Low-drive, temperature stable ferrite for laminated memory arrays.
Temperature stable ferrite materials for laminated memory arrays compatible with integrated semiconductor drive circuit
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Temperature stable ferrite materials for laminated memory arrays compatible with integrated semiconductor drive circuit
Limiting resistors are currently required to be connected in series with tantalum capacitors to reduce the risk of surge current failures. However, application of limiting resistors decreases substantially the efficiency of the power supply systems. An ideal surge current limiting device should have a negligible resistance for DC currents and high resistance at frequencies corresponding to transients in tantalum capacitors. This work evaluates the possibility of using chip ferrite beads (FB) as such devices. Twelve types of small size FBs from three manufacturers were used to evaluate their robustness under soldering stresses and at high surge current spikes associated with transients in tantalum capacitors. Results show that FBs are capable to withstand current pulses that are substantially greater than the specified current limits. However, due to a sharp decrease of impedance with current, FBs do not reduce surge currents to the required level that can be achieved with regular resistors.
Development of high-strength materials often involves introduction of additional strengthening microstructures that also serve as tritium trapping sites. Such additions in fusion material development could degrade the fuel efficiency in fusion reactors and raise radiological concerns. The contribution of individual microstructure features in hydrogen trapping must be evaluated to ensure fuel efficiency and radiological safety. This study explores the mechanistic origins of deuterium trapping in reduced-activation ferritic–martensitic steels and its correlation to mechanical strengthening. A series of model alloys and engineering steels were fabricated and subjected to different heat treatments to control deuterium trapping site density. Deuterium retention was evaluated using D 2 gas charging and thermal desorption spectroscopy, focusing on the role of grain boundary, dislocation, M 23 C 6 precipitates, and TiC precipitates. Multiscale microstructure characterization and synchrotron X-ray diffraction were performed to characterize microstructure, which was correlated to the deuterium retention property. Results show that TiC precipitates exhibit the highest deuterium trapping capacity, followed by M 23 C 6 precipitates. Dislocation and grain boundary demonstrate the lowest and similar efficiencies. Furthermore, the relationship of trapping quantity and mechanical strengthening of these microstructure features was quantified, demonstrating that TiC precipitates offer highest deuterium trapping per unit of mechanical strengthening.
At high temperature conditions relevant to fossil and nuclear energy plants, Laves phase (Fe 2 X, X=Mo, W) precipitation is observed in common ferritic martensitic (FM) structural steels, with various reported effects on creep behavior. Despite being valuable metrics to correlate with mechanical properties and other precipitate phases, the volume fraction and number density of Laves phase precipitates has been difficult to quantify accurately using common techniques such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM) due to the relatively large size (∼0.25 μm) and low number density (∼10 11 cm −3 ) of Laves precipitates. Here, to address this characterization challenge, we developed and demonstrated a high-throughput and widely accessible method to quantify the volume fraction and number density of the Laves phase based on scanning electron microscope (SEM) images with a backscattered electron signal and the information depth (ID) of backscattered electrons. We applied this new technique in creep ruptured Grade 92 FM steel to study the effect of Laves phase on creep properties and determine the influence of stress on Laves phase precipitation. The quantitative accuracy of the SEM-based volume fraction and number density values was verified using synchrotron high energy X-ray diffraction and serial sectioning tomography. Stress did not significantly affect the Laves phase size or volume fraction during creep testing at 550 – 650°C and stress levels of 90 – 260 MPa (vs. unstressed conditions). Conversely, a moderate but statistically significant stress-enhanced increase in Laves phase number density, corresponding to an increase in nucleation rate, occurred during creep exposure above 110 MPa.
