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At least 127 records · Page 7

Room temperature negative differential resistance in terahertz quantum cascade laser structures

The mechanisms that limit the temperature performance of GaAs/Al 0.15 GaAs-based terahertz quantum cascade lasers (THz-QCLs) have been identified as thermally activated LO-phonon scattering and leakage of charge carriers into the continuum. Consequently, the combination of highly diagonal optical transition and higher barriers should significantly reduce the adverse effects of both mechanisms and lead to improved temperature performance. Here, we study the temperature performance of highly diagonal THz-QCLs with high barriers. Our analysis uncovers an additional leakage channel which is the thermal excitation of carriers into bounded higher energy levels, rather than the escape into the continuum. Based on this understanding, we have designed a structure with an increased intersubband spacing between the upper lasing level and excited states in a highly diagonal THz-QCL, which exhibits negative differential resistance even at room temperature. Furthermore, this result is a strong evidence for the effective suppression of the aforementioned leakage channel.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Passivation of a Corrosion Resistant High Entropy Alloy in Non-oxidizing Sulfate Solutions

The passivation behavior of a novel high entropy alloy (HEA) of composition 38Ni-21Cr-20Fe-13Ru-6Mo-2W at.% (33Ni-16Cr-17Fe-19Ru-9Mo-6W wt.%) was investigated in sulfate solutions of various pH levels. The HEA was compared to a commercially available Ni-Cr-Mo-W-Fe alloy, C-22. Experiments were conducted using in-situ electrochemical and ex-situ surface-sensitive methods to probe the growth and dissolution of the passive layer. The HEA exhibited excellent corrosion resistance in highly acidic and highly alkaline solutions, maintaining passivity through a broad range of potentials below the Cr transpassivity range. Extremely rapid and efficient oxide formation and lower quasi-steady passive current densities were observed during oxide growth in the passive range compared to commercial alloy C-22. Ex-situ characterization of the passive film by atom probe tomography and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy provided insight into the oxide composition, thickness, and elemental valence states of potentiostatically-grown and air-formed oxides. All elements in the alloy were oxidized following potentiostatic oxide growth. Instead of distinct stoichiometric and phase-distinct oxides, a disordered solid solution oxide was observed with significant enrichment in Cr and Ru with the latter depending sensitively on potential, as well as depletion of Fe and Ni. Enrichment of Cr was modeled with a modified surface enrichment model. The oxide thickness was estimated to be 3-4 nm thick. The connection between the enrichment of Cr in the passive layer, Mo and W presence, and excellent passivity is discussed.

corrosion, High entropy alloys, XPS, atom probe to↗

Thermomechanical treatment for improved neutron irradiation resistance of austenitic alloy (Fe-21Cr-32Ni)

An optimized thermomechanical treatment (TMT) applied to austenitic alloy 800H (Fe-21Cr-32Ni) had shown significant improvements in corrosion resistance and basic mechanical properties. This study examined its effect on radiation resistance by irradiating both the solution-annealed (SA) and TMT samples at 500 degrees C for 3 dpa. Microstructural characterization using transmission electron microscopy revealed that the radiation-induced Frank loops, voids, and y'-Ni3(Ti,Al) precipitates had similar sizes between the SA and TMT samples. The amounts of radiation-induced defects and more significantly y' precipitates, however, were reduced in the TMT samples. These reductions would approximately reduce by 40.9% the radiation hardening compared to the SA samples. This study indicates that optimized-TMT is an economical approach for effective overall property improvements.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

Measurement of band offsets and shunt resistance in CdTe solar cells through temperature and intensity dependence of open circuit voltage and photoluminescence

Band offsets at the back contact and front window layer in CdTe-based solar cells affect photovoltaic performance and challenge standard characterization methods. By analyzing the temperature and excitation dependence of both open circuit voltage and absolute photoluminescence intensity, we show that the effects band offsets can be separated from the effects of recombination and shunting. Solar cells were grown with MgZnO window layers and compared to cells with CdS window layers containing varying amounts of oxygen. It was demonstrated that band alignment rather than reduced recombination velocity is the reason for the success of MgZnO as a front interface contact. An assortment of thin back contact interlayers were also deposited, and a PbTe interlayer showed some promise as an Ohmic contact to the CdTe, though it appears to induce a photoconductive shunt. Finally, we show that the shunting resistance given by a standard current-voltage curve technique generally does not represent a physically meaningful quantity unless it is well below one kiloOhm square cm.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Near-Field Corrosion Interactions between Glass and Corrosion Resistant Alloys

