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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 289 records · Page 16
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Unusual Ferromagnetic Band Evolution and High Curie Temperature in Monolayer 1T‐CrTe2 on Bilayer Graphene

2D van der Waals ferromagnets hold immense promise for spintronic applications due to their controllability and versatility. Despite their significance, the realization and in-depth characterization of ferromagnetic materials in atomically thin single layers, close to the true 2D limit, has been scarce. Here, a successful synthesis of monolayer (ML) 1T-CrTe2 is reported on a bilayer graphene (BLG) substrate via molecular beam epitaxy. Using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and magneto-optical Kerr effect measurements, that the ferromagnetic transition is observed at the Curie temperature (TC) of 150 K in ML 1T-CrTe2 on BLG, accompanied by unconventional temperature-dependent band evolutions. The spectroscopic analysis and first-principle calculations reveal that the ferromagnetism may arise from Goodenough-Kanamori super-exchange and double-exchange interactions, enhanced by the lattice distortion and the electron doping from the BLG substrate. These findings provide pivotal insight into the fundamental understanding of mechanisms governing 2D ferromagnetism and offer a pathway for engineering higher TC in 2D materials for future spintronic devices.

Park, Kyoungree↗
DOE OSTI2023

Itinerant to relocalized transition of f electrons in the Kondo insulator CeRu 4 Sn 6

In this study, the three-dimensional electronic structure and the nature of Ce 4 f electrons of the Kondo insulator CeRu 4 Sn 6 are investigated by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, utilizing tunable photon energies. Our results reveal (i) the three-dimensional k -space nature of the Fermi surface, (ii) the localized-to-itinerant transition of f electrons occurs at a much high temperature than the hybridization gap opening temperature, and (iii) the "relocalization" of itinerant f electrons below 25 K, which could be the precursor to the establishment of magnetic order.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Direct Fabrication of Vertically Stacked Double Barrier Tunnel Junctions Based on Graphene and h-BN

Direct manufacturing of two-dimensional material-based double barrier (DB) tunnel junctions, based on a lithography-free approach was developed. Graphene/h-BN/Graphene/h-BN/Graphene devices were deposited on Si/SiO2 substrates by employing a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition technique in a sequential manner. DB tunneling junctions with varying barrier widths (by varying the thickness of the second graphene layer) were studied. Samples were characterized using Raman, Atomic Force Microscopy and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy. The I–V characteristics of tunneling current showed resonant tunneling behavior at room temperature with a negative differential conductance. The behavior could be explained with quantum mechanical double barrier tunneling model in which analytic solutions to Schrödinger’s equation were obtained in each region of the system. Resonances in transmission probability coefficient for varying barrier widths were evaluated and compared with the experimental results.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Evaluation of PbTe and SnTe as Ohmic Contact Layers in CdTe Solar Cell Devices

For solar cells based on CdTe, the choice of a suitable back contact material is limited by CdTe's deep work function. Here, we explored p-type PbTe and SnTe as ohmic contacts to CdTe. These contact layers were grown on single crystal CdTe substrates by molecular beam epitaxy, and the valence band offset between film and substrate was measured using X-ray photoemission spectroscopy. Polycrystalline device structures were also grown by sublimation to assess performance improvements. Doping was achieved in PbTe by thallium incorporation. Only the highest Tl doped PbTe resulted in a desirable band alignment with the CdTe, forming an electron reflector and no hole barrier. Time-resolved photoluminescence measurements also revealed significant photocarrier lifetime improvements for only the highest doped PbTe. Consequentially, devices incorporating the highest doped PbTe layers showed increased power conversion efficiency, primarily from increased fill factor. Doping of the PbTe was measured via Hall effect with variable magnetic field, which was required due to the formation of an n-type parasitic interface layer. To properly interpret the variable field Hall measurements, we derived an expression for the magnetic field-dependent conductivity tensor of an L-valley semiconductor.

anisotropic band valley↗
DOE OSTI2025

One-dimensional heterocyclic carbene–Au metal–organic frameworks bridging ultra-high vacuum models and scalable liquid-phase growth