Here, this study is designed to characterise the microstructural behaviour of Eurofer-97 steel under ion irradiation and subsequent exposure to high-temperature high-pressure (HTHP) water. Eurofer-97, a ferritic-martensitic steel, has been developed to withstand the conditions of fusion reactors in the locations in contact with coolant with an elevated level of neutron flux, such as the breeder-wall blanket. The material has been studied after self-ion irradiation (using Fe ions) simulating the microstructural effects of neutron irradiation limited to the subsurface layer. The corrosion properties of the Eurofer-97 steel were studied by exposure to HTHP water up to 331 °C. Advanced microstructural characterisation using scanning, transmission electron and focused ion beam microscopy was performed on the as-received microstructure and after ion irradiation. This was then characterised after exposure for 240 h in high-temperature water. Eurofer-97 had a dense, columnar Cr-rich inner oxide, followed by a Fe-rich outer oxide layer. In the irradiated condition the grain structure and oxide itself was less ordered. No appreciable difference in oxide thickness was identified between the irradiated and unirradiated specimens after this short exposure time.
Among a number of other advantageous features, ferritic/martensitic steels are being considered as fusion reactor structural materials due to their low intrinsic swelling under irradiation. However, under high-energy neutron irradiation, He produced through (n, α) reactions stabilizes vacancy clusters, which then act as seeds for bubble formation and growth, negating the intrinsic swelling resistance of these alloys. Standard models of irradiation damage accumulation and microstructural evolution consider homogeneous nucleation as the basis for bubble formation and growth. However, this generally does not explain the large bubble densities and sizes observed experimentally under a number of different conditions. Here, we propose a more realistic physical model of bubble nucleation, formation, and growth designed to capture recent experimental measurements of He-bubble formation and evolution during co-implantation of He and Fe ions in model ferritic alloys. We find that experimental results are explained only when the following three features are considered simultaneously: (i) heterogeneous nucleation of He-vacancy bubbles at defect sinks (e.g., dislocations, grain boundaries, and second-phase precipitates), (ii) nucleation and growth of bubbles via the ‘trap mutation’ mechanism (i.e., spontaneous production of Frenkel pairs due to absorption of He atoms), and (iii) transition from a growth-limited, He-stabilized bubble regime to a ‘runaway’ void-type growth scenario. The model is implemented into a stochastic cluster dynamics framework that takes advantage of cluster size grouping methods to accelerate the simulations, allowing us to reach 10 dpa of simulated irradiated dose, and to capture cluster sizes in excess of 20 nm. Further, a careful extrapolation exercise conducted assuming classical nucleation theory leads to excellent agreement with the experimental measurements at 50 dpa of irradiation.
Here, we present an investigation of Fe-14Cr-3W-0.4Y-0.4Zr-0.18Ti (wt.%) as a reduced-activation oxide-dispersion strengthened (ODS) ferritic steel, an alternative to the “14YWT” structural alloys designed for nuclear energy applications. Gas atomization reaction synthesis (GARS) was used to produce these Zr-modified powders with a non-equilibrium (metastable) phase that enable a heat treatment (delayed) route for producing nanoscale oxide-dispersion strengthening. In situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy were used to analyze phase evolution as a function of temperature and time, revealing formation of highly dispersed oxide nanoprecipitate phases at temperatures above those needed for powder consolidation and shaping of components. This would allow fabrication of net-shape parts using conventional powder-processing methods prior to thermal activation of a reaction producing nanocrystalline Y-(Ti, Zr)-O particles, with a size of 20 ± 7 nm. These results can inform processing of tubes, cladding, sheets, and plates for use in advanced fission and fusion reactors.
Multiferroics that combine ferroelectricity and magnetic order are attractive for electronic and spintronic technologies, yet chemical disorder that promotes relaxor ferroelectricity usually suppresses long-range magnetic order. Here, we report entropy-stabilized relaxor multiferroicity in epitaxial hexagonal (Tb0.2Dy0.2Ho0.2Lu0.2Yb0.2)FeO3 thin films. Structural, magnetic, dielectric, and synchrotron spectroscopic measurements show the coexistence of relaxor ferroelectricity and long-range ferromagnetic order. We find that improper ferroelectricity remains robust against A-site configurational disorder, while the Fe sublattice preserves magnetic exchange. This separation of the microscopic origins of the polar and magnetic responses enables chemically disordered multiferroicity. Our results establish entropy engineering in hexagonal ferrites as a route toward multifunctional oxide thin films and provide a general design strategy for high-entropy multiferroics.
