Scanning electron microscope studies of cubic AlxGa1-xN films grown on GaAs(100) by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE)

Cubic AlGaN films were grown on GaAs(100) substrates by MOVPE. Scanning electron microscope and photoluminescence were used to analyze the surface morphology and the crystalline quality of the epitaxial layers. We found that both NH, and TEGa fluxes have a strong effect on the surface morphology of AlGaN films. A model for the lateral growth mechanism is presented to qualitatively explain this effect. The content of hexagonal AlGaN in the cubic AlGaN films was also related to the NH3 flux. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Preliminary Investigations on Low-Pressure Laminar Plasma Spray Processing

The usual plasma spraying methods often involve entrainment of the surrounding air into the turbulent plasma core and result in coated materials having relatively high porosity and low adhesive strength. Therefore, exploration of new plasma spraying methods for fabricating high quality coatings to meet the requirement of special applications will be quite important. In this study, an alternative plasma spraying method, i.e. the low-pressure laminar plasma spraying process, is investigated and used in an attempt for spraying thermal barrier coatings (TBCs). Investigations on the characteristics of the laminar plasma jets, feeding methods for the ceramic powder and the formation process of the individual quenched splats have been carried out. The properties of the TBCs sprayed by laminar plasma jet process, such as the adhesive strength at the interface of the ceramic coating/bond coat, the surface roughness and microstructure, are examined by tensile tests and scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations.

Influence of growth pressure of a GaN buffer layer on the properties of MOCVD GaN

The influence of growth pressure of GaN buffer layer on the properties of MOCVD GaN on alpha-Al2O3 has been investigated with the aid of a home-made in situ laser reflectometry measurement system. The results obtained with in situ measurements and scanning electron microscope show that with the increase in deposition pressure of buffer layer, the nuclei increase in size, which roughens the surface, and delays the coalescence of GaN nuclei. The optical and crystalline quality of GaN epilayer was improved when buffer layer was deposited at high pressure.

Influences of reactor pressure of GaN buffer layers on morphological evolution of GaN grown by MOCVD

The morphological evolution of GaN thin films grown on sapphire by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition was demonstrated to depend strongly on the growth pressure of GaN nucleation layer (NL). For the commonly used two-step growth process, a change in deposition pressure of NL greatly influences the growth mode and morphological evolution of the following GaN epitaxy. By means of atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscope, it is shown that the initial density and the spacing of nucleation sites on the NL and subsequently the growth mode of FIT GaN epilayer may be directly controlled by tailoring the initial low temperature NL growth pressure. A mode is proposed to explain the TD reduction for NL grown at relatively high reactor pressure. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of reactor pressure on GaN nucleation layers and subsequent GaN epilayers grown on sapphire substrate

The influence of reactor pressure on GaN nucleation layer (NL) and the quality of subsequent GaN on sapphire is studied. The layers were grown by low-pressure metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) on c-plane sapphire substrates and investigated by in situ laser reflectometry, atomic force microscope, scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction and photoluminescence. With the increase of reactor pressure prior to high-temperature GaN growth, the size of GaN nuclei formed after annealing decreases, the spacing between nucleation sites increases and the coalescence of GaN nuclei is deferred. The optical and crystalline qualities of GaN epilayer were improved when NLs were deposited at high pressure. The elongated lateral overgrowth of GaN islands is responsible for the quality improvement. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

The photon scanning tunneling microscope and its applications

A simple photon scanning tunneling microscope (PSTM) is described. Its lateral resolution (similar to 10nm with a maximal scanning range of 10 mu m x 10 mu m ) is much better than that of a conventional optical microscope. Its principle, the fiber optic tip fabrication and PSTM images of different samples such as mica, HDPE and LiNbO3 are presented.

