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PEO/PVDF–HFP [poly(ethylene oxide)/poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene)] solid polymer electrolyte blend incorporating varying weights of LiTFSI [lithium bis (trifluoromethane) sulfonimide] salt was prepared. The blend with 20 wt.% of salt that exhibits maximum ionic conductivity was subjected to microstructural modification by exposing to low-energy ions of oxygen at different fluences. The ionic conductivity of the system increases by one order in magnitude when subjected to oxygen ion irradiation. The dielectric loss tangent curves are used to extract ions relaxation time. The relaxation time τ of the system is reduced from 1.42 to 0.71 μs upon irradiation which indicates enhanced segmental motion due to a rise in amorphous region in polymer matrix. The ion activation energy in the system decreases to 0.041 eV from 0.063 eV. Dielectric studies suggest an increase in dipoles in the irradiated systems possibly due to polymer chain scission in the matrix. The increase in disordered phase by ion irradiation is supported by change in crystallinity from 24% for the unirradiated systems to about 14% for the irradiated systems by X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry analysis. The shift in prominent peaks observed in Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy suggests possible scission of the polymer chains.

This article describes the electrical degradation in the I-V characteristics and the Current Transfer Ratio (CTR) of commercial optocoupler (4N35) exposed to an electron beam. The devices are exposed to an electron beam of various doses and the I-V characteristics of LED and output characteristics of the phototransistor are measured as a function of accumulated electron dose. The result indicates that 10 MeV electron of 1.5 kGy dose results in considerable degradation in CTR. Further, it appears that the phototransistor of the optocoupler is more susceptible to radiation damage than the LED part and care must be exercised when these devices are used for space applications.

Polymers complexed with lithium salts are promising for use as solid electrolytes in solid-state lithium batteries. However, the key issue is the ionic conductivity and the process of enhancing it for better performance. Polyethylene glycol-based solid polymer electrolytes complexed with lithium salts are being investigated to explore their suitability in battery applications. In the present work, we report the investigations carried out on PEG-based solid polymer electrolyte complexed with lithium tri-fluoromethanesulfonate (LiCF3SO3). The ionic conductivity profile as a function of salt content is studied. The effect of the addition of inert nanofiller SiO2 is also investigated to understand the mechanism of enhancement of ionic conductivity. The preparation of the nanocomposite solid polymer electrolytes and characterization by other techniques like powder XRD, IR spectroscopy, thermal measurements and conductivity profile obtained from AC impedance measurements are discussed to get an insight into the mechanism of ion transport and the influence of the addition of nanofiller.

We have demonstrated 57Fe Zero Field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (ZFNMR) as a powerful tool in determining the structural composition of nickel-cadmium spinel ferrites of various compositions of Ni1-x Cdx Fe2O4 from x = 0 to1, which are synthesized via one-step auto combustion technique. The XRD measurements confirm the phase purity of all the samples. Vibrating Sample Magnetometry (VSM) measurements show that saturation magnetization (MS) increases initially (up to x = 0.3) and then decreases for higher concentrations of cadmium. The Fe3+ ions in the inverted spinel ferrite distribute equally among two possible sites (tetrahedral A and octahedral B) with different hyperfine fields. Therefore for x = 0 under the assumption that Ni enters B sites, 57Fe NMR of Fe3+ ions yield two signals of equal integral intensities in spectral lines corresponding to these sites. Thus, for the sample series Ni1-x Cdx Fe2O4, the contribution of Fe3+ nuclei varies for A and B sub-spectra with the substitution of a non-magnetic Cd2+ ion. By measuring the Fe3+ distribution on A and B sites which is determined from relative spectral areas of A and B NMR sub-spectra the cation distribution is estimated and has been verified by the binomial distribution. Further, XRD Rietveld refinement results are also in good agreement with the composition estimated by NMR technique and the ideal composition. We have demonstrated the usefulness of NMR technique to quantify the accurate composition of the mixed spinel ferrite systems using Ni-Cd ferrite as a test case. Further, the estimated inversion parameter (at around x = 0.4), for the studied system, obtained from ZFNMR, XRD, and VSM techniques are in excellent agreement with each other.

It is well known that cobalt exhibits polymorphism, i.e., the co-existence of both the hcp and fcc phases. In particular, the method of synthesis and other thermodynamic conditions is known to play a crucial role in determining the particular phase of cobalt. In this work, we have compared the phase composition of the cobalt nanoparticles synthesized using two different solvents (water) and ethanol (Co@C). XRD measurements confirm the existence of fcc phase in commercial cobalt nanoparticles (Co@A), co-existence of fcc and hcp phases in Co@B, while the existence of the hcp phase in Co@C. We have studied these cobalt nanoparticles using 59Co internal field nuclear magnetic resonance (IFNMR) for verification of phase composition. Our studies reveal that the Co@A has fcc as a major phase with minor quantity hcp phase. Co@B exhibits approximately equal amount of fcc and hcp phase while Co@C exhibits hcp as a major phase with minor fcc phase. Our SEM micrograph studies confirm that the cobalt particles have spherical shape in the fcc phase. The cobalt particles exhibit both spherical and dendrite morphology confirming the co-existence of fcc and hcp phases, while the sample with pure hcp phase exhibits the dendrite morphology. Our studies also throw light on understanding the effect of solvent in the phase formation of the cobalt nanoparticles.

