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At least 1,495 records · Page 83
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2015

Structural, morphological and Raman studies of pulse electrosynthesised indium antimonide thin films

InSb films deposited on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) substrates by a pulse elctrodeposition technique. The deposition was carried out at an applied potential −1.3V versus Ag/AgCl electrode. Structural, morphological and optical studies were performed on the electrodeposited InSb. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies show that the deposited InSb films are polycrystalline in nature having the zinc blend structure. The crystallite size (D), dislocation density (δ) and strain (ε) were calculated using XRD results. The EDAX analysis shows that chemical composition of In{sup 3+} and Sb{sup 3+} ions is close to the required stoichiometry. The surface morphology of the deposited films was examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). SEM studies reveal that the surface of the films is uniformly covered with submicron sized spherical particles. However, the crystallite size determined by the Scherrer method shows a size close to 30 nm. Surface morphology studies of the InSb films were also performed using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The average surface roughness as measured by AFM is around 40 nm. Hot probe studies show that all the electrodeposited thin films have n type conductivity and the thickness of the films is calculated using electrochemical formula.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Highly stable thin film transistors using multilayer channel structure

We report highly stable gate-bias stress performance of thin film transistors (TFTs) using zinc oxide (ZnO)/hafnium oxide (HfO{sub 2}) multilayer structure as the channel layer. Positive and negative gate-bias stress stability of the TFTs was measured at room temperature and at 60 °C. A tremendous improvement in gate-bias stress stability was obtained in case of the TFT with multiple layers of ZnO embedded between HfO{sub 2} layers compared to the TFT with a single layer of ZnO as the semiconductor. The ultra-thin HfO{sub 2} layers act as passivation layers, which prevent the adsorption of oxygen and water molecules in the ZnO layer and hence significantly improve the gate-bias stress stability of ZnO TFTs.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2015

Growth and oxidization stability of cubic Zr{sub 1−x}Gd{sub x}N solid solution thin films

We report Zr{sub 1−x}Gd{sub x}N thin films deposited by magnetron sputter deposition. We show a solid solubility of the highly neutron absorbing GdN into ZrN along the whole compositional range, which is in excellent agreement with our recent predictions by first-principles calculations. An oxidization study in air shows that Zr{sub 1−x}Gd{sub x}N with x reaching from 1 to close to 0 fully oxidizes, but that the oxidization is slowed down by an increased amount of ZrN or stopped by applying a capping layer of ZrN. The crystalline quality of Zr{sub 0.5}Gd{sub 0.5}N films increases with substrate temperatures increasing from 100 °C to 900 °C.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Nonvolatile memory behavior of nanocrystalline cellulose/graphene oxide composite films

With the continuous advance of modern electronics, the demand for nonvolatile memory cells rapidly grows. In order to develop post-silicon electronic devices, it is necessary to find innovative solutions to the eco-sustainability problem of materials for nonvolatile memory cells. In this work, we realized a resistive memory device based on graphene oxide (GO) and GO/cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) thin films. Aqueous solutions of GO and GO with CNC have been prepared and drop cast between two metal electrodes. Such thin-film based devices showed a transition between low and high conductivity states upon the forward and backward sweeping of an external electric field. This reversible current density transition behavior demonstrates a typical memory characteristic. The obtained results open an easy route for electronic information storage based on the integration of nanocrystalline cellulose onto graphene based devices.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

In situ Crystallization of RF sputtered ITO thin films: A comparison with annealed samples

Tin doped Indium Oxide (ITO) is a wide band gap semiconductor with high conductivity and transparency in the visible region of the solar spectrum. One of the most popular and exploited applications of ITO is the realization of the transparent conductive layers needed for the electrodes of light sensitive devices, such as photovoltaic cells. The thermal energy for the crystallization of ITO films is very low (150°C). The crystallization can be achieved by the continuous energetic bombardment of the ions in the sputtering chamber without annealing or substrate heating. The accumulated energy will ensure the thermal energy necessary for the crystallization. With the help of sufficiently high sputtering power and sufficient duration, crystallized ITO films can be produced without annealing. In this report, a comparison of the conductivity and transparency of ITO films under two crystallization conditions ((1) crystallization of the sputtered films by annealing; (2) in situ crystallization of the films by providing high sputtering power and long sputtering duration) will be presented.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2019

Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells

Most solar cells are fabricated from crystalline or semicrystalline silicon since they are relatively inexpensive starting materials and the resulting solar cells are very efficient. As a result, the optical properties of silicon are extremely important in many aspects of solar cell manufacture, and have been determined by many groups using several techniques. The most reliable values of the optical functions of silicon have been determined using spectroscopic ellipsometry, augmented by optical transmission measurements of the absorption coefficient for wavelengths greater than 700 nm. Obviously, these optical functions depend on the wavelength of light, but they also depend significantly on temperature and morphology. Several thin films are very important to solar cell manufacture, including silicon nitride, silicon dioxide, and aluminum oxide. While the optical properties of these thin films are strong functions of deposition conditions, spectroscopic ellipsometry is ideal for characterizing them. This work will present recent spectroscopic ellipsometry data and optical transmission data from which the optical functions of silicon are obtained. The optical transmission data have been fit from 700 to 1200 nm to a modification of Macfarlane’s et al. formula [Phys. Rev. 111, (1958) 759], resulting in a reduced χ2 of 0.84. This formulation is particularly valuable in that it gives the optical absorption coefficient from 700 to 1200 nm as a function of both wavelength and temperature.

Jellison Jr, Gerald Earle↗
DOE OSTI2015

Influence of Al content on the properties of ternary Al{sub 2x}In{sub 2−2x}O{sub 3} alloy films prepared on YSZ (1 1 1) substrates by MOCVD

Highlights: • Al{sub 2x}In{sub 2−2x}O{sub 3} films were prepared on the Y-stabilized ZrO{sub 2} (1 1 1) substrates by MOCVD at 700 °C. • A phase transition from the bixbyite In{sub 2}O{sub 3} structure to the amorphous structure was observed. • The lowest resistivity of 4.7 × 10{sup −3} Ω cm was obtained for the Al{sub 0.4}In{sub 1.6}O{sub 3} film. • Tunable optical band gap from 3.7 to 4.8 eV was obtained. - Abstract: The ternary Al{sub 2x}In{sub 2−2x}O{sub 3} films with different Al contents of x [Al/(Al + In) atomic ratio] have been fabricated on the Y-stabilized ZrO{sub 2} (1 1 1) substrates by metal organic chemical vapor deposition at 700 °C. The structural, electrical and optical properties of the films as a result of different Al contents (x = 0.1–0.9) were investigated in detail. With the increase of Al content from 10% to 90%, a phase transition from the bixbyite In{sub 2}O{sub 3} structure with a single orientation along (1 1 1) to the amorphous structure was observed. The minimum resistivity of 4.7 × 10{sup −3} Ω cm, a carrier concentration of 1.4 × 10{sup 20} cm{sup −3} and a Hall mobility of 9.8 cm{sup 2} v{sup −1} s{sup −1} were obtained for the sample with x = 0.2. The average transmittances for the Al{sub 2x}In{sub 2−2x}O{sub 3} films in the visible range were all over 78% and the optical band gap of the films could be tuned from 3.7 to 4.8 eV.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Orientation-controlled nonepitaxial L1{sub 0} FePt thin films

We report an orientation-controlled FePt thin films grown nonexpitaxially on oxidized Si substrates without using any underlayers. After 700 °C annealing, the FePt single layer with thickness less than 10 nm shows good (001) texture and perpendicular anisotropy. The scanning electron microscope images indicate that these films are composed of isolated islands. For the films thicker than 20 nm, the films become continuous and (111) orientation appears. The transition of film texture relates to the change of morphology of the films. Finally, a theoretical mode based on minimizing surface energy is proposed to explain the texture variation in the films.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2019

Modulation of the electronic states of perovskite SrCrO 3 thin films through protonation via low-energy hydrogen plasma implantation approaches

