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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 523 records · Page 29
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2015

Atomically layer-by-layer diffusion of oxygen/hydrogen in highly epitaxial PrBaCo{sub 2}O{sub 5.5+δ} thin films

Single-crystalline epitaxial thin films of PrBaCo{sub 2}O{sub 5.5+δ} (PrBCO) were prepared, and their resistance R(t) under a switching flow of oxidizing and reducing gases were measured as a function of the gas flow time t in the temperature range of 200–800 °C. During the oxidation cycle under O{sub 2}, the PrBCO films exhibit fast oscillations in their dR(t)/dt vs. t plots, which reflect the oxidation processes, Co{sup 2+}/Co{sup 3+} → Co{sup 3+} and Co{sup 3+} → Co{sup 3+}/Co{sup 4+}, that the Co atoms of PrBCO undergo. Each oscillation consists of two peaks, with larger and smaller peaks representing the oxygen/hydrogen diffusion through the (BaO)(CoO{sub 2})(PrO)(CoO{sub 2}) layers of PrBCO via the oxygen-vacancy-exchange mechanism. This finding paves a significant avenue for cathode materials operating in low-temperature solid-oxide-fuel-cell devices and for chemical sensors with wide range of operating temperature.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2016

Reduced defect density at the CZTSSe/CdS interface by atomic layer deposition of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}

The greatest challenge for improving the power conversion efficiency of Cu{sub 2}ZnSn(S,Se){sub 4} (CZTSSe)/CdS/ZnO thin film solar cells is increasing the open circuit voltage (V{sub OC}). Probable leading causes of the V{sub OC} deficit in state-of-the-art CZTSSe devices have been identified as bulk recombination, band tails, and the intertwined effects of CZTSSe/CdS band offset, interface defects, and interface recombination. In this work, we demonstrate the modification of the CZTSSe absorber/CdS buffer interface following the deposition of 1 nm-thick Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} layers by atomic layer deposition (ALD) near room temperature. Capacitance-voltage profiling and quantum efficiency measurements reveal that ALD-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} interface modification reduces the density of acceptor-like states at the heterojunction resulting in reduced interface recombination and wider depletion width. Indications of increased V{sub OC} resulting from the modification of the heterojunction interface as a result of ALD-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} treatment are presented. These results, while not conclusive for application to state-of-the-art high efficiency CZTSSe devices, suggest the need for further studies as it is probable that interface recombination contributes to reduced V{sub OC} even in such devices.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

An atomic orbital based real-time time-dependent density functional theory for computing electronic circular dichroism band spectra

One of the challenges of interpreting electronic circular dichroism (ECD) band spectra is that different states may have different rotatory strength signs, determined by their absolute configuration. If the states are closely spaced and opposite in sign, observed transitions may be washed out by nearby states, unlike absorption spectra where transitions are always positive additive. To accurately compute ECD bands, it is necessary to compute a large number of excited states, which may be prohibitively costly if one uses the linear-response time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) framework. Here we implement a real-time, atomic-orbital based TDDFT method for computing the entire ECD spectrum simultaneously. The method is advantageous for large systems with a high density of states. In contrast to previous implementations based on real-space grids, the method is variational, independent of nuclear orientation, and does not rely on pseudopotential approximations, making it suitable for computation of chiroptical properties well into the X-ray regime.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2017

Atomic scale study of surface orientations and energies of Ti 2 O 3 crystals

For nanostructured particles, the faceting planes and their terminating chemical species are two critical factors that govern their chemical behavior. In this paper, the surface atomistic structure and termination of Ti 2 O 3 crystals were analyzed using atomic-scale aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) combined with density functional theory (DFT) calculations. STEM imaging reveals that the Ti 2 O 3 crystals are most often faceted along (001), (012), (-114), and (1–20) planes. The DFT calculation indicates that the (012) surface with TiO-termination has the lowest cleavage energy and correspondingly the lowest surface energy, indicating that (012) will be the most stable and prevalent surfaces in Ti 2 O 3 nanocrystals. Finally, these observations provide insights for exploring the interfacial process involving Ti 2 O 3 nanoparticles.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Atomic ionization: sd energy imbalance and Perdew–Zunger self-interaction correction energy penalty in 3d atoms