The controlled design of molecule–metal interfaces is central to the development of functional nanomaterials for catalysis, sensing, and molecular electronics. Here we show that the adsorption of a Janus-type diimidazolium precursor on gold yields one-dimensional (1D) N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)–Au–NHC metal organic frameworks (MOFs) featuring positively charged gold nodes. Using synchrotron X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS), near edge X-ray adsorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy and scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM), we demonstrate that thermal activation promotes counterion removal and drives the formation of extended 1D arrays, characterized by ∼1.0 nm Au–Au spacing and adatom densities up to 0.6 atom nm −2 (∼4% of surface atoms). Importantly, we translate this ultra-high vacuum (UHV) benchmark into a scalable solution-phase protocol in ethanol, enabling 1D-MOF growth under mild, base-free, open-air conditions. The resulting films retain structural and electronic signatures of UHV-grown systems, bridging model studies and practical synthesis. This approach establishes NHC–metal frameworks as accessible, tunable platforms for catalysis and materials design.

Gold adatoms↗
DOE OSTI2022

Electronic structure of p -type transparent conducting oxide CuAlO 2

We report copper-based delafossite oxides are excellent candidates for the p-type transparent conducting oxide (TCO), which is essential in realizing transparent semiconductor applications. Using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), we report the low-energy electronic structure of CuAlO 2 . We found that the band structure near the valence band top is characterized by hole bands with their maxima along the Brillouin zone boundary. Furthermore, the effective masses along the Γ–M and Γ–K directions were found to be (0.6 ± 0.1) m0 and (0.9 ± 0.1) m 0 , respectively, which impose an important benchmark against the existing band calculations.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2021

Effect of the sample work function on alkali metal dosing induced electronic structure change

Alkali metal dosing (AMD) has been widely used as a way to control doping without chemical substitution. This technique, in combination with angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), often provides an opportunity to observe unexpected phenomena. However, the amount of transferred charge and the corresponding change in the electronic structure vary significantly depending on the material. Here, we report study on the correlation between the sample work function and alkali metal induced electronic structure change for three iron-based superconductors: FeSe, Ba(Fe 0.94 Co 0.06 ) 2 As 2 and NaFeAs which share a similar Fermi surface topology. Electronic structure change upon monolayer of alkali metal dosing and the sample work function were measured by ARPES. In this work, our results show that the degree of electronic structure change is proportional to the difference between the work function of the sample and Mulliken's absolute electronegativity of the dosed alkali metal. This finding provides a possible way to estimate the AMD induced electronic structure change.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

A library of calcium mineral reference spectra recorded by parallel imaging using NEXAFS spectromicroscopy

Calcium minerals are ubiquitous in geology and life chemistry. Understanding the phase and chemical state of calcium minerals is important for numerous processes including materials chemistry, hard tissue biogenesis and geological processes. Photoemission spectroscopies such as near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) and scanning transmission X-ray microscopy have been instrumental in identifying and characterizing calcium minerals in all these areas. In this work, we have recorded reference spectra for a range of different calcium minerals including a series of calcium carbonates, calcium oxalates and calcium phosphates. While collections of reference spectra for several calcium minerals can be found in the literature, these spectra have been reported in different contexts using a variety of instruments. We, here, report a comprehensive list of references recorded in parallel in a single experiment by imaging an array of calcium minerals using a NEXAFS microscope. We present reference NEXAFS spectra at the calcium L-, carbon K- and oxygen K-edges.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2021

Electron diffraction radial distribution function analysis of amorphous boron carbide synthesized by ion beam irradiation and chemical vapor deposition

Amorphous boron carbide (a-BxC) networks consist of light elements, and their low atomic scattering factors makes structural analysis by x-ray diffraction difficult. Electron diffraction has an advantage of detecting the light elements, because of the strong interaction between the matter and electrons. In this work, we prepared a-BxC by ion beam technologies and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, and characterized their structures via atomic pair-distribution functions derived from electron diffraction intensity profiles. It was found that a pentagonal pyramid is the most favorable cluster in a-B4C generated by ion irradiation, while C—C homonuclear bonds were formed in the deposited a-B x C thin film. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy revealed that the a-BxC thin film possesses more carbon than B 4 C, which is responsible for the formation of the homonuclear bonds.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Performance improvement of proton exchange membrane water electrolysis by surface modification of porous transport layers

Proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) is a promising option for hydrogen production from a variety of energy sources. Cost-effective production of hydrogen with PEMWE requires reduction of costly precious metals as well as optimization of the components and interfaces in the cell. The interface between the platinum-coated titanium porous transport layer (PTL) and catalyst layer (CL) significantly impacts the performance of the electrolyzer cell. Here, we report on two PTL modification methods, mechanical abrasion and chemical etching, which we find improve PEMWE performance by lowering the resistance of the PTL/CL interface. The PTL surface modifications enabled performance improvements up to 77 mV at 4 A cm −2 and reduction of the high frequency resistance, demonstrating that the resistance of the PTL/CL interface is a significant factor in the cell performance. The PTL surface roughness was varied using abrasive materials ranging from 0.1 to 140 μm in grain sizes and chemical etching was found to also increase the surface roughness. The surface roughness was quantified using confocal laser microscopy and the surface oxidation was measured using X-ray photoemission spectroscopy. These results demonstrate that both increasing surface roughness and oxide removal contribute to lowering the PTL/CL interfacial resistance and increasing cell performance.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2022

Influence of oxidizing and reducing pretreatment on the catalytic performance of CeO 2 for CO oxidation

Cerium oxide (CeO 2 ) and ceria-based materials have been extensively investigated as catalyst and support materials for various catalytic reactions, due to higher oxygen storage capacity and excellent redox properties. In the current work, we investigated the impact of pretreatment conditions (e.g., oxidation and reduction) on the physical properties of bulk CeO 2 and catalytic activity for CO oxidation as a model reaction. To understand the physical properties of pretreated CeO 2 catalysts, a suite of complementary characterization techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), surface area analysis (BET), X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS), and Raman spectroscopy, were applied. The results showed that a higher pretreatment temperature led to a decreased specific surface area (SSA), a decrease in oxygen vacancy/defect sites, and increased crystallite size, while surface Ce 3+ /Ce 4+ ratio did not show a specific relationship to the treatment conditions. The 700 °C treated CeO 2 samples under oxidizing and reducing conditions showed higher specific oxidation rate (μmolCO/s/m 2 ) compared to other samples at 280 and 300 °C (or < 15% CO conversion). The CO conversion per total mass of catalysts, however, decreased with increasing temperatures, especially at 700 °C under reducing condition, indicating that the catalytic performance was affected by the physical properties (SSA, oxygen vacancy/defect sites, and crystallite size).

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Optoelectronic and material properties of solution-processed Earth-abundant Cu 2 BaSn(S, Se) 4 films for solar cell applications

Copper barium thioselenostannate, Cu 2 BaSnS 4-x Se x (CBTSSe), absorbers employ low-toxicity and abundant metals while offering low-cost manufacturing options, controllable stoichiometry and band gap tunability (from 2 eV at x = 0 to 1.55 eV at x = 3). CBTSSe can therefore be considered a prospective candidate for maintaining or improving upon the advantages of already commercialized Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se) 2 (CIGSSe) and CdTe absorbers. Here, we focus on solution-deposited stoichiometric CBTSSe films with band gap of 1.59 eV (x ≈ 3) and explore the fundamental film properties. Temperature- and excitation-dependent photoluminescence studies reveal a dominant defect emission at ~1.5 eV and a second deep defect feature at 1.15 eV. From time-resolved terahertz measurements, we find a charge carrier (electron and hole sum) mobility of ~140 cm 2 /Vs—i.e., comparable to values in CIGSSe or Cu 2 ZnSnS 4-x Se x (CZTSSe)—as well as a two-component minority carrier lifetime. A longer-lived lifetime component (~2 ns) arises from bulk recombination. However, strong recombination at the (bare) surface leads to a ~50 ps lifetime, inferior to state-of-the-art CIGSSe or CZTSSe absorbers. This recombination issue may worsen for CBTSSe/CdS interfaces, due to a cliff-like band alignment with 0.6 eV band offset, as revealed by ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy. A low number of charge carriers within the absorber further contributes to a high series resistance. Employing these films, we also report the highest performance achieved from solution-processed trigonal CBTSSe thin-film photovoltaic devices, with open circuit voltage, short-circuit current density, fill factor and efficiency of 470 mV, 14.3 mA/cm 2 , 43.6% and 2.9%, respectively. The physical measurements provided on the stoichiometric solution-processed CBTSSe absorber further point to critical areas for future improvement of CBTSSe and related photovoltaic cells in the quest for higher efficiency devices based on earth abundant metals.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Multi-phase characterization of pitch-carbon coated nano-silicon anodes for lithium-ion batteries

