Formation of icosahedral quasicrystals in (Ag,Au)-based ternary systems

We investigated the phase constitution of rapidly solidified (Ag,Au)-based ternary alloys at various compositions of (M,X)_85.7RE_14.3 (M = Ag, Au, X = Al,Ga,In, RE = Er,Lu). It is found that an icosahedral phase is formed at an average electrons per atom ratio close to 2.0 as well as at the composition ratio of (M,X)₆RE, suggesting that these factors have crucial roles in the stability of the icosahedral phases. It is also found that the trend of the icosahedral phase formation in the Au-based alloys is quite different from that in the Ag-based alloys.     

利用Al/AlAs中间层调控GaAs在Si(111)上外延生长的研究

为了实现Ⅲ-V器件在硅基平台上单片集成,近年来Ⅲ-V半导体在硅衬底上的异质外延得到了广泛研究。由于Ⅲ-V半导体与Si之间大的晶格失配以及晶格结构不同,在Si上生长的Ⅲ-V半导体中存在较多的失配位错及反相畴,对器件性能造成严重影响。而Si(111)表面的双原子台阶可以避免Ⅲ-V异质外延过程中形成反相畴。本文利用分子束外延技术通过Al/AlAs作为中间层首次在Si(111)衬底上外延生长了GaAs(111)薄膜。通过一系列对比实验验证了Al/AlAs中间层的插入对GaAs薄膜质量的调控作用,并在此基础上通过低温-高温两步法优化了GaAs的生长条件。结果表明Al/AlAs插层可以为GaAs外延生长提供模板,并在一定程度上释放GaAs与Si之间的失配应力,从而使GaAs薄膜的晶体质量得到提高。以上工作为Ⅲ-V半导体在硅上的生长提供了新思路。     

Dependence of photo-oxidation on Ag(Cu)-content in Ag(Cu)–As2Se3 films

We report the dependence of photo-oxidation (i.e., the formation of As₂O₃ microcrystals) on Ag (or Cu) content in Ag-doped As₂Se₃ and Cu-doped As₂Se₃ films. These chalcogenide films were prepared by thermal evaporation and photodoping, and their film surface was illuminated in air with an Ar laser beam of a wavelength of 0.5145 μm. From viewpoint of applications, we paid attention to the probability and the beginning optical intensity of the As₂O₃ microcrystals formation, and the photodarkening effect as a function of Ag (Cu) content. It has been confirmed that the addition of metals Cu or Ag into As₂Se₃ films is very useful in for suppressing or weakening such a harmful oxidation reaction. It has also been found that there is a distinct difference in these properties between Ag–As₂Se₃ and Cu–As₂Se₃ films, which is attributed to the difference in the coordinate number between Ag and Cu atoms.     

p型CdZnTe晶体(111)B面的Au/Zn复合电极的制备和研究

通过对p型CdZnTe(111)面的结构分析,用真空蒸发法在p型CdZnTe晶体(111)面制备出Au/Zn复合电极,运用金相显微镜、AFM测试、SEM剖面观察、EDS成分分析、Ⅰ-Ⅴ特性测试及势垒高度计算等多种手段研究了Au/Zn复合电极对金属和半导体接触性能的影响.结果表明,在P型CdZnTe(111)A面蒸镀Au电极,在B面蒸镀Au/Zn复合电极时获得的势垒高度最低,有效减小了富Te面对金半接触的影响.Au/Zn复合电极能获得比Au电极更理想的接触性能.     

Ti/Au复合电极在CdZnTe(111)B面上的表面结构与性能研究

近年来,碲锌镉(CdZnTe)材料制成的探测器已经成为研究热点,适当的接触特性已经成为提高探测器性能的关键问题。本文主要探讨了弱n型CdZnTe晶体(111)B面Ti/Au复合电极的欧姆接触性能,采用两步沉积工艺制备Ti/Au复合电极。通过AFM、FIB/TEM、XPS、I-V等测试方法研究了电极与CdZnTe的界面结构、化学成分和电学性能。结果表明,Ti过渡层的引入可以减轻和改善晶片抛光过程中形成的损伤层,增加了电极与晶体之间的欧姆特性。相比于CdZnTe (111)B面上的Cr/Au复合电极,Ti/Au复合电极的粗糙度更低、接触界面更平整,晶格失配层厚度也更低。Ti中间层促进了金/半界面的互扩散现象, 有利于增加黏附性和降低肖特基势垒,并且在Ti/Au复合电极与CdZnTe接触的界面上没有观察到氧元素的存在。I-V测试表明Ti/Au复合电极具有更加良好的欧姆特性和更低的肖特基势垒。     

