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Miniature batteries can accelerate the development of mobile electronics by providing sufficient energy to power small devices. Typical microbatteries commonly use thin-film inorganic electrodes based on Li-ion insertion reaction. However, they rely on the complicated thin-film synthesis method of inorganics containing many elements. Graphene, one atomic layer thick carbon sheet, has diverse physical and chemical properties and is compatible with conventional micron-scale device fabrication. Here, we study the use of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) grown monolayer graphene in a two-dimensional configuration, as a future Li–oxygen microbattery cathode. By maximizing the dissolution of discharge intermediates, we obtain 2610 Ah/ggraphene of capacity corresponding to 20% higher areal cathode energy density and 2.7 times higher cathode specific energy than that can be derived from the same volume or mass of conventional Li-ion battery cathode material. Furthermore, a clear observation on the discharge reactio...

In this paper, AlN thin films with two different thicknesses, i.e., 7 and 47 nm, were deposited at 200 °C on p-type Si substrates by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition using trimethylaluminum and ammonia. To investigate the electrical characteristics of these AlN films, MIS capacitor structures were fabricated and characterized using current-voltage and high-frequency (1 MHz) capacitance-voltage measurements. The results showed that the current transport mechanism under accumulation mode is strongly dependent on the applied electric field and thickness of the AlN film. Possible conduction mechanisms were analyzed, and the basic electrical parameters were extracted and compared for AlN thin films with different thicknesses. Compared with 7-nm-thick film, a 47-nm-thick AlN film showed a lower effective charge density and threshold voltage along with a higher dielectric constant.

Photocatalytic activity (PCA) on semiconductors is known to be majorly influenced by specific surface area and intrinsic lattice defects of the catalyst. In this report, we tested the efficiencies of 1D ZnO catalysts of varying fiber diameter (80 nm and 650 nm of inner diameter) in two formats, viz. core–shell and hollow nanofibers, where the former is calcined to yield the latter. These nanofibrous catalysts were produced by combining electrospinning and atomic layer deposition processes which were then subjected to thorough characterization including photoluminescence (PL) unveiling the details of intrinsic defects/densities. During the thermal treatment, intrinsic defects are reorganized and as a result a new PL band is observed apart from some significant changes in the intensities of other emissions. The densities of various intrinsic defects from PL are compared for all samples and juxtaposed with the PCA. Careful scrutiny of the various results suggested an anti-correlation between surface area and PCA; i.e., higher surface area does not necessarily imply better PCA. Beyond a limit, the most deterministic factor would be the density of surface defects rather than the specific surface area. The results of this study enable the researchers to fabricate 1D semiconductor photocatalysts while striking the balance between surface area and density of defects.

In this report, we study the evolution of valence band (VB) structure during a controlled amorphous to tetragonal transformation of ZrO2 core shell nanostructures fabricated from electrospun nanofiber template (at 130, 200, and 250 degrees C). Shell-ZrO2 was formed with atomic layer deposition. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy are employed to unveil the transformation of amorphous to crystalline structure of ZrO2. O is core-level spectra indicated chemisorbed oxygen (O-Ch) of almost invariant fraction for the three samples. Zr 3s level suggested that the sample deposited at 130 degrees C has depicted a peak at relatively higher binding energy. Analyses on Zr 3d spectra indicated the presence of metallic-Zr (Zr+zeta, 0

SrTiO3 (STO) thin films have been prepared by reactive RF magnetron sputtering on Si (100) and UV fused silica substrates at room temperature. The effect of oxygen flow on film characteristics was investigated at a total gas flow of 30 sccm, for various O-2/O-2 + Ar flow rate ratios. As-deposited films were annealed at 700 degrees C in oxygen atmosphere for 1 h. Post-deposition annealing improved both film crystallinity and spectral transmittance. Film microstructure, along with optical and electrical properties, was evaluated for both as-deposited and annealed films. Abroad photoluminescence emission was observed within the spectral range of 2.75-3.50 eV for all STO thin films irrespective of their deposition parameters. Upon annealing, the optical band gap of the film deposited with 0% O-2 concentration slightly blue-shifted, while the other samples grown at higher oxygen partial pressure did not show any shift. Refractive indices (n) (at 550 nm) were in the range of 2.05 to 2.09, and 2.10 to 2.12 for as-deposited and annealed films, respectively. Dielectric constant values (at 100 kHz) within the range of 30-66 were obtained for film thicknesses less than 300 nm, which decreased to similar to 30-38 after postdeposition annealing. (C) 2015 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Hollow cathode plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition (HCPA-ALD) is a promising technique for obtaining III-nitride thin films with low impurity concentrations at low temperatures. Here we report our previous and current efforts on the development of HCPA-ALD processes for III-nitrides together with the properties of resulting thin films and nanostructures. The content further includes nylon 6,6-GaN core-shell nanofibers, proof-of-concept thin film transistors and UV photodetectors fabricated using HCPA-ALD-grown GaN layers, as well as InN thin films deposited by HCPA-ALD using cyclopentadienyl indium and trimethylindium precursors. (© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Here we demonstrate the combination of electrospinning and hollow cathode plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition (HCPA-ALD) processes by fabricating flexible polymer-GaN organic-inorganic core-shell nanofibers at a processing temperature much lower than that needed for the preparation of conventional GaN ceramic nanofibers. Polymer-GaN organic-inorganic core-shell nanofibers fabricated by the HCPA-ALD of GaN on electrospun polymeric (nylon 6,6) nanofibers at 200 °C were characterized in detail using electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, selected area electron diffraction, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, photoluminescence measurements, and dynamic mechanical analysis. Although transmission electron microscopy studies indicated that the process parameters should be further optimized for obtaining ultimate uniformity and conformality on these high surface area 3D substrates, the HCPA-ALD process resulted in a ∼28 nm thick polycrystalline wurtzite GaN layer on polymeric nanofibers of an average fiber diameter of ∼70 nm. Having a flexible polymeric core and low processing temperature, these core-shell semiconducting nanofibers might have the potential to substitute brittle ceramic GaN nanofibers, which have already been shown to be high performance materials for various electronic and optoelectronic applications.

