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At least 145 records · Page 8

Low-gravity homogenization and solidification of aluminum antimonide

The III-V semiconducting compound AlSb shows promise as a highly efficient solar cell material, but it has not been commercially exploited because of difficulties in compound synthesis. Liquid state homogenization and solidification of AlSb were carried out in the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project Experiment MA-044 in the hope that compositional homogeneity would be improved by negating the large density difference between the two constituents. Post-flight analysis and comparative characterization of the space-processed and ground-processed samples indicate that there are major homogeneity improvements in the low-gravity solidified material.

Ang, C.-Y.↗

International Conference on Rapidly Quenched Metals, 2nd, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass., November 17-19, 1975, Proceedings

The range of topics covered by the papers includes: rapid quenching (and specifically splat quenching) of metals, spin quenching, levitation melting, rapid quenching from liquid state; amorphous metal phases and metastable phases, metallic glasses, ribbons, splats, films, metal ribbon reinforced resins; crystallization of metallic glasses, and ferromagnetic amorphous alloys. Structural models for amorphous metals, splat-quenching equipment, and measurements of the properties of amorphous and noncrystalline metals and metallic glasses are also discussed, in addition to: fatigue events (crack propagation) in amorphous metals, fracture behavior in rapidly quenched metals, ductile superconducting Cu-Nb-Sn alloys, and semiconducting amorphous V205 alloy. Individual items are announced in this issue.

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Electrically-nonlinear composite material

Low-temperature sinter of semiconductor and polymer resin is useful in manufacture of circuit boards, cables, and electroexplosive devices. Material can absorb large amounts of heat and can withstand repeated exposures to electrostatic discharges with little deteriorating effects. These characteristics offer significant advantages over high-temperature-sintered, metal-oxide semiconducting materials.

Menichelli, V. J.↗

Germanium-overcoated niobium Dayem bridges

Overcoating constriction microbridges with semiconducting germanium provides additional thermal conductivity at liquid-helium temperatures to reduce the effects of self-heating in these Josephson junctions. Microwave-induced steps were observed in the I-V characteristics of an overcoated Dayem bridge fabricated in a 15-nm-thick niobium film; at least 20 steps could be counted at 4.2 K. No steps were observed in the I-V characteristics of the bridge prior to overcoating. In addition, the germanium overcoat can protect against electrical disturbances at room temperature.

Holdeman, L. B.↗

Electrical, magnetic, and optical properties of the tetrathiafulvalene /TTF/ pseudohalides, /TTF/12/SCN/7 and /TTF/12/SeCN/7

The electrical, magnetic, and optical properties of charge-transfer salts containing tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) and the pseudohalides, thiocyanate (SCN) and selenocyanate (SeCN), have been investigated. These salts are quasi-one-dimensional compounds containing cation radicals only, in contrast to a cation-radical-anion-radical system, such as tetrathiafulvalene tetracyanoquinodimethane (TTF) (TCNQ). Measurements of electrical conductivity, thermoelectric power, and optical reflectivity of single crystals of the nonstoichiometric salts (TTF)12(SCN)7 and (TTF)12(SeCN)7 show metal-like characteristics above 200 K (high-temperature region). The conductivities at room temperature are approximately 750 mho/cm comparable to those found in (TTF) (TCNQ), and increase with decreasing temperature down to approximately 200 K. The thermoelectric power at room temperature is small and positive (approximately 9 microvolts/deg K), and decreases linearly with decreasing temperature in this region (as expected for metal-like hole conduction along the TTF chains). The ESR intensity, however, decreases with decreasing temperature above 200 K. At 170 K a metal-nonmetal transition occurs, and the transport and magnetic properties below this temperature are characteristic of a semiconducting state.

