Time‐resolved investigation of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 growth and Ga gradient formation during fast selenisation of metallic precursors

Ga segregation at the backside of Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ solar cell absorbers is a commonly observed phenomenon for a large variety of sequential fabrication processes. Here, we investigate the correlation between Se incorporation, phase formation and Ga segregation during fast selenisation of Cu–In–Ga precursor films in elemental selenium vapour. Se incorporation and phase formation are analysed by real‐time synchrotron‐based X‐ray diffraction and fluorescence analysis. Correlations between phase formation and depth distributions are gained by interrupting the process at several points and by subsequent ex situ cross‐sectional electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The presented results reveal that the main share of Se incorporation takes place within a few seconds during formation of In–Se at the top part of the film, accompanied by outdiffusion of In out of a ternary Cu–In–Ga phase. Surprisingly, CuInSe₂ starts to form at the surface on top of the In–Se layer, leading to an intermediate double graded Cu depth distribution. The remaining Ga‐rich metal phase at the back is finally selenised by indiffusion of Se. On the basis of a proposed growth model, we discuss possible strategies and limitations for the avoidance of Ga segregation during fast selenisation of metallic precursors. Solar cells made from samples selenised with a total annealing time of 6.5 min reached conversion efficiencies of up to 14.2 % (total area, without anti‐reflective coating). The evolution of the Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ diffraction signals reveals that the minimum process time for high‐quality Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ absorbers is limited by cation ordering rather than Se incorporation. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

不同硼掺杂几何形态下石墨烯纳米带热导率与热整流的分子动力学研究

通过非平衡态分子动力学方法,研究了锯齿形石墨烯纳米带中掺杂原子硼的两种不同位置排列（三角形硼掺杂和平行硼掺杂）对热导率和热整流的影响并从理论上分析了其变化的原因。研究表明这两种硼掺杂模型在不同温度下导致石墨烯纳米带热导率大约54%-63%的下降;同时发现平行硼掺杂结构对热传递的抑制作用强于三角形硼掺杂结构;硼掺杂结构降低热导率的作用随着温度的升高逐渐减小;三角形硼掺杂结构两个方向上的热导率值具有较大差异,这种结构下的热整流随着温度的上升呈现减弱的趋势;而平行硼掺杂结构两个方向上的热导率值近乎相等,热整流现象表现不明显.     

High pressure and thermal pasteurization effects on sweet cherry juice microbiological stability and physicochemical properties

This study evaluated high pressure processing (P1 – 400?MPa/5?min; P2 – 550?MPa/2?min) and thermal pasteurization (TP – 70°C/30?s) effects on sweet cherry juice's microbiological and physicochemical parameters, during four weeks of refrigerated storage. All treatments reduced the microbiological load to undetectable levels not affecting total soluble solids and titratable acidity. The pH increased with all treatments, however, it decreased during storage. Phenols were differently affected: TP increased them by 6%, P1 had no effect while P2 decreased them by 11%. During storage, phenols in control and TP samples decreased by 26% and 20%, P1 samples decreased them by 11% whereas P2 showed no variation. TP had no effect on anthocyanins, while pressure treatments increased them by 8%. Anthocyanins decreased during storage, particularly in the control and P1 (decreasing 41%). All treatments had no effect on antioxidant activity until the 14th day, thereafter high pressure processing samples showed the highest antioxidant activity.     

黑腔冷冻靶传热与自然对流的数值模拟研究

惯性约束聚变的设计要求在靶丸内形成均匀光滑的氘氚冰层, 靶丸周围的热环境对冰层的质量特别是低阶粗糙度有很大的影响. 本文对自主研发的黑腔冷冻靶实验装置中的热物理问题展开了数值模拟, 重点考察了黑腔冷冻靶的传热和流体力学特性. 通过参数分析得到了自然对流对靶丸温度均匀性产生影响的临界条件. 比较了黑腔不同布置朝向时的流场和温度分布, 结果显示黑腔水平布置时自然对流更加强烈, 造成的靶丸温度不均匀性也更大. 在此基础上, 讨论了消除自然对流影响的可能性, 结果发现仅当黑腔垂直布置时利用黑腔分区方法能够消除对流效应对靶丸温度不均匀性的影响而黑腔水平布置时不能消除. 研究结论对于实验中冷冻靶结构的设计、改进和实验的开展等具有指导意义.     

异质结碳纳米管的热整流效率

采用非平衡分子动力学方法, 通过分别控制异质结碳纳米管管径、手性和平均温度的方式研究了异质结碳纳米管的热整流效应. 研究表明, 随着异质结碳纳米管两端几何不对称性的增强, 其热整流效率会随之上升, 而异质结碳纳米管两端的手性的改变和夹角的大小都会对热整流效率产生一定的影响. 热整流效率会随着碳纳米管平均温度的上升而下降. 研究异质结碳纳米管热整流效率对于热二极管、碳纳米散热元器件等潜在应用价值有理论指导作用.     