The structural and magnetic properties of Al substituted yttrium-iron garnet (Y3AlxFe5-xO12, x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, 1.2, 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8) ceramic powders synthesized using solution combustion method were investigated. Post combustion, the samples were calcination at 1045 °C for 6 h and subsequently at 1200 °C for 6 h to obtain phase-pure garnets. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results confirm the formation of garnets with Ia 3 ¯ d structure. The occupancy of Y3+ ions in the dodecahedral site and the distribution of Al3+ and Fe3+ ions in the tetrahedral and octahedral sites in the bcc structure of the garnet were confirmed by Rietveld refinement of XRD patterns, Mossbauer spectroscopy and 57Fe internal field NMR spectroscopy. For low Al content, Al3+ ions have preference to occupy tetrahedral (Td) sites than the octahedral (Oh) sites. At higher Al content the distribution of Al tends towards a ratio of 3:2 at the tetrahedral:octahedral site. Increase in Al doping results in the decrease in the lattice parameter due to smaller size of Al3+ as compared to Fe3+ ion. All the studied samples show coral-network-like surface morphology. The saturation magnetization (MS) values decrease from ∼26.94 emu/g to ∼ 0.17 emu/g with increase in Al content from 0.0 to 1.8. Further addition of Al makes the sample paramagnetic at RT. Substitution of non-magnetic Al3+ reduces the saturation magnetization rapidly due to the decrease in the superexchange interaction in the crystal.

The magnetic domain state of carbon coated iron nanopowder (Fe@C) was studied by the internal field nuclear magnetic resonance (IFNMR) at 77 K using the spin echo technique. The structure and magnetic properties of the sample were further characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Mossbauer spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Raman Spectroscopy. The obtained IFNMR results of Fe@C powder were compared with that of micron sized carbonyl iron (CI) and electrolytic iron (EI) powders. The calculated critical size of the single domain iron particles in Fe@C is ∼ 16 nm. A higher enhancement in echo amplitude was observed due to better response of the domain walls of multidomain particles in comparison to the single domain particles. The echo signal of CI and EI particles exhibit a single narrow intense peak corresponding to the domain walls, whereas Fe@C exhibits two low amplitude peaks at two different frequencies: a low frequency (46.6 MHz) peak corresponds to the response of the domain walls of the multidomain particles and the other high frequency (47.2 MHz) signal (a shoulder) corresponding to the response of the magnetic nuclei inside the domain. Our results help in determining the domain state of iron-based magnetic particles using 57Fe-IFNMR.

The poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-based solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) systems consisting of NaBr as a dopant salt are prepared. The stable PEO:NaBr system with 3 wt% of NaBr was subjected to low-energy ion beam irradiation to bring in morphological modification. The irradiated samples are studied using complex impedance spectra to evaluate electrical conductivity and relaxation process in the system. The studies show an increase in conductivity by one order magnitude in the irradiated systems. The dielectric loss tangent (tanδ) curves show a single peak due to strong coupling of ion transport with segmental motion. The resultant relaxation time τ exhibits a continuous decrease indicating increase in segmental dynamics as a result of increased amorphous content in the system. The temperature-dependent studies also indicate that the irradiated systems are more disordered/amorphous compared to pure systems. This fact is further supported by XRD, by observing an increase in peak width associated with reduction in peak intensity. The Raman spectra also support the change in morphology of the system by the appearance of disordered-longitudinal acoustic mode band.

Different shapes of Co-aggregates were synthesized via reduction of a Co salt (CoCl2·6H2O) by chemical precipitation using glycerol, ethylene glycol and ethanol as solvents. The effect of solvent on the morphology, fcc or hcp phase-content and the magnetic properties of the synthesized samples were investigated. The Co-aggregates synthesized using glycerol have a dense spherical shape and high saturation magnetization (MS), whereas ethylene glycol leads to formation of flower-shaped spherical aggregates through loose packing of smaller plate-like particles which have a moderate MS value. When ethanol was used as a solvent, a dendritic (leaf like)-shape of the aggregates with the lowest MS value was obtained. The formation of the obtained morphology of the aggregates was explained based on the size of the solvent molecule, the viscosity of the solvent and the number of polar groups (–OH) present in the solvent molecules. The magnetic domain state and domain wall dynamics of all the Co-samples were investigated using 59Co Internal Field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (IFNMR) spectroscopy at RT and at 77 K. Through the IFNMR spectroscopy, the presence of gain boundaries, single domain particles and multi-domain particles/aggregates with domain walls associated with fcc and hcp phases were identified and quantified. We observed that the use of ethanol facilitates formation of a higher amount of hcp phase in the sample than the use of glycerol or ethylene glycol.

