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At least 523 records · Page 29

Comprehensive study of the electronic and optical behavior of highly degenerate p-type Mg-doped GaN and AlGaN

The bulk and 2-dimensional (2D) electrical transport properties of heavily Mg-doped p-type GaN films grown on AlN buffer layers by Metal Modulated Epitaxy are explored. Distinctions are made between three primary p-type conduction mechanisms: traditional valence band conduction, impurity band conduction, and 2D conduction within a 2D hole gas at a hetero-interface. The bulk and 2D contributions to the overall carrier transport are identified and the relative contributions are found to vary strongly with growth conditions. Films grown with III/V ratio less than 1.5 exhibit high hole concentrations exceeding 2 × 10{sup 19} cm{sup −3} with effective acceptor activation energies of 51 meV. Films with III/V ratios greater than 1.5 exhibit lower overall hole concentrations and significant contributions from 2D transport at the hetero-interface. Films grown with III/V ratio of 1.2 and Mg concentrations exceeding 2 × 10{sup 20} cm{sup −3} show no detectable inversion domains or Mg precipitation. Highly Mg-doped p-GaN and p-AlGaN with Al fractions up to 27% similarly exhibit hole concentrations exceeding 2 × 10{sup 19} cm{sup −3}. The p-GaN and p-Al{sub 0.11}Ga{sub 0.89}N films show broad ultraviolet (UV) photoluminescence peaks, which intercept the valence band, supporting the presence of a Mg acceptor band. Finally, a multi-quantum-well light-emitting diode (LED) and p-i-n diode are grown, both of which demonstrate rectifying behavior with turn-on voltages of 3–3.5 V and series resistances of 6–10 Ω without the need for any post-metallization annealing. The LED exhibits violet-blue luminescence at 425 nm, while the p-i-n diode shows UV luminescence at 381 nm, and both devices still show substantial light emission even when submerged in liquid nitrogen at 77 K.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Structural, magnetic and electronic structure properties of Co doped ZnO nanoparticles

Highlights: • XRD and HR-TEM results show the single phase nature of Co doped ZnO nanoparticles. • XMCD and dc magnetization results indicate the RT-FM in Co doped ZnO nanoparticles. • Co L{sub 3,2} NEXAFS spectra infer that Co ions are in 2+ valence state. • O K edge NEXAFS spectra show that O vacancy increases with Co doping in ZnO. - Abstract: We reported structural, magnetic and electronic structure studies of Co doped ZnO nanoparticles. Doping of Co ions in ZnO host matrix has been studied and confirmed using various methods; such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy dispersed X-ray (EDX), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy, magnetic hysteresis loop measurements and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD). From the XRD and HR-TEM results, it is observed that Co doped ZnO nanoparticles have single phase nature with wurtzite structure and exclude the possibility of secondary phase formation. FE-SEM and TEM micrographs show that pure and Co doped nanoparticles are nearly spherical in shape. O K edge NEXAFS spectra indicate that O vacancies increase with Co doping. The Co L{sub 3,2} edge NEXAFS spectra revealed that Co ions are in 2+ valence state. DC magnetization hysteresis loops and XMCD results clearly showed the intrinsic origin of temperature ferromagnetism in Co doped ZnO nanoparticles.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗

Studies on electronic spectral parameters of doped Nd(III) ion with therapeutically important ligands in dioxane solvent

The present investigation is concerened with the studies on electronic spectral parameters viz. Oscillator strength (P), Judd-Ofelt T{sub λ} (λ=2,4,6), Slater-Condon(F{sub K}),Lande(ζ{sub 4F}),Nephelauxetic ratio(β), Bonding parameter (b{sup 1/2}) and Percent covalency parameter (δ%) for Nd(III) ion complexes with the ligands having Nitrogen,Oxygen Sulphur donor sites.The variation in the values of oscillator strength explicitly shows the relative sensitivities of the 4f-4f transition as well as the specific correlation between ligand structures and nature of Nd(III) ligand interaction.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

The role of the dopant in the electronic structure of erbium-doped TiO 2 for quantum emitters

