Composition controlled synthesis and Raman analysis of Ge-rich Si(x)Ge(1-x) nanowires

Here, we report the synthesis of Si(x)Ge(1-x) nanowires with x values ranging from 0 to 0.5 using bulk nucleation and growth from larger Ga droplets. Room temperature Raman spectroscopy is shown to determine the composition of the as-synthesized Si(x)Ge(1-x) nanowires. Analysis of peak intensities observed for Ge (near 300 cm(-1)) and the Si-Ge alloy (near 400 cm(-1)) allowed accurate estimation of composition compared to that based on the absolute peak positions. The results showed that the fraction of Ge in the resulting Si(x)Ge(1-x) alloy nanowires is controlled by the vapor phase composition of Ge.     

Role of confinement on carrier transport in Ge-Si(x)Ge(1-x) core-shell nanowires

We examine the impact of shell content and the associated hole confinement on carrier transport in Ge-Si(x)Ge(1-x) core-shell nanowires (NWs). Using NWs with different Si(x)Ge(1-x) shell compositions (x = 0.5 and 0.7), we fabricate NW field-effect transistors (FETs) with highly doped source/drain and examine their characteristics dependence on shell content. The results demonstrate a 2-fold higher mobility at room temperature, and a 3-fold higher mobility at 77K in the NW FETs with higher (x = 0.7) Si shell content by comparison to those with lower (x = 0.5) Si shell content. Moreover, the carrier mobility shows a stronger temperature dependence in Ge-Si(x)Ge(1-x) core-shell NWs with high Si content, indicating a reduced charge impurity scattering. The results establish that carrier confinement plays a key role in realizing high mobility core-shell NW FETs.     

Electrical transport of bottom-up grown single-crystal Si(1-x)Ge(x) nanowire

In this work, we fabricated an Si(1-x)Ge(x) nanowire (NW) metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) by using bottom-up grown single-crystal Si(1-x)Ge(x) NWs integrated with HfO(2) gate dielectric, TaN/Ta gate electrode and Pd Schottky source/drain electrodes, and investigated the electrical transport properties of Si(1-x)Ge(x) NWs. It is found that both undoped and phosphorus-doped Si(1-x)Ge(x) NW MOSFETs exhibit p-MOS operation while enhanced performance of higher I(on)～100?nA and I(on)/I(off)～10(5) are achieved from phosphorus-doped Si(1-x)Ge(x) NWs, which can be attributed to the reduction of the effective Schottky barrier height (SBH). Further improvement in gate control with a subthreshold slope of 142?mV?dec(-1) was obtained by reducing HfO(2) gate dielectric thickness. A comprehensive study on SBH between the Si(1-x)Ge(x) NW channel and Pd source/drain shows that a doped Si(1-x)Ge(x) NW has a lower effective SBH due to a thinner depletion width at the junction and the gate oxide thickness has negligible effect on effective SBH.     

Ge oxidation in the remaining cores of Si(1-x)Ge(x) nanowires after prolonged oxidation

For this investigation of the Ge behavior of condensed Si(1-y)Ge(y) (y > x) cores during the oxidation of Si(1-x)Ge(x) nanowires, Si(1-x)Ge(x) nanowires were grown in a tube furnace by the vapor-liquid-solid method and thermally oxidized. The test results were characterized using several techniques of transmission electron microscopy. The two types of Ge condensation are related to the diameter and Ge content of the nanowires. The consumption of Si atoms in prolonged oxidation caused the condensed SiGe cores to become Ge-only cores; and the continuous oxidation resulted in the oxidation of the Ge cores. The oxidation of Ge atoms was confirmed by scanning transmission electron microscopy.     

放电等离子烧结Gd/Gd5Si2Ge2复合材料磁热效应研究

以高纯钆和Gd5Si2Ge2合金为原料,采用放电等离子烧结技术制备了两组元Gdx(Gd5Si2Ge2)1-x(x=0,0.33,0.5,0.7,1)层状复合磁制冷材料.通过自制的磁热效应测量仪器直接测量了复合材料在外加磁场1.5 T下的磁热效应(ΔTad).随着复合比例的变化,材料的最大绝热温变(ΔTad)从x=0.3时的1.6 K增加到x=0.7时的2.0 K,而最大绝热温变峰的位置从286K变到了293 K.同时,与单组元的Gd5Si2Ge2合金相比,随着钆的含量增加时,复合材料的最大绝热温变峰变宽.当x=0.7时,层状复合磁制冷材料在外加磁场1.5 T下的最大绝热温变(ΔT)在260-310K范围里从1.1 K变到2.0 K,这种材料非常适合作为室温磁制冷材料.     

