Computational and experimental study of the cluster size distribution in MAPLE

A combined experimental and computational study is performed to investigate the origin and characteristics of the surface features observed in SEM images of thin polymer films deposited in matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE). Analysis of high-resolution SEM images of surface morphologies of the films deposited at different fluences reveals that the mass distributions of the surface features can be well described by a power-law, Y(N) ∝ N^−t, with exponent −t ≈ −1.6. Molecular dynamic simulations of the MAPLE process predict a similar size distribution for large clusters observed in the ablation plume. A weak dependence of the cluster size distributions on fluence and target composition suggests that the power-law cluster size distribution may be a general characteristic of the ablation plume generated as a result of an explosive decomposition of a target region overheated above the limit of its thermodynamic stability. Based on the simulation results, we suggest that the ejection of large matrix-polymer clusters, followed by evaporation of the volatile matrix, is responsible for the formation of the surface features observed in the polymer films deposited in MAPLE experiments.     

Post-deposition atomic terraces growth of ZnO thin films deposited on epi-GaN templates

We demonstrate how growth processes affect on ZnO film properties, which are to be essential guides to prevent defect formation in order to synthesize reproducible high quality ZnO films. First, we reveal that deposition at a low temperature is indispensable to transfer underlying GaN atomic terraces to ZnO surface. As the film thickness is increased, however, the terraces disappear to develop island morphology. It is found that the thick film surface is smoothed to the extent that atomic terraces can be seen after an appropriate thermal treatment. Adverse effects associated with high annealing temperatures are then demonstrated as evidenced by cracks formation, increased yellow cathode-luminescence and intermixing at the interface.     

Finite element simulation of pulsed laser ablation of titanium carbide

In the present paper, a 2D finite element model based on the heat-conduction equation and on the Hertz-Knudsen equation for vaporization was developed and used to simulate the ablation of TiC by Nd:YAG and KrF pulsed laser radiation. The calculations were performed for fluences of 8 and 10 J/cm², which according to experimental results obtained previously, correspond to large increases of the ablation rate. The calculated maximum surface temperature of the target for both lasers is higher than the estimated value of TiC critical temperature, corroborating the hypothesis that the increase of the ablation rate is explained by the explosive boiling mechanism.     

The role of atomic hydrogen in pre-epitaxial silicon substrate cleaning

The cleaning of silicon (Si) surfaces is a very important issue for the fabrication of novel semiconductor devices on the nanoscale. Established methods for the removal of organic impurities and the native or chemical oxide are often combined with high temperature desorption steps. However, devices with small feature sizes will be unfunctional if, for example, out-diffusion of dopants is not prevented. In this paper we present two possible processes for low-temperature cleaning: an atomic hydrogen source, based on dissociative adsorption of hydrogen at a heated tantalum (Ta) surface and a hydrogen DC plasma source as a part of an UHV cluster tool. The influence of atomic hydrogen on carbon and oxide removal is surveyed and the existing model for native oxide etching with an argon/hydrogen DC plasma is adapted.     

Thin layers of bovine serum albumin by matrix assisted pulsed laser evaporation

Thin films of bovine serum albumin were prepared by cryogenic matrix assisted pulsed laser evaporation technique under various deposition conditions. Energy density of laser beam changed in the range 0.1-0.5 J cm⁻². Films were deposited in vacuum or in nitrogen ambient. Targets were prepared from bovine serum albumin solution in phosphate buffered physiological saline and with an addition of UV absorbers as dimethylsulphoxide, phthalic acid, or adenine. Polyethylene and silicon (1 1 1) were used as substrates. Film properties were studied with atomic force microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy attenuated total reflection. The deposition changed native conformation of albumin, resulting in the formation of water-insoluble aggregates. Addition of laser light absorbers in target solutions did not prevent the damage of albumin structure.     

Pulsed Nd:YAG laser depositions of ITO and DLC films for OLED applications

Indium-tin oxide (ITO) films deposited on heated and non-heated glass substrates by a pulsed Nd:YAG laser at 355 nm and ∼2.5 J/cm² were used in the fabrication of simple organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), ITO/(PVK + Alq₃ + TPD)/Al. The ITO was deposited on heated glass substrates which possessed resistivity as low as ∼3 × 10⁻⁴ Ω cm, optical transmission as high as ∼92% and carrier concentration of about ∼5 × 10²⁰ cm⁻³, were comparable to the commercial ITO. Substrate heating transformed the ITO microstructure from amorphous to polycrystalline, as revealed by the XRD spectrum. While the polycrystalline ITO produced higher OLED brightness, it was still lower than that on the commercial ITO due to surface roughness. A DLC layer of ∼1.5 nm deposited on this ITO at laser fluence of >12.5 J/cm² improved its device brightness by suppressing the surface roughness effect.     

Realization of controllable etching for ZnO film by NH4Cl aqueous solution and its influence on optical and electrical properties

ZnO films were deposited on c-plane Al₂O₃ substrates by pulsed laser deposition. The etching treatments for as-grown ZnO films were performed in NH₄Cl aqueous solution as a function of NH₄Cl concentration and etching time. It was found that NH₄Cl solution is an appropriate candidate for ZnO wet etching because of its controllable and moderate etching rate. The influence of etching treatment on the morphology, optical and electrical properties of the ZnO films has been investigated systematically by means of X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscope, photoluminescence and Hall effect. The results indicated that the surface morphology and optical properties of the films were highly influenced by etching treatment.     

Charge accumulation in ultrathin Cs / n - GaN and Cs / n - InGaN interfaces

We report on the observation of new phenomena that arise under Cs adsorption on n-GaN(0001) and n-InGaN(0001) surfaces. First, an extremely highly quantum efficient photoemission has been found by excitation with visible light in the transparency region of GaN and InGaN. The photoemission is revealed to appear due to the formation of an electron accumulation layer in the vicinity of the surfaces. Second, a large variety of band bending and potential wells are provided by the Cs coverages. The accumulated charge density at the n-InGaN surface is much stronger than that at the n-GaN surface. Third, a new effect is revealed, namely, the appearance of an oscillation structure in the spectral dependences of the threshold photoemission. A model concept is proposed for photocurrent oscillations that takes into account the formation of an accumulation layer and the multiple-beam interference in parallel-sided GaN or InGaN samples.     

dc Josephson effect in metallic single-walled carbon nanotubes

The dc Josephson effect is investigated in a single-walled metallic carbon nanotube connected to two superconducting leads. In particular, by using the Luttinger liquid theory, we analyze the effects of the electron-electron interaction on the supercurrent. We find that in the long junction limit the strong electronic correlations of the nanotube, together with its peculiar band structure, induce oscillations in the critical current as a function of the junction length and/or the nanotube electron filling. These oscillations represent a signature of the Luttinger liquid physics of the nanotube, for they are absent if the interaction is vanishing. We show that this effect can be exploited to reverse the sign of the supercurrent, realizing a tunable π-junction.     

Strong correlation effects in 2D Bose-Einstein condensed dipolar excitons

By doing quantum Monte Carlo ab initio simulations we show that dipolar excitons, which are now under experimental study, actually are strongly correlated systems. Strong correlations manifest in significant deviations of excitation spectra from the Bogoliubov one, large Bose condensate depletion, short-range order in the pair correlation function, and peak(s) in the structure factor.