How disorder affects magnetic ordering is always an intriguing question, and it becomes even more interesting in the recently rising high entropy oxides due to the extremely high disorder density. However, due to the lack of high-quality single crystal samples, the strong compositional disorder effect on magnetic transition has not been deeply investigated. In this work, we have successfully synthesized high-quality single crystalline high entropy spinel ferrites (Mg 0.2 Mn 0.2 Fe 0.2 Co 0.2 Ni 0.2 ) x Fe 3-x O 4 . Our findings from high-temperature magnetization and neutron diffraction experiments showed ferrimagnetic transitions at 748, 694, and 674 K for x values of 1, 1.5, and 1.8, respectively. Notably, the magnetic transition almost showed no broadening for x values of 1 and 1.5, compared to Fe 3 O 4 . Extended X-ray absorption fine structure measurements provided insights into the elemental distribution among the octahedral and tetrahedral sites. The random distribution of elements across these sites reduced the formation of local clusters and short-range orders, enhancing sample homogeneity and preserving the sharpness of the magnetic transition, despite bond length variation. Here, our study not only marks the first successful synthesis of an HEO bulk single crystal exhibiting long-range magnetic order but also sheds light on the interaction between high configurational entropy and magnetic orderings. This opens new avenues for future research and applications of magnetic high entropy oxides.
The increasing demand for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) underscores the need for cost-effective alternative anode materials to ensure efficient Li-ion storage, given their pivotal role in various industries. This research focuses on the facile synthesis of nickel zinc ferrite (NZFO: Ni 0.65 Zn 0.35 Fe 2 O 4 ) and conducts comprehensive electrochemical analyses to evaluate its potential as a high-capacity alternative anode material for LIBs. The NZFO-CMR [sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (2%) and styrene-butadiene rubber (1%)] exhibited an initial delithiated capacity of ∼1232 mA h g −1 and maintained a stable capacity of around 358 mA h g −1 , along with an average Coulombic efficiency of 99.6% over 200 cycles. Cyclic voltammetry analysis revealed that Li-ion insertion was predominantly governed by ion diffusion, and the consistent correlation observed in electrochemical impedance spectroscopy spectra indicated stable electrochemical behavior throughout cycling. The facile synthesis approach and reasonable electrochemical performance of NZFO suggest its potential as an alternative anode material for advancing LIB's technology.
Spin wave-based spintronics are an alternative to conventional electronics due to their potential for efficient energy consumption, improved processing speed, and smaller device dimensions. Low damping magnetic insulators provide the medium for efficient propagation of spin waves for information transfer. Here, we have synthesized by pulsed laser deposition epitaxial spinel structure ferrite thin films of Li 0.5 (Al 1.0 Fe 1.5 )O 4 (LAFO) on (111)-oriented MgAl 2 O 4 that support isotropic magnon propagation in the film plane. Our ferromagnetic resonance measurements show low magnetic damping with a typical Gilbert damping parameter of α = 0.006 and weak-spin–orbit coupling with g = 2.02. These films have low effective magnetization, μ o M eff = 20 mT, similar to that of yttrium iron garnet, the gold standard of low loss magnetic insulators. Our findings show that LAFO is a good candidate as a spin wave medium since it can be grown at low temperatures in different crystal orientations.
