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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 1,243 records · Page 69
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2013

Step-step interactions on GaAs (110) nanopatterns

The step-step interactions on vicinal GaAs (110) surface patterns have been extracted from the quantitative analysis of the terrace width distribution (TWD). We have specifically studied the interactions in near-equilibrium faceting and kinetics-driven step bunching and meandering formed by spontaneous self-organization or through the modification of GaAs growth kinetics by atomic hydrogen. We show that the experimental TWDs determined from atomic force microscopy measurements can be accurately described by a weighed sum of a generalized Wigner distribution and several Gaussians. The results of our calculations indicate that straight facets are formed during high temperature homoepitaxy due to attractive interactions between [110] steps. At low temperatures, steady state attractive interactions in [110] step bunches are preceded by a transition regime dominated by entropic and energetic repulsions between meandering [11n]-type steps (n {>=} 2), whose population density exceeds that of the [110] bunched steps. In addition, it has been found that atomic H reduces the attractive interactions between [110] bunched steps and enhances entropic and dipole-induced energetic repulsions between H-terminated [11n] steps through the inhibition of As-As bond formation at step edges. Our analysis has evidenced a correlation between the value of the adjustable parameter that accounts in our model for the specific weight of the secondary peaks in the TWD ({beta}) and the extent of transverse meandering on the vicinal surface.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2012

Properties of thermo-chemically surface treated carbon fibers and of their epoxy and vinyl ester composites

High strength carbon fibers were surface treated by a continuous gas phase thermo-chemical surface treatment. The surface and the mechanical properties of the fibers were investigated before and after treatment and compared to the properties obtained with a conventional industrial electro-chemical surface treatment. An increase of the oxygen atomic content from 3 % to 20 % with a preferential generation of carboxylic acid functionalities and hydroxyl groups was highlighted after the thermo-chemical surface treatment, compared to an oxygen atomic content of 7 % and a wide variety of oxygen moieties with the electro-chemical surface treatment. The tensile strength of the fibers increased slightly after the thermo-chemical surface treatment and remained the same after the electro-chemical surface treatment. Short beam shear and 90 flexural tests of composites revealed that the improvement of interfacial adhesion with a vinyl ester matrix was limited, revealing that oxidation of the carbon fiber surface alone cannot tremendously improve the mechanical properties of carbon fiber-vinyl ester composites. Atomic force microscopy showed that the creation of roughness with both surface treatments at a nanometric scale. Although the surface is slightly rougher after the electro-chemical surface treatment and is expected to lead to higher adhesion due to mechanical interlocking between the fiber surface and the matrix, the effect of covalent bonding coming from the high concentration of chemical groups on the surface results in higher adhesion strength, as obtained with the thermo-chemical surface treatment.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Growth mechanism of Cobalt(II) Phthalocyanine(CoPc) thin films on SiO{sub 2} and muscovite substrates

Thin films of Cobalt(II) Phthalocyanine (CoPc) were grown by thermal evaporation technique on two different substrates namely SiO{sub 2} and atomically cleaned muscovite mica(001) at various substrate temperatures. Deposition rate has been maintained to 0.3Å/sec during the growth of the films. The growth process is studied by means of atomic force microscopy (AFM). Films on SiO{sub 2} exhibit only three-dimensional islands and uniformity of these islands improved with substrate temperatures, whereas films on mica (001) consist of long oriented percolated structures. The results revealed that the growth mechanism of CoPc strongly depends on substrate temperatures as well as nature of substrate used. Optical properties were characterized by UV-Visible spectroscopy and structural properties were studied using X-ray diffraction.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Synthesis, characterization and properties of yellow-light-emitting polyethers containing bis(styryl)anthracene units

