Ferromagnetism of Mn<Subscript>5</Subscript>Ge<Subscript>3</Subscript> Precipitates in Mn-implanted Self-organized Ge/Si Quantum Dots

One layer of self-assembled Ge quantum dots with Si barrier were grown on high resistivity (100) p-type Si substrates by rapid thermal chemical vapor deposition followed by Mn ion implantation and post-annealing. A presence of ferromagnetic structure was confirmed in the dilute magnetic quantum dots (DMQD). The DMQD through 10 min annealing was found to be homogeneous, and to exhibit p-type conductivity, insulating property, and ferromagnetic ordering with a Curie temperature, T _c=170 K. On the other hand, the DMQD through 30 and 60 min annealing was found to be semi-insulating and ferromagnetic ordering with a Curie temperature over 300 K. The XRD data show that there is a phase separation of Mn rich phases Mn₅Ge₃ from MnGe nanostructure. Therefore, it is likely that the ferromagnetic exchange coupling of sample with T _c=170 K is hole-mediated and the ferromagnetism in sample with T _c>300 K is due to Mn₅Ge₃ phase.     

Optical and Magnetic Properties of Ten-Period InGaMnAs/GaAs Quantum Wells

Ten layers of InGaMnAs/GaAs multiquantum wells (MQWs) structure were grown on high resistivity (100) p-type GaAs substrates by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). A presence of the ferromagnetic structure was confirmed in the InGaMnAs/GaAs MQWs structure, and have ferromagnetic ordering with a Curie temperature, T _C=50 K. It is likely that the ferromagnetic exchange coupling of the sample with T _C=50 K is hole-mediated resulting in Mn substituting In or Ga sites. PL emission spectra of the InGaMnAs MQWs sample grown at a temperature of 170 °C show that an activation energy of the Mn ion on the first quantum confinement level in InGaAs QW is 32 meV and impurity Mn is partly ionized. The fact that the activation energy of 32 meV of Mn ion in the QW is lower than an activation energy of 110 meV for a substitutional Mn impurity in GaAs, indicating an impurity band existing in the bandgap due to substitutional Mn ions.     

Ferromagnetism in Mn-implanted Ge/Si Nanostructure Material

Multistacked Ge quantum dots (QDs) with Si spacers of different thicknesses have been grown on (100) Si substrates by rapid thermal chemical vapor deposition followed by Mn ion implantation and post-annealing. The presence of ferromagnetic structure was confirmed in the insulating (Si_0.45Ge_0.55)Mn_0.03 diluted magnetic quantum dots (DMQD) and semiconducting (Si_0.45Ge_0.55)Mn_0.05 DMQD. The DMQD materials were found to be homogeneous and to exhibit p-type conductivity and ferromagnetic ordering with a Curie temperature of T _C=350 and 160 K. The x-ray diffraction (XRD) data show that there is a phase separation of Mn₅Ge₃ from the MnGe nanostructure. The temperature-dependent electrical resistivity in semiconducting DMQD material indicates that manganese introduces two acceptor levels in germanium, at 0.14 eV from the valence band and 0.41 eV from the conduction band implying Mn substituting Ge. Therefore, it is likely that the ferromagnetic exchange coupling of DMQD material with T _C=160 K is hole mediated due to formation of bound magnetic polarons and the ferromagnetism in a sample with T _C>300 K is due to Mn₅Ge₃ phase.     

Lasing wavelength of quantum dot heterostructures controlled within the 1.3–0.85 μm range by means of high-temperature annealing

We have studied the effect of high-temperature annealing on the properties of a laser heterostructure with InAs quantum dots in AlAs/GaAs superlattice. By increasing the time of annealing at 700°C, it is possible to provide for a smooth variation of the lasing wavelength from 1290 to 916 nm at a constant threshold current density (250 A/cm² at T ₀=110 K). By annealing the structure at 750°C, the lasing wavelength can be reduced to 845 nm.     