We report the internal field nuclear magnetic resonance (IFNMR) and Mossbauer spectroscopy study of Li-Zn ferrites at RT. The results were supported by the IFNMR data measured at 77 K. As Zn concentration increases the IFNMR echo amplitude decreases and below certain Zn concentration no signal was detected. At RT the echo amplitude vanishes at a lower Zn concentration, whereas at 77 K, the echo amplitude does not vanish completely (except for pure Zn-ferrite). However, in Mossbauer spectroscopy at RT, we have observed magnetically ordered state of all the Li-Zn ferrite samples. This discrepancy could be related to the difference between the time scale of detection of the spins by Mossbauer spectroscopy (10(-7)-10(-10) s) and NMR spectroscopy (10(-6) s). Hence, sensitivity of zero-field NMR depends on the magnetic hyperfine field, temperature and abundance of the magnetic cations at the lattice of the spinel ferrites. We have demonstrated that the `two-equal-pulses' sequence leads to higher echo signal than the spin echo pulse sequence due to the presence of distribution of internal magnetic fields throughout the material. We obtained a limiting value for the fraction of spins needed to produce an echo signal at a particular temperature and at a particular site of the Li-Zn ferrite spinels that can be sensitively detected by pulsed IFNMR technique. (C) 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

59Co-Internal Field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (IFNMR), 57Fe-IFNMR measurements are carried for the different materials like bulk cobalt, carbon coated cobalt (Co@C), bulk iron, carbon coated iron nanoparticles (Fe@C). The comparison of obtained results for bulk cobalt and Co@C shows that the bulk cobalt exists in the both the phases i.e., fcc and hcp phases, while the other exist only in the fcc phase. Further, the comparison of the NMR results of bulk iron and Fe@C confirms the presence of the single domain particles in the Fe@C samples. Thus, we propose IFNMR as a powerful tool to identify the structural and magnetic properties of ferro/ferrimagnetic materials.

In the present work, a polymer electrolyte blend containing polymers Poly ethylene oxide (PEO) and Poly (vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) was prepared. The polymer blend was complexed with potassium trifluoromethanesulfonate (KCF3SO3), and titanium oxide nanoparticles (TiO2) (10nm size) were dispersed in to the complex at different weight percentages. The conductivity due to ions in the blend is determined by Ac impedance measurements in the frequency range of 10Hz-1MHz. The nano composite polymer blend containing 5wt% of TiO2 shows a conductivity of 7.95×10−5Scm-1, which is almost 1.5 orders more than polymer electrolyte with PEO as a polymer. XRD studies show a decrease in the coherence length of XRD peaks on addition of nanoparticles, which is due to increase the amorphous phase in the systems. Temperature dependence conductivity studies of the systems shows that, activation energy decreases with increase in the percentage of nanoparticles in the blend.

Development of lithium ion batteries employing solid polymer electrolytes as electrolyte material has led to efficient energy storage and usage in many portable devices. However, due to a few drawbacks like lower ionic conductivity of solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs), studies on SPEs for improvement in conductivity still have a good scope. In the present paper, we report the conductivity studies of a new SPE with low molecular weight poly ethylene glycol (PEG) as host polymer in which a salt with larger anion Lithium trifluro methane sulphonate (LTMS). XRD studies have revealed that the salt completely dissociates in the polymer giving a good stable electrolyte at lower salt concentration. Conductivity of the SPEs has been studied as a function of temperature and we reiterate that the conductivity is a thermally activated process and follows Arrhenius type behavior.

Flux variability is one of the defining characteristics of Seyfert galaxies, a class of active galactic nuclei (AGN). Though these variations are observed over a wide range of wavelengths, results on their flux variability characteristics in the ultra-violet (UV) band are very limited. We present here the long term UV flux variability characteristics of a sample of fourteen Seyfert galaxies using data from the International Ultraviolet Explorer acquired between 1978 and 1995. We found that all the sources showed flux variations with no statistically significant difference in the amplitude of UV flux variation between shorter and longer wavelengths. Also, the flux variations between different near-UV (NUV, 1850 - 3300 A) and far-UV (FUV, 1150 - 2000 A) passbands in the rest frames of the objects are correlated with no time lag. The data show indications of (i) a mild negative correlation of UV variability with bolometric luminosity and (ii) weak positive correlation between UV variability and black hole mass. At FUV, about 50% of the sources show a strong correlation between spectral indices and flux variations with a hardening when brightening behaviour, while for the remaining sources the correlation is moderate. In NUV, the sources do show a harder when brighter trend, however, the correlation is either weak or moderate., Comment: Accepted by Journal of Astrophysics and Astronomy

The 85 MeV $^{12}\hbox{C}^{6+}$ and 35 MeV $^{12}\hbox{C}^{3+} $ ion induced forward current gain degradation on 2N 6052 transistor is investigated by $I$ – $V$ measurements before and after irradiation. The decrease in gain for 85 MeV C-ion irradiated transistor is drastic, indicating the device is vulnerable for higher energy irradiation. An increase in the base current leading to degradation of the current gain may be due to displacement damage dose. $C$ – $V$ measurements estimate the effect of irradiation on the doping concentration of the devices. A plot of $(\hbox{1}/C^{2} ) $ versus base-emitter voltage shows that the doping concentration increases marginally upon irradiation. DLTS measurements indicate the cluster defects are produced after irradiation to a fluence of $\hbox{1}\times \hbox{10}^{12}\ \hbox{ions/cm}^{2}$ .

