Site-specific angular dependent determination of inelastic mean free path of 300 keV electrons in GaN nanorods.

Inelastic mean free path (IMFP) of the electron is a very important parameter for quantitative analysis of several electron spectroscopies and transport properties. In spite of being a fundamental material property, its experimental determination is not trivial due to complexity of the various electron scattering processes in matter. In this report, we demonstrate a procedure to determine the IMFP of 300 keV electrons in GaN, using the log-ratio technique where the local specimen thickness needs to be accurately known.

Ultrathin Free-Standing Nanosheets of BiOSe: Room Temperature Ferroelectricity in Self-Assembled Charged Layered Heterostructure.

Ultrathin ferroelectric semiconductors with high charge carrier mobility are much coveted systems for the advancement of various electronic and optoelectronic devices. However, in traditional oxide ferroelectric insulators, the ferroelectric transition temperature decreases drastically with decreasing material thickness and ceases to exist below certain critical thickness owing to depolarizing fields. Herein, we show the emergence of an ordered ferroelectric ground state in ultrathin (∼2 nm) single crystalline nanosheets of BiOSe at room temperature.

Native defect-assisted enhanced response to CH near room temperature by AlGaN nanowires.

Gas sensors at low operating temperature with high sensitivity require group III nitrides owing to their high chemical and thermal stabilities. For the first time, Al0.07Ga0.

Surfing Silicon Nanofacets for Cold Cathode Electron Emission Sites.

Point sources exhibit low threshold electron emission due to local field enhancement at the tip. In the case of silicon, however, the realization of tip emitters has been hampered by unwanted oxidation, limiting the number of emission sites and the overall current. In contrast to this, here, we report the fascinating low threshold (∼0.

CdSe-CdTe Heterojunction Nanorods: Role of CdTe Segment in Modulating the Charge Transfer Processes.

Heterojunction nanorods having dissimilar semiconductors possess charge transfer (CT) properties and are proposed as active elements in optoelectronic systems. Herein, we describe the synthetic methodologies for controlling the charge carrier recombination dynamics in CdSe-CdTe heterojunction nanorods through the precise growth of CdTe segment from one of the tips of CdSe nanorods. The location of heterojunction was established through a point-by-point collection of the energy-dispersive X-ray spectra using scanning transmission electron microscopy.

Ultrahigh Average Thermoelectric Figure of Merit, Low Lattice Thermal Conductivity and Enhanced Microhardness in Nanostructured (GeTe) (AgSbSe ).

Waste heat sources are generally diffused and provide a range of temperatures rather than a particular temperature. Thus, thermoelectric waste heat to electricity conversion requires a high average thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT ) of materials over the entire working temperature along with a high peak thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT ). Herein an ultrahigh ZT of 1.

Atomic Layer Deposition of Ultrathin Crystalline Epitaxial Films of VO.

Ultrathin epitaxial films (10-90 nm thick) of VO have been grown on c-AlO by atomic layer deposition using vanadyl acetylacetonate as the vanadium precursor along with oxygen plasma. Various process parameters have been optimized for the purpose, and excellent crystalline films could be obtained below 200 °C, without the need for post-heat treatment. With a moderate temperature window, the process yields a growth rate of 0.

Atomic Layer Deposition of p-Type Epitaxial Thin Films of Undoped and N-Doped Anatase TiO2.

Employing atomic layer deposition, we have grown p-type epitaxial undoped and N-doped anatase TiO2(001) thin films on c-axis Al2O3 substrate. From X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy studies, crystallographic relationships between the film and the substrate are found to be (001)TiO2//(0001)Al2O3 and [1̅10]TiO2//[011̅0]Al2O3. N-doping in TiO2 thin films enhances the hole concentration and mobility.

Derivation of the surface free energy of ZnO and GaN using in situ electron beam hole drilling.

