Periodic patterning of silicon by direct nanosecond laser interference ablation

The production of periodic structures in silicon wafers by four-beam is presented. Because laser interference ablation is a single-step and cost-effective process, there is a great technological interest in the fabrication of these structures for their use as antireflection surfaces. Three different laser fluences are used to modify the silicon surface (0.8 J cm⁻², 1.3 J cm⁻², 2.0 J cm⁻²) creating bumps in the rim of the irradiated area. Laser induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS), in particular micro and nano-ripples, are also observed. Measurements of the reflectivity show a decrease in the reflectance for the samples processed with a laser fluence of 2.0 J cm⁻², probably caused by the appearance of the nano-ripples in the structured area, while bumps start to deteriorate.     

Local structure of ball-milled LaNi5 hydrogen storage material by Ni K-edge EXAFS

Local structure of the nanostructured LaNi₅ hydrogen storage alloys, prepared by ball-milling, has been studied using Ni K-edge extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy. Results indicate that the ball-milling up to 100 h results in the production of nanoparticles characterized by large atomic disorder and slightly reduced unit-cell volume, compared to the bulk LaNi₅. High temperature annealing appears to help in partial recovery of atomic order in the ball-milled samples; however, long-time ball-milled samples retain large disorder even after the high temperature annealing. The results suggest that the large disorder and the reduced unit-cell volume might be causing a higher energy-barrier for the hydride-phase formation in the long time ball-milled LaNi₅ powders.     

Nanostructuring Si surface and Si/SiO2 interface using porous-alumina-on-Si template technology. Electrical characterization of Si/SiO2 interface

In this work, anodic porous alumina thin films with pores in the nanometer range are grown on silicon by electrochemistry and are used as masking material for the nanopatterning of the silicon substrate. The pore diameter and density are controlled by the electrochemical process. Through the pores of the alumina film chemical oxidation of the silicon substrate is performed, leading to the formation of regular arrays of well-separated stoichiometric silicon dioxide nanodots on silicon, with a density following the alumina pores density and a diameter adjustable by adjusting the chemical oxidation time. The alumina film is dissolved chemically after the SiO₂ nanodots growth, revealing the arrays of silicon dioxide dots on silicon. In a next step, the nanodots are also removed, leaving a nanopatterned bare silicon surface with regular arrays of nanopits at the footprint of each nanodot. This silicon surface structuring finds interesting applications in nanoelectronics. One such application is in silicon nanocrystals memories, where the structuring of the oxidized silicon surface leads to the growth of discrete silicon nanocrystals of uniform size. In this work, we examine the electrical quality of the Si/SiO₂ interface of a nanostructured oxidized silicon surface fabricated as above and we find that it is appropriate for electronic applications (an interface trap density below 1–3×10¹⁰ eV⁻¹ cm⁻² is obtained, indicative of the high quality of the thermal silicon oxide).     

Fabrication of Nanostructured Surfaces Using Self-Assembled Monolayers

 We describe a new method for 3 dimensional nanostructuring on silicon surfaces using self-assembled monolayers. Partial multilayers were formed by repeated deposition of trichlorosilylheptadecanoic acid methyl ester (TSHEME) and subsequent reduction to yield a hydroxylic surface. These structures were afterwards oxidised using UV/ozone, yielding silicon oxide features. In this way both organic multilayered structures as well as ones comprised of silicon oxide have been produced with precise control of the height and invariant lateral shape of these structures. We have tried to apply samples prepared in this fashion to the calibration of AFM-scanners in vertical direction. Due to height artefacts caused by the tip-sample interaction a general calibration is not possible on the molecular scale. However, the structures produced can be used as model systems for the investigation of various sources of height artefacts and also for calibration purposes as long as samples with similar chemical and mechanical properties are to be investigated.     

Nanostructuring of Rare-earth-based Single-Molecule Magnets as Long-range Ordered Arrays in the Framework of Organic Metal Halide Perovskites

The nanostructuring of single-molecule magnets (SMMs) on substrates, in nanotubes and periodic frameworks is highly desired for the future magnetic recording devices. However, the ability to organize SMMs into long-range ordered arrays in these systems is still lacking. Here, we report the incorporation of magnetic (RECl₂(H₂O)₆)⁺ (RE=rare earths) molecular groups into the framework of an organic metal halide perovskite (OMHP)—(H₂dabco)CsCl₃. Intriguingly, we show the incorporated rare-earth groups self-organized into long-range ordered arrays that uniformly and periodically distributed in the A sites of OMHP. The ordered (RECl₂(H₂O)₆)⁺ groups serve as SMMs in the perovskite frameworks, exhibiting large effective magnetic moment, moderate magnetic anisotropy and two-step relaxation behavior. With the additional merit of great structural flexibility and multifunction of OMHPs, the preparation of the first SMMs@OMHP magnetic materials furthers the development of molecular spintronics.     