Characterization of Cr‐doped Sb2Te3 films and their application to phase‐change memory

Phase‐change memory (PCM) is regarded as one of the most promising candidates for the next‐generation nonvolatile memory. Its storage medium, phase‐change material, has attracted continuous exploration. Along the traditional GeTe–Sb₂Te₃ tie line, the binary compound Sb₂Te₃ is a high‐speed phase‐change material matrix. However, the low crystallization temperature prevents its practical application in PCM. Here, Cr is doped into Sb₂Te₃, called Cr–Sb₂Te₃ (CST), to improve the thermal stability. We find that, with increase of the Cr concentration, grains are obviously refined. However, all the CST films exhibit a single hexagonal phase as Sb₂Te₃ without phase separation. Also, the Cr helps to inhibit oxidation of Sb atoms. For the selected film CST_10.5, the resistance ratio between amorphous and crystalline states is more than two orders of magnitude; the temperature for 10‐year data retention is 120.8 °C, which indicates better thermal stability than GST and pure Sb₂Te₃. PCM cells based on CST_10.5 present small threshold current/voltage (4 μA/0.67 V). In addition, the cell can be operated by a low SET/RESET voltage pulse (1.1 V/2.4 V) with 50 ns width. Thus, Cr–Sb₂Te₃ with suitable composition is a promising novel phase‐change material used for PCM with high speed and good thermal stability performances. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Homogeneous and unimolecular gas‐phase thermal decomposition kinetics of methyl benzoylformate: experimental and theoretical study

The kinetics of the gas‐phase thermal decomposition of the α‐ketoester methyl benzoylformate was carried out in a static system with reaction vessel deactivated with allyl bromide, and in the presence of the free radical inhibitor propene. The rate coefficients were determined over the temperature range of 440–481 °C and pressures from 32 to 80 Torr. The reaction was found to be homogenous, unimolecular and obey a first‐order rate law. The products are methyl benzoate and CO. The temperature dependence of the rate coefficient gives the following Arrhenius parameters: log₁₀ k (s^?1) = 13.56 ± 0.31 and E_a (kJ mol^?1) = 232.6 ± 4.4. Theoretical calculations of the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters are in good agreement with the experimental values using PBE1PBE/6‐311++g(d,p). A theoretical Arrhenius plot was constructed at this level of theory, and the good agreement with the experimental Arrhenius plot suggests that this model of transition state may describe reasonably the elimination process. These results suggest a concerted non‐synchronous semi‐polar three‐membered cyclic transition state type of mechanism. The most advanced coordinate is the bond breaking C^δ+‐‐‐^δ‐OCH₃ with an evolution of 66.7%, implying this as the limiting factor of the elimination process. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Role of nickel and manganese in recovery of resistivity in iron-based alloys after low-temperature proton irradiation

This study investigates the recovery of electric resistivity in pure iron, Fe–0.6Ni and Fe–1.5Mn as related to isochronal annealing following 1 MeV proton irradiation at lower temperature than 70 K, focusing on the relationship between solute atoms and irradiation defects. Both nickel and manganese prevent stage I_D recovery, which corresponds to correlated recombination. Stage II recovery is also changed by the addition of a solute, which corresponds to the migration of small interstitial clusters. In both pure iron and Fe–0.6Ni, no evident difference was observed in the stage III region, which corresponds to the migration of vacancies. In contrast, two substages appeared in the Fe–1.5Mn at a higher temperature than stage III_B appeared in pure iron. These substages are considered to represent the release of irradiation-induced defects, which was trapped by manganese.     

Superthermostability of nanoscale TIC-reinforced copper alloys manufactured by a two-step ball-milling process

A Cu-TiC alloy, with nanoscale TiC particles highly dispersed in the submicron-grained Cu matrix, was manufactured by a self-developed two-step ball-milling process on Cu, Ti and C powders. The thermostability of the composite was evaluated by high-temperature isothermal annealing treatments, with temperatures ranging from 727 to 1273 K. The semicoherent nanoscale TiC particles with Cu matrix, mainly located along the grain boundaries, were found to exhibit the promising trait of blocking grain boundary migrations, which leads to a super-stabilized microstructures up to approximately the melting point of copper (1223 K). Furthermore, the Cu-TiC alloys after annealing at 1323 K showed a slight decrease in Vickers hardness as well as the duplex microstructure due to selective grain growth, which were discussed in terms of hardness contributions from various mechanisms.