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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 721 records · Page 40
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2013

The influence of laser-induced nanosecond rise-time stress waves on the microstructure and surface chemical activity of single crystal Cu nanopillars

An apparatus and test procedure for fabrication and loading of single crystal metal nanopillars under extremely high pressures (>1 GPa) and strain rates (>10{sup 7} s{sup -1}), using laser-generated stress waves, are presented. Single-crystalline Cu pillars ({approx}1.20 {mu}m in tall and {approx}0.45 {mu}m in diameter) prepared via focused ion beam milling of Cu(001) substrates are shock-loaded using this approach with the dilatational stress waves propagating along the [001] axis of the pillars. Transmission electron microscopy observations of shock-loaded pillars show that dislocation density decreases and that their orientation changes with increasing stress wave amplitude, indicative of dislocation motion. The shock-loaded pillars exhibit enhanced chemical reactivity when submerged in oil and isopropyl alcohol solutions, due likely to the exposure of clean surfaces via surface spallation and formation of surface steps and nanoscale facets through dislocation motion to the surface of the pillars, resulting in growth of thin oxide films on the surfaces of the pillars.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2013

Peculiarly strong room-temperature ferromagnetism from low Mn-doping in ZnO grown by molecular beam epitaxy

Strong room-temperature ferromagnetism is demonstrated in single crystalline Mn-doped ZnO thin films grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Very low Mn doping concentration is investigated, and the measured magnetic moment is much larger than what is expected for an isolated ion based on Hund's rules. The ferromagnetic behavior evolves with Mn concentration. Both magnetic anisotropy and anomalous Hall effect confirm the intrinsic nature of ferromagnetism. While the Mn dopant plays a crucial role, another entity in the system is needed to explain the observed large magnetic moments.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Adsorption geometry, conformation, and electronic structure of 2H-octaethylporphyrin on Ag(111) and Fe metalation in ultra high vacuum

Due to the growing interest in the ferromagnetic properties of Fe-octaethylporphyrins (Fe-OEP) for applications in spintronics, methods to produce stable Fe-porphyrins with no Cl atoms are highly demanded. Here, we demonstrate the formation of Fe-OEP layers on Ag(111) single crystal by the ultra high vacuum in situ metalation of the free-base 2H-2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octaethylporphyrin (2H-OEP) molecules. The metalation proceeds exactly as in the case of 2H-5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin (2H-TPP) on the same substrate. An extensive surface characterization by means of X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, valence band photoemission, and NEXAFS with synchrotron radiation light provides information on molecular conformation and electronic structure in the monolayer and multilayer cases. We demonstrate that the presence of the ethyl groups affects the tilt of the adsorbed molecules, the conformation of the macrocycle, and the polarization screening in multilayers, but has only a minor effect in the metalation process with respect to 2H-TPP.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Metal-insulator transition induced in CaVO{sub 3} thin films

Stoichiometric CaVO{sub 3} (CVO) thin films of various thicknesses were grown on single crystal SrTiO{sub 3} (STO) (001) substrates using a pulsed electron-beam deposition technique. The CVO films were capped with a 2.5 nm STO layer. We observed a temperature driven metal-insulator transition (MIT) in CVO films with thicknesses below 4 nm that was not observed in either thick CVO films or STO films. The emergence of this MIT can be attributed to the reduction in effective bandwidth due to a crossover from a three-dimensional metal to a two-dimensional insulator. The insulating phase was only induced with a drive current below 0.1 {mu}A. X-ray absorption measurements indicated different electronic structures for thick and very thin films of CVO. Compared with the thick film ({approx}60 nm), thin films of CVO (2-4 nm) were more two-dimensional with the V charge state closer to V{sup 4+}.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Vacuum annealed cerium-substituted yttrium iron garnet films on non-garnet substrates for integrated optical circuits

Polycrystalline cerium-substituted yttrium iron garnet (CeYIG) showing large Faraday rotation (FR) in the near-IR region was grown on non-garnet (synthetic fused silica, Si, and Si-on-insulator) substrates by sputtering followed by thermal annealing in vacuum. The FR of the films is comparable to the single crystal value. Structural characterization, magnetic properties, refractive index, extinction coefficient, surface topography, and FR vs. wavelength were measured and the magnetooptical figure of merit was compared with that of CeYIG films on garnet substrates.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Metastable fcc-Fe film epitaxially grown on Cu(100) single-crystal underlayer