东海榴辉岩向斜长角闪岩的转化过程

The Ultrahigh Pressure Metamorphic (UHPM) eclogite, which was resulted from deep subduction of crustal continent, is very significant due to its continental dynamic implications. Further more, this kind of rocks experienced great P-T, fluid and stresses changes during its forming and exhumation, causing mineral reactions occur intensively, which resulted in a lot of fantastic micro-texture. The micro-texture was preserved duo to a rapid exhumation of the eclogite. This PhD dissertation takes such micro-textures in 10 Donghai eclogite samples South Sulu UHPM terrene, as research object to reveal the transformation of the eclogite to amphibolite. Microscope and Scanning Electron Microscope were employed to observe the micro-texture. Basing on microprobe analysis of minerals, the ACF projections and iso-con analysis were used to uncover the mineral reactions during the transformation. Micro-texture observation (both of Microcopy and Electron Scanning Microscope), demonstrated: l.The peak mineral assemblage of the researched Donghai eclogites is garnet + omphacite + rutile (+ kyanite + aptite +coesite). 2.The transformation of the Donghai eclogite to amphibolite can be divided into two stages: The earlier one is Symplectization, resulting in the forming of diopside + albite (+magnetite) symplectite that occurred only along the boundary between two adjacent omphacite grains. Other minerals were not involved in such reaction. The latter stage is Fluid-Infiltration of the eclogite, which was caused by fluid-intrusion. The infiltration is demonstrated by amphibolization of the symplectite, decomposition of garnet and the forming of some hydrous minerals such as phengite and epidote, and resulted in an amphibole + plagioclase + phengite + epidote or ziosite assemblage. Basing on microprobe analysis of the minerals, ACF projections indicated: In the ACF diagrams, the two joint lines of peak Grt + Omp and Dio + Ab crossed at Omp projection-point, indicating that the garnet had not taken part in the forming reaction of the Dio + Ab symplectite, just like that had been pointed out by micro-texture observation. In the ACF diagrams, the hornblende + plagioclase + epidote + phengite quadrilateral intersected with Dio + Ab + Grt triangle, demonstrating that the hydrous mineral assemblage was formed by fluid infiltration through garnet, diopside and albite. Iso-con (mass-balance) analysis of the symplectization and infiltration reveals: 1.The symplectization of the omphacite has a very complex mass exchange: Some symplectite gained only silicon from its surroundings; and some one requires Ca, but provides Na to its surroundings; while other symplectite provides Ca, Mg and Fe to its surroundings. 2.The infiltration cause variable mass exchanges occurring among the garnet, diopside and albite: In some eclogite sample, no mass, except H2O, exchange occurred during the infiltration. Meanwhile, there was not any hydrous mineral except hornblende formed in the sample accordingly. In some samples, the mass exchange among the three minerals is complex: amphibolization of the diopside in a symplectite gained Al from garnet, and provided Si and Ca to its surrounding, resulting in a Si, Ca and Al-rich fluid. Correspondingly, there was a lot of phengite and ziosite occurred in the sample. In other samples, the amphibolization of a symplectite provided Fe and Mg besides Si and Ca to its surrounding while gained Al. In such kind of sample, epidote occurred within the hydrous mineral assemblage. Synthesizing the micro-texture observation, ACF analysis and iso-con analysis, we deduced the transformation procedure as following: 1. A symplectite after an omphacite was resulted by one, or two, or all of following mineral reactions together: Jd (Ca-Tsch) +SiO2=Ab (An) (1) 4NaA IS i.A+CaO=2NaAlS i308+Na20+CaAl2S 1208 (2) 2NaAlSi2OB (Jd in Omp)+CaMgSi;,0B(Dio in Omp)-2NaAlSi:,O"(Ab)+Ca0+Mg0 (3) 2(CaAl2Si0fi) (Ca-tsch in Omp)+CaFeSi2O6(Hed in 0mp)-H>2CaAl2Si208(An)+Ca0 + FeO (4) A CO2-rich fluid is suggested as cataclysm for the above reactions, which largely increased the mobility of Ca, Mg and Na resulted from reaction (2), (3) and (4). The immobile product Fe2* combined with rutile to form ilmenite, resulting in rutile + ilmenite symplectite. Or, the Fe was precipitated as hematite locally. A procedure of the fluid infiltration as following is suggested: I .A hydrous fluid intruded into the eclogite, and reacted first with garnet to form hornblende and extra Al, resulting in a hornblende film around the garnet grain and an Al-rich fluid. 2.The Al-rich fluid infiltrated through the symplectite, OH" and part of the Al in the fluid combined with Dio while some Si and Ca in the Dio were dissolved made the Dio transferred to amphibole. Meanwhile, plagioclase-type cation exchange occurred between the fluid and plagioclase in the symplectite, making the plagioclase have a higher An-content. 3.Above infiltration and cation exchange resulted in an Al, Si, Ca (and K, providing the primary hydrous fluid contain K)-rich fluid. 4.Under suitable conditions, the solute in the fluid precipitated to form phengite firstly. After the K element in the fluid was consumed up, ziosite or epidote was formed. If the fluid did not contain any K. element, only ziosite or epidote was precipitated. For those eclogites, where all omphacite had been replaced by symplectite before infiltration, neither element exchange occurred, nor did phengite or epidote form during the infiltration. At the last stage, the garnet was oxidized and breakdown: garnet + H2O = epidote + hornblende + hematite, due to more and more fluid intruding into the eclogite. At this time, all the peak minerals were replaced by amphibolite-phase ones, and the eclogite transformed to an amphibolite completely. Tentative pressure calculation indicates that the infiltration occurred at 3-6kbar (about 10-20km depth), where the deformation mechanics transformed from brittle to ductile yield. At such depth, the surface water can permeate the rocks through fault system, causing a rapid cooling.

