Growth of deformation twins in room-temperature rolled nanocrystalline nickel

Deformation twinning has been observed in room-temperature rolled nanocrystalline Ni. The growth of the deformation twins via the emission of partial dislocations from a grain boundary has been examined in detail. Partial dislocations on neighboring slip planes may migrate for different distances and then remain in the grain interior, leading to the formation of a steplike twin boundary TB . With continued twin growth, the TBs become gradually distorted and lose their coherent character due to accumulated high stresses. Moreover, we propose that microtwins may form near such TBs due to the emission of partial dislocations from the TB.

Elastic deformation of soft membrane with finite thickness induced by a sessile liquid droplet

In this paper, the role of vertical component of Surface tension of a droplet on the elastic deformation of a finite-thickness flexible membrane was theoretically analyzed using Hankel transformation. The vertical displacement at the Surface was derived and can be reduced to Lester's or Rusanov's solutions when the thickness is infinite. Moreover, some Simulations of the effect of a liquid droplet on a membrane with a finite thickness were made. The numerical results showed that there exists a saturated membrane thickness of the order of millimeter, when the thickness of a membrane is larger than such a value, the membrane can be regarded as a half-infinite body. Further numerical calculations for soft membrane whose thickness is far below the saturated thickness were made. By comparison between the maximum vertical displacement of an ultrathin soft membrane and a half-infinite body, we found that Lester's or Rusanov's solutions for a half-infinite body cannot correctly describe Such cases. In other words, the thickness of a soft membrane has great effect on the surface deformation of the ultrathin membrane induced by a liquid droplet. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Shape effects on the yield stress and deformation of silicon nanowires: A molecular dynamics simulation

The tension and compression of single-crystalline silicon nanowires (SiNWs) with different cross-sectional shapes are studied systematically using molecular dynamics simulation. The shape effects on the yield stresses are characterized. For the same surface to volume ratio, the circular cross-sectional SiNWs are stronger than the square cross-sectional ones under tensile loading, but reverse happens in compressive loading. With the atoms colored by least-squares atomic local shear strain, the deformation processes reveal that the failure modes of incipient yielding are dependent on the loading directions. The SiNWs under tensile loading slip in {111} surfaces, while the compressive loading leads the SiNWs to slip in the {110} surfaces. The present results are expected to contribute to the design of the silicon devices in nanosystems.

Numerical Simulation of Liquefaction Deformation of Sand Layer around Bucket Foundations under Dynamic Loadings

Bucket Foundations under Dynamic Loadings The liquefaction deformation of sand layer around a bucket foundation is simulated under equivalent dynamic ice-induced loadings. A simplified numerical model is presented by taking the bucket-soil interaction into consideration. The development of vertical and horizontal liquefaction deformations are computed under equivalent dynamic ice-induced loadings. Firstly, the numerical model and results are proved to be reliable by comparing them with the centrifuge testing results. Secondly, the factors and the development characteristics of liquefaction deformation are analyzed. Finally, the following numerical simulation results are obtained: the liquefaction deformation of sand layer increases with the increase of loading amplitude and with the decrease of loading frequency and sand skeleton’s strength. The maximum vertical deformation is located on the sand layer surface and 1/4 times of the bucket’s height apart from the bucket’s side wall (loading boundary). The maximum horizontal deformation occurs at the loading boundary. When the dynamic loadings is applied for more than 5 hours, the vertical deformation on the sand layer surface reaches 3 times that at the bottom, and the horizontal deformation at 2.0 times of the bucket height apart from the loading boundary is 3.3% of which on the loading boundary.