Diameter-dependent composition of vapor-liquid-solid grown Si(1-x)Ge(x) nanowires

Diameter-dependent compositions of Si(1-x)Ge(x) nanowires grown by a vapor-liquid-solid mechanism using SiH(4) and GeH(4) precursors are studied by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy. For the growth conditions studied, the Ge concentration in Si(1-x)Ge(x) nanowires shows a strong dependence on nanowire diameter, with the Ge concentration decreasing with decreasing nanowire diameter below approximately 50 nm. The size-dependent nature of Ge concentration in Si(1-x)Ge(x) NWs is strongly suggestive of Gibbs-Thomson effects and highlights another important phenomenon in nanowire growth.     

Interface charge induced p-type characteristics of aligned Si(1-x)Gex nanowires

This study reports the electrical transport characteristics of Si(1-x)Gex (x=0-0.3) nanowires. Nanowires with diameters of 50-100 nm were grown on Si substrates. The valence band spectra from the nanowires indicate that energy band gap modulation is readily achievable using the Ge content. The structural characterization showed that the native oxide of the Si(1-x)Gex nanowires was dominated by SiO2; however, the interfaces between the nanowire and the SiO2 layer consisted of a mixture of Si and Ge oxides. The electrical characterization of a nanowire field effect transistor showed p-type behavior in all Si(1-x)Gex compositions due to the Ge-O and Si-O-Ge bonds at the interface and, accordingly, the accumulation of holes in the level filled with electrons. The interfacial bonds also dominate the mobility and on- and off-current ratio. The large interfacial area of the nanowire, together with the trapped negative interface charge, creates an appearance of p-type characteristics in the Si(1-x)Gex alloy system. Surface or interface structural control, as well as compositional modulation, would be critical in realizing high-performance Si(1-x)Gex nanowire devices.     

Ge-rich islands grown on patterned Si substrates by low-energy plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition

Si(1-x)Ge(x) islands grown on Si patterned substrates have received considerable attention during the last decade for potential applications in microelectronics and optoelectronics. In this work we propose a new methodology to grow Ge-rich islands using a chemical vapour deposition technique. Electron-beam lithography is used to pre-pattern Si substrates, creating material traps. Epitaxial deposition of thin Ge films by low-energy plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition then leads to the formation of Ge-rich Si(1-x)Ge(x) islands (x > 0.8) with a homogeneous size distribution, precisely positioned with respect to the substrate pattern. The island morphology was characterized by atomic force microscopy, and the Ge content and strain in the islands was studied by μRaman spectroscopy. This characterization indicates a uniform distribution of islands with high Ge content and low strain: this suggests that the relatively high growth rate (0.1 nm s(-1)) and low temperature (650?°C) used is able to limit Si intermixing, while maintaining a long enough adatom diffusion length to prevent nucleation of islands outside pits. This offers the novel possibility of using these Ge-rich islands to induce strain in a Si cap.     

Microstructure and magnetic properties of Fe(x)Ni(1-x) alloy nanoplatelets

Plate-like nanoparticles (or nanoplatelets) of Fe(x)Ni(1-x) (x = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, and 0.6) alloy were successfully synthesized through a simple sonochemical method. The shapes of the alloy nanoplatelets with different Fe atom contents are almost same. Their average diameters are about 50 nm, and their average thicknesses are several nanometers. The obtained Fe(x)Ni(1-x) alloy nanoplatelets are single-phased and have a face-centered cubic (FCC) crystal structure. The lattice constants of the alloy nanoplatelets are larger than the corresponding bulk value and increase with increasing Fe content. The surface oxidation of the alloy nanoplatelets leads to the lattice expansion. The alloy nanoplatelet powders are all ferromagnetic, and their saturation magnetizations are slightly lower than the corresponding bulk value. The saturation magnetic field and the coercivity increase with increasing Fe content. Magnetic hysteresis loops along the directions deviating different angles from the nanoplatelets plane are obviously different, indicating that the easy-axis is in the in-plane direction and the magnetization reversal is incoherent mode. The micromagnetic simulation results for the array composed of thirty-six Fe0.6Ni0.4 alloy nanoplatelets fit well with the measured data.     

