Zr/Nb-based bulk metallic glass (BMG) with a composition of Zr48Nb8Fe8Cu12Be24 was formed in cylindrical shapes 8 mm in diameter by the quartz tube water quenching method. The formation and acoustic, thermal, mechanical, and elastic properties of the BMG were investigated. The BMG exhibited excellent glass-forming ability, high thermal stability, and excellent mechanical properties.

A phase transformation in an alumina gel provided an elegant means of isolating the effect of filler properties on the wear resistance of particle-reinforced thermosetting polymer–matrix composites. This transformation was useful because it takes place without significantly altering filler porosity. This produced a wear surface apparently reflecting the vermicular growth patterns in the γ-alumina in the δ-aluminum monohydrate matrix. Nucleation of γ-alumina in the gel matrix produced wear rates comparable to commercial composites.

A magnetically-driven method for controlling nanodimensional porosity in sol-gel-derived metal–oxide films, including TiO2, Al2O3, and SnO2, coated onto ferromagnetic amorphous substrates, such as the magnetically-soft Metglas1 alloys, is described. On the basis of the porous structures observed dependence on external magnetic field, a model is suggested to explain the phenomena. Under well-defined conditions it appears that the sol particles coming out of solution, and undergoing Brownian motion, follow the magnetic field lines oriented perpendicularly to the substrate surface associated with the magnetic domain walls of the substrate; hence the porosity developed during solvent evaporation correlates with the magnetic domain size.

Raman spectroscopy, at laser excitation wavelengths of 514.5, 785, and 1064 nm, is used to study a set of chemical-vapor-deposited (CVD) diamond wafers of known thermal conductivity κ. The in-plane thermal conductivity (at 25 °C) of the diamond wafers ranges from 4 to 22 W cm−1 K−1 and represents a wide range of diamond quality. The spectra were obtained from both macro/micro- sampling measurements, examining the top and bottom wafer surface, as well as wafer cross-sections. Discussed are the peak positions and linewidths of the Raman bands and their relation to sp3-bonded diamond and sp2-bonded carbon in the context of diamond quality and perfection, and the effects of wafer heterogeneities. The detailed analysis of the Raman spectra provides a robust correlation with the room-temperature bulk (or macroscopic) thermal conductivity of these samples. The correlation is made through the determination of the band area ratios of the diamond Raman line at 1333 cm−1 to that of the 1550 cm−1 band characteristic of nondiamond carbon impurities. This dependence is most pronounced for the Fourier-transform Raman data obtained with infrared excitation at 1064 nm, due to resonance enhancement, and therefore allows the detection of carbon impurities, especially for high-quality CVD diamond.

TiO2 thin films prepared by metalorganic decomposition (MOD-TiO2) and sol-gel processes (SG-TiO2) were investigated in terms of the anatase-to-rutile phase transformation and microstructural evolution. It was found that the chemical reactivity of the ligand groups initially coordinated on the titanium precursor plays a decisive role in the structure development of as-deposited SG- and MOD-TiO2 films. MOD-TiO2 films consist of small aggregated particles and therefore, tend to coalesce together to form an inhomogeneous microstructure during the anatase-to-rutile phase transformation. On the other hand, SG-TiO2 films consist of uniform large particles that tend to grow homogeneously. MOD-TiO2 films showed a higher crystallization temperature than the SG-TiO2 films but the temperature of the anatase-to-rutile phase transformation is much lower in MOD- (approximately 775 °C) as compared to SG-TiO2 films (approximately 930 °C). The activation energy (Q) was estimated as 524 and 882 kJ/mol for the MOD- and SG-TiO2 films, respectively. The lower transformation temperature and activation energy in MOD-TiO2 films were due to smaller grain size and more potential nucleation sites existing in the un-transformed MOD-TiO2 film structure, which can accelerate the rate of anatase-to-rutile transformation.

Matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation direct-write (MAPLE-DW) is a laser-based method of directly writing mesoscopic patterns of electronic materials. Patterns of composite BaTiO3/SiO2/TiO2 dielectric material were written onto Pt/Au interdigitated-electrode test structures, with precise control over final dielectric properties. Scanning electron microscopy indicates random close-packed structures of BaTiO3 and SiO3 particles, with interstitial spaces partially filled with titania. Depending on the BaTiO3:silica ratio, the dielectric constant ranged from 5 to 55 and followed a 4-component logarithmic rule of mixing. This work demonstrates that the transfer process and the final material properties of MAPLE-DW oxide materials are largely decoupled.

Using a new composite flux and an improved growth process, large and high-quality ferroelectric SrBi2Ta2O9 (SBT) single crystals (up to 25 × 20 mm2 area) were successfully grown from high-temperature solutions. The effects of chemical, thermodynamic, and kinetic parameters on the growth results were systematically studied. The optimum system for the growth of SBT crystals has been identified. B2O3 additive was shown to play an important role in improving the effectiveness of the Bi2O3 solvent. The grown SBT single crystals exhibit a dominant (001)-orientation and large single-domain areas. The dielectric and ferroelectric properties measured in relation to crystal orientations have confirmed the absence of any polarization component normal to the (Bi2O2)2+ sheets of the structure, indicating a high anisotropy in the properties.

