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At least 631 records · Page 35

Influence of oxygen pressure and aging on LaAlO{sub 3} films grown by pulsed laser deposition on SrTiO{sub 3} substrates

The crystal structures of LaAlO{sub 3} films grown by pulsed laser deposition on SrTiO{sub 3} substrates at oxygen pressure of 10{sup −3} millibars or 10{sup −5} millibars, where kinetics of ablated species hardly depend on oxygen background pressure, are compared. Our results show that the interface between LaAlO{sub 3} and SrTiO{sub 3} is sharper when the oxygen pressure is lower. Over time, the formation of various crystalline phases is observed while the crystalline thickness of the LaAlO{sub 3} layer remains unchanged. X-ray scattering as well as atomic force microscopy measurements indicate three-dimensional growth of such phases, which appear to be fed from an amorphous capping layer present in as-grown samples.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Air stable n-doping of WSe{sub 2} by silicon nitride thin films with tunable fixed charge density

Stable n-doping of WSe{sub 2} using thin films of SiN{sub x} deposited on the surface via plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition is presented. Positive fixed charge centers inside SiN{sub x} act to dope WSe{sub 2} thin flakes n-type via field-induced effect. The electron concentration in WSe{sub 2} can be well controlled up to the degenerate limit by simply adjusting the stoichiometry of the SiN{sub x} through deposition process parameters. For the high doping limit, the Schottky barrier width at the metal/WSe{sub 2} junction is significantly thinned, allowing for efficient electron injection via tunneling. Using this doping scheme, we demonstrate air-stable WSe{sub 2} n-MOSFETs with a mobility of ∼70 cm{sup 2}/V s.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Single-walled carbon nanotube transparent conductive films fabricated by reductive dissolution and spray coating for organic photovoltaics

Solutions of unbundled and unbroken single-walled carbon nanotubes have been prepared using a reductive dissolution process. Transparent conductive films spray-coated from these solutions show a nearly twofold improvement in the ratio of electrical conductivity to optical absorptivity versus those deposited from conventional aqueous dispersions, due to substantial de-aggregation and sizable nanotube lengths. These transparent electrodes have been utilized to fabricate P3HT-PCBM organic solar cells achieving power conversion efficiencies up to 2.3%, comparable to those of solar cells using indium tin oxide transparent electrodes.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗

First principles calculations of point defect diffusion in CdS buffer layers: Implications for Cu(In,Ga)(Se,S){sub 2} and Cu{sub 2}ZnSn(Se,S){sub 4}-based thin-film photovoltaics

We investigate point defects in CdS buffer layers that may arise from intermixing with Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} (CIGSe) or Cu{sub 2}ZnSn(S,Se){sub 4} (CZTSSe) absorber layers in thin-film photovoltaics (PV). Using hybrid functional calculations, we characterize the migration barriers of Cu, In, Ga, Se, Sn, Zn, Na, and K impurities and assess the activation energies necessary for their diffusion into the bulk of the buffer. We find that Cu, In, and Ga are the most mobile defects in CIGS-derived impurities, with diffusion expected to proceed into the buffer via interstitial-hopping and cadmium vacancy-assisted mechanisms at temperatures ∼400 °C. Cu is predicted to strongly favor migration paths within the basal plane of the wurtzite CdS lattice, which may facilitate defect clustering and ultimately the formation of Cu-rich interfacial phases as observed by energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopic elemental maps in real PV devices. Se, Zn, and Sn defects are found to exhibit much larger activation energies and are not expected to diffuse within the CdS bulk at temperatures compatible with typical PV processing temperatures. Lastly, we find that Na interstitials are expected to exhibit slightly lower activation energies than K interstitials despite having a larger migration barrier. Still, we find both alkali species are expected to diffuse via an interstitially mediated mechanism at slightly higher temperatures than enable In, Ga, and Cu diffusion in the bulk. Our results indicate that processing temperatures in excess of ∼400 °C will lead to more interfacial intermixing with CdS buffer layers in CIGSe devices, and less so for CZTSSe absorbers where only Cu is expected to significantly diffuse into the buffer.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Mechanical design of thin-film diamond crystal mounting apparatus for coherence preservation hard x-ray optics