CaSiO3 nano-ceramic powder doped with Pr3+ has been prepared by solution combustion method. The powder Ca0.5Pr0.05SiO3 is investigated for its dielectric and electrical properties at room temperature to study the effect of doping. The sample is characterized by X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy. The size of either of volume elements of CaSiO3:Pr3+ estimated from transmission electron microscopy is about 180-200 nm. The sample shows colossal dielectric response at room temperature. This colossal dielectric behaviour follows Debye-type relaxation and can be explained by Maxwell-Wagner (MW) polarization. However, analysis of impedance and electric modulus data using Cole-Cole plot shows that it deviates from ideal Debye behaviour resulting from the distribution of relaxation times. The distribution in the relaxation times may be attributed to existence of electrically heterogeneous grains, insulating grain boundary, and electrode contact regions. Doping, thus, results in substantial modifications in the dielectric and electrical properties of the nano-ceramic CaSiO3. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

It is a well known fact that conductivity in case of solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) is due to hopping of ions assisted by the segmental motion of polymer chains. It is observed that the ionic conductivity in SPEs increases with increase in the concentration of ions. After certain critical concentration the conductivity starts decreasing due to the formation of ion pairs. In this work, an attempt is made to identify the concentration at which ion pair formation occurs and hence improve conductivity by incorporating two different ions (salts) in the polymer matrix. SPEs with mixed conducting species PEOxLiBryNaBr with different concentration of salts have been prepared and investigated. Also an attempt is made to modify the crystalline phase of the host polymer by low energy ion beam (Oxygen ion, O+1 with energy 100 keV) irradiation. These observations place ion irradiation as an effective tool in improving ionic conductivity in SPEs. Using X-ray diffraction spectra and the temperature dependent conductivity studies of SPEs, the effect of mixed ions and ion irradiation on the ionic conductivity of SPEs is investigated and presented.

Total Dose Effect (TDE) on solid state devices is of serious concern as it changes the electrical properties leading to degradation of the devices and failure of the systems associated with them. Ionization caused due to TDE in commercial P-channel Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors (MOSFETs) has been studied, where the failure mechanism is found to be mainly a result of the changes in the oxide properties and the surface effects at the channel beneath the gate oxide. The threshold voltage of the MOSFETs was found to shift from −0.69 V to −2.41 V for a total gamma dose of 1 Mrad. The net negative threshold shifts in the irradiated devices reveal the major contribution of oxide trapped charges to device degradation. The radiation induced oxide and interface charge densities were estimated through subthreshold measurements, and the trap densities were found to increase by one order in magnitude after a total gamma dose of 1 Mrad. Other parameters like transconductance, subthreshold swing, and drain saturation current are also investigated as a function of gamma dose.

Nano-ceramic phosphor CaSiO 3 doped with Pb and Mn was synthesized by the low temperature solution combustion method. The materials were characterized by Powder X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Thermo-gravimetric and Differential Thermal Analysis (TG-DTA), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectrum of the investigated sample exhibits a broad resonance signal centered at g=1.994. The number of spins participating in resonance (N) and its paramagnetic susceptibility (I�) have been evaluated. Photoluminescence of doped CaSiO 3 was investigated when excited by UV radiation of 256 nm. The phosphor exhibits an emission peak at 353 nm in the UV range due to Pb 2+. Further, a broad emission peak in the visible range 550-625 nm can be attributed to 4T 1� 6A 1 transition of Mn 2+ ions. The investigation reveals that doping perovskite nano-ceramics with transition metal ions leads to excellent phosphor materials for potential applications. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l.

Nanocomposite solid polymer electrolytes (NCSPEs) with conducting species other than Li ions are being investigated for solid-state battery applications. Pristine solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) do not show ionic conductivity suitable for batteries. Addition of inert fillers to SPEs is known to enhance the ionic conductivity. In this paper, we present the role of silica nanoparticles in enhancing the ionic conductivity in NCSPEs with sodium as conducting species. Sodium bromide is complexed with the host polyethylene glycol polymer by solution cast method and silica nanoparticles (SiO2, average particle size 7 nm) are incorporated into the complex in small amounts. The composites are characterized by powder XRD and IR spectroscopy. Conductivity measurements are undertaken as a function of concentration of salt and also as a function of temperature using impedance spectroscopy. Addition of silica nanoparticles shows an enhancement in conductivity by 1-2 orders of magnitude. The results are discussed in terms of interaction of nanoparticles with the nonconducting anions.

Solid Polymer Electrolytes (SPEs) lack better conducting properties at ambient temperatures. Various methods to enhance their ionic conductivity like irradiation with swift heavy ions, γ-rays, swift electrons and quenching at low temperature etc., have been explored in the literature. Among these, one of the oldest methods is incorporation of different conducting species into the polymer matrix and/or addition of nano-sized inert particles into SPEs. Various new salts like LiBr, Mg(ClO4)2, NH4I etc., have already been tried in the past with some success. Also various nanoparticles like Al2O3, TiO2 etc., have been tried in the past. In this article, we have investigated an SPE containing Rubidium as a conducting species. Rubidium has a larger ionic size compared to lithium and sodium ions which have been investigated in the recent past. In the present article, we have investigated the conductivity of large sized conducting species and shown the enhancement in the ionic conductivity by addition of nano-sized inert particles.

Solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) have potential applications in solid state electronic and energy devices. The optimum conductivity of SPEs required for such applications is about 10−1 – 10−3 Scm−1, which is hard to achieve in these systems. It is observed that ionic conductivity of SPEs continuously increase with increasing concentration of inorganic salt in the host polymer. However, there is a critical concentration of the salt beyond which the conductivity of SPEs decreases due to the formation of ion pairs. In the present study, solid polymer thin films based on poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) complexed with NaBr salt with different concentrations have been prepared and the concentration at which ion pair formation occurs in PEOxNaBr is identified. The microstructure of the SPE with highest ionic conductivity is modified by irradiating it with low energy O+1 ion (100 keV) of different fluencies. It is observed that the ionic conductivity of irradiated SPEs increases by one order in magnitude. The increa...

In the past two decades, organic conductors have been widely explored for use in different applications. One of the extensively studied organic material for the use in the field of electronic devices is PEDOT:PSS. Organic/inorganic nanocomposite systems have been developed to improve the properties of organic materials. In the present study, we have made an attempt to understand the effect of low energy oxygen ion beam irradiation on the electrical and structural properties of PEDOT:PSS and PEDOT:PSS/TiO2 nanocomposites. The observed reduction in electrical properties in PEDOT:PSS systems may be linked to radiation induced phase change. The nanocomposite systems show better stability to the ion irradiation compared to the pure systems.

This paper describes the fabrication of MOS capacitor and DLTS study of annihilation of deeplevel defects upon thermal annealing. Ni/SiO2/n-Si MOS structures fabricated on n-type Si wafers were investigated for process-induced deep-level defects. The deep-level traps in Si substrates induced during the processing of Ni/SiO2/n-Si have been investigated using deep-level transient spectroscopy (DLTS). A characteristic deep-level defect at EC = 0·49 eV which was introduced during high-temperature thermal oxidation process was detected. The trap position was found to shift to different energy levels (EC = 0·43, 0·46 and 0·34 eV) during thermal annealing process. The deep-level trap completely anneals at 350°C. Significant reduction in trap density with an increase in recombination life time and substrate doping concentration as a function of isochronal annealing were observed.

Nanocrystalline porous CaSiO3 ceramic powders have been synthesized by a novel low-temperature initiated self-propagating, gas-producing solution combustion method. Single phase β-CaSiO3 (Wollastonite) is formed by calcination at 900°C for 3 h. The crystallization and phase formation temperatures in this method are found to be lower compared to the powder obtained via solid state reaction method. The powder is characterized by powder XRD (X-Ray Diffraction), and crystallite sizes are evaluated using Scherrer's formula as well as from TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy). The Wollastonite powder is exposed to 60Co γ-radiation to accumulated doses of 1, 3, and 5 KGy and low-frequency (102–106 Hz) dielectric measurements are carried out before and after irradiation. The dielectric conductivity is estimated from the dielectric constant and loss tangent. Exposure to γ-radiation results in substantial modification in the properties of the ceramic powder due to changes in the porosity of the material. The correlation between dielectric and conductivity properties is discussed in relation to porosity effect.

Ni/SiO2/Si MOS structures were fabricated on n-type Si wafers and were irradiated with 50 MeV Li3+ ions with fluences ranging from 1×1010 to 1×1012 ions/cm2. High frequency C–V characteristics are studied in situ to estimate the build-up of fixed and oxide charges. The nature of the charge build-up with ion fluence is analyzed. Defect levels in bulk Si and its properties such as activation energy, capture cross-section, trap concentration and carrier lifetimes are studied using deep-level transient spectroscopy. Electron traps with energies ranging from 0.069 to 0.523 eV are observed in Li ion-irradiated devices. The dependence of series resistance, substrate doping and accumulation capacitance on Li ion fluence are clearly explained. The study of dielectric properties (tan δ and quality factor) confirms the degradation of the oxide layer to a greater extent due to ion irradiation.

PEG LTMS based polymer composites were prepared and studied for dielectric constant variation with frequency and temperature as a potential candidate with better dielectric properties. Solution cast technique is used for the preparation of polymer composite with five different compositions. Samples show variation in dielectric constant with frequency and temperature. Dielectric constant is large at low frequencies and higher temperatures. Samples with larger space charges have shown larger dielectric constant. The highest dielectric constant observed was about 29244 for PEG25LTMS sample at 100Hz and 312 K.

This paper describes the effect of 24 MeV proton irradiation on the electrical characteristics of a pnp bipolar junction transistor 2N 2905A. I-V, C-V and DLTS measurements are carried out to characterize the transistor before and after irradiation. The properties of deep level defects observed in the bulk of the transistor are investigated by analysing the DLTS data. Two minority carrier levels, EC − 0.27 eV and EC − 0.58 eV and one majority carrier level, EV +0.18 eV are observed in the base collector junction of the transistor. The irradiated transistor is subjected to isochronal annealing. The influence of isochronal annealing on I-V, C-V and DLTS characteristics are monitored. Most of the deep level defects seem to anneal out above 400°C. It appears that the deep level defects generated in the bulk of the transistor lead to transistor gain degradation. A comparison of proton- and electron-induced gain degradation is made to assess the vulnerability of pnp transistor as against npn transistors.

