Growth and decay of the Pd(1 1 1)-Pd5O4 surface oxide: Pressure-dependent kinetics and structural aspects

Growth and decomposition of the Pd₅O₄ surface oxide on Pd(1 1 1) were studied at sample temperatures between 573 and 683 K and O₂ gas pressures between 10⁻⁷ and 6 × 10⁻⁵ mbar, by means of an effusive O₂ beam from a capillary array doser, scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) and thermal desorption spectrometry (TDS). Exposures beyond the p(2 × 2)O adlayer (saturation coverage 0.25) at 683 K (near thermodynamic equilibrium with respect to Pd₅O₄ surface oxide formation) lead to incorporation of additional oxygen into the surface. To initiate the incorporation, a critical pressure beyond the thermodynamic stability limit of the surface oxide is required. This thermodynamic stability limit is near 8.9 × 10⁻⁶ mbar at 683 K, in good agreement with calculations by density functional theory. A controlled kinetic study was feasible by generating nuclei by only a short O₂ pressure pulse and then following further growth kinetics in the lower (10⁻⁶ mbar) pressure range.Growth of the surface oxide layer at a lower temperature (573 K) studied by STM is characterized by a high degree of heterogeneity. Among various metastable local structures, a seam of disordered oxide formed at the step edges is a common structural feature characteristic of initial oxide growth. Further oxide nucleation appears to be favoured along the interface between the p(2 × 2)O structure and these disordered seams. Among the intermediate phases one specifically stable phase was detected both during growth and decomposition of the Pd₅O₄ layer. It is hexagonal with a distance of about 0.62 nm between the protrusions. Its well-ordered form is a superstructure.Isothermal decay of the Pd₅O₄ oxide layer at 693 K involves at first a rearrangement into the structure, indicating its high-temperature stability. This structure can break up into small clusters of uniform size and leaves a free metal surface area covered by a p(2 × 2)O adlayer. The rate of desorption increases autocatalytically with increasing phase boundary metal-oxide. We propose that at close-to-equilibrium conditions (693 K) surface oxide growth and decay occur via this intermediate structure.     

para-Sexiphenyl thin film growth on Cu(1 1 0) and Cu(1 1 0)-(2 × 1)O surfaces

We present a reflectance difference spectroscopy (RDS) study of para-sexiphenyl (p-6P) thin film growth on Cu(1 1 0) and Cu(1 1 0)-(2 × 1)O substrates. The RDS spectra show pronounced anisotropies for p-6P films formed on both substrates at room temperature, demonstrating that the molecules are uniaxially aligned within the films. Based on the RD spectra and the evolution of the optical transitions with p-6P coverage the growth mode on both substrates could be identified. From the dominating RDS feature, assigned to the lowest energy HOMO-LUMO transition, the orientation of the molecular chain can be determined. On Cu(1 1 0), the p-6P molecular chains align in the direction, i.e., along the Cu atomic rows, whereas on the Cu(1 1 0)-(2 × 1)O surface, the molecules are oriented in the orthogonal [0 0 1] direction, i.e., along the “added” Cu-O rows of the Cu(1 1 0)-(2 × 1)O surface. The energetic position and line shape of the main RDS feature differs for the two substrates and varies with p-6P coverage. This fine structure is discussed in terms of different molecular conformations, adlayer structure and vibronic replicas.     

Non-monotonous dependence of surface roughness on factors influencing energy of adatoms during thin island film growth

Many experimental results show that surface roughness of thin films can increase, decrease, stay constant or pass through the minimum with the change in substrate temperature, energy of arriving atoms or assisted beam (electrons, photons, ions), depending on material and interval of variation of those parameters. The aim of this paper is to explain and analyze this non-monotonous behavior of surface roughness by proposed kinetic model. The model is based on rate equations and includes processes of surface diffusion of adatoms, nucleation, growth and coalescence of islands in the case of thin films growth in Volmer-Weber mode. It is shown by modeling that non-monotonous dependence of surface roughness on the factors influencing energy of adatoms (e.g. temperature, assisted beam irradiation, accelerating voltage) occurs as a result of interplay between diffusion length of adatoms and size of islands, because both parameters depend on energy of adatoms. Variation of island size and diffusion length results in atomic jumps from islands forming rougher or smoother surface. The functions of surface roughness, island size, island density on diffusion length of adatoms and on other parameters are calculated and analyzed in this work.     

Correlated and non-correlated growth kinetics of pentacene in the sub-monolayer regime

We present a study of the growth kinetics of pentacene monolayer islands on SiO₂ in the submonolayer regime by using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Two distinct growth modes, namely correlated growth (CG) and non-correlated growth (NCG), have been identified by Voronoi tesselation. These two modes are characterized by different island growth kinetics. In the case of correlated growth, the average island size 〈A〉 scales with deposition time t i.e. 〈A〉 ∝ t whereas for non-correlated growth, 〈A〉 ∝ t². The CG and NCG regimes are defined by the level of re-evaporation which determines the capture zones around the islands: Wigner-Seitz cells for CG and coronas of width λ_D (λ_D is the mean diffusion distance on SiO₂ before re-evaporation) for NCG. A simple model is proposed to reproduce the experimental growth kinetics in both modes.     