A Bayesian optimization procedure is presented for calibrating a multi-mechanism micromechanical model for creep to experimental data of F82H steel. Reduced activation ferritic martensitic (RAFM) steels based on are the most promising candidates for some fusion reactor structures. Although there are indications that RAFM steel could be viable for fusion applications at temperatures up to 600 °C, the maximum operating temperature will be determined by the creep properties of the structural material and the breeder material compatibility with the structural material. Due to the relative paucity of available creep data on F82H steel compared to other alloys such as Grade 91 steel, micromechanical models are sought for simulating creep based on relevant deformation mechanisms. As a point of departure, this work recalibrates a model form that was previously proposed for Grade 91 steel to match creep curves for F82H steel. Due to the large number of parameters (9) and cost of the nonlinear simulations, an automated approach for tuning the parameters is pursued using a recently developed Bayesian optimization for functional output (BOFO) framework [1]. Incorporating extensions such as batch sequencing and weighted experimental load cases into BOFO, a reasonably small error between experimental and simulated creep curves at two load levels is achieved in a reasonable number of iterations. Validation with an additional creep curve provides confidence in the fitted parameters obtained from the automated calibration procedure to describe the creep behavior of F82H steel at 600 °C. The model is further extended using a temperature dependent scaling law approach to simulate creep response between 550 °C and 650 °C. The efficacy of this extension is compared with the previously used scaling law approach for Grade 91 steel.
The is a poster on the fabrication and characterization of NiZn and MnZn ferrites for ultra-high frequency (UHF) RF absorbers. This will be presented at the American Ceramic Society EMA 2025 conference.
A compositional modification has been proposed to validate an alloy design which potentially eliminates the requirement of post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) while preserving the advantage of mechanical properties in a reduced activation bainitic ferritic steel based on Fe-3Cr-3W-0.2V- 0.1Ta-Mn-Si-C, in weight percent, developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in 2007. The alloy design includes reducing the hardness in the as-welded condition for improving toughness, while increasing the hardenability for preserving the high-temperature mechanical performance such as creep-rupture resistance in the original steel. To achieve such a design, a composition range with a reduced C content combining with an increased Mn content has been proposed and investigated. Newly proposed “modified” steel successfully achieved an improved impact toughness in the as- welded condition, while the creep-rupture performance across the weldments without PWHT demonstrated ~50% improvement of the creep strength compared to that of the original steel weldment after PWHT. The obtained results strongly support the validity of the proposed alloy design.
The growing global demand for energy will increasingly call upon advanced nuclear fission reactors to supply safe and reliable electricity. The structural and fuel cladding components of these reactors will be subject to extreme conditions of irradiation damage up to several hundred displacements per atom (dpa) at temperatures as high as 700°C. Ferritic-martensitic (F-M) steels are leading candidates for these challenging conditions due to their strength and dimensional stability under irradiation. In order to accelerate the process for evaluating F-M alloys, charged particles are increasingly being used to emulate neutron irradiations. Charged particle irradiations allow the possibility of conducting irradiation experiments within a shorter time period (i.e. at a rate up to 4 orders of magnitude faster) and with minimal radioactivation of the material, enabling lower cost and faster turnaround of post irradiation examination and analysis. However, the irradiation dose rate, damage cascade morphologies, and irradiation damage depth profiles all differ widely between protons, heavier ions, and neutrons. Currently, there is limited understanding of the significance of these physical differences and how they manifest in the irradiated microstructure and mechanical properties of F-M steels. The objective of this study is to evaluate charged particles as a surrogate for neutron irradiations in F-M alloys by assessing common irradiation conditions using Fe++ ions, protons, and neutrons. Keeping the temperature and dose consistent enables isolation of the effects of each irradiating particle and their respective dose rates and cascade morphologies.
A two-phase sintering technique based on time and temperature permits reversible control of the coercive threshold of sintered ferrite cores. Threshold coercivity may be controlled over a substantial range of values by selective control of the cooling rate.
A ferrite-core holder, fabricated by casting an elastomer in a simple mold, simplifies the assembly of modular matrix units for computers. Use of the device permits the core leads to be multiply threaded and soldered to terminals, without requiring intermediate terminals.
Corrosion-resistant steel that adds restrictions on chemical composition to ensure sufficient ferrite content decreases the tendency of CRES to develop cracks during welding. The equations restricting composition are based on the Schaeffler constitution diagram.