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At least 145 records · Page 8

Electronic band structure of highly mismatched GaN{sub 1−x}Sb{sub x} alloys in a broad composition range

In this letter, we study the optical properties of GaN{sub 1−x}Sb{sub x} thin films. Films with an Sb fraction up to 42% were synthesized by alternating GaN-GaSb layers at a constant temperature of 325 °C. The measured optical absorption data of the films are interpreted using a modified band anticrossing model that is applicable to highly mismatched alloys such as GaN{sub 1−x}Sb{sub x} in the entire composition range. The presented model allows us to more accurately determine the band gap as well as the band edges over the entire composition range thereby providing means for determining the composition for, e.g., efficient spontaneous photoelectrochemical cell applications.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Frequency mismatch in stimulated scattering processes: An important factor for the transverse distribution of scattered light

A 2D cylindrically symmetric model with inclusion of both diffraction and self-focus effects is developed to deal with the stimulated scattering processes of a single hotspot. The calculated results show that the transverse distribution of the scattered light is sensitive to the longitudinal profiles of the plasma parameters. The analysis of the evolution of the scattered light indicates that it is the frequency mismatch of coupling due to the inhomogeneity of plasmas that determines the transverse distribution of the scattered light.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Electromodulation spectroscopy of highly mismatched alloys

The electronic band structure of highly mismatched alloys (HMAs) was very successfully explored using electromodulation (EM) spectroscopy, i.e., photoreflectance (PR), electroreflectance, and contactless electroreflectance (CER). With these techniques, the optical transitions between the valence band and the E – and E + bands, which are formed in the conduction band of dilute nitrides and dilute oxides, were observed and used to formulate the band anticrossing model, which well describes the electronic band structure of HMAs. In this tutorial, principles of EM spectroscopy are presented and shortly discussed. Special attention is focused on PR and CER techniques, which are nondestructive and have recently been widely applied to study the electronic band structure of HMAs and low dimensional heterostructures containing HMAs. For these methods, experimental setups are described, and theoretical approaches to analyze the experimental data are introduced. Finally, to show the utility of EM spectroscopy, selected examples of the application of this method to study various issues in HMAs are presented and briefly discussed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

A transmission electron microscopy study of dislocation propagation and filtering in highly mismatched GaSb/GaAs heteroepitaxy

Monolithic integration of lattice-mismatched semiconductor materials opens up access to a wide range of bandgaps and new device functionalities. However, it is inevitably accompanied by defect formation. A thorough analysis of how these defects propagate and interact with interfaces is critical to understanding their effects on device parameters. In this study, we present a comprehensive study of dislocation networks in the GaSb/GaAs heteroepitaxial system using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Specifically, the sample analyzed is a GaSb film grown on GaAs using dislocation–reduction strategies such as interfacial misfit array formation and introduction of a dislocation filtering layer. Using various TEM techniques, it is shown that such an analysis can reveal important information on the dislocation behavior including filtering mechanism, types of dislocation reactions, and other interactions with interfaces. A novel method that enables plan-view imaging of deeply embedded interfaces using TEM and a demonstration of independent imaging of different dislocation types are also presented. While clearly effective in characterizing dislocation behavior in GaSb/GaAs, we believe that the methods outlined in this article can be extended to study other heteroepitaxial material systems.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Effect of group velocity mismatch on acousto-optic interaction of ultrashort laser pulses

Equations describing acousto-optic diffraction of ultrashort laser pulses in an anisotropic medium are derived, taking into account the group velocity mismatch of optical eigenmodes. It is shown that the solution of the modified coupled-mode equations taking into account the group delay is characterised by an increase in the pulse duration, a decrease in diffraction efficiency, a change in the shape of the wave packet envelope, as well as by an increase in the width of the transmission function.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Analysis of the effects of mismatched errors on coherent beam combining based on a self-imaging waveguide

