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In this work, we investigate the formation of the inverted technology created quantum dot by a method based on droplet epitaxy. The preparation process of the so called inverted quantum dot is carried out with the filling of the nano-hole. The investigated GaAs dot is embedded in AlAs/AlxGa1 − xAs multilayer structure. Transmission electron microscopy investigation shows that the quantum structure is perfectly crystalline and fits very well to the crystal structure of the base layer. The nano-hole has a hill around its opening. Furthermore, the sides of the nano-structure consist of low Miller index facets. The filling process results formation of a hill over the nano-hole. The elemental mapping shows Al immigration into the GaAs layer. Formation of the hill after the filling process and the Al immigration are also explained in this paper. Temperature dependent photoluminescence spectra were measured in the range of room temperature and 4.7 K. The electronic structure given from photoluminescence spectroscopy is explained.

Polarization engineering is a promising approach to achieve high positive threshold voltage (Vth) in GaN-based metal-oxide-semiconductor high electron mobility transistors (MOS HEMTs). In this paper, we investigate all critical interfaces of polarization-engineered normally-off Al2O3/InGaN/AlGaN/GaN MOS HEMTs using transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Mechanisms of threshold voltage ( V TH ) instabilities are also analyzed. Devices were subjected to positive-bias stress-recovery experiments to capture the transient change in Vth. We propose a model that explains observed peculiar behavior and discuss the role of 2-dimensional hole gas (2DHG) in Al2O3/InGaN/AlGaN/GaN MOS HEMTs Vth shift.

In this study we report on the micro-, and nanostructural, morphological and electrical properties of Ti(20 nm)/Cr(120 nm)/Al(50 nm) contacts to n-GaN by electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and I – V measurements. Tested contacts were annealed at the temperature of 400, 700 and 900 °C for 10 min in vacuum. It was found that Cr appeared in the top part of the GaN epitaxial layer at 700 °C. High resolution electron microscopy (HREM) revealed Ti 2 AlN MAX phase as well as Al 2 O 3 phase at the interface of n-GaN/Ti/Cr/Al contact at 900 °C. X-ray diffraction examinations showed that new Ti 2 AlN MAX phase formed and Cr 3 GaN as well as CrN phases developed at 900 °C. I – V characterizations exhibited that while the as-deposited and annealed Ti/Cr/Al contacts are rectifying up to 700 °C the diffusion of Cr into the epi GaN layer led to ohmic behaviour at 700 °C.

We investigate strain-free GaAs quantum dots (QDs) fabricated by filling of nanoholes in semiconductor surfaces. The nanoholes are created in a self-organized fashion by local droplet etching with Al droplets as etchants. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) demonstrates that the quantum dots are free of extended defects. Elemental mapping using local electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) shows that the walls surrounding the nanohole openings consist of AlAs. This result confirms that the walls are optically inactive.

Ge nanocrystals were formed by electron beam evaporation on SiO2 covered Si substrates. The size and distribution of the nanocrystals were studied by atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. Dependencies of the nanocrystal size, of the nanocrystal surface coverage, and sheet resistance obtained by van der Pauw method of the Ge layer have been found on the evaporation time. The suggested growth mechanism for the formation of nanocrystals is the Volmer-Weber type. The sheet resistance exhibited a power dependence on the nanocrystal size.

A new method to produce zinc oxide nanocrystals is presented. The method is based on the thermal decomposition of zinc alginate gels. The gels were produced in the form of beads by ionic gelation between a zinc solution and sodium alginate. The wet beads were heated at 800 and 450 °C for 24 h and the products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and micro-Raman spectroscopy. XRD analysis showed that all obtained samples are of wurtzite structure. TEM analysis combined with electron diffraction also showed the presence of single crystals indexed as ZnO hexagonal phase. Crystal size was determined by measuring individual crystals from SEM pictures. It was found that heating temperature and the kind of zinc agent influence the crystal size. Raman scattering revealed the existence of defects in the structure of nanoparticles whose cringing was discussed in the context of recent studies in this field.