Tuning optical properties of high In content InGaAs/GaAs capped InAs quantum dots by post growth rapid thermal annealing

The effect of rapid thermal annealing on InAs quantum dots (QDs) capped with In_0.4Ga_0.6As/GaAs layer has been investigated by photoluminescence (PL). An unusual red shift of the PL emission peak has been observed for an annealing temperature (T_a) of 650 °C together with a pronounced improvement of the PL from the quantum well like heterocapping layer (QW). This behavior is attributed to the strain induced phase separation of the hetero-capping alloy. However, for T_a = 750 °C, a blue shift of the QDs PL peak has been observed with respect to that of the as-grown sample. For this annealing temperature the PL intensity of the QW exceeds that of the QDs indicating a relatively prominent In/Ga interdiffusion. When annealed at 850 °C, only the PL arising from the QW can be detected in addition to a broadened low energy side band indicating the dissolution of the QDs at that temperature.     

Density and Volume Fraction of Supercritical CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> in Pores of Native and Oxidized Aerogels

The density and volume fraction of an adsorbed phase of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in aerogels was investigated using a formalism based on independent measurements of neutron transmission and small-angle neutron scattering from fluid-saturated absorbers (Rother et al. J. Phys. Chem. C 111, 15736 (2007)). The range of excess fluid pressures (0 <  P <  8 MPa) and temperatures (T = 35°C and 80°C) corresponded to the supercritical regime above the critical temperature T _C = 31.1°C and critical density ρ _C = 0.468 g · cm⁻³ of the bulk fluid. The results demonstrate that a porous aerogel matrix works to create an adsorbed phase with liquid-like fluid densities reaching ~1.1 g · cm⁻³ and ~0.8 g · cm⁻³ at T = 35°C and 80°C, respectively. Thus, despite the fact that the density and volume fraction of the adsorbed fluid both decrease with temperature, the dense adsorbed phase is still present in the aerogel at temperatures far exceeding the T _C. Heat treatment (“oxidation”) of the aerogel at 500°C for 2 h, which removes a significant fraction of the alkyl groups from the aerogel surface, has little effect on the adsorption properties. The observed reduction of the density and volume fraction of the adsorbed CO₂ with temperature and its minor dependence on the surface modification are consistent with predictions of the pore-filling model.     

The low-temperature electric conductivity of YBaCuO and LaSrMnO dielectric films obtained by a pulsed laser sputter deposition technique

We have studied the electric conductivity of YBaCuO and LaSrMnO dielectric films obtained by pulsed laser sputtering of targets possessing metallic conductivity. The plots of the sample resistance versus temperature R=R(T) measured at T<T _cr(T _cr=160–240 K) exhibit regions where R is independent of the temperature. This phenomenon is probably related to manifestations of the quantum confinement effects upon the conversion of small grains into quantum dots. In the region of T<T _cr, the electric conductivity of the system is determined by a mechanism of the phononless electron tunneling with participation of the atomic-type states belonging to small grains (clusters) featuring metallic conductivity in the amorphous matrix.     

Influence of a Weak Magnetic Field on Photoconductivity Spectrum of C60 Single Crystal

Abstract

Comparative research of the excitation photoconductivity spectra (quantum light energy 2–5 eV) of C₆₀ single crystal in and out of magnetic field at the temperature T = 250–350 K has been carried. The spectral evolution at this temperature range is described. It is shown that the spectra changes abrupt at temperature T ₁ ～ 260 K and T ₂ ～ 315 K. An increase in the photoconductivity up to 15% was observed in the magnetic field (B = 0.4 T) within the photon energy range 2.5–4.5 eV. Local photoconductivity peak's appearances in the magnetic field have been proven that the charge transfer excitons take part in a photoconductivity.     

Properties of Heavily Mn-doped GaMnAs with Curie Temperature of 172.5 K

The authors have investigated the magnetic properties of heavily Mn-doped ferromagnetic semiconductor Ga_1−x Mn _x As thin film with the Mn concentration x of 15.2% grown by molecular-beam epitaxy at relatively high growth temperature of 250 °C. Magnetic circular dichroism and the anomalous Hall effect measurements indicate that this thin film holds the intrinsic ferromagnetic semiconductor features. By low-temperature annealing, the resistivity was significantly decreased and the Curie temperature was largely enhanced from 95 K to 172.5 K.     

