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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 667 records · Page 37
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2013

Structural and optical properties of Ag-doped copper oxide thin films on polyethylene napthalate substrate prepared by low temperature microwave annealing

Silver doped cupric oxide thin films are prepared on polyethylene naphthalate (flexible polymer) substrates. Thin films Ag-doped CuO are deposited on the substrate by co-sputtering followed by microwave assisted oxidation of the metal films. The low temperature tolerance of the polymer substrates led to the search for innovative low temperature processing techniques. Cupric oxide is a p-type semiconductor with an indirect band gap and is used as selective absorption layer solar cells. X-ray diffraction identifies the CuO phases. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry measurements confirm the stoichiometry of each copper oxide formed. The surface morphology is determined by atomic force microscopy. The microstructural properties such as crystallite size and the microstrain for (-111) and (111) planes are calculated and discussed. Incorporation of Ag led to the lowering of band gap in CuO. Consequently, it is determined that Ag addition has a strong effect on the structural, morphological, surface, and optical properties of CuO grown on flexible substrates by microwave annealing. Tauc's plot is used to determine the optical band gap of CuO and Ag doped CuO films. The values of the indirect and direct band gap for CuO are found to be 2.02 eV and 3.19 eV, respectively.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Origins of ion irradiation-induced Ga nanoparticle motion on GaAs surfaces

We have examined the origins of ion irradiation-induced nanoparticle (NP) motion. Focused-ion-beam irradiation of GaAs surfaces induces random walks of Ga NPs, which are biased in the direction opposite to that of ion beam scanning. Although the instantaneous NP velocities are constant, the NP drift velocities are dependent on the off-normal irradiation angle, likely due to a difference in surface non-stoichiometry induced by the irradiation angle dependence of the sputtering yield. It is hypothesized that the random walks are initiated by ion irradiation-induced thermal fluctuations, with biasing driven by anisotropic mass transport.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Determination of thickness and composition of high-k dielectrics using high-energy electrons

We demonstrate the application of high-energy elastic electron backscattering to the analysis of thin (2–20 nm) HfO{sub 2} overlayers on oxidized Si substrates. The film composition and thickness are determined directly from elastic scattering peaks characteristic of each element. The stoichiometry of the films is determined with an accuracy of 5%–10%. The experimental results are corroborated by medium energy ions scattering and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry measurements, and clearly demonstrate the applicability of the technique for thin-film analysis. Significantly, the presented technique opens new possibilities for nm depth profiling with high spatial resolution in scanning electron microscopes.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Sponge-like Si-SiO{sub 2} nanocomposite—Morphology studies of spinodally decomposed silicon-rich oxide

Sponge-like Si nanostructures embedded in SiO{sub 2} were fabricated by spinodal decomposition of sputter-deposited silicon-rich oxide with a stoichiometry close to that of silicon monoxide. After thermal treatment a mean feature size of about 3 nm was found in the phase-separated structure. The structure of the Si-SiO{sub 2} nanocomposite was investigated by energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy (EFTEM), EFTEM tomography, and atom probe tomography, which revealed a percolated Si morphology. It was shown that the percolation of the Si network in 3D can also be proven on the basis of 2D EFTEM images by comparison with 3D kinetic Monte Carlo simulations.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Brass plasmoid in external magnetic field at different air pressures

The behavior of expanding brass plasmoid generated by 266 nm wavelength of Nd:YAG laser in nonuniform magnetic field at different air pressures has been examined using optical emission spectroscopy and fast imaging of plasma plumes. The splitting of the plasma plumes and enhancement of intensity of Cu I at 510.5 nm in the presence of magnetic field at lower pressures are discussed. The threading and expulsion of the magnetic field lines through the plasmoid are correlated with the ambient pressure. The stoichiometry of the plasma plume is not significantly influenced by the magnetic field; however, the abundance of neutral to ionic species of Cu and Zn is greatly influenced by the magnetic field.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2013

Radio frequency plasma power dependence of the moisture permeation barrier characteristics of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} films deposited by remote plasma atomic layer deposition