Synthetic porogens provide an easy way to create porous structures, but their usage is limited due to synthetic difficulties, process complexities and prohibitive costs. Here we investigate the use of bacteria, sustainable and naturally abundant materials, as a pore template. The bacteria require no chemical synthesis, come in variable sizes and shapes, degrade easier and are approximately a million times cheaper than conventional porogens. We fabricate free standing porous multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) films using cultured, harmless bacteria as porogens, and demonstrate substantial Li-oxygen battery performance improvement by porosity control. Pore volume as well as shape in the cathodes were easily tuned to improve oxygen evolution efficiency by 30% and double the full discharge capacity in repeated cycles compared to the compact MWCNT electrode films. The interconnected pores produced by the templates greatly improve the accessibility of reactants allowing the achievement of 4,942 W/kg (8,649 Wh/kg) at 2 A/ge (1.7 mA/cm2).

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) has been receiving more and more research attention in the past few decades, ascribed to its unrivaled capabilities in controlling material growth with atomic precision, manipulating novel nanostructures, tuning material composition, offering multiple choices in terms of crystallinity, and producing conformal and uniform film coverage, as well as its suitability for thermally sensitive substrates. These unique characteristics have made ALD an irreplaceable tool and research approach for numerous applications. In this review, we summarize the recent advances of ALD in several important areas including rechargeable secondary batteries, fuel cells, solar cells, and optoelectronics. With this review, we expect to exhibit ALD's versatile potential in providing unique solutions to various technical challenges and also hope to further expand ALD's applications in emerging areas.

Among perovskite oxide materials, BaSrTiOx (BST) has attracted great attention due to its potential applications in oxide-based electronics. However, reliability and efficiency of BST thin films strongly depend on the precise knowledge of the film microstructure, as well as optical and electrical properties. In the present work, BST films were deposited at room temperature using radio frequency magnetron sputtering technique. The impact of deposition pressure, partial oxygen flow, and post-deposition annealing treatment on film microstructure, surface morphology, refractive index, and dielectric constants were studied by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, spectrophotometry, ellipsometry, photoluminescence, as well as capacitance-voltage measurements. Well-adhered and uniform amorphous films were obtained at room temperature. For all as-deposited films, the average optical transmission was similar to 85% in the VIS-NIR. spectrum. The refractive indices of BST films were in the range of 1.90-2.07 (lambda = 550 nm). Post-deposition annealing at 800 degrees C for 1 h resulted in polycrystalline thin films with increased refractive indices and dielectric constants, however reduced optical transmission values. Frequency dependent dielectric constants were found to be in the range of 46-72. However, the observed leakage current was relatively small, about 1 mu A. The highest FOM values were obtained for films deposited at 0.67 Pa pressures, while charge storage capacity values increased with increased deposition pressure. Results show that room-temperature grown BST films have potential for device applications.

Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) thin films were deposited on silicon and quartz substrates using sequential exposures of triethylboron and N 2 /H 2 plasma in a hollow-cathode plasma- assisted atomic layer deposition reactor at low temperatures ( ≤ 450 ° C). A non-saturating film deposition rate was observed for substrate temperatures above 250 ° C. BN films were charac- terized for their chemical composition, crystallinity, surface morphology, and optical properties. X-ray photoelectron spec- troscopy (XPS) depicted the peaks of boron, nitrogen, carbon, and oxygen at the film surface. B 1s and N 1s high-resolution XPS spectra confirmed the presence of BN with peaks located at 190.8 and 398.3 eV, respectively. As deposited films were polycrystalline, single-phase hBN irrespective of the deposition temperature. Absorption spectra exhibited an optical band edge at ~ 5.25 eV and an optical transmittance greater than 90% in the visible region of the spectrum. Refractive index of the hBN film deposited at 450 ° C was 1.60 at 550 nm, which increased to 1.64 after postdeposition annealing at 800 ° C for 30 min. These results represent the first demonstration of hBN deposi- tion using low-temperature hollow-cathode plasma-assisted sequential deposition technique. © 2014 The American Ceramic Society.

Cataloged from PDF version of article. We report on the synthesis and photocatalytic activity (PCA) of electrospun poly(acrylonitrile) (PAN) nanofibrous mat decorated with nanoneedles of zinc oxide (ZnO). Apart from a detailed morphological and structural characterization, the PCA has been carefully monitored and the results are discussed elaborately when juxtaposed with the photoluminescence. The present hierarchal homoassembled nanostructures are a combination of two types of ZnO with diverse optical qualities, i.e. (a) controlled deposition of ZnO coating on nanofibers with dominant oxygen vacancies and significant grain boundaries by atomic layer deposition (ALD), and (b) growth of single crystalline ZnO nanoneedles with high optical quality on the ALD seeds via hydrothermal process. The needle structure (similar to 25 nm in diameter with an aspect ratio of similar to 24) also supports the vectorial transport of photo-charge carriers, which is crucial for high catalytic activity. Furthermore, it is shown that enhanced PCA is because of the catalytic activity at surface defects (on ALD seed), valence band, and conduction band (of ZnO nanoneedles). PCA and durability of the PAN/ZnO nanofibrous mat have also been tested with aqueous solution of methylene blue and the results showed almost no decay in the catalytic activity of this material when reused. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

AlN and GaN thin films were deposited by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition using trimethylmetal precursors. The films were found to have high oxygen incorporation, which was attributed to oxygen contamination related to the plasma system. The choice of nitrogen containing plasma gas (N2, N2/H2 or NH3) determined the severity of oxygen incorporation into deposited films. Lowest oxygen concentrations were attained for AlN and GaN thin films using NH3 and N2 plasma, respectively. Initial experiments have shown that GaN thin films with low impurity concentrations can be deposited when plasma-related oxygen contamination is avoided by the use of an alternative plasma source.

Hafnia (HfO2) hollow nanofibers (HNs) were synthesized by atomic layer deposition (ALD) using electrospun nylon 6,6 nanofibers as templates. HfO2 layers were deposited on polymeric nanofibers at 200 degrees C by alternating reactant exposures of tetrakis(dimethylamido) hafnium and water. Polymeric nanofiber templates were subsequently removed by an ex situ calcination process at 500 degrees C under air ambient. Morphological and structural characterizations of the HN samples were conducted by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Freestanding network of HfO2 HNs was found to be polycrystalline with a monoclinic crystal structure. Elemental composition and chemical bonding states of the resulting HfO2 HNs were studied by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The presence of HfO2 was evidenced by high resolution scans of Hf 4f and O 1s with binding energies of 16.3-17.9 and 529.6 eV, respectively. Combination of electrospinning and ALD processes provided an opportunity to precisely control both diameter and wall thickness of the synthesized HfO2 HNs. (C) 2013 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.

In this work, the authors have performed sequential pulsed chemical vapor deposition of ternary BxGa1-xN and BxIn1-xN alloys at a growth temperature of 450 degrees C. Triethylboron, triethylgallium, trimethylindium, and N-2 or N-2/H-2 plasma have been utilized as boron, gallium, indium, and nitrogen precursors, respectively. The authors have studied the compositional dependence of structural, optical, and morphological properties of BxGa1-xN and BxIn1-xN ternary thin film alloys. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction measurements showed that boron incorporation in wurtzite lattice of GaN and InN diminishes the crystallinity of BxGa1-xN and BxIn1-xN sample. Refractive index decreased from 2.24 to 1.65 as the B concentration of BxGa1-xN increased from 35% to 88%. Similarly, refractive index of BxIn1-xN changed from 1.98 to 1.74 for increase in B concentration value from 32% to 87%, respectively. Optical transmission band edge values of the BxGa1-xN and BxIn1-xN films shifted to lower wavelengths with increasing boron content, indicating the tunability of energy band gap with alloy composition. Atomic force microscopy measurements revealed an increase in surface roughness with boron concentration of BxGa1-xN, while an opposite trend was observed for BxIn1-xN thin films. (C) 2015 American Vacuum Society.

