Preparation and Characterization of Single-Phase Beta-Sialon

A simple method for the preparation of monophasic beta-SiAlON using nitridation of Si and AIN with an oxygen partial pressure of 10(-4) atm is described. The effect of the AlN/Si ratio in the initial mixture on the formation of beta-SiAlON is discussed. The likely mechanism of the formation of beta-SiAlON is outlined.

Synthesis of Ti, Ga, and V nitrides: Microwave-assisted carbothermal reduction and nitridation

A simple, novel, and fast method of preparation of metal nitride powders (GaN, TiN, and VN) using microwave-assisted carbothermal reduction and nitridation has been demonstrated. The procedure uses the respective oxides and amorphous carbon powder as the starting materials. Ammonia gas is found to be more effective in nitridation than high-purity N-2 gas. Complete nitridation is achieved by the use of a slight excess of amorphous carbon. Metals themselves are not found to be effectively nitrided. The products were characterized using XRD, TEM, and SAED and found to possess good crystallinity and phase purity. The method can be of general applicability for the preparation of metal nitrides.

Si incorporation and Burstein-Moss shift in n-type GaAs

Silane (SiH4) was used as an n-type dopant in GaAs grown by low pressure metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy using trimethylgallium (TMGa) and arsine (AsH3) as source materials. The electron carrier concentrations and silicon (Si) incorporation efficiency are studied by using Hall effect, electrochemical capacitance voltage profiler and low temperature photoluminescence (LTPL) spectroscopy. The influence of growth parameters, such as SiH4 mole fraction, growth temperature, TMGa and AsH3 mole fractions on the Si incorporation efficiency have been studied. The electron concentration increases with increasing SIH4 mole fraction, growth temperature, and decreases with increasing TMGa and AsH3 mole fractions. The decrease in electron concentration with increasing TMGa can be explained by vacancy control model. The PL experiments were carried out as a function of electron concentration (10(17) - 1.5 x 10(18) cm(-3)). The PL main peak shifts to higher energy and the full width at half maximum (FWHM) increases with increasing electron concentrations. We have obtained an empirical relation for FWHM of PL, Delta E(n) (eV) = 1.4 x 10(-8) n(1/3). We also obtained an empirical relation for the band gap shrinkage, Delta E-g in Si-doped GaAs as a function of electron concentration. The value of Delta E-g (eV) = -2.75 x 10(-8) n(1/3), indicates a significant band gap shrinkage at high doping levels. These relations are considered to provide a useful tool to determine the electron concentration in Si-doped GaAs by low temperature PL measurement. The electron concentration decreases with increasing TMGa and AsH3 mole fractions and the main peak shifts to the lower energy side. The peak shifts towards the lower energy side with increasing TMGa variation can also be explained by vacancy control model. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.

Dodecagonal space vector diagram using cascaded H-Bridge inverters

This paper proposes the development of dodecagonal (12-sided) space vector diagrams from cascaded H-Bridge inverters. As already reported in literatures, dodecagonal space vector diagrams have many advantages over conventional hexagonal ones. Some of them include the absence of 6n±1, (n=odd) harmonics from the phase voltage, and the extension of the linear modulation range. In this paper, a new power circuit is proposed for generating multiple dodecagons in the space vector plane. It consists of two cascaded H-Bridge cells fed from asymmetric dc voltage sources. It is shown that, with proper PWM timing calculation and placement of active and zero vectors, a very high quality of sine-wave can be produced. At the same time, the switching frequency of individual cells can be reduced substantially. Detailed PWM analysis, one design example and an elaborate simulation study is presented to support the proposed idea.