The Effect of Sintering Temperature Variation on the Superconducting Properties of ErBa<Subscript>2</Subscript>Cu<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>7−<Emphasis Type="Italic">δ</Emphasis></Subscript> Superconductor Prepared via Coprecipitation Method

The effect of heat treatment on the superconducting properties of ErBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ (ErBCO) ceramic materials has been studied. The nano-metal oxalate precursor was prepared using coprecipitation (COP) method. The prepared materials were subjected to calcination process at 900 °C for 12 h and then sintered under oxygen environment for 15 h at 920 °C, 930 °C, 940 °C, and 950 °C, respectively. All samples showed a metallic behavior and single-step transition in the R–T curves. The best zero critical current, T _C(R=0)=91.4 K, was for the sample sintered at 920 °C. XRD data showed single phase of an orthorhombic structure. As the sintering temperature increases, the formation of nonsuperconducting phases (impurities) was observed when the samples sintered above 920 °C. The formation of nano-oxalate powders via COP method is a very efficient procedure to produce high-quality superconductors with less processing temperature required.     

DC magnetization studies in Nb/Fe superconducting multilayers

The behavior of superconducting transition temperature T_C in superconducting/ferromagnetic (S/F) multilayers as a function of different layer thicknesses and for varying magnetic moment μ_B of the F layer atoms is studied. Multilayer structures consist of five bilayers of constant superconducting Nb layer thickness of 400 Å and Fe of 6 and 24 Å each. The analysis of the magnetization data revealed that for t_Fe=6 Å, the Fe layer is non-magnetic. The interpretation of the observed T_C behavior is attributed to the change of the interaction of the cooper pairs with this layer at the onset of ferromagnetism for t_Fe=6 Å. The hysteresis curve recorded under isothermal conditions at 4.5 K for [Nb (400 Å)/Fe (6 Å)]₅ multilayers shows the usual M–H hysteresis behavior which is typical of a hard type-II superconductor exhibiting an irreversibility field H_irr of 3.5 kOe with substantial pinning at lower field. In addition, [Nb(400 Å)/Fe(6 Å)]₅ multilayer displays anomalous behavior in the form of paramagnetic peak in the superconducting state just below the transition temperature T_C=6.25 K.     

Reel-to-Reel Deposition of Reactively Sputtered LaZrO Buffer Layers on Textured NiW Tapes for YBaCuO Coated Conductors

A biaxially textured buffer layer of LaZrO (LZO) was continuously grown on Ni-5-at%W (NiW) tapes using a reel-to-reel DC reactive sputtering technique. X-ray diffraction measurements revealed that the LZO layer deposited at water vapor partial pressures of 2.5×10^?2 Pa and the temperature of 800?°C are biaxially textured with the misorientation as low as 4.7°. AFM measurements show that the layer??s surfaces are homogeneous and flat with the RMS value less than 5 nm. YBa₂Cu₃O_7??? (YBCO) superconducting films grown on the single LZO buffer layer exhibited the critical temperature (T _c ) of 89 K with a narrow transition width less than 2 K. For comparison, another Ce₂Y₂O₇ (CYO) layer grown using DC reactive sputtering was added on the top of the LZO layer. The architecture YBCO/CYO/LZO/NiW exhibited better texture and higher T _c such as 90 K with ??T _c of 1.5 K, demonstrating the availability of a novel simplified buffer layer stack of CYO/LZO for superconducting coated conductors.     

The Superconducting Ferromagnet UCoGe

The correlated metal UCoGe is a weak itinerant ferromagnet with a Curie temperature T _C=3 K and a superconductor with a transition temperature T _s=0.6 K. We review its basic thermal, magnetic—on the macro and microscopic scale—and transport properties, as well as the response to high pressure. The data unambiguously show that superconductivity and ferromagnetism coexist below T _s=0.6 K and are carried by the same 5f electrons. We present evidence that UCoGe is a p-wave superconductor and argue that superconductivity is mediated by critical ferromagnetic spin fluctuations.     

