SiC (3C-SiC) was grown on the top Si layer of SIMOX (Si/SiO2/Si) by carbonization followed by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Subsequently, GaN was deposited on the SiC by metalorganic (MO) CVD to produce a GaN/SiC/Si/SiO2/Si multilayer structure. This multilayer film was investigated by conventional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution (HR) TEM from cross-sectional view. The GaN layer was found to consist of predominately hexagonal gallium nitride (h-GaN), and a small fraction of cubic GaN (c-GaN) crystallites. The orientation relationship between most of the h-GaN grains and SiC (3C-SiC) was found to be (0001)Ga N||s(111)SiC; [1120]GaN||[110]SiC, while most of the c-GaN grains had an orientation relationship (001)GaN||(001)SiC; [110]GaN||[110]SiC with respect to 3C-SiC substrate. The hexagonal grains of GaN were found to grow as two variants. The defects in both h-GaN and c-GaN are also discussed.

The nanostructure of GaN and SiC nanowires produced by carbon nanotube confined reaction has been studied by means of high-resolution electron microscopy, microanalysis, and microdiffraction. The GaN nanowire is a single crystal with fewer defects and the SiC nanowire is a β–SiC crystal with heavy layer sequence faults. Considering experimental results, a possible reaction path for making GaN is suggested.

The intercalation reaction of ε-caprolactam anion (ε–CL-) into hydrotalcite heated up to 500 °C to expel in its double hydroxide gallery and also that of ε-caprolactam cation (ε–CL+) into mica were successfully performed in their aqueous solutions. The intercalation reaction of ε–CL- into 500 °C heated hydrotalcite was completed within 1 h at 60 °C, and the resultant intercalation compound had the interlayer spacing of 0.77 nm. The intercalation of ε–CL+ into mica, on the other hand, proceeded rather slowly in two steps, which was due to the presence of two species, Na+ and hydrated Na+ in the mica gallery, and gave the intercalation compound with the interlayer spacing of 1.47 nm.

The enthalpies of formation of two rare-earth silicates (Y2SiO5 and Yb2SiO5) and a N-containing rare-earth silicate Y10(SiO4)6N2 have been determined using high-temperature drop solution calorimetry. Alkali borate (52 wt% LiBO2·48 wt% NaBO2) solvent was used at 800 °C, and oxygen gas was bubbled through the melt. The nitrogen-containing silicate was oxidized during dissolution. The standard enthalpies of formation are for Y2SiO5, Yb2SiO5, and Y10(SiO4)6N2, respectively, –22868.54 ± 5.34, –22774.75 ± 8.21, and –14145.20 ± 16.48 kJ/mol from elements, and –52.53 ± 4.83, –49.45 6 ± 8.35, and –94.53 ± 11.66 kJ/mol from oxides (Y2O3 or Yb2O3, SiO2) and nitride (Si3N4). The silicates and N-containing silicate are energetically stable with respect to binary oxides and Si3N4, but the N-containing silicate may be metastable with respect to assemblages containing Y2SiO5, Si3N4, and SiO2. A linear relationship was found between the enthalpy of formation of a series of M2SiO5 silicates from binary oxides and the ionic potential (z/r) of the metal cation.

A novel fabrication approach for two- and three-dimensional arrays of magnetic microspheres is presented in this paper. The magnetic microsphere is made from 47 μm size Al2O3 spheres onto which a 2–3 μm thick nickel layer is coated through electroless plating. After proper anneal, the outer nickel layer is converted to exhibit a crystalline structure. As an example for utilizing such magnetic microspheres, a two-dimensional, anisotropically conductive matrix is made by transferring the magnetic microsphere array from a template to a transparent adhesive tape using a magnetic attractive force. In addition, a three-dimensional array has also successfully been constructed on a metal plate. The two-dimensional conductor array may be useful for high-density circuit packaging applications in the semiconductor industry, and the three-dimensional array may open up a possibility for constructing three-dimensional photonic crystals.

Epitaxial PbZr0.5Ti0.5O3 (PZT) thin films were grown on top of a SrRuO3 epitaxial electrode layer on a (100) SrTiO3 substrate by the chemical solution deposition method at 600 °C. The microstructure of the PZT thin film was investigated by x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy, and the ferroelectric properties were measured using the Ag/PZT/SRO capacitor structure. The PZT thin film has the epitaxial orientational relationship of (001) [010]PZT ║ (001) [010]SRO ║ (001) [010]STO with the substrate. The remnant (Pr ) and saturation polarization (Ps) density were measured to be Pr ~ 51.4 µC/cm2 and Ps ~ 62.1 µC/cm2 at 5 V, respectively. Ferroelectric fatigue measurements show that the net-switching polarization begins to drop (to 98% of its initial value) after 7 × 108 cycles.