Hydrogenation of transition metal oxides offers a powerful platform to tailor physical functionalities as well as for potential applications in modern electronic technologies. An ideal nondestructive and efficient hydrogen incorporation approach is important for the realistic technological applications. We demonstrate the proton injection on SrCrO 3 thin films via an effecient low-energy hydrogen plasma implantation experiments, without destroying the original lattice framework. Hydrogen ions accumulate largely at the interfacial regions with amorphous character which extend about one-third of the total thickness. The H x SrCrO 3 (HSCO) thin films appear like exfoliated layers which however retain the fully strained state with distorted perovskite structure. Proton doping induces the change of Cr oxidation state from Cr 4+ to Cr 3+ in HSCO thin films and a transition from metallic to insulating phase. As a result, our investigations suggest an attractive platform in manipulating the electronic phases in proton-based approaches and may offer a potential peeling off strategy for nanoscale devices through low-energy hydrogen plasma implantation approaches.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2017

Sputter-deposited WO x and MoO x for hole selective contacts

Here, reactive sputter deposited tungsten and molybdenum oxide (WO x , MoO x ) thin films are tested for their ability to form a hole selective contact for Si wafer based solar cells. A characterization approach based on analyzing the band bending induced in the c-Si absorber and the external and implied open-circuit voltage of test structures was used. It is shown that the oxygen partial pressure allows to tailor the selectivity to some extent and that a direct correlation between induced band bending and hole selectivity exists. Although the selectivity of the sputtered films is inferior to the reference films deposited by thermal evaporation, these results demonstrate a good starting point for further optimizations of sputtered WO x and MoO x towards higher work functions to improve the hole selectivity.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2019

Conformal High-K Dielectric Coating of Suspended Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes by Atomic Layer Deposition

As one of the highest mobility semiconductor materials, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been extensively studied for use in field effect transistors (FETs). To fabricate surround-gate FETs— which offer the best switching performance—deposition of conformal, weakly-interacting dielectric layers is necessary. This is challenging due to the chemically inert surface of CNTs and a lack of nucleation sites—especially for defect-free CNTs. As a result, a technique that enables integration of uniform high-k dielectrics, while preserving the CNT’s exceptional properties is required. In this work, we show a method that enables conformal atomic layer deposition (ALD) of high-k dielectrics on defect-free CNTs. By depositing a thin Ti metal film, followed by oxidation to TiO2 under ambient conditions, a nucleation layer is formed for subsequent ALD deposition of Al2O3. The technique is easy to implement and is VLSI-compatible. We show that the ALD coatings are uniform, continuous and conformal, and Raman spectroscopy reveals that the technique does not induce defects in the CNT. The resulting bilayer TiO2/Al2O3 thin-film shows an improved dielectric constant of 21.7 and an equivalent oxide thickness of 2.7 nm. The electrical properties of back-gated and top-gated devices fabricated using this method are presented.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2017

Synthetic Graphene Oxide Leaf for Solar Desalination with Zero Liquid Discharge

Water vapor generation through sunlight harvesting and heat localization by carbon-based porous thin film materials holds great promise for sustainable, energy-efficient desalination and water treatment. However, the applicability of such materials in a high-salinity environment emphasizing zero-liquid-discharge brine disposal has not been studied. Here this paper reports the characterization and evaporation performance of a nature-inspired synthetic leaf made of graphene oxide (GO) thin film material, which exhibited broadband light absorption and excellent stability in high-salinity water. Under 0.82-sun illumination (825 W/m 2 ), a GO leaf floating on water generated steam at a rate of 1.1 L per m 2 per hour (LMH) with a light-to-vapor energy conversion efficiency of 54%, while a GO leaf lifted above water in a tree-like configuration generated steam at a rate of 2.0 LMH with an energy efficiency of 78%. The evaporation rate increased with increasing light intensity and decreased with increasing salinity. During a long-term evaporation experiment with a 15 wt % NaCl solution, the GO leaf demonstrated stable performance despite gradual and eventually severe accumulation of salt crystals on the leaf surface. Furthermore, the GO leaf can be easily restored to its pristine condition by simply scraping off salt crystals from its surface and rinsing with water. Therefore, the robust high performance and relatively low fabrication cost of the synthetic GO leaf could potentially unlock a new generation of desalination technology that can be entirely solar-powered and achieve zero liquid discharge.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2015