A theoretical model of coherent beam combining (CBC) based on a self-imaging waveguide (SIW) is built and the effects of mismatched errors on SIW-based CBC are simulated and analysed numerically. With the combination of the theoretical model and the finite difference beam propagation method, two main categories of errors, assembly and nonassembly errors, are numerically studied to investigate their effect on the beam quality by using the M{sup 2} factor. The optimisation of the SIW and error control principle of the system is briefly discussed. The generalised methodology offers a good reference for investigating waveguide-based high-power coherent combining of fibre lasers in a comprehensive way. (lasers and laser beams)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Cas9 interrogates DNA in discrete steps modulated by mismatches and supercoiling

The CRISPR-Cas9 nuclease has been widely repurposed as a molecular and cell biology tool for its ability to programmably target and cleave DNA. Cas9 recognizes its target site by unwinding the DNA double helix and hybridizing a 20-nucleotide section of its associated guide RNA to one DNA strand, forming an R-loop structure. A dynamic and mechanical description of R-loop formation is needed to understand the biophysics of target searching and develop rational approaches for mitigating off-target activity while accounting for the influence of torsional strain in the genome. Here we investigate the dynamics of Cas9 R-loop formation and collapse using rotor bead tracking (RBT), a single-molecule technique that can simultaneously monitor DNA unwinding with base-pair resolution and binding of fluorescently labeled macromolecules in real time. By measuring changes in torque upon unwinding of the double helix, we find that R-loop formation and collapse proceed via a transient discrete intermediate, consistent with DNA:RNA hybridization within an initial seed region. Using systematic measurements of target and off-target sequences under controlled mechanical perturbations, we characterize position-dependent effects of sequence mismatches and show how DNA supercoiling modulates the energy landscape of R-loop formation and dictates access to states competent for stable binding and cleavage. Consistent with this energy landscape model, in bulk experiments we observe promiscuous cleavage under physiological negative supercoiling. The detailed description of DNA interrogation presented here suggests strategies for improving the specificity and kinetics of Cas9 as a genome engineering tool and may inspire expanded applications that exploit sensitivity to DNA supercoiling.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Theory-assisted determination of nano-rippling and impurities in atomic resolution images of angle-mismatched bilayer graphene

Ripples and impurity atoms are universally present in 2D materials, limiting carrier mobility, creating pseudo–magnetic fields, or affecting the electronic and magnetic properties. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) generally provides picometer-level precision in the determination of the location of atoms or atomic 'columns' in the in-image plane (xy plane). However, precise atomic positions in the z-direction as well as the presence of certain impurities are difficult to detect. Furthermore, images containing moiré patterns such as those in angle-mismatched bilayer graphene compound the problem by limiting the determination of atomic positions in the xy plane. Here, we introduce a reconstructive approach for the analysis of STEM images of twisted bilayers that combines the accessible xy coordinates of atomic positions in a STEM image with density-functional-theory calculations. The approach allows us to determine all three coordinates of all atomic positions in the bilayer and establishes the presence and identity of impurities. In this work, the deduced strain-induced rippling in a twisted bilayer graphene sample is consistent with the continuum model of elasticity. We also find that the moiré pattern induces undulations in the z direction that are approximately an order of magnitude smaller than the strain-induced rippling. A single substitutional impurity, identified as nitrogen, is detected. The present reconstructive approach can, therefore, distinguish between moiré and strain-induced effects and allows for the full reconstruction of 3D positions and atomic identities.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Tuning of electronic properties in highly lattice-mismatched epitaxial SmN

Here, we establish the relationship between native N vacancies, introduced through varying growth parameters, and the structural and transport properties in SmN thin films grown via molecular beam epitaxy grown on MgO(001). The varying levels of N vacancies introduced by varying the ratio of Sm to N atoms during deposition creates excess carriers that radically transform the electrical behavior of the film, over a range of five orders of magnitude, from highly resistive to highly conductive, and unlocking a phase transition evidenced by the presence of a ferromagnetic feature in resistivity. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results show that this effect is much less pronounced when varying the available nitrogen species. These samples retain a highly crystal quality despite being grown on a substrate with a lattice mismatch of 20%, alleviating the strain by forming a highly strained SmO oxide layer. The integration between SmN and several transition metal nitride compounds has the potential to unlock new architectures for Josephson junction devices.

