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At least 775 records · Page 43

Influence of the substrate temperature on the microstructure and electron-induced secondary electron emission properties of MgO/Au composite film

Highlights: • MgO/Au film was prepared by magnetron sputtering of individual Mg and Au targets. • A higher substrate temperature (T{sub s}) is conducive to the growth of MgO grains. • The surface roughness firstly rises and then decreases with T{sub s} increasing. • The increase of T{sub s} greatly enhances the SEE coefficient of the composite film. - Abstract: The influence of the substrate temperature (T{sub s}) on the microstructure and electron-induced secondary electron emission (SEE) properties of MgO/Au composite film prepared by reactive magnetron sputtering was investigated in order to improve the SEE performance of this composite film. During the deposition of MgO/Au film, a relatively high T{sub s} is conducive to the growth of MgO grains and causes the formation of some large aggregated gold particles on which MgO grains cover in the composite film. In terms of the SEE properties of MgO/Au film, the increase of T{sub s} brings about a significant improvement of SEE coefficient (δ), while it also leads to a slightly accelerated SEE degradation under the continuous electron bombardment due to a faster surface charging. The MgO/Au film prepared at T{sub s} of 773 K has a δ value of 4.9 at a primary electron energy of 200 eV and the maximum δ value of 11.5.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Isotope-Resolved Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy in a Monochromated Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope

The development and implementation of high-stability monochromators in state-of-the-art aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopes has enabled materials characterization with an energy resolution as good as 3 meV. This allows the vibrational modes, which would otherwise be obscured by the energy spread of the electron beam, to be probed with very high precision in molecular materials. Since the vibrational energies depend on the weight of the atomic nuclei, vibrational spectroscopy can distinguish isotopes whose only difference lies in their neutron content. This opens up isotopic analysis and mapping in transmission electron microscopy as two important new research areas. In this paper, we review the monochromated electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) instrumentation, discuss optimal methods for probing beam-sensitive materials without destroying them, and review key nanoscale isotope-resolved results.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

High-Endurance Magneto-Electronic Switchable Molecular Electronic Crystal

Electrically switchable magnetic and electronic properties are promising for quantum sensing and information technology. Here, we report an electrically driven magnetic and electronic phase transition in molecular electronic crystal, potassium-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethan, with the magneto-electric switching over 105 cycles at room temperature. Electron spin resonance study reveals the cooperative transition between spin and charge degrees of freedom. In addition, the mechanistic spectroscopy studies suggest the charges in an inhomogeneous conductor–insulator mixed state. Furthermore, the findings shown here suggest electrically controlled ordering in strongly correlated molecular crystal leads to dynamic magneto-electric switching, paving the way for developing molecular-based memory and switching devices.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗

Carbohydrate-Containing Conjugated Polymers: Solvent-Resistant Materials for Greener Organic Electronics

Organic semiconducting polymers are exciting materials for electronic applications because of their good mechanical and optoelectronic properties. A major advantage of organic semiconductors is their solution processability. This allows access to a variety of simple and cost-effective device fabrication methods compared to the expensive, high-temperature processing methods required for silicon-based electronics. However, these materials often have low solubility, which limits their processing to toxic halogenated solvents. Also, their limited solubility often leads to interfacial mixing during device fabrication. Herein, this work explores the incorporation of environmentally friendly carbohydrate side chains in conjugated polymers to enhance processability in eco-friendly solvents. Moreover, a mild postprocessing treatment was designed to enable solvent resistance. Isoindigo-based polymers with varied ratios of acetyl-protected galactose side chains were synthesized to improve solubility in o-anisole in the protected state, while inducing solvent resistance through intramolecular hydrogen bonding in the deprotected state. Solvent resistance was confirmed both visually upon submersion in various solvents and using UV–visible spectroscopy. Importantly, the mild basic treatment to achieve solvent resistance has no negative impact on the electronic performance of these materials in organic field-effect transistors, even after subsequent submersion in various solvents, making them a valuable platform for the production of green processable multilayer electronics.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Electron–Nuclear Dynamics Accompanying Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer

Although photoinduced proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) plays an essential role in photosynthesis, a full understanding of the mechanism is still lacking due to the complex nonequilibrium dynamics arising from the strongly coupled electronic and nuclear degrees of freedom. Here we report the photoinduced PCET dynamics of a biomimetic model system investigated by means of transient IR and two-dimensional electronic–vibrational (2DEV) spectroscopies, IR spectroelectrochemistry (IRSEC), and calculations utilizing long-range-corrected hybrid density functionals. This collective experimental and theoretical effort provides a nuanced picture of the complicated dynamics and synergistic motions involved in photoinduced PCET. In particular, the evolution of the 2DEV line shape, which is highly sensitive to the mixing of vibronic states, is interpreted by accurate computational modeling of the charge separated state and is shown to represent a gradual change in electron density distribution associated with a dihedral twist that occurs on a 120 fs time scale.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Precision electron polarimetry