Extraordinary Hall effect and universal scaling in Fe{sub x}(ZnO){sub 1–x} granular thin films at room temperature

On the benefit of the concept of the so-called diluted magnetic oxides, Fe{sub x}(ZnO){sub 1–x} (x = 0.50–0.85) granular thin films with different thickness through 2D and 3D percolation region were prepared by ion beam assisted deposition. All samples are ferromagnetic at room-temperature due to the ferromagnetic nature of the Fe-doped ZnO matrix, which is quite different from the superparamagnetic behavior in the insulator-matrix based granular films. Along with decreasing thickness, the Hall coefficient R{sub S} is largely enhanced. The maximum R{sub S} reaches 4.27 × 10{sup −7} m{sup 3}/C in ∼2.8 nm Fe{sub 0.6}(ZnO){sub 0.4} granular film, which is nearly 9 times larger than the R{sub S} (4.64 × 10{sup −8} m{sup 3}/C) of the ∼50 nm Fe{sub 0.6}(ZnO){sub 0.4} sample. Meanwhile, the R{sub S} could maintain in a wide temperature region from 10 K to 300 K and the Hall sensitivity reaches ∼130 V/AT at room-temperature. The scaling exponential of n = 1.7 ± 0.1 in σ{sub xy}∼σ{sub xx}{sup n} is observed, fitting well with the recent developed universal scaling theory characterized by n = 1.6 in the dirty limit.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2021

Metal Nitride Electrode Stress and Chemistry Effects on Phase and Polarization Response in Ferroelectric Hf 0.5 Zr 0.5 O 2 Thin Films

Ferroelectric phase stability in hafnium oxide is reported to be influenced by factors that include composition, biaxial stress, crystallite size, and oxygen vacancies. In the present work, the ferroelectric performance of atomic layer deposited Hf 0.5 Zr 0.5 O 2 (HZO) prepared between TaN electrodes that are processed under conditions to induce variable biaxial stresses is evaluated. The post-processing stress states of the HZO films reveal no dependence on the as-deposited stress of the adjacent TaN electrodes. All HZO films maintain tensile biaxial stress following processing, the magnitude of which is not observed to strongly influence the polarization response. Subsequent composition measurements of stress-varied TaN electrodes reveal changes in stoichiometry related to the different preparation conditions. HZO films in contact with Ta-rich TaN electrodes exhibit higher remanent polarizations and increased ferroelectric phase fractions compared to those in contact with N-rich TaN electrodes. HZO films in contact with Ta-rich TaN electrodes also have higher oxygen vacancy concentrations, indicating that a chemical interaction between the TaN and HZO layers ultimately impacts the ferroelectric orthorhombic phase stability and polarization performance. The results of this work demonstrate a necessity to carefully consider the role of electrode processing and chemistry on performance of ferroelectric hafnia films.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

Interfacial reconstruction effects in insulating double perovskite Nd2NiMnO6/SrTiO3 and Nd2NiMnO6/NdGaO3 thin films

Ferromagnetic insulating (FMI) double perovskite oxides (DPOs) A2BB′O6 with near-room-temperature Curie temperatures are promising candidates for ambient-temperature spintronics applications. To realize their potential, epitaxial stabilization of DPO films and understanding the effect of multiple broken symmetries across the film/substrate interface are crucial. This study investigates ultrathin films of the FMI Nd2NiMnO6 grown on SrTiO3 (STO) and NdGaO3 (NGO) substrates. By comparing growth on these substrates, we examine the influence of polarity and structural symmetry mismatches, which are absent in the NGO system. The interface exhibits immeasurable resistance in both cases. Using synchrotron x-ray diffraction, we show that films have three octahedral rotational domains because of the structural symmetry mismatch with the STO substrate. Furthermore, our coherent Bragg rod analysis of specular x-ray diffraction reveals a significant modification of the out-of-plane lattice parameter within a few unit cells at the film/substrate interface and the surface. This arises from polarity compensation and surface symmetry breaking, respectively. These structural alterations influence the Mn orbital symmetry, a dependence that we further confirm through x-ray linear dichroism measurements. Since the ferromagnetism in insulating DPOs is mediated by orbital-dependent superexchange interactions [Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 186402 (2008)0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.100.186402], our study provides a framework for understanding the evolution of magnetism in ultrathin geometry.