Effect of two-level systems on the spectral density of universal conductance fluctuations in doped Si

We have studied the power spectral density [S(f) = gamma/f(alpha)] of universal conductance fluctuations (UCF's) in heavily doped single crystals of Si, when the scatterers themselves act as the primary source of dephasing. We observed that the scatterers, with internal dynamics like two-level-systems, produce a significant, temperature-dependent reduction in the spectral slope alpha when T less than or similar to 10 K, as compared to the bare 1/f (alphaapproximate to1) spectrum at higher temperatures. It is further shown that an upper cutoff frequency (f(m)) in the UCF spectrum is necessary in order to restrict the magnitude of conductance fluctuations, [(deltaG(phi))(2)], per phase coherent region (L-phi(3)) to [(deltaGphi)(2)](1/2) less than or similar to e(2)/h. We find that f(m) approximate to tau(D)(-1), where tau(D) = L-2/D, is the time scale of the diffusive motion of the electron along the active length (L) of the sample (D is the electron diffusivity).

Nanocrystallisation and Nanoquasicrystallisation in (Ti/Hf)-Zr-(Ni/Cu) Ternary Alloys

The applicability of the confusion principle and size factor in glass formation has been explored by following different combinations of isoelectronic Ti, Zr and Hf metals. Four alloys of nominal composition Zr41.5Ti41.5Ni17, Zr41.5Hf41.5Ni17, Zr25Ti25Cu50 and Zr34Ti16Cu50 have been rapidly solidified to obtain an amorphous phase and their crystallisation behaviour has been studied. The Ti-Zr-Ni alloy crystallises in three steps. Initially this alloy precipitates icosahedral quasicrystalline phase, which on further heat treatment precipitates cF96 Zr2Ni phase. The Zr-Hf-Ni alloy can not be amorphised under the same experimental conditions. The amorphous Zr-Ti-Cu alloys at the initial stages of crystallisation phase-separateinto two amorphous phases and then on further heat treatment cF24 Cu5Zr and oC68 Cu10Zr7 phase are precipitated. The lower glass-forming abilityof Zr-Hf-Ni alloy and the crystallisation behaviour of the above alloys has been studied. The rationale behind nanoquasicrystallisation and the formation of other intermetallic phases has been explained.

Impact of Template Layers on Dielectric and Electrical Properties of Pulsed-Laser Ablated Pb(Mg1/3 Nb2/3)O3 - PbTiO3 Thin Films

A study was done on pulsed laser deposited relaxor ferroelectric thin films of 0.7Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.3PbTiO3 (PMN-PT) deposited on platinized silicon substrates with template layers to observe the influence of the template layers on physical and electrical properties. Initial results, showed that perovskite phase (80% by volume) was obtained through proper selection of the processing conditions on Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrates. The films were grown at 300°C and then annealed in a rapid thermal annealing furnace in the temperature range of 750-850°C to induce crystallization. Comparison of the films annealed at different temperatures revealed a change in crystallinity, perovskite phase formation and grain size. These results were further used to improve the quality of the perovskite PMN-PT phase by inserting thin layers of TiO2 on the Pt substrate. These resulted in an increase in perovskite phase in the films even at lower annealing temperatures. Dielectric studies on the PMN-PT films show very high values of dielectric constant (1300) at room temperature, which further improved with the insertion of the template seed layer. The relaxor properties of the PMN-PT were correlated with Vogel-Fulcher theory to determine the actual nature of the relaxation process.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of spray-formed Al-Si-Pb alloys

Liquid phase co-spray forming (LPCSF) was employed to produce two Al-Si-Pb alloys. The preforms thus obtained were then subjected to hot extrusion at different extrusion ratios. Following extrusion, the materials were tensile tested at room temperature. The distribution of Pb particles and the microstructural characterization in as-formed preforms and in the extruded rods were studied on the basis of SEM observation. The influence of the Pb content on the mechanical properties was investigated. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.