Somoano, R. B.↗

Plasmon and exciton superconductivity mechanisms in layered structures

Plasmon and exciton superconductivity mechanisms are discussed. Superconductivity in a three layer metal semiconductor metal and insulator semimetal insulator sandwich structure was described in terms of the temperature dependent Green function of the longitudinal (Coulomb) field. The dependences of the superconducting transition temperature on structure parameters were obtained. In a semiconducting film, as a result of interactions of degenerate free carriers with excitons, superconductivity exists only in a certain range of parameter values, and the corresponding critical temperature is much lower than in the plasmon mechanism of superconductivity.

Gabovich, A. M.↗

Surface photovoltage in exciton absorption range in CdS

The high resolution, intrinsic spectra of surface photovoltage are reported for semiconducting n-type CdS single crystals. At reduced temperatures (120-160 K) the spectra exhibit three sharp maxima due to A, B and C free exciton transitions. Energy positions of these lines and valence band parameters (spin-orbit and crystal field splittings) estimated from surface photovoltage are in good agreement with values obtained by other methods. The excitonic transitions are very sensitive to surface treatment, i.e. polishing, etching, background illumination and surface doping. The mechanism of direct interaction of free excitons with surface states is proposed to explain exciton lines in surface photovoltage.

Morawski, A.↗

An exact derivation of contact resistance to planar devices

A mixed boundary-value problem is formulated for an imperfect rectangular contact to a semiconducting sheet (layer). An exact model for derivation of contact resistance is developed and its solution by conformal mapping and eigenfunction expansion is presented. The expression for contact resistance is similar to that for a perfect (lossless) contact but includes an additional term containing the lowest-order coefficient in the infinite series expansion of the complex potential function. The calculated contact resistances are compared with those obtained from three approximate models: lossless contact, transmission line, and extended transmission line models. The extended transmission line model appears to be a very satisfactory approximation provided the ratio of contact length to sheet thickness is no less than 0.5.

Schuldt, S. B.↗

Electrical properties of /DEPE/ /TCNQ/sub 4

The electrical conductivity of two phases of (DEPE) (TCNQ)sub 4 is evaluated using four probe and Montgomery methods. The highest values (approximately 50 Ohms/cm) were found along the b sub 0 axis of the monoclinic phase (I) crystals at room temperature. The resistivities are described as semiconducting. Thermopower is observed to saturate at high temperatures to 60 microvolts/deg K, characteristic of a quarter-filled correlated band. It is pointed out that a stable metallic state for (DEPE) (TCNQ)sub 4 is theoretically possible, but none has thus far been found.

Somoano, R. B.↗

On the crystal phases of /DEPE/ /TCNQ/4

X-ray powder diffraction studies of two semiconducting crystal phases in the organic charge transfer salt (DEPE)(TCNQ) sub 4 has revealed almost identical electrical properties to those of metallic crystals. It is hypothesized that the similarity arises from the nature of the measurements themselves, i.e., electrode geometry. The possibility that a separate metallic phase for (DEPE)(TCNQ) sub 4 exists, is not, however, ruled out.

Coleman, L. B.↗

Method of construction of a multi-cell solar array

The method of constructing a high voltage, low power, multicell solar array is described. A solar cell base region is formed in a substrate such as but not limited to silicon or sapphire. A protective coating is applied on the base and a patterned etching of the coating and base forms discrete base regions. A semiconductive junction and upper active region are formed in each base region, and defined by photolithography. Thus, discrete cells which are interconnected by metallic electrodes are formed.

Routh, D. E.↗

On the origin of period changes in RR Lyrae stars

The observed period changes are explained with respect to the behavior of the semiconductive zone (SCZ) within the core of an RR Lyrae star. General consideration are given which suggest that the composition changes occuring within the SCZ during the horizontal-branch evolution result from many small mixing events, each of which slightly perturbs the pulsation period. Results indicate that small mixing events within the core of an RR Lyrae star can produce changes in the pulsation period comparable with those typically observed. It is further indicated that these mixing events together with the nuclear burning between them can produce period changes of both signs.