A new generation of precise Parity-Violating experiments will require a sub-percent accuracy of electron beam polarimetry. Compton polarimetry can provide such accuracy at high energies, but at a few hundred MeV the small analyzing power limits the sensitivity. Mo/ller polarimetry provides a high analyzing power independent on the beam energy, but is limited by the properties of the polarized targets commonly used. Options for precision polarimetry at 300 MeV will be discussed, in particular a proposal to use ultra-cold atomic hydrogen traps to provide a 100%-polarized electron target for Mo/ller polarimetry.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Turbulent electron transport in edge pedestal by electron temperature gradient turbulence

We present a model for turbulent electron thermal transport at the edge pedestal in high (H)-mode plasmas based on electron temperature gradient (ETG) turbulence. A quasi-linear analysis of electrostatic toroidal ETG modes shows that both turbulent electron thermal diffusivity and hyper-resistivity exhibits the Ohkawa scaling in which the radial correlation length of turbulence becomes the order of electron skin depth. Combination of the Ohkawa scales and the plasma current dependence results in a novel confinement scaling inside the pedestal region. It is also shown that ETG turbulence induces a thermoelectric pinch, which may accelerate the density pedestal formation.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Schottky barrier height measurements of Cu/Si(001), Ag/Si(001), and Au/Si(001) interfaces utilizing ballistic electron emission microscopy and ballistic hole emission microscopy

The Schottky barrier heights of both n and p doped Cu/Si(001), Ag/Si(001), and Au/Si(001) diodes were measured using ballistic electron emission microscopy and ballistic hole emission microscopy (BHEM), respectively. Measurements using both forward and reverse ballistic electron emission microscopy (BEEM) and (BHEM) injection conditions were performed. The Schottky barrier heights were found by fitting to a linearization of the power law form of the Bell-Kaiser BEEM model. The sum of the n-type and p-type barrier heights are in good agreement with the band gap of silicon and independent of the metal utilized. The Schottky barrier heights are found to be below the region of best fit for the power law form of the BK model, demonstrating its region of validity.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Effects of initially energetic electrons on relativistic laser-driven electron plasma waves

In this paper, using kinetic calculations and accurate 1D2V particle-in-cell simulations, we point out the important role of initially energetic electrons of the distribution tail in the behavior of high amplitude electron plasma waves (EPWs). In the presence of these electrons, the conventional warm fluid theory (WFT) breaks at very high wave amplitudes that are still noticeably lower than the wave breaking amplitude (WBA). The fluid breakdown results in electron super-heating with respect to the adiabatic laws. Indeed, a new kinetic regime of the relativistic EPWs appears below the WBA. It is argued that the mentioned super-heating results in WBA values lower than the corresponding WFT prediction.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Direct imaging of electron recombination and transport on a semiconductor surface by femtosecond time-resolved photoemission electron microscopy

Much effort has been devoted to the development of techniques to probe carrier dynamics, which govern many semiconductor device characteristics. We report direct imaging of electron dynamics on semiconductor surfaces by time-resolved photoemission electron microscopy using femtosecond laser pulses. The experiments utilized a variable-repetition-rate femtosecond laser system to suppress sample charging problems. The recombination of photogenerated electrons and the lateral motion of the electrons driven by an external electric field on a GaAs surface were visualized. The mobility was estimated from a linear relationship between the drift velocity and the potential gradient.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Tuning electron-electron correlation in noncentrosymmetric superconductor BiPd

In this work, we have successfully tuned the electron-electron correlation in new noncentrosymmertic superconductor (NCS) BiPd via Pb substitution on one of the inequivalent Bi sites present in BiPd and simultaneously keeping the parent noncentrosymmetric crystal structure intact. Heat capacity data is suggesting a fourfold increase in density of states at Fermi level via Pb substitution while superconducting transition temperature has been suppressed. This work will clearly open up a rare chance to study the effect of electron–electron correlation via selective tuning of DOS at Fermi level in NCS.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Regulation of electron temperature gradient turbulence by zonal flows driven by trapped electron modes

Turbulent transport caused by electron temperature gradient (ETG) modes was investigated by means of gyrokinetic simulations. It was found that the ETG turbulence can be regulated by meso-scale zonal flows driven by trapped electron modes (TEMs), which are excited with much smaller growth rates than those of ETG modes. The zonal flows of which radial wavelengths are in between the ion and the electron banana widths are not shielded by trapped ions nor electrons, and hence they are effectively driven by the TEMs. It was also shown that an E × B shearing rate of the TEM-driven zonal flows is larger than or comparable to the growth rates of long-wavelength ETG modes and TEMs, which make a main contribution to the turbulent transport before excitation of the zonal flows.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

100 eV electron temperatures in the Maryland centrifugal experiment observed using electron Bernstein emission