The effects of Bi substitution for Nd in Ba6−3xNd8+2xTi18O54 (x = 2/3) solid solution upon the microstructures and microwave dielectric properties were investigated. The solid solubility limit of Bi in Ba6−3xNd8+2xTi18O54 (x = 2/3) solid solution was about 15 mol%, the same as that for x = 0.5, and densification of the present solid solutions could be performed well at lower temperatures. However, the variation tendency of microwave dielectric properties with composition in the present ceramics quite differed from that for x = 0.5: (1) The temperature coefficient of resonant frequency in the present ceramics showed a continuous variation from positive to negative and did not indicate extreme value at the solid solubility limit. (2) Near-zero temperature coefficient of resonant frequency combined with high-ε and high-Qf values could be obtained in the present ceramics, while that for x = 0.5 had a lower limit of +15 ppm/°C. (3) The dielectric constant also showed a continuous increase for the present compositions, while that in x = 0.5 had an extreme at solid solubility limit. Ceramics with composition of Ba6−3x(Nd0.85,Bi0.15)8+2xTi18O54 (x = 2/3) showed excellent dielectric properties of ε = 99.1, Qf = 5290 GHz, and τf = −5.5 ppm/°C.

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 various temperatures. The microstructure of the PZT thin films was investigated by x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy, and the ferroelectric properties were measured using the Ag/PZT/SRO capacitor structure. In the PZT thin film annealed at low temperature (450 °C/1h), both the perovskite PZT phase at the film/substrate interface and the fluorite PZT phase in the upper region of the film were obtained. It exhibited nonferroelectric properties. The PZT thin film annealed at temperature as low as 525 °C had only a perovskite tetragonal phase and the epitaxial orientational relationship of (001)[010]PZT∥(001)[010]SRO∥(001)[010]STOwith the substrate, and shows a ferroelectric property. The remnant (Pr) and saturation polarization (Ps) density of the sample annealed at 600 °C/1h were measured to be Pr ˜ 51.4 μC/cm2 and Ps ˜ 62.1 μC/cm2 at 5 V, respectively. The net switched polarization dropped only to 98% of its initial value after 7 × 108 fatigue cycles.

The characteristics of elastic waves emanating from crack initiation in 2024 and 5052 aluminum alloys subject to static and fatigue loading were investigated through laboratory experiments. The objective of the study was to determine the differences in the properties of the signals generated from static and fatigue tests and also to examine if the sources of the waves could be identified from the temporal and spectral characteristics of the acoustic emission waveforms. The signals were recorded using nonresonant, flat, broadband transducers attached to the surface of the alloy specimens. The time dependence and power spectra of the signals recorded during the tests were examined and classified according to their special features. Three distinct types of signals were observed. The waveforms and their power spectra were found to be dependent on the material and the type of fracture associated with the signals. Analysis of the waveforms indicated that some signals could be attributed to plastic deformation associated with static tests. The potential application of the approach in health monitoring of aging aircraft structures using a network of surface mounted broadband sensors is discussed.

Cristobalite is formed when initially amorphous Pyrex borosilicate glass (Corning 7740) is fired at temperatures ranging from 700 to 1000 °C. The sigmoidal devitrification kinetics of cristobalite obeys Avrami-like three-dimensional diffusion-controlled kinetics. Activation energy analysis indicates that the diffusion of Na+ in the glass is the rate-limiting step during phase transformation. The above conclusion is further confirmed by calculated and measured results of linear growth rates.

A process for the fabrication of textured Ba2CuO3 material with a microstructure similar to that of melt-processed YBa2Cu3Oy (Y123) superconductor is discussed. The Ba2CuO3 samples were melt processed with the intent to use them as textured precursors for processing of HgBa2CuOy superconductor. The microstructure formation of the Ba2CuO3 phase was studied by observing the samples being quenched from intermediate stages of a melt growth schedule. The microstructure of melt-processed Ba2CuO3 reveals randomly oriented large-sized grains, similar to that of melt textured Y123. Other important microstructural features observed were finely distributed properitectic BaO particles, the absence of the platelet gaps within the domains, and the presence of a different kind of twin structure. The conversion of melt textured Ba2CuO3 into superconducting HgBa2CuOy phase by a two-step process is discussed.

The FexZn1−xF2 alloy has been shown to be a model system for studying the magnetic phase diagram of dilute magnets. Whereas the growth of bulk single crystals with fixed Zn concentrations is difficult, the thin film growth is comparatively simpler and more flexible. To gain an understanding of the growth of FexZn1−xF2 films, a method was developed to grow smooth films at fixed concentrations. This was done by depositing a MgF2 buffer layer on MgF2(001) substrates and then depositing FeF2 and ZnF2 [001]-orientated epitaxial thin films at different temperatures. Surprisingly, the lattice spacing depends strongly on the growth temperature, for 44-nm-thick FeF2 films and 77-nm-thick ZnF2 films. This indicates a significant amount of stress, despite the close lattice match between the films and the MgF2 substrate. Thick alloy samples (approximately 500 nm thick) were grown by co-evaporation from the FeF2 and ZnF2 sources at the ideal temperature determined from the growth study, and their concentration was accurately determined using x-ray diffraction.