Role of La0.5Sr0.5COO3 template layers on dielectric and electrical properties of pulsed-laser ablated Pb(Nb2/3Mg1/3)O-3-PbTiO3 thin films

Relaxor ferroelectric thin films of 0.7Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O-3-0.3PbTiO(3) (PMN-PT) deposited on platinized silicon substrates with and without template layers were studied. Perovskite phase (80% by volume) was obtained through proper selection of the processing conditions on bare Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrates. The films were initially grown at 300 degreesC using pulsed-laser ablation and subsequently annealed in a rapid thermal annealing furnace in the temperature range of 750-850 degreesC to induce crystallization. Comparison of microstructure of the films annealed at different temperatures showed change in perovskite phase formation and grain size etc. Results from compositional analysis of the films revealed that the films initially possessed high content of lead percentage, which subsequently decreased after annealing at temperature 750-850 degreesC. Films with highest perovskite content were found to form at 820-840 degreesC on Pt substrates where the Pb content was near stoichiometric. Further improvement in the formation of perovskite PMN-PT phase was obtained by using buffer layers of La0.5Sr0.5CoO3 (LSCO) on the Pt substrate. This resulted 100% perovskite phase formation in the films deposited at 650 degreesC. Dielectric studies on the PMN-PT films with LSCO template layers showed high values of relative dielectric constant (3800) with a loss factor (tan delta) of 0.035 at a frequency of 1 kHz at room temperature. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of solidification microstructure in boron-modified alloy Ti-6Al-4V-0.1B

Hypoeutectic boron addition (0.1 wt.%) to Ti-6Al-4V is known to cause significant refinement of the cast microstructure. In the present investigation, it has been observed that trace boron addition to Ti-6Al-4V alloy also ensures excellent microstructural homogeneity throughout the ingot. A subdued thermal gradient, related to the basic grain refinement mechanism by constitutional undercooling, persists during solidification for the boron-containing alloy and maintains equivalent beta grain growth kinetics at different locations in the ingot. The Ti-6Al-4V alloy shows relatively strong texture with preferred components (e.g. ingot axis parallel to[0 0 0 1] or [1 0 (1) over bar 0]) over the entire ingot and gradual transition of texture components along the radius. For Ti-6Al-4V-0.1B alloy, significant weakening characterizes both the high-temperature beta and room-temperature a texture. In addition to solidification factors that are responsible for weak beta texture development, microstructural differences due to boron addition, e.g. the absence of grain boundary alpha phase and presence of TiB particles, strongly affects the mechanism of beta -> alpha phase transformation and consequently weakens the alpha phase texture. Based on the understanding developed for the boron-modified alloy, a novel mechanism has been proposed for the microstructure and texture formation during solidification and phase transformation. (C) 2011 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of Hypoeutectic Boron Addition on the beta Transus of Ti-6Al-4V Alloy

In the present study, the beta transus of boron-modified Ti-6Al-4V alloy was found to be almost equivalent to that of the normal alloy, although there is a difference in interstitial element content large enough to produce significant change. Compositional analysis confirms the scavenging ability of the boride particles that are present in the microstructure toward the interstitial elements. This factor can successfully retard the alpha -> beta phase transformation locally and increase the overall beta transus of boron-added material.

The Co Cr S ternary diagram at 1223 K and applications to corrosion

Ternary phase relations in the Co-Cr-S system at 1223 K were determined using microprobe analysis of quenched samples. The results are consistent with the data available on the binary systems. A complete solid solution exists between cobalt monosulfide and chromium monosulfide. The CoCr2S4 thiospinel is the only ternary compound formed. A sulfur potential diagram was constructed for the region involving equilibrium between alloy and monosulfide based on thermodynamic data on the Co-Cr, Co-S, and Cr-S binary systems and the ternary information obtained in this study. The sulfidation behavior of Co-Cr alloys reported in the literature is discussed in light of the sulfur potential diagram.

Phase relations in the system Cu-Eu-O and thermodynamic properties of CuEu2O4 and CuEuO2