Fe film of 40 nm thickness is prepared on fcc-Cu(100) single-crystal underlayer at room temperature by ultra-high vacuum molecular beam epitaxy. The film growth and the detailed structure are investigated by reflection high-energy electron diffraction, cross-sectional high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), and x-ray diffraction (XRD). An Fe single-crystal with metastable fcc structure nucleates on the underlayer. The HR-TEM shows that fcc lattice is formed from the Fe/Cu interface up to the film surface. A large number of misfit dislocations are introduced around the Fe/Cu interface due to an accommodation of lattice mismatch. Dislocations exist up to the film near surface. The lattice constant is estimated by XRD to be a = 0.3607 nm. The film shows a ferromagnetic property, which reflects the property of fcc-Fe crystal with high-spin ferromagnetic state.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Structure, band gap, and Mn-related mid-gap states in epitaxial single crystal (Zn{sub 1-x}Mg{sub x}){sub 1-y}Mn{sub y}O thin films

Epitaxial (Zn{sub 1-x}Mg{sub x}){sub 1-y}Mn{sub y}O thin films were grown on c-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} substrates by radio frequency oxygen plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy. Single crystal structure of the (Zn{sub 1-x}Mg{sub x}){sub 1-y}Mn{sub y}O films was revealed by reflection high energy electron diffraction and X-ray diffraction. The band gap of the films can be tuned dramatically with increasing the Mg concentration, while the onset energy of Mn-related mid-gap absorption band only shows a small blue shift. Photoconductivity measurements indicate the Mn-related mid-gap states in (Zn{sub 1-x}Mg{sub x}){sub 1-y}Mn{sub y}O films can create free carriers and contribute to charge transfer transitions. The conduction band offset {Delta}E{sub C} = 0.13 eV and valence band offset {Delta}E{sub V} = 0.1 eV were obtained for ZnO/Zn{sub 0.8}Mg{sub 0.2}O heterostructures, which increase to {Delta}E{sub C} = 0.21 eV and {Delta}E{sub V} = 0.14 eV for ZnO/Zn{sub 0.7}Mg{sub 0.3}O heterostructures.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

The extended wedge method: Atomic force microscope friction calibration for improved tolerance to instrument misalignments, tip offset, and blunt probes

One of the major challenges in understanding and controlling friction is the difficulty in bridging the length and time scales of macroscale contacts and those of the single asperity interactions they comprise. While the atomic force microscope (AFM) offers a unique ability to probe tribological surfaces in a wear-free single-asperity contact, instrument calibration challenges have limited the usefulness of this technique for quantitative nanotribological studies. A number of lateral force calibration techniques have been proposed and used, but none has gained universal acceptance due to practical considerations, configuration limitations, or sensitivities to unknowable error sources. This paper describes a simple extension of the classic wedge method of AFM lateral force calibration which: (1) allows simultaneous calibration and measurement on any substrate, thus eliminating prior tip damage and confounding effects of instrument setup adjustments; (2) is insensitive to adhesion, PSD cross-talk, transducer/piezo-tube axis misalignment, and shear-center offset; (3) is applicable to integrated tips and colloidal probes; and (4) is generally applicable to any reciprocating friction coefficient measurement. The method was applied to AFM measurements of polished carbon (99.999% graphite) and single crystal MoS{sub 2} to demonstrate the technique. Carbon and single crystal MoS{sub 2} had friction coefficients of {mu}= 0.20 {+-} 0.04 and {mu}= 0.006 {+-} 0.001, respectively, against an integrated Si probe. Against a glass colloidal sphere, MoS{sub 2} had a friction coefficient of {mu}= 0.005 {+-} 0.001. Generally, the measurement uncertainties ranged from 10%-20% and were driven by the effect of actual frictional variation on the calibration rather than calibration error itself (i.e., due to misalignment, tip-offset, or probe radius).

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2013

Analysis of strained surface layers of ZnO single crystals after irradiation with intense femtosecond laser pulses

Structural modifications of ZnO single crystals that were created by the irradiation with femtosecond laser pulses at fluences far above the ablation threshold were investigated with micro-Raman spectroscopy. After light-matter interaction on the femtosecond time scale, rapid cooling and the pronounced thermal expansion anisotropy of ZnO are likely to cause residual strains of up to 1.8% and also result in the formation of surface cracks. This process relaxes the strain only partially and a strained surface layer remains. Our findings demonstrate the significant role of thermoelastic effects for the irradiation of solids with intense femtosecond laser pulses.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2013