We have prepared, characterized and investigated a new PEG-2000 based solid polymer electrolyte (PEG)x: NH4NO3. Ionic conductivity measurements have been made as a function of salt concentration as well as temperature in the range 265–330 K. Selected compositions of the electrolyte are exposed to a beam of 8 MeV electrons and 60Co γ-rays to an accumulated dose of 10 kGy to study the effect on ionic conductivity. The electrolyte samples are also quenched at liquid nitrogen temperature and conductivity measurements are carried out. The ionic conductivity at room temperature exhibits a characteristic peak for the composition, x = 46. Electron beam irradiation results in an increase in conductivity for all compositions by a factor of 2–3. Exposure to γ-rays enhances the conductivity by one order of magnitude. Quenching at low temperature has resulted in an increase in conductivity by 1–2 orders of magnitude. The enhancement of conductivity upon irradiation and quenching is interpreted as due to an increase in amorphous region and decrease in crystallinity of the electrolyte. DSC and NMR measurements also support this conclusion.

A commercial bipolar junction transistor (2N 2219A, npn) irradiated with 84 MeV O6+-ions with fluence of the order of 1013 ions cm−2 is studied for radiation-induced gain degradation and deep-level defects or recombination centers. I-V measurements are made to study the gain degradation as a function of ion fluence. Properties such as activation energy, trap concentration and capture cross section of deep levels are studied by deep-level transient spectroscopy. Minority carrier trap energy levels with energies ranging from E C −0.17 eV to E C −0.55 eV are observed in the base–collector junction of the transistor. Majority carrier defect levels are also observed with energies ranging from E V +0.26 eV to E V +0.44 eV. The irradiated device is subjected to isothermal and isochronal annealing. The defects are seen to anneal above 250 °C. The defects generated in the base region of the transistor by displacement damage appear to be responsible for an increase in base current through Shockley-Read-Hall or mul...

Commercial bipolar junction transistor (2N 2219A, npn) irradiated with 150 MeV Cu11+-ions with fluence of the order 1012 ions cm−2, is studied for radiation induced gain degradation and deep level defects. I–V measurements are made to study the gain degradation as a function of ion fluence. The properties such as activation energy, trap concentration and capture cross-section of deep levels are studied by deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS). Minority carrier trap levels with energies ranging from EC − 0.164 eV to EC − 0.695 eV are observed in the base–collector junction of the transistor. Majority carrier trap levels are also observed with energies ranging from EV + 0.203 eV to EV + 0.526 eV. The irradiated transistor is subjected to isothermal and isochronal annealing. The defects are seen to anneal above 350 °C. The defects generated in the base region of the transistor by displacement damage appear to be responsible for transistor gain degradation.

(CH3)4NGeCl3 is prepared, characterized and studied using 1H NMR spin lattice relaxation time and second moment to understand the internal motions and quantum rotational tunneling. Proton second moment is measured at 7 MHz as function of temperature in the range 300-77 K and spin lattice relaxation time (T1) is measured at two Larmor frequencies, as a function of temperature in the range 270-17 K employing a homemade wide-line/pulsed NMR spectrometers. T1 data are analyzed in two temperature regions using relevant theoretical models. The relaxation in the higher temperatures (270-115 K) is attributed to the hindered reorientations of symmetric groups (CH3 and (CH3)4N). Broad asymmetric T1 minima observed below 115 K down to 17 K are attributed to quantum rotational tunneling of the inequivalent methyl groups.

$(CH_3)_3NHGeCl_3$ is prepared, characterized and studied by $^1H$ NMR and differential scanning calorimetry to understand the molecular dynamics and phase transitions. The proton spin lattice relaxation time $(T_1)$ is measured at 20.53 MHz in the temperature range 391-5.2 K employing a home-made pulsed NMR spectrometer. The $T_1$ results show that $(CH_3)_3NHGeCl_3$ undergoes several phase transitions in the temperature range 391-50 K. Both $T_1$ data and DSC thermograms support the occurrence of phase transitions at 272 K and around 323 K. $T_1$ data are analyzed in three temperature regions using standard models. The $T_1$ variations in the intermediate temperature region 272-100 K are attributed to the hindered reorientations of symmetric groups $(CH_3$ and $(CH_3)_3NH)$. A broad asymmetric $T_1$ minimum in the temperature region 45-20 K is attributed to quantum rotational tunneling of the methyl groups.

A commercial bipolar junction transistor (2 N 2219 A, npn), irradiated with 120 MeV Si9+ ions with a fluence of the order of 1012 ions cm−2, is studied for radiation-induced gain degradation and deep level defects. I–V measurements are made to study the gain degradation as a function of ion fluence. Properties such as activation energy, trap concentration and capture cross section of deep levels are studied by deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS). Minority carrier trap energy levels with energies ranging from EC − 0.160 eV to EC − 0.581 eV are observed in the base-collector junction of the transistor. Majority carrier trap levels are also observed with energies ranging from EV + 0.182 eV to EV + 0.401 eV. The identification of the defect type is made on the basis of its finger prints such as activation energy, annealing temperature and capture cross section by comparing with those reported in the literature. New energy levels for the defects A-center, di-vacancy and Si-interstitial are also observed. The irradiated transistor is subjected to isothermal and isochronal annealing. The defects are seen to anneal above 250 °C. The defects generated in the base region of the transistor by displacement damage appear to be responsible for transistor gain degradation.