Structural Characteristics of Epitaxial Low-Temperature Grown {InGaAs/InAlAs} Superlattices on InP(100) and InP(111)A Substrates

Crystallography Reports - The structural characteristics of {InGaAs/InAlAs} superlattices, grown by molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) at a temperature of 200°C on InP substrates with the...     

Atomization Energy of the Cu,Ag, Au Crystals in Terms of the Statistical Model

The statistical atom model is used for ab initio calculations of the atom binding energy in crystals. The original calculations by the above method of atomization energy at T = 0 K of the A₁ modification crystals of I^B elements group of the Periodic System are consistent with the experimental data. The atomization energy estimates of the A₂, A₃ modifications are made.     

Efficient plasmonic coupling between Er3 +:(Ag/Au) in tellurite glasses

We report a systematic study of the localized surface plasmon resonance effects on the photoluminescence of Er^3 +-doped tellurite glasses containing Silver or Gold nanoparticles. The Silver and Gold nanoparticles are obtained by means of reduction of Ag ions (Ag⁺ → Ag⁰) or Au ions (Au^3 + → Au⁰) during the melting process followed by the formation of nanoparticles by heat treatment of the glasses. Absorption and photoluminescence spectra reveal particular features of the interaction between the metallic nanoparticles and Er^3 + ions. The photoluminescence enhancement observed is due to dipole coupling of Silver nanoparticles with the ⁴I_13/2 → ⁴I_15/2 Er^3 + transition and Gold nanoparticles with the ²H_11/2 → ⁴I_13/2 (805 nm) and ⁴S_3/2 → ⁴I_13/2 (840 nm) Er^3 + transitions. Such process is achieved via an efficient coupling yielding an energy transfer from the nanoparticles to the Er^3 + ions, which is confirmed from the theoretical spectra calculated through the decay rate.     

Nanolayer of the A2IIIB3VI (111) phase with ordered cation vacancies on GaAs(111) and InAs(111)

The surface of GaAs(111) and InAs(111) substrates has been investigated by transmission and scanning electron microscopy after thermal treatment in selenium vapor. A pseudomorphic growth of single-crystal phases of indium selenide In₂Se₃(111) and gallium selenide Ga₂Se₃(111) is found; these compounds are crystallized into a sphalerite lattice with ordered stoichiometric cation vacancies. A model of an atomic surface is proposed for the In₂Se₃(111) and Ga₂Se₃(111) structures. The reconstruction of the (√3 × √3)-R30° surface of GaAs(111) and InAs(111) after treatment in Se vapor is considered within this model.     

STM Study of Self-Organization of 10CB Molecules on Au(111) Surface

We report the scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) observation of a self-organization of 4-cyano-4′-n-decylbiphenyl (10CB) molecules on the reconstructed Au(111) surface. The self-organized monolayers were obtained by the deposition from a liquid. We revealed a row-like dimer structure with regularly arranged kinks within each dimer row. The separation between neighbor kinks is equal to 4 or 5 intermolecular distances. STM-images with intramolecular resolution showed that the association of molecules in dimers is due to the interaction between cyano groups. The obtained results are discussed in terms of the balance between the molecule-molecule and molecule-substrate interactions and are supported by the results of DFT calculations.     

Epitaxial growth of GaN on {1012} oriented sapphire in GaCl/NH3/He and GaCl/NH3/H2 systems

GaN epitaxial layers were grown on {101 2} sapphire substrates in the systems GaCl/NH₃/He and GaCl/NH₃H₂, respectively. The films obtained were investigated by light microscopy, RHEED method and electron-microscopical replica technique. The epitaxial relationship was found to be {101 2} // {112 0}_GaN; 〈112 0〉 // 〈101 0〉_GaN With respect to layer perfection the temperature range of 800 … 1060°C and growth rates ≧ 1 μm/min are the best growth conditions.     