Lattice mismatch-induced evolution of microstructural properties in FePt films

FePt (10, 20, 40, and 60 nm) films were fabricated on four different single crystal substrates [MgO (001), KTaO{sub 3} (001), SrTiO{sub 3} (001), and LaAlO{sub 3} (001)], and the effects of lattice mismatch on the microstructure and magnetic properties of FePt films were systematically investigated. The X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results showed that the different lattice mismatch between the substrates and FePt films resulted in the different crystallographic texture and microstructure of the FePt films. Under the tensile strain between the FePt and substrates (MgO, KTaO{sub 3}, SrTiO{sub 3}), the FePt films preferred to form L1{sub 0} FePt (001) texture. The perpendicular anisotropy of the FePt films grown on MgO was larger than that grown on KTaO{sub 3} and SrTiO{sub 3}. For the FePt films grown on the LaAlO{sub 3} substrate, both FePt (110) and (001) orientations were found, which indicated the presence of tensile and compressive strain, respectively. With the reduction of the lattice mismatch between the FePt (10 nm) and substrate from 5.8% (MgO) to 2.4% (KTaO{sub 3}), and 0.1% (SrTiO{sub 3}), the microstructure of the FePt films changed gradually from granular to continuous films (SEM and TEM results). The microstructure of the 10 nm FePt film grown on LaAlO{sub 3} substrate showed granular structure.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Enhanced photocatalytic efficiency in zirconia buffered n-NiO/p-NiO single crystalline heterostructures by nanosecond laser treatment

We report the formation of NiO based single crystalline p-n junctions with enhanced photocatalytic activity induced by pulsed laser irradiation. The NiO epilayers were grown on Si(001) substrates buffered with cubic yttria-stabilized zirconia (c-YSZ) by using pulsed laser deposition. The NiO/c-YSZ/Si heterostructures were subsequently laser treated by 5 pulses of KrF excimer laser (pulse duration = 25 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -9} s) at lower energies. Microstructural studies, conducted by X-ray diffraction ({theta}-2{theta} and {phi} techniques) and high resolution transmission electron microscope, showed a cube-on-cube epitaxial relationship at the c-YSZ/Si interface; the epitaxial relationship across the NiO/c-YSZ interface was established as NiO<111 > Double-Vertical-Line Double-Vertical-Line c-YSZ<001> and in-plane NiO<110> Double-Vertical-Line Double-Vertical-Line c-YSZ<100>. Electron microscopy studies showed that the interface between the laser annealed and the pristine region as well as the NiO/c-YSZ interface was atomically sharp and crystallographically continuous. The formation of point defects, namely oxygen vacancies and NiO, due to the coupling of the laser photons with the NiO epilayers was confirmed by XPS. The p-type electrical characteristics of the pristine NiO epilayers turned to an n-type behavior and the electrical conductivity was increased by one order of magnitude after laser treatment. Photocatalytic activity of the pristine (p-NiO/c-YSZ/Si) and the laser-annealed (n-NiO/p-NiO/c-YSZ/Si) heterostructures were assessed by measuring the decomposition rate of 4-chlorophenol under UV light. The photocatalytic reaction rate constants were determined to be 0.0059 and 0.0092 min{sup -1} for the as-deposited and the laser-treated samples, respectively. The enhanced photocatalytic efficiency was attributed to the suppressed charge carrier recombination in the NiO based p-n junctions and higher electrical conductivity. Besides, the oxygen vacancies ease the adsorption of 4-chlorophenol, hydroxyl, and water molecules to the surface. Thus, n-NiO/p-NiO single crystalline catalysts can be introduced as a potent candidate to remediate the environmental pollution.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2013

Population dynamics in epitaxial Er{sub 2}O{sub 3} thin films grown on Si(111)

We grow single crystal erbium-oxide (Er{sub 2}O{sub 3}) epitaxially on a Si (111) substrate by using molecular beam epitaxy and investigate the population dynamics in Er{sup 3+} ions for the coherent manipulation of the population in Er{sub 2}O{sub 3}. Sharp and discrete Stark energy levels of the {sup 4}I{sub 13/2} manifold as small as 200 {mu}eV are observed with inhomogeneous broadening caused by the uniform crystal field of the epitaxial Er{sub 2}O{sub 3}. We also experimentally determine the time constant of the resonant population transfer between spatially distant Er{sup 3+}-ion sites, which is limited to the manipulation time of the population in the Er{sub 2}O{sub 3} crystals. Using selective excitation of the Stark level in the {sup 4}I{sub 13/2} manifold, we obtain the energy transfer times between spatially distant Er{sup 3+} ions, and they are about 2 {mu}s between sites whose crystallographic symmetry is different and 10 {mu}s between sites whose symmetry is the same.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2013