Commercial npn transistor (2N 2219A) irradiated with 50 MeV Li3+-ions with fluences ranging from 3.1 × 1013 ions cm−2 to 12.5 × 1013 ions cm−2, is studied for radiation induced gain degradation and minority carrier trap levels or recombination centers. The properties such as activation energy, trap concentration and capture cross section of induced deep levels are studied by deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) technique. Minority carrier trap levels with energies ranging from 0.237 eV to 0.591 eV were observed in the base–collector junction of the transistor. In situ I–V measurements were made to study the gain degradation as a function of ion fluence. Ion induced energy levels result in increase in the base current through Shockley Read Hall (SRH) or multi-phonon recombination and subsequent transistor gain degradation.

We have used optical V and R band observations from the Massive Compact Halo Object (MACHO) project on a sample of 59 quasars behind the Magellanic clouds to study their long term optical flux and colour variations. These quasars lying in the redshift range of 0.2 < z < 2.8 and having apparent V band magnitudes between 16.6 and 20.1 mag have observations ranging from 49 to 1353 epochs spanning over 7.5 years with frequency of sampling between 2 to 10 days. All the quasars show variability during the observing period. The normalized excess variance (Fvar) in V and R bands are in the range 0.2% < Fvar < 1.6% and 0.1% < Fvar < 1.5%. In a large fraction of the sources, Fvar is larger in the V-band compared to the R-band. From the z-transformed discrete cross correlation function analysis, we find that there is no lag between the V and R-band variations. Adopting the Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) approach, and properly taking into account the correlation between the errors in colours and magnitudes, it is found that majority of the sources show a bluer when brighter trend, while a minor fraction of quasars show the opposite behaviour. This is similar to the results obtained from other two independent algorithms namely the weighted linear least squares fit (FITEXY) and the bivariate correlated errors and intrinsic scatter regression (BCES). However, the ordinary least squares (OLS) fit normally used in the colour variability studies of quasars, indicates that all the quasars studied here show a bluer when brighter trend. It is therefore very clear that OLS algorithm cannot be used for the study of colour variability in quasars., 9 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication in RAA

This paper describes the effect of 8 MeV electron beam on the forward current gain of space borne commercial indigenous bipolar junction transistors 2N2219A (npn), 2N3019 (npn) and 2N2905A (pnp). The devices are exposed to 8 MeV electron in the biased condition. The collector characteristics and Gummel plots are obtained as a function of accumulated dose. An excess base current model as well as Messenger–Spratt equation have been used to account for the observed gain degradation. The results indicate that 8 MeV electrons of high dose rate induce gain degradation by increasing the base current as well as decrease in collector current. The current gain degradation appears to be predominantly due to displacement damage in the bulk of the transistor. Off-line measurements of the hFE of the irradiated transistors indicate that the displacement induced defect and recombination centers do not anneal even at 150 °C.

This article presents the theoretical calculation of the variation of displacement damage factors as a function of energy and rad equivalent fluence in bipolar junction transistor for various particulate radiation viz., He, Si, Cl, Ti, Ni, Br, Ag, I, and Au. The calculation is based on the experimental data on γ-ray induced gain degradation in a commercial space borne BJT (2N3019). The method involves the calculation of γ-ray dose (rad(Si)) equivalent of effective particle fluence. The linear energy transfer (LET) in silicon for different particle radiation obtained from TRIM calculation has been used for the conversion of γ-dose into fluence of various particles. The estimation predicts a smooth increase in the displacement damage factor as the mass of the ion increases. Further, the displacement damage factor reaches a maximum at the same value of energy, which corresponds to maximum LET for all heavy ions. The maximum value of damage factor marginally decreases with increasing ion fluence for an ion of...

This paper describes the results of the effect of 24 MeV proton and 60 Co γ-irradiation on the collector characteristics and forward current gain of commercial bipolar transistor (npn 2N2219A). The transistor has been exposed to these radiations in the biased condition and the collector characteristics and forward current gain have been measured as a function of proton fluence and γ-dose. The observation is that both the proton and γ-irradiation induce significant gain degradation in the transistor. The results are discussed in terms of displacement damage produced by energetic protons and y -radiation in the bulk of the semiconductor.