In the present study, we investigated the gas and moisture permeation barrier properties of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} films deposited on polyethersulfone films (PES) by capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) type Remote Plasma Atomic Layer Deposition (RPALD) at Radio Frequency (RF) plasma powers ranging from 100 W to 400 W in 100 W increments using Trimethylaluminum [TMA, Al(CH{sub 3}){sub 3}] as the Al source and O{sub 2} plasma as the reactant. To study the gas and moisture permeation barrier properties of 100-nm-thick Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} at various plasma powers, the Water Vapor Transmission Rate (WVTR) was measured using an electrical Ca degradation test. WVTR decreased as plasma power increased with WVTR values for 400 W and 100 W of 2.6 × 10{sup −4} gm{sup −2}day{sup −1} and 1.2 × 10{sup −3} gm{sup −2}day{sup −1}, respectively. The trends for life time, Al-O and O-H bond, density, and stoichiometry were similar to that of WVTR with improvement associated with increasing plasma power. Further, among plasma power ranging from 100 W to 400 W, the highest power of 400 W resulted in the best moisture permeation barrier properties. This result was attributed to differences in volume and amount of ion and radical fluxes, to join the ALD process, generated by O{sub 2} plasma as the plasma power changed during ALD process, which was determined using a plasma diagnosis technique called the Floating Harmonic Method (FHM). Plasma diagnosis by FHM revealed an increase in ion flux with increasing plasma power. With respect to the ALD process, our results indicated that higher plasma power generated increased ion and radical flux compared with lower plasma power. Thus, a higher plasma power provides the best gas and moisture permeation barrier properties.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Metal-insulator transition in nanocomposite VO{sub x} films formed by anodic electrodeposition

The ability to grow VO{sub 2} films by electrochemical methods would open a low-cost, easily scalable production route to a number of electronic devices. We have synthesized VO{sub x} films by anodic electrodeposition of V{sub 2}O{sub 5}, followed by partial reduction by annealing in Ar. The resulting films are heterogeneous, consisting of various metallic/oxide phases and including regions with VO{sub 2} stoichiometry. A gradual metal insulator transition with a nearly two order of magnitude change in film resistance is observed between room temperature and 140 °C. In addition, the films exhibit a temperature coefficient of resistance of ∼ −2.4%/ °C from 20 to 140 °C.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Self-propagating reactions in Al/Zr multilayers: Anomalous dependence of reaction velocity on bilayer thickness

High temperature, self-propagating reactions are observed in vapor-deposited Al/Zr multilayered foils of overall atomic ratios 3 Al:1 Zr and 2 Al:1 Zr and nanoscale layer thicknesses; however, the reaction velocities do not exhibit the inverse dependence on bilayer thickness that is expected based on changes in the average diffusion distance. Instead, for bilayer thicknesses of 20-30 nm, the velocity is essentially constant at ∼7.7 m/s. We explore several possible explanations for this anomalous behavior, including microstructural factors, changes in the phase evolution, and phase transformations in the reactant layers, but find no conclusive explanations. We determine that the phase evolution during self-propagating reactions in foils with a 3 Al:1 Zr stoichiometry is a rapid transformation from Al/Zr multilayers to the equilibrium intermetallic Al{sub 3}Zr compound with no intermediate crystalline phases. This phase evolution is the same for foils of 90 nm bilayer thicknesses and foils of bilayer thicknesses in the range of 27 nm to 35 nm. Further, for foils with a bilayer thickness of 90 nm and a 3 Al:1 Zr overall chemistry, the propagation front is planar and steady, in contrast to unsteady reaction fronts in foils with 1 Al:1 Zr overall chemistry and similar bilayer thicknesses.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Tailoring the surface density of silicon nanocrystals embedded in SiO{sub x} single layers

In this article, we explore the possibility of modifying the silicon nanocrystal areal density in SiO{sub x} single layers, while keeping constant their size. For this purpose, a set of SiO{sub x} monolayers with controlled thickness between two thick SiO{sub 2} layers has been fabricated, for four different compositions (x = 1, 1.25, 1.5, or 1.75). The structural properties of the SiO{sub x} single layers have been analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in planar view geometry. Energy-filtered TEM images revealed an almost constant Si-cluster size and a slight increase in the cluster areal density as the silicon content increases in the layers, while high resolution TEM images show that the size of the Si crystalline precipitates largely decreases as the SiO{sub x} stoichiometry approaches that of SiO{sub 2}. The crystalline fraction was evaluated by combining the results from both techniques, finding a crystallinity reduction from 75% to 40%, for x = 1 and 1.75, respectively. Complementary photoluminescence measurements corroborate the precipitation of Si-nanocrystals with excellent emission properties for layers with the largest amount of excess silicon. The integrated emission from the nanoaggregates perfectly scales with their crystalline state, with no detectable emission for crystalline fractions below 40%. The combination of the structural and luminescence observations suggests that small Si precipitates are submitted to a higher compressive local stress applied by the SiO{sub 2} matrix that could inhibit the phase separation and, in turn, promotes the creation of nonradiative paths.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2013

