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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 1,603 records · Page 89
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2014

Incorporation model of N into GaInNAs alloys grown by radio-frequency plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy

We present a Maxwell-Boltzmann electron energy distribution based model for the incorporation rate of nitrogen into GaInNAs grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) using a radio frequency plasma source. Nitrogen concentration is predicted as a function of radio-frequency system primary resistance, N flow, and RF power, and group III growth rate. The semi-empirical model is shown to be repeatable with a maximum error of 6%. The model was validated for two different MBE systems by growing GaInNAs on GaAs(100) with variable nitrogen composition of 0%–6%.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2014

Optical properties of C-doped bulk GaN wafers grown by halide vapor phase epitaxy

Freestanding bulk C-doped GaN wafers grown by halide vapor phase epitaxy are studied by optical spectroscopy and electron microscopy. Significant changes of the near band gap (NBG) emission as well as an enhancement of yellow luminescence have been found with increasing C doping from 5 × 10{sup 16} cm{sup −3} to 6 × 10{sup 17} cm{sup −3}. Cathodoluminescence mapping reveals hexagonal domain structures (pits) with high oxygen concentrations formed during the growth. NBG emission within the pits even at high C concentration is dominated by a rather broad line at ∼3.47 eV typical for n-type GaN. In the area without pits, quenching of the donor bound exciton (DBE) spectrum at moderate C doping levels of 1–2 × 10{sup 17} cm{sup −3} is observed along with the appearance of two acceptor bound exciton lines typical for Mg-doped GaN. The DBE ionization due to local electric fields in compensated GaN may explain the transformation of the NBG emission.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

High-power narrow-vertical-divergence photonic band crystal laser diodes with optimized epitaxial structure

900 nm longitudinal photonic band crystal (PBC) laser diodes with optimized epitaxial structure are fabricated. With a same calculated fundamental-mode divergence, stronger mode discrimination is achieved by a quasi-periodic index modulation in the PBC waveguide than a periodic one. Experiments show that the introduction of over 5.5 μm-thick PBC waveguide contributes to only 10% increment of the internal loss for the laser diodes. For broad area PBC lasers, output powers of 5.75 W under continuous wave test and over 10 W under quasi-continuous wave test are reported. The vertical divergence angles are 10.5° at full width at half maximum and 21.3° with 95% power content, in conformity with the simulated angles. Such device shows a prospect for high-power narrow-vertical-divergence laser emission from single diode laser and laser bar.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2014

High In-content InGaN layers synthesized by plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy: Growth conditions, strain relaxation, and In incorporation kinetics

We report the interplay between In incorporation and strain relaxation kinetics in high-In-content In{sub x}Ga{sub 1-x}N (x = 0.3) layers grown by plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy. For In mole fractions x = 0.13–0.48, best structural and morphological qualities are obtained under In excess conditions, at In accumulation limit, and at a growth temperature where InGaN decomposition is active. Under such conditions, in situ and ex situ analyses of the evolution of the crystalline structure with the layer thickness point to an onset of misfit relaxation after the growth of 40 nm, and a gradual relaxation during more than 200 nm, which results in an inhomogeneous strain distribution along the growth axis. This process is associated with a compositional pulling effect, i.e., indium incorporation is partially inhibited in presence of compressive strain, resulting in a compositional gradient with increasing In mole fraction towards the surface.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2014

Growth of non-polar (11-20) InGaN quantum dots by metal organic vapour phase epitaxy using a two temperature method

Non-polar (11-20) InGaN quantum dots (QDs) were grown by metal organic vapour phase epitaxy. An InGaN epilayer was grown and subjected to a temperature ramp in a nitrogen and ammonia environment before the growth of the GaN capping layer. Uncapped structures with and without the temperature ramp were grown for reference and imaged by atomic force microscopy. Micro-photoluminescence studies reveal the presence of resolution limited peaks with a linewidth of less than ∼500 μeV at 4.2 K. This linewidth is significantly narrower than that of non-polar InGaN quantum dots grown by alternate methods and may be indicative of reduced spectral diffusion. Time resolved photoluminescence studies reveal a mono-exponential exciton decay with a lifetime of 533 ps at 2.70 eV. The excitonic lifetime is more than an order of magnitude shorter than that for previously studied polar quantum dots and suggests the suppression of the internal electric field. Cathodoluminescence studies show the spatial distribution of the quantum dots and resolution limited spectral peaks at 18 K.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