Patterned epitaxial SrBi2Ta2O9 (SBT) lines with (00l) out-of-plane orientation were grown on a (001) SrTiO3 substrate by the novel “channel stamping” method. Parallel channels in a poly(dimethylsiloxane) stamp were filled with a metalorganic precursor solution by spin coating. After solvent evaporation, the solid precursor within the channels was transferred to the substrate by stamping. Stamped precursor lines were pyrolyzed at 350 °C/1 h and then heated to 850 °C/1 h. It was shown by x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy that patterned SBT lines were epitaxial, had a smooth surface with c-axis out-of-plane orientation, and a single in-plane orientation.

Thin films with microstructures controlled on a nanometer scale have been fabricated using a recently developed process called glancing angle deposition (GLAD) which combines oblique angle evaporation with controlled substrate motion. Critical to the production of GLAD thin films is the requirement for a narrow angular flux distribution centered at an oblique incidence angle. We report here recent work with low-pressure, long-throw sputter deposition with which we have succeeded in fabricating porous titanium thin films possessing “zig-zag,” helical, and “pillar” microstructures, demonstrating microstructural control on a level consistent with evaporated GLAD. The use of sputtering for GLAD simplifies process control and should enable deposition of a broader range of thin film materials.

Both the thermoelectric power and the resistivity of the oxygen deficient YBa2Cu3O6+x samples were measured. The rare-earth-doped samples, such as Sm and Dy, whose magnetic moments in the +3 valence state are different, were studied. Then the power factor of the thermoelectric ability was calculated. The power factor of the Dy-doped samples is smaller than those of the other samples, especially at high temperature. This smallness of the power factor is the main reason why the Dy-doped samples have larger resistivity. We try to analyze the data by the theoretical expression under the variable range hopping conduction model. The expression of the thermoelectric power could be fit for the nondoped and Sm-doped samples, except at low temperature. In this situation, the thermoelectric power increases as temperature increases, and this temperature dependence is good for the thermoelectric materials at high temperature where the resistivity decreases with temperature increasing.

Two very different pulsed laser deposition rates, 192 and 6 Å/s, were used to produce 1 μm thick superconducting YBa2Cu3Ox (YBCO) films on (001) SrTiO3 single-crystal substrates at 790 °C. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to characterize and compare microstructures between the two films. It has been found that the high deposition rate led to a slight deviation from the expected epitaxial orientations, and extra stress was induced in the films by increased lattice mismatch between the films and the substrates. In addition, misoriented YBCO grains were formed in the high-rate films after a thickness of about 150 nm. Postannealing in oxygen had no visible influence on these defects, although superconducting properties were improved significantly. In contrast to the high-rate films, overall epitaxial orientations have been formed in the low-rate films, and no misoriented YBCO grains were found. However, variations in lattice parameters and columnar voids were observed, although their existence apparently does not have considerable influence on superconducting current density (Jc). Cation disorder was observed in both films. A two-step film growth mechanism is concluded which is responsible for the formation of some defects in the high-deposition rate films.

Effects of the heating rate (100−6000 °C/h) to a peritectic temperature (Tp – 1015 °C) on conversion of Y2O3−BaCuO2−CuO and Y2BaCuO5−BaCuO2−CuO precursor powders into YBa2Cu3O7−y (Y123) were studied. Both precursor powders were rapidly converted into the Y123 phase. A volume fraction of the Y123 phase was more than 50%, even at a relatively fast heating rate of 3000 °C/h. At about 100−200 °C/h, which correspond to the rates of the first heating cycles of practical melt processes, almost 100% of the precursor powders were converted into a Y123 phase. Microstructures were studied in respect to Y2BaCuO5 (Y211) particle size, distribution, gas evolution, and nucleation mechanism of Y211 particles.

An electrochemical oxidation technique was used to obtain bulk oxidized La2CuO4+δ single crystals from the as-grown crystals. Samples were prepared by galvanostatic oxidation with currents in the range 5–10 μA and with different charging times. Some samples were annealed at 110 °C in flowing oxygen. Small high-quality crystals were obtained from electrochemically oxidized larger crystals that contained microcracks. Transmission x-ray Laue photography and rocking curve measurements for several fundamental diffraction peaks were used to confirm the crystal quality. The Tc and bulk magnetic properties of samples at different stages in the oxidation process are reported. After annealing at 110 °C, a 15 K transition was observed.

MgxZn1-xSi: Ho3+, MgxZn1-xSe: Er3+, and MgxZn1-xSe: Tm3+ single crystals were grown by the closed-tube sublimation method. The single crystals crystallized into a zincblende structure at the composition x = 0.11 and a wurtzite structure at the composition x = 0.25, 0.32, and 0.41. The trivalent ions (Ho3+, Er3+, and Tm3+) of the rare-earth elements Ho, Er, and Tm site in Td and C3v symmetries in the single crystals with zincblende and wurtzite structures, respectively. Sharp emission peaks appeared in the photoluminescence spectra of the single crystals. These emission peaks are identified to originate from the radiation recombination between the energy levels of the trivalent ions sited in Td and C3v symmetries.