To accurately describe the energetics of transition metal systems, density functional approximations (DFAs) must provide a balanced description of s- and d- electrons. One measure of this is the sd transfer error, which has previously been defined as E ( 3 d n − 1 4 s 1 ) − E ( 3 d n − 2 4 s 2 ) . Theoretical concerns have been raised about this definition due to its evaluation of excited-state energies using ground-state DFAs. A more serious concern appears to be strong correlation in the 4s 2 configuration. Here, we define a ground-state measure of the sd energy imbalance, based on the errors of s- and d-electron second ionization energies of the 3d atoms, that effectively circumvents the aforementioned problems. We find an improved performance as we move from the local spin density approximation (LSDA) to the Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (PBE) generalized gradient approximation (GGA) to the regularized and restored Strongly Constrained and Appropriately Normed (r 2 SCAN) meta-GGA for first-row transition metal atoms. However, we find large (∼2 eV) ground-state sd energy imbalances when applying a Perdew–Zunger 1981 self-interaction correction. This is attributed to an “energy penalty” associated with the noded 3d orbitals. A local scaling of the self-interaction correction to LSDA results in a balance of s- and d-errors.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗
DOE OSTI2017

Electron-impact single and double ionization of the Fe atom and ${\mathrm{Fe}}^{q+(q=1\mbox{--}4)}$ atomic ions

Electron-impact single and double ionization cross sections for the Fe atom and ${\mathrm{Fe}}^{q+(q=1\mbox{--}4)}$ atomic ions are calculated using a combination of perturbative distorted-wave (DW) and non-perturbative time-dependent close-coupling (TDCC) methods. The single ionization cross sections include contributions from outer subshell direct ionization and excitation-autoionization. The double ionization cross sections include contributions from direct double ionization, inner subshell direct ionization, and excitation-autoionization. The accuracy of the perturbative DW calculations for direct ionization of the outer subshells of Fe and Fe+ are checked by comparison with non-perturbative TDCC calculations. The cross sections for single and double ionization are then compared with crossed-beams measurements.

Pindzola, M. S.↗
DOE OSTI2018

Dimensional reduction and ionic gating induced enhancement of superconductivity in atomically thin crystals of 2H-TaSe 2

The effects of dimensional reduction and ion intercalation on superconductivity (SC) in the presence of charge density waves (CDWs) in two-dimensional crystals of 2H-TaSe 2 were characterized. We prepared atomically thin crystals by mechanical exfoliation and performed electrical transport measurements on devices made by photolithography. The superconducting transition temperature ($T$ $^{SC}_{c}$) was found to increase monotonically as the thickness decreased, changing from 0.14 K in the bulk to higher than 1.4 K for a 3-nm-thick crystal. Here, the temperature dependence of upper critical field was found to be anomalous. The CDW transition temperature ($T$ $^{CDW}_{c}$) was found to decrease, but to a less extent than $T$ $^{SC}_{c}$, from 120 K in the bulk to around 113 K for the 3-nm-thick crystal. In addition, ion intercalation was found to increase $T$ $^{SC}_{c}$ and suppress $T$ $^{CDW}_{c}$ in an atomically thin crystal of 2H-TaSe 2 . The implications of these findings are discussed. We suggest that dimensional reduction and ion intercalation are potentially effective ways to engineer material properties for layered transition metal chalcogenides.

2D material↗
DOE OSTI2015

Polar catastrophe and the structure of KT a 1 - x N b x O 3 surfaces: Results from elastic and inelastic helium atom scattering

In this paper, the structure and dynamics of cleaved (001) surfaces of potassium tantalates doped with niobium, KTa 1-x Nb x O 3 (KTN), with x ranging from 0% to 30%, were measured by helium atom scattering (HAS). Through HAS time-of-flight (TOF) experiments, a dispersionless branch (Einstein phonon branch) with energy of 13-14meV was observed across the surface Brillouin zone in all samples. When this observation is combined with the results from earlier experimental and theoretical studies on these materials, a consistent picture of the stable surface structure emerges: After cleaving the single-crystal sample, the surface should be composed of equal areas of KO and TaO 2 /NbO 2 terraces. The data, however, suggest that K + and O 2- ions migrate from the bulk to the surface, forming a charged KO lattice that is neutralized primarily by additional K + ions bridging pairs of surface oxygens. This structural and dynamic modification at the (001) surface of KTN appears due to its formally charged KO(-1) and TaO 2 /NbO 2 (+1) layers and avoids a “polar catastrophe.” Finally, this behavior is contrasted with the (001) surface behavior of the fluoride perovskite KMnF 3 with its electrically neutral KF and MnF 2 layers.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Charge-screening role of c-axis atomic displacements in YBa 2 Cu 3 O 6+x and related superconductors

Here, the importance of charge reservoir layers for supplying holes to the CuO 2 planes of cuprate superconductors has long been recognized. Less attention has been paid to the screening of the charge transfer by the intervening ionic layers. We address this issue in the case of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 6+x , where CuO chains supply the holes for the planes. We present a simple dielectric-screening model that gives a linear correlation between the relative displacements of ions along the c axis, determined by neutron powder diffraction, and the hole density of the planes. Applying this model to the temperature-dependent shifts of ions along the c axis, we infer a charge transfer of 5–10% of the hole density from the planes to the chains on warming from the superconducting transition to room temperature. Given the significant coupling of c-axis displacements to the average charge density, we point out the relevance of local displacements for screening charge modulations and note recent evidence for dynamic screening of in-plane quasiparticles. This line of argument leads us to a simple model for atomic displacements and charge modulation that is consistent with images from scanning-tunneling microscopy for underdoped Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8+δ .