Polarized micro Raman scattering spectroscopy for curved edges of epitaxial graphene

This letter performed polarized microscopic laser Raman scattering spectroscopy on the curved edges of transferred epitaxial graphene on SiO{sub 2}/Si. The intensity ratio between the parallel and perpendicular polarized D band is evolved, providing a spectroscopy-based technique to probe the atomic-scale edge structures in graphene. A detailed analysis procedure for non-ideal disordered curved edges of graphene is developed combining the atomic-scale zigzag and armchair edge structures along with some point defects. These results could provide valuable information of the realistic edges of graphene at the atomic-scale that can strongly influence the performance of graphene-based nanodevices.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Molecular beam epitaxial growth and characterization of Bi{sub 2}Se{sub 3}/II-VI semiconductor heterostructures

Surfaces of three-dimensional topological insulators (TIs) have been proposed to host quantum phases at the interfaces with other types of materials, provided that the topological properties of interfacial regions remain unperturbed. Here, we report on the molecular beam epitaxy growth of II-VI semiconductor–TI heterostructures using c-plane sapphire substrates. Our studies demonstrate that Zn{sub 0.49}Cd{sub 0.51}Se and Zn{sub 0.23}Cd{sub 0.25}Mg{sub 0.52}Se layers have improved quality relative to ZnSe. The structures exhibit a large relative upward shift of the TI bulk quantum levels when the TI layers are very thin (∼6nm), consistent with quantum confinement imposed by the wide bandgap II-VI layers. Our transport measurements show that the characteristic topological signatures of the Bi{sub 2}Se{sub 3} layers are preserved.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Determination of CdTe bulk carrier lifetime and interface recombination velocity of CdTe/MgCdTe double heterostructures grown by molecular beam epitaxy

The bulk Shockley-Read-Hall carrier lifetime of CdTe and interface recombination velocity at the CdTe/Mg{sub 0.24}Cd{sub 0.76}Te heterointerface are estimated to be around 0.5 μs and (4.7 ± 0.4) × 10{sup 2 }cm/s, respectively, using time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) measurements. Four CdTe/MgCdTe double heterostructures (DHs) with varying CdTe layer thicknesses were grown on nearly lattice-matched InSb (001) substrates using molecular beam epitaxy. The longest lifetime of 179 ns is observed in the DH with a 2 μm thick CdTe layer. It is also shown that the photon recycling effect has a strong influence on the bulk radiative lifetime, and the reabsorption process affects the measured PL spectrum shape and intensity.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Formation of GeSn alloy on Si(100) by low-temperature molecular beam epitaxy

GeSn alloys grown on Si(100) by the low-temperature (100 °C) molecular beam epitaxy are studied using scanning tunneling microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. It is found that the effect of Sn as a surfactant modifies substantially the low-temperature growth mechanism of Ge on Si. Instead of the formation of small Ge islands surrounded by amorphous Ge, in the presence of Sn, the growth of pure Ge islands appears via the Stranski-Krastanov growth mode, and a partially relaxed Ge{sub 1−x}Sn{sub x} alloy layer with the high Sn-fraction up to 40 at. % is formed in the area between them. It is shown that the observed growth mode induced by high surface mobility of Sn and the large strain of the pseudomorphic state of Ge to Si ensures the minimum elastic-strain energy of the structure.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2015

Graphene nanoribbon field-effect transistors on wafer-scale epitaxial graphene on SiC substrates