Influence of tungsten substitution and oxygen deficiency on the thermoelectric properties of CaMnO{sub 3−δ}

Polycrystalline tungsten-substituted CaMn{sub 1−x}W{sub x}O{sub 3−δ} (0.00 ≤ x ≤ 0.05) powders were synthesized from a polymeric precursor, pressed and sintered to high density. The impact of tungsten substitution on the crystal structure, thermal stability, phase transition, electronic and thermal transport properties is assessed. Tungsten acts as an electron donator and strongly affects high-temperature oxygen stoichiometry. Oxygen vacancies form in the high figure-of-merit (ZT)-region starting from about T = 1000 K and dominate the carrier concentration and electronic transport far more than the tungsten substitution. The analysis of the transport properties yields that in the investigated regime the band filling is sufficiently high to overcome barriers of polaron transport. Therefore, the Cutler-Mott approach describes the electrical transport more accurately than the Mott approach for small polaron transport. The lattice thermal conductivity near room temperature is strongly suppressed with increasing tungsten concentration due to mass-difference impurity scattering. A ZT of 0.25 was found for x = 0.04 at 1225 K.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Towards tailoring the magnetocaloric response in FeRh-based ternary compounds

In this work, we demonstrate that the magnetocaloric response of FeRh-based compounds may be tailored for potential magnetic refrigeration applications by chemical modification of the FeRh lattice. Alloys of composition Fe(Rh{sub 1−x}A{sub x}) or (Fe{sub 1−x}B{sub x})Rh (A = Cu, Pd; B = Ni; 0 < x < 0.06) were synthesized via arc-melting and subsequent annealing in vacuum at 1000 °C for 48 h. The magnetocaloric properties of the FeRh-based systems were determined using isothermal M(H) curves measured in the vicinity of the magnetostructural temperature (T{sub t}). It is found that the FeRh working temperature range (δT{sub FWHM}) may be chemically tuned over a wide temperature range, 100 K ≤ T ≤ 400 K. While elemental substitution consistently decreases the magnetic entropy change (ΔS{sub mag}) of the FeRh-based ternary alloys from that of the parent FeRh compound (ΔS{sub mag},{sub FeRh} ∼ 17 J/kg K; ΔS{sub mag,FeRh-ternary =} 7–14 J/kg K at H{sub app} = 2 T), the net refrigeration capacity (RC), defined as the amount of heat that can be transferred during one magnetic refrigeration cycle, of the modified systems is significantly higher (RC{sub FeRh} ∼ 150 J/kg; RC{sub FeRh-ternary =} 170–210 J/kg at H{sub app} = 2 T). These results are attributed to stoichiometry-induced changes in the FeRh electronic band structure and beneficial broadening of the magnetostructural transition due to local chemical disorder.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

The origin of 2.7 eV luminescence and 5.2 eV excitation band in hafnium oxide

The origin of a blue luminescence band at 2.7 eV and a luminescence excitation band at 5.2 eV of hafnia has been studied in stoichiometric and non-stoichiometric hafnium oxide films. Experimental and calculated results from the first principles valence band spectra showed that the stoichiometry violation leads to the formation of the peak density of states in the band gap caused by oxygen vacancies. Cathodoluminescence in the non-stoichiometric film exhibits a band at 2.65 eV that is excited at the energy of 5.2 eV. The optical absorption spectrum calculated for the cubic phase of HfO{sub 2} with oxygen vacancies shows a peak at 5.3 eV. Thus, it could be concluded that the blue luminescence band at 2.7 eV and HfO{sub x} excitation peak at 5.2 eV are due to oxygen vacancies. The thermal trap energy in hafnia was estimated.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Synthesis and Raman spectrum of crystalline indium oxide micro-rods with rectangular cross-section

