Study of indium droplets formation on the InxGa1−xN films by single crystal x-ray diffraction

Indium droplet formation during the epitaxial growth of In_xGa_1−xN films is a serious problem for achieving high quality films with high indium mole fraction. In this paper, we studied the formation of indium droplets on the In_xGa_1−xN films grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) using single crystal x-ray diffraction. It is found that the indium (101) peak in the x-ray diffraction spectra can be utilized as a quantitative measure to determine the amounts of indium droplets on the film. It is shown by monitoring the indium diffraction peak that the density of indium droplets increases at lower growth temperature. To suppress these indium droplets, a modulation growth technique is used. Indium droplet formation in the modulation growth is investigated and it is revealed in our study that the indium droplets problem has been partially relieved by the modulation growth technique.     

Investigations of 3C-SiC inclusions in 4H-SiC epilayers on 4H-SiC single crystal substrates

Synchrotron white beam x-ray topography (SWBXT) and Nomarski optical microscopy (NOM) have been used to characterize 4H-SiC epilayers and to study the character of triangular inclusions therein. 4H-SiC substrates misoriented by a range of angles from (0001), as well as (1 100) and (1120) oriented substrates were used. For epilayers grown on substrates misoriented by 3.5° from (0001) toward <1120>, the triangular inclusions were identified as consisting of two 3C-SiC structural configurations which are related to each other by a 180° rotation about the [111] axis. The epitaxial relationships between the 3C inclusions and the 4H-SiC epilayers (or substrates) were also determined. No evidence was found for the nucleation of 3C-SiC inclusions at superscrew dislocations (along the [0001] axis) in the 4H-SiC substrates. Increasing the off-axis angle of the substrates from 3.5 to 6.5° was found to greatly suppress the formation of the triangular inclusions. In the case of substrates misoriented by 8.0° from (0001) toward <1120>, the triangular inclusions were virtually eliminated. The crystalline quality of 4H-SiC epilayers grown on the substrates misoriented by 8.0° from (0001) was very good. For the (1100) and (1120) samples, there is no indication of 3C-SiC inclusions in the epilayers. Possible formation mechanisms and the morphology of 3C-SiC inclusions are discussed.     

Characterization of InGaAs/GaAs(001) films grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy using alternative sources

Thin films of In_xGa_1−xAs (0<x<0.012) on GaAs (001) were grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy using triisopropylindium, triisobutylgallium, and tertiarybutylarsine. The effect of the process conditions, temperature, and V/III ratio on the film quality was studied using high resolution x-ray diffraction, scanning tunneling microscopy, and Hall measurements. High quality films were grown at temperatures as low as 475 °C and at a V/III ratio of 100. However, under these conditions, a change in growth mode from step flow to two-dimensional nucleation was observed.     

Investigations on the Failure of Economizer Tubes in a High-Pressure Boiler

This article describes the results of an investigation concerning the failure of economizer tubes of a high-pressure boiler in a dual-purpose power/water cogeneration plant. The failure was observed in the form of rupturing of one tube and a macrohole or pinhole in another tube. The boiler had an operating period of 116,123 h since its inception. For approximately the first 100,000 h, the fuel for the boiler was crude oil, which was replaced by Bunker C oil. The boiler tube is fabricated from carbon steel SA 210A1. The location of the failure was determined by on-site visual inspection of the boiler. Detailed macro- and microexaminations of inner and outer scales on the tube were begun to determine the cause of the rupture. The composition of the fire- and waterside scale and ash deposited on the outer surface of the tubes was analyzed by energy-dispersive x-ray (EDX) technique. The reduction percentage of wall thickness of the tube facing inside and outside the furnace was calculated. The cause of the failure of the economizer tube appears to be H₂SO₄ dew-point corrosion. The relatively low temperature of feedwater lowered the tube metal temperature and promoted the condensation of H₂SO₄. The external deposits on the tubes, as a result of bunker oil firing, further helped to lower the tube metal temperature, thus promoting H₂SO₄ condensation over the deposit and subsequent corrosion of the tube wall. Recommendations are given to prevent/minimize such failures.     