This study explores the corrosion interactions between model nuclear waste glass materials and corrosion resistant alloys, under conditions that simulate the near field of a nuclear waste repository. The interactions between the corrosion of stainless steel (SS) 316, alloy G30, or alloy 625, and international simple glass or soda-lime silica glass are systematically studied. The dissimilar materials were exposed in close proximity to each other in different electrolytes at 90 oC. After exposure, the glass surface exposed near metals showed different regimes of corrosion, with distinct surface morphologies and chemistries that were likely affected by the local environment created by the localized corrosion of metals. Surface and solution analyses showed that the corrosion rate of glass was enhanced by the presence of metals. Infrared spectroscopy data suggested the local build-up of stresses in the contact area of glass, which may lead to the mechanical instability of the glass alteration layer. On the other hand, the effect of glass on metal corrosion is strongly dependent on the leaching solution. In electrolytes containing abundant aggressive anions such as Cl-, glass seems to suppress the localized corrosion of SS by the precipitation of a Si-rich surface film that protects the SS substrate from solutions. However, in less aggressive electrolytes, the corrosion rate of SS was increased by the presence of glass corrosion products. Overall, our study showed that the hidden and localized damage on glass in contact with metals may enhance the release of incorporated radionuclides compared to typical uniform glass corrosion. Therefore, more attention should be paid to the corrosion interactions between metals and glass under repository conditions.

Guo, Xiaolei↗

Decrease of the surface resistance in superconducting niobium resonator cavities by the microwave field

Measurements of the quality factor, Q, of Nb superconducting microwave resonators often show that Q increases by ≃10%–30% with increasing radio-frequency (rf) field, H, up to ∼15–20 mT. Recent high temperature heat treatments can amplify this rf field-induced increase of Q up to ≃50%–100% and extend it to much higher fields ≃100 mT, but the mechanisms of the enhancement of Q(H) remain unclear. Here, we suggest a method to reveal these mechanisms by measuring temperature dependencies of Q at different rf field amplitudes. We show that the increase of Q(H) does not come from a field dependent quasi-particles activation energy or residual resistance, but rather results from the smearing of the density of state by the rf field.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Effect of embedded metal nanocrystals on the resistive switching characteristics in NiN-based resistive random access memory cells

The metal nanocrystals (NCs) embedded-NiN-based resistive random access memory cells are demonstrated using several metal NCs (i.e., Pt, Ni, and Ti) with different physical parameters in order to investigate the metal NC's dependence on resistive switching (RS) characteristics. First, depending on the electronegativity of metal, the size of metal NCs is determined and this affects the operating current of memory cells. If metal NCs with high electronegativity are incorporated, the size of the NCs is reduced; hence, the operating current is reduced owing to the reduced density of the electric field around the metal NCs. Second, the potential wells are formed by the difference of work function between the metal NCs and active layer, and the barrier height of the potential wells affects the level of operating voltage as well as the conduction mechanism of metal NCs embedded memory cells. Therefore, by understanding these correlations between the active layer and embedded metal NCs, we can optimize the RS properties of metal NCs embedded memory cells as well as predict their conduction mechanisms.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Negative differential resistance and resistance switching behaviors in BaTiO{sub 3} thin films

The polycrystalline BaTiO{sub 3} (BTO) thin films were grown on F-doped SnO{sub 2} substrates by pulsed laser deposition. The devices show a rectification at a small voltage, while bipolar resistive switching (RS) and negative differential resistance (NDR) appear at a large voltage. Furthermore, RS remains and NDR disappears when no positive bias is applied, while both RS and NDR behaviors improve when increasing the positive bias. The electrons trapped/detrapped by interface states at Au/BTO interface are proposed to understand the above behaviors.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Resistive switching and conductance quantization in Ag/SiO{sub 2}/indium tin oxide resistive memories

The Ag/SiO{sub 2}/indium tin oxide (ITO) devices exhibit bipolar resistive switching with a large memory window of ∼10{sup 2}, satisfactory endurance of >500 cycles, good retention property of >2000 s, and fast operation speed of <100 ns, thus being a type of promising resistive memory. Under slow voltage sweep measurements, conductance plateaus with a conductance value of integer or half-integer multiples of single atomic point contact have been observed, which agree well with the physical phenomenon of conductance quantization. More importantly, the Ag/SiO{sub 2}/ITO devices exhibit more distinct quantized conductance plateaus under pulse measurements, thereby showing the potential for realizing ultra-high storage density.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Role of interfacial layer on complementary resistive switching in the TiN/HfO{sub x}/TiN resistive memory device

The role of the bottom interfacial layer (IL) in enabling stable complementary resistive switching (CRS) in the TiN/HfO{sub x}/IL/TiN resistive memory device is revealed. Stable CRS is obtained for the TiN/HfO{sub x}/IL/TiN device, where a bottom IL comprising Hf and Ti sub-oxides resulted from the oxidation of TiN during the initial stages of atomic-layer deposition of HfO{sub x} layer. In the TiN/HfO{sub x}/Pt device, where formation of the bottom IL is suppressed by the inert Pt metal, no CRS is observed. Oxygen-ion exchange between IL and the conductive path in HfO{sub x} layer is proposed to have caused the complementary bipolar switching behavior observed in the TiN/HfO{sub x}/IL/TiN device.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

