Correlation Between Structural and Optical Properties of Composite Polymer/Fullerene Films for Organic Solar Cells

We investigate thin poly(3‐hexylthiophene‐2,5‐diyl)/[6,6]‐phenyl C₆₁ butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT/PCBM) films, which are widely used as active layers in plastic solar cells. Their structural properties are studied by grazing‐incidence X‐ray diffraction (XRD). The size and the orientation of crystalline P3HT nanodomains within the films are determined. PCBM crystallites are not detected in thin films by XRD. Upon annealing, the P3HT crystallinity increases, leading to an increase in the optical absorption and spectral photocurrent in the low‐photon‐energy region. As a consequence, the efficiency of P3HT/PCBM solar cells is significantly increased. A direct relation between efficiency and P3HT crystallinity is demonstrated.     

后退火温度对溅射沉积Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3铁电薄膜结构和性能的影响

在具有Ti缓冲层的Pt(111)底电极上,用射频溅射工艺在较低的衬底温度(370℃)和纯Ar气氛中沉积Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3(PZT)薄膜,沉积过程中基片架作15°摇摆以提高膜厚的均匀性。然后将样品在大气中进行5min快速热退火处理,退火温度550-680℃。用XRD、SEM分析薄膜的微结构,RT66A标准铁电测试系统测量样品的铁电和介电性能。结果表明,所沉积的Pt为(111)取向,仅当后退火温度高于580℃,沉积在Pt(111)上的PZT薄膜才能形成钙钛矿结构的铁电相,退火温度在580-600℃时结晶为(110)择优取向,退火温度高于600℃时结晶为(111)择优取向。PZT薄膜的极化强度随退火温度的升高而增加,但退火温度超过650℃时漏电流急剧上升,因此退火处理的温度对PZT薄膜的结构和性能有决定性的影响。     

Micromechanisms and Mechanics of Damage and Fracture in Thin Film/Substrate Systems

The purpose of this paper is to review the mechanisms and available theoretical methods for modeling the strength and failure of thin film/substrate systems     

Dielectric properties of europium-indium oxide solid solution films prepared on Si (100) substrates

Thin Eu-In solid solution oxide films (SS) were grown on Si (P) substrates to form MOS devices. The samples were characterised by X-ray fluorescence and X-ray diffraction techniques. The ac-conductance and capacitance of the devices were studied as a function of frequency in the range 500 Hz to 100 kHz, temperature in the range 293-400 K and gate voltage. The investigation established that: (1) the prepared SS exhibit a sudden reversible structural change at about 370 K, (2) the frequency dependence for f>10 kHz of the ac-conductivity and capacitance of the insulator at room temperature is controlled by the ‘corrected barrier hopping’ CBH model, (3) the temperature dependence of the ac-conductance which shows a small activation energy characterises the hopping process of current carriers between equilibrium sites, and (4) the prepared transparent SS have a sufficiently high relative permittivity ?, around 30, which suggests they are promising candidates for high-? dielectric applications.     

掺铝氧化锌(AZO)导电薄膜的研究进展

综述透明导电薄膜的性能、种类、制备工艺、研究及应用状况,重点讨论掺铝氧化锌(AZO)薄膜的结构、导电机理、光电性能和当前的研究焦点。并指出,为了进一步提高透明导电薄膜的性能,应从以材料选择、制备工艺、多层膜光学设计等方面深入研发,以满足尖端技术的需要。     

铸铝激光熔融处理后的组织与性能

应用光学和电子显微镜及显微硬度计研究了铸造Al-Si合金经激光表面熔融处理后的组织和性能。指出,组织分熔化区、过度区和基体三层。在熔化区中树枝状先共晶α相的平均宽度由原始组织的20～40μm细化到2～3μm,同时共晶组织也被大大细化。这些变化使显微硬度值由67.4提高至109～115.     

