Real-time tracking of the self-assembled growth of a 3D Ge quantum dot lattice in an alumina matrix

2020 ◽  
Vol 53 (4) ◽  
pp. 1029-1038
Author(s):  
Ashin Shaji ◽  
Maja Micetic ◽  
Yuriy Halahovets ◽  
Peter Nadazdy ◽  
Igor Matko ◽  
...  

A laboratory in situ grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) tracking of the self-assembled growth of a regular 3D Ge quantum dot (QD) structure in an amorphous Al2O3 matrix during the ion beam sputter deposition of a periodic Ge/Al2O3 multilayer on silicon is reported. A 573 K substrate temperature proved to be necessary to achieve the self-assembly effect. Relying on a fast repeated acquisition of GISAXS patterns, the temporal evolution of the growing 3D Ge QD structure was analyzed bilayer by bilayer to determine its type, lateral and vertical correlation lengths, and inter-QD distance. The QD structure was found to have body-centered tetragonal lattice type with ABA stacking, with the lattice parameters refined by fitting the final GISAXS pattern relying on a paracrystal model. A single set of paracrystal parameters enables one to simulate the temporal evolution of the in situ GISAXS patterns throughout the deposition process, suggesting that the Ge QD self-assembly is driven from the very beginning solely by the growing surface morphology. Ex situ GISAXS and X-ray reflectivity measurements along with a cross-section high-resolution transmission electron microscopy analysis complete the study.

2013 ◽  
Vol 46 (5) ◽  
pp. 1490-1500 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Buljan ◽  
M. Jerčinović ◽  
Z. Siketić ◽  
I. Bogdanović-Radović ◽  
I. Delač Marion ◽  
...  

Self-assembled growth of Ge quantum dot lattices in oxide matrices prepared by the quite simple magnetron sputtering deposition method allows the preparation of a variety of structures tunable by their shape, size and arrangement. The driving mechanism for the self-assembly was attributed to the surface morphology features originating from the quantum dots' growth. Here it is shown specifically that the matrix type is another critical factor that enables the control of the self-assembly process and the tuning of the ordering type and degree of regularity of quantum dot systems. The effectiveness of the matrix factor is demonstrated through the analysis of quantum dot arrangements in amorphous silica, alumina and mullite matrices. Using the same deposition conditions, different ordering types and degrees of disorder were found in the quantum dot systems based on different matrices. The matrix factor is shown to be driven by different matrix tendencies to smooth the surface during the growth of the films. The obtained results are relevant for understanding and tailoring of the self-assembled growth of quantum dot lattices in amorphous systems.


MRS Advances ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (64) ◽  
pp. 3507-3520
Author(s):  
Chunhui Dai ◽  
Kriti Agarwal ◽  
Jeong-Hyun Cho

AbstractNanoscale self-assembly, as a technique to transform two-dimensional (2D) planar patterns into three-dimensional (3D) nanoscale architectures, has achieved tremendous success in the past decade. However, an assembly process at nanoscale is easily affected by small unavoidable variations in sample conditions and reaction environment, resulting in a low yield. Recently, in-situ monitored self-assembly based on ion and electron irradiation has stood out as a promising candidate to overcome this limitation. The usage of ion and electron beam allows stress generation and real-time observation simultaneously, which significantly enhances the controllability of self-assembly. This enables the realization of various complex 3D nanostructures with a high yield. The additional dimension of the self-assembled 3D nanostructures opens the possibility to explore novel properties that cannot be demonstrated in 2D planar patterns. Here, we present a rapid review on the recent achievements and challenges in nanoscale self-assembly using electron and ion beam techniques, followed by a discussion of the novel optical properties achieved in the self-assembled 3D nanostructures.


Nanoscale ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (16) ◽  
pp. 7634-7647 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirti Sankhala ◽  
D. C. Florian Wieland ◽  
Joachim Koll ◽  
Maryam Radjabian ◽  
Clarissa Abetz ◽  
...  

A study of the self-assembly of block copolymers in ordered and weakly segregated solutions after extrusion during fabrication of isoporous hollow fiber membranes.


2002 ◽  
Vol 743 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eugen M. Trifan ◽  
David C. Ingram

ABSTRACTAn innovative approach for in-situ characterization has been used in this work to investigate the composition, growth mode, morphology and crystalline ordering of the early stages of growth of GaN films grown on sapphire by MOCVD for substrate temperatures in the range of 450°C to 1050°C. We have performed in-situ characterization by Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy (RBS), Ion Channeling, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), and Low Energy Electron Diffraction. Ex-situ the films have been characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and thickness profilometry. The films have been grown in an in-house designed and build MOCVD reactor that is attached by UHV lines to the analysis facilities. RBS analysis indicated that the films have the correct stoichiometry, have variable thickness and for low substrate temperature completely cover the substrate while for temperatures 850°C and higher islands are formed that may cover as few as 5 percent of the substrate. From Ion Channeling and LEED we have determined the crystallographic phase to be wurtzite. The crystalline quality increases with higher deposition temperature and with thickness. The films are epitaxialy grown with the <0001> crystallographic axis and planes of the GaN films aligned with the sapphire within 0.2 degrees.