Silicon L2,3 x-ray emission spectra (XES) of siloxene powder samples prepared according to Wöohler and Kautsky (Wöhler and Kautsky siloxene) are presented. The results are compared with the Si L2,3 spectra of the reference compounds a-Si, c-Si, SiO2, and SiOx. A close similarity of the electronic structure of Wöhler siloxene to that of a-SiO0.43: H and of Kautsky siloxene to that of a-SiO0.87: H is found. We determine the number of oxygen atoms per Si atom at ~0.5 in Wöhler siloxene and ~0.8 in Kautsky siloxene. The relative concentrations are in good agreement with the results of infrared absorption measurements on the same samples.

Metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) GaSb growth using trimethylgallium and trimethylantimony as a function of substrate temperature and V/III ratio was examined. These parameters were found to have a significant effect on the growth rate and surface morphology of the GaSb films. A phase diagram is used to interpret the effect of these growth parameters on the GaSb film growth. The region of single-phase growth was found to be narrow, falling between 540 and 560 °C. The optimum growth conditions for the MOCVD growth of GaSb have been determined for a TMGa flow rate of 20 sccm and a carrier gas flow of 8 l/min. The optimum substrate temperature and V/III ratio were found to be 540 °C and 0.72, respectively. In these conditions the lowest hole concentration of 5 × 1016 cm-3 and the highest room temperature mobility of 500 cm2 V-1 s-1 were achieved, accompanied by a steep, well-resolved band edge at 0.72 eV.

Substrate curvature measurements were used to study stress changes during thermal cycling and isothermal tensile stress relaxation in 800 nm Al–0.5 wt% Cu and Al–1 wt% Si–0.5 wt% Cu films. For both compositions dislocation glide can describe the relaxation data well for temperatures up to 120 °C for Al–Si–Cu and up to 100 °C for Al–Cu. The average activation energy for Al–Si–Cu and Al–Cu is 1.7 ± 0.2 eV and 3.0 ± 0.3 eV, respectively. The athermal flow stress is the same for both and equal to 600 ± 200 MPa. This result is consistent with the obstacles for glide being Al2Cu precipitates, which, in the case of Al–Si–Cu, are fine and can be cut by the dislocations, and, in the case of Al–Cu, are strong and provide Orowan strengthening. Also, the stress changes during thermal cycling in the Al–Cu films are different from those in the Al–Si–Cu films. For Al–Cu films, the room temperature stress decreases after each thermal cycle, while for Al–Si–Cu stress changes during thermal cycling are stable from the second cycle on. These observations are supported by thorough transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies.

(200)-oriented Pt thin films were deposited on SiO2/Si substrates by dc magnetron sputtering using Ar/O2 gas mixtures. Oxygen incorporation into Pt films changed deposition rate, resistivity, stress, and preferred orientation of the films. Increase in film resistivity and decrease in tensile stress were presumed to be the results of the incorporated oxygen into grain boundaries, while the change of preferred orientation resulted from the oxygen incorporation into the Pt lattice. The preferential growth of (200) planes with less total strain energy from the incorporated oxygen resulted in strong (200) preferred orientation in Pt films.

Nickel is a commonly used wetting agent in alloyed Au–Ge ohmic contacts to n-GaAs, resulting in uniformity improvements to the morphology and contact resistance. In order to study the role of Ni in Ni–Ge–Au alloys, we have fabricated samples with varying Ni content and characterized them using electron microbeam techniques. Our data indicate the amount of Ni in the alloy affects the microstructure and composition, the morphology of the metal/GaAs interface, and the amount of GaAs consumed during the alloy reaction. Also, the dopant distribution into the GaAs is heterogeneous depending on the alloy microstructure.

A series of small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) experiments has been conducted in order to probe further the X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS)-derived nanoscale structure of amorphous hydrogenated siliconxtin1–x, hydrogenated siliconxnickel1x, and germaniumxgold1–x materials as a function of metal content. The SAXS results reveal information on cluster formation within these reactively radio-frequency–sputtered amorphous thin films. The data are considered within the context of EXAFS data and lend support to a model in which the degree and nature of the heterogeneities depend primarily on the metal species, with the level of metal content inducing additional effects. In particular, the results support a percolation model for the metal: nonmetal transition in amorphous semiconductorxtransition metal1–x alloys, the conducting volume elements comprising metal or metal compound-rich regions within the amorphous tetrahedral host network.

The electrochemical capacity, hydrogen absorbed/desorbed activation properties of alloy Zr(Mn0.1V0.3Ni0.6)2 were improved after Ti substitution for the Zr. The microstructure of Zr1xTix (Mn0.1V0.3Ni0.6)2 (x = 0, 0.5) alloys was analyzed by x-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy dispersive spectrum (EDS) analysis. A systematic structural analysis shows that there are two phases in the Ti-substituted alloy of Zr0.5Ti0.5(Mn0.1V0.3Ni0.6)2: C14 Laves phase and Ti-containing “premartensite” R phase of Ti0.8Zr0.2Ni. The improvement of electrochemical properties of alloy Zr(Mn0.1V0.3Ni0.6)2 after Ti substitution can be attributed to the Ti substitution for Zr sites in C14 Laves phase, the formation of Ti0.8Zr0.2Ni R-phase, and disappearance of Zr–Ni binaries.