测量薄膜微粗糙度的总积分散射仪

介绍了一种检测光学薄膜表面总积分散射（TIS）分布的总积分散射仪。对仪器的基本结构、理论基础、测量原理以及系统性能等进行了阐述，提出了抑制系统噪音和提高测量精度的有效措施。利用该仪器对K9基底上的银（Ag）膜和氧化锆（ZrO2）薄膜进行了测量，并根据标量散射理论得到了表面均方根（RMS）粗糙度。利用光学轮廓仪和原子力显微镜（AFM）分别测量了上述Ag膜和ZrO2薄膜的表面均方根粗糙度，并与总积分散射仪所得的粗糙度进行了比较。结果表明，根据测量的薄膜表面总积分散射计算得到的表面均方根粗糙度与光学轮廓仪及原子

Structure and optical properties of ZnS thin films grown by glancing angle deposition

The glancing angle deposition (GLAD) technique was used to deposit ZnS films by electron beam evaporation method. The cross sectional scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image illustrated a highly orientated microstructure composed of slanted column. The atomic force microscopy (APM) analysis indicated that incident flux angle had significant effects on the nodule size and surface roughness. Under identical nominal thickness, the actual thickness of the GLAD films is related to the incident flux angle. The refractive index and in-plane birefringence of the GLAD ZnS films were discussed, and the maximum bireffingence Delta n = 0.036 was obtained at incident flux angle of alpha = 80 degrees. Therefore, the glancing angle deposition technique is a promising way to create a columnar structure with enhanced birefringent property. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

纳米Mo膜的光学特性及最小连续膜厚研究

利用Lambda-900分光光度计，在波长为310～1250nm范围内测量了离子束溅射沉积不同厚度纳米Mo膜的反射率和透射率。选定波长为310nm，350nm，400nm，500nm，550nm，632nm，800nm，1200nm时对薄膜的反射率、透射率和吸收率随膜厚变化的关系进行了讨论。实验结果显示，纳米Mo膜的光学特性有明显的尺寸效应。提出将薄膜对光波长为550nm时的反射率和透射率随Mo膜厚度变化关系的交点对应的厚度作为特征厚度，该厚度可认为是纳米Mo膜生长从不连续膜进入连续膜的最小连续膜厚。利用

用不同的Mo靶溅射功率制备Mo／Si多层膜

用磁控溅射法制备了周期厚度和周期数均相同的Mo／Si多层膜，用原子力显微镜和小角X射线衍射分别研究了Mo靶溅射功率不相同时，Mo／Si多层膜表面形貌和晶相的变化。随后在国家同步辐射实验室测量了Mo／Si多层膜的软X射线反射率。研究发现，随着Mo靶溅射功率的增大，Mo／Si多层膜的表面粗糙度增加，Mo的特征X射线衍射峰也增强，Mo／Si多层膜的软X射线峰值反射率先增大后减小。

Influence of oxygen plasma treatment on properties of ZrO2 films prepared by e-beam evaporation techniques

Zirconia films were prepared by e-beam evaporation, and oxygen plasma treatment was used to modify film properties. Spectrophotometry, x-ray diffractometry (XRD), and atomic force microscopy were used to characterize refractive index, extinction coefficient, rnicrostructure, and surface roughness, respectively. The experimental results indicate that both refractive index and extinction coefficient of the films were reduced slightly after oxygen plasma treatment, with the decrease of intrinsic stress and surface roughness. From XRD spectra, the intensity decrease of the T(110) diffraction peak was clearly observed after the treatment, which was caused by the restructuring of the film atoms. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Annealing effects on the optical and structural properties of Al2O3/SiO2 films as UV antireflection coatings on 4H-SiC substrates

Al2O3/SiO2 films have been prepared by electron-beam evaporation as ultraviolet (UV) antireflection coatings on 4H-SiC substrates and annealed at different temperatures. The films were characterized by reflection spectra, ellipsometer system, atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Xray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. As the annealing temperature increased, the minimum reflectance of the films moved to the shorter wavelength for the variation of refractive indices and the reduction of film thicknesses. The surface grains appeared to get larger in size and the root mean square (RMS) roughness of the annealed films increased with the annealing temperature but was less than that of the as-deposited. The Al2O3/SiO2 films maintained amorphous in microstructure with the increase of the temperature. Meanwhile, the transition and diffusion in film component were found in XPS measurement. These results provided the important references for Al2O3/SiO2 films annealed at reasonable temperatures and prepared as fine anti-reflection coatings on 4H-SiC-based UV optoelectronic devices. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Response of the topological surface state to surface disorder in TlBiSe2

Through a combination of experimental techniques we show that the topmost layer of the topological insulator TlBiSe2 as prepared by cleavage is formed by irregularly shaped Tl islands at cryogenic temperatures and by mobile Tl atoms at room temperature. No trivial surface states are observed in photoemission at low temperatures, which suggests that these islands cannot be regarded as a clear surface termination. The topological surface state is, however, clearly resolved in photoemission experiments. This is interpreted as direct evidence of its topological self-protection and shows the robust nature of the Dirac cone-like surface state. Our results can also help explain the apparent mass acquisition in S-doped TlBiSe2.

The contact of rough surfaces carrying pressure sensitive boundary layers

When two rough surfaces are loaded together it is well known that the area of true contact is very much smaller then the geometric area and that, consequently, local contact pressures are very much greater than the nominal value. If the asperities on each surface can be thought of as possessing smooth summits and each of the solids is elastically isotropic then the pressure distribution will consist of a series of small, but severe, Hertzian patches. However, if one of both of the surfaces in question is protected by a boundary layer then both the number and dimensions of these patches, and the form of the pressure distribution within them, will be modified. Recent experimental evidence from studies using both Atomic Force Microscopy and micro-tribometry suggests that boundary films produced by the action of commercial anti-wear additives, such as ZDTP, exhibit mechanical properties, which are affected by local values of pressure. These changes bring about further modifications to local conditions. These effects have been explored in a numerical model of rough surface contact and the implications for the mechanisms of surface distress and wear are discussed. © 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Materials science: The ultrasmoothness of diamond-like carbon surfaces

The ultrasmoothness of diamond-like carbon coatings is explained by an atomistic/continuum multiscale model. At the atomic scale, carbon ion impacts induce downhill currents in the top layer of a growing film. At the continuum scale, these currents cause a rapid smoothing of initially rough substrates by erosion of hills into neighboring hollows. The predicted surface evolution is in excellent agreement with atomic force microscopy measurements. This mechanism is general, as shown by similar simulations for amorphous silicon. It explains the recently reported smoothing of multilayers and amorphous transition metal oxide films and underlines the general importance of impact-induced downhill currents for ion deposition, polishing, and nanopattering.

Increasing the design strength of glass – fractography and stress testing

Brittleness is the unintended, but inevitable consequence of producing a transparent ceramic for architectural applications such as the soda-lime glass. Its tensile strength is particularly sensitive to surface imperfections, such as that from natural weathering and malicious damage. Although a significant amount of testing of new glass has been carried out, there has been surprisingly little testing on weathered glass. Due to the variable nature of the causes of surface damage, the lack of data on weathered glass leads to a considerable degree of uncertainty in the long-term strength of exposed glass. This paper presents the results of recent tests on weathered annealed glass which has been exposed to natural weathering for more than 20 years. The tests include experimental investigations using the co-axial ring setup as well as optical and atomic force microscopy of the glass surfaces. The experimental data from these tests is subsequently used to extend existing fracture mechanics-based models to predict the strength of weathered glass. It is shown that using an automated approach based directly on finite element analysis results can give an increase in effective design strength in the order of 70 to 100% when compared to maximum stress methods. It is also shown that by combining microscopy and strength test results, it is possible to quantitatively characterise the damage on glass surfaces.

Ferroelectric-carbon nanotube memory devices

One-dimensional ferroelectric nanostructures, carbon nanotubes (CNT) and CNTinorganic oxides have recently been studied due to their potential applications for microelectronics. Here, we report coating of a registered array of aligned multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) grown on silicon substrates by functional ferroelectric Pb(Zr,Ti)O 3 (PZT) which produces structures suitable for commercial prototype memories. Microstructural analysis reveals the crystalline nature of PZT with small nanocrystals aligned in different directions. First-order Raman modes of MWCNT and PZT/MWCNT/n-Si show the high structural quality of CNT before and after PZT deposition at elevated temperature. PZT exists mostly in the monoclinic Cc/Cm phase, which is the origin of the high piezoelectric response in the system. Lowloss square piezoelectric hysteresis obtained for the 3D bottom-up structure confirms the switchability of the device. Currentvoltage mapping of the device by conducting atomic force microscopy (c-AFM) indicates very low transient current. Fabrication and functional properties of these hybrid ferroelectriccarbon nanotubes is the first step towards miniaturization for future nanotechnology sensors, actuators, transducers and memory devices. © 2012 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Controllable chemical vapor deposition of large area uniform nanocrystalline graphene directly on silicon dioxide

Metal-catalyst-free chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of large area uniform nanocrystalline graphene on oxidized silicon substrates is demonstrated. The material grows slowly, allowing for thickness control down to monolayer graphene. The as-grown thin films are continuous with no observable pinholes, and are smooth and uniform across whole wafers, as inspected by optical-, scanning electron-, and atomic force microscopy. The sp 2 hybridized carbon structure is confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. Room temperature electrical measurements show ohmic behavior (sheet resistance similar to exfoliated graphene) and up to 13 of electric-field effect. The Hall mobility is ∼40 cm 2/Vs, which is an order of magnitude higher than previously reported values for nanocrystalline graphene. Transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and transport measurements indicate a graphene crystalline domain size ∼10 nm. The absence of transfer to another substrate allows avoidance of wrinkles, holes, and etching residues which are usually detrimental to device performance. This work provides a broader perspective of graphene CVD and shows a viable route toward applications involving transparent electrodes. © 2012 American Institute of Physics.

Properties of trench defects in InGaN/GaN quantum well structures

The structural and optical properties of trench defects, which are poorly understood yet commonly occurring defects observed on the surfaces of InGaN multiple quantum wells (MQW), are reported. These defects comprise near-circular trenches which enclose areas of MQW which give rise to a red shift in peak photoluminescence emission and a change in cathodoluminescence intensity with respect to the surrounding material. Atomic force microscopy shows that the height of trench-enclosed areas differs from that of the surrounding quantum well structure, and that trenches are unrelated to the commonly observed V-defects in InGaN films, despite being occasionally intersected by them. Cross-sectional electron microscopy analysis of trenches with raised centres suggests that the red shift in the observed cathodoluminescence peak emission may be due to the quantum wells being thicker in the trench-enclosed regions than in the surrounding quantum well area. The mechanism of trench formation and its implication for the control of the emission properties of light-emitting diodes is discussed. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Correlations between the morphology and emission properties of trench defects in InGaN/GaN quantum wells

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with cathodoluminescence (CL) were performed on exactly the same defects in a blue-emitting InGaN/GaN multiple quantum well (QW) sample enabling the direct correlation of the morphology of an individual defect with its emission properties. The defects in question are observed in AFM and SEM as a trench partially or fully enclosing a region of the QW having altered emission properties. Their sub-surface structure has previously been shown to consist of a basal plane stacking fault (BSF) in the plane of the QW stack, and a stacking mismatch boundary (SMB) which opens up into a trench at the sample surface. In CL, the material enclosed by the trench may emit more or less intensely than the surrounding material, but always exhibits a redshift relative to the surrounding material. A strong correlation exists between the width of the trench and both the redshift and the intensity ratio, with the widest trenches surrounding regions which exhibit the brightest and most redshifted emission. Based on studies of the evolution of the trench width with the number of QWs from four additional MQW samples, we conclude that in order for a trench defect to emit intense, strongly redshifted light, the BSF must be formed in the early stages of the growth of the QW stack. The data suggest that the SMB may act as a non-radiative recombination center. © 2013 American Institute of Physics.

Self-assembled multilayer graphene oxide membrane and carbon nanotubes synthesized using a rare form of natural graphite

The fabrication of flexible multilayer graphene oxide (GO) membrane and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) using a rare form of high-purity natural graphite, vein graphite, is reported for the first time. Graphite oxide is synthesized using vein graphite following Hummer's method. By facilitating functionalized graphene sheets in graphite oxide to self-assemble, a multilayer GO membrane is fabricated. Electric arc discharge is used to synthesis CNTs from vein graphite. Both multilayer GO membrane and CNTs are investigated using microscopy and spectroscopy experiments, i.e., scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), core level photoelectron spectroscopy, and C K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (NEXAFS), to characterize their structural and topographical properties. Characterization of vein graphite using different techniques reveals that it has a large number of crystallites, hence the large number of graphene sheets per crystallite, preferentially oriented along the (002) plane. NEXAFS and core level spectra confirm that vein graphite is highly crystalline and pure. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and C 1s core level spectra show that oxygen functionalities (-C-OH, -CO,-C-O-C-) are introduced into the basal plane of graphite following chemical oxidation. Carbon nanotubes are produced from vein graphite through arc discharge without the use of any catalyst. HRTEM confirm that multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNTs) are produced with the presence of some structure in the central pipe. A small percentage of single-walled nanotubes (SWNTs) are also produced simultaneously with MWNTs. Spectroscopic and microscopic data are further discussed here with a view to using vein graphite as the source material for the synthesis of carbon nanomaterials. © 2013 American Chemical Society.