36 - MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Molecular Bridge Thermal Diode Enabled by Vibrational Mismatch

We elucidate a significant thermal rectification effect in molecular bridges (MBs) that covalently bond gold and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by nonequilibrium molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. We find asymmetric heat flux across these MBs, resulting in significant thermal rectification. Thermal rectification ratios are found to decrease with the number of the MBs and increase with the lengths of CNTs, reaching a value as high as 3.75. In addition, the calculations show that the thermal conductances vary with the orientation of the crystal planes of Au, the number of molecular bridges, and the length of the CNTs. They are in a range of 40–250 MW m K, agreeing well with the reported experimental results. Detailed analysis suggests that the thermal rectification can be attributed to the mismatch of vibrational modes between neighboring sulfur and carbon atoms in the MBs. As a result, this discovery could provide theoretical guidance in designing molecular thermal diodes, paving alternative routes to potential applications in nanoscale heat manipulation, waste energy harvesting, chip cooling, and molecular phononics.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗

Clean quantum point contacts in an InAs quantum well grown on a lattice-mismatched InP substrate

Strong spin-orbit coupling, the resulting large g factor, and small effective mass make InAs an attractive material platform for inducing topological superconductivity. The surface Fermi level pinning in the conduction band enables highly transparent ohmic contact without excessive doping. In this study, we investigate electrostatically defined quantum point contacts (QPCs) in a deep-well InAs two-dimensional electron gas. Despite the 3.3% lattice mismatch between the InAs quantum well and the InP substrate, we report clean QPCs with up to eight pronounced quantized conductance plateaus at zero magnetic field. Source-drain dc bias spectroscopy reveals a harmonic confinement potential with a nearly 5 meV subband spacing. We find a many-body exchange interaction enhancement for the out-of-plane g factor |$g^{*}_{⊥}$|=27±1 , whereas the in-plane g factor is isotropic |$g^{*}_{x}$|=|$g^{*}_{y}$|=12±2 , close to the bulk value for InAs.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Measuring the shock impedance mismatch between high-density carbon and deuterium at the National Ignition Facility

Fine-grained diamond, or high-density carbon (HDC), is being used as an ablator for inertial confinement fusion (ICF) research at the National Ignition Facility (NIF). Accurate equation of state (EOS) knowledge over a wide range of phase space is critical in the design and analysis of integrated ICF experiments. Here in this paper, we report shock and release measurements of the shock impedance mismatch between HDC and liquid deuterium conducted during shock-timing experiments having a first shock in the ablator ranging between 8 and 14 Mbar. Using ultrafast Doppler imaging velocimetry to track the leading shock front, we characterize the shock velocity discontinuity upon the arrival of the shock at the HDC/liquid deuterium interface. Comparing the experimental data with tabular EOS models used to simulate integrated ICF experiments indicates the need for an improved multiphase EOS model for HDC in order to achieve a significant increase in neutron yield in indirect-driven ICF implosions with HDC ablators.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Control of the Lasing Slice by Transverse Mismatch in an X-Ray Free-Electron Laser

We demonstrated selective slice-dependent lasing by controlling the matching to the undulator of different slices within an electron bunch. The slice-dependent mismatch was realized through quadrupole wakefield generated in a corrugated structure. A deterministic procedure based on empirical beam transport and phase space information is used to match selected slices by turns to lase in the undulator while keeping all other slices from lasing, thus staying fresh. Measurements of time-resolved electron bunch energy loss by a transverse deflecting cavity confirmed the predicted behavior.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Exploiting Symmetry Mismatch to Control Magnetism in a Ferroelastic Heterostructure

In the bulk, LaCoO 3 (LCO) is a paramagnet, yet the low-temperature ferromagnetism (FM) is observed in tensile strained thin films, and its origin remains unresolved. Here, we quantitatively measured the distribution of atomic density and magnetization in LCO films by polarized neutron reflectometry (PNR) and found that the LCO layers near the heterointerfaces exhibit a reduced magnetization but an enhanced atomic density, whereas the film's interior (i.e., its film bulk) shows the opposite trend. We attribute the nonuniformity to the symmetry mismatch at the interface, which induces a structural distortion related to the ferroelasticity of LCO. This assertion is tested by systematic application of hydrostatic pressure during the PNR experiments. The magnetization can be controlled at a rate of -20.4% per GPa. Here, these results provide unique insights into mechanisms driving FM in strained LCO films while offering a tantalizing observation that tunable deformation of the CoO 6 octahedra in combination with the ferroelastic order parameter.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Standing Waves Induced by Valley-Mismatched Domains in Ferroelectric SnTe Monolayers

