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Results for “surface morphology”

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 487 records · Page 27
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2013

Effect of CeO{sub 2} addition on the properties of FeAl based alloy produced by mechanical alloying technique

Iron aluminides based on FeAl is notable for their low materials cost, ease of fabrication and good corrosion, suffixation and oxidation resistance. However, the application based on these unique properties still require the development of Fe-Al based alloy since it shows some drawbacks such as a lack of high temperature strength and low ductility. To improve the mechanical properties of FeAl based alloy, ceria (CeO{sub 2}) will be added to this compound. FeAl based alloy produced by the mechanical alloying (MA) technique. The developed specimens then assessed with respect to oxidation behaviour in high temperature, scale microstructure and hardness. The surface morphologies of the alloy evaluated and observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with an energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The phase structures of oxide scale formed on them were identified by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results found that the FeAl intermetallic compound containing CeO{sub 2} 0.5 wt.% is less pores and CeO{sub 2} 1.0 wt.% is more homogen in powder and solid form, higher hardness and increase in their resistance to oxidation behaviour in high temperature compared with another percentage of CeO{sub 2}.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Inversion by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition from N- to Ga-polar gallium nitride and its application to multiple quantum well light-emitting diodes

We demonstrate a metalorganic chemical vapor deposition growth approach for inverting N-polar to Ga-polar GaN by using a thin inversion layer grown with high Mg flux. The introduction of this inversion layer allowed us to grow p-GaN films on N-polar GaN thin film. We have studied the dependence of hole concentration, surface morphology, and degree of polarity inversion for the inverted Ga-polar surface on the thickness of the inversion layer. We then use this approach to grow a light emitting diode structure which has the MQW active region grown on the advantageous N-polar surface and the p-layer grown on the inverted Ga-polar surface.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2014

Anomalous patterns and nearly defect-free ripples produced by bombarding silicon and germanium with a beam of gold ions

We demonstrate that surface ripples with an exceptionally high degree of order can develop when germanium is bombarded with a broad beam of gold ions. In contrast, if silicon is sputtered with an Au{sup −} beam, patches of ripples with two distinct wave vectors can emerge. These types of order can be understood if the coupling between the surface morphology and composition is taken into account.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Effect of interfacial layer on the crystal structure of InAs/AlAs{sub 0.16}Sb{sub 0.84}/AlSb quantum wells

Ion channeling technique using MeV C{sup 2+} ions and high resolution X-ray diffraction were used to study the crystal quality of an InAs/AlSb-based quantum wells. We found that the InAs quality has a strong dependence on the type of the interface used. With the addition of the InSb-like interface, the crystal quality of the InAs channel was greatly improved. The InAs lattice was fully strained and aligned with the lattice of the buffer layer without any lattice relaxation. On the other hand, if the interface was of the AlAs type, the lattice of the InAs quantum well was relaxed and the crystal quality was poor. This explains why a superior InAs quantum well with high electron mobility and good surface morphology can be achieved with the use of the InSb interface.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Topological and thermal properties of polypropylene composites based on oil palm biomass

Roughness on pristine and polymer composite surfaces is of enormous practical importance for polymer applications. This study deals with the use of varying quantity of oil palm ash as a nanofiller in a polypropylene based matrix. The oil palm ash sample was preprocessed to break the particles into small diameter by using ultra sonication before using microfluidizer for further deduction in size and homogenization. The oil palm ash was made to undergo many passes through the microfluidizer for fine distribution of particles. Polypropylene based composites containing different loading percentage oil palm ash was granulated by twin screw extruder and then injection molded. The surface morphology of the OPA passed through microfluidizer was analyzed by Tapping Mode - Atomic Force Microscopy (TMAFM). Thermal analysis results showed an increase in the activation energy values. The thermal stability of the composite samples showed improvement as compared to the virgin polymer as corroborated by the on-set degradation temperatures and the temperatures at which 50% degradation occurred.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Surface modification of structural materials by low-energy high-current pulsed electron beam treatment

Microstructure formation in surface layers of pure titanium and ferritic-martensitic steel subjected to electron beam treatment is studied. It is shown that low energy high-current pulsed electron beam irradiation leads to the martensite structure within the surface layer of pure titanium. Contrary, the columnar ferrite grains grow during solidification of ferritic-martensitic steel. The effect of electron beam energy density on the surface morphology and microstructure of the irradiated metals is demonstrated.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Obtaining composite Zr-Al-O coating on the surface of zirconium by microplasma oxidation