Erbium-doped TiO 2 materials are promising candidates for advancing quantum technologies, necessitating a thorough understanding of their electronic and crystal structures to tailor their properties and enhance coherence times. This study explored epitaxial erbium-doped rutile TiO 2 films deposited on r-sapphire substrates using molecular beam epitaxy. Photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy demonstrated decreasing photoluminescence lifetimes with erbium doping, indicating limited optical coherence times. Lattice distortions associated with Er 3+ were probed by x-ray absorption spectroscopy, indicating that erbium primarily occupies Ti 4+ sites and influences oxygen vacancies. Significant lattice distortions in the higher-order shells and apparent full coordination around erbium suggest that additional defects are likely prevalent in these regions. These findings indicate that defects contribute to limited coherence times by introducing alternative decay pathways, leading to shorter photoluminescence lifetimes.

Crystallographic defects↗

First principles study of the structural, electronic, and optical properties of Sn 2+ -doped ZnO–P 2 O 5 glasses [First principles study of the structural, electronic and optical properties of Sn-doped ZnO-P2O5 glasses]

The atomic-structural, electronic, and optical properties of Sn-doped ZnO–P 2 O 5 glasses are examined using combined semi-empirical and density functional theory calculations. From model structures for two different ZnO–P 2 O 5 glass compositions, it is found that these glasses consist of nearly ideal tetrahedral PO 4 unit and largely distorted ZnO 4 and ZnO 5 units. The concentration of ZnO 5 units is calculated to increase and exceed that of ZnO 4 as the amount of ZnO in the glass is increased. Also, the concentration of terminal oxygen atoms shared by two Zn neighbors is largely increased for 70ZnO:30P 2 O 5 (70:30) glass compared to 60:40 glass, which can be rationalized by electrostatic bond strength calculations. Regarding medium-range order, calculations show that Q 1 and Q 2 structures (where Q n refers to structures containing n bridging oxygen atoms on PO 4 tetrahedra) are dominant for the 60:40 glass, while Q 0 and Q 1 prevail for the 70:30 glass, in good agreement with experimental observations. For the Sn-doped ZnO–P 2 O 5 glass, various Sn coordination geometries are found, with trigonal pyramidal SnO 3 and largely distorted pyramidal SnO 4 configurations being dominant and a small fraction of two-fold and five-fold coordinated Sn configurations also present. From combined cluster and glass model calculations, two-fold coordinated Sn are found to exhibit slightly smaller optical transition energy than three-fold and four-fold coordinated Sn. However, local variations in coordination structures throughout the glass likely result in a broad singlet transition (S 0 →S 1 ) around 5.4 eV for all the different Sn configurations. Finally, a triplet transition (S 0 →T 1 ) driven by spin-orbit coupling can occur around 4.5 – 4.8 eV, but the magnitude of this transition is predicted to be much smaller than the spin-allowed singlet transition.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Ab initio calculations of the electronic structure of silicon nanocrystals doped with shallow donors (Li, P)

The results of ab initio calculations of the electronic structure of Si nanocrystals doped with shallow donors (Li, P) are reported. It is shown that phosphorus introduces much more significant distortions into the electronic structure of the nanocrystal than lithium, which is due to the stronger central cell potential of the phosphorus ion. It is found that the Li-induced splitting of the ground state in the conduction band of the nanocrystal into the singlet, doublet, and triplet retains its inverse structure typical for bulk silicon.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Electronic and Magnetic Investigations of Rare-Earth Tm-doped AlGaN Ternary Alloy

Electronic structure and magnetic interaction of substitutional thulium rare earth-doped wurtzite Al{sub 0.5}Ga{sub 0.5}N ternary alloy have been performed using density-functional theory within local spin-density approximation with Hubbard-U corrections (LSDA+U) approach. The LSDA+U method is applied to the rare earth (RE) 4f states. The calculation of formation energy shows that it is more energetically favorable for a substitutional Tm atom to replace the Al atom than the Ga atom. For AlGaN:Tm, the lattices parameters are expanded due to larger ionic radius of Tm than that of Al atoms. The energy band gap of AlGaN:Tm has direct character and its width becomes small compared with that of AlGaN. The magnetic coupling between Tm ions in the nearest neighbor sites is ferromagnetic. Magnetic interaction of rare earth ion with the host states at the valence and conduction band edges has been investigated and compared to those of GaN:Mn and has been found to be relatively small.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Doped NiO: The mottness of a charge transfer insulator

