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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 379 records · Page 21
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2014

Characterization of CZTSSe photovoltaic device with an atomic layer-deposited passivation layer

We describe a CZTSSe (Cu{sub 2}ZnSn(S{sub 1−x},Se{sub x}){sub 4}) photovoltaic (PV) device with an ALD (atomic layer deposition) coated buffer dielectric layer for CZTSSe surface passivation. An ALD buffer layer, such as TiO{sub 2}, can be applied in order to reduce the interface recombination and improve the device's open-circuit voltage. Detailed characterization data including current-voltage, admittance spectroscopy, and capacitance profiling are presented in order to compare the performance of PV devices with and without the ALD layer.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2023

Thermodynamics and kinetics of Pb intercalation under graphene on SiC(0001)

SiC-supported graphene intercalated by a two-dimensional Pb monolayer can provide an appealing platform for spintronic applications. Such a monolayer structure is thermodynamically ultrastable, as observed in recent experiments. However, important fundamentals such as the structure of intercalated phases, locations of intercalated atoms, thermodynamic preference for intercalation, and intercalation pathways for this system have not yet been understood conclusively. Here, in this work, extensive density functional theory calculations are performed to assess Pb intercalation thermodynamics and kinetics under graphene on SiC(0001). We find that intercalation of isolated Pb atoms is strongly disfavored over adsorption on top of graphene. However, intercalation of complete Pb layers in the gallery between SiC and graphene buffer layer is strongly favored over supported Pb monolayers and moderately favored over formation of supported large three-dimensional Pb islands. We also find that initiation of intercalation either by individual Pb atoms directly penetrating graphene or by hopping under a static graphene step edge is energetically prohibitive at experimental temperatures. Consequently, more complex intercalation pathways are operative and further analyzed. We demonstrated that once an intercalated Pb monolayer forms around a graphene step edge, a facile Pb mass transport by Pb vacancy-mediated diffusion can be triggered for continued growth of the intercalated monolayer.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2014

Spin-filtering effect of thin Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} barrier on tunneling magnetoresistance

Tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) dependence on the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} barrier thickness was investigated for CoFe/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/CoFe magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs). MTJs with very thin Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} layers were grown by inserting an amorphous FeZr buffer layer whose role is only to reduce the roughness of bottom electrode. The TMR decreased as the thickness of the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} layer was reduced. The results are analyzed with the dependence of the spin-filtering effect on the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} thickness. It was found that a simple model of separating sp- and d-like electrons does not work, and it may suggest that the tunneling electrons are in rather hybridized state.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2014

Preparation and electrical transport properties of quasi free standing bilayer graphene on SiC (0001) substrate by H intercalation

We investigate the temperature dependent electrical transport properties of quasi-free standing bilayer graphene on 4H-SiC (0001) substrate. Three groups of monolayer epitaxial graphene and corresponding quasi-free standing bilayer graphene with different crystal quality and layer number homogeneity are prepared. Raman spectroscopy and atomic-force microscopy are used to obtain their morphologies and layer number, and verify the complete translation of buffer layer into graphene. The highest room temperature mobility reaches 3700 cm{sup 2}/V·s for the quasi-free standing graphene. The scattering mechanism analysis shows that poor crystal quality and layer number inhomogeneity introduce stronger interacting of SiC substrate to the graphene layer and more impurities, which limit the carrier mobility of the quasi-free standing bilayer graphene samples.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Fabrication of GeSn-multiple quantum wells by overgrowth of Sn on Ge by using molecular beam epitaxy

We report on the fabrication and structural characterization of epitaxially grown ultra-thin layers of Sn on Ge virtual substrates (Si buffer layer overgrown by a 50 nm thick Ge epilayer followed by an annealing step). Samples with 1 to 5 monolayers of Sn on Ge virtual substrates were grown using solid source molecular beam epitaxy and characterized by atomic force microscopy. We determined the critical thickness at which the transition from two-dimensional to three-dimensional growth occurs. This transition is due to the large lattice mismatch between Ge and Sn (≈14.7%). By depositing Ge on top of Sn layers, which have thicknesses at or just below the critical thickness, we were able to fabricate ultra-narrow GeSn multi-quantum-well structures that are fully embedded in Ge. We report results on samples with one and ten GeSn wells separated by 5 and 10 nm thick Ge spacer layers that were characterized by high resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. We discuss the structure and material intermixing observed in the samples.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2021