The paper describes the application of the microplasma oxidation for production of Zr-Al-O composition on the surface of zirconium. Certification of a new-type power supply for depositing oxide ceramic coatings by microplasma oxidation was also carried out. The growth rate of Zr-Al-O coating amounted around 0.2 nm/s, which around 10 times exceeds that for depositing similar coatings using the similar equipment. We have studied the change of surface morphology and the chemical composition of the formed ceramic coating by means of EVO 50 scanning electron microscope and X-ray spectral analysis.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2015

Growth of bi- and tri-layered graphene on silicon carbide substrate via molecular dynamics simulation

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation with simulated annealing method is used to study the growth process of bi- and tri-layered graphene on a 6H-SiC (0001) substrate via molecular dynamics simulation. Tersoff-Albe-Erhart (TEA) potential is used to describe the inter-atomic interactions among the atoms in the system. The formation temperature, averaged carbon-carbon bond length, pair correlation function, binding energy and the distance between the graphene formed and the SiC substrate are quantified. The growth mechanism, graphitization of graphene on the SiC substrate and characteristics of the surface morphology of the graphene sheet obtained in our MD simulation compare well to that observed in epitaxially grown graphene experiments and other simulation works.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Rapid thermal annealed Molybdenum back contact for Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4} thin film solar cells

In this work, an industrially viable manufacturing process—rapid thermal annealing (RTA) of Molybdenum back contact is proposed and investigated to improve the performance of sputtered Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4} (CZTS) solar cells. The RTA process was found to facilitate Na diffusion from soda lime glass to Mo as well as CZTS and improve the crystallinity of the Mo film. Consequently, the surface morphology of the subsequently deposited CZTS absorbers is improved, which results in significant enhancement of open circuit voltage, short-circuit current density, fill factor, and conversion efficiency.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2015

Ethanol sensor based on nanocrystallite cadmium ferrite

The cadmium ferrite was synthesized by oxalate co-precipitation method. The crystal structure and surface morphology were examined by X-ray diffraction and SEM techniques, respectively. The nanocrystallite CdFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} sensor was tested for LPG, Cl{sub 2} and C{sub 2}H{sub 5}OH. The sensitivity was measured at various operating temperatures in the range of 100-400°C. The sensor shows highest sensitivity and selectivity to C{sub 2}H{sub 5}OH at 350°C. The response and recovery time was measured at operating temperature of 350°C. The sensor exhibits a lower response and recovery time for LPG and Cl{sub 2} as compared to ethanol.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2015

Electrical and optical properties of molybdenum doped zinc oxide films prepared by reactive RF magnetron sputtering

Molybdenum doped zinc oxide (MZO) films were deposited on to glass substrates held at temperatures in the range from 303 to 673 K by reactive RF magnetron sputtering method. The chemical composition, crystallographic structure and surface morphology, electrical and optical properties of the films were determined. The films contained the molybdenum of 2.7 at. % in ZnO. The films deposited at 303 K were of X-ray amorphous. The films formed at 473 K were of nanocrystalline in nature with wurtzite structure. The crystallite size of the films was increased with the increase of substrate temperature. The optical transmittance of the films was in the visible range was 80–85%. The molybdenum (2.7 at %) doped zinc oxide films deposited at substrate temperature of 573 K were of nanocrystalline with electrical resistivity of 7.2×10{sup −3} Ωcm, optical transmittance of 85 %, optical band gap of 3.35 eV and figure of merit 30.6 Ω{sup −1}cm{sup −1}.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Tensile strength of ramie yarn (spinning by machine)/HDPE thermoplastic matrix composites

Technological developments should be trooped to prevent a gap between technology and environmental sustainability, then it needs to be developed “Green technology”. In this research is making of green composites which use natural fiber ramie as reinforcement. Whereas the matrix used was HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) thermoplastic polymer which could be recycled and had a good formability and flexibility. The ramie yarns and fibers for unidirectional (0°) direction respectively were mixed with HDPE powder and processed using hot compression molding. The surface morphology was observed by SEM (Scanning Electrone Microscopy). Results showed that both tensile strength of the ramie fiber/HDPE composites increased in comparison with the ramie yarn (spinning by machine)/HDPE composites. However, the ramie yarn (spinning by machine)/HDPE composites have a good producibility for wider application. Analysis of the test results using the Weibull distribution as approaches to modeling the reliability of the specimens.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

Synthesis and characterization of nickel oxide/graphene sheet/graphene ribbon composite

A novel and simple hydrothermal synthesis of nickel oxide (NiO)/graphene sheets (GNS)/graphene ribbon (GR) hybrid material is reported for the first time. The crystalline property and surface morphology of NiO/GNS/GR (NiO/HG) hybrid material is characterized by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and Transmission electron spectroscopy. The fast electron transfer of GNS/GR along with NiO contributes an excellent electrochemical performance in the field of non-enzymatic glucose sensor.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2016

Effect of sputtering power on the growth of Ru films deposited by magnetron sputtering

Ruthenium is deposited by DC magnetron sputtering at different powers and is characterized. The effect of sputtering power on the electrical and structural properties of the film is investigated experimentally. High resolution X-ray diffraction is used to characterize the microstructure of Ru films deposited on SiO{sub 2} surface. The peak (002) is more sharp and intense with full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 0.37° at 250W. The grain size increases with increase in sputtering power improving the crystallinity of the film. The film deposited at high sputtering power also showed lower resistivity (12.40 µΩ-cm) and higher mobility (4.82 cm{sup 2}/V.s) as compared to the film deposited at low power. The surface morphology of the film is studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM).

