ZnO low-dimensional structures: electrical properties measured inside a transmission electron microscope

The electrical properties of wurtzite-type ZnO low-dimensional structures were analysed using a scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) in situ holder for transmission electron microscopes (TEM). Compared to similar studies in the literature employing nanowires or nanobelts, our work illustrates that rather complex structures can be reliably analysed with this technique. Through controlled contact manipulations it was possible to alter the systems I–V characteristics and, in separate experiments, to follow their electrical response to cycles of induced stress. Analysis of the I–V curves showed higher than expected resistances which, according to the detailed TEM characterisation, could be correlated with the considerable density of defects present. These defects accumulate in specific areas of the complex structural arrays of ZnO and represent high resistance points responsible for structural failure, when the systems are subjected to extreme current flows. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Study on the electron emission properties of ZnO nanorod arrays on different substrates

Large area well-aligned ZnO nanorod arrays on different substrates were synthesized by hydrothermal methods. The electron emission properties of the ZnO nanorod arrays on different substrates were investigated under both direct current (DC) and pulse electric fields. Owing to the excellent conductivity of substrates, the array on stainless steel substrate had better electron emission properties than that on silicon substrate. Under the DC and pulse electric fields, the electron emission of arrays had different production mechanisms which were pure field emission and plasma-induced emission respectively. During the plasma-induced emission, the plasma formed on the array surface, and the maximum emission current density of arrays on stainless steel was 118.87 A/cm2. The plasma-induced emission of ZnO nanorod arrays were always distributed uniformly. In this work, the results show that the ZnO nanorod arrays are expected to be applied to different electronic devices as electron beam sources under different electric fields.     

Electronic properties of ZnO nanorod MIS structure

Recently, there has been substantial interest in the study on the electronic properties of hybrid structures. In particular, ZnO nanorods are a good n-type material that can be formed at low temperature using solution deposition techniques complementing the availability of numerous p-type organic semiconductors. Furthermore, there is evidence suggesting that ZnO nanorods can act as efficient electron injectors making them ideally suitable for use in opto-electronic devices such as the light-emitting diodes and transistors. This work examined the electronic properties of ZnO nanorods deposited using spin coating and hydrothermal techniques as an n-type layer and we measured the carrier density and mobility using thermoelectric and Hall measurements. In the context of a hetero-structure device, we used the ZnO nanorods to form metal–insulator-semiconductor (MIS) diodes and measured the capacitance–voltage (C–V) characteristics. Our results suggested that the semiconductor-insulator interface was in depletion at equilibrium and moved away from depletion at both positive and negative (gate) biases. The computed carrier density based on the C–V measurements was essentially the same as what was found in the thermoelectric measurements leading to the argument that charge flow in the MIS structures had been primarily along the long axes of the nanorods. The dynamic C–V characteristics also suggested that there could be substantial (negative) charge states at the insulator-semiconductor interface that readily supplied electrons to the depletion layer.     

A test object with a line width less than 10 nm for scanning electron microscopy

Data are given on the test object for scanning electron microscopy in which the components (ridges) are of trapezoidal profile and have large angles of inclination for the side walls. The width of the top surface of a projection is less than 10 nm. Methods have been developed for measuring such dimensions of test objects on standard scanning electron microscopes. __________ Translated from Izmeritel'naya Tekhnika, No. 8, pp. 20–23, August, 2008.     

Photovoltaic properties of a ZnO nanorod array affected by ethanol and liquid-crystalline porphyrin

A vertically aligned array of ZnO nanorods, fabricated on conductive ITO substrate in aqueous solution, was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and UV-visible transmission spectroscopy. Surface photovoltage (SPV) techniques based on a lock-in amplifier and a Kelvin probe were both employed to study the photogenerated charges in the system. The effects of ethanol solvent and a liquid-crystalline porphyrin, [5-(para-dodecyloxy)phenyl-10,15,20-tri-phenyl] porphyrin (DPTPP), on the photovoltage enhancement in the ZnO nanorod array were studied via SPV comparison between different irradiation directions on the system. We demonstrate that the ethanol adsorption could induce the space charge region to expand towards the ZnO/ITO interface. In the absence of ethanol, the ZnO nanorod array with the DPTPP adsorption showed enhanced SPV with reduced attenuation rate of photogenerated charge carriers. We found that the separation of photogenerated charges could be further improved by coating the surface with DPTPP and ethanol together. Furthermore, the SPV spectra patterns of the composite system with opposite incident-light directions reveal that the DPTPP molecules adsorbed just at the surface of ZnO nanorods adopt a more monomeric alignment in contrast to the aggregative state in the DPTPP bulk.     