Manipulation of electronic property of epitaxial graphene on SiC substrate by Pb intercalation

Manipulating the electronic properties of graphene has been a subject of great interest since it can aid material design to extend the applications of graphene to many different areas. Here, we systematically investigate the effect of lead (Pb) intercalation on the structural and electronic properties of epitaxial graphene on the SiC(0001) substrate. We show that the band structure of Pb-intercalated few-layer graphene can be effectively tuned through changing intercalation conditions, such as coverage, location of Pb, and the initial number of graphene layers. Lead intercalation at the interface between the buffer layer (BL) and the SiC substrate decouples the BL from the substrate and transforms the BL into a p-doped graphene layer. We also show that Pb atoms tend to donate electrons to neighboring layers, leading to an n-doping graphene layer and a small gap in the Dirac cone under a sufficiently high Pb coverage. This paper provides useful guidance for manipulating the electronic properties of graphene layers on the SiC substrate.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Strained multilayer structures with pseudomorphic GeSiSn layers

The temperature and composition dependences of the critical thickness of the 2D–3D transition for a GeSiSn film on Si(100) have been studied. The regularities of the formation of multilayer structures with pseudomorphic GeSiSn layers directly on a Si substrate, without relaxed buffer layers, were investigated for the first time. The possibility of forming multilayer structures based on pseudomorphic GeSiSn layers has been shown and the lattice parameters have been determined using transmission electron microscopy. The grown structures demonstrate photoluminescence for Sn contents from 3.5 to 5% in GeSiSn layers.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2019

Final Technical Report

This report highlights of the last 3 years research. Discovery that one-layer (1L) epitaxial graphene plus one carbon interfacial buffer layer (BfL) , both grown by sublimation on SiC(0001), present a stiffness upon indentation similar/larger than bulk diamond and resist to perforation by a diamond indenter. Discovery of an sp 2 - sp 3 phase transformation upon indentation at room temperature of 1L+BfL epitaxial graphene on SiC, the new ultra-hard, ultra-stiff and insulating sp 3 phase was named Diamene . Demonstration of Å-Indentation (ÅI) measurements to measure the stiffness (up to 1 TPa) of ultra-thin (down to 1 atomic layer) films on substrates. First measurement by ÅI of the stiffness of Q-Carbon nano-filaments. Discovery of an oscillatory behavior in friction forces and work function values for even and odd number of layers in polycrystalline MoS 2 films, associated to the oscillatory piezoelectricity of the grains . Demonstration that monolayer MoS 2 can efficiently screen the vdW interaction of the underlying substrate with external systems. Identification of SiC buried terraces and graphene number of layers in a continuous film of epitaxial graphene on SiC by machine learning algorithms. New understanding of defects formation in monolayer MoS 2 . Demonstration of a new method based on thermal scanning probe lithography (t-SPL) for patterning electrodes on 2D materials overcoming EBL limitations . Demonstration of t-SPL for patterning nanoscale magnetic quantum waveguides . New understanding of how charged nanoparticles electrostatically assemble in 1D .

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2017

Study of the influence of ga as a surfactant during the high-temperature ammonia MBE of AlN layers on the properties of nitride heterostructures

The results of growing AlN buffer layers for transistors with a high electron mobility by high-temperature ammonia MBE using Ga as a surfactant are presented. The main parameters affecting the growth and defect formation kinetics are efficient flows of precursors and the surfactant as well as the temperature of the substrate, which limits the surfactant flow because of Ga desorption from the surface. In particular, the addition of the Ga flow equal to the Al flow at a substrate temperature of 1150°C keeps the growth rate constant, changing its kinetics herewith. This approach allows to increase the surface mobility of adatoms and provides a rapid transition to the 2D growth mode. An electron mobility up to 2000 cm{sup 2}/(V s) was achieved for heterostructures with a 2D electron gas grown using a surfactant.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Photoelectric properties of the metamorphic InAs/InGaAs quantum dot structure at room temperature

