Structural and optical properties of AlxOy/Pt/AlxOy multilayer absorber

We report on the microstructure and optical properties of Al_xO_y–Pt–Al_xO_y interference-type multilayer films, deposited by electron beam (e-beam) deposition onto corning 1737 glass, silicon (1 1 1) and copper substrates. The structural properties were investigated by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. The optical properties were extracted from specular reflection/transmission, diffuse reflectance and emissometer measurements. The stratification of the coatings consists of a semi-transparent middle Pt layer sandwiched between two layers of Al_xO_y. The top and bottom Al_xO_y layers were non-stoichiometric with no crystalline phases present. The Pt layer is in the fcc crystalline phase with a broad size distribution and spheroidal shape in and between the rims of Al_xO_y. The surface roughness of the stack was found to be comparable to the inter-particle distance. The optical calculations confirm a high solar absorptance of ∼0.94 and a low thermal emittance of ∼0.06 for the multilayer stack, which is attributed not only to the optimized nature of the multilayer interference stacks, but also to the specific surface morphology and texture of the coatings. These optical characteristics validate the spectral selectivity of the Al_xO_y–Pt–Al_xO_y interference-type multilayer stack for use in high temperature solar-thermal applications.     

Bulk crystalline BaPb34Bi14O3: A ceramic superconductor

The preparation conditions of the high T_C ceramic superconductor Ba(Pb,Bi)O₃ is correlated with the superconducting transition. Transition onsets of all materials are similar, but transition widths and transition completeness is strongly dependent on firing temperature. Only materials prepared over a narrow temperature range, resulting in a nearly ideal weight loss, have a complete and narrow transition.     

Electrostriction in Pb (Zn13Nb23)O3

The electrostriction in $\text{Pb (Zn}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>3</mtext>}}\text{Nb}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>2</mtext><mtext>3</mtext>}}\text{)}\text{O}{}_3$ crystals has been investigated using a strain gauge method. In the ferroelectric phase below 140 C, the strain vs the electric field shows a hysteresis, which is ascribed to the effect of ferroelectric domains. A quadratic relation holds between the strain x and the electric polarization P as x = QP² above about 170 C in the paraelectric phase. Values of the electrostrictive Q coefficients are determined from the measurements near 190 C, as Q₁₁ = 1.6·10^?2m⁴/C², Q₁₂ = ?0.86·10^?2m⁴/C², and Q₄₄ = 0.85·10^?2m⁴/C².     

n-PbTep+−Pb1−xSnxTe heterojunctions prepared by a modified hot wall technique

$\text{n-PbTe}\text{p}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{?}\text{Pb}{}_{\mathrm{1?x}}\text{Sn}{}_{\mathrm{x}}\text{Te}$ heterojunctions with a long wavelength spectral cutoff (λ_c ≈ 6 μm) were prepared using the double-channel hot wall technique. The electrical and photoelectrical properties of the heterojunctions at 77, 197 and 300 K were investigated. Detectors with R_oA equal to 170 Ω cm² and a quantum efficiency of 25–40% were obtained. Reasons for the shift of the long wavelength spectral cutoff of the heterojunctions towards shorter wavelengths are given.     

Magnetic,electrical and thermal studies on the V1−xMox02

The monoclinic-to-tetragonal structure transition of oxides V_1?xMo_x0₂ with $\text{0≤}\text{x}\text{≤0.20}$ has been studied by means of DTA, X-ray diffraction, magnetic susceptibility (powder samples) and electrical conductivity (single crystals) measurements within the temperature region 80 K to 400 K. A linear decrease of the transition temperature of 11 K per atom % Mo was observed. The magnetic susceptibility of the low temperature phase was found to be temperature independent paramagnetic for all preparations. Electrical conductivity measurements on the same phase showed crystals with $\text{x}\text{? 0.04}$ to be semiconducting, while a metallic behavior was observed in the region $\text{0.10 ?}\text{x}\text{? 0.14}$.     

Synthesis of a new perovskite Pb(Li14Nb34)O3

A high-pressure technique was adopted to obtain perovskite-type $\text{Pb(Li}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>4</mtext>}}\text{Nb}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>3</mtext><mtext>4</mtext>}}\text{)}\text{O}{}_3$. A new perovskite $\text{Pb(Li}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>4</mtext>}}\text{Nb}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>3</mtext><mtext>4</mtext>}}\text{)}\text{O}{}_3$ was characterized to have a cubic symmetry with $\text{a}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>o</mtext>}}\text{= 4.069}\text{A}\text{?}$; Li and Nb ions in the B-site of perovskite lattice may be in a random arrangement.     

