Ferromagnetic La0.6Pb0.4MnO3 thin films with giant magnetoresistance at 300 K

Highly textured, as-deposited La0.6Pb0.4MnO3 thin films have been grown on LaAlO3 by pulsed laser deposition. The films are ferromagnetic metals below 300 K. Giant negative magnetoresistance of over 40% is observed at 300 K at 6 T.

Growth and characterization of laser-deposited Ag-doped YBa2Cu3O7−x thin films on bare sapphire

Microstructural and superconducting properties of YBa2Cu3O7-x thin films grown in situ on bare sapphire by pulsed laser deposition using YBa2Cu3O7-x targets doped with 7 and 10 wt% Ag have been studied. Ag-doped films grown at 730 degrees C on sapphire have shown very significant improvement over the undoped YBa2Cu3O7-x films grown under identical condition. A zero resistance temperature of 90 K and a critical current density of 1.2 x 10(6) A/cm(2) at 77 K have been achieved on bare sapphire for the first time. Improved connectivity among grains and reduced reaction rate between the substrate and the film caused due to Ag in the film are suggested to be responsible for this greatly improved transport properties.

Spectroscopic Studies on Silver Selenide Thin Films

Silver selenide thin films of thickness between 80 nm and 160 nm were prepared by thermal evaporation technique at a high vacuum better than 2x10(-5)mbar on well cleaned glass substrates at a deposition rate of 0.2 nm/sec. Silver selenide thin films were polycrystalline with orthorhombic structure. Ellipsometric spectra of silver selenide thin films have been recorded in the wavelength range between 300 nm and 700 nm. Optical constants like refractive index, extinction coefficient, absorption coefficient, and optical band gap of silver selenide thin film have been calculated from the recorded spectra. The refractive index of silver selenide has been found to vary between 1.9 and 3.2 and the extinction coefficient varies from 0.5 to 1.6 with respect to their corresponding thickness of the films. Transmittance spectra of these films have been recorded in the wavelength range between 300 nm and 900 nm and its spectral data are analysed. The photoluminescence studies have been carried out on silver selenide thin films and the strong emission peak is found around 1.7 eV. The calculated optical band of thermally evaporated silver selenide thin films is found to be around 1.7 eV from their Ellipsometric, UV-Visible and Photoluminescence spectroscopic studies.

Pulsed laser deposition of strontium titanate thin films for dynamic random access memory applications

Polycrystalline strontium titanate (SrTiO3) films were prepared by a pulsed laser deposition technique on p-type silicon and platinum-coated silicon substrates. The films exhibited good structural and dielectric properties which were sensitive to the processing conditions. The small signal dielectric constant and dissipation factor at a frequency of 100 kHz were about 225 and 0.03 respectively. The capacitance-voltage (C-V) characteristics in metal-insulator-semiconductor structures exhibited anomalous frequency dispersion behavior and a hysteresis effect. The hysteresis in the C-V curve was found to be about 1 V and of a charge injection type. The density of interface states was about 1.79 x 10(12) cm(-2). The charge storage density was found to be 40 fC mu m(-2) at an applied electric field of 200 kV cm(-1). Studies on current-voltage characteristics indicated an ohmic nature at lower voltages and space charge conduction at higher voltages. The films also exhibited excellent time-dependent dielectric breakdown behavior.

Scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy of C70 thin films

Scanning tunneling microscopy of C-70 films deposited on HOPG and gold substrates has been carried but to investigate the 2D packing, defects and disorder. Besides providing direct evidence for orientational disorder, high resolution; images showing the carbon skeleton as well as the molecular arrangement in a solid solution of C-70 and C-60 are presented. Tunneling conductance measurements Indicate a small gap in the C-70 film deposited on HOPG substrate.

Surface barrier effects in non-resonant microwave absorption by superconducting thin films of YBa2Cu3O7??

We present an unusual temperature dependence of hysteresis in the Lion resonant microwave absorption (NRMA) signals from superconducting thin films of YBa2Cu3O7-delta. We observe that the hysteresis increases with increase in temperature till T-c which we interpret as evidence for the presence of Bean-Livingston surface barriers (BLSB) in the single crystalline films.

Synthesis and properties of zirconia thin films

Thin films of zirconia have been synthesized using reactive DC magnetron sputtering. It has been found that films with good optical constants, high refractive index (1.9 at 600 nm) and low extinction coefficient can be prepared al ambient temperatures. The optical constants and band gnp and hence the composition nle dependent on the deposition parameters such as target power, rate of deposition and oxygen background pressure. Thermal annealing of the films revealed that tile films showed optical and crystalline inhomogeneity and also large variations in optical constants.