生物薄试样电镜X射线显微定量分析法进展

本文重点介绍应用Hall理论进行生物薄试样电镜X射线定量分析的原理和近年来运用此理论进行分析所采用的有关扣除背底、峰剥离、外源性背底校正以及标样等技术。文中还描述了“薄试样”的条件,介绍了近年运用Link公司开发的分析软件测定各元素的标样参数(FST)、根据标样参数对生物薄试样进行元素分析的方法。     

Properties of InAs/(Ga,In)Sb strained layer superlattices grown on the {111} orientations

Following the proposal of the extreme type-II InAs/(Ga,In)Sb strained layer superlattice system by Mailhiot and Smith in 1987 for long wavelength infrared detection, a number of groups have experimentally investigated (100) oriented InAs/(Ga,In)Sb strained layer superlattices and demonstrated that these structures can possess energy gaps in the 8–12 μm range with absorption coefficients comparable to HgCdTe. However, a number of advantages are predicted if these structures are grown on the {111} orientations. In this paper, we present details of our investigation of the growth of InAs/GaSb heterostructures and InAs/(Ga,In)Sb strained layer superlattices on the (111)A and (111)B orientations by molecular beam epitaxy, compared to growth on the (100) orientation. Heterojunction growth and incorporation rates of Sb (As) into InAs (GaSb) on (111)A, (111)B, and (100) orientations have been assessed and implications for growth and optical properties of InAs/(Ga,In)SB strained layer superlattices are discussed. GaSb/InAs and InAs/GaSb interfaces on the (111)B orientation are investigated by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and the structural quality of InAs/(Ga,In)Sb strained layer superlattices are investigated by x-ray diffraction.     

X-ray topographic analysis of dislocation line defectsin calcium fluoride crystals

One-to-one correspondence of dislocation etch pits have been established on the matched cleavage faces and on the opposite sides of thin flakes of calcium fluoride crystals. By selecting 022 and 022 reflections and MoKα₁ radiation, stereopair projection x-rays topographs were studied and critically compared with optical micrographs. The dislocation etch pits and dislocation out crop images show a close resemblance. The orientation of the Burgers vectors of the dislocation lines has been identified and these lines lie parallel to the <110> directions. The growth history of the stratigraphical pattern has been studied using x-ray topographic technique.     

The gold-silicon phase diagram

The temperature and composition of the eutectic reaction in the gold-silicon system have been redetermined. The eutectic temperature was determined by equilibrating specimens containing 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 at. % silicon at temperatures above and below the eutectic and then quenching them into iced brine. Each one was then examined metallographi-cally, and the phases in it were determined using X-ray diffractometry. The eutectic temperature was found to be 363 ±2° C. The eutectic composition was determined by equilibrating specimens on either side of the eutectic above the liquidus line, permitting them to solidify at various rates, and then examining them metallographically and by X-ray diffraction. The eutectic composition was found to be 19.0 ±0.5 at. % silicon. The liquidus line for composition up to 12 at. % silicon was redetermined by equilibrating specimens containing 2, 6, 10 and 12 at. % silicon above and below the liquidus line and then quenching them into iced brine.     

The pressure-volume relation of ytterbium up to 9 GPa

The pressure-volume relation of ytterbium has been determined up to 9 Gpa using tungsten carbide opposed anvil high pressure x-ray camera. The fcc phase of ytterbium is observed between one atmosphere and 4 GPa and the bcc phase above 3·5 GPa. The bcc phase can be metastably retained down to 1 GPa by gradually decreasing the pressure from a region where only bcc phase alone is observed. The bulk modulus,B ₀, at zero pressure and the pressure derivative of the bulk modulus,B’ ₀, are determined by fitting Murnaghan equation to the pressure-volume data. The following values were obtained:B ₀=16·3 GPa andB’ ₀=3·6 for the fcc phase, andB ₀=14·7 GPa andB’ ₀=1·5 for the bcc phase. Based on the present data it is suggested that the thermodynamic equilibrium pressure for fcc ⇆ bcc transformation in ytterbium is below 3·5 GPa. The valence change under pressure has been discussed.     

Analytical electron microscopy of aluminium alloys

X-ray microanalysis and electron energy loss spectroscopy of thin foils constitute the important techniques of high resolution chemical analysis using the electron microscope. The technique of x-ray microanalysis is discussed in this paper with particular emphasis on the study of aluminium alloys using a dedicated scanning transmission electron microscope (stem). The principle of determining chemical composition from observed x-ray peak intensities including the absorption of x-rays and beam broadening in thin foils are considered. The accuracy of peak intensity measurement and detection limits in x-ray microanalysis are illustrated with reference to Al-Mn alloys. The Cliff-Lorimer (k) factors for manganese, iron and copper with respect to aluminium were obtained from standard samples. Identification of phases in 1100 and 1200 aluminium and 3008 (Al-Mn-Zr) alloy were carried out from measured intensities of x-ray peaks. The experimental results emphasize the value of developing techniques for extracting the particles from the aluminium matrix. The transition phases formed in Al-6%Zn-3%Mg and Al-4% Cu were investigated by micro-diffraction and x-ray microanalysis.