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Li, S.

Publications and source records attributed to Li, S..

At least 163 records · Page 9

Modification of energy band alignment and electric properties of Pt/Ba{sub 0.6}Sr{sub 0.4}TiO{sub 3}/Pt thin-film ferroelectric varactors by Ag impurities at interfaces

We report on the effects of Ag impurities at interfaces of parallel-plate Pt/Ba{sub 0.6}Sr{sub 0.4}TiO{sub 3}/Pt thin film ferroelectric varactors. Ag impurities occur at the interfaces due to diffusion of Ag from colloidal silver paint used to attach the varactor samples with their back side to the plate heated at 600–750 °C during deposition of Ba{sub 0.6}Sr{sub 0.4}TiO{sub 3}. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and secondary ion mass spectrometry suggest that amount and distribution of Ag adsorbed at the interfaces depend strongly on the adsorbent surface layer. In particular, Ag preferentially accumulates on top of the Pt bottom electrode. The presence of Ag significantly reduces the barrier height between Pt and Ba{sub 0.6}Sr{sub 0.4}TiO{sub 3} leading to an increased leakage current density and, thus, to a severe degradation of the varactor performance.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Effects of surface defects on two-dimensional electron gas at NdAlO 3 /SrTiO 3 interface

Density functional theory calculations of NdAlO 3 /SrTiO 3 heterostructure show that two-dimensional electron gas (2-DEG) is produced at the interface with a built-in potential of ~0.3 eV per unit cell. The effects of surface defects on the phase stability and electric field of 2-DEG have been investigated. It is found that oxygen vacancy is easily to form on the NdAlO 3 (001) surface, with a low threshold displacement energy and a low formation energy. This point defect results in surface reconstruction and the formation of a zigzag -Al-O-Al- chain, which quenches the built-in potential and enhances the carrier density significantly. These results will provide fundamental insights into understanding how surface defects influence the electronic behavior of 2-DEG and tuning their electronic properties through surface modification.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Green emission in carbon doped ZnO films

The emission behavior of C-doped ZnO films, which were prepared by implantation of carbon into ZnO films, is investigated. Orange/red emission is observed for the films with the thickness of 60–100 nm. However, the film with thickness of 200 nm shows strong green emission. Further investigations by annealing bulk ZnO single crystals under different environments, i.e. Ar, Zn or C vapor, indicated that the complex defects based on Zn interstitials are responsible for the strong green emission. The existence of complex defects was confirmed by electron spin resonance (ESR) and low temperature photoluminescence (PL) measurement.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Interfaces of dicationic ionic liquids and graphene: a molecular dynamics simulation study

Molecular dynamics simulations were performed to investigate the interfacial structure and capacitance of electrical double layers (EDLs) in dicationic ionic liquids (DILs) 1-alkyl-3-dimethylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate [Cn(mim)2](BF4)2 (n = 3, 6, 9), with respect to a baseline of a monocationic ionic liquid [C3mim][BF4], near planar carbon electrodes consisting of graphene sheets. The simulation results show that an adsorbed layer with double peaks is exclusively found for [C3(mim)2](BF4)2, while a single peak of the other three cations is observed at the neutral electrode, due to the difference in ion–wall interaction and cation–anion association. As the electrode becomes negatively charged, the second peak of [C3(mim)2]2+ is dramatically reduced, whereas those of [C6(mim)2]2+ and [C9(mim)2]2+ become non-trivial. The capacitance–potential curve of EDLs in DILs manifests a transition from camel shape to bell shape as the cation chain length increases, which is attributed to the enlargement of ion adsorption (per unit charge) on the electrode and the decrease of attractive interaction between ions.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Controlled growth of ZnO nanorods on textured silicon wafer and the application for highly effective and recyclable SERS substrate by decorating Ag nanoparticles

Highlights: • The growth behavior of ZnO nanorods (NRs) is studied on the textured Si wafer. • A new surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate has been achieved by assembling Ag nanoparticles onto the ZnO NRs. • The SERS substrate exhibits good performance in terms of high sensitivity, good reproducibility and recyclability. - Abstract: Based on the study of growth behavior of ZnO nanorods on the textured Si wafer, a new three-dimensional surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrate has been achieved by assembling Ag nanoparticles onto the ZnO nanorods to form a radial plasmonic nanostructure. It is found that the new substrate exhibits good performance in terms of high sensitivity and good reproducibility for surface-enhanced Raman scattering. The determined enhancement factor is in the order of 10{sup 7} and the Raman spectra exhibit the remarkable consistency with the deviation below 5.0%. Compared to the substrate fabricated with ZnO nanorod array on the flat Si wafer, the new substrates have the higher utility of excitation light. Meanwhile, the new substrate is demonstrated to be recyclable after the irradiation of ultraviolet light.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Positive magnetoresistance in ferromagnetic Nd-doped In{sub 2}O{sub 3} thin films grown by pulse laser deposition