Optimization of AlxOy/Pt/AlxOy multilayer spectrally selective coatings for solar-thermal applications

Spectrally selective Al_xO_y/Pt/Al_xO_y multilayer absorber coatings were deposited onto corning 1737 glass, Si (111) and copper substrates using electron beam (e-beam) vacuum evaporator at room temperature. The employment of ellipsometric measurements and optical simulation was proposed as an effective method to optimize and deposit multilayer solar absorber coatings. The optical constants (n and k) measured using spectroscopic ellipsometry, showed that both Al_xO_y layers, which used in the coatings, were dielectric in nature and the Pt layer was semi-transparent. The optimized multilayer coatings exhibited high solar absorptance α ∼ 0.94 ± 0.01 and low thermal emittance ? ∼ 0.06 ± 0.01 at 82 °C. The Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) data of Al_xO_y/Pt/Al_xO_y multilayer absorber indicated the Al_xO_y layers present in the coating were nearly stoichiometry. The scanning electron microscope analysis (SEM) result indicated that the average diameter and inter-particles distance of Pt grains were statistically about 146 ± 0.17 nm and 6-10 ± 0.2 nm respectively.     

Reactive plasma deposited SixCyHz films

Si_xC_yH_z films have been prepared at 200°C by reactive plasma deposition from SiH₄ and CH₄ diluted in helium in a tubular reactor. These films have a ratio s (equal to $\text{Si}\text{(}\text{Si+C}\text{))}$ ranging from 0.2 to 0.8, a refractive index ranging from 1.96 to 2.6 and an optical energy band gap in the range 2.7-2.2 eV. The total quantity of hydrogen in the film is 40% when s=0.5. Infrared analysis shows that these films have large fractions of homonuclear bonds and that this material is best described as a polymer. Mass spectrometric measurements of the gaseous products formed in the SiH₄-CH₄-He plasma have been performed and the results are related to the composition of the deposited layers.     

Core-current-enhanced domain-wall pinning in nanocrystalline Fe/sub 73.5/Cu/sub 1/Nb/sub 3/Si/sub 15.5/B/sub 7/ ribbon

We have studied the influence of surface fields H/sub p/ (generated by either direct or alternating core current) on soft magnetic properties of amorphous and nanocrystalline Fe/sub 73.5/Cu/sub 1/Nb/sub 3/Si/sub 15.5/B/sub 7/ ribbon. While in an amorphous ribbon the coercive field H/sub c/ decreases with H/sub p/, in the same optimally annealed ribbon (H/sub c/=1.3 A/m, M/sub m//spl ap/M/sub s/) H/sub c/ increases with H/sub p/ for all the explored types of H/sub p/ (static and dynamic with different phases with respect to that of the magnetizing field H). The unexpected increase of H/sub c/ in nanocrystalline ribbon is associated with the influence of H/sub p/ on the surface and main (inner) domain structure. Here, we develop a model that takes into account this influence and explains the experimental results.     

Interfacial microstructure of NiSix/HfO2/SiOx/Si gate stacks

Integration of NiSi_x based fully silicided metal gates with HfO₂ high-k gate dielectrics offers promise for further scaling of complementary metal-oxide- semiconductor devices. A combination of high resolution transmission electron microscopy and small probe electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis has been applied to study interfacial reactions in the undoped gate stack. NiSi was found to be polycrystalline with the grain size decreasing from top to bottom of NiSi_x film. Ni content varies near the NiSi/HfO_x interface whereby both Ni-rich and monosilicide phases were observed. Spatially non-uniform distribution of oxygen along NiSi_x/HfO₂ interface was observed by dark field Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy and EELS. Interfacial roughness of NiSi_x/HfO_x was found higher than that of poly-Si/HfO₂, likely due to compositional non-uniformity of NiSi_x. No intermixing between Hf, Ni and Si beyond interfacial roughness was observed.     

Tc trend in high-Tc superconductors

In our previous works, we have shown that most existing ceramic superconductors can be considered to be built of superconductor-semiconductor composite and we have estimated the change in phonon spectrum of the intrinsic superconductor unit if a semiconductor unit is attached to it. Moreover, the proximity effect under the size quantization condition has been examined in the superconductor-semiconductor composite. Each of the stated effects by itself could causeT _c enhancement in general as more semiconductor blocks are added to the system. We extend our study in this paper to analyze the combined actions of phonon spectral change and proximity effect without size quantization condition onT _c variation in members of the Tl₁ series of high-T _c superconductors. Our results indicate that an optimumT _c is obtained if the stated effects are included in the idealized unit cells of the superconductors made up of a superconductor-semiconductor array.     

Generation-recombination noise in pseudomorphic Modulation-doped Al/sub 0.2/Ga/sub 0.8/As/In/sub 0.1/Ga/sub 0.9/As/GaAs micro-Hall devices

The noise spectrum in micro-Hall devices based on pseudomorphic Al/sub 0.2/Ga/sub 0.8/As/In/sub 0.1/Ga/sub 0.9/As/GaAs modulation-doped heterostructures was measured between 4 Hz and 65 kHz, allowing components due to thermal, 1/f, and generation-recombination to be characterized. Applying deep level noise spectroscopy (DLNS) in the temperature range of 77-300 K to analyze the generation-recombination part of the spectrum, two electron traps contributing to noise density were identified. An emission activation energy of 474 meV was measured for the dominant trap, corresponding to the well-known DX center originating from the AlGaAs barrier. The other deep level, with an emission activation energy of 242 meV, is probably related to defects in the InGaAs layer. The structures under investigation resulted in high-performance micro-Hall devices: a supply-current-related sensitivity up to 725 V/spl middot/A/sup -1//spl middot/T/sup -1/ at 77 K independent of bias current, a signal-to-noise sensitivity of 155 dB/spl middot/T/sup -1/ and a detection limit of 340 pT/spl middot/mm/spl middot/Hz/sup -1/2/ at 77 K were measured.     