Si_(0.75)Ge_(0.25)虚衬底上应变补偿Si/Si_(0.62)Ge_(0.38)量子阱发光

由于Si/SiGe异质结构的带阶差主要发生在价带,为实现高效率的发光,本文从理论上设计了在硅基Si1-xGex虚衬底上外延应变补偿的Si/S1-yGey(y>x)量子阱的能带结构,将量子阱对电子的限制势垒提高到100meV以上。在实验上,采用300℃生长的Ge量子点插入层,制备出薄的SiGe驰豫缓冲层(虚衬底),表面Ge组份达到0.25,表面粗糙度小于2nm,驰豫度接近100%。在我们制备的SiGe缓冲层上外延了应变补偿SiGe/Si多量子阱结构,并初步研究了其发光特性。     

Metastable Ge1-xCx alloy nanowires

Carbon-containing alloy materials such as Ge(1-x)C(x) are attractive candidates for replacing silicon (Si) in the semiconductor industry. The addition of carbon to diamond lattice not only allows control over the lattice dimensions, but also enhances the electrical properties by enabling variations in strain and compositions. However, extremely low carbon solubility in bulk germanium (Ge) and thermodynamically unfavorable Ge-C bond have hampered the production of crystalline Ge(1-x)C(x) alloy materials in an equilibrium growth system. Here we successfully synthesized high-quality Ge(1-x)C(x) alloy nanowires (NWs) by a nonequilibrium vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) method. The carbon incorporation was controlled by NW growth conditions and the position of carbon atoms in the Ge matrix (at substitutional or interstitial sites) was determined by the carbon concentration. Furthermore, the shrinking of lattice spacing caused by substitutional carbon offered the promising possibility of band gap engineering for photovoltaic and optoelectronic applications.     

高真空化学气相外延炉的研制

研制出满足Ｓｉ１－ｘＧｅｘ异质结薄膜材料生长工艺的高真空化学气相外延炉,介绍了Ｓｉ１－ｘＧｅｘ异质结薄膜材料的生长工艺,详述了该气相外延设备的性能指标、结构组成和设计原理,并且给出了利用该设备生长Ｓｉ１－ｘＧｅｘ异质薄膜的实验结果。     

Synthesis and luminescence properties of lanthanide (III)-doped YF3 nanoparticles

Synthesis process and luminescence properties of trivalent lanthanide ions (Ln3+) doped YF3 nanoparticles have been investigated. To synthesis Ln(3+)-doped YF3 nanoparticles, the mixture of (YCl3 x nH2O + LnCl3 x nH2O), and NH4F was hydrothermal treated at 180 degrees C in a Teflon-liner auto-clave or heated at higher temperatures (400 degrees C - 600 degrees C) in a stove. The XRD patterns showed that the Ln(3+)-doped orthorhombic YF3 nanoparticles with no second phase have been prepared. The solid solution Y(1-x)Eu(x)F3 (x = 0 - 0.4) nanoparticles have been synthesized. The luminescence concentration quenching resulted from resonance energy transfer between neighboring Eu3+ ions occurred at higher Eu3+ concentrations (30 mol%). The upconversion luminescence of Er(3+)-Yb3+ codoped YF3 nanoparticles under 980 nm excitation has also been observed. With increase of heated temperature, the size of the Er(3+)-Yb3+ codoped YF3 nanoparticles increased gradually, and upconversion luminescence intensity increased significantly.     

Fabrication of (Nd(0.01)La(x)Y(0.99-x))2O3 nanoparticles and transparent ceramics by combustion synthesis

Y2O3 acts as the matrix material when doped with different content of La2O3 for reducing sintering temperature and refining grains. The (Nd(0.01)La(x)Y(0.99-x))2O3 nanoparticles and transparent ceramics are fabricated by a combustion synthesis. The powder feature is characterized by TEM. The microstructure, mechanical properties and transmittance of the samples are examined by SEM, HV-1000 hardness tester and fluorescence analyzer respectively. The results show that the (Nd(0.01)La(x)Y(0.99-x))2O3 nanoparticles are homogeneous in size and nearly spherical with average diameter in the range of 40-60 nm. There are no other phases except the Y2O3 cubic phase in the (Nd(0.01)La(x)Y(0.99-x))2O3 nanoparticles. The grains of the samples significantly reduce with increasing La2O3 content. The hardness and fracture toughness increase rapidly first and then gradually tend to plateau with increasing La2O3 content. The transmittance of sample also increases gradually with increasing La2O3, the largest transmittance exceeds 77% when the La2O3 content is x = 0.12.     