Study of the surface structure of butterfly wings using the scanning electron microscopic moire method

Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) moire method was used to study the surface structure of three kinds of butterfly wings: Papilio maackii Menetries, Euploea midamus (Linnaeus), and Stichophthalma how-qua (Westwood). Gratings composed of curves with different orientations were found on scales. The planar characteristics of gratings and some other planar features of the surface structure of these wings were revealed, respectively, in terms of virtual strain. Experimental results demonstrate that SEM moire method is a simple, nonlocal, economical, effective technique for determining which grating exists on one whole scale, measuring the dimension and the whole planar structural character of the grating on each scale, as well as characterizing the relationship between gratings on different scales of each butterfly wing. Thus, the SEM moire method is a useful tool to assist with characterizing the structure of butterfly wings and explaining their excellent properties. (c) 2007 Optical Society of America.

Femtosecond laser pulse irradiation of Sb-rich AgInSbTe films: Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy investigations

The single-layer and multilayer Sb-rich AgInSbTe films were irradiated by a single femtosecond laser pulse with the duration of 120 fs. The morphological feature resulting from the laser irradiation have been investigated by scanning electron microscopy and atom force microscopy. For the single-layer film, the center of the irradiated spot is a dark depression and the border is a bright protrusion; however, for the multilayer film, the center morphology changes from a depression to a protrusion as the energy increases. The crystallization threshold fluence of the single-layer and the multilayer films is 46.36 mJ/cm(2), 63.74 mJ/cm(2), respectively.

Precipitation of Ge nanoparticles from GeO2 glasses in transmission electron microscope

We show, using spatially resolved energy loss spectroscopy in a transmission electron microscopy (TEM), that GeO2 and GeO2-SiO2 glasses are extremely sensitive to high energy electrons. Ge nanoparticles can be precipitated in GeO2 glasses efficiently by the high-energy electron beam of a TEM. This is relevant to TEM characterization of luminescent Ge nanoparticles in silicate glasses, which may produce artificial results. (C) 2005 American Institute of Physics.

Light and scanning electron microscopic study of Balantidium ctenopharyngodoni Chen, 1955 (Class : Litostomatea) from China

Redescription of Balantidium ctenopharyngodoni "Chen (Acta Hydrobiol Sin 1:123-164, 1955)", collected from the hindgut of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella), especially the segment of 6-10 cm upstream from the anus, from Honghu Lake, Hubei Province, central China in November 2005, is presented in this paper to complete Chen's description at both light and scanning electron microscopic levels. Some revisions were done: the vestibulum is fairly symmetrical, with compactly arranged cilia rather than assembled membrane bordering on the left vestibular side; four contractile vacuoles actually exist in the latter body, three of which surround the posterior portion of the macronucleus, whereas the fourth lies antero-left to it. Somatic monokinetids were compared among the species of genus Balantidium. The cysts were described, and possible infection routes of B. ctenopharyngodoni were also discussed.