Aromatic aliphatic polyethers containing bis(styryl)anthracene units in the main chain separated by flexible spacer of 11 (AND52) or 12 (AND53) methylene units, were synthesized and characterized aiming to be applied as emitting materials in polymer light emitting diode (PLED) devices. The polymers are soluble in common organic solvents and have average molecular weight of about 15kDa. Differentiations owing to an odd-even number of methylene units (χ=11 vs χ=12) are observed in their optical properties in solid state. Thin films as well as PLED devices were fabricated via conventional spin-coating process. Initially, various parameters have been investigated concerning the solubility of the polymers, the effect of film thickness on the electrical properties, and their thermal stability. The optical properties of the two polymers were investigated by NIR-Vis-far UV spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE). The accurate determination of the thickness and the optical constants (refractive index and dielectric function as a function of wavelength) were derived. These provide substantial insights into the final design of the optimum final multi-layer structure of the PLEDs, if we take into account that the external quantum efficiency (EQE) of electroluminescence (EL) strongly depends on the optical interference of the beams of emitted light that have been multiply reflected from the layer interfaces. The morphological characterization of the AND52 and AND53 polymeric thin films was carried out using atomic force microscopy (AFM), while current density-voltage (J-V) characteristics of the devices were studied by electrical measurements. The single PLED devices were switched on at relatively low operation voltages, showing the potential as backplanes for active matrix PLED applications. In this perspective, it can be assumed that further studies of the presented materials will enable the development of flexible PLEDs with the possibility to scale up their dimensions for bigger active area devices.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Device level optimization of poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene)–zinc oxide polymer nanocomposite thin films for ferroelectric applications

Polymer nanocomposite was prepared using poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanopowder, which are ferroelectric in nature. Nanocomposite was prepared in various concentrations(0.2, 0.4, 0.8, and 1 wt. %) using probe ultra-sonication, followed by spin coating and annealing at 120 °C for 2 h to improve the formation of β-phase. Metal-ferroelectric-metal capacitor was fabricated using this optimized thin film as a ferroelectric layer. Device level optimization was carried out by polarization-electric field (P-E) hysteresis studies of this film, which shows polarization enhancement of composite. Various characterization techniques like atomic force microscopy, Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FT-IR), Differential scanning calorimetry, and X-ray diffraction were used to study the β-phase formation of nancomposite. The capacitance–voltage (C-V) and current-voltage (I-V) characteristics were studied through varying frequency and temperature. C-V measurements show an increase of 79% in the capacitance of polymer nanocomposite, which can be used for the fabrication of ferroelectric devices.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Effect of annealing temperature on structural, morphological and electrical properties of nanoparticles TiO{sub 2} thin films by sol-gel method

In this paper, the sol-gel method is used to prepare nanoparticles titanium dioxide (TiO{sub 2}) thin films at different annealing temperature. The prepared sol was deposited on the p-SiO{sub 2} substrates by spin coating technique under room temperature. The nanoparticles TiO{sub 2} solution was synthesized using Ti{OCH(CH_3)_2}{sub 4} as a precursor with an methanol solution at a molar ratio 1:10. The prepared TiO{sub 2} sols will further validate through structural, morphological and electrical properties. From the X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, as-deposited films was found to be amorphous in nature and tend to transform into tetragonal anatase and rutile phase as the films annealed at 573 and 773 K, respectively. The diversification of the surface roughness was characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM) indicated the roughness and thickness very dependent on the annealing temperature. The two-point probe electrical resistance and conductance of nanoparticles TiO{sub 2} thin films were determined by the DC current-voltage (IV) analysis. From the I-V measurement, the electrical conductance increased as the films annealed at higher temperature.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2016

Avoiding polar catastrophe in the growth of polarly orientated nickel perovskite thin films by reactive oxide molecular beam epitaxy

By means of the state-of-the-art reactive oxide molecular beam epitaxy, we synthesized (001)- and (111)-orientated polar LaNiO{sub 3} thin films. In order to avoid the interfacial reconstructions induced by polar catastrophe, screening metallic Nb-doped SrTiO{sub 3} and iso-polarity LaAlO{sub 3} substrates were chosen to achieve high-quality (001)-orientated films in a layer-by-layer growth mode. For largely polar (111)-orientated films, we showed that iso-polarity LaAlO{sub 3} (111) substrate was more suitable than Nb-doped SrTiO{sub 3}. In situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction, ex situ high-resolution X-ray diffraction, and atomic force microscopy were used to characterize these films. Our results show that special attentions need to be paid to grow high-quality oxide films with polar orientations, which can prompt the explorations of all-oxide electronics and artificial interfacial engineering to pursue intriguing emergent physics like proposed interfacial superconductivity and topological phases in LaNiO{sub 3} based superlattices.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

A self-calibrating optomechanical force sensor with femtonewton resolution

We report the development of an ultrasensitive optomechanical sensor designed to improve the accuracy and precision of force measurements with atomic force microscopy. The sensors reach quality factors of 4.3 × 10{sup 6} and force resolution on the femtonewton scale at room temperature. Self-calibration of the sensor is accomplished using radiation pressure to create a reference force. Self-calibration enables in situ calibration of the sensor in extreme environments, such as cryogenic ultra-high vacuum. The senor technology presents a viable route to force measurements at the atomic scale with uncertainties below the percent level.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2017