Surface free energy, as an intrinsic property, is essential in determining the morphology of materials, but it is extremely difficult to determine experimentally. We report on the derivation of the SE of different facets of ZnO and GaN experimentally from the holes developed using electron beam drilling with transmission electron microscopy. Inverse Wullf's construction is employed to obtain polar maps of the SE of different facets to study different nanomaterials (ZnO and GaN) in different morphologies (nanorod, nanobelt and thin film) to prove its versatility and capability.

Crystal Orientation Dynamics of Collective Zn dots before Preferential Nucleation.

The island nucleation in the context of heterogeneous thin film growth is often complicated by the growth kinetics involved in the subsequent thermodynamics. We show how the evolution of sputtered Zn island nucleation on Si(111) by magnetron sputtering in a large area can be completely understood as a model system by combining reflective second harmonic generation (RSHG), a 2D pole figure with synchrotron X-ray diffraction. Zn dots are then oxidized on the surfaces when exposed to the atmosphere as Zn/ZnO dots.

Nanopatterning by ion implantation through nanoporous alumina masks.

The important problem of how to generate lateral order for ion implantation patterning of substrates is solved by using a nanoporous anodic alumina membrane as a mask. Co and Pt implantation is used at two implantation doses. In order to observe the achieved implantation zones free from artifacts, electron transparent thin nitride and oxide films are used as substrates, which allows the quality of pattern transfer from the mask to the thin film to be assessed by plan-view transmission electron microscopy.

In situ TEM observation of lithium nanoparticle growth and morphological cycling.

Lithium fluoride crystals were subjected to electron beam irradiation at 200 and 300 keV using transmission electron microscopy in order to study in situ fabrication of Li nanostructures. We observed that LiF crystals decompose in a unique way different to all other metal halides: Fluorine ablation and salt-to-metal conversion is non-local and due to a rapid lateral diffusion of Li, the life cycle from nucleation to annihilation of fresh Li nano-crystals can be observed at a distance from the Li-source, the irradiated salt. Growth, shape transition and annihilation of Li nanostructures follow at slow enough speed for live video recording with resolution of 25 frames per second.

Patterned ion beam implantation of Co ions into a SiO2 thin film via ordered nanoporous alumina masks.

Spatially patterned ion beam implantation of 190 keV Co(+) ions into a SiO(2) thin film on a Si substrate has been achieved by using nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide with a pore diameter of 125 nm as a mask. The successful synthesis of periodic embedded Co regions using pattern transfer is demonstrated for the first time using cross-sectional (scanning) transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in combination with analytical TEM. Implanted Co regions are found at the correct relative lateral periodicity given by the mask and at a depth of about 120 nm.

Investigations of Ce3+ co-doped SbPO4:Tb3+ nano-ribbons and nanoparticles by vibrational and photoluminescence spectroscopy.

Nano-ribbons and very small nanoparticles (size 2-5 nm) of SbPO4 doped with lanthanide ions (Ce3+ and Tb3+) are prepared at a relatively low temperature of 120 degrees C based on a solution method. Detailed vibrational and luminescence studies on these samples establish that these lanthanide ions are incorporated at Sb3+ site of the SbPO4 lattice. The excitation spectrum corresponding to the Tb3+ emission and the excited state lifetime of the 5D4 level of Tb3+ ions in the sample confirm the energy transfer from Ce3+ to Tb3+ ions in the SbPO4 host.

Stability of embedded indium nanoclusters in silica under thermal treatment and ion irradiation.

The stability of embedded Indium (In) nanoclusters (NCs) in silica under thermal annealing and ion irradiation was investigated. The In NCs were prepared by implantation of 890 keV indium ions in silica matrix at room temperature. Post implantation annealing resulted in the shifting of the size distribution to higher side.

Oxide mediated liquid-solid growth of high aspect ratio aligned gold silicide nanowires on Si(110) substrates.

Silicon nanowires grown using the vapor-liquid-solid method are promising candidates for nanoelectronics applications. The nanowires grow from an Au-Si catalyst during silicon chemical vapor deposition. In this paper, the effect of temperature, oxide at the interface and substrate orientation on the nucleation and growth kinetics during formation of nanogold silicide structures is explained using an oxide mediated liquid-solid growth mechanism.