Chemical and microstructural modifications in LiPON thin films exposed to atmospheric humidity

Lithium phosphorus oxynitride (LiPON), the widely used solid electrolyte for thin film microbatteries, is not compatible with the ambient humid temperatures. The reasons for reduction in ionic conductivity of LiPON thin films from 2.8 x 10(-6) Scm(-1) to 9.9 x 10(-10) Scm(-1) when exposed to air are analyzed with the aid of AC impedance measurements, SEM, XPS and stylus profilometry. Initially, particulate-free film surfaces obtained soon after rf sputter deposition in N-2 ambient conditions becomes covered with microstructures, forming pores in the film when exposed to air. LiPON films are deposited on Ti coated silicon in addition to bare silicon, ruling out the possibility of stress-related rupturing from the LiPON/Si interface. The reduction of nitrogen, phosphorus, and increased presence of lithium, oxygen and carbon over the film surface lowers the ionic conductivity of LiPON films when exposed to air. (c) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Thickness-dependent fcc-hcp phase transformation in polycrystalline titanium thin films

Polycrystalline Ti thin films are shown to gradually transform from face-centered cubic (fcc) to hexagonal close-packed structure (hcp) with increasing film thickness. Diffraction stress analysis revealed that the fcc phase is formed in a highly compressive hcp matrix (>= 2 GPa), the magnitude of which decreases with increasing film thickness. A correlation between stress and crystallographic texture vis-a-vis the fcc-hcp phase transformation has been established. The total free energy change of the system upon phase transformation calculated using the experimental results shows that the fcc-hcp transformation is theoretically possible in the investigated film thickness regime (144-720 nm) and the hcp structure is stable for films thicker than 720 nm, whereas the fcc structure can be stabilized in Ti films much thinner than 144 nm. (C) 2011 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sputter deposited LiPON thin films from powder target as electrolyte for thin film battery applications

Lithium phosphorus oxynitride (LiPON) thin films as solid electrolytes were prepared by reactive radio frequency (rf) magnetron sputtering from Li3PO4 powder compact target. High deposition rates and ease of manufacturing powder target compared with conventional ceramic Li3PO4 targets offer flexibility in handling and reduce the cost associated. Rf power density varied from 1.7 Wcm(-2) to 3 Wcm(-2) and N-2 flow from 10 to 30 sccm for a fixed substrate to target distance of 4 cm for best ionic conductivity. The surface chemical analysis done by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed incorporation of nitrogen into the film as both triply, NE and doubly. Nd coordinated form. With increased presence of NE, ionic conductivity of LiPON was found to be increasing. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy of LiPON films confirmed an ionic conductivity of 1.1 x 10(-6) Scm(-1) for optimum rf power and N-2 flow conditions. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Metal-insulator transition and giant magnetoresistance in La1-xMnO3-delta thin films and superlattices

The first fabrication of self-doped La1-xMnO3-delta films which are unique among the other La(1-x)M(x)MnO(3) (M = Ca, Ba and Pb) thin films showing giant magnetoresistance is reported. Ag-doped La0.7MnO3-delta films were grown on LaAlO3[100] substrates. These films show ferromagnetic and metal-insulator transition at 220 K and exhibit giant magnetoresistance (GMR) with Delta R/R(o) = 85% and Delta R/R(H) > 550%. Without silver addition these self-doped films are non-magnetic, Enhancement in GMR up to 8% has been observed in superlattices having alternate magnetic and non-magnetic La1-xMnO3-delta layers.

A Comparative Study of Electrical Switching Behavior of Certain Tellurium based Chalcogenide Thin Films for Phase Change Memory (PCM) Applications

This work describes the electrical switching behavior of three telluride based amorphous chalcogenide thin film samples, Al-Te, Ge-Se-Te and Ge-Te-Si. These amorphous thin films are made using bulk glassy ingots, prepared by conventional melt quenching technique, using flash evaporation technique; while Al-Te sample has been coated in coplanar electrode geometry, Ge-Se-Te and Ge-Te-Si samples have been deposited with sandwich electrodes. It is observed that all the three samples studied, exhibit memory switching behavior in thin film form, with Ge-Te-Si sample exhibiting a faster switching characteristic. The difference seen in the switching voltages of the three samples studied has been understood on the basis of difference in device geometry and thickness. Scanning electron microscopic image of switched region of a representative Ge15Te81Si4 sample shows a structural change and formation of crystallites in the electrode region, which is responsible for making a conducting channel between the two electrodes during switching.

Sputtered thin-film strain gauges for differential pressure measurement

A differential pressure transducer with sputtered gold films as strain gauges has been designed and fabricated. The construction details of the sensing element assembly are given. The details of the strain gauge film configuration employed and the thin-film deposition process are also presented. Information on the output characteristics of the differential pressure transducer such as effect of pressure cycles on output, thermal stability, bidirectional calibration results obtained and individual gauge stability is reported.

Structural and optical properties of RF sputtered Bi2VO5.5 thin films

Thin films of Bismuth Vanadate Bi2VO5.5 (BiV) have been deposited on amorphous quartz and polycrystalline silicon substrates by r.f. sputtering technique and characterised for their structural and optical properties. The os-deposited films at room temperature are found to be amorphous and transparent over the spectral range of 0.55 mu m to 12 mu m. Post-deposition annealing at 400 degrees C in air shows the formation of the BiV crystalline phase. The optical constants namely refractive index. extinction coefficient and optical bandgap of both amorphous and crystalline films have been determined. The refractive index of the as-deposited film is around 2.4 at 0.7 mu m and drops to 2.26 at 1.56 mu m. The optical bandgap of the material has been determined from the computed values of the absorption coefficients.