On the growth of Au on clean and contaminated GaAs(001) surfaces

Auger analysis and transmission electron microscope (TEM) analysis have been used to determine the influence of contamination on the structural properties of Au films grown on different chemically treated (001)GaAs surfaces. The Au films were evaporated on to the (001)GaAs surfaces at 320°C in a vacuum of 10^-8 Torr after an initial bake-out of 500°C for 1 h. The results revealed that carbon contamination of the surfaces resulted in completely polycrystalline Au overgrowth while clean surfaces resulted in perfectly alligned epitaxial Au overgrowths. The epitaxial relationship is given by (100)_Au 6(100)_GaAs and <100 > _Au6 <100 > _GaAs which is equivalent to a misfit of 32.24%.     

Transmission electron microscopy investigation of AlN growth on Si(111)

AlN layers with a thickness of 250 nm were grown by plasma-assisted gas source molecular-beam epitaxy on Si(111) at substrate temperatures between 600 °C and 900 °C. The surface morphology and microstructure of the AlN layers were analyzed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Different defect types are observed in the AlN layers and at the AlN/Si(111) interfaces as a function of the temperature: inclusions of pure Al in the Si-substrate, crystallites of the cubic AlN phase, dislocations, stacking faults and inversion domain boundaries. The formation and concentration of the defects depends strongly on the substrate temperature during the growth. X-ray diffraction rocking curves for the (0002) reflection yield minimum full width at half maximum values for the sample grown at the 900 °C under Al-rich conditions indicating optimum structural quality. However, the discussion of the entity of defects will show that a more differentiated view is required to assess the overall quality of the AlN layers.     

Epitaxial growth of graphitic carbon on C-face SiC and Sapphire by chemical vapor deposition (CVD)

Epitaxial, graphitic carbon thin films were directly grown on C-face/(0 0 0 1¯) SiC and (0 0 0 1) sapphire by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), using propane as a carbon source and without any catalytic metal on the substrate surface. Raman spectroscopy shows the signature of multilayer graphene/graphite growth on both the SiC and sapphire. Raman 2D-peaks have Lorentzian lineshapes with FWHM of ∼60 cm⁻¹ and the ratio of the D-peak to G-peak intensity (I_D/I_G) linearly decreases (down to 0.06) as growth temperature is increased. The epitaxial relationship between film and substrates were determined by X-ray diffraction. On both substrates, graphitic layers are oriented parallel to the substrate, but exhibit significant rotational disorder about the surface normal, and predominantly rhombohedral stacking. Film thicknesses were determined to be a function of growth time, growth temperature, and propane flow rate.     

Evidence of nucleation and growth of metal Cu and Ag nanoparticles in lustre: AFM surface characterization

Lustre is one of the most interesting ancient ceramic decorations. Recent studies demonstrated that lustre correspond to a nanostructured thin layer formed by metallic copper and metallic silver nanocrystals embedded in a glass matrix. The aim of this paper is to improve the comprehension of lustre nature and the mechanisms of its formation focusing special attention on glaze surface nanotopography and the crystalline particles size and distribution. Lustre reproductions were studied during the lustre formation process and compared to medieval lustre layers. Lustre reproductions and ancient lustre surfaces were observed by means of White Light Interferometry, Atom Forces Microscopy, X-ray Diffraction and Electron Microprobe. These observations shown that lustre layer does not appear as a superimposed layer on the top of the glaze but as a surface roughness resulting by the nanocrystals growth inside the glassy matrix. Chemical Microprobe Analysis of lustre reproductions indicates that Cu and (later) Ag are introduced into the glaze by ion-exchange with alkalis (Na and K) from the glaze. White Light Interferometry and Atomic Forces Microscopy showed that surface roughness increase during the lustre formation process as a result of metal nanoparticles growth. Silver particles appear heterogeneously distributed and have a smaller size and higher roughness than copper particles on ancient lustre. This paper confirmed that lustre formation process involves two steps process: ion exchange and crystallization (nucleation and crystal growth) of Cu and Ag metal nanoparticles inside the glassy matrix.