2014 ◽  
Vol 47 (20) ◽  
pp. 7221-7229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mireille Maret ◽  
Raluca Tiron ◽  
Xavier Chevalier ◽  
Patrice Gergaud ◽  
Ahmed Gharbi ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Soma Khanra

Bio-nanotechnology has become a widespread exciting field of research as the basic biological structure of bio-inspired materials and nanotechnology share the common length scale. Bio-nanotechnology, which is mainly based on bio-inspired nanostructured materials, has potential applications in nanomedicine, drug delivery, bio-sensors, and bio-degradable electronic devices. The nanostructures obtained from biomolecules are attractive due to their biocompatibility for molecular recognition, ease of chemical modification, and the ability to scaffold other organic and inorganic materials. Peptide nanostructures formed through the self-assembly process of the basic building block of diphenylalanine show promising applications in biodegradable electronic devices, drug delivery, catalysis agent, waveguide, and frequency converter. This research focusses on the self-assembly process in a dipeptide, L, L diphenylalanine (FF) and exploring its electronic, optical, and magnetic properties. The role of solvents in the self-assembly process of FF is explored by combining density functional theory (DFT) along with experimental characterization techniques such as electron microscopy, Raman scattering, and x-ray diffraction (XRD). One of the objectives of this work was to explore the nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of FF nanostructures via second harmonic generation (SHG). The ratio of the nonlinear optical coefficients was obtained from individual FF nanotubes as a function of the tube diameter and thermal annealing conditions. The ratio of the shear to the longitudinal component (d15/d33) of the NLO coefficient increases with the diameter of the tubes. One of the transverse components, d31, of the NLO coefficient is found to be negative, and its magnitude with respect to the longitudinal component (d33) increases with the tube diameter. Thermal treatment of individual FF tubes has a similar effect as increasing the diameter of the tubes in SHG polarimetry. The functionalization of FF micro-nanostructures (FF-MNS) with nanomaterials was studied. FF-MNS with Ag or Au nanoparticles were explored in surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Such self-assembled nanostructures provide a natural template for tethering Au and Ag nanoparticles (Nps) due to its fractal surface. The FF-MNS undergo an irreversible phase transition from hexagonal packing (hex) to an orthorhombic (ort) structure at [about] 150 [degree]C. The metal Nps form chains on hex FF-MNS as inferred from transmission electron microscopy images and a uniform non-aggregated distribution in the ort phase. The SERS spectra obtained from R6G bound to FF-MNSs with AuNps show a higher enhancement for the ort phase compared with the hex phase. The experimental results agree well with our calculated Raman spectra of model systems using DFT. Our results indicate that FF-MNS both in the hex and ort phase can be used as substrates for SERS analysis with different metal Nps, opening up a novel class of optically active bio-based substrates. The use of magnetic nanoparticles with biomolecules offers a versatile path for tuning the functionality of the composite material for several applications. The functionalization of FF-MNS with cobalt ferrite (CFO) magnetic nanoparticles was achieved. The interaction between CFO nanoparticles and FF-MNS was investigated by optical spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and magnetization measurements. The changes in the XPS data from pristine FF-MNS and CFO:FF-MNS are indicative of a charge transfer process from CFO to FF-MNS, changing the electronic states of the Fe2+ and Co2+ ions. A comparison of the magnetic characterization from CFO nanoparticles and CFO:FF-MNS shows a higher saturation magnetization from the nanocomposite sample, which is attributed to a change in the cationic distribution in CFO upon binding with the peptide. We were further successful in demonstrating the application of FF-MNS as a bio-degradable active layer in an organic light emitting diode (OLED). FF-MNS were functionalized with two blue-emitting conducting polymers: di-octyl-substituted polyfluorene (PF8) and ethyl-hexyl polyfluorene (PF2/6), and used as an active layer in an OLED architecture. A combination of molecular dynamics and experimental characterization techniques reveals a stronger binding mechanism for PF8 compared to PF2/6 with FF-MNS. Biodegradability tests from FF-MNS:PF8 nanocomposite films show more than 80% weight loss in 2 h by enzymatic action compared to PF8 pristine films, which do not degrade. Self-assembled FF-MNS with organic semiconductors open up a new generation of biocompatible and biodegradable materials in organic electronics.


