scholarly journals Size- and Temperature-control Optical Direct/indirect Band Tuning in Layered Compounds: Band Gap Engineering

Author(s):  
M. Miah

Abstract The X-ray diffraction (XRD) is studied in thermally evaporated cadmium iodide (CdI2) thin films with various thicknesses. The grain size, calculated from the XRD, is found to increase with increasing the thickness of the film, while the reflectivity and refractive index decease with increasing the wavelength of the exciting light. The optical absorption spectra show both allowed direct and indirect interband transitions across a fundamental gap in CdI2. It is found that both indirect and direct band gap (Eg) decrease with increasing the thickness of the film and that the indirect Eg is lower than the direct Eg by an amount of about 0.7 eV. The direct Eg is also decreased with increasing both the grain size and temperature. However, the temperature dependence of Eg follows the Varshni relation. Our results highlight the possibility of engineering or tuning the Eg of CdI2 by controlling the thickness of the film, grain size as well as temperature.

2000 ◽  
Vol 15 (8) ◽  
pp. 1811-1815 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Zapata-Torres ◽  
Y. P. Mascarenhas ◽  
M. A. Santana-Aranda ◽  
J. Luyo-Alvarado ◽  
M. Melé-Lirandez ◽  
...  

The structural and electronic properties of (CdTe)1−x(In2Te3)x thin films as a function of substrate temperature were studied using x-ray diffraction, energy dispersive x-ray analysis, and Raman, transmission, and modulated transmission spectroscopies. The films were grown by the close-spaced vapor transport technique combined with free evaporation; CdTe and In2Te3 were used as sources. From x-ray diffraction the presence of mixed phases and differences in composition were detected, and good correlation with Raman spectroscopy was found. Transmission spectroscopy suggested the possibility of a modulation of the band gap of the alloy from a value as low as 0.5 eV up to 1.5 eV. Single-phase films presented a direct band gap of around 1.15 eV, as obtained from modulated transmission measurements.


2001 ◽  
Vol 693 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. E. Little ◽  
M. E. Kordesch

AbstractReactive sputtering was used to grow thin films of ScxGa1-xN with scandium concentrations of 20%-70% on quartz substrates at temperatures of 300-675 K. X-ray diffraction (XRD) of the films showed either weak or no structure, suggesting the films are amorphous or microcrystalline. Optical absorption spectra were taken of each sample and the optical band gap was determined. The band gap varied linearly with increasing Ga concentration between 2.0 and 3.5 eV. Ellipsometry was used to confirm the band gap measurements and provide optical constants in the range 250-1200 nm. ScN and GaN have different crystal structures (rocksalt and wurzite, respectively), and thus may form a heterogeneous mixture as opposed to an alloy. Since the XRD data were inconclusive, bilayers of ScN/GaN were grown and optical absorption spectra taken. A fundamental difference in the spectra between the bilayer films and alloy films was seen, suggesting the films are alloys, not herterogeneous mixtures.


Author(s):  
Ali Zahid ◽  
Umer Zahid ◽  
Aamir Hasan ◽  
Muhammad Khuldoon

With the decline in fossil fuels, hydrogen-based alternatives provide a reliable and clean source for sustainable energy generation. In these endeavors, photochemical splitting for hydrogen production through tandem cells has been the source of much theoretical and experimental research in science. Much focus has been placed on interfacial band gap engineering as one of the most promising routes in the generation of hydrogen.This present work explores sputtering of n-silicon to form the active electrode in a n-Si | n-TiO2 tandem cell and investigates the effect of variations in sputtering and post sputtering treatment parameters (rapid thermal annealing and long cycle annealing) for successful deposition of crystalline Silicon. The samples were successfully characterized via Raman Spectroscopy, X-ray Diffraction and Optical Transmission Spectroscopy to ascertain prevalent crystalline order and optical band gap, under different sputtering and post-sputtering conditions. Relevant conclusions were drawn to ascertain the best possible deposition parameters of n-Si for photocatalytic water splitting.


2021 ◽  
Vol 56 (19) ◽  
pp. 11237-11247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johannes Pötschke ◽  
Manisha Dahal ◽  
Mathias Herrmann ◽  
Anne Vornberger ◽  
Björn Matthey ◽  
...  

AbstractDense (Hf, Ta, Nb, Ti, V)C- and (Ta, Nb, Ti, V, W)C-based high-entropy carbides (HEC) were produced by three different sintering techniques: gas pressure sintering/sinter–HIP at 1900 °C and 100 bar Ar, vacuum sintering at 2250 °C and 0.001 bar as well as SPS/FAST at 2000 °C and 60 MPa pressure. The relative density varied from 97.9 to 100%, with SPS producing 100% dense samples with both compositions. Grain size measurements showed that the substitution of Hf with W leads to an increase in the mean grain size of 5–10 times the size of the (Hf, Ta, Nb, Ti, V,)C samples. Vacuum-sintered samples showed uniform grain size distribution regardless of composition. EDS mapping revealed the formation of a solid solution with no intermetallic phases or element clustering. X-ray diffraction analysis showed the structure of mostly single-phase cubic high-entropy carbides. Hardness measurements revealed that (Hf, Ta, Nb, Ti, V)C samples possess higher hardness values than (Ta, Nb, Ti, V, W)C samples.