The evolution of the electronic structures of strongly correlated insulators with doping has long been a central fundamental question in condensed matter physics; it is also of great practical relevance for applications. We have studied the evolution of NiO under hole and electron doping at low doping levels such that the system remains insulating using high-quality thin film and a wide range of experimental and theoretical methods. The evolution is in both cases very smooth with dopant concentration. The band gap is asymmetric under electron and hole doping, consistent with a charge-transfer insulator picture, and is reduced faster under hole doping than under electron doping. For both electron and hole doping, occupied states are introduced at the top of the valence band. The formation of deep donor levels under electron doping and the inability to pin otherwise empty states near the conduction-band edge are indicative that local electron addition and removal energies are dominated by a Mott-like Hubbard U interaction even though the global band gap is predominantly a charge-transfer-type gap.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Electronic and magnetic properties of Cr doped graphene; Full potential approach

The electronic and magnetic properties of pristine and Cr doped graphene have been calculated using WIEN2k implementation of full potential linearized augmented plane wave (FPLAPW) method based on Density Functional Theory (DFT). The exchange and correlation (XC) effects were taken into account by generalized gradient approximation (GGA). The calculated results show that Cr doping introduces appropriate magnetic moment on graphene. The p-d interaction between 3d states of Cr atom and p-states of C atom are responsible for half metallicity in graphene. The calculated Half-metallic behavior of Cr-doped graphene makes it an ideal candidate for spintronic applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Full potential calculation of electronics and thermoelectric properties of doped Mg{sub 2}Si

We present the calculations of the electronic structure and transport properties on the anti-fluorite Mg{sub 2}Si using the full potential linearized augmented plane-wave (FP-LAPW) method and the semi-classical Boltzmann theory. The modified Becke-Johnson (mBJ) exchange potentials are used to derive energy gaps and correct band gaps according to experimental values. It is found that Mg{sub 2}Si is an indirect band gap (Γ→X) material with the gap of 0.56 eV which is in good agreement with the experimental observation. Note that the band structure of Mg{sub 2}Si is directly used in combination with the semi-classical Boltzmann theory to obtain the transport coefficients. It is found that the material is the n-type semiconductor with the lowest electron concentration of 3.03×10{sup 14} cm{sup −3} at 300 K. We have also calculated the thermoelectric properties of Mg{sub 2}Si based on the rigid band approximation by varying the p-type and n-type doping levels. At room temperature, the highest power factor for p-type and n-type dopants are obtained at the hole and electron concentration of 1.63×10{sup 20} cm{sup −3} and 1.15×1021 cm{sup −3}, respectively. From the electronic states, we also found that the n-type doping region is dominated by the Mg−2p{sup 6} 3s{sup 2} and Si−3p{sup 2} states, while the Mg−2p{sup 6} and Si−3p{sup 2} states are important in the p-type doped Mg{sub 2}Si.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Correlation effects on coupled electronic and structural properties of doped rare-earth trihydrides

Rare-earth trihydride (𝑅⁢H 3 ) compounds exhibit intriguing coupled electronic and structural properties as a function of doping, hydrogen vacancies, and thermodynamic conditions. Theoretical studies of these materials typically rely on density functional theory (DFT), including the use of small supercells that may underestimate strong correlation effects and structural distortions which in turn may influence their metallicity. Here, we elucidate the roles of lattice distortions and correlation effects on the electronic properties of pristine and doped 𝑅⁢H 3 compounds by adopting DFT +U and quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) methods. Linear-response constrained DFT (LR-cDFT) methods find Hubbard U ≈ 2 eV for 𝑅 𝑑 orbitals and U ≈ 6 eV for H 𝑠 ⁡/N 𝑝 /O 𝑝 orbitals. The small U on Lu 𝑑 orbitals is consistent with QMC calculations on LuH 3 and LuH 2.875 ⁢N 0.125 . In pure face-centered-cubic (FCC) 𝑅⁢H 3 (𝑅 = Lu,Y) compounds, neither DFT nor DFT +U with the self-consistently determined U is enough to create a band gap, however a supercell with hydrogen distortions creates a small gap whose magnitude increases when performing DFT +U with self-consistently determined U values. Furthermore, correlation effects, in turn, have a moderate influence on the coupled structural and electronic properties of doped 𝑅⁢H 3 compounds and may be important when considering the competition between structural distortions and superconductivity.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Magnetic moment evolution and spin freezing in doped BaFe2As2