Controllable synthesis and photoluminescence properties of ZnO nanorod and nanopin arrays

Well-aligned ZnO nanorods and nanopins are synthesized on a silicon substrate using a one-step simple thermal evaporation of a mixture of zinc and zinc acetate powder under controlled conditions. A self-assembled ZnO buffer layer was first obtained on the Si substrate. The structure and morphology of the as-synthesized ZnO nanorod and nanopin arrays are characterized using X-ray diffraction, and scanning and transmission electron microscopies, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The influence of the background atmosphere on the two ZnO nanostructures has been studied. Two different growth mechanisms are mentioned to interpret the formation of ZnO nanorod and nanopin arrays in our work. The room-temperature PL features the ZnO nanorods exhibit only sharp and strong ultraviolet (UV) emission emissions, which confirms the better crystalline and optical quality than the ZnO nanopins.     

游离细胞的扫描电镜样品制备方法

本文介绍游离细胞扫描电镜的制样方法。将细胞收集在“核孔”多聚碳素滤膜上,并采用叔丁醇脱水及真空干燥法。     

Characterization of r.f.-sputtered ZnO thin films by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy

Thin films of ZnO, ranging in thickness from 0.08 to 6 μm, have been prepared by r.f. sputtering on substrates of either quartz or glass under various deposition conditions and subsequently characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results from XRD indicate that the grain size increases from 0.01 to 0.5 μm as the film thickness is increased from 0.08 to 6 μm for deposition at 65 °C and increases from 0.1 to 0.3 μm as the deposition temperature is increased from 65 to 480 °C for a constant film thickness of 2 μm, whereas the lattice strain and dislocation density decrease slightly under similar conditions. Results from SEM indicate that the particle size parallel to the plane of the film is approximately equal to the mean grain size perpendicular to the plane of the film, suggesting that growth proceeds by the nucleation of new grains rather than by the elongation of columnar grains in the growth direction. General observations indicate that microstructural parameters, such as grain size, grain shape and lattice strain, depend sensitively on the exact nature of the deposition conditions.     

Detection of a single electron produced inside bulk superfluid helium

The HERON project is an effort to develop a detector for low-energy solar neutrinos in real time by observing their elastic scattering from electrons using superfluid helium as the target material. By applying appropriate electric fields, the recoil electron can be separated from the positive ion, drifted upward to the liquid–vacuum interface, transmitted through the surface with the aid of a vortex ring, and detected using a calorimeter. By studying the correlation of the 16 eV photon signal produced by scintillation and the single-electron signal, we can locate a neutrino event in a large detector and distinguish it from the background events involving multiple Compton scattering.     

Metallurgical applications of scanning transmission electron microscopy

It is shown that scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) has followed two main lines of development, the pure STEM based upon a field emission electron source in which the emphasis is given to high resolution, and a combined system in which STEM is an attachment to a conventional transmission microscope (TEM + STEM). When used in combination with an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer, the combined TEM + STEM system is shown to be extremely versatile and possibly the more useful for the applied metallurgist. The high vacuum requirements of pure STEM, however, make this system suitable to be used in conjunction with an Auger spectrometer. Examples of the various microanalysis facilities of STEM are given in the article, including micro-diffraction, rocking-beam channelling patterns, qualitative and quantitative X-ray spectroscopy analysis, particle analysis and in situ experimentation. The controversial subject of whether thicker specimens can be studied in STEM compared with conventional TEM is also discussed.     

ZnO纳米棒阵列、纳米片及其发光和光催化特性

首先通过溶胶-凝胶法在Si片基底上制备1层ZnO纳米薄膜,作为纳米棒的晶种层,然后利用金属浴沉积法在ZnO纳米薄膜基础上制备择优取向的ZnO纳米棒阵列,最后通过水热法二次成核结晶形成纳米片。研究证明,ZnO纳米棒阵列和纳米片均沿着c轴取向。在Cu2+抑制极性面生长的作用下,形成的ZnO纳米片结构均匀,分布面积广,单片ZnO纳米片的厚度约为8 nm,面积呈平方微米级,较大的有40μm2左右。ZnO纳米结构的生长取向对其物理化学性能具有重要影响。高度沿c轴取向的ZnO纳米棒有利于紫外光发射和激光器的发展,但极性面的缩小不利于光催化反应。     

Interfacial role and properties in model composites: Fracture surfaces by scanning electron microscopy

The fracture surfaces of glass sphere-filled polyethylene model composites with varying degrees of interfacial modification were examined by scanning electron microscopy. The micrographs give a qualitative view of the bonding process and the nature of the region of modified matrix surrounding the glass spheres. Adhesive failure is seen for the unmodified composites, and also for the composites with near monolayer modification. At higher degrees of interfacial modification a layer of bound modified matrix is formed around the glass surface and the failure is cohesive. The micrographs demonstrate that the properties of the modified interfacial layer are dependent on the volume fraction of glass. The micrographs also show that the mechanism of bonding the matrix to the glass surface is through the thermally activated azide moeity.     