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

Refractive index modulation of Sb{sub 70}Te{sub 30} phase-change thin films by multiple femtosecond laser pulses

In this study, the controllable effective refractive index modulation of Sb{sub 70}Te{sub 30} phase-change thin films between amorphous and crystalline states was achieved experimentally by multiple femtosecond laser pulses. The modulation mechanism was analyzed comprehensively by a spectral ellipsometer measurement, surface morphology observation, and two-temperature model calculations. We numerically demonstrate the application of the optically modulated refractive index of the phase-change thin films in a precisely adjustable color display. These results may provide further insights into ultrafast phase-transition mechanics and are useful in the design of programmable photonic and opto-electrical devices based on phase-change memory materials.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

Investigation of electrical and optical properties of MEH-PPV: ZnO nanocomposite films for OLED applications

Recent investigations of the promising materials for optoelectronic have been demonstrated by introducing n-type inorganic material into conjugated polymer. The optical and electrical of nanocomposite films based on poly[2-methoxy-5-(2’-ethyl-hexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene] (MEH-PPV) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructured of various deposition layers (1 to 3 layers) have been investigated. The MEH-PPV: ZnO nanocomposite films were deposited using spin-coating technique. The surface morphology nanocomposite films were characterized using field emission scanning electron microscope. From surface profiler measurement, we found that the thickness of nanocomposite films increased as deposition time increased. The optical properties were measured using photoluminescence spectroscope. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra showed that two deposition layers is the highest intensity at visible region (green emission) due to high energy transfer from particles to the polymer. The current density for two layers sample is due to aggregation of conjugated polymer chain hence form excited interchain exciton for optical excitation. This study will provide better performance and suitable for optoelectronic device especially OLEDs application.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Structural Tolerance of Zirconium Diboride under Electron Irradiation through in-situ Convergent Beam Electron Diffraction and Energy-dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy

Zirconium diboride (ZrB 2 ) is a ultra-high temperature ceramic with high melting temperature (>3000 K), super strength and hardness, good thermal conductivity, and excellent resistance to plasma erosion and chemical erosion, being widely applied in hypersonic flight, arc-electrodes, refractory materials, and plasma-facing materials in fusion reactors. Therefore, the structural stability of the material is essential for the applications. Up to now, the material was investigated under neutron irradiation and high-energy ion irradiations. It was reported that the neutron irradiation caused swelling and catastrophic cracking. High-energy ions (30 keV He + ) changed the surface morphology and caused the bright blue and brown colors on ZrB 2 surfaces between 920 K and 1120 K. The electron irradiation tolerance of the material has not been reported yet. Here we used convergent beam electron diffraction (CBED) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) to investigate structural tolerances of ZrB 2 crystals under high-energy electrons at room temperature under vacuum. Finally, the investigation would benefit the understanding of its structural tolerance at microscales.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2025

Time-Domain Extreme-Ultraviolet Diffuse Scattering Spectroscopy of Nanoscale Surface Phonons

Here, we report the observation of dynamic fringe patterns in the diffuse scattering of extreme ultraviolet light from surfaces, following femtosecond optical excitation. At each point on the detector, the diffuse scattering intensity exhibits oscillations at well-defined frequencies that correspond to surface phonons with wave vectors determined by the scattering geometry, indicating that the optical excitation generates coherent surface phonons propagating in all directions and spanning a wavelength range from 60 to 300 nm. This phenomenon is observed on a variety of samples, including single-layer and multilayer metal films, as well as bulk semiconductors. The measured surface phonon dispersions show good agreement with theoretical calculations. By comparing signal amplitudes from samples with different surface morphologies, we find that the excitation mechanism is linked to the natural surface roughness of the samples. However, the signal is still detectable on extremely smooth surfaces with subnanometer roughness. Our findings demonstrate a simple and effective method for optically exciting coherent surface phonons with nanoscale wavelengths on a wide range of solid samples and establish a foundation for surface phonon spectroscopy in a wave vector range well beyond the limit of conventional surface Brillouin scattering.

Capotondi, F. [Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste (Italy)↗