2021 ◽  
pp. 174751982098472
Author(s):  
Lalmi Khier ◽  
Lakel Abdelghani ◽  
Belahssen Okba ◽  
Djamel Maouche ◽  
Lakel Said

Kaolin M1 and M2 studied by X-ray diffraction focus on the mullite phase, which is the main phase present in both products. The Williamson–Hall and Warren–Averbach methods for determining the crystallite size and microstrains of integral breadth β are calculated by the FullProf program. The integral breadth ( β) is a mixture resulting from the microstrains and size effect, so this should be taken into account during the calculation. The Williamson–Hall chart determines whether the sample is affected by grain size or microstrain. It appears very clearly that the principal phase of the various sintered kaolins, mullite, is free from internal microstrains. It is the case of the mixtures fritted at low temperature (1200 °C) during 1 h and also the case of the mixtures of the type chamotte cooks with 1350 °C during very long times (several weeks). This result is very significant as it gives an element of explanation to a very significant quality of mullite: its mechanical resistance during uses at high temperature remains.


2008 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 97-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dinu Patidar ◽  
K.S. Rathore ◽  
N.S. Saxena ◽  
Kananbala Sharma ◽  
T.P. Sharma

The CdS nanoparticles of different sizes are synthesized by a simple chemical method. Here, CdS nanoparticles are grown through the reaction of solution of different concentration of CdCl2 with H2S. X-ray diffraction pattern confirms nano nature of CdS and has been used to determine the size of particle. Optical absorption spectroscopy is used to measure the energy band gap of these nanomaterials by using Tauc relation. Energy band gap ranging between 3.12 eV to 2.47 eV have been obtained for the samples containing the nanoparticles in the range of 2.3 to 6.0 nm size. A correlation between the band gap and size of the nanoparticles is also established.


2003 ◽  
Vol 807 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Advocat ◽  
F. Jorion ◽  
T. Marcillat ◽  
G. Leturcq ◽  
X. Deschanels ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTZirconolite is a potential inorganic matrix that is currently investigated in France, in the framework of the 1991 radioactive waste management law, with a view to provide durable containment of the trivalent and tetravalent minor actinides like neptunium, curium, americium and small quantities of unrecyclable plutonium separated from other nuclear waste. To confirm the actinide loading capacity of the zirconolite calcium site and to study the physical and chemical stability of this type of ceramic when subjected to alpha self-irradiation, zirconolite ceramic pellets were fabricated with 10 wt% plutonium oxide (isotope 239 or 238). The 55 pellets are dense (> 93.3% of the theoretical density on average) and free of cracks. They are characterized by a grain size of between 10 and 20 micrometers. X-ray diffraction analyses confirmed the presence of the zirconolite 2M crystalline structure.


1995 ◽  
Vol 382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Pehnt ◽  
Douglas L. Schulz ◽  
Calvin J. Curtis ◽  
Helio R. Moutinho ◽  
Amy Swartzlander ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTIn this article we report the first nanoparticle-derived route to smooth, dense, phase-pure CdTe thin films. Capped CdTe nanoparticles were prepared by injection of a mixture of Cd(CH3)2, (n-C8H17)3 PTe and (n-C8H17)3P into (n-C8H17)3PO at elevated temperatures. The resultant nanoparticles 32-45 Å in diameter were characterized by x-ray diffraction, UV-Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. CdTe thin film deposition was accomplished by dissolving CdTe nanoparticles in butanol and then spraying the solution onto SnO2-coated glass substrates at variable susceptor temperatures. Smooth and dense CdTe thin films were obtained using growth temperatures approximately 200 °C less than conventional spray pyrolysis approaches. CdTe films were characterized by x-ray diffraction, UV-Vis spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and Auger electron spectroscopy. An increase in crystallinity and average grain size as determined by x-ray diffraction was noted as growth temperature was increased from 240 to 300 °C. This temperature dependence of film grain size was further confirmed by atomic force microscopy with no remnant nanocrystalline morphological features detected. UV-Vis characterization of the CdTe thin films revealed a gradual decrease of the band gap (i.e., elimination of nanocrystalline CdTe phase) as the growth temperature was increased with bulk CdTe optical properties observed for films grown at 300 °C.


2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (17) ◽  
pp. 1850185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yun-Hui Si ◽  
Yu Xia ◽  
Ya-Yun Li ◽  
Shao-Ke Shang ◽  
Xin-Bo Xiong ◽  
...  

A series of BiFeO3 and BiFe[Formula: see text]Mn[Formula: see text]O3 (x = 0, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08, 0.10) were synthesized by a hydrothermal method. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and their photocatalytic activity was studied by photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue in aqueous solution under visible light irradiation. The band gap of BiFeO3 was significantly decreased from 2.26 eV to 1.90 eV with the doping of Mn. Furthermore, the 6% Mn-doped BiFeO3 photocatalyst exhibited the best activity with a degradation rate of 94% after irradiation for 100 min. The enhanced photocatalytic activity with Mn doping could be attributed to the enhanced optical absorption, increment of surface reactive sites and reduction of electron–hole recombination. Our results may be conducive to design more efficient photocatalysts responsive to visible light among narrow band gap semiconductors.


2010 ◽  
Vol 654-656 ◽  
pp. 1106-1109
Author(s):  
Ya Qiong He ◽  
Chang Hui Mao ◽  
Jian Yang

Nanocrystalline Fe-Co alloy powders, which were prepared by high-energy mechanical milling, were nitrided under the mixing gas of NH3/H2 in the temperature range from 380°C to 510°C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to analyze the grain size and reaction during the processing. The magnetic properties of the nitrided powders were measured by Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM). The results show that with the appearance of Fe4N phase after nitride treatment, and the grain-size of FeCo phase decreases with the increase of nitridation temperature between 380°C to 450°C.The saturation magnetization of nitrided alloy powder treated at 480°C is about 18% higher than that of the initial Fe-Co alloy powder, accompanied by the reduction of the coercivity. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) was used, attempting to further analyze the effect of Fe4N phase on microstructure and magnetic properties of the powder mixtures.


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