Phase relations in the system Cu-Eu-O have been determined by equilibrating samples of different average composition at 1200 K and by phase analysis after quenching using optical microscopy (OM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive x-ray (EDX). The equilibration experiments were conducted in evacuated ampoules and under flowing inert gas and pure oxygen. The Cu-Eu alloys were found to be in equilibrium with EuO. The higher oxides of europium, Eu3O4 and Eu2O3, coexist with metallic copper. Two ternary oxides CuEu2O4 and CuEuO2 were found to be stable. The ternary oxide CuEuO2, with copper in the monovalent state, can coexist with Cu, Cu2O, Eu2O3 and CuEu2O4 in different phase fields. The compound CuEu2O4 can be in equilibrium with Cu2O, CuO, CuEuO2, Eu2O3, and O2 gas under different conditions at 1200 K. Thermodynamic properties of the ternary oxides were determined using three solid-state cells based on yttria-stabilized zirconia as the electrolyte in the temperature range from 875 to 1250 K. The cells essentially measure the oxygen chemical potential in the three-phase fields: Cu+Eu2O3+CuEuO2, Cu2O+CuEuO2+CuEu2O4, and Eu2O3+CuEuO2+CuEu2O4. The thermodynamic properties of the ternary oxides can be represented by the equations: $\begin{gathered} {\raise0.5ex\hbox{$Couldn't find \end for begin{gathered} Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) studies in Ar+O2 mixtures confirmed the results from emf measurements. An oxygen potential diagram for the system Cu-Eu-O at 1200 K was evaluated from the results of this study and information available in the literature on the binary phases.

Gibbs energy of formation of CaCu3Ti4O12 and phase relations in the system CaO-CUO/CU2O-TiO2

he standard Gibbs energy of formation of CaCu3Ti4O12 (CCTO) from CaTiO3, CuO and TiO2 has been determined as a function of temperature from 925 to 1350 K using a solid-state electrochemical cell with yttria-stabilized zirconia as the solid electrolyte. Combining this result with information in the literature on CaTiO3, the standard Gibbs energy of formation of CCTO from its component binary oxides, CaO, CuO and TiO2, has been obtained: View the MathML source (CaCu3Ti4O12)/J mol−1 (±600) = −125231 + 6.57 (T/K). The oxygen chemical potential corresponding to the reduction of CCTO to CaTiO3, TiO2 and Cu2O has been calculated from the electrochemical measurements as a function of temperature and compared on an Ellingham diagram with those for the reduction of CuO to Cu2O and Cu2O to Cu. The oxygen partial pressures corresponding to the reduction reactions at any chosen temperature can be read using the nomograms provided on either side of the diagram. The effect of the oxygen partial pressure on phase relations in the pseudo-ternary system CaO–CuO/Cu2O–TiO2 at 1273 K has been evaluated. The phase diagrams allow identification of secondary phases that may form during the synthesis of the CCTO under equilibrium conditions. The secondary phases may have a significant effect on the extrinsic component of the colossal dielectric response of CCTO.

Substrate nitridation induced modulations in transport properties of wurtzite GaN/p-Si (100) heterojunctions grown by molecular beam epitaxy

Phase pure wurtzite GaN films were grown on Si (100) substrates by introducing a silicon nitride layer followed by low temperature GaN growth as buffer layers. GaN films grown directly on Si (100) were found to be phase mixtured, containing both cubic (beta) and hexagonal (alpha) modifications. The x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy studies reveal that the significant enhancement in the structural as well as in the optical properties of GaN films grown with silicon nitride buffer layer grown at 800 degrees C when compared to the samples grown in the absence of silicon nitride buffer layer and with silicon nitride buffer layer grown at 600 degrees C. Core-level photoelectron spectroscopy of Si(x)N(y) layers reveals the sources for superior qualities of GaN epilayers grown with the high temperature substrate nitridation process. The discussion has been carried out on the typical inverted rectification behavior exhibited by n-GaN/p-Si heterojunctions. Considerable modulation in the transport mechanism was observed with the nitridation conditions. The heterojunction fabricated with the sample of substrate nitridation at high temperature exhibited superior rectifying nature with reduced trap concentrations. Lowest ideality factors (similar to 1.5) were observed in the heterojunctions grown with high temperature substrate nitridation which is attributed to the recombination tunneling at the space charge region transport mechanism at lower voltages and at higher voltages space charge limited current conduction is the dominating transport mechanism. Whereas, thermally generated carrier tunneling and recombination tunneling are the dominating transport mechanisms in the heterojunctions grown without substrate nitridation and low temperature substrate nitridation, respectively. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3658867]