A new thin-film diamond crystal mounting apparatus has been designed at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) for coherence preservation hard x-ray optics with optimized thermal contact and minimized crystal strain. This novel mechanical design can be applied to new development in the field of: x-ray optics cavities for hard x-ray free-electron laser oscillators (XFELOs), self-seeding monochromators for hard x-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) with high average thermal loading, high heat load diamond crystal monochromators and beam-sharing/beam-split-and-delay devices for XFEL facilities and future upgraded high-brightness coherent x-ray source in the MBA lattice configuration at the APS.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Growth of magnesium diboride films on 2 inch diameter copper discs by hybrid physical–chemical vapor deposition

Magnesium diboride (MgB2) coating is a potential candidate to replace bulk niobium (Nb) for superconducting radio frequency cavities due to the appealing superconducting properties of MgB2. MgB2 coating on copper may allow cavity operation near 20–25 K as a result of the high transition temperature (T c) of MgB2 and excellent thermal conductivity of Cu. We have grown MgB2 films on 2 inch diameter Cu discs by hybrid physical–chemical vapor deposition for radio frequency characterization. Structural and elemental analyses showed a uniform MgB2 coating on top of a Mg–Cu alloy layer with occasional intrusion of Mg–Cu alloy regions. High T c values of around 37 K and high critical current density (J c) on the order of 107 A cm-2 at zero field were observed. Radio frequency measurements at 11.4 GHz confirmed a high T c and showed a quality factor (Q 0) much higher than for Cu and close to that of Nb.

Withanage, Wenura K.↗

Outdoor Performance of a Thin-Film Gallium-Arsenide Photovoltaic Module

We deployed a 855 cm2 thin-film, single-junction gallium arsenide (GaAs) photovoltaic (PV) module outdoors. Due to its fundamentally different cell technology compared to silicon (Si), the module responds differently to outdoor conditions. On average during the test, the GaAs module produced more power when its temperature was higher. We show that its maximum-power temperature coefficient, while actually negative, is several times smaller in magnitude than that of a Si module used for comparison. The positive correlation of power with temperature in GaAs is due to temperature-correlated changes in the incident spectrum. We show that a simple correction based on precipitable water vapor (PWV) brings the photocurrent temperature coefficient into agreement with that measured by other methods and predicted by theory. The low operating temperature and small temperature coefficient of GaAs give it an energy production advantage in warm weather.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Phase transition and energy storage behavior of antiferroelectric PLZT thin films epitaxially deposited on SRO buffered STO single crystal substrates [Phase transition and energy storage behavior of antiferroelectric PLZT thin films epitaxially deposited on SRO buffered STO single crystal substrates]

Thin films of 300-nm-thick (Pb 0.98 , La 0.02 )(Zr 0.95 , Ti 0.05 )O 3 (PLZT) were epitaxially deposited on (100), (110), and (111) SrTiO3 single crystal substrates by pulsed laser deposition. X-ray diffraction line and reciprocal space mapping (RSM) scans were used to determine the crystal structure. Tetragonal ((001) PLZT) and monoclinic MA ((O 1 1 ) and (111) PLZT) structures were found, which influenced the stored energy density. Electric field induced antiferroelectric to ferroelectric (AFE—>FE) phase transitions were found to have a large reversible energy density of up to 30J/cm 3 . With increasing temperature, an AFE to relaxor ferroelectric (AFE—>RFE) transition was found. The RFE phase exhibited lower energy loss, and an improved energy storage efficiency. Here, the results are discussed from the perspective of crystal structure, dielectric phase transitions, and energy storage characteristics.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Escape Depth of Secondary and Photoelectrons from CdTe Films with a Ba Film

Escape zone depths λ' for true-secondary electrons and photoelectrons from pure CdTe and CdTe with a Ba film of thickness θ ≤ 1 monolayer have been estimated for the first time. It is shown that upon a decrease of the work function of the surface by 2 eV, the value of λ' increases by 1.2–1.3 times.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