Cataloged from PDF version of article. Aluminum nitride (AlN) hollow nanofibers were synthesized via plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition using sacrificial electrospun polymeric nanofiber templates having different average fiber diameters (~70, ~330, and ~740 nm). Depositions were carried out at 200°C using trimethylaluminum and ammonia precursors. AlN-coated nanofibers were calcined subsequently at 500°C for 2 h to remove the sacrificial polymeric nanofiber template. SEM studies have shown that there is a critical wall thickness value depending on the template's average fiber diameter for AlN hollow nanofibers to preserve their shapes after the template has been removed by calcination. Best morphologies were observed for AlN hollow nanofibers prepared by depositing 800 cycles (corresponding to ~69 nm) on nanofiber templates having ~330 nm average fiber diameter. TEM images indicated uniform wall thicknesses of ~65 nm along the fiber axes for samples prepared using templates having ~70 and ~330 nm average fiber diameters. Synthesized AlN hollow nanofibers were polycrystalline with a hexagonal crystal structure as determined by high-resolution TEM and selected area electron diffraction. Chemical compositions of coated and calcined samples were studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). High-resolution XPS spectra confirmed the presence of AlN. © 2012 The American Ceramic Society

Recent experimental research efforts on developing functional nanostructured III-nitride and metal-oxide materials via low-temperature atomic layer deposition (ALD) will be reviewed. Ultimate conformality, a unique propoerty of ALD process, is utilized to fabricate core-shell and hollow tubular nanostructures on various nano-templates including electrospun nanofibrous polymers, self-assembled peptide nanofibers, metallic nanowires, and multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). III-nitride and metal-oxide coatings were deposited on these nano-templates via thermal and plasma-enhanced ALD processes with thickness values ranging from a few mono-layers to 40 nm. Metal-oxide materials studied include ZnO, TiO2, HfO2, ZrO2, and Al2O3. Standard ALD growth recipes were modified so that precursor molecules have enough time to diffuse and penetrate within the layers/pores of the nano-template material. As a result, uniform and conformal coatings on high-surface area nano-templates were demonstrated. Substrate temperatures were kept below 200C and within the self-limiting ALD window, so that temperature-sensitive template materials preserved their integrity III-nitride coatings were applied to similar nano-templates via plasma-enhanced ALD (PEALD) technique. AlN, GaN, and InN thin-film coating recipes were optimized to achieve self-limiting growth with deposition temperatures as low as 100C. BN growth took place only for >350C, in which precursor decomposition occured and therefore growth proceeded in CVD regime. III-nitride core-shell and hollow tubular single and multi-layered nanostructures were fabricated. The resulting metal-oxide and III-nitride core-shell and hollow nano-tubular structures were used for photocatalysis, dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC), energy storage and chemical sensing applications. Significantly enhanced catalysis, solar efficiency, charge capacity and sensitivity performance are reported. Moreover, core-shell metal-oxide and III-nitride materials showed promise to be used in applications where flexibility is critical like functional membranes, textile and flexible electronic applications.

Herein, we report on atomic layer deposition of ternary InxGa1−xN alloys with different indium contents using a remotely integrated hollow cathode plasma source. Depositions were carried out at 200 °C using organometallic Ga and In precursors along with N2/H2 and N2 plasma, respectively. The effect of In content on structural, optical, and morphological properties of InxGa1−xN thin films was investigated. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction showed that all InxGa1−xN thin films were polycrystalline with a hexagonal wurtzite structure. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy depicted the peaks of In, Ga, and N in bulk of the film and revealed the presence of relatively low impurity contents. In contents of different InxGa1−xN thin films were determined by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Transmission electron microscopy also confirmed the polycrystalline structure of InxGa1−xN thin films, and elemental mapping further revealed the uniform distribution of In and Ga within the bulk of InxGa1−xN films. Higher In concentrations resulted in an increase of refractive indices of ternary alloys from 2.28 to 2.42 at a wavelength of 650 nm. The optical band edge of InxGa1−xN films red-shifted with increasing In content, confirming the tunability of the band edge with alloy composition. Photoluminescence measurements exhibited broad spectral features with an In concentration dependent wavelength shift and atomic force microscopy revealed low surface roughness of InxGa1−xN films with a slight increase proportional to In content.

Electronic and optoelectronic devices, namely, thin film transistors (TFTs) and metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) photodetectors, based on GaN films grown by hollow cathode plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition (PA-ALD) are demonstrated. Resistivity of GaN thin films and metal-GaN contact resistance are investigated as a function of annealing temperature. Effect of the plasma gas and postmetallization annealing on the performances of the TFTs as well as the effect of the annealing on the performance of MSM photodetectors are studied. Dark current to voltage and responsivity behavior of MSM devices are investigated as well. TFTs with the N-2/H-2 PA-ALD based GaN channels are observed to have improved stability and transfer characteristics with respect to NH3 PA-ALD based transistors. Dark current of the MSM photodetectors is suppressed strongly after high-temperature annealing in N-2:H-2 ambient. (C) 2014 American Vacuum Society.