Fe-K β X-ray emission spectroscopy measurements reveal an asymmetric doping dependence of the magnetic moments μ bare in electron- and hole-doped BaFe 2 As 2 . At low temperature, μ bare is nearly constant in hole-doped samples, whereas it decreases upon electron doping. Increasing temperature substantially enhances μ bare in the hole-doped region, which is naturally explained by the theoretically predicted crossover into a spin-frozen state. Our measurements demonstrate the importance of Hund’s-coupling and electronic correlations, especially for hole-doped BaFe 2 As 2 , as well as the inadequacy of a fully localized or fully itinerant description of the 122 family of Fe pnictides.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Hall and Seebeck measurements estimate the thickness of a (buried) carrier system: Identifying interface electrons in In-doped SnO{sub 2} films

We propose a simple method based on the combination of Hall and Seebeck measurements to estimate the thickness of a carrier system within a semiconductor film. As an example, this method can distinguish “bulk” carriers, with homogeneous depth distribution, from “sheet” carriers, that are accumulated within a thin layer. The thickness of the carrier system is calculated as the ratio of the integral sheet carrier concentration, extracted from Hall measurements, to the volume carrier concentration, derived from the measured Seebeck coefficient of the same sample. For rutile SnO{sub 2}, the necessary relation of Seebeck coefficient to volume electron concentration in the range of 3 × 10{sup 17} to 3 × 10{sup 20 }cm{sup −3} has been experimentally obtained from a set of single crystalline thin films doped with varying Sb-doping concentrations and unintentionally doped bulk samples, and is given as a “calibration curve.” Using this calibration curve, our method demonstrates the presence of interface electrons in homogeneously deep-acceptor (In) doped SnO{sub 2} films on sapphire substrates.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Reconstructing the direction of reactor antineutrinos via electron scattering in Gd-doped water Cherenkov detectors

The potential of elastic antineutrino-electron scattering (ν¯ e + e – → ν¯ e + e – ) in a Gd-doped water Cherenkov detector to determine the direction of a nuclear reactor antineutrino flux was investigated using the recently proposed WATCHMAN antineutrino experiment as a baseline model. The expected scattering rate was determined assuming a 13 km standoff from a 3.758 GWt light water nuclear reactor. Background was estimated via independent simulations and by appropriately scaling published measurements from similar detectors. Many potential backgrounds were considered, including solar neutrinos, misidentified reactor-based inverse beta decay interactions, cosmogenic radionuclide and water-borne radon decays, and gamma rays from the photomultiplier tubes, detector walls, and surrounding rock. The detector response was modeled using a GEANT4-based simulation package. The results indicate that with the use of low radioactivity PMTs and sufficient fiducialization, water-borne radon and cosmogenic radionuclides pose the largest threats to sensitivity. The directional sensitivity was then analyzed as a function of radon contamination, detector depth, and detector size. Lastly, the results provide a list of theoretical conditions that, if satisfied in practice, would enable nuclear reactor antineutrino directionality in a Gd-doped water Cherenkov detector approximately 10 km from a large power reactor.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

High-Order Fractal Quantum Oscillations in Graphene/BN Superlattices in the Extreme Doping Limit

Recent studies of van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures and superlattices have shown intriguing quantum phenomena, but these have been largely explored only in the moderate carrier density regime. Here, we report the probe of high-temperature fractal Brown-Zak (BZ) quantum oscillations through magnetotransport in the extreme doping regimes by applying a newly developed electron beam doping technique. Further, this technique gives access to both ultrahigh electron and hole densities beyond the dielectric breakdown limit in graphene/BN superlattices, enabling the observation of nonmonotonic carrier-density dependence of fractal BZ states and up to fourth-order fractal BZ features despite strong electron-hole asymmetry. Theoretical tight-binding simulations qualitatively reproduce all observed fractal BZ features and attribute the nonmonotonic dependence to the weakening of superlattice effects at high carrier densities.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