Near-Curie magnetic anomaly at the Ni/C interface observed by electron holography

We analyze with electron holography carried out in a transmission electron microscope the near-Curie behavior of magnetism at the edge of a Nickel thin film coated with Carbon. In-situ experiments with finely controlled variations of the sample temperature reveal an anomaly in the ferromagnetic to paramagnetic phase transition when the film temperature is a few degrees above the nominal Curie point. We interpret the anomaly as a strain-induced spin reorientation transition triggered by the differential thermal expansion of Carbon and Nickel. We present a model that quantitatively reproduces the main features of the observed signal. The model is developed in terms of an anisotropic, temperature dependent exchange coupling between the Nickel moments at the Carbon interface that favors their vertical alignment at low temperatures.     

Plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition of Co using Co(MeCp)2 precursor

Cobalt (Co) thermal or plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PE-ALD) was investigated using a novel metal organic precursor, Co(MeCp)₂, and NH₃ or H₂ or their plasma as a reactant. The growth characteristics, electrical and microstructural properties were investigated. Especially, PE-ALD produced Co thin films at low growth temperature down to 100 °C. Interestingly, the low temperature growth of Co films showed the formation of columnar structure at substrate temperature below 300 °C. The growth characteristics and films properties of PE-ALD Co using bis(η-methylcyclopentadienyl) Co(II) (Co(MeCp)₂) was compared with those of PE-ALD Co using other Cp based metal organic precursors, bis-cyclopentadienyl cobalt (II) (CoCp₂) and cyclopentadienyl isopropyl acetamidinato-cobalt (Co(CpAMD)).     

Influence of annealing process on conductive properties of Nb-doped TiO2 polycrystalline films prepared by sol-gel method

Nb-doped TiO₂ (TNO) thin films were prepared by sol-gel dip-coating method with Nb content in a wide range of 0-20 at.%. The prepared films were preheated at 400 °C and then undertaken by two different post-annealing processes: (a) three times vacuum annealing and (b) multi-round annealing. The designed multi-round annealing was shown to be an effective way to improve the conductive properties of the films, compared to the traditional vacuum annealing process. The minimum resistivity reached approximately 0.5 Ω cm with Nb doping concentration around 12 at.%, and the carrier density increased with Nb-doping concentration until the critical point of 12 at.%, which might be the optimal doping content for our TNO films prepared by sol-gel method.     

Dye-sensitized solid-state solar cells fabricated by screen-printed TiO_2 thin film with addition of polystyrene balls

The screen-printed nanoporous TiO2 thin film was employed to fabricate dye-sensitized solid-state solar cells using CuI as hole-transport materials. The solar cell based on nanoporous TiO2 thin film with large pores formed by the addition of polystyrene balls with diameter of 200 nm to the TiO2 paste exhibits photovoltaic performance enhancement, which is attributed to the good contact of CuI with surface of dye-sensitized thin film due to easy penetration of CuI in the film with large pores.     

Layer structure estimation of three‐dimensional crystal and two‐dimensional molecular film for fluorinated comb copolymers

Comb copolymers containing both hydrogenated and fluorinated side‐chains were prepared by copolymerization using acrylic or methacrylic monomers in several ratios. The crystal structures of these copolymers and layer structures of their organized molecular films were investigated by wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD), small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS), and out‐of plane X‐ray diffraction. Further, to selectively estimate the regularity of shorter fluorocarbon side‐chains, organized molecular films of copolymers were investigated by polarized near‐edge X‐ray adsorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy. From the results of these measurements, it was inferred that these copolymers formed highly ordered layer structures, and a long spacing was predominantly determined by the arrangement of hydrogenated side‐chains, except in copolymers having extremely high fluorocarbon contents. In the case of the organized molecular films, the fluorinated side‐chains of methacrylate copolymers cannot form a highly ordered arrangement, whereas those of acrylate copolymers were oriented on monolayers. However, in both cases, the hydrogenated side‐chains predominantly formed layer structures in the organized films, and the fluorinated side‐chains did not contribute to the formation of the layer structures. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 46: 534–546, 2008     

About the Importance of Nanometer-Thick Intergranular Penetration in the Analysis of Liquid Metal Embrittlement

Liquid metal embrittlement (LME) of copper by liquid bismuth is investigated at 300°C. It is shown that a very rapid damage is due to the synergy between the external stress and the phenomenon of intergranular penetration (IGP). Tests of IGP, i.e. without external stress, were done at 300°C and at 600°C and have resulted in strong intergranular embrittlement due to the formation of nanometer-thick intergranular films, as measured and quantified by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). The formation of these films is discussed with respect to apparently non-zero dihedral angles at 600°C. A general procedure based on mechanical testing and AES measurements, to check whether IGP has occurred or not, is outlined. This procedure can be seen as an alternative way to determine the wetting transition temperature. The presence of nanometer-thick films due to IGP is discussed with respect to the LME mechanisms.     

电场线的三维演示现象的机理研究

本文对电场线的三维演示新方法进行机理分析，为实验提供理论依据。     

Structural and optical properties of thermally evaporated Bi2Te3 films

Bi₂Te₃ films were prepared by thermal evaporation technique. X-ray diffraction analysis for as-deposited and annealed films in vacuum at 150 °C were polycrystalline with rhombohedral structure. The crystallite size is found to increase as the film thickness increases and has values in the range 67–162 nm. The optical constants (the refractive index, n, and absorption index, k) were determined using transmittance and reflectance data in the spectral range 2.5–10 μm for Bi₂Te₃ films with different thicknesses (25–99.5 nm). Both n and k are independent on the film thickness in the investigated range. It was also found that Bi₂Te₃ is a high refractive index material (n has values of 4.7–8.8 in the wavelength range 2.5–10 μm). The allowed optical transitions were found to be direct optical transitions with energy gap  eV. The optical conductivities σ₁ = ƒ(hν) and σ₂ = f(hν) show distinct peaks at about 0.13 and 0.3 eV, respectively. These two peaks can be attributed to optical interband transitions.     

Examples of Quantification in XPS on 5f Materials

 Various aspects of quantification in actinide research using photoelectron spectroscopy are discussed. In particular, the influence of instrumental factors, different types of the background, and shape of the line intensities are addressed. We give several examples of quantitative analysis of actinide bulk compounds and thin films.     

Optical and photoemission evidence for a Tomonaga-Luttinger liquid in the Bechgaard salts

Combined optical and photoemission experiments on the quasi-one dimensional Bechgaard salts reveal the non-Fermi liquid character of these prototype quasi-one dimensional interacting electron systems. We show that various aspects of the exotic normal state properties along the chains are consistent with the predictions of the Tomonaga-Luttinger liquid theory. We also discuss the effect of interchain coupling on the insulator-metal transition, associated with the electron confinement-deconfinement crossover. Received 17 May 1999 and Received in final form 13 July 1999