International audience; Al, Au, Ti/Al and Ti/Au contacts were prepared on n-GaN and annealed up to 900 °C. The structure, phase and morphology were studied by cross-sectional transmission and scanning electron microscopy as well as by X-ray diffraction (XRD), the electrical behaviour by current–voltage measurements. It was obtained that annealing resulted in interdiffusion, lateral diffusion along the surface, alloying and bowling up of the metal layers. The current–voltage characteristics of as-deposited Al and Ti/Al contacts were linear, while the Au and Ti/Au contacts exhibited rectifying behaviour. Except the Ti/Au contact which became linear, the contacts degraded during heat treatment at 900 °C. The surface of Au and Ti/Au contacts annealed at 900 °C have shown fractal-like structures revealed by scanning electron microscopy. Transmission electron microscopy and XRD investigations of the Ti/Au contact revealed that Au diffused into the n-GaN layer at 900 °C. X-ray diffraction examinations showed, that new Ti2N, Au2Ga and Ga3Ti2 interface phases formed in Ti/Au contact at 900 °C, new Ti2N phase formed in Ti/Al contact at 700 and 900 °C, as well as new AlN interface phase developed in Ti/Al contact at 900 °C.

Au-TiO(2) interface on silica support was aimed to be produced in a controlled way by use of Au hydrosol. In method A, the Au colloids were modified by hydrolysis of the water-soluble Ti(IV) bis(ammoniumlactato)dihydroxide (TALH) precursor and then adsorbed on Aerosil SiO(2) surface. In method B, Au sol was first deposited onto the SiO(2) surface and then TALH was adsorbed on it. Regular and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM and HRTEM) and energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) analysis allowed us to conclude that, in method A, gold particles were able to retain the precursor of TiO(2) at 1.5 wt % TiO(2) loading, but at 4 wt % TiO(2) content the promoter oxide appeared over the silica surface as well. With method B, titania was detected on silica at each TiO(2) concentration. In Au-TiO(2)/SiO(2) samples, the stability of Au particles against sintering was much higher than in Au/TiO(2). The formation of an active Au-TiO(2) perimeter was proven by the greatly increased CO oxidation activity compared to that of the reference Au/SiO(2).

Al (150 nm)/Ti (30 nm) contacts have been successively deposited onto p-type 6H–SiC wafers. The layer structure has been annealed at 900 °C for 4 min. The annealed contacts are Ohmic. The structure of the annealed contact layers was identified as a Ti 3 SiC 2 layer on SiC and covered by an Al 3 Ti layer. Both layers and phases are formed as a result of solid phase interaction between the metallic layers and SiC, and are epitaxial to the 6H–SiC. Ti 3 SiC 2 is suggested as a new contact material to p-type SiC, which promises high temperature stable contacts due to its excellent properties.

It is shown in this paper that – in contrast to the accepted belief in the literature – it is possible to determine if a minority component is located on the dodecahedral, octahedral or tetrahedral sites in a garnet single crystal. Previous literature regarded the dodecahedral sites indistinguishable form the tetrahedral sites. Our prediction about the separability is based upon dynamical Bloch-wave calculations and proved experimentally in a transmission electron microscope (TEM) on two different natural garnets (almandine and grossular). The crystallographic positions of the minority components are determined in an ALCHEMI experiment that makes use of the channeling of electrons in special directions of a single-crystal sample.

Morphology, electron structure, and catalytic activity in CO oxidation over a Au/FeOx/SiO2/Si(100) model sample prepared by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) have been investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Two types of sample were prepared denoted by PLD I and PLD II, the latter being prepared by multiple laser deposition alternatively by iron and gold. PLD I was characterized in “as prepared” oxidized and reduced states, the respective gold particle sizes being 3.8, 4.1, and 5 nm; the iron oxide support was amorphous after the first two treatments while it was partially crystallized after reduction. The activity in CO oxidation increased after oxidation of the sample, whereas it was diminished after subsequent reduction. XPS studies showed that higher activity was associated with amorphous iron oxide with Fe 2p binding energy = 711.3 eV. It was established that in developing the catalytic activity the gold shou...

1 wt% Au/Fe2O3 catalyst was prepared by a co‐precipitation method. The structure of the sample in the as prepared, oxidized and reduced states was investigated by means of X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transition electron microscopy (TEM), electron diffraction (ED) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD). The structure of the samples after various treatments and their activity in the CO oxidation were compared. The results show the stability of the gold particle size during the treatments. However, after oxidation, a slight shift in the Au 4f binding energy towards lower values points to the formation of an electron‐rich state of the metallic gold particles compared to that revealed in the as prepared sample. Simultaneously, a goethite phase in the Fe2O3 support is present, which is not observed in the “as prepared” and reduced samples. In the reduced sample the presence of a crystalline maghemite‐c phase indicates a change in the support morphology. In the CO oxidation the oxidized sample shows the highest activity and it might be the result of the cooperative effect of goethite, FeO and the electron‐rich metallic gold nanoparticles. We suggest that a structural transformation occurs along the gold/support perimeter during the treatments and we propose a possible mechanism for the effect of the oxidation treatment.