2005 ◽  
Vol 475-479 ◽  
pp. 4255-4260 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Rong Li ◽  
Jin Long Li ◽  
Ying Zhang ◽  
Xin Wu Deng ◽  
Fan Yang ◽  
...  

Well-ordered self-assembled SrTiO3 thin film, as a template for complex oxide quantum wires, was fabricated on LaAlO3 (100) single crystal substrates with laser molecular beam epitaxy. The self-assembled growth was in-situ monitored by reflective high energy electron diffraction. The morphology evolutions of the films as a function of thickness were studied by ex-situ atomic force microscopy. As the thickness of the films increased from 3.875nm to 46.5nm gradually, the compressive stress-induced SrTiO3 films exhibited a periodic well-ordered ripple structure, which formed a unique nanoassembled template for the fabrication of quantum wires. Small angle X-ray scattering technique was employed to investigate the structure. Symmetric satellite peaks were discovered, indicating the well-ordered superstructure. In contrast, the similar superstructure was not observed during the growth of the tensile stress-induced LaAlO3 films on SrTiO3 substrates. The Compressive stress was considered as the main reason of the self-assembled growth, and systematical elucidation about strain mechanism was discussed. These results might provide an efficient method for the controllable formation of well-aligned template of quantum wire for complex oxide with desirable structure via proper modulation of strains.


Nanomaterials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 2240
Author(s):  
Vishesh Saxena ◽  
Giuseppe Portale

Quantum dots are under intense research, given their amazing properties which favor their use in electronics, optoelectronics, energy, medicine and other important applications. For many of these technological applications, quantum dots are used in their ordered self-assembled form, called superlattice. Understanding the mechanism of formation of the superlattices is crucial to designing quantum dots devices with desired properties. Here we review some of the most important findings about the formation of such superlattices that have been derived using grazing incidence scattering techniques (grazing incidence small and wide angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS/GIWAXS)). Acquisition of these structural information is essential to developing some of the most important underlying theories in the field.


2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (7) ◽  
pp. 775-781 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark C. Weidman ◽  
Detlef-M. Smilgies ◽  
William A. Tisdale

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Younghee Lee ◽  
Daniela M. Piper ◽  
Andrew S. Cavanagh ◽  
Matthias J. Young ◽  
Se-Hee Lee ◽  
...  

<div>Atomic layer deposition (ALD) of LiF and lithium ion conducting (AlF<sub>3</sub>)(LiF)<sub>x</sub> alloys was developed using trimethylaluminum, lithium hexamethyldisilazide (LiHMDS) and hydrogen fluoride derived from HF-pyridine solution. ALD of LiF was studied using in situ quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and in situ quadrupole mass spectrometer (QMS) at reaction temperatures between 125°C and 250°C. A mass gain per cycle of 12 ng/(cm<sup>2</sup> cycle) was obtained from QCM measurements at 150°C and decreased at higher temperatures. QMS detected FSi(CH<sub>3</sub>)<sub>3</sub> as a reaction byproduct instead of HMDS at 150°C. LiF ALD showed self-limiting behavior. Ex situ measurements using X-ray reflectivity (XRR) and spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) showed a growth rate of 0.5-0.6 Å/cycle, in good agreement with the in situ QCM measurements.</div><div>ALD of lithium ion conducting (AlF3)(LiF)x alloys was also demonstrated using in situ QCM and in situ QMS at reaction temperatures at 150°C A mass gain per sequence of 22 ng/(cm<sup>2</sup> cycle) was obtained from QCM measurements at 150°C. Ex situ measurements using XRR and SE showed a linear growth rate of 0.9 Å/sequence, in good agreement with the in situ QCM measurements. Stoichiometry between AlF<sub>3</sub> and LiF by QCM experiment was calculated to 1:2.8. XPS showed LiF film consist of lithium and fluorine. XPS also showed (AlF<sub>3</sub>)(LiF)x alloy consists of aluminum, lithium and fluorine. Carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen impurities were both below the detection limit of XPS. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) observed that LiF and (AlF<sub>3</sub>)(LiF)<sub>x</sub> alloy film have crystalline structures. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and ionic chromatography revealed atomic ratio of Li:F=1:1.1 and Al:Li:F=1:2.7: 5.4 for (AlF<sub>3</sub>)(LiF)<sub>x</sub> alloy film. These atomic ratios were consistent with the calculation from QCM experiments. Finally, lithium ion conductivity (AlF<sub>3</sub>)(LiF)<sub>x</sub> alloy film was measured as σ = 7.5 × 10<sup>-6</sup> S/cm.</div>


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