Monte Carlo simulation of grain growth in polycrystalline materials

Understanding the kinetics of grain growth, under the influence of second phase (such as impurities, voids and bubbles) is fundamental to advances in the control of microstructural evolution. As a precursor to this objective, we have investigated the grain growth kinetics in a polycrystalline material using a standard Q-state Potts’ model under Monte Carlo settings. Based on physical reasoning, new modifications are suggested to circumvent some of the disadvantages in the basic Potts model. The efficacy of these modifications vis-à-vis the basic model is verified. The influence of second phase particles on the impurity loaded grain boundaries is investigated for the study of grain growth kinetics.     

Excitation of plant growth in dormant temperature by steady magnetic field

Experimental results of applying a steady magnetic field (20 and 30 mT) on agricultural plants reveal that their growth is more than that of control plants. Considering that these plants have ferritin cells, and each ferritin cell has 4500 Fe atoms, it is obvious that they have an outstanding role in the plants’ growth. As the last spin magnetic moment (SMM) of the Fe atom posed to an external magnetic field (EMF), the composition of SMM and EMF create an oscillator in the system. Then we have a moment of force on ferritin cells. This oscillator exerts its energy, then damps and finally locates in the field direction. The relaxed energy increased the internal temperature (i.e., the effective temperature of the magnetic spin system of plant) so that it is situated in a proper temperature for growing. This phenomenon (temperature increasing) occurs in the initial minutes of applying the magnetic field. So it depends on the number of times of locating the plant in magnetic field in a day (n). If this number (n) passes the critical value, the plant reaches a burning temperature and growth is perturbed. In this paper, the plant growth rate and critical temperature in a steady magnetic field were investigated and formulated theoretically. An innovative result in this research is as follows: if a plant's environment was in the dormant temperature, we could increase the internal temperature of the plant by applying a magnetic field n times in a day (for growth).     

高功率高增益大直径相对论返波管

对大直径同轴相对论返波管采用双板波纹波导模型结合电子运动的罗伦兹力方程、电荷连续性方程和电磁波麦克斯韦方程建立了系统的线性流体理论.使用该理论详细地研究了器件的各系统参数对束波相互作用,特别是对微波指数增长率的影响.给出了3cm波段的大直径同轴相对论返波管实验装置的系统参数.     

Scale-Invariant Branch Distribution from a Soluble Stochastic Model

We consider a general model of branch competition that automatically leads to a critical branching configuration. This model is inspired by the 4– expansion of the dielectric breakdown model, but the mechanism of arriving at the critical point may be of relevance to other branching systems as well, such as fractures. The exact solution of this model clarifies the direct renormalization procedure used for the dielectric breakdown model, and demonstrates nonperturbatively the existence of additional irrelevant operators with complex scaling dimensions leading to discrete scale invariance. The anomalous exponents are shown to depend upon the details of branch interaction; we contrast with the branched growth model in which these exponents are universal to lowest order in 1–, and show that the branched growth model includes an inherent branch interaction different from that found in the dielectric breakdown model. We consider stationary and non-stationary regimes, corresponding to different growth geometries in the dielectric-breakdown model.     

玻璃中CdSeS纳米晶体的生长及其性能

对掺有镉、硒、硫的玻璃在500—800℃退火2—24h,生长了不同尺寸的CdSxSe1x纳米晶体.用分光光度计和光致发光光谱(PL)分析了纳米晶体的性能.退火温度低于550℃,纳米晶体处于成核阶段,600—625℃处于正常扩散生长阶段,700—800℃处于竞争生长阶段;而650℃处于两种生长阶段之间.虽然650℃下生长的纳米晶体的尺寸分布比较窄,但纳米晶体的尺寸随退火时间的延长几乎不变,在该温度改变退火时间很难改变纳米晶体的平均尺寸.在所有样品中出现了深能级缺陷,在650℃退火时间小于4h或大于16h有利 关键词： 纳米晶体 生长机理 深能级缺陷     

生长温度对In0.53Ga0.47As/InP的LPMOCVD生长影响

利用LPMOCVD技术在InP衬底生长了InxGa1-xAs材料，获得表面平整．光亮的In0.53Ga0.47As外延层。研究了生长温度对InxGa1-xAs外延层组分、表面形貌、结晶质量、电学性质的影响。随着生长温度的升高，为了保证铟在固相中组分不变，必须增加三甲基铟在气相中的比例。在生长温度较高时，外延层表面粗糙。生长温度在630℃与650℃之间，X射线双晶衍射曲线半高宽最窄，高于或低于这个温度区间，半高宽变宽。迁移率随着生长温度的升高而增加,在630℃为最大值，然后随着生长湿度的升高反而降低。生长温度降低使载流子浓度增大，在生长温度大于630℃时载流子浓度变化较小。