The growth process of GaN layers grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition on sapphire is characterized by transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The nitridation of the sapphire substrate and GaN buffer layers as well as film structure and the nature of defects are studied. Nitridation causes the formation of a 4 nm thick AlN layer on sapphire. GaN buffer layers grown at 510 °C are found to be hexagonal single crystals in their as-grown state with a mosaic structure. Annealing of the buffer layers leads to substantial smoothening of their surfaces due to the coalescence of the grains. GaN layers themselves are single crystalline, hexagonal, and epitaxial to the substrate. Layers grown on exactly oriented (0001) type substrate as well as on miscut substrate are compared. Smooth surfaces have been achieved on exactly oriented and on miscut substrates as well, but the range of the deposition parameters is wider when miscut substrates are used.

GaN layers grown onto sapphire substrates by metalorganic chemical vapour deposition were characterised by optical microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy measurements. Mirror like surfaces were obtained at certain growth conditions despite the hexagonal based pyramids found on the growth surface. The typical pyramids have a base diameter of 20–30 μm and height of about 1.5–3 μm. The GaN layers are of the wurtzite type and epitaxially oriented to the sapphire substrate. Beside the threading dislocations, hexagonal rods of GaN surrounded by inversion domain boundaries are observed. An AlN layer has been formed at the interface region during the nitridation process of sapphire.

The interface of Fe-B multilayers was studied by Mossbauer spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The interface region is amorphous and consumes 2n mfrom the iron layer. The same hyperfine field distribution is observed within the amorphous interface when the individual layer thicknesses exceed the width of the inter- face. The width of this distribution is much larger than those measured in amorphous Fe-B alloys and the excess width is attributed to concentration distribution along the interface. On the contrary, the amorphous component in samples with smaller layer thicknesses is more homogeneous as deduced from the hyperfine field distributions, and the hyperfine pa- rameters depend on the ratio of the iron and boron layer thicknesses. Solid state amorphization during the sample de- position is assumed to account for this behavior. Diffusion amorphization is also detected when low-temperature heat treatment of the large layer thickness samples is performed. Single-phase amorphous alloy is formed in both cases in a limited concentration range around 40 at% boron in agree- ment with the predictions of free-energy diagrams.

Mixtures of aluminium and nickel powders were milled in a Hosokawa AM-15F mechanofusion system in order to produce composite materials with coated or layered microstructure. These composites were then annealed or used in plasma spraying experiments. The intermetallic phases formed in the consecutive steps of the treatment were investigated by means of different methods: electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron diffraction (ED), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The presence of the intermetallic phases confirmed that phase forming solid state reactions start during the mechanofusion treatment. After milling the powder mixture in the Hosokawa equipment, the crystalline Al 3 Ni could be detected by TEM. A second intermetallic phase, Al 3 Ni 2 was also observed after a heat treatment at 750 K. The microanalytical capabilities of TEM are essential for these investigations. The similarities and the differences between the reactions taking place in the thin films and the thin and/or small milled particles are discussed.

Equiatomic composition powder mixture of pure Fe and B was mechanically alloyed in a controlled atmosphere vibration mill. Amorphous alloy phase formation was established by Mossbauer spectroscopy and by transmission electron microscopy. The variation of the average boron concentration and the homogeneity of the amorphous phase during the alloying process was followed by Mossbauer spectroscopy. At the early stage of the milling process a broad concentration distribution (from 20 to 50 at. % B) was observed. Upon further milling the average B concentration of the amorphous component was gradually enhanced and the concentration heterogeneity decreased. The B concentration of the amorphous phase could be further enhanced by heat treating the milled powder mixture. The highest boron content alloy attained in this study is Fe60B40.

