Browsing by Subject "Electron energy loss spectroscopy"

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Open Access
Raman and TEM studies of Ge nanocrystal formation in SiOx: Ge/SiOx multilayers
(Wiley, 2007) Dana, Aykutlu; Aǧan, S.; Tokay, S.; Aydınlı, Atilla; Finstad, T. G.
Alternating germanosilicate-siliconoxide layers of 10-30 nm thickness were grown on Si substrates by plasma enhanced chemically vapor deposition (PECVD). The compositions of the grown films were determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements. The films were annealed at temperatures varying from 670 to 1000°C for 5 to 45 minutes under nitrogen atmosphere. High resolution cross section TEM images, electron diffraction and electron energy-loss spectroscopy as well as energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX) data confirm presence of Ge nanocrystals in each layer. The effect of annealing on the Ge nanocrystal formation in multilayers was investigated by Raman spectroscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). As the annealing temperature is raised to 850°C, single layer of Ge nanocrystals