and NH₄I favored c-GaN at 400–450 °C.     

Dynamic Activation of Ga Sites by Pt Dopant in Low-Temperature Liquid-Metal Catalysts

Liquid GaPt catalysts with Pt concentrations as low as 1×10⁻⁴ atomic % have recently been identified as highly active for the oxidation of methanol and pyrogallol under mild reaction conditions. However, almost nothing is known about how liquid state catalysts support these significant improvements in activity. Here, ab initio molecular dynamics simulations are employed to examine GaPt catalysts in isolation and interacting with adsorbates. We find that persistent geometric features can exist in the liquid state, given the correct environment. We postulate that the Pt dopant may not be limited to direct involvement in catalysis of reactions, but rather that its presence can also enable Ga atoms to become catalytically active.     

Beyond Reduction Cocatalysts: Critical Role of Metal Cocatalysts in Photocatalytic Oxidation of Methane with Water**

Environmentally sustainable and selective conversion of methane to valuable chemicals under ambient conditions is pivotal for the development of next-generation photocatalytic technology. However, due to the lack of microscopic knowledge about non-thermal methane conversion, controlling and modulating photocatalytic oxidation processes driven by photogenerated holes remain a challenge. Here, we report novel function of metal cocatalysts to accept photogenerated holes and dominate selectivity of methane oxidation, which is clearly beyond the conventional concept in photocatalysis that the metal cocatalysts loaded on the surfaces of semiconductor photocatalysts mostly capture photogenerated electrons and dominate reduction reactions exclusively. The novel photocatalytic role of metal cocatalysts was verified by operando molecular spectroscopy combined with real-time mass spectrometry for metal-loaded Ga₂O₃ model photocatalysts under methane and water vapor at ambient temperature and pressure. Our concept of metal cocatalysts that work as active sites for both photocatalytic oxidation and reduction provides a new understanding of photocatalysis and a solid basis for controlling non-thermal redox reactions by metal-cocatalyst engineering.     

Highly Efficient Decomposition of Perfluorocarbons for over 1000 Hours via Active Site Regeneration

Tetrafluoromethane (CF₄), the simplest perfluorocarbon (PFC), has the potential to exacerbate global warming. Catalytic hydrolysis is a viable method to degrade CF₄, but fluorine poisoning severely restricts both the catalytic performance and catalyst lifetime. In this study, Ga is introduced to effectively assists the defluorination of poisoned Al active sites, leading to highly efficient CF₄ decomposition at 600 °C with a catalytic lifetime exceeding 1,000 hours. ²⁷Al and ⁷¹Ga magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MAS NMR) showed that the introduced Ga exists as tetracoordinated Ga sites (Ga_IV), which readily dissociate water to form Ga−OH. In situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) and density function theory (DFT) calculations confirmed that Ga−OH assists the defluorination of poisoned Al active sites via a dehydration-like process. As a result, the Ga/Al₂O₃ catalyst achieved 100 % CF₄ decomposition keeping an ultra-long catalytic lifetime and outperforming reported results. This work proposes a new approach for efficient and long-term CF₄ decomposition by promoting the regeneration of active sites.