Silicon (Si) is a leading next-generation Li-ion battery anode candidate that meets rigorous performance demands for portable power including enhanced power and energy density with robust cycling performance. However, a series of complex and interrelated reactions lead to reduced calendar life in Si-containing systems and therefore challenge practical adoption. In the present work, we probe the mechanisms underlying observed performance improvements by adding a pitch-carbon coating onto nano-Si material. We pair solid-phase (X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared), semi-volatile phase (solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry), and gas-phase (gas chromatography-flame-ionization detector) characterization signals to comprehensively evaluate the impact of pitch-carbon coating on the evolution of the Si solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) and the associated impacts on electrode/electrolyte reactivity. The pitch-carbon is found to serve as a physicochemical barrier, reducing the electro-active surface area for Si/electrolyte reactivity and preventing Si oxidation. Further, the pitch-carbon coating promotes the evolution of a more-favorable SEI by subsuming substantial functionality typically associated with the fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) electrolyte additive - such as alkoxide scavenging and suppression of transesterification pathways - and by shifting the competitive electrolyte degradation pathways' favorability. The multi-phase characterization approach enables holistic end-products evaluation from complex (electro)chemical interfacial reactions, which informs a robust interpretation of the carbon coating's role in electrochemical performance improvements. The present mechanistic evaluation aids the rational design for improved nano-Si materials.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Zr 3 Mn 3 Sn 4 Ga: A new hetero-kagome bilayer antiferromagnet

Here, we report the magnetic and electrical transport properties of single-crystalline Zr 3 Mn 3 Sn 4 Ga, featuring two distinct kagome lattices: a non-magnetic breathing Zr 3 Sn 4 lattice and a magnetic intact Mn 3 Ga lattice. The material undergoes an antiferromagnetic phase transition at T N = 87 K, with neutron diffraction confirming commensurate ordering characterized by k = (1/3,1/3,0). Transport measurements show metallic behavior, a resistivity anomaly near T N , and 12% magnetoresistance at 2 K under 9 T. Deviations from the conventional second-order power law, along with negative magnetoresistance and nonlinear Hall slope variations near T N , suggest strong magneto-electronic coupling. Resonant photoemission spectroscopy identifies Zr 4d and Mn 3d orbitals as dominant contributors to the valence band, linking the material’s unique electronic properties to its kagome layers. Zr 3 Mn 3 Sn 4 Ga offers a valuable platform to study interactions between magnetism and topological electronic bands in hetero-kagome systems using the co- existence of magnetic and non-magnetic kagome layers and its tunable electronic structure.

Crystal structure↗
DOE OSTI2022

Energy alignment manipulation at the C 60 /TiO 2 (110) interface using a blanket molecular dipole approach

In this work, modifying the energy alignment between the frontier levels of a chromophore and the band edges of a semiconductor substrate using a “blanket layer” of molecular dipoles is explored. The electronic structure, measured with ultraviolet and x-ray photoemission spectroscopy, of C 60 deposited directly onto the TiO 2 (110) surface is compared with that of C 60 deposited onto the surface covered by a blanket layer of the custom-designed helical peptide Z-(Aib) 6 -Ipa, which has a large dipole moment of 18.6 D oriented along its molecular axis and pointing toward the substrate. The C 60 HOMO level is shifted 600 meV to deeper binding energy in the presence of the blanket layer, in good agreement with what is expected from a simple parallel plate capacitor model. These results demonstrate a simple and versatile strategy for controlling energy level alignment at organic/inorganic interfaces.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2022