We report the magnetic and magnetotransport properties of (In{sub 0.985}Nd{sub 0.015}){sub 2}O{sub 2.89} thin films grown by pulse laser deposition. The clear magnetization hysteresis loops with the complementary magnetic domain structure reveal the intrinsic room temperature ferromagnetism in the as-prepared films. The strong sp-f exchange interaction as a result of the rare earth doping is discussed as the origin of the magnetotransport behaviours. A positive magnetoresistance (∼29.2%) was observed at 5 K and ascribed to the strong ferromagnetic sp-f exchange interaction in (In{sub 0.985}Nd{sub 0.015}){sub 2}O{sub 2.89} thin films due to a large Zeeman splitting in an external magnetic field of 50 KOe.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Quantitative analysis of anisotropic magnetoresistance in Co{sub 2}MnZ and Co{sub 2}FeZ epitaxial thin films: A facile way to investigate spin-polarization in half-metallic Heusler compounds

Anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) effect has been systematically investigated in various Heusler compounds Co{sub 2}MnZ and Co{sub 2}FeZ (Z = Al, Si, Ge, and Ga) epitaxial films and quantitatively summarized against the total valence electron number N{sub V}. It was found that the sign of AMR ratio is negative when N{sub V} is between 28.2 and 30.3, and turns positive when N{sub V} becomes below 28.2 and above 30.3, indicating that the Fermi level (E{sub F}) overlaps with the valence or conduction band edges of half-metallic gap at N{sub V} ∼ 28.2 or 30.3, respectively. We also find out that the magnitude of negative AMR ratio gradually increases with shifting of E{sub F} away from the gap edges, and there is a clear positive correlation between the magnitude of negative AMR ratio and magnetoresistive output of the giant magnetoresistive devices using the Heusler compounds. This indicates that AMR can be used as a facile way to optimize a composition of half-metallic Heusler compounds having a high spin-polarization at room temperature.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Chemically strengthened protection glasses for the applications of space solar cells

The effects of chemically strengthened processing and the ion beam irradiation on the mechanical characteristics of space solar cell protection glasses are investigated using dynamic mechanical analysis and micro hardness instrument; also the corresponding optical properties were analyzed by utilizing the UV/visible spectrophotometer. The results suggest that the flexural strength, fracture toughness and surface characteristics are enhanced via the chemical strengthening process. Importantly, such process has a trivial influence with ∼0.2% degradation on the transparency of chemically strengthened glasses in the band range of 350 ∼ 1000 nm, while exhibits an excellent resistance on radiation damage by ion beams bombardment, demonstrating an outstanding durability in the space radiation environment.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

High temperature transport properties of thermoelectric CaMnO{sub 3−δ} — Indication of strongly interacting small polarons

The conductivity and Seebeck coefficient of CaMnO{sub 3−δ} have been studied at temperatures up to 1000 °C and in atmospheres with controlled oxygen partial pressure. Both transport coefficients were varied in situ by the reversible formation of oxygen vacancies up to δ = 0.15. The charge carrier concentration was calculated using a defect chemical model. The Seebeck coefficient could be approximated by Heikes' formula, while the conductivity shows a maximum at a molar charge carrier concentration of 0.25. These results were interpreted as a signature of strong electronic correlation effects, and it was concluded that charge transport in CaMnO{sub 3−δ} occurs via strongly interacting small polarons. General prospects for strongly correlated materials as potential candidates for high temperature thermoelectric power generation were discussed.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Study of Gd-doped Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} thin films: Molecular beam epitaxy growth and magnetic properties

Incorporation of magnetic dopants into topological insulators to break time-reversal symmetry is a prerequisite for observing the quantum anomalous Hall (QAHE) effect and other novel magnetoelectric phenomena. GdBiTe{sub 3} with a Gd:Bi ratio of 1:1 is a proposed QAHE system, however, the reported solubility limit for Gd doping into Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} bulk crystals is between ∼0.01 and 0.05. We present a magnetic study of molecular beam epitaxy grown (Gd{sub x}Bi{sub 1–x}){sub 2}Te{sub 3} thin films with a high Gd concentration, up to x ≈ 0.3. Magnetometry reveals that the films are paramagnetic down to 1.5 K. X-ray magnetic circular dichroism at the Gd M{sub 4,5} edge at 1.5 K reveals a saturation field of ∼6 T, and a slow decay of the magnetic moment with temperature up to 200 K. The Gd{sup 3+} ions, which are substitutional on Bi sites in the Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} lattice, exhibit a large atomic moment of ∼7 μ{sub B}, as determined by bulk-sensitive superconducting quantum interference device magnetometry. Surface oxidation and the formation of Gd{sub 2}O{sub 3} lead to a reduced moment of ∼4 μ{sub B} as determined by surface-sensitive x-ray magnetic circular dichroism. Their large atomic moment makes these films suitable for incorporation into heterostructures, where interface polarization effects can lead to the formation of magnetic order within the topological insulators.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Ferromagnetic (Mn, N)-codoped ZnO nanopillars array: Experimental and computational insights

To reveal the mechanism responsible for ferromagnetism in transition metal and hole codoped oxide semiconductors, we carry out a comparative study on Mn-doped and (Mn, N)-codoped ZnO nanopillars. Compared with Mn-doped ZnO samples, (Mn, N)-codoped ZnO nanopillars exhibit an enhanced room temperature ferromagnetism. The modulation of bound magnetic polarons via Mn and N codoping corroborates the correlation between the ferromagnetism and hole carriers, which is also verified by first-principles density functional theory calculations. Our study suggests that the electronic band alteration as a result of codoping engineering plays a critical role in stabilizing the long-range magnetic orderings.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