We present the study of optical and photoelectric properties of InAs quantum dots (QDs) grown on a metamorphic In{sub 0.15}Ga{sub 0.85}As buffer layer: such nanostructures show efficient light emission in the telecom window at 1.3 μm (0.95 eV) at room temperature. We prepared a sample with vertical geometry of contacts isolated from the GaAs substrate. The structure is found to be photosensitive in the spectral range above 0.9 eV at room temperature, showing distinctive features in the photovoltage and photocurrent spectra attributed to QDs, InAs wetting layer, and In{sub 0.15}Ga{sub 0.85}As metamorphic buffer, while a drop in the photoelectric signal above 1.36 eV is related to the GaAs layer. No effect of defect centers on the photoelectrical properties is found, although they are observed in the absorption spectrum. We conclude that metamorphic QDs have a low amount of interface-related defects close to the optically active region and charge carriers can be effectively collected into InAs QDs.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2012

Cation Off-Stoichiometry Leads to High p-Type Conductivity and Enhanced Transparency in Co2ZnO4 and Co2NiO4 Thin Films

We explore the effects of cation off-stoichiometry on structural, electrical, optical, and electronic properties of Co{sub 2}ZnO{sub 4} normal spinel and Co{sub 2}NiO{sub 4} inverse spinel using theoretic and experimental (combinatorial and conventional) techniques, both at thermodynamic equilibrium and in the metastable regime. Theory predicts that nonequilibrium substitution of divalent Zn on nominally trivalent octahedral sites increases net hole density in Co{sub 2}ZnO{sub 4}. Experiment confirms high conductivity and high work function in Co{sub 2}NiO{sub 4} and Zn-rich Co{sub 2}ZnO{sub 4} thin films grown by nonequilibrium physical vapor deposition techniques. High p-type conductivities of Co{sub 2}ZnO{sub 4} (up to 5 S/cm) and Co{sub 2}NiO{sub 4} (up to 204 S/cm) are found over a broad compositional range, they are only weakly sensitive to oxygen partial pressure and quite tolerant to a wide range of processing temperatures. In addition, off-stoichiometry caused by nonequilibrium growth decreases the optical absorption of Co{sub 2}ZnO{sub 4} and Co{sub 2}NiO{sub 4} thin films, although the 500-nm thin films still have rather limited transparency. All these properties as well as high work functions make Co{sub 2}ZnO{sub 4} and Co{sub 2}NiO{sub 4} thin films attractive for technological applications, such as hole transport layers in organic photovoltaic devices or p-type buffer layers in inorganic solar cells.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

High performance non-volatile ferroelectric copolymer memory based on a ZnO nanowire transistor fabricated on a transparent substrate

A high performance ferroelectric non-volatile memory device based on a top-gate ZnO nanowire (NW) transistor fabricated on a glass substrate is demonstrated. The ZnO NW channel was spin-coated with a poly (vinylidenefluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE)) layer acting as a top-gate dielectric without buffer layer. Electrical conductance modulation and memory hysteresis are achieved by a gate electric field induced reversible electrical polarization switching of the P(VDF-TrFE) thin film. Furthermore, the fabricated device exhibits a memory window of ∼16.5 V, a high drain current on/off ratio of ∼10{sup 5}, a gate leakage current below ∼300 pA, and excellent retention characteristics for over 10{sup 4} s.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Magnetic domain observation of FeCo thin films fabricated by alternate monoatomic layer deposition

FeCo thin films are fabricated by alternate monoatomic layer deposition method on a Cu{sub 3}Au buffer layer, which in-plane lattice constant is very close to the predicted value to obtain a large magnetic anisotropy constant. The variation of the in-plane lattice constant during the deposition process is investigated by reflection high-energy electron diffraction. The magnetic domain images are also observed by a photoelectron emission microscope in order to microscopically understand the magnetic structure. As a result, element-specific magnetic domain images show that Fe and Co magnetic moments align parallel. A series of images obtained with various azimuth reveal that the FeCo thin films show fourfold in-plane magnetic anisotropy along 〈110〉 direction, and that the magnetic domain structure is composed only of 90∘ wall.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

A futuristic approach towards interface layer modifications for improved efficiency in inverted organic solar cells