Ti(40nm)/Au(120nm) contacts have been prepared on n-GaN/sapphire. The contacts were annealed from 400?C to 900?C for 10min in nitrogen, respectively. The interaction between the contact metallization and the GaN epitaxial layer (on sapphire) was investigated by electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. It was found that for an annealing at a temperature equal or higher than 700?C, the gold diffused through Ti layer and Au-rich grains were formed under this Ti layer. Between the Au-rich grains and the n-type GaN layer a new Ti-rich thin layer was identified by XTEM. High resolution images and X-ray data showed that it is TiN0.26 that was formed at the metal/semiconductor interface. FESEM investigations showed that Ti/Au contacts annealed in nitrogen still have a very smooth surface morphology. Ti(40nm)/Au(120nm) contacts have been prepared on n-GaN/sapphire. The contacts were annealed from 400?C to 900?C for 10min in nitrogen, respectively. The interaction between the contact metallization and the GaN epitaxial layer (on sapphire) was investigated by electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. It was found that for an annealing at a temperature equal or higher than 700?C, the gold diffused through Ti layer and Au-rich grains were formed under this Ti layer. Between the Au-rich grains and the n-type GaN layer a new Ti-rich thin layer was identified by XTEM. High resolution images and X-ray data showed that it's TiN0.26 that was formed at the metal/semiconductor interface. FESEM investigations showed that Ti/Au contacts annealed in nitrogen still have a very smooth surface morphology.

Cr/Au (40/65 nm) metal layers have been deposited by thermal evaporation onto n-GaN epitaxial layers grown by metal-organic chemical-vapour deposition (MOCVD) on a sapphire substrate. The samples have been annealed at 400, 700 and 900 °C for 10 min in vacuum. Techniques of TEM, EDS, HRTEM, FESEM, XRD and I–V characteristics have been used to characterize the micro-, and nanostructure, morphology, composition and electrical properties of the contacts before and after annealing. A binary phase of Cr 3 Ga 4 and Au 7 Ga 2 were identified at the interface of the n-GaN/Cr/Au contacts after annealing in vacuum at 700 and 900 °C. Current-voltage characterizations showed that the as-deposited and annealed Cr/Au contacts are rectifying up to 600 °C. After heat treatment in vacuum at 700 °C and 900 °C the Cr/Au contacts were linear.

Al(60 nm) and Ti(40 nm)/Al(160 nm) metal layers have been deposited by thermal evaporation onto n-GaN epitaxial layers grown by metal organic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD) on a c-plane sapphire substrate. The samples have been annealed at 300, 400, 700 or 900 °C for 10 min in vacuum. The microstructural and electrical properties of the contacts have been investigated by electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and by current–voltage measurements. As-deposited Al and Ti/Al contacts were rectifying with Schottky barrier heights below 0.35 eV and 0.38 eV, respectively. After heat treatment at 300 °C and 400 °C both contacts exhibited linear current–voltage characteristics. After annealing at 700 °C Al contacts became rectifying with a barrier height of 0.42 eV, while Ti/Al contacts remained nearly linear at the same temperature. The electrical characteristics and XRD analysis indicated that the upper metal in Ti/Al contact diffused in the Ti layer already during deposition. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy revealed that in the case of Ti/Al contacts, the continuity of the Ti layers ceased when annealing above 700 °C. X-ray diffractions showed, that a Ti 2 N interface phase formed in Ti/Al contacts at 700 and 900 °C, and an AlN interface phase developed in the same contact at 900 °C.

GaN based high electron mobility transistor structures were grown onto special composite substrates by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. These substrates consist of a thin single crystalline SiC layer transferred onto polycrystalline SiC wafer by a technique involving ion implantation and wafer bonding. Transmission electron microscopy of these structures has proven that their epitaxial quality and defect structure is the same as of the reference samples deposited onto single crystalline bulk SiC substrate.

The full performance of GaN devices for high power applications is not exploited due to their self-heating. Possible solutions are the integration of materials with high heat conductivity i.e., single crystalline diamond and graphene layers. We report the growth of single crystalline (0001)-oriented GaN thin films on (100), (110) and (111) diamond single crystals studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in cross-sections. As for graphene, we show a high quality GaN layer that was deposited on patterned graphene layers and 6H-SiC. The atomic structures of the interfaces in the heterostructure are studied using aberration-corrected scanning TEM combined with energy dispersive x-ray and electron energy-loss spectroscopy. Funding Agencies|OTKA project (Hungary) [K 108869]; European Union under the Seventh Framework Program [312483 ESTEEM2]

Cubic SiC is implanted with carbon ions at 600, 900, 1100 and 1200 °C. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy revealed the influence of implantation temperature and dose rate on the formation of graphite and diamond precipitates, respectively. The high dose carbon implantation at 600 °C yields graphite already in a textured form. Spherical diamond grains, which are always epitaxial to the SiC, are found in samples implanted at 900 °C or higher. Increasing the dose rate leads to formation of graphite instead of diamond at 900 °C as well. Hence, a critical temperature for diamond evolution exists, which depends on dose rate. Size and shape of the formed diamond precipitates is not influenced by dose rate within the investigated range. Increasing the fluence results in bigger diamond nanocrystals, which are bordered by facets.