Depth-sensing indentation tests can be used to estimate the Young's modulus, hardness, and other characteristics of material behavior. For many materials, the unloading segment of the load–depth curve contains only elastic recovery while the loading segment can contain elastic and plastic deformation. In this paper a new method is presented to determine the Young's modulus of a material from the loading segment of an indentation test. A depth-sensitive hardness tester was used with a load cell integrated into the closed-loop system. Defined mechanical oscillations with constant frequency were generated by adding a piezoelectric stack to the closed loop of the hardness measurement system. Thus the resonance response of the system was obtained, which includes information regarding the stiffness of the tested material. This new method was tested on two polymers and two glasses, an optical and a conventional one. The results obtained for the Young's modulus were in good agreement with other accepted methods.

Silicon carbide ceramics with a powder mixture of sialon composition as a densification aid were prepared by hot pressing through a transient liquid phase, and the effects of sintering atmosphere and starting phases on the microstructural characteristics were investigated. The sintered SiC with the additive of a Y–α-sialon composition in argon showed high sintered density and grains with large aspect ratio. But sintered specimens in nitrogen yielded grains with low aspect ratio and small grain size, because of the retardation of phase transformation and grain growth. The SiC specimen prepared from the starting β–SiC powder with Y–α-sialon composition showed the highest fracture toughness of approximately 6.0 MPa m1/2.

We have developed a molecular-dynamics technique for determining the adhesion strength of the interfaces between different materials. This technique evaluates the adhesion strength by calculating the adhesive fracture energy defined as the difference between the total potential energy of the material-connected state and that of the material-separated state. The extended Tersoff-type potential is applied to calculate the adhesive fracture energy of metal/dielectric interfaces as well as metal/metal interfaces. We used the technique to determine the adhesion strength of the interfaces between ULSI-interconnect materials (Al and Cu) and diffusion-barrier materials (TiN and W). It was also applied to determine the adhesion strength of interfaces between the interconnect materials and a dielectric material (SiO2). Because the adhesion strength determined by this technique agrees well with that measured by scratch testing, this technique is considered to be effective for determining the adhesion strength.

The kinetics and pathways for crystallization of solid, amorphous, yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) were studied using isothermal differential thermal analysis, x-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. The activation energy for crystallization was 437 KJ/mol and the measured Avrami exponent was 2.74, which corresponded to three-dimensional crystal growth with a constant number of nuclei. Time–temperature–transformation (T–T–T) curves were developed from the data to predict crystallization rates as a function of temperature. The crystallization pathway for YAG in this system is compared to others reported in the literature.

Y0.25Zr0.75O2−x and Y0.5Zr0.5O2−y phases, with L12- and L10- like cation-ordered structures, respectively, have been found in ZrO2–Y2O3 ceramics in both the sintered and annealed states. High-resolution electron microscopy, energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and computer simulation have been used to reveal the presence of the phases. The formation of Y0.25Zr0.75O2−x and Y0.5Zr0.5O2−y phases was initiated during the sintering procedure and developed with the increase in annealing temperature and time. Segregation of yttrium, which was prevalent in different regions even within one grain, induced the formation of Y0.25Zr0.75O2−x and Y0.5Zr0.5O2−y phases.

We present an x-ray scattering study on the evolution of the growth mode, the surface morphology, and the lattice strain of AlN/sapphire(0001) films during sputter growth. Aligned epitaxial planar layers with strain relaxed to about 2% are nucleated during initial stage growth. As the film thickness increases to an effective “critical” thickness of approximately 250 Å, the growth gradually crosses over to the less aligned island growth. As the growth crossover occurs, the growth front becomes substantially rougher and the residual strain begins to relax. The cogrowth of the planar layer and the islands results in a nonuniform strain distribution.

Superplastic behavior of heavily drawn Cu–at.% Ag filamentary microcomposite wires was investigated. The filamentary microstructure tended to break up at high temperatures by spheroidization, grooving, and/or recrystallization because of its high interface energy and high cold-work energy. Above 400 °C, extensive recrystallization occurred and the grains 300–500 nm in size were observed in the Cu matrix. As the deformation proceeded, the elongated silver lamellae and/or the region with numerous filaments broke up and rearranged into chevron patterns, which mostly lay perpendicular to the loading axis. The elongation up to 1000% was obtained at 500 °C at the strain rates of 7 × 10−4/s and −3 × 10−3/s, and the elongation up to 600% was obtained at 400 °C at the strain rate of 1 × 10−4/s. Arrays of dislocations in the matrix and near grain and phase boundaries were observed after superplastic deformation, supporting the slip-accommodated grain and/or phase boundary sliding.