Estimation on Magnetic Refrigeration Material （Gd1-xREx）5Si4 （RE=Dy, Ho）

A systematic (Gd1-xREx)5Si4 (RE=Dy, Ho) alloys are investigated to estimate their magnetocaloric effect.The Curie points of (Gd1-xREx)Si4 alloys can tunable from 266 K to 336 K when RE=Dy, Ho; x=0～0.35 and 0～0.15, respectively, and decrease nearly linearly with increasing x. These alloys keep orthorhombic structures Ge5Sm4 and exhibit second order transition when they experience in a change magnetic field at about Curie when magnetic field changes 0～2 T. The adiabatic temperatures changes (△Tad) of these alloys at Curie points are larger than 1 K in a field change 0～1.4 T, the curve of △Tad is wide as that of Gd. The relative cooling power is about 0.8～0.9 J/cm3 when field changes 0～2 T, 55% of that of Gd. Comparing with Gd5(Si1-xGex)4, these alloys do not contain expensive element Ge, so that their cost are lower than the former. Because they could work at temperature region 260～340 K due to their Curie points can be tuned, which is an advantage comparing with Gd, these alloys are potential magnetic refrigerants working in a magnetic refrigerator with a low magnetic field at room temperatures.     

GexSi1-x/Si中应变的会聚束电子衍射研究

介绍了会聚束电子衍射（ＣＢＥＤ）技术与计算机模拟相结合测定ＧｅｘＳｉ１－ｘ／Ｓｉ化学梯度层中应变分布的实验结果,提供了一种高空间分辨率,高灵敏度,且适用于任何材料系中微区晶格常数测定及应变分布研究的技术途径。     

Mutual passivation of electrically active and isovalent impurities

The alloy GaN(x) As(1-x) (with x typically less than 0.05) is a novel semiconductor that has many interesting electronic properties because of the nitrogen-induced dramatic modifications of the conduction band structure of the host material (GaAs). Here we demonstrate the existence of an entirely new effect in the GaN(x) As(1-x) alloy system in which the Si donor in the substitututional Ga site (Si(Ga)) and the isovalent atom N in the As sublattice (N(As)) passivate each other's electronic activity. This mutual passivation occurs in Si-doped GaN(x) As(1-x) through the formation of nearest-neighbour Si(Ga) -N(As) pairs and is thermally stable up to 950 degrees C. Consequently, Si doping in GaN(x) As(1-x) under equilibrium conditions results in a highly resistive GaN(x) As(1-x) layer with the fundamental bandgap governed by a net 'active' N, roughly equal to the total N content minus the Si concentration. Such mutual passivation is expected to be a general phenomenon for electrically active dopants and localized state impurities that can form nearest-neighbour pairs.     

Thermodynamics of coherently-strained GexSi1-x nanocrystals on Si(001): alloy composition and island formation

We determined the enthalpic and entropic contributions to the thermodynamics of coherently strained nanocrystals grown via deposition of pure Ge on Si(001) surfaces at 600 and 700 degrees C by analyzing their composition profile and local strain. We found that the free energy associated with the entropy of mixing, which drives GexSi1-x alloy formation, was significantly larger than the relaxation enthalpy that produces the islands. Thus, entropy plays a significant role in the evolution of the size and shape of the islands during growth through the strong thermodynamic drive to form an alloy.     

MlNi5-x （CoMnAl）x吸放氢性能及其催化聚合物双键加氢研究

为了探索新型聚合物双键加氢催化材料,采用XRD和自制吸氢装置等对贮氢合金MlNi5-x(CoMnAl)x的组成、吸放氢性能及其催化加氢活性等进行了研究.MlNi5-x(CoMnAl)x的P-C-T曲线表明,合金具有较低的平台压力,稳定性好;对比合金表面处理前后的吸氢动力学曲线发现:MlNi5-X(CoMnAl)x吸氢初期速度较快,后期则随时间延长吸氢量缓慢增加,而经过[6M KOH+1%KBH4]处理或Pd修饰后则可迅速达到吸氢平衡.催化聚合物双键加氢性能研究表明,未处理合金对NBR溶液加氢氢化度为零,经过[6M KOH+1%KBH4]处理和钯修饰后的合金可对NBR、SBS、NR等聚合物双键加氢,氢化度分别为33.5%、32.3%、31.1%.说明合金表面组成及结构对其吸放氢性能和催化活性均有明显影响.     

Enhancement of thermoelectric properties by modulation-doping in silicon germanium alloy nanocomposites

Modulation-doping was theoretically proposed and experimentally proved to be effective in increasing the power factor of nanocomposites (Si(80)Ge(20))(70)(Si(100)B(5))(30) by increasing the carrier mobility but not the figure-of-merit (ZT) due to the increased thermal conductivity. Here we report an alternative materials design, using alloy Si(70)Ge(30) instead of Si as the nanoparticles and Si(95)Ge(5) as the matrix, to increase the power factor but not the thermal conductivity, leading to a ZT of 1.3 ± 0.1 at 900 °C.