On the laser lift-off of lightly doped micrometer-thick n-GaN films from substrates via the absorption of IR radiation in sapphire

The intense absorption of CO{sub 2} laser radiation in sapphire is used to separate GaN films from GaN templates on sapphire. Scanning of the sapphire substrate by the laser leads to the thermal dissociation of GaN at the GaN/sapphire interface and to the detachment of GaN films from the sapphire. The threshold density of the laser energy at which n-GaN started to dissociate is 1.6 ± 0.5 J/cm{sup 2}. The mechanical-stress distribution and the surface morphology of GaN films and sapphire substrates before and after laser lift-off are studied by Raman spectroscopy, atomic-force microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. A vertical Schottky diode with a forward current density of 100 A/cm{sup 2} at a voltage of 2 V and a maximum reverse voltage of 150 V is fabricated on the basis of a 9-μm-thick detached n-GaN film.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2012

Effects of Co content on the structural, luminescence, and ferromagnetic properties of Zn{sub 1-x}Co{sub x}S{sub y} films

This study investigates the effect of Co content on the structural, luminescence, and ferromagnetic properties of sol-gel Zn{sub 1-x}Co{sub x}S{sub y} films by x-ray diffraction, photoluminescence, energy dispersive spectrometer, atomic force microscopy, and alternating gradient magnetometer measurements. It is shown that Co doping may lead to weakened intensity of the defect-related luminescence and the intensity of the defect-related luminescence decreases with increasing Co content. Changes in Co concentration are important issues for improving crystal quality of ZnS films. It is also found that the defects play important roles in determining the ferromagnetic characteristics of the Zn{sub 1-x}Co{sub x}S{sub y} films.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Surface inhomogeneities and the electronic phase separated states in thin films of La{sub 0.35}Pr{sub 0.35}Ca{sub 0.3}MnO{sub 3}

We have studied the effects of film thickness and surface inhomogeneities on the fluid and static phase separated states of La{sub 0.35}Pr{sub 0.35}Ca{sub 0.3}MnO{sub 3} films grown on LaAlO{sub 3} and SrTiO{sub 3} substrates which provide compressive and tensile strain, respectively. The shapes and areas of the resistance versus magnetic field hysteresis loops were used to identify the type of phase separated state in the films. Atomic force microscopy revealed an increase of the relative surface roughness of the films with a decreasing thickness. The resultant distribution of the strain produces a dramatic enhancement of the inhomogeneous electronic phase separation as well as large changes in the dependence of the resistivity on magnetic field in the thinnest films deposited on both types of substrates. In contrast to thick films, the static phase separated state in the thinnest films is more inhomogeneous than the fluid phase separated one.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Growth temperature effect on the structural and magnetic properties of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} films grown by the self-template method

We have investigated the effect of growth temperature on the structure, surface morphology, and magnetic properties of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} thin films grown on SrTiO{sub 3}(001) substrates by a self-template method. To eliminate the intermixing of (001) and (111) orientations that usually occurs in spinel films grown on perovskite substrates, a thin self-template layer of (001)-oriented Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} was deposited on a SrTiO{sub 3}(001) substrate at 400 °C prior to the main film growth at temperatures of up to 1100 °C. Increasing the growth temperature from 400 °C to 1100 °C resulted in greatly improved crystallinity of the Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} thin films, with the rocking curve width dropping from 1.41° to 0.28°. Surface analysis by atomic force microscopy showed that raising the growth temperature increased the grain size and the surface roughness, ultimately leading to the formation of regular nanopyramid arrays at 1100 °C. The surface roughening and pyramid formation are caused by the dominance of the lowest surface energy spinel (111) crystal facet. The nanopyramids were fully relaxed but still perfectly (001)-oriented in the out-of-plane direction. The largest pyramids had the lowest coercivity due to a reduction of the demagnetization effect.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Mechanical property changes in porous low-k dielectric thin films during processing

The design of future generations of Cu-low-k dielectric interconnects with reduced electronic crosstalk often requires engineering materials with an optimal trade off between their dielectric constant and elastic modulus. This is because the benefits associated with the reduction of the dielectric constant by increasing the porosity of materials, for example, can adversely affect their mechanical integrity during processing. By using load-dependent contact-resonance atomic force microscopy, the changes in the elastic modulus of low-k dielectric materials due to processing were accurately measured. These changes were linked to alterations sustained by the structure of low-k dielectric films during processing. A two-phase model was used for quantitative assessments of the elastic modulus changes undergone by the organosilicate skeleton of the structure of porous and pore-filled dielectrics.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2016