Thermal electron Bernstein emission has been observed at the second harmonic of the electron cyclotron frequency at the mid-plane of the Maryland Centrifugal eXperiment. The emission is received in the X-mode polarization and coupled to the Bernstein wave by the B-X mode conversion process. The average B-X coupling efficiency is approximately 20%. The observed emission indicates thermal electron temperatures an excess of 100 eV in the core of the rotating plasma. The measured electron temperature is consistent with recent ion temperature measurements and indicates that the total energy confinement time exceeds 500 μs.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Extended-range grazing-incidence spectrometer for high-resolution extreme ultraviolet measurements on an electron beam ion trap

A high-resolution grazing-incidence grating spectrometer has been implemented on the Livermore electron beam ion traps for performing very high-resolution measurements in the soft x-ray and extreme ultraviolet region spanning from below 10 Å to above 300 Å. The instrument operates without an entrance slit and focuses the light emitted by highly charged ions located in the roughly 50 μm wide electron beam onto a cryogenically cooled back-illuminated charge-coupled device detector. The measured line widths are below 0.025 Å above 100 Å, and the resolving power appears to be limited by the source size and Doppler broadening of the trapped ions. Comparisons with spectra obtained with existing grating spectrometers show an order of magnitude improvement in spectral resolution.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Accurate measurement of relative tilt and azimuth angles in electron tomography: A comparison of fiducial marker method with electron diffraction

Electron tomography is a method whereby a three-dimensional reconstruction of a nanoscale object is obtained from a series of projected images measured in a transmission electron microscope. We developed an electron-diffraction method to measure the tilt and azimuth angles, with Kikuchi lines used to align a series of diffraction patterns obtained with each image of the tilt series. Since it is based on electron diffraction, the method is not affected by sample drift and is not sensitive to sample thickness, whereas tilt angle measurement and alignment using fiducial-marker methods are affected by both sample drift and thickness. The accuracy of the diffraction method benefits reconstructions with a large number of voxels, where both high spatial resolution and a large field of view are desired. The diffraction method allows both the tilt and azimuth angle to be measured, while fiducial marker methods typically treat the tilt and azimuth angle as an unknown parameter. The diffraction method can be also used to estimate the accuracy of the fiducial marker method, and the sample-stage accuracy. A nano-dot fiducial marker measurement differs from a diffraction measurement by no more than ±1°.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Effect of electron trap states on spin-dependent transport characteristics in CoFe/MgO/n{sup +}-Si junctions investigated by Hanle effect measurements and inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy

Spin-dependent transport properties in CoFe/MgO/n{sup +}-Si junctions were investigated by Hanle effect measurements and inelastic electron tunneling (IET) spectroscopy. The CoFe/MgO/n{sup +}-Si junctions examined in this study exhibited two different Hanle curves. In the low bias region, broad Hanle signals were mainly observed; in the high bias region, narrow Hanle signals were mainly observed. The d{sup 2}I/dV{sup 2}-V curves (which correspond to IET spectra) contain several peaks originating from phonon modes and other peaks originating from electron trap states. At the bias voltage where electron trap states are observed, Δd{sup 2}I/dV{sup 2} depends on the magnetic field and the full width at half-maximum of the Δd{sup 2}I/dV{sup 2}–H curves corresponds to that of the broad Hanle signals. These results indicate that electron trap states are located in the low energy region and cause a decrease in spin lifetime.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Controlling hollow relativistic electron beam orbits with an inductive current divider

A passive method for controlling the trajectory of an intense, hollow electron beam is proposed using a vacuum structure that inductively splits the beam's return current. A central post carries a portion of the return current (I{sub 1}), while the outer conductor carries the remainder (I{sub 2}). An envelope equation appropriate for a hollow electron beam is derived and applied to the current divider. The force on the beam trajectory is shown to be proportional to (I{sub 2}-I{sub 1}), while the average force on the envelope (the beam width) is proportional to the beam current I{sub b} = (I{sub 2} + I{sub 1}). The values of I{sub 1} and I{sub 2} depend on the inductances in the return-current path geometries. Proper choice of the return-current geometries determines these inductances and offers control over the beam trajectory. Solutions using realistic beam parameters show that, for appropriate choices of the return-current-path geometry, the inductive current divider can produce a beam that is both pinched and straightened so that it approaches a target at near-normal incidence with a beam diameter that is on the order of a few mm.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

The role of electron-impact vibrational excitation in electron transport through gaseous tetrahydrofuran

In this paper, we report newly derived integral cross sections (ICSs) for electron impact vibrational excitation of tetrahydrofuran (THF) at intermediate impact energies. These cross sections extend the currently available data from 20 to 50 eV. Further, they indicate that the previously recommended THF ICS set [Garland et al., Phys. Rev. A 88, 062712 (2013)] underestimated the strength of the electron-impact vibrational excitation processes. Thus, that recommended vibrational cross section set is revised to address those deficiencies. Electron swarm transport properties were calculated with the amended vibrational cross section set, to quantify the role of electron-driven vibrational excitation in describing the macroscopic swarm phenomena. Here, significant differences of up to 17% in the transport coefficients were observed between the calculations performed using the original and revised cross section sets for vibrational excitation.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