Structure and magnetic properties of CoNiP nanowire arrays embedded in AAO template

Ternary CoNiP nanowire (NW) arrays have been synthesized by electrochemical deposition inside the nanochannels of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template. The CoNiP NWs deposited at room temperature present soft magnetic properties, with both parallel and perpendicular coercivities less than 500 Oe. In contrast, as the electrolyte temperature (T-elc) increases from 323 to 343 K, the NWs exhibit hard magnetic properties with coercivities in the range of 1000-2500 Oe. This dramatic increase in coercivities can be attributed to the domain wall pinning that is related to the formation of Ni and Co nanocrystallites and the increase of P content. The parallel coercivity (i.e. the applied field perpendicular to the membrane surface) maximum as high as 2500 Oe with squareness ratio up to 0.8 is achieved at the electrolyte temperature of 328 K. It has been demonstrated that the parallel coercivity of CoNiP NWs can be tuned in a wide range of 200-2500 Oe by controlling the electrolyte temperature, providing an easy way to control magnetic properties and thereby for their integration with magnetic-micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS). (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Additional angles to calculate the deformation of RNA helices induced by bulge loops

Bulges are common features of folded RNA structures. The RNA axial kinking caused by bulges has been confirmed by many experiments. Usually, a kinking angle zeta and a bending angle theta are used to describe the kinking and twisting of RNA molecules containing bulges. Here, we present two additional angles (twist angle zeta(1), twist angle zeta(2)) to describe the deformation of RNA helices induced by bulge loops because only two angles (a kinking angle zeta and a bending angle theta) are not enough to define the deformation of RNA induced by bulges. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Structural and optical properties of Al1-xInxN epilayers on GaN template grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

This paper reports that Al1-xInxN epilayers were grown on GaN template by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition with an In content of 7%-20%. X-ray diffraction results indicate that all these Al1-xInxN epilayers have a relatively low density of threading dislocations. Rutherford backscattering/channeling measurements provide the exact compositional information and show that a gradual variation in composition of the Al1-xInxN epilayer happens along the growth direction. The experimental results of optical reflection clearly show the bandgap energies of Al1-xInxN epilayers. A bowing parameter of 6.5 eV is obtained from the compositional dependence of the energy gap. The cathodoluminescence peak energy of the Al1-xInxN epilayer is much lower than its bandgap, indicating a relatively large Stokes shift in the Al1-xInxN sample.

Mechanical Deformation Behavior of Nonpolar GaN Thick Films by Berkovich Nanoindentation

In this study, the deformation mechanisms of nonpolar GaN thick films grown on m-sapphire by hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) are investigated using nanoindentation with a Berkovich indenter, cathodoluminescence (CL), and Raman microscopy. Results show that nonpolar GaN is more susceptible to plastic deformation and has lower hardness than c-plane GaN. After indentation, lateral cracks emerge on the nonpolar GaN surface and preferentially propagate parallel to the < 11 (2) over bar0 > orientation due to anisotropic defect-related stresses. Moreover, the quenching of CL luminescence can be observed to extend exclusively out from the center of the indentations along the < 11 (2) over bar0 > orientation, a trend which is consistent with the evolution of cracks. The recrystallization process happens in the indented regions for the load of 500 mN. Raman area mapping indicates that the distribution of strain field coincides well with the profile of defect-expanded dark regions, while the enhanced compressive stress mainly concentrates in the facets of the indentation.

A study of the degree of relaxation of AlGaN epilayers on GaN template

The strain state of 570nm AlXGa1-xN layers grown on 600nm GaN template by metal organic chemical vapor deposition was studied using Rutherford backscattering (RBS)/channeling and triple-axis X-ray diffraction measurements. The results showed that the degree of relaxation (R) of AlxGa1-xN layers increased almost linearly when x less than or equal to 0.42 and reached to 70% when x = 0.42. Above 0.42, the value of R varied slowly and AI(x)Ga(1-x)N layers almost full relaxed when x = 1 (AIN). In this work the underlying GaN layer was in compressive strain, which resulted in the reduction of lattice misfit between GaN and AlxGa1-xN, and a 570nm AlxGa1-xN layer with the composition of about 0.16 might be grown on GaN coherently from the extrapolation. The different shape of (0004) diffraction peak was discussed to be related to the relaxation. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Study on surface morphology of GaN growth by MOCVD on GaN/Si(111) template

The surface morphology of GaN grown by MOCVD on GaN/Si template was studied. Rough morphology and deep pinhole defects on some surface areas of the samples were observed and studied. The formation of rough morphology is possibly related to Ga-Si alloy produced due to poor thermal stability of template at high temperature. The deep pinhole defects generated are deep down to the surface of MBE-grown GaN/Si template. The stress originated from the large thermal expansion coefficient difference between GaN and Si may be related to the formation of the pinhole defects. The surface morphology of the GaN can be improved by optimizing the GaN/Si template and decreasing the growth temperature.