Microstructural examination of layered coatings by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy

The structure of r.f. sputtered multilayer Ti-BN coatings was investigated by low-voltage scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry, transmission electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Appropriate specimen preparation methods are described for each technique; these included fracture of the substrate, masking the growing film to produce a taper section, and ion-beam milling of embedded cross sections. Correlation of scanning electron micrographs with atomic force images was facilitated by the presence of similar composition contrast in both cases. Quantitative X-ray microanalysis of the layers was performed using the φ(z) approach. The crystal structures of nanocrystalline grains nucleated as a result of interdiffusion reactions during thermal annealing were identified by selected-area electron diffraction and convergent-beam microdiffraction as -titanium and f.c.c. titanium nitride.     

Mechanical and field-emission properties of individual ZnO nanowires studied in situ by transmission electron microscopy

The mechanical and field-emission properties of individual ZnO nanowires,grown by a solid-vapour phase thermal sublimation process,were studied in situ by transmission electron microscopy(TEM)using a home-made TEM specimen holder.The mechanical resonance is electrically induced by applying an oscillating voltage,and in situ imaging has been achieved simultaneously.The mechanical results indicate that the elastic bending modulus of individual ZnO nanowires were measured to be～58 GPa.A nanobalance was buil...     

Compression test of a single carbon fiber in a scanning electron microscope and its evaluation via finite element analysis

A longitudinal compression test for a single polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fiber (T300) was performed using a scanning electron microscope. The compressive stress/strain behavior was initially linear, but subsequently became nonlinear. The longitudinal tangent modulus decreased with increasing compressive strain. A cyclic compression test revealed that the T300 carbon fiber deformed elastically up to ~90% compressive strength. The variability in the compressive strength was evaluated using Weibull analysis. The representative compressive strength of the T300 carbon fiber was nearly the same as the tensile strength. The compressive strength of the T300 carbon fiber was almost same as that of the high-tensile strength T800S carbon fiber. Finite element analysis was performed to investigate the validity of the test method. The results showed that the longitudinal compressive stress on the carbon fiber varied during longitudinal compressive loading. The maximum longitudinal compressive stress in the carbon fiber was slightly higher than the average compressive strength applied at the end. However, the variability in the measured compressive strength was much higher than that in the longitudinal compressive stress on the carbon fiber, which does not affect the former.     

Direct imaging of the atomic structure inside a nanowire by scanning tunnelling microscopy

Semiconductor nanowires are expected to be important components in future nano-electronics and photonics. Already a wide range of applications has been realized, such as high-performance field-effect transistors, bio/chemical sensors, diode logics and single-nanowire lasers. As nanowires have small cross-sections and large surface-to-bulk ratios, their properties can be significantly influenced by individual atomic-scale structural features, and they can have properties or even atomic arrangements with no bulk counterparts. Hence, experimental methods capable of directly addressing the atomic-scale structure of nanowires are highly desirable. One such method is scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM), which, by direct imaging of the atomic and electronic structure of surfaces has revolutionized the perception of nanoscale objects and low-dimensional systems. Here we demonstrate how combining STM with an embedding scheme allows us to image the interior of semiconductor nanowires with atomic resolution. Defect structures such as planar twin segments and single-atom impurities are imaged inside a GaAs nanowire. Further, we image an intriguing GaAs nanowire that is separated into two distinct nanocrystallites along the growth direction of the wire.     

Structural and magnetic properties of Mn-doped ZnO nanorod arrays grown via a simple hydrothermal reaction

High density Mn-doped ZnO nanorod arrays were vertically grown on ITO substrate via hydrothermal reaction at relatively low temperature of 95 °C. The microstructure and magnetism of the arrays have been examined. Field emission scanning electron microscopy shows that the nanorods of 100 nm diameter and 1 μm length grow along the [001] direction. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy demonstrates that Mn is successfully doped into the nanorods. Meanwhile, all the Mn-doped ZnO nanorod arrays are ferromagnetic at room temperature. It is also found that the value of the saturation magnetization (M_s) of the ZnO nanorod arrays firstly increases with increasing the Mn concentration and then decreases. The higher M_s value is 0.11emu/g, which is obtained in the 5 at.% Mn-doped ZnO nanorod arrays. The ferromagnetism comes from the ferromagnetic interaction between the Mn ions, which partly replace Zn ions.     

Fabrication and photoluminescence properties of graphite fiber/ZnO nanorod core-shell structures

Graphite fiber/ZnO nanorod core-shell structures were synthesized by thermal evaporation process. The core-shell hybrid architectures were comprised of ZnO nanorods grown on the surface of graphite fiber. In addition, Hollow ZnO hierarchical structure can be obtained by oxidizing the graphite fiber. Room temperature photoluminescence (PL) of the as-made graphite fiber/ZnO nanorod structures shows two UV peaks at around 3.274 eV and 3.181 eV. The temperature-dependent photoluminescence spectra demonstrate the two UV emissions are attributed to the intrinsic optical transitions and extrinsic defect-related emissions in ZnO. These hybrid structures may be used as the building block for fabrication of nanodevices.