Behavior of zirconium in the ZrOW(100) system at high temperature, studied by ISS, AES and work-function measurements

The behavior of zirconium atoms at the W(100) surface associated with oxygen adsorption at different sample temperatures has been studied by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), ion scattering spectroscopy (ISS), and the relative change of the work function (Δф) measured by the onset of the secondary electron energy distribution. The results have revealed: (i) adsorption of zirconium onto the W(100) surface followed by the elevation of the sample temperature up to 1710 K in an oxygen partial pressure of 2.7 × 10⁻⁴ induces complete diffusion of zirconium atoms into the W(100) substrate; (ii) further exposure of oxygen induces co-existence of oxygen and tungsten on the surface at 1710 K, resulting in a work function of 4.37 eV; (iii) keeping the sample temperature at 1710 K, simple evacuation of the system has resulted in surface segregation of zirconium atoms to the surface to form a zirconium atomic layer on the top-most surface, reducing the work function to 2.7 eV. The results have revealed that this specific behavior of zirconium atoms at high temperature assures, with very good reproducibility, the highly stable performance and long service life of Zr---O/W(100)-emitters in practical use, even in a low vacuum of 10⁻⁶ Pa.     

The electron microscopy of post-growth induced defects of ZnSe/GaAs epilayers

A fundamental research of structural defects induced upon post-growth processing of ZnSe/GaAs epilayers grown on (100) GaAs was done by identifying defect-related reflections in the transmission electron diffraction (TED) patterns of ZnSe. Structural artifacts, other than the as-grown defects, on this material system could be excluded according to our results. Four types of abnormal reflections have been observed in addition to primary reflections. These extra reflections are sensitive to the post-growth processing of ZnSe epilayers and may arise from various external effects, rather than epitaxy growth, such as irradiation damage, surface oxidation, and surface contamination. By mapping these reflections at several major zone axes using TED patterns, we found that the reciprocal lattice for a ZnSe crystal with structural defects consists of two distinct types of extra reflections associated with irradiation damage. The first type of extra reflections is ±1/3{111} and the other is ±1/2{111} corresponding to pure-edge and non-edge dislocation loops, respectively. For (100) oriented wafers, the ±1/3{111} and ±1/2{111} reflections were observed only on two of the four possible 〈111〉 variants (i.e. [111]_Zn and [111]_Zn)and this phenomenon was attributed to the anisotropy of defect distribution. Extra reflections associated with surface oxidation and contamination are also observed. The orientation relationships between a surface hexagonal ZnO and a cubic ZnSe film are [0001]_ZnO//[−111]_ZnSe, and [01−11]_ZnO//[011]_ZnSe. The origin, characterization, and elimination of these induced reflections are discussed. With the knowledge about these extra effects on structural defect formation, we have shown the real microstructure of ZnSe epilayers.     

Co-doped In2O3 thin films: Room temperature ferromagnets

Laser-ablated Co-doped In₂O₃ thin films were fabricated under various growth conditions on R-cut Al₂O₃ and MgO substrates. All Co:In₂O₃ films are well-crystallized, single phase, and room temperature ferromagnetic. Co atoms were well substituted for In atoms, and their distribution is greatly uniform over the whole thickness of the films. Films grown at 550 °C showed the largest magnetic moment of about 0.5 μ_B/Co, while films grown at higher temperatures have magnetic moments of one order smaller. The observed ferromagnetism above room temperature in Co:In₂O₃ thin films has confirmed that doping few percent of magnetic elements such as Co into In₂O₃ could result in a promising magnetic material.     

A novel approach to thermal Analysis of Thin films

A novel instrument is described called the Thin film Analyser (TFA) which quantitatively measures changes in mechanical and rheological properties of drying films in-situ on a test panel. It is based around a simple force-sensing device, capable of carrying various probes, which can be positioned in anX-Y plane over the panel. Temperature control is achieved by means of a heating block under the sample. By imposing a thermal gradient along the block, measurements can be obtained at a series of temperatures in a single experiment. Several applications of the TFA to the drying of curable and latex-based coatings are discussed, as well as some more specialized uses. The TFA concept represents a novel approach to the thermal analysis of thin films.The authors gratefully acknowledge the design, engineering and software development work of the Instrument Group at ICI Paints, in particular John Hayton, Neil Burrows, Tony Evans and Ian Francis, who have now built three versions of the TFA.