Scanning electron microscopy of Aspidogaster ijimai Kawamura, 1913 and A-conchicola Baer, 1827 (Aspidogastrea, Aspidogastridae) with reference to their fish definitive-host specificity

Two species of aspidogastreans, namely Aspidogaster ijimai and A. conchicola, were studied by scanning electron microscopy. In nine lakes and an old river course, the Tian'ezhou oxbow, investigated in the flood plain of the Yangtze River, A. ijimai was obtained from the common carp (Cyprinus carpio) in three lakes, and A. conchicola from the black carp Mylopharyngodon piceus in three lakes and the oxbow. In none of the localities, however, were the two species found together. It is suggested that A. ijimai may be considered as a specialist parasite for the common carp, at least in the flood-plain lakes of the Yangtze River. The two parasites were similar in many aspects of their morphology. Their bodies can both be separated into a dorsal part and a ventral disc, with the body surface of the dorsal part elevated by transverse folds, and the disc subdivided into alveoli by transverse and longitudinal septa, although the number of alveoli was different in the two species. The depression on the ventral surface of the neck region was prominent for both species, and their ventral disc was covered densely with non-ciliated bulbous papillae. The position of mouth, osmo-regulatory pore and marginal organ was also similar for A. ijimai and A. conchicola. However, microridges in the trough of the folds in the neck region and numerous small pits on the upper part of the septa were found exclusively in A. ijimai, but uniciliated sensory papillae in A. conchicola.

Scanning electron microscopy observation of in-device InAs/AlAs quantum dots by selective etching of capping layers

Self-assembled InAs/AlAs quantum dots embedded in a resonant tunneling diode device structure are grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Through the selective etching in a C6H8O7 center dot H2O-K3C6H5O7 center dot H2O-H2O2 buffer solution, 310 nm GaAs capping layers are removed and the InAs/AlAs quantum dots are observed by field-emission scanning electron microscopy. It is shown that as-fabricated quantum dots have a diameter of several tens of nanometers and a density of 10(10) cm(-2) order. The images taken by this means are comparable or slightly better than those of transmission electron microscopy. The undercut of the InAs/AlAs layer near the edges of mesas is detected and that verifies the reliability of the quantum dot images. The inhomogeneous oxidation of the upper AlAs barrier in H2O2 is also observed. By comparing the morphologies of the mesa edge adjacent regions and the rest areas of the sample, it is concluded that the physicochemical reaction introduced in this letter is diffusion limited.

Numerical study of a high-resolution far-field scanning optical microscope via a surface plasmon-modulated light source

In this paper, we analyze light transmission through a single subwavelength slit surrounded by periodic grooves in layered films consisting of An and dielectric material. A subwavelength grating is scanned numerically by the finite difference time domain method in two dimensions. The results show that the transmission field can be confined to a spot with subwavelength width in the far field and can be useful in the application of a high-resolution far-field scanning optical microscope.

A novel contactless method for characterization of semiconductors: Surface electron beam induced voltage in scanning electron microscopy

We present a novel contactless and nondestructive method called the surface electron beam induced voltage (SEBIV) method for characterizing semiconductor materials and devices. The SEBIV method is based on the detection of the surface potential induced by electron beams of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The core part of the SEBIV detection set-up is a circular metal detector placed above the sample surface. The capacitance between the circular detector and whole surface of the sample is estimated to be about 0.64 pf It is large enough for the detection of the induced surface potential. The irradiation mode of electron beam (e-beam) influences the signal generation. When the e-beam irradiates on the surface of semiconductors continuously, a differential signal is obtained. The real distribution of surface potentials can be obtained when a pulsed e-beam with a fixed frequency is used for irradiation and a lock-in amplifier is employed for detection. The polarity of induced potential depends on the structure of potential barriers and surface states of samples. The contrast of SEBIV images in SEM changes with irradiation time and e-beam intensity.