H-treatment impact on conductive-filament formation and stability in Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5}-based resistive-switching memory cells

In this article, we evidence the lower formation energy and improved stability of the conductive filament (CF) formed in TiN\Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5}\Ta resistive-switching memory cells treated in NH{sub 3} atmosphere at 400 °C. This annealing treatment results in (i) lower forming voltage, (ii) lower CF resistance, and (iii) longer retention lifetime of the oxygen-vacancy (V{sub o}) chain constituting the CF. Atomistic insights into these processes are provided by ab initio calculations performed for hydrogen (H) species incorporated in non-stoichiometric Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5} supercells: (i) V{sub o} formation energy is reduced by the presence of H, (ii) V{sub o}-chain CF conductivity is increased by V{sub o} + OH complex formation, and (iii) V{sub o}-chain retention is strengthened by the stable V{sub o} + OH complex. As a result, efficient CF formation and excellent state stability are obtained after 15 days at 250 °C.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Bipolar resistive switching characteristics in tantalum nitride-based resistive random access memory devices

This paper reports the bipolar resistive switching characteristics of TaN{sub x}-based resistive random access memory (ReRAM). The conduction mechanism is explained by formation and rupture of conductive filaments caused by migration of nitrogen ions and vacancies; this mechanism is in good agreement with either Ohmic conduction or the Poole-Frenkel emission model. The devices exhibit that the reset voltage varies from −0.82 V to −0.62 V, whereas the set voltage ranges from 1.01 V to 1.30 V for 120 DC sweep cycles. In terms of reliability, the devices exhibit good retention (>10{sup 5 }s) and pulse-switching endurance (>10{sup 6} cycles) properties. These results indicate that TaN{sub x}-based ReRAM devices have a potential for future nonvolatile memory devices.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Optimizing the position resolution of a Z-stack microchannel plate resistive anode detector for low intensity signals

A method for achieving good position resolution of low-intensity electron signals using a microchannel plate resistive anode detector is demonstrated. Electron events at a rate of 7 counts s{sup −1} are detected using a Z-stack microchannel plate. The dependence of position resolution on both the distance and the potential difference between the microchannel plate and resistive anode is investigated. Using standard commercial electronics, a measured position resolution of 170 μm (FWHM) is obtained, which corresponds to an intrinsic resolution of 157 μm (FWHM)

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Multi-step resistive switching behavior of Li-doped ZnO resistance random access memory device controlled by compliance current

The multi-step resistive switching (RS) behavior of a unipolar Pt/Li{sub 0.06}Zn{sub 0.94}O/Pt resistive random access memory (RRAM) device is investigated. It is found that the RRAM device exhibits normal, 2-, 3-, and 4-step RESET behaviors under different compliance currents. The transport mechanism within the device is investigated by means of current-voltage curves, in-situ transmission electron microscopy, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. It is shown that the ion transport mechanism is dominated by Ohmic behavior under low electric fields and the Poole-Frenkel emission effect (normal RS behavior) or Li{sup +} ion diffusion (2-, 3-, and 4-step RESET behaviors) under high electric fields.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Toroidal modeling of anisotropic thermal transport and energetic particle effects on stability of resistive plasma resistive wall mode

Effects of anisotropic thermal transport on the linear stability of the resistive plasma resistive wall mode (RPRWM) are investigated by the magnetohydrodynamic-kinetic hybrid code MARS-K [Liu et al., Phys. Plasmas 15, 112503 (2008)], including the kinetic contribution from energetic particles (EPs). It is found that thermal transport can further stabilize the RPRWM in the presence of drift kinetic contributions from EPs. This is different from the fluid model, which always predicts destabilization of the mode by thermal transport. Furthermore, the thermal transport effect is found to amplify the role played by an adiabatic term, associated with the radial distribution of EPs’ birth energy, in modifying the mode stability as well as the mode eigenfunction. The shape of the equilibrium profiles of EPs, in particular that of the temperature, is also found to strongly affect the mode stabilization. This profile effect is more pronounced in the absence of thermal transport. MARS-K computations show that the stabilizing effect by thermal transport is more likely to occur at slower plasma rotation and lower EP energy.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Finite magnetic well effects on resistive and drift-resistive ballooning modes in a shaped tokamak

The impact of plasma shaping through magnetic well modifications on the stability of resistive ballooning modes (RBMs) in tokamaks is analysed, also including finite diamagnetic flows. Furthermore, various limiting cases of the dispersion relation, obtained by matching the ballooning equation across the ideal and resistive layers, are analysed. It is found that stability is generally improved by the combination of vertical elongation and positive triangularity, although, in some cases, the growth rate of the unstable mode can be enhanced by these effects. Usually, vertically elongated plasmas with no triangularity are prone to exhibit worse stability properties. A value for the critical β above which RBMs are driven unstable is identified, and a connection with type-III ELM activity is established.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