Effects of surface oxide formation on germanium nanowire band-edge photoluminescence

The effect of intentional surface oxide formation on band-edge photoluminescence (PL) of Ge nanowires was investigated. Thermal oxidation in molecular O{sub 2} was used to produce a surface oxide layer on assemblies of single crystal nanowires grown by the vapor-liquid-solid method. With increasing oxidation of the wires, the band-edge PL associated with the indirect gap transition becomes more intense. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirms the formation of an increasingly GeO{sub 2}-like surface oxide under annealing conditions that enhance the indirect-gap PL, consistent with surface oxide passivation of nonradiative recombination centers initially present on the nanowire surface.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2013

Nanostructuring superconductors by ion beams: A path towards materials engineering

The paper deals with nanostructuring of superconducting materials by means of swift heavy ion beams. The aim is to modify their structural, optical and electromagnetic properties in a controlled way, to provide possibility of making them functional for specific applications. Results are presented concerning flux pinning effects (implantation of columnar defects with nanosize cross section to enhance critical currents and irreversibility fields), confined flux-flow and vortex guidance, design of devices by locally tailoring the superconducting material properties, analysis of disorder-induced effects in multi-band superconductors. These studies were carried out on different kinds of superconducting samples, from single crystals to thin films, from superconducting oxides to magnesium diboride, to recently discovered iron-based superconductors.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Electronic properties of graphene-single crystal diamond heterostructures

Single crystal diamond has been used as a substrate to support single layer graphene grown by chemical vapor deposition methods. It is possible to chemically functionalise the diamond surface, and in the present case H-, F-, O-, and N-group have been purposefully added prior to graphene deposition. The electronic properties of the resultant heterostructures vary strongly; a p-type layer with good mobility and a band gap of ∼0.7 eV is created when H-terminated diamond layers are used, whilst a layer with more metallic-like character (high carrier density and low carrier mobility) arises when N(O)-terminations are introduced. Since it is relatively easy to pattern these functional groups on the diamond surface, this suggests that this approach may offer an exciting route to 2D device structures on single layer graphene sheets.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2013

Growth, disorder, and physical properties of ZnSnN{sub 2}

We examine ZnSnN{sub 2}, a member of the class of materials contemporarily termed “earth-abundant element semiconductors,” with an emphasis on evaluating its suitability for photovoltaic applications. It is predicted to crystallize in an orthorhombic lattice with an energy gap of 2 eV. Instead, using molecular beam epitaxy to deposit high-purity, single crystal as well as highly textured polycrystalline thin films, only a monoclinic structure is observed experimentally. Far from being detrimental, we demonstrate that the cation sublattice disorder which inhibits the orthorhombic lattice has a profound effect on the energy gap, obviating the need for alloying to match the solar spectrum.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Lattice constant and substitutional composition of GeSn alloys grown by molecular beam epitaxy

Single crystal epitaxial Ge{sub 1−x}Sn{sub x} alloys with atomic fractions of tin up to x = 0.145 were grown by solid source molecular beam epitaxy on Ge (001) substrates. The Ge{sub 1−x}Sn{sub x} alloys formed high quality, coherent, strained layers at growth temperatures below 250 °C, as shown by high resolution X-ray diffraction. The amount of Sn that was on lattice sites, as determined by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry channeling, was found to be above 90% substitutional in all alloys. The degree of strain and the dependence of the effective unstrained bulk lattice constant of Ge{sub 1−x}Sn{sub x} alloys versus the composition of Sn have been determined.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Magnetic properties of Mn{sub 3}O{sub 4} film under compressive stress grown on MgAl{sub 2}O{sub 4} (001) by molecular beam epitaxy

High quality single-crystalline Mn{sub 3}O{sub 4} thin films were grown on MgAl{sub 2}O{sub 4} (001) substrates by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. It is found that the films are compressed in the (001) plane and elongated in the perpendicular direction via in-situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction and ex-situ X-ray diffraction, which is confirmed by frequency hardening of relevant Raman bands. Different from the bulk, the epitaxial film with a thickness of 65 nm shows more obvious magnetic anisotropy and higher magnetic phase transition temperatures (T{sub N} = 50 K, T{sub 1} = 40.5 K, and T{sub 2} = 36 K) than that of the bulk (T{sub N} = 42 K, T{sub 1} = 39 K, and T{sub 2} = 33 K). The variation of magnetic properties could be attributed to the changes of interplay among spin, orbital, and lattice degrees of freedom owing to the residual strain in the epitaxial film.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