High-dose carbon implantation (3x10e17 and 1x10e18 ions/cm2) into cubic SiC on Si was carriedout at elevated temperatures (600 to 1200 °C) and different dose rates (1x10e13 to 1.5x10e14 cm-2 s-1). Transmission electron microscopy revealed the formation of either graphite or diamond precipitates, depending on the implantation parameters. In all cases, the diamond grains were epitaxial to the SiC lattice, while the graphite was textured. The minimum temperature for diamond formation was 900 °C, while graphite formed at 600 °C. The synthesized phase depends as well on the dose rate; graphite was formed at 900 °C with a high dose rate. Obviously, a criticaltemperature for diamond formation exists and increases with increasing dose rate. This behavior is explained by the competition between the accumulation and dynamic annealing of radiation defects in the SiC lattice, which acts as a template for diamond nucleation. Diamond grains with diametersas large as 10 nm have been observed after implantation at 1200 °C.

InSb, GaSb, InP, InAs, and GaAs single crystals were irradiated with Pb ions in the range of 385--2170 MeV. The samples were studied by transmission and high-resolution electron microscopy and Rutherford backscattering in channeling geometry. The energetic ions induced isolated tracks in all crystals but GaAs. The thermal spike analysis revealed that the variation of the damage cross section with the ion energy is considerably weaker than in insulators. The widths of the thermal spike $a(0)$ was estimated. The analysis was extended to recent ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ experiments on Ge and Si. A quantitative relation was found between $a(0)$ and the gap energy ${E}_{g}:$ $a(0)$ is reduced with increasing ${E}_{g},$ and its lowest value is close to that found in insulators.

We report on an annealing-induced “gate sinking” effect in a 2-nm-thin In0.17Al0.83N/AlN barrier high electron mobility transistor with Ir gate. Investigations by transmission electron microscopy linked the effect to an oxygen containing interlayer between the gate metal and the InAlN layer and revealed diffusion of oxygen into iridium during annealing. Below 700 °C the diffusion is inhomogeneous and seems to occur along grain boundaries, which is consistent with the capacitance-voltage analysis. Annealing at 700 °C increased the gate capacitance over a factor 2, shifted the threshold voltage from +0.3 to +1 V and increased the transconductance from 400 to 640 mS/mm.

Fe–B–Ag multilayers have been prepared in two different sequences of the layers in order to reveal distinctness of “top” and “bottom” interfaces of each element in relation to the other two elements. Transmission electron microscopy analysis showed a much larger interface roughness for the Fe/B/Ag (i.e., Fe at bottom, Ag on top of B) than for the B/Fe/Ag sequence, which is mainly due to the different growth processes of Ag. For both sequence Fe and B layers of 2 nm thickness are continuous and solid state amorphization—similar to that observed in Fe/B multilayers—takes place during sample growth. Mossbauer spectroscopy measurements indicate that the amorphous interface has a broad bimodal concentration distribution for both layer sequence, but intermixing is larger at the Fe/B than at the B/Fe interface.

Semiconducting CrSi2 nanocrystallites (NCs) were grown by reactive deposition epitaxy. The NCs were covered by 100 nm of epitaxial silicon. Their structure, morphology and optical properties were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) and optical reflectance spectroscopy (ORS). The preservation of the CrSi2 phase has been justified by UPS, by ORS, and by TEM measurements. The distribution of Cr was investigated by Rutherford backscattering (RBS). The electrically active defects were investigated by deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS). The crystal structure of the NCs nucleated near the deposition depth is identified by high-resolution TEM as hexagonal CrSi2. Energy filtered TEM shows that most of the Cr is localized in the three-dimensional (3D) NCs. RBS shows that the concentration of Cr is appropriate for the deposited quantity. In the 0.1 nm Cr sample most of the Cr is localized near the surface; in the 0.6 nm Cr sample the concentration increases at the depth of Cr deposition, while in the 1.5 nm Cr sample the excess Cr is localized near the deposition depth. DLTS Arrhenius plots give activation energies of the defects appropriate for Cr contamination, however these defects may be related to the CrSi2 NCs.

By performing selective excitation of the exciton luminescence on two-dimensional digital magnetic heterostructures based on II–VI semiconductor materials, we have studied the influence of electronic confinement and of exciton primary localization on the formation of exciton magnetic polarons. The digital distribution of the magnetic layers has been confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and the shift between the energy of selective excitation and conventional luminescence peak positions has been attributed to the formation of magnetic polarons.