The influences of reactor pressure on the stoichiometry, free carrier concentration, IR and Hall determined mobility, effective optical band edge, and optical phonon modes of HPCVD grown InN films have been analysed and are reported. The In 3d, and N 1s XPS spectra results revealed In-N and N-In bonding states as well as small concentrations of In-O and N-O bonds, respectively in all samples. InN layers grown at 1 bar were found to contain metallic indium, suggesting that the incorporation of nitrogen into the InN crystal structure was not efficient. The free carrier concentrations, as determined by Hall measurements, were found to decrease with increasing reactor pressure from 1.61×1021 to 8.87×1019 cm-3 and the room-temperature Hall mobility increased with reactor pressure from 21.01 to 155.18 cm2/Vs at 1 and 15 bar reactor pressures, respectively. IR reflectance spectra of all three (1, 8, and 15 bar) InN samples were modelled assuming two distinct layers of InN, having different free carrier concentration, IR mobility, and effective dielectric function values, related to a nucleation/interfacial region at the InN/sapphire, followed by a bulk InN layer. The effective optical band gap has been found to decrease from 1.19 to 0.95 eV with increasing reactor pressure. Improvement of the local structural quality with increasing reactor pressure has been further confirmed by Raman spectroscopy measurements. (© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Date of Conference: 21-24 April 2015 Hollow cathode plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition is a promising technique for obtaining III-nitride thin films with low impurity concentrations at low temperatures. Here we report our efforts on the development of HCPA-ALD processes for III-nitrides together with the properties of resulting thin films and nanostructures. The content will further include nylon 6,6/GaN core/shell and BN/AlN bishell hollow nanofibers, proof-of-concept thin film transistors and UV photodetectors fabricated using HCPA-ALD-grown GaN layers, as well as early results for InN thin films deposited by HCPA-ALD technique. © 2015 IEEE.

Here we present an investigation on Zn-Ti-O ternary (zinc titanate) nanostructures which were prepared by a combination of electrospinning and atomic layer deposition. Depending on the ZnO and TiO2 molar ratio, two titanates and one mix phased compound were synthesized by varying the post-annealing temperatures. Specifically Zn2TiO4, ZnTiO3 and ZnO/TiO2 nanostructures were fabricated via thermal treatments (900, 700, 800 degrees C, respectively). Structural studies unveiled the titanate phase of the nanostructures. Furthermore, the ionic states of the titanate nanostructures on the surface are revealed to be Ti3+ and Zn2+. Spin-orbit splitting of Zn2p and Ti2p doublets were, however, not identical for all titanates which vary from 23.09-23.10 eV and 5.67-5.69 eV respectively. Oxygen vacancies were found on the surface of all titanates. The valance band region was analyzed for Zn3d, Ti3p, O2s and O2p and their hybridization, while the edge (below Fermi level) was determined to be at 2.14 eV, 2.00 eV and 1.99 eV for Zn2TiO4, ZnTiO3 and ZnO/TiO2 respectively.

Cataloged from PDF version of article. The authors report on the use of hollow cathode plasma for low-temperature plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition (PA-ALD) of crystalline AlN, GaN and AlxGa1-xN thin films with low impurity concentrations. Depositions were carried out at 200 °C using trimethylmetal precursors and NH3 or N2/H2 plasma. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed the presence of 2.5-3 at.% O in AlN and 1.5-1.7 at.% O in GaN films deposited using NH3 and N2/H2 plasma, respectively. No C impurities were detected within the films. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy analyses performed on the films deposited using NH3 plasma revealed the presence of O, C (both

Cataloged from PDF version of article. Gallium nitride (GaN), aluminum nitride (AlN), and AlxGa(1-x)N films have been deposited by hollow cathode plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition at 200 degrees C on c-plane sapphire and Si substrates. The dependence of film structure, absorption edge, and refractive index on postdeposition annealing were examined by x-ray diffraction, spectrophotometry, and spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements, respectively. Well-adhered, uniform, and polycrystalline wurtzite (hexagonal) GaN, AlN, and AlxGa1-xN films were prepared at low deposition temperature. As revealed by the x-ray diffraction analyses, crystallite sizes of the films were between 11.7 and 25.2 nm. The crystallite size of as-deposited GaN film increased from 11.7 to 12.1 and 14.4 nm when the annealing duration increased from 30 min to 2 h (800 degrees C). For all films, the average optical transmission was similar to 85% in the visible (VIS) and near infrared spectrum. The refractive indices of AlN and AlxGa1-xN were lower compared to GaN thin films. The refractive index of as-deposited films decreased from 2.33 to 2.02 (lambda = 550 nm) with the increased Al content x (0 400 nm). Postdeposition annealing at 900 degrees C for 2 h considerably lowered the refractive index value of GaN films (2.33-1.92), indicating a significant phase change. The optical bandgap of as-deposited GaN film was found to be 3.95 eV, and it decreased to 3.90 eV for films annealed at 800 degrees C for 30 min and 2 h. On the other hand, this value increased to 4.1 eV for GaN films annealed at 900 degrees C for 2 h. This might be caused by Ga2O3 formation and following phase change. The optical bandgap value of as-deposited AlxGa1-xN films decreased from 5.75 to 5.25 eV when the x values decreased from 1 to 0.68. Furthermore, postdeposition annealing did not affect the bandgap of Al-rich films. (C) 2014 American Vacuum Society.