Bhattacharya, Nandana↗
DOE OSTI2016

Facile synthesis of one dimensional ZnO nanostructures for DSSC applications

Development of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructure based third generation dye sensitized solar cell is interesting compared to conventional silicon solar cells. ZnO nanostructured thin films were electrochemically deposited onto fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) glass substrate. The effect of ethylene-diamine-tetra-acetic acid (EDTA) on structural, morphological and optical properties is investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) meter, field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) and micro Raman spectroscopy. XRD patterns reveal that the prepared nanostructures are hexagonal wutrzite structures with (101) plane orientation, the nanostructure prepared using EDTA exhibits better crystallinity. FE-SEM images illustrate that the morphological changes are observed from nanorod structure to cauliflower like structure as EDTA is added. Micro Raman spectra predict that cauliflower like structure possesses a higher crystalline nature with less atomic defects compared to nanorod structures. Dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) is constructed for the optimized cauliflower structure, and open circuit voltage, short circuit density, fill factor and efficiency are estimated from the J-V curve.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

Gallium Oxide Nanostructures for High Temperature Sensors

Gallium oxide (Ga 2 O 3 ) thin films were produced by sputter deposition by varying the substrate temperature (T s ) in a wide range (T s =25-800 °C). The structural characteristics and electronic properties of Ga 2 O 3 films were evaluated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS), Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) and spectrophotometric measurements. The effect of growth temperature is significant on the chemistry, crystal structure and morphology of Ga 2 O 3 films. XRD and SEM analyses indicate that the Ga 2 O 3 films grown at lower temperatures were amorphous while those grown at T s ≥500 oC were nanocrystalline. RBS measurements indicate the well-maintained stoichiometry of Ga 2 O 3 films at T s =300-800 °C. The electronic structure determination indicated that the nanocrystalline Ga 2 O 3 films exhibit a band gap of ~5 eV. Tungsten (W) incorporated Ga 2 O 3 films were produced by co-sputter deposition. W-concentration was varied by the applied sputtering-power. No secondary phase formation was observed in W-incorporated Ga 2 O 3 films. W-induced effects were significant on the structure and electronic properties of Ga2O3 films. The band gap of Ga 2 O 3 films without W-incorporation was ~5 eV. Oxygen sensor characteristics evaluated using optical and electrical methods indicate a faster response in W-doped Ga 2 O 3 films compared to intrinsic Ga 2 O 3 films. The results demonstrate the applicability of both intrinsic and W-doped Ga-oxide films for oxygen sensor application at temperatures ≥700 °C.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2016

Enhancing of catalytic properties of vanadia via surface doping with phosphorus using atomic layer deposition

Atomic layer deposition is mainly used to deposit thin films on flat substrates. Here, the authors deposit a submonolayer of phosphorus on V{sub 2}O{sub 5} in the form of catalyst powder. The goal is to prepare a model catalyst related to the vanadyl pyrophosphate catalyst (VO){sub 2}P{sub 2}O{sub 7} industrially used for the oxidation of n-butane to maleic anhydride. The oxidation state of vanadium in vanadyl pyrophosphate is 4+. In literature, it was shown that the surface of vanadyl pyrophosphate contains V{sup 5+} and is enriched in phosphorus under reaction conditions. On account of this, V{sub 2}O{sub 5} with the oxidation state of 5+ for vanadium partially covered with phosphorus can be regarded as a suitable model catalyst. The catalytic performance of the model catalyst prepared via atomic layer deposition was measured and compared to the performance of catalysts prepared via incipient wetness impregnation and the original V{sub 2}O{sub 5} substrate. It could be clearly shown that the dedicated deposition of phosphorus by atomic layer deposition enhances the catalytic performance of V{sub 2}O{sub 5} by suppression of total oxidation reactions, thereby increasing the selectivity to maleic anhydride.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