Over the past three decades, solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) have drawn significant attention of researchers due to their prospective commercial applications in high energy-density batteries, electrochemical sensors and super-capacitors. The optimum conductivity required for such applications is about 10{sup −2} – 10{sup −4} S/cm, which is hard to achieve in these systems. It is known that the increase in the concentration of salt in the host polymer results in a continuous increase in the ionic conductivity. However, there is a critical concentration of the salt beyond which the conductivity decreases due to formation of ion pairs with no net charge. In the present study, an attempt is made to identify the concentration at which ion pair formation occurs in PEO: RbBr. We have attempted to modify microstructure of the host polymer matrix by low energy ion (Oxygen ion, O{sup +1} with energy 100 keV) irradiation. Ionic conductivity measurements in these systems were carried out using Impedance Spectroscopy before and after irradiation to different fluencies of the oxygen ion. It is observed that the conductivity increases by one order in magnitude. The increase in ionic conductivity may be attributed to the enhanced segmental motion of the polymer chains. The study revealsmore » the importance of ion irradiation as an effective tool to enhance conductivity in SPEs.« less

In this paper, we report an enhancement in ionic conductivity in a new nano-composite solid polymer electrolyte namely, (PEG) x LiBr: y(SiO2). The samples were prepared, characterized, and investigated by XRD, IR, NMR, and impedance spectroscopy. Conductivity as a function of salt concentration shows a double peak. Five weight percent addition of silica nanoparticles increases the ionic conductivity by two orders of magnitude. Conductivity exhibits an Arrhenius type dependence on temperature. IR study has shown that the existence of nanoparticles in the vicinity of terminal O―H group results in a shift in IR absorption frequency and increase in amplitude of vibration of the terminal O―H group. This might lead to an enhancement in conductivity due to increased segmental motion of the polymer. 7Li NMR spectroscopic studies also seem to support this. Thus addition of nanoparticle inert fillers still seems to be a promising technique to enhance the ionic conductivity in solid polymer electrolytes.

The proton spin-lattice relaxation time T1 (at 5.4, 10 and 15 MHz) and second moment M2 (at 9.8 MHz) have been measured in hydrazinium Perchlorate (N2H5ClO4). The temperature dependence of T, shows two minima. The low temperature T, minimum has been explained in terms of NH3 reorientation about the N-N axis while the high temperature minimum is attributed to the exchange of protons within the NH2 group (180° flip about the H - N - H bisectrix). The activation energies for NH3 and NH: motions are found to be 20.5 kJ mol-1 and 39.8 kJ mol-1 , respectively. The second moment variation with temperature shows two transitions around 120 K and 210 K and has been discussed in terms of NH3/NH2 motions.

H-1 NMR spin-lattice relaxation time measurements have been carried out in [(CH3)(4)N](2)SeO4 in the temperature range 389-6.6K to understand the possible phase transitions, internal motions and quantum rotational tunneling. A broad T, minimum observed around 280K is attributed to the simultaneous motions of CH3 and (CH3)(4)N groups. Magnetization recovery is found to be stretched exponential below 72 K with varying stretched exponent. Low-temperature T-1 behavior is interpreted in terms of methyl groups undergoing quantum rotational tunneling. (c) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dielectric and conductivity behaviors of nano ZnO doped polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) composites for various concentrations of dopant were investigated using impedance spectroscopy for a wide range of temperatures (303 K–423 K) and frequencies (5 Hz–30 MHZ). The dielectric properties of host polymer matrix have been improved by the addition of nano ZnO and are found to be highly temperature dependent. Anomalous dielectric behavior was observed in the frequency range of 2.5 MHz–5 MHz. Increase in dielectric permittivity and dielectric loss was observed with respect to temperature. The Cole-Cole plot could be modeled by low resistance regions in a high resistance matrix and the lowest resistance was observed for the 10 mol. % films. The imaginary part of the electric modulus showed asymmetric peaks with the relaxation following Debye nature below and non-Debye nature above the peaks. The ac conductivity is found to obey Jonscher's power law, whereas the variation of dc conductivity with temperature was found to f...

The proton spin-lattice relaxation time $T_1$ and second moment $M_2$ have been measured in dihydrazinium sulphate $(N_2H_5)_2SO_4$ in the temperature range $77 \sim 300 K$ to understand the nature of molecular motions. Two $T_1$ minima and an $M_2$ transition have been observed. The observed $T_1$ minima have been explained in terms of the reorientation of two inequivalent $NH_3$ groups. The second moment behaviour has been interpreted in terms of $NH_3/NH_2$ motions. The activation energies of the inequivalent $NH_3$ groups are found to bc 28.9 and $28.5 kJ mol^1$.

The proton spin-lattice relaxation time $T_1$ (at 5.4, 10 and 15 MHz) and second moment $M_2$ (at 9.8 MHz) were measured in the temperature range 77-300 K in hydrazinium dihydrogen phosphate $N_2H_5H_2PO_4$ and dihydrazinium hydrogen phosphate $(N_2H_5)_2HPO_4$. In $N_2H_5H_2PO_4$ a well-defined single proton $T_1$, minimum and three $M_2$ transitions have been observed. The $T_1$ minimum has been interpreted in terms of the $NH_3$ group reorientation with activation energy of $7.69 kcal mol^{-1}$, relaxing all protons by spin-diffusion. In $N_2H_5H_2PO_4$ a single $T_1$ minimum and a small hysteresis behaviour have been observed in the temperature dependence of $T_1$. Two $M_2$ transitions were observed. The $T_1$ minimum has been interpreted in terms of the $NH_3$ group reorientation with an activation energy of $4.4 kcal mol^{-1}$. The $M_2$ behaviour in both phosphates is explained in terms of $NH_3/NH_2$ motions.