We report the realization of top-gated graphene nanoribbon field effect transistors (GNRFETs) of ∼10 nm width on large-area epitaxial graphene exhibiting the opening of a band gap of ∼0.14 eV. Contrary to prior observations of disordered transport and severe edge-roughness effects of graphene nanoribbons (GNRs), the experimental results presented here clearly show that the transport mechanism in carefully fabricated GNRFETs is conventional band-transport at room temperature and inter-band tunneling at low temperature. The entire space of temperature, size, and geometry dependent transport properties and electrostatics of the GNRFETs are explained by a conventional thermionic emission and tunneling current model. Our combined experimental and modeling work proves that carefully fabricated narrow GNRs behave as conventional semiconductors and remain potential candidates for electronic switching devices.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Magnetization dynamics in La{sub 0.67}Ca{sub 0.33}MnO{sub 3} epitaxial films probed with resonant and non-resonant microwave absorption

Temperature (T) dependent microwave absorption measurements are performed on La{sub 0.67}Ca{sub 0.33}MnO{sub 3} (LCMO) epitaxial thin films of thickness 100 and 200 nm in an electron paramagnetic resonance spectrometer operating in X-band. The resonant absorption peak is monitored for out-of-plane (H{sup ⊥}) and in-plane (H{sup ∥}) dc magnetic field (H) as the system goes through magnetic ordering. These data suggest a resilient transformation to the ferromagnetic (FM) phase in the vicinity of the Curie temperature (T{sub C}), indicative of a phase separation, which is dominant in the thinner film. The saturation magnetization is calculated from SQUID magnetometry on the same film. A pronounced zero-field absorption is seen in H{sup ∥} geometry displaying anomalous growth in 100 nm film at T < T{sub C}. This feature is correlated with the magneto-conductivity of the manganite which is colossal in the vicinity of T{sub C} in the well-ordered film of thickness 200 nm. Signature of standing spin wave modes is seen in H{sup ⊥} measurements which are analyzed to calculate the spin wave stiffness constant D(T) in the limit of zero temperature. The same is also inferred from the decay of equilibrium magnetization in the framework of Bloch law. These studies reveal that a bulk like LCMO is obtained in the fully relaxed thicker films.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Highly resistive epitaxial Mg-doped GdN thin films

We report the growth by molecular beam epitaxy of highly resistive GdN, using intentional doping with magnesium. Mg-doped GdN layers with resistivities of 10{sup 3} Ω cm and carrier concentrations of 10{sup 16 }cm{sup −3} are obtained for films with Mg concentrations up to 5 × 10{sup 19} atoms/cm{sup 3}. X-ray diffraction rocking curves indicate that Mg-doped GdN films have crystalline quality very similar to undoped GdN films, showing that the Mg doping did not affect the structural properties of the films. A decrease of the Curie temperature with decreasing the electron density is observed, supporting a recently suggested magnetic polaron scenario [F. Natali, B. J. Ruck, H. J. Trodahl, D. L. Binh, S. Vézian, B. Damilano, Y. Cordier, F. Semond, and C. Meyer, Phys. Rev. B 87, 035202 (2013)].

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2015

Raman measurements of substrate temperature in a molecular beam epitaxy growth chamber

A method is described for directly measuring the temperature of a substrate in a molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) growth system. The approach relies on the establishment of the temperature dependence of Raman-active phonons of the substrate material using independently known calibration points across the range of interest. An unknown temperature in this range is then determined based on the Raman peak position with the substrate in situ the MBE chamber. The apparatus relies on conventional optics and Raman components. Shifting and broadening of the Raman spectrum are described based on the effects of thermal expansion and anharmonic decay. The choice of reference temperature is discussed. The method is qualified by examining the substrate temperature dependence, relative to that of a standard thermocouple, during a commonly used ramp procedure. Both temperature difference and time lag are obtained.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2015

Electrical performance of phase change memory cells with Ge{sub 3}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 6} deposited by molecular beam epitaxy