Renzini, A.↗

Characterization and growth of epitaxial layers of Gs exhibiting high resistivity for ionic implantation

Either classical or low temperature epitaxial growth techniques can be used to control the deposition of buffer layers of GaAs on semiconducting substrates and to obtain the resistivity and purity desired. Techniques developed to study, as a function of thickness, the evolution of mobilities by photoHall, and the spectroscopy of shallow and deep centers by cathodoluminescence and current transients reveal one very pure layer of medium resistivity and high mobility, and another "dead layer" of elevated resistivity far from the surface. The highly resistive layer remains pure over several microns, which appears interesting for implantation.

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Hydrogen production by photoelectrolytic decomposition of H2O using solar energy

Photoelectrochemical systems for the efficient decomposition of water are discussed. Semiconducting d band oxides which would yield the combination of stability, low electron affinity, and moderate band gap essential for an efficient photoanode are sought. The materials PdO and Fe-xRhxO3 appear most likely. Oxygen evolution yields may also be improved by mediation of high energy oxidizing agents, such as CO3(-). Examination of several p type semiconductors as photocathodes revealed remarkable stability for p-GaAs, and also indicated p-CdTe as a stable H2 photoelectrode. Several potentially economical schemes for photoelectrochemical decomposition of water were examined, including photoelectrochemical diodes and two stage, four photon processes.

Rauh, R. D.↗

Influence of the interplanetary magnetic field on cometary and primordial dust orbits - Applications of Lorentz Scattering

The equations describing the change in orbital elements of interplanetary dust due to Lorentz-force accelerations are presented in a simplified form. Such accelerations depend on the charge state of the dust; results of theoretical calculations for five possible dust materials are presented. Under present-day conditions, it is possible that semiconducting material such as graphite might carry a net voltage near zero, compared with a roughly 10-V charge expected for other grains. The scattering of dust by a randomly changing magnetic field can be viewed analogously to the dust diffusing in space; the equations presented thus can be used to interpret observations of the present distribution of dust in terms of its possible sources and sinks. The stronger magnetic fields of the early solar system would have led to more vigorous scattering of the dust; particles as large as 1 mm could have been significantly transported by Lorentz scattering during this time.

Consolmagno, G. J.↗

Photoassisted carbon dioxide reduction and formation of twoand three-carbon compounds

The photoassisted reduction of aqueous carbon dioxide in the presence of naturally occurring minerals is investigated as a possible abiotic precursor of photosynthesis. Aqueous carbon dioxide saturated suspensions or surfaces of the minerals nontronite, bentonite, anatase, wolframite, molybdenite, minium, cinnabar and hematite were irradiated with high-pressure mercury lamps or sunlight. Chemical analyses reveal the production of formic acid, formaldehyde, methanol and methane, and the two and three-carbon compounds glyoxal (CHOCHO) and malonaldehyde (CH2(CHO)2). It is suggested that such photosynthetic reactions with visible light in the presence of semiconducting minerals may provide models for prebiological carbon and nitrogen fixation in both oxidized and reduced atmospheres.

Halmann, M.↗

On the optical evaluation of the EL2 deep level concentration in semi-insulating GaAs

A practical procedure for the evaluation of the Fermi energy in semi-insulating (SI)GaAs from electrical measurements is presented. This procedure makes it possible to reliably extend the determination of the major deep level (EL2) concentration, by near-infrared absorption measurements, to SIGaAs. Employing this procedure, it is shown that the EL2 concentration in Czochralski-grown GaAs increases monotonically with increasing As/Ga ratio (throughout the conversion from SI n type to semiconducting p-type crystals) rather than abruptly as previously proposed.

Walukiewicz, W.↗

Compositional Segregation in Unidirectionally Solidified Solid Solution Crystals

A computer program was developed to model compositional segregation in unidrectionally solidified solid-solution-semiconducting crystals. The program takes into account the variations of the interface segregation constant and solidification rate with composition. Calculations are performed for the HgCdTe solid solution system that is compared with experimental data.

Wang, J. C.↗