Indium oxide (IO) micro-rods with rectangular cross section were synthesized without catalyst in chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system by carbothermal reduction of indium oxide at 900 °C. The rectangular micro-rods (RMRs) were grown on Si substrate in presence of water vapors and Ar atmosphere. Water was used as oxidizing reagent which controls the In/O stoichiometry in RMRs. The IO RMRs have dimensions of about 20 μm in length and about 1 μm width. The growth process involved in formation of RMRs is vapor-solid (VS) mechanism. Raman analysis was performed to obtain the phonon modes of the RMRs and the peaks of Raman spectrum were indexed to the modes being associated with bcc−In{sub 2}O{sub 3}.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Secondary electron measurement and XPS characterization of NEG coatings

Ternary alloy coatings of IVB and VB materials provide many of benefits over traditional material surfaces such as creation of extreme high vacuum(XHV), lower secondary electron yield(SEY), low photon desorption coefficient. XHV (pressure < 10{sup −10} mbar) is very useful to the study of surfaces of the material in as it is form, high energy particle accelerators(LHC, Photon Factories), synchrotrons (ESRF, Ellectra) etc.. Low secondary electron yield leads to very low multi-pacting utilizes to increase beam life time. In this paper preparation of the coatings and a study of secondary electron yield measurement after heating at different temperatures has been shown also results of their surface characterization based on shift in binding energy has been produced using the surface techniques XPS. Stoichiometry of the film was measured by Energy dispersive x-ray analysis (EDX)

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Influence of step morphology on the structural phase transition of the α-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}(0001) surface

The structural phase transition from the 1 × 1 to the √31 × √31 ± R9° structure of two types of α-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}(0001) surfaces has been investigated using reflection high-energy electron diffraction. One of the α-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}(0001) surfaces was composed of regularly arranged monolayer steps (M-surface), and the other surface was composed of multiples of bilayer high steps (B-surface). The surface transition from the 1 × 1 to the √31 × √31 ± R9° structure starts at 1200 °C on the M-surface, but the transition occurs at 1600 °C on the B-surface. We discuss the difference in the stability of these surfaces at high temperature from the viewpoint of the stoichiometry near the step edge and conclude that the B-surface is more stable than the M-surface.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2014

Near surface silicide formation after off-normal Fe-implantation of Si(001) surfaces

We report on formation of non-crystalline Fe-silicides of various stoichiometries below the amorphized surface of crystalline Si(001) after irradiation with 5 keV Fe{sup +} ions under off-normal incidence. We examined samples prepared with ion fluences of 0.1 × 10{sup 17} and 5 × 10{sup 17} ions cm{sup −2} exhibiting a flat and patterned surface morphology, respectively. Whereas the iron silicides are found across the whole surface of the flat sample, they are concentrated at the top of ridges at the rippled surface. A depth resolved analysis of the chemical states of Si and Fe atoms in the near surface region was performed by combining X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) using synchrotron radiation. The chemical shift and the line shape of the Si 2p core levels and valence bands were measured and associated with the formation of silicide bonds of different stoichiometric composition changing from an Fe-rich silicides (Fe{sub 3}Si) close to the surface into a Si-rich silicide (FeSi{sub 2}) towards the inner interface to the Si(001) substrate. This finding is supported by XAS analysis at the Fe K-edge which shows changes of the chemical environment and the near order atomic coordination of the Fe atoms in the region close to surface. Because a similar Fe depth profile has been found for samples co-sputtered with Fe during Kr{sup +} ion irradiation, our results suggest the importance of chemically bonded Fe in the surface region for the process of ripple formation.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Characterization of a Fe/Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} metal/oxide interface using neutron and x-ray scattering

The structure of metal/oxide interfaces is important to the radiation resistance of oxide dispersion-strengthened steels. We find evidence of gradual variations in stoichiometry and magnetization across a Fe/Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} metal/oxide heterophase interface using neutron and x-ray reflectometry. These findings suggest that the Fe/Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} interface is a transitional zone approximately ∼64 Å-thick containing mixtures or compounds of Fe, Y, and O. Our results illustrate the complex chemical and magnetic nature of Fe/oxide interfaces and demonstrate the utility of combined neutron and x-ray techniques as tools for characterizing them.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