In this work, 7.5 nm Ga2O3 dielectric thin films have been deposited on p-type (111) silicon wafer using plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) technique. After the deposition, Ga2O3 thin films were annealed under N-2 ambient at 600, 700, and 800 degrees C to obtain beta-phase. The structure and microstructure of the beta-Ga2O3 thin films was carried out by using grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD). To show effect of annealing temperature on the microstructure of beta-Ga2O3 thin films, average crystallite size was obtained from the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of Bragg lines using the Scherrer formula. It was found that crystallite size increased with increasing annealing temperature and changed from 0.8 nm to 9.1 nm with annealing. In order to perform electrical characterization on the deposited films, Al/beta-Ga2O3/p-Si metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) type Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) were fabricated using the beta-Ga2O3 thin films were annealed at 800 degrees C. The main electrical parameters such as leakage current level, reverse breakdown voltage, series resistance (R-S), ideality factor (n), zero-bias barrier height (phi(Bo)), and interface states (N-SS) were obtained from the current-voltage (I-V) and capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements at room temperature. The RS values were calculated by using Cheung methods. The energy density distribution profile of the interface states as a function of (E-SS-E-V) was obtained from the forward bias I-V measurements by taking bias dependence of ideality factor, effective barrier height (phi(e)), and R-S into account. Also using the Norde function and C-V technique, phi(e) values were calculated and cross-checked. Results show that beta-Ga2O3 thin films deposited by PEALD technique at low temperatures can be used as oxide layer for MOS devices and electrical properties of these devices are influenced by some important parameters such as NSS, RS, and beta-Ga2O3 oxide layer. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A hierarchy of nanostructured-ZnO was fabricated on the electrospun nanofibers by atomic layer deposition (ALD) and hydrothermal growth, subsequently. Firstly, we produced poly(acrylonitrile) (PAN) nanofibers via electrospinning, then ALD process provided a highly uniform and conformal coating of polycrystalline ZnO with a precise control on the thickness (50 nm). In the last step, this ZnO coating depicting dominant oxygen vacancies and significant grain boundaries was used as a seed on which single crystalline ZnO nanoneedles (average diameter and length of ∼25 nm and ∼600 nm, respectively) with high optical quality were hydrothermally grown. The detailed morphological and structural studies were performed on the resulting nanofibers, and the photocatalytic activity (PCA) was tested with reference to the degradation of methylene blue. The results of PCA were discussed in conjunction with photoluminescence response. The nanoneedle structures supported the vectorial transport of photo-charge carriers, which is crucial for high catalytic activity. The enhanced PCA, structural stability and reusability of the PAN/ZnO nanoneedles indicated that this hierarchical structure is a potential candidate for waste water treatment.

Heterojunctions are a well-studied material combination in photocatalysis studies, the majority of which aim to improve the efficacy of the catalysts. Developing novel catalysts begs the question of which photo-generated charge carrier is more efficient in the process of catalysis and the associated mechanism. To address this issue we have fabricated core-shell heterojunction (CSHJ) nanofibers from ZnO and TiO2 in two combinations where only the 'shell' part of the heterojunction is exposed to the environment to participate in the photocatalysis. Core and shell structures were fabricated via electrospinning and atomic layer deposition, respectively which were then subjected to calcination. These CSHJs were characterized and studied for photocatalytic activity (PCA). These two combinations expose electrons or holes selectively to the environment. Under suitable illumination of the ZnO-TiO 2 CSHJ, e/h pairs are created mainly in TiO2 and the electrons take part in catalysis (i.e. reduce the organic dye) at the conduction band or oxygen vacancy sites of the 'shell', while holes migrate to the core of the structure. Conversely, holes take part in catalysis and electrons diffuse to the core in the case of a TiO2-ZnO CSHJ. The results further revealed that the TiO2-ZnO CSHJ shows ∼1.6 times faster PCA when compared to the ZnO-TiO2 CSHJ because of efficient hole capture by oxygen vacancies, and the lower mobility of holes. © 2014 the Partner Organisations.