Investigation of Anomalous Magnetic Transition in Pr0.5Sr0.5CoO3

Polycrystalline perovskite cobalt oxides Pr_0.5Sr_0.5CoO₃ were prepared by the sol-gel method. We mainly study the anomalous magnetic transition of Pr_0.5Sr_0.5CoO₃. We report the investigations of polycrystalline samples of the metallic ferromagnetic material Pr_0.5Sr_0.5CoO₃ through measurements of X-ray diffraction, the magnetization, and the resistivity. We found an unusual anomaly around T _A=120 K, much below the ferromagnetic transition (T _C=228 K). Further using the variable temperature X-ray diffraction and electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements, we found that as the temperature goes down, the crystal structure changes obviously at T _A=120 K. We show that this actually results in anomalous magnetic transition.     

La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 Nanoparticles Synthesized via the (Pechini) Polymeric Precursor Method

In this paper, we report the preparation of La_0.7Sr_0.3MnO₃ colossal magnetoresistance nanoparticles by means of the polymeric precursor method, at a temperature of 650 °C. Rietveld refinement of the X-ray powder diffraction spectra shows that the chemically-synthesized manganite is single-phase with the space group R3C. By using the peak broadening technique and Scherrer’s formula, a grain size of ～15 nm was estimated. The ferromagnetic to paramagnetic transition is sharp with a Curie temperature of T _C ～360 K. In spite of the low annealing temperature, the insulator-metal-like transition temperature (T _p ) is close to T _C . Transport measurements on the prepared samples show a magnetoresistance change of ～10 % at room temperature in a field of 2 T. This high-field MR is probably due to grain-boundary effects.     

Novel green-emitting polymer containing fluorene and 1-(2-benzothiazolyl)-3,5-diphenylpyrazoline

Novel electroluminescent (EL) polymer based on fluorene having benzothiazolylpyrazoline unit in the main chain was synthesized. The result polymer possessed satisfactory thermal stability with onset decomposition temperature (T _d) of 401 °C and glass-transition temperature (T _g) of 213 °C. The polymer emits green fluorescence with high photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield of 47%. Polymer light-emitting diode (PLED) was fabricated with the configuration of ITO/PEDT 40 nm/PVK 40 nm/polymer(80 nm)/Ba(4 nm)/Al(160 nm) showed turn-on voltage of 4.5 V, and it can emit green light with maximum brightness of 1726 cd m⁻² with the maximum external quantum efficiency of 1.59%.     

Growth and characterization of La5/8Sr3/8MnO3 thin films prepared by pulsed laser deposition on different substrates

Colossal magnetoresistance La_5/8Sr_3/8MnO₃ (LSMO) thin films were directly grown on MgO(100), Si(100) wafer and glass substrates by pulsed laser deposition technique. The films were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission-scanning electron microscope and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The electrical and magnetic properties of the films are studied. From the XRD patterns, the films are found to be polycrystalline single-phases. The surface appears porous and cauliflower-like morphology for all LSMO films. From AFM images, the LSMO films deposited on glass substrate were presented smooth morphologies of the top surfaces as comparing with the films were deposited on Si(100) and MgO(100). The highest magnetoresistance (MR) value obtained was ?17.21 % for LSMO/MgO film followed by ?15.65 % for LSMO/Si and ?14.60 % for LSMO/Cg films at 80 K in a 1T magnetic field. Phase transition temperature (T_P) is 224 K for LSMO/MgO, 200 K for LSMO/Si and above room temperature for films deposited on glass substrates. The films exhibit ferromagnetic transition at a temperature (T_C) around 363 K for LSMO/MgO, 307 K for LSMO/Si and 352 K for LSMO/Cg thin film. T_C such as 363 and 352 K are the high T_C that has ever been reported for LSMO films deposited on MgO substrate with high lattice mismatch parameter and glass substrates with amorphous nature.     

Magnetic and Thermal Behavior of Ru<Subscript>0.9</Subscript>Sr<Subscript>2</Subscript>YCu<Subscript>2.1</Subscript>O<Subscript>7.9</Subscript> Magneto-Superconductor Synthesized by High-Pressure High-Temperature Technique