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2017

Effects of optical dopants and laser wavelength on atom probe tomography analyses of borosilicate glasses

Atom probe tomography (APT) is a novel analytical microscopy method that provides three dimensional elemental mapping with sub-nanometer spatial resolution and has only recently been applied to insulating glass and ceramic samples. In this paper, we have studied the influence of the optical absorption in glass samples on APT characterization by introducing different transition metal optical dopants to a model borosilicate nuclear waste glass (international simple glass). A systematic comparison is presented of the glass optical properties and the resulting APT data quality in terms of compositional accuracy and the mass spectra quality for two APT systems: one with a green laser (532 nm, LEAP 3000X HR) and one with a UV laser (355 nm, LEAP 4000X HR). These data were also compared to the study of a more complex borosilicate glass (SON68). The results show that the analysis data quality such as compositional accuracy and total ions collected, was clearly linked to optical absorption when using a green laser, while for the UV laser optical doping aided in improving data yield but did not have a significant effect on compositional accuracy. Comparisons of data between the LEAP systems suggest that the smaller laser spot size of the LEAP 4000X HR played a more critical role for optimum performance than the optical dopants themselves. The smaller spot size resulted in more accurate composition measurements due to a reduced background level independent of the material’s optical properties.

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory↗
DOE OSTI2015

Thermal chemistry of the Cu-KI5 atomic layer deposition precursor on a copper surface

The thermal chemistry of a Cu(I) ketoiminate complex, Cu-KI5, resulting from the modification of the known Air Products CupraSelect{sup ®} copper CVD precursor Cu(hfac)(tmvs) designed to tether the two ligands via an isopropoxide linker, was studied under ultrahigh vacuum on a Cu(110) single-crystal surface by using a combination of temperature programmed desorption (TPD) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Adsorption at low temperatures was determined to take place via the displacement of the vinyl ligand by the surface. Molecular desorption was seen at 210 K, and the evolution of Cu(II)-KI5{sub 2} was established to take place at 280 K, presumably from a disproportionation reaction that also leads to the deposition of Cu(0). Other sets of desorption products were seen at 150, 250, and 430 K, all containing copper atoms and small organic moieties with molecular masses below 100 amu. The latter TPD peak in particular indicates significant fragmentation of the ligands, likely at the C–N bond that holds the vinylsilane-isopropoxide moiety tethered to the ketoimine fragment, and possibly also at the union between the vinylsilane and the alkoxide linker. The 430 K temperature measured for this chemistry may set an upper limit for clean Cu film deposition, but since reactivity on the surface was also found to be inhibited at higher surface coverages, it may be delayed to higher temperatures under atomic layer deposition conditions.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2016

Thermal chemistry of copper acetamidinate atomic layer deposition precursors on silicon oxide surfaces studied by XPS

The thermal surface chemistry of copper(I)-N,N′-di-sec-butylacetamidinate, [Cu({sup s}Bu-amd)]{sub 2}, a metalorganic complex recently proposed for the chemical-based deposition of copper films, has been characterized on SiO{sub 2} films under ultrahigh vacuum conditions by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Initial adsorption at cryogenic temperatures results in the oxidation of the copper centers with Cu 2p{sub 3/2} XPS binding energies close to those seen for a +2 oxidation state, an observation that the authors interpret as the result of the additional coordination of oxygen atoms from the surface to the Cu atoms of the molecular acetamidinate dimer. Either heating to 300 K or dosing the precursor directly at that temperature leads to the loss of one of its two ligands, presumably via hydrogenation/protonation with a hydrogen/proton from a silanol group, or following a similar reaction on a defect site. By approximately 500 K the Cu 2p{sub 3/2}, C 1s, and N 1s XPS data suggest that the remaining acetamidinate ligand is displaced from the copper center and bonds to the silicon oxide directly, after which temperatures above 900 K need to be reached to promote further (and only partial) decomposition of those organic moieties. It was also shown that the uptake of the Cu precursor is self-limiting at either 300 or 500 K, although the initial chemistry is somewhat different at the two temperatures, and that the nature of the substrate also defines reactivity, with the thin native silicon oxide layer always present on Si(100) surfaces being less reactive than thicker films grown by evaporation, presumably because of the lower density of surface nucleation sites.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