Cataloged from PDF version of article. We report on the suitability of water-soluble non-polymeric electrospun cyclodextrin (CD) nanofiber templates by using atomic layer deposition (ALD) to yield metal oxide tubes. To demonstrate this, water-soluble electrospun CD nanofibers were chosen as template to produce metal oxide tubes where we have tested two examples of ALD coatings, namely, Al2O3 and ZnO. After the ALD coating on the CD nanofibers, the CD core is simply dissolved in water to yield metal oxide tubes. Morphological investigations suggested that Al2O3 is smoother in contrast to ZnO which shows a grainy structure. Structural characterization evidenced amorphous Al2O3 and highly crystalline ZnO. Given the applicability of Al2O3 and ZnO in various contexts the ionic states of Al, Zn and O are also investigated. After the washing step to remove the CD core, Al2O3 developed some hydroxylation, while ZnO hosts various oxygen related functional groups. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2014.

We report GaN thin film transistors (TFT) with a thermal budget below 250 degrees C. GaN thin films are grown at 200 degrees C by hollow cathode plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition (HCPA-ALD). HCPA-ALD-based GaN thin films are found to have a polycrystalline wurtzite structure with an average crystallite size of 9.3 nm. TFTs with bottom gate configuration are fabricated with HCPA-ALD grown GaN channel layers. Fabricated TFTs exhibit n-type field effect characteristics. N-channel GaN TFTs demonstrated on-to-off ratios (I-ON/I-OFF) of 10(3) and sub-threshold swing of 3.3 V/decade. The entire TFT device fabrication process temperature is below 250 degrees C, which is the lowest process temperature reported for GaN based transistors, so far. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.

A solvent-free fabrication of TiO2 and ZnO nanonetworks is demonstrated by using supramolecular nanotemplates with high coating conformity, uniformity, and atomic scale size control. Deposition of TiO2 and ZnO on three-dimensional nanofibrous network template is accomplished. Ultrafine control over nanotube diameter allows robust and systematic evaluation of the electrochemical properties of TiO2 and ZnO nanonetworks in terms of size-function relationship. We observe hypsochromic shift in UV absorbance maxima correlated with decrease in wall thickness of the nanotubes. Photocatalytic activities of anatase TiO2 and hexagonal wurtzite ZnO nanonetworks are found to be dependent on both the wall thickness and total surface area per unit of mass. Wall thickness has effect on photoexcitation properties of both TiO2 and ZnO due to band gap energies and total surface area per unit of mass. The present work is a successful example that concentrates on nanofabrication of intact three-dimensional semiconductor nanonetworks with controlled band gap energies.

Cataloged from PDF version of article. A solvent-free fabrication of TiO2 and ZnO nanonetworks is demonstrated by using supramolecular nanotemplates with high coating conformity, uniformity, and atomic scale size control. Deposition of TiO2 and ZnO on three-dimensional nanofibrous network template is accomplished. Ultrafine control over nanotube diameter allows robust and systematic evaluation of the electrochemical properties of TiO2 and ZnO nanonetworks in terms of size-function relationship. We observe hypsochromic shift in UV absorbance maxima correlated with decrease in wall thickness of the nanotubes. Photocatalytic activities of anatase TiO2 and hexagonal wurtzite ZnO nanonetworks are found to be dependent on both the wall thickness and total surface area per unit of mass. Wall thickness has effect on photoexcitation properties of both TiO2 and ZnO due to band gap energies and total surface area per unit of mass. The present work is a successful example that concentrates on nanofabrication of intact three-dimensional semiconductor nanonetworks with controlled band gap energies.

Cataloged from PDF version of article. Polymer-inorganic core-shell nanofibers were produced by two-step approach; electrospinning and atomic layer deposition (ALD). First, nylon 6,6 (polymeric core) nanofibers were obtained by electrospinning, and then zinc oxide (ZnO) (inorganic shell) with precise thickness control was deposited onto electrospun nylon 6,6 nanofibers using ALD technique. The bead-free and uniform nylon 6,6 nanofibers having different average fiber diameters (∼80, ∼240 and ∼650 nm) were achieved by using two different solvent systems and polymer concentrations. ZnO layer about 90 nm, having uniform thickness around the fiber structure, was successfully deposited onto the nylon 6,6 nanofibers. Because of the low deposition temperature utilized (200 °C), ALD process did not deform the polymeric fiber structure, and highly conformal ZnO layer with precise thickness and composition over a large scale were accomplished regardless of the differences in fiber diameters. ZnO shell layer was found to have a polycrystalline nature with hexagonal wurtzite structure. The core-shell nylon 6,6-ZnO nanofiber mats were flexible because of the polymeric core component. Photocatalytic activity of the core-shell nylon 6,6-ZnO nanofiber mats were tested by following the photocatalytic decomposition of rhodamine-B dye. The nylon 6,6-ZnO nanofiber mat, having thinner fiber diameter, has shown better photocatalytic efficiency due to higher surface area of this sample. These nylon 6,6-ZnO nanofiber mats have also shown structural stability and kept their photocatalytic activity for the second cycle test. Our findings suggest that core-shell nylon 6,6-ZnO nanofiber mat can be a very good candidate as a filter material for water purification and organic waste treatment because of their photocatalytic properties along with structural flexibility and stability. © 2012 American Chemical Society.