The structural, physical, and thermal property details of Ru_0.9Sr₂YCu_2.1O_7.9 (Y/Ru-1212) superconducting material synthesized through high pressure (6 GPa) and a high temperature (1400 °C) (HPHT) route are reported here. (Y/Ru-1212) crystallizes in P4/mmm tetragonal structure and is found free of any detectable impurities through X-ray diffractometry. Ru-spins are ordered magnetically above 145 K, with a sizeable ferromagnetic component at 5 K. Further clear diamagnetic transitions are seen in both zero-field-cooled (ZFC) and field-cooled (FC) magnetic susceptibility measurements and exhibiting superconductivity below 50 K. Both the thermoelectric power (S) and thermal conductivity (κ) measurements show superconductivity onset below 50 K with S=0 at 30 K and a broad hump in heat capacity C _p (T) below 30 K. Heat capacity (C _p ) measurements also exhibit the magnetic ordering temperature as a hump below 145 K. The appearance of a hump in C _p (T), instead of a clear transition, is indicative of short range magnetic correlations like spin glass (SG). Neither the high (145 K) nor the low (30 K) temperature humps of C _p (T) could be analyzed quantitatively because of short magnetic correlations in former and mixing of both superconductivity and FM components in a later case. The observed data is compared with various reported Ru-1212 systems synthesized under normal pressure conditions. It is concluded that HPHT synthesized Y/Ru-1212 is a bulk superconductor below 30 K with a substantial FM component.     

Impact of Silver Addition on Room Temperature Magneto-Resistance in La0.7Ba0.3MnO3 (LBMO): Ag x ?( x =0.0,?0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4)

La_0.7Ba_0.3MnO₃ (LBMO): Ag _x (x=0.0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4) composites are synthesized by a solid-state reaction route, the final sintering temperatures are varied from 1300 °C (LBMO1300Ag) to 1400 °C (LBMO1400Ag), and their physical properties are compared as a function of temperature and Ag content. All samples are crystallized in single phase accompanied by some distortion in main structural phase peaks at higher angles with an increase in silver content. Though the lattice parameters (a,c) decrease, the b increases slightly with an increase in Ag content. The scanning electron micrographs (SEM) showed better grains morphology in terms of size and diffusion of grain boundaries with an increase in Ag content. In both LBMO1300Ag and LBMO1400Ag series, the metal insulator transition (T ^MI) and accompanied paramagnetic-ferromagnetic transition (T _C) temperatures are decreased with an increase in Ag content. The sharpness of MI transition, defined by temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR), is improved for Ag added samples. At a particular content of Ag(0.3), the T ^MI and T _C are tuned to 300 K and maximum magneto-resistance at 7 Tesla applied field (MR^{7 T}) of up to 55% is achieved at this temperature, which is more than double to that as observed for pure samples of the both 1300 and 1400 °C series at same temperature. The MR^{7 T} is further increased to above 60% for LBMOAg(0.4) samples, but is at 270 K. The MR^{7 T} is measured at varying temperatures of 5, 100, 200, 300, and 400 K in varying fields from ±7 Tesla, which exhibits U and V type shapes. Summarily, the addition of Ag in LBMO improves significantly the morphology of the grains and results in better physical properties of the parent manganite system.     

Pressure-enhanced ferromagnetism and metallicity in La1.24Sr1.76Mn2O7 bilayered manganite system

We report the low temperature magnetization, electrical resistance, and magnetoresistance of La_1.24Sr_1.76Mn₂O₇ bilayer manganite system under hydrostatic pressure. At ambient pressure, the compound shows a sharp ferromagnetic transition (T _C) accompanied by a metal–insulator transition (T _MI) at 130 K. We observe that the T _C and T _MI increase with hydrostatic pressure at a rate of dT _C/dP = 2.08 K/kbar and dT _MI/dP = 2 K/kbar, respectively. Also, we observe an appreciable increase of magnetic moments at low temperatures with increasing pressure. The high temperature regime of temperature dependence of resistivity curves was fitted with the Emin–Holstein’s polaron hopping model and the calculated activation energy values suggest that the applied pressure weakens the formation of Jahn–Teller polarons. The magnetoresistance ratio (MRR) was measured at T _C and at 4.2 K upon an external magnetic field of 5 T. The observed MRR at T _C is about 210 % and the applied pressure increases the MRR significantly. These results can be interpreted by the pressure-enhanced overlap between the orbitals of Mn–O–Mn, which facilitates the charge transfer and hence enhances the ferromagnetism and metallicity.