PbI 2 Nanocrystal Growth by Atomic Layer Deposition from Pb(tmhd) 2 and HI

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) allows for fine control over the thickness, stoichiometry, and structural defects of materials. ALD provides a suitable route to deposit lead halides, which can further be converted to perovskites for photovoltaics, photoemission, and photodetection, among other applications. Deposition of lead halides by ALD has already begun to be explored; however, the precursors used in published processes are highly hazardous, require expensive fabrication processes, or contain impurities that can jeopardize the optoelectronic properties of metal halide perovskites after conversion. In this work, we deposited lead iodide (PbI 2 ) by a facile ALD process involving only two readily accessible and low-cost precursors. PbI 2 nanocrystals were grown on soda-lime glass (SLG), silicon dioxide support grids, and silicon wafer substrates and provided the groundwork for further investigation into developing lead halide perovskite processes by ALD. Further, the ALD-grown PbI 2 was characterized by annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (ADF-STEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS), among other methods. This work presents the first step to synthesize lead halide perovskites with atomic control for applications such as interfacial layers in photovoltaics and for deposition in microcavities for lasing.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Chemical Control of Magnetism in the Kagome Metal CoSn 1 – x In x : Magnetic Order from Nonmagnetic Substitutions

As a two-dimensional structural motif, the kagome net produces many interesting magnetic and electronic properties. In particular, this lattice produces flat electronic bands with a large density of states. When the chemical potential is positioned within these flat bands, electronic instabilities can result. For the kagome metal CoSn, this alignment is not realized, the flat bands are completely filled, and the compound is a Pauli paramagnet. For this study, we have grown crystals and powders of CoSn 1 – x In x and shown that replacing Sn with In moves the chemical potential into the flat band region, as expected from simple electron counting. This is supported by band structure calculations, heat capacity measurements, and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. The increased density of states results in the emergence of antiferromagnetic order evidenced by magnetic susceptibility, Mössbauer spectroscopy, and neutron diffraction data. The Néel temperature reaches a maximum of 32 K. The emergence of magnetic order when introducing a nonmagnetic element into a nonmagnetic kagome metal is striking. This work provides clear evidence that flat bands arising from electronically frustrated lattices in bulk crystals provide a new and powerful way to realize correlated ground states controlled by crystal chemistry.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2022

Understanding the Surface Structure and Catalytic Activity of SnO x /Au(111) Inverse Catalysts for CO 2 and H 2 Activation

Carbon dioxide hydrogenation is a promising approach for the reduction of greenhouse gas pollution via the production of fuels and high-value chemicals utilizing C1 chemistry. In this process, the activation of nonpolar molecules, CO 2 and H 2 , at mild conditions is challenging. In this study, we report a well-defined inverse SnO x /Au(111) catalyst that shows the ability to activate both CO 2 and H 2 at room temperature. Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and ambient pressure X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (AP-XPS) are combined to understand the surface structure, growth mode, chemical state, and activity of SnO x /Au(111) surfaces. Nanostructures of SnO x at the sub-monolayer level were prepared by depositing Sn on Au(111) followed by O 2 oxidation. For the as-prepared SnO x /Au(111), two-dimensionally formed SnO x thin films on a Au(111) substrate were observed with STM of two different moieties, discernible based on their height: clusters (~0.4 Å) and nanoparticles (NPs, 1–2.5 Å), which are assigned to Sn–Au alloys and SnO x , respectively, in corroboration with XPS analysis. Furthermore, SnO x /Au(111) was annealed under UHV to test its thermal stability. Upon annealing at 400–600 K, a disappearance of SnO x NPs and reappearance of highly dispersed Sn clusters were clearly noticeable from the STM and XPS results, identifying the thermal decomposition of SnO x and subsequent formation of Sn–Au alloys on the surface due to the recombination of Sn clusters with Au. We investigated the reactivity of the SnO x /Au(111) surfaces toward CH 4 , CO 2 , and H 2 . The SnO x /Au(111) surfaces have excellent CO 2 and H 2 activation abilities even at room temperature with negligible reactivity for methane activation. Our AP-XPS results show that H 2 can be activated on the SnO x NPs by the reduction to Sn. For CO 2 , the activation and further dissociation are identified by a reoxidation of Sn with newly formed Sn–O bonds and the formation of surface carbon. Therefore, we propose that SnO x is a potential catalyst or additive to achieve CO 2 hydrogenation under mild conditions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