Here, we report on the electrical characterization of phase change memory cells containing a Ge{sub 3}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 6} (GST) alloy grown in its crystalline form by Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE). It is found that the high temperature growth on the amorphous substrate results in a polycrystalline film exhibiting a rough surface with a grain size of approximately 80–150 nm. A detailed electrical characterization has been performed, including I-V characteristic curves, programming curves, set operation performance, crystallization activation at low temperature, and resistance drift, in order to determine the material related parameters. The results indicate very good alignment of the electrical parameters with the current state-of-the-art GST, deposited by physical vapor deposition. Such alignment enables a possible employment of the MBE deposition technique for chalcogenide materials in the phase change memory technology, thus leading to future studies of as-deposited crystalline chalcogenides as integrated in electrical vehicles.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2015

Influence of epitaxial strain on elastocaloric effect in ferroelectric thin films

We report the influence of epitaxial strain u{sub m} on the elastocaloric properties of BaTiO{sub 3} thin films. Using thermodynamic calculations, we show that there exists a critical compressive stress σ{sub 3c} at which the elastocaloric effect is maximized for any compressive misfit strain we investigate. Moreover, it is found that |σ{sub 3c}| decreases significantly with decreasing |u{sub m}|, which is accompanied by a reduction of the elastocaloric response. Interestingly, a several fold enhancement in the electrocaloric effect can be achieved for stress in proximity of σ{sub 3c}. The elastocaloric effect predicted here may find potential cooling applications by combining the stress-mediated electrocaloric effect or designing hybrid elastocaloric/electrocaloric devices in the future.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Interfacial structure in epitaxial perovskite oxides on (001) Ge crystal

We investigated the interfacial structure of hetero-epitaxial SrZr{sub 0.68}Ti{sub 0.32}O{sub 3} thin film deposited on (001) Ge single crystal via transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results from high-resolution scanning TEM and electron energy-loss spectroscopy show an atomically abrupt interface without secondary phase. We found misfit dislocations with Burgers vector of 1/2a 〈111〉 and threading dislocations with Burgers vector of a 〈100〉. Furthermore, we observed the coupling between dislocation half-loop and anti-phase boundary induced by the lattice terrace of Ge along 〈100〉 direction and their decoupling after annealing. We proposed models based on half-loop theory to interpret the coupling and the dislocation reactions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Hole traps associated with high-concentration residual carriers in p-type GaAsN grown by chemical beam epitaxy

The hole traps associated with high background doping in p-type GaAsN grown by chemical beam epitaxy are studied based on the changes of carrier concentration, junction capacitance, and hole traps properties due to the annealing. The carrier concentration was increased dramatically with annealing time, based on capacitance–voltage (C–V) measurement. In addition, the temperature dependence of the junction capacitance (C–T) was increased rapidly two times. Such behavior is explained by the thermal ionization of two acceptor states. These acceptors are the main cause of high background doping in the film, since the estimated carrier concentration from C–T results explains the measured carrier concentration at room temperature using C–V method. The acceptor states became shallower after annealing, and hence their structures are thermally unstable. Deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) showed that the HC2 hole trap was composed of two signals, labeled HC21 and HC22. These defects correspond to the acceptor levels, as their energy levels obtained from DLTS are similar to those deduced from C–T. The capture cross sections of HC21 and HC22 are larger than those of single acceptors. In addition, their energy levels and capture cross sections change in the same way due to the annealing. This tendency suggests that HC21 and HC22 signals originate from the same defect which acts as a double acceptor.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2015

Urbach absorption edge in epitaxial erbium-doped silicon

We investigate the dependencies of the photocurrent in Si:Er p-n junctions on the energy of the incident photons. The exponential absorption edge (Urbach edge) just below fundamental edge of silicon was observed in the absorption spectra of epitaxial Si:Er layers grown at 400–600 C. It is shown that the introduction of erbium significantly enhances the structural disorder in the silicon crystal which was estimated from the slope of the Urbach edge. We discuss the possible nature of the structural disorder in Si:Er and a new mechanism of erbium excitation, which does not require the presence of deep levels in the band gap of silicon.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