Inverted polymer Solar Cells of the classical poly (3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT):(6,6)-phenyl-C{sub 61}butyric acid methyl ester (PC{sub 61}BM) blend on indium tin oxide substrates were fabricated, which shows improved device performance, by using a facile solution–processed ZnO-polyelectrolytes [poly (diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC), Poly (acrylic acid sodium salt) (PAS), poly (4-styrenesulfonic acid) (PSS), and Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)] nanocomposite as a cathode interface layer compared to devices using pristine ZnO as cathode buffer layer in ambient conditions. The devices with different combinations of polyelectrolyte with ZnO show different improvements in the device efficiency. The combinations of ZnO with PVP and PDADMAC show highest amount of improvements in the efficiency by a factor of ∼17–19. The improvement of the efficiency may be due to various phenomena, such as the passivation of ZnO surface as well as bulk traps, work function modification, improved energy level alignment, improved electronic coupling of the inorganic/organic interface, improved light harvesting, and decrease of surface as well as bulk charge recombination in the device. The introduction of polyelectrolyte into ZnO inhibits the aggregation of ZnO nanoparticles yielding the large area ZnO nanoclusters; and hence, forming the uniform film of ZnO resulting in the modifications of morphology as well as electronic structure of ZnO-polyelectrolyte nano-composite favouring better electronic coupling between cathode and active layer and hence enhancing the current and, consequently, the efficiency. This simple low temperature ZnO-polyelectrolyte nanocomposite based protocol proposed for cathode interface layer modification may be very much useful for roll to roll industrial manufacturing of organic solar cells.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Evidence of the metal-insulator transition in ultrathin unstrained V{sub 2}O{sub 3} thin films

We report the strain state and transport properties of V{sub 2}O{sub 3} layers and V{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Cr{sub 2}O{sub 3} bilayers deposited by molecular beam epitaxy on (0001)-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}. By changing the layer on top of which V{sub 2}O{sub 3} is grown, we change the lattice parameters of ultrathin V{sub 2}O{sub 3} films significantly. We find that the metal-insulator transition is strongly attenuated in ultrathin V{sub 2}O{sub 3} layers grown coherently on Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}. This is in contrast with ultrathin V{sub 2}O{sub 3} layers grown on Cr{sub 2}O{sub 3} buffer layers, where the metal-insulator transition is preserved. Our results provide evidence that the existence of the transition in ultrathin films is closely linked with the lattice deformation.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2018

Heteroepitaxy of GaP Nucleation Layers on Si by Molecular Beam Epitaxy

The growth of single crystalline GaP nucleation and buffer layers on Si substrates by molecular-beam epitaxy is demonstrated. The use of two different regimes of migration-enhanced epitaxy was studied. It was found that p–n junctions can be created due to the interdiffusion during the growth of GaP layer on p-type Si substrate.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2015

Growth and characterization of (110) InAs quantum well metamorphic heterostructures

An understanding of the growth of (110) quantum wells (QWs) is of great importance to spin systems due to the observed long spin relaxation times. In this article, we report on the metamorphic growth and characterization of high mobility undoped InAs (110) QWs on GaAs (110) substrates. A low-temperature nucleation layer reduces dislocation density, results in tilting of the subsequent buffer layer and increases the electron mobility of the QW structure. The mobility varies widely and systematically (4000–16 000 cm{sup 2}/Vs at room temperature) with deposition temperature and layer thicknesses. Low-temperature transport measurements exhibit Shubnikov de-Haas oscillations and quantized plateaus in the quantum Hall regime.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Improved film quality of plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition SiO{sub 2} using plasma treatment cycle

Chemical, physical, and electrical characteristics of high quality silicon dioxide (SiO{sub 2}) films grown using low temperature plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PE-ALD) have been investigated as a buffer layer for three dimensional vertical NAND flash memory devices. The comparative angle resolved x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies show the plasma treatment cycle causes to shift the core level binding energy (chemical shifts) in the SiO{sub 2} film. The wet etch rates with respect to plasma treatment cycle times were varied due to curing of the SiO{sub 2} network defects by Ar{sup +} ions and oxygen radicals. It is assumed that the angle between the bonds linking SiO{sub 4} tetrahedra is a critical point understanding the variation in wet etch rate of SiO{sub 2}. The features of wet etch rate of low temperature high quality SiO{sub 2} demonstrated lower than high temperature low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LP-CVD) SiO{sub 2} values. In addition, the better step-coverage compared to that of the LP-CVD SiO{sub 2} film was achieved from the deep trench structure having the 20:1 aspect ratio. PE-ALD SiO{sub 2} with plasma treatment cycle showed excellent I–V properties with higher breakdown voltage compared to LP-CVD SiO{sub 2} and similar to the thermal SiO{sub 2} carrier transport plot.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