A combined transient and steady state approach for robust lifetime spectroscopy with micrometer resolution

We present the combination of two complementary micro‐photoluminescence spectroscopic techniques operating in transient and steady state condition, respectively. Introducing the time domain into the well‐established micro‐photoluminescence mapping approach operating under steady state conditions demonstrates a distinct improvement of the robustness and reliability in the determination of charge carrier lifetime measured with micrometer spatial resolution. Lifetimes from 50 ns to above ms are accessible. We elaborate a calibration procedure and apply the combined all‐photoluminescence setup to high‐performance multicrystalline silicon. A lifetime image obtained from the established photoluminescence imaging technique is reconstructed from the microscopic map by considering lateral diffusion and optical blurring, revealing a more detrimental influence of small angle grain boundaries as well as a higher lifetime within grains as may be deduced from the standard imaging technique. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Thickness effect on the band gap of magnetron sputtered Pb45Se45O10 thin films on Si

Oxygen doped PbSe thin films with different thickness were grown on the Si (100) substrates by magnetron sputtering, and characterized using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and physical properties measurement system. As the film thickness increased, the intensity of the (200) PbSe prominent diffraction peak increased, while the (220) peak almost vanished, indicating the primary growth direction. The change rate between the light and dark resistance increased with the film thickness, and the maximum of 64.76% was obtained. According to the density functional theory calculations and the experimental results, the band gap of the PbSe thin films decreased from 0.278 eV to 0.21 eV when doped with oxygen. Doping with oxygen during the deposition process is a viable way to prepare PbSe thin films with a tunable band gap. The band gap increased almost linearly with the lattice constant, confirmed by the calculated and experimental results.     

利用多像素光子计数器的光学串话效应提高光子探测效率

通过分析多像素光子计数器(MPPC)的工作原理和其光学串话(OC)效应的特点,提出在使用MPPC输出雪崩信号的幅度或电荷量作为光子计数的参量时,利用MPPC的OC效应能提高MPPC的光子探测效率的观点,并从理论上分析了OC效应对光子探测效率的影响。理论分析结果显示,在这两种光子计数模式下,利用OC效应能明显提高MPPC的光子探测效率。利用本文模型计算得出当MPPC的雪崩单元数M为1 600个,忽略OC效应时的光子探测效率等于30%,光学串话概率等于50%,以及单脉冲入射光子数均值为10时,包含OC效应影响的等效光子探测效率可提高50%,达45%左右。该结果对MPPC在天体物理、粒子物理、荧光光谱探测等弱光探测场合的应用有一定指导意义。     

丁胺包裹的CdSe量子点敏化的TiO2纳米晶薄膜电子转移机制

利用超快光谱技术系统研究了在丁胺包裹的CdSe量子点敏化的TiO₂纳米晶薄膜起始时刻界面间电子转移动力学。与之前的报道不同,该实验结果表明:CdSe量子点经过表面修饰后,两相电子注入机制--热电子和冷电子注入得以被证实,即:电子能分别从CdSe量子点导带中高的振动能级和导带底转移到TiO₂的导带。该机制详细描绘了电子在纳米界面间转移的图景。进一步研究发现:热电子注入的电子耦合强度(3.6±0.1 meV)比弛豫后的基态电子注入高两个数量级,基于Marcus理论,伴随着0.083 eV的重组能,冷电子注入的耦合强度值为~50 μeV。     

实用型三谱段太阳模拟器的设计与研制

本文设计并研制了一种实用型三谱段太阳模拟器,其光谱匹配可同时调整3个谱段(300~700 nm,700~900 nm,900~1 700 nm)范围的能量,修正后可满足三结砷化镓太阳电池的测试使用要求。本文重点阐述了三谱段太阳模拟器滤光片的设计和氙灯光谱的修正及测试,介绍了太阳模拟器的光机结构。实验表明:三谱段太阳模拟器的光谱匹配满足三结砷化镓太阳电池各子电池的响应电流值。在有效辐照面150 mm×150 mm上,平均辐照度可以达到2个太阳常数(2 730 W/m²),辐照不均匀度达到±1.77%,辐照不稳定度达到±0.83%,为太阳电池自动分拣系统提供了可靠稳定的平台。     

Surface characteristics and electrochemical behaviour of sputter-deposited NiTi thin film

Thin nanocrystalline amorphous NiTi film was deposited on Si substrate using DC magnetron sputtering. The as-deposited NiTi thin film was crystallized by heat treatment at 500 °C for 1 h. The crystal structure, surface morphology, microstructure and surface chemistry of the deposited films were studied using X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. Corrosion behaviour was assessed in Ringer’s solution at 37 °C by open circuit potential (OCP), potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy as a function of exposure time. OCP values indicate that the tendency for the formation of a spontaneous oxide film is greater for the NiTi thin films than the bulk NiTi. Long time exposure to Ringer’s solution was found to have a great effect on the corrosion behaviour of the samples. Significantly low corrosion current density was obtained for the annealed NiTi film from the potentiodynamic polarization curves indicating a typical passive behaviour, but as-deposited film and bulk NiTi alloy exhibited breakdown of passivity at potentials approximately +1.4 V (vs. SCE). XPS showed that the oxide film formed on the annealed NiTi thin film mainly composed of Ti oxides, and no evidence of Ni was found up to 8.2 nm beneath the top surface, suggesting the excellent corrosion resistance of this sample in Ringer’s solution.     