Two-dimensional (2D) quasiparticle standing waves originate from the interference of coherent quantum states and are usually created by the scattering off edges, atomic steps, or adatoms that induce large potential barriers. We report standing waves close to the valence band maximum (E V ), confined by electrically neutral domain walls of newly discovered ferroelectric SnTe monolayers, as revealed by spatially resolved scanning tunneling spectroscopy. Ab initio calculations show that this novel confinement arises from the polarization lifted hole valley degeneracy and a ~90° rotation of the Brillouin zones that render holes’ momentum mismatched across neighboring domains. These results show a potential for polarization-tuned valleytronics in 2D ferroelectrics.

2-dimensional systems↗

Temperature-dependent spectral mismatch corrections

This study develops the mathematical foundation for a translation of solar cell short-circuit current from one thermal and spectral irradiance operating condition to another without the use of ill-defined and error-prone temperature coefficients typically employed in solar cell metrology. Using the partial derivative of quantum efficiency with respect to temperature, the conventional isothermal expression for spectral mismatch corrections is modified to account for changes of current due to temperature; this modification completely eliminates the need for short-circuit-current temperature coefficients. An example calculation is provided to demonstrate use of the new translation.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Robust Predictive Control for Modular Solid-State Transformer With Reduced DC Link and Parameter Mismatch

This paper presents the analysis and implementation of a predictive control method for dc-link regulation and voltage balance in a cascaded modular reduced dc-link solid-state transformer (SST). Passive components like bulky dc links limit the power density of power converters, especially medium-voltage (MV) SST. Reduced dc-link or low-inertia converters can dramatically reduce the size, cost, and weight by tolerating larger dc-link ripples and improve the reliability with electrolytic capacitor-less dc link. However, a small dc link leads to tight coupling between the input and the output stages, which is a challenge for control design. In stacked low-inertia converters (SLIC), the low-inertia converter modules are stacked for MV applications, resulting in coupling between the modules and making the control more challenging. A new model predictive control method which can achieve deadbeat regulation on the dc link without weighting factors has been proposed to address this novel problem. This paper focuses on analyzing the condition of the low-inertia dc link up to 80% ripple, the robustness of the control under parameter mismatches, high-order terms, and important implementation issues such as model-based sampling and computation delay compensation. Significantly, the high-order terms are introduced because of the large dc-link ripple. These high-order terms are unique to the SLIC and negligible in conventional high-inertia converters. A discrete-time large-signal model is built to capture the dc-link’s nonlinear dynamics, and the eigenvalues of a small-signal Jacobian matrix are analyzed with Floquet theory to evaluate stability, using the modular soft-switching solid-state transformer (M-S4T) as an example of the SLIC. Simulation and experimental results of an MVDC M-S4T verify the analysis and the predictive control method. Finally, the general application of the predictive control to low-inertia converters is compared against a conventional PI controller using a reduced dc-link active-front-end (AFE) rectifier as an example.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Quantitative order-parameter measurement in lattice-mismatched AlInP using precession electron diffraction

Precession electron diffraction (PED) was used to measure the long-range order parameter in lattice-mismatched AlInP epitaxial films under investigation for solid-state-lighting applications. Both double- and single-variant films grown at 620, 650, and 680°C were analyzed in TEM cross-section. PED patterns were acquired in selected-area-diffraction mode through external microscope control using serial acquisition, which allows inline image processing. The integrated peak intensities from experimental patterns were fit using dynamical simulations of diffraction from the ordered domain structures. Included in the structure-factor calculations were mean atomic displacements of the anions (P) due to ordering, which were found by valence-force-field calculations to have a nearly linear dependence on order parameter. A maximum order parameter of S = 0.36 was measured for a double-variant specimen grown at 650°C.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