Here, we report on the current transport mechanisms in AlN thin films deposited at a low temperature (i.e., 200 °C) on p-type Si substrates by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition. Structural characterization of the deposited AlN was carried out using grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction, revealing polycrystalline films with a wurtzite (hexagonal) structure. Al/AlN/ p-Si metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) capacitor structures were fabricated and investigated under negative bias by performing current-voltage measurements. As a function of the applied electric field, different types of current transport mechanisms were observed; i.e., ohmic conduction (15.2–21.5 MV/m), Schottky emission (23.6–39.5 MV/m), Frenkel-Poole emission (63.8–211.8 MV/m), trap-assisted tunneling (226–280 MV/m), and Fowler-Nordheim tunneling (290–447 MV/m). Electrical properties of the insulating AlN layer and the fabricated Al/AlN/p-Si MIS capacitor structure such as dielectric constant, flat-band voltage, effective charge density, and threshold voltage were also determined from the capacitance-voltage measurements.

Cataloged from PDF version of article. Proof-of-concept, first metal-semiconductor-metal ultraviolet photodetectors based on nanocrystalline gallium nitride (GaN) layers grown by low-temperature hollow-cathode plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition are demonstrated. Electrical and optical characteristics of the fabricated devices are investigated. Dark current values as low as 14 pA at a 30 V reverse bias are obtained. Fabricated devices exhibit a 15× UV/VIS rejection ratio based on photoresponsivity values at 200 nm (UV) and 390 nm (VIS) wavelengths. These devices can offer a promising alternative for flexible optoelectronics and the complementary metal oxide semiconductor integration of such devices. © 2014 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).

Ga2O3 dielectric thin films were deposited on (111)-oriented p-type silicon wafers by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition using trimethylgallium and oxygen plasma. Structural analysis of the Ga 2O3 thin films was carried out using grazing-incidence x-ray diffraction. As-deposited films were amorphous. Upon postdeposition annealing at 700, 800, and 900°C for 30min under N2 ambient, films crystallized into β-form monoclinic structure. Electrical properties of the β-Ga2O3 thin films were then investigated by fabricating and characterizing Al/β-Ga2O3/p-Si metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors. The effect of postdeposition annealing on the leakage current densities, leakage current conduction mechanisms, dielectric constants, flat-band voltages, reverse breakdown voltages, threshold voltages, and effective oxide charges of the capacitors were presented. The effective oxide charges (Qeff) were calculated from the capacitance-voltage (C-V) curves using the flat-band voltage shift and were found as 2.6×1012, 1.9×1012, and 2.5×10 12 cm-2 for samples annealed at 700, 800, and 900°C, respectively. Effective dielectric constants of the films decreased with increasing annealing temperature. This situation was attributed to the formation of an interfacial SiO2 layer during annealing process. Leakage mechanisms in the regions where current increases gradually with voltage were well fitted by the Schottky emission model for films annealed at 700 and 900°C, and by the Frenkel-Poole emission model for film annealed at 800°C. Leakage current density was found to improve with annealing temperature. β-Ga2O3 thin film annealed at 800°C exhibited the highest reverse breakdown field value. © 2014 American Vacuum Society.

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Gallium oxide (Ga2O3) thin films were deposited by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (ALD) using trimethylgallium as the gallium precursor and oxygen plasma as the oxidant. A wide ALD temperature window was observed from 100 to 400 degrees C, where deposition rate was constant at similar to 0.53 angstrom/cycle. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy survey scans indicated the presence of gallium, oxygen, and carbon elements with concentrations of similar to 36, similar to 51.8, and similar to 12.2 at. %, respectively. As-deposited films were amorphous; upon annealing at 900 degrees C under N-2 atmosphere for 30 min, polycrystalline beta-Ga2O3 phase with a monoclinic crystal structure was obtained. Refractive index and root mean square roughness of the annealed Ga2O3 film were higher than those of the as-deposited due to crystallization. (C) 2013 American Vacuum Society. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1116/1.4758782]

Cataloged from PDF version of article. Electrospun polymeric nanofibers were either surface-decorated with zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles or coated with a continuous ZnO thin film with a precise thickness (similar to 27 nm) via atomic layer deposition (ALD) for the fabrication of flexible photocatalytic nanofibrous membranes.