Engineering the switching dynamics of TiO{sub x}-based RRAM with Al doping

Titanium oxide (TiO{sub x}) has attracted a lot of attention as an active material for resistive random access memory (RRAM), due to its versatility and variety of possible crystal phases. Although existing RRAM materials have demonstrated impressive characteristics, like ultra-fast switching and high cycling endurance, this technology still encounters challenges like low yields, large variability of switching characteristics, and ultimately device failure. Electroforming has been often considered responsible for introducing irreversible damage to devices, with high switching voltages contributing to device degradation. In this paper, we have employed Al doping for tuning the resistive switching characteristics of titanium oxide RRAM. The resistive switching threshold voltages of undoped and Al-doped TiO{sub x} thin films were first assessed by conductive atomic force microscopy. The thin films were then transferred in RRAM devices and tested with voltage pulse sweeping, demonstrating that the Al-doped devices could on average form at lower potentials compared to the undoped ones and could support both analog and binary switching at potentials as low as 0.9 V. This work demonstrates a potential pathway for implementing low-power RRAM systems.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

Structural and photoluminescence properties of low-temperature GaAs grown on GaAs(100) and GaAs(111)A substrates

Undoped, uniformly Si-doped, and δ-Si-doped GaAs layers grown by molecular-beam epitaxy on (100)- and (111)A-oriented GaAs substrates at a temperature of 230°C are studied. The As{sub 4} pressure is varied. The surface roughness of the sample is established by atomic-force microscopy; the crystal quality, by X-ray diffraction measurements; and the energy levels of different defects, by photoluminescence spectroscopy at a temperature of 79 K. It is shown that the crystal structure is more imperfect in the case of GaAs(111)A substrates. The effect of the As{sub 4} flux during growth on the structure of low-temperature GaAs grown on different types of substrates is shown as well.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Micro-wrinkling and delamination-induced buckling of stretchable electronic structures

This paper presents the results of experimental and theoretical/computational micro-wrinkles and buckling on the surfaces of stretchable poly-dimethylsiloxane (PDMS) coated with nano-scale Gold (Au) layers. The wrinkles and buckles are formed by the unloading of pre-stretched PDMS/Au structure after the evaporation of nano-scale Au layers. They are then characterized using atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The critical stresses required for wrinkling and buckling are analyzed using analytical models. The possible interfacial cracking that can occur along with film buckling is also studied using finite element simulations of the interfacial crack growth. The implications of the results are discussed for potential applications of micro-wrinkles and micro-buckles in stretchable electronic structures and biomedical devices.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2017

Photoresponse mechanisms of a graphene-based quantum-dot monolayer structure

Hybrid structures of graphene sheets based quantum dots (QDs) are produced via Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) technique. Morphology of the structures produced is investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Two types of hybrid structures are prepared from graphene covered by sublayers of CdSe/CdS/ZnS and CdSe/ZnS QDs. Photocurrent properties are studied by current–voltage characteristics (CVCs) in the dark and while exposed to visible light and ultraviolet (UV) light with an excitation wavelength of 365 nm. The rise and decay times of graphene and QDs after UV illumination are estimated. (laser applications and other topics in quantum electronics)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

Investigation on structural, optical and electrical properties of Cp2Mg flow varied p-GaN grown by MOCVD

In this work the effect of different concentration of Magnesium doped GaN (p-GaN) were systematically studied. The p-GaN epilayers were grown on c-plane sapphire substrate by horizontal flow Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) with various flow rates of 100 sccm to 300 sccm using bis-(cyclopentadienyl) - magnesium (Cp2Mg) precursor. The samples were subjected to structural, optical, morphological and electrical studies using High Resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD), room temperature photoluminescence (PL), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Hall measurement respectively. Results indicated that the Mg doped GaN of 200 sccm Cp2Mg has the root mean square (rms) roughness of about 0.3 nm for a scan area of 5×5 µm{sup 2} which has good two dimensional growth. Moreover, Hall measurements results shows that (200 sccm Cp2Mg) Mg-doped GaN possess the highest hole concentration of 5.4×10{sup 17}cm{sup −3} and resistivity of 1.7 Ωcm at room temperature.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