Anomalous Hall Effect in Sn1?x?yMnxEuyTe and Sn1?x?yMnxEryTe Mixed Crystals

The Anomalous Hall Effect (AHE) was investigated in IV–VI ferromagnetic semimagnetic semiconductors of Sn_1–x Mn _x Te codoped with either Eu or Er. The analysis of experimental data is as follows. Hall resistivity and magnetization showed that AHE coefficient R _s depends on temperature and its value decreases with thetemperature increase. We observe that above ferromagnet–paramagnet transition temperature R _s changes sign. We discuss the possible physical mechanisms responsible for observed temperature dependence of R _s , particularly change of the sign.     

Optical and electrical H/sub 2/- and NO/sub 2/-sensing properties of Au/In/sub x/O/sub y/N/sub z/ films

In this paper, we describe the optical and electrical gas-sensing properties of In/sub x/O/sub y/N/sub z/ films with an ultrathin gold promoter overlayer. We have fabricated In/sub x/O/sub y/N/sub z/ films with a nanocrystalline porous structure by RF-sputtering in Ar/N/sub 2/ followed by an annealing process. Gold particles with 20-30-nm diameter have been formed on top of the In/sub x/O/sub y/N/sub z/ films by dc sputtering and an annealing process. We have investigated the optical H/sub 2/and NO/sub 2/-sensing properties (change of absorbance) and also the electrical sensing effect (change of electrical resistance) for these two gases. A combined optical/electrical sensor for H/sub 2//NO/sub 2/ is proposed.     

Crystal growth and characterization of In23PS3

Crystals of $\text{In}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>2</mtext><mtext>3</mtext>}}\text{PS}{}_3$ were grown by chemical vapor transport of the elements from a charge zone maintained at 630°C. and a growth zone at 560°C. The crystals were characterized by chemical, x-ray, and densitometric techniques. $\text{In}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>2</mtext><mtext>3</mtext>}}\text{PS}{}_3$ is structurally related to the M^IIPS₃ thiophosphides. The compound is an insulator and has an optical absorption edge of 3.1(1) e.V.     

Heteroepitaxial homogeneous CdxHg1−xTe films

A new method for obtaining epitaxial Cd_xHg_1?xTe films is presented. The films were prepared by means of a technique in which HgTe was deposited under isothermal conditions onto vacuum-evaporated CdTe films. The structural, optical, electrical and photoelectric properties of the films obtained were investigated.Investigations of the structure showed that films prepared on crystalline substrates (mica, sapphire) are epitaxial while films on amorphous substrates are polycrystalline or textured with large grains. It was found that epitaxial growth on silicon coated with a thin oxide film is possible. Optical investigations showed very good lateral homogeneity of the chemical composition $\text{(}\text{Δx}\text{Δl}\text{<10}{}^{-1}\text{m}{}^{-1}\text{)}$. The deviation Δx from the assumed composition did not exceed 0.003. The results of measurements of the electrical properties showed that the method used permitted us to obtain p- and n-type layers with high or low (n<3x10²⁰m^-3 for x=0.2) carrier concentration. The charge carrier mobilities in the epitaxial layers were as high as 3.8 m² V^-1s^-1 for x=0.1 at 300 K and exceeded 12 m² V^-1s^-1 for x =0.2 at 77 K. The carrier lifetime τ in the best films reached 10^-6s(for x=0.26 at 295 K and for x=0.2 at 77 K).The epitaxial Cd_xHg_1?xTe films described here were used as photoconductive detectors in the wavelength range 2–14 μm and as photoelectromagnetic detectors in the range 8–14 μm.     

Crystal growth and characterization of In23PSe3

Crystals of $\text{In}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>2</mtext><mtext>3</mtext>}}\text{PSe}{}_3$ were grown by chemical vapor transport of the elements. The phase is structurally related to the hyposelenophosphates, M^IIPSe₃, but contains both indium atoms and vacancies on the metal ion sites. The compound shows a high electrical resistivity (>10⁸ ohm-cm) and has an optical absorption edge at 1.9 (1) e.V.     

Effect of pressure onTc in La2-xBaxCuO4 withx=0.125

The superconducting transition temperature,T _c , of La_2–x Ba _x CuO₄ has been measured under high pressure up to 8 GPa.T _c is found to change drastically at the pressure where the structural phase transition takes place. This finding clearly indicates that there exists an intimate relation between the crystal structure and superconductivity.