Effect of 60Co γ-irradiation on structural and optical properties of thin films of Ga10Se80Hg10

Thin films of Ga₁₀Se₈₀Hg₁₀ have been deposited onto a chemically cleaned Al₂O₃ substrates by thermal evaporation technique under vacuum. The investigated thin films are irradiated by ⁶⁰Co γ-rays in the dose range of 50–150 kGy. X-ray diffraction patterns of the investigated thin films confirm the preferred crystallite growth occurs in the tetragonal phase structure. It also shows, the average crystallite size increases after γ-exposure, which indicates the crystallinity of the material increases after γ-irradiation. These results were further supported by surface morphological analysis carried out by scanning electron microscope and atomic force microscope which also shows the crystallinity of the material increases with increasing the γ-irradiation dose. The optical transmission spectra of the thin films at normal incidence were investigated in the spectral range from 190 to 1100 nm. Using the transmission spectra, the optical constants like refractive index (n) and extinction coefficient (k) were calculated based on Swanepoel’s method. The optical band gap (E_g) was also estimated using Tauc’s extrapolation procedure. The optical analysis shows: the value of optical band gap of investigated thin films decreases and the corresponding absorption coefficient increases continuously with increasing dose of γ-irradiation.     

Thermal stability of amorphous SiOC/crystalline Fe composite

We examined the thermal stability of amorphous silicon oxycarbide (SiOC) and crystalline Fe composite by in situ and ex situ annealing. The Fe/SiOC multilayer thin films were grown via magnetron sputtering with controlled length scales on a surface-oxidized Si (100) substrate. These Fe/SiOC multilayers were in situ or ex situ annealed at temperature of 600 °C or lower. The thin multilayer sample (~10 nm) was observed to have a layer breakdown after 600 °C annealing. Diffusion starts from low groove angle triple junctions in Fe layers. In contrast, the thick multilayer structure (~70 nm) was found to be stable and an intermixed layer (Fe_xSi_yO_z) was observed after 600 °C annealing. The thickness of the intermixed layer does not vary as annealing time goes up. The results suggest that the Fe_xSi_yO_z layer can impede further Fe, Si and O diffusion, and assists in maintaining morphological stability.     

Investigation of solid-state reaction in Ag/Sn nanostructured thin films at room temperature

Diffusion intermixing processes in nanostructured Ag/Sn thin-film system at room temperature were investigated by means of secondary neutral mass Spectrometry depth profiling technique. As it was confirmed by X-ray diffraction too, the reaction started already in the as-deposited sample. Since the bulk diffusion was frozen at room temperature, the Ag₃Sn phase was formed along the grain boundaries (GBs), gradually consuming the interior of grains, and was grown perpendicular to the GBs. At the same time, formation and growth of a small compact reaction layer near the interface were observed and the shift of the bordering parallel interfaces was controlled by GB diffusion. From the kinetics of the diffusion process in the above two mechanisms, both the interface velocity in the diffusion-induced grain boundary motion regime as well as the coefficient of parabolic growth in the planar growth regime were determined.     

A new sol–gel processing routine without chelating agents for preparing highly transparent solutions and nanothin films: engineering the role of chemistry to design the process

The great sensitivity of titanium alkoxides to hydrolysis makes their sol–gel transformation very fast and thus difficult to control. A method was proposed to alleviate this drawback. Preparation of highly transparent solutions and nanothin films is another objective of the present research. Employing nanoemulsion method and optimizing the processing conditions, a clear solution of well-dispersed nanosized particles was obtained. With the proposed process BaTiO₃ precursor sols and nanothin films with enhanced optical transparency towards the visible were prepared. The optimal formulation of the sol consists of acetic acid, barium acetate, 2-propanol, TTIP and deionized water with 6:1:1:1:150 M ratios, respectively. It was found that the reduction of the temperature in the initial stage of mixing of precursors controls the size of the forming species and accordingly improves the stability and transparency of the sol. The results also showed that the applied modifications and optimizations significantly downsize the particles within the sol to the nanometric scale and accordingly result in a significant improvement in the optical response of the products.