Ultrasonic approach for surface nanostructuring

The review is about solid surface modifications by cavitation induced in strong ultrasonic fields. The topic is worth to be discussed in a special issue of surface cleaning by cavitation induced processes since it is important question if we always find surface cleaning when surface modifications occur, or vice versa. While these aspects are extremely interesting it is important for applications to follow possible pathways during ultrasonic treatment of the surface: (i) solely cleaning; (ii) cleaning with following surface nanostructuring; and (iii) topic of this particular review, surface modification with controllably changing its characteristics for advanced applications. It is important to know what can happen and which parameters should be taking into account in the case of surface modification when actually the aim is solely cleaning or aim is surface nanostructuring. Nanostructuring should be taking into account since is often accidentally applied in cleaning. Surface hydrophilicity, stability to Red/Ox reactions, adhesion of surface layers to substrate, stiffness and melting temperature are important to predict the ultrasonic influence on a surface and discussed from these points for various materials and intermetallics, silicon, hybrid materials. Important solid surface characteristics which determine resistivity and kinetics of surface response to ultrasonic treatment are discussed. It is also discussed treatment in different solvents and presents in solution of metal ions.     

Thermoelectric and microstructural properties of Pb0.9−xSn0.1GexTe compounds prepared by spinodal decomposition

Three samples of Pb_0.9−xSn_0.1Ge_xTe with x=0.25, 0.35, 0.6 were prepared by heating the mixtures above the melting point of the constituent elements followed by quenching in water. The x=0.6 sample is close to the center of the immiscibility region, while the x=0.25 and 0.35 samples are in the Pb rich region inside the spinodal miscibility gap. Microstructural investigations using Powder X-ray Diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy revealed both GeTe-rich and PbTe-rich phases. The samples were uniaxially hot pressed and the thermoelectric properties were characterized in the temperature range 2-400 K using a commercial apparatus and from 300 to 650 K with a custom designed setup. The best sample (x=0.6) reached zT≈0.6 at 650 K, while the x=0.25 and 0.35 samples showed thermal instability at elevated temperatures.     

Cu addition and its role in thermoelectric properties and nanostructuring in the series compounds (InSb)nCum

We have performed a comparative investigation of the series compounds (InSb)_nCu_m to assess the roles of Cu addition on the thermoelectric properties and nanostructuring in bulk InSb. Detailed temperature dependent transport properties including electrical conductivity, the Seebeck coefficient, and thermal conductivity are presented. The Seebeck coefficients of In₂₀Sb₂₀Cu (m:n = 1:20) are increased by 13 percent in magnitude if compared to those of InSb, which is responsible for the 22 percent enhancement in the highest ZT value at 687 K. Although the magnitudes of κ_L are larger than those of InSb over the entire temperature range, a remarkable reduction in lattice thermal conductivities (κ_L) was observed with measuring temperature elevation. Such changes are mainly due to the precipitation of a large number of Cu₉In₄ nanoparticles with the size of smaller than 5 nm, dispersed in the matrix observed using high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) images.     

Tailoring the electrode surface structure by cathodic corrosion in alkali metal hydroxide solution: Nanostructuring and faceting of Au

Nanostructured metals are vital materials in several (electro)chemical applications. Despite the substantial progress in this field, still many limitations are associated with traditional synthetic procedures, including the availability of stable nanoparticles on appropriate supports by avoiding migration and aggregation. On that front, cathodic corrosion has emerged as a powerful technique to tailor the surface structure of metal surfaces on the nanoscale. Cathodic corrosion crucially depends on the electrode potential, the nature and the concentration of cations, as well as the electrode material. Controlling these parameters is essential for applying cathodic corrosion in materials design. In this short review, we discuss the most critical parameters controlling cathodic corrosion and highlight the importance of the nature and the concentration of alkali metal hydroxides in aqueous solution.     

Europium substitution into intermetallic phases grown in Ca/Zn flux

Replacement of calcium with europium in the phases Ca₂₁Ni₂Zn₃₆ and CaNi₂Zn₃ was attempted to explore the possibility of substitution in metal flux reactions and potential magnetic interactions between closely spaced Eu²⁺ ions. Limited substitution occurs when Eu is added to the reaction of nickel in a Ca/Zn flux mixture, up to stoichiometries of Eu_5.8(3)Ca_15.2(3)Ni₂Zn₃₆ and Eu_0.42(8)Ca_0.58(8)Ni₂Zn₃. Structural characterization and magnetic susceptibility studies on Eu_xCa_21−xNi₂Zn₃₆ phases indicate that the Eu and Ca ions do not form an even solid solution on their sites, but instead segregate in separate regions of the crystals. The europium-rich regions of the samples order ferromagnetically, with T_C dependent on the size of the clusters. If the concentration of Eu in the flux is raised above 20 mol%, a new compound Eu_1.63(1)Ca_1.37(1)Ni₂Zn₃ (Cmcm, a=4.1150(5) Å, b=16.948(2) Å, c=10.302(1) Å, Z=4, R₁=0.0396) is produced.