Corrugated surfaces formed on GaAs(331)A substrates: the template for laterally ordered InGaAs nanowires

Morphology evolution of high-index GaAs(331)A surfaces during molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) growth has been investigated in order to achieve regularly distributed step-array templates and fabricate spatially ordered low-dimensional nano-structures. Atomic force microscope (AFM) measurements have shown that the step height and terrace width of GaAs layers increase monotonically with increasing substrate temperature. By using the step arrays formed on GaAs(331)A surfaces as the templates, we have fabricated highly ordered InGaAs nanowires. The improved homogeneity and the increased density of the InGaAs nanowires are attributed to the modulated strain field caused by vertical multi-stacking, as well as the effect of corrugated surface of the template. Photoluminescence (PL) tests confirmed remarkable polarization anisotropy.

Elastic deformation of wafer surfaces in bonding

A model has been proposed for describing elastic deformation of wafer surfaces in bonding. The change of the surface shape is studied on the basis of the distribution of the periodic strain field. With the condition of diminishing periodic strain away from the interface, Airy stress function has been found that satisfies the elastic mechanical equilibrium. The result reveals that the wavy interface elastically deforms a spatial wavelength from the interface. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(00)04219-5].

Triclinic deformation and anisotropic strain relaxation of an InAs film on a GaAs(001) substrate measured by a series of symmetric double crystal X-ray diffraction

We presented a series of symmetric double crystal X-ray diffraction (DCXD) measurements, (0 0 4), (2 2 0) and (2 - 2 0) diffraction, to investigate the strain relaxation in an InAs film grown on a GaAs(0 0 1) substrate. The strain tensor and rotation tensor were calculated according to the DCXD results. It is found that the misfit strain is relaxed nearly completely and the strain relaxation caused a triclinic deformation in the epilayer. The lattice parameter along the [1 1 0] direction is a little longer than that along the [1 - 1 0] direction. Furthermore, a significant tilt, 0.2 degrees, towards the [1 1 0] direction while a very slight one: 0.002 degrees, towards [1 - 1 0] direction were discussed. This anisotropic strain relaxation is attributed to the asymmetric distribution of misfit dislocations, which is also indicated by the variation of the full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of (0 0 4) diffraction along four azimuth angles. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization of AlGaN on GaN template grown by MOCVD - art. no. 68410K

AlxGa1-xN layer was grown on sapphire substrate with GaN template by Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition system (MOCVD). High temperature A1N (HT-A1N) interlayer was inserted between AlxGa1-xN layer and GaN template to solve the cracking problem that often appears on AlxGa1-xN surface when directly grown on high temperature GaN template. Optical microscope, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscope (AFM), high resolution x-ray diffraction (HRXRD) and cathodoluminescence (CL) were used for characterization. It was found that the cracking was successfully eliminated. Furthermore, the crystalline quality of AlxGa1-xN layer with HT-A1N interlayer was much improved. Interference fringes were found in the HRXRD images. CL test showed that yellow emission was much reduced for AlGaN layer with HT-A1N interlayer.

High Quality AlGaN Grown on GaN Template with HT-AlN Interlayer

When AlGaN is grown on GaN template, crack networks invariably generate when the thickness of the AlGaN layers over GaN exceeds the critical value. We used thin high temperature deposited AlN layer (HT-AlN) as the interlayer between GaN template and AlGaN epilayer which was very effective in eliminating the cracks in AlGaN epilayer. AlGaN layers with high Al mole fractions were also grown. Characterization showed that the crystalline quality of AlGaN epilayer was fairly good even when the At mole fraction was high.