MeV gold ion induced sputtered nanoparticles from gold nanostructures: dependence of incident flux and temperature.

The high-energy and heavy-ion induced sputtered particles from nanostructures under various conditions can result in variety of size distributions. 1.5 MeV Au2+ ions induced sputtering from isolated gold nanostructures deposited on silicon substrate have been studied as a function of incident ion flux (dose rate) and the sputter particle catcher at low temperature.

Surface plasmon resonance of Ag nanoparticles embedded in partially oxidized amorphous Si matrix.

Nanocomposite films containing Ag nanoparticles embedded in partially oxidized amorphous Si matrix were deposited on silica glass substrates by co-sputtering of Ag and Si with 1.5 keV neutral Ar atoms. The Ag content and thickness of the nanocomposite films was determined by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry.

Flux dependent MeV self-ion-induced effects on Au nanostructures: dramatic mass transport and nanosilicide formation.

We report a direct observation of dramatic mass transport due to 1.5 MeV Au(2+) ion impact on isolated Au nanostructures of average size ≈7.6 nm and height ≈6.

Observation of a universal aggregation mechanism and a possible phase transition in Au sputtered by swift heavy ions.

Two exponents delta for the size distribution of n-atom clusters, Y(n) approximately n{-delta}, have been found in Au clusters sputtered from embedded Au nanoparticles under swift heavy ion irradiation. For small clusters, below 12.5 nm in size, delta has been found to be 3/2, which can be rationalized as occurring from a steady state aggregation process with size independent aggregation.

Green synthesis of highly stabilized nanocrystalline silver particles by a non-pathogenic and agriculturally important fungus T. asperellum.

A controlled and up-scalable biosynthetic route to nanocrystalline silver particles with well-defined morphology using cell-free aqueous filtrate of a non-pathogenic and commercially viable biocontrol agent Trichoderma asperellum is being reported for the first time. A transparent solution of the cell-free filtrate of Trichoderma asperellum containing 1 mM AgNO(3) turns progressively dark brown within 5 d of incubation at 25 °C. The kinetics of the reaction was studied using UV-vis spectroscopy.

Mutations of the ELA2 gene found in patients with severe congenital neutropenia induce the unfolded protein response and cellular apoptosis.

Severe congenital neutropenia (SCN) is an inborn disorder of granulopoiesis. Mutations of the ELA2 gene encoding neutrophil elastase (NE) are responsible for most cases of SCN and cyclic neutropenia (CN), a related but milder disorder of granulopoiesis. However, the mechanisms by which these mutations disrupt granulopoiesis are unclear.

Solvothermal synthesis of CdS nanorods: role of basic experimental parameters.

CdS nanorods with varying dimensions were synthesized by solvothermal process. It was observed that the anions present with the Cd-salts play an important role in determining the dimensions of the CdS nanorods. The crystalline nature of the sources was found to play a crucial role in determining the phase of the products.

Interfacial deposition of Ag on Au seeds leading to AucoreAgshell in organic media.

A seed mediated procedure for the synthesis of hydrophobic Au(core)Ag(shell) nanoparticles in toluene is demonstrated. The reaction proceeds by way of the interfacial reduction of silver ions by 3-pentadecylphenol followed by their deposition on hydrophobized Au nanoparticles. Such a hitherto unreported interfacial seeded growth reaction leads to the formation of phase pure Au(core)Ag(shell) nanoparticles that retain the hydrophobicity of the seed particles and remain stable in toluene.

Single crystalline nickel nanorods inside carbon nanotubes: growth behavior, structure, and magnetic properties.

Nickel nanorods with diameters ranging from 5 to 10 nm, encapsulated inside the carbon nanotubes, are prepared using microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) studies reveal the perfect crystalline nature of the rods with d-spacing closely matching the (111) interplanar spacing of Ni. The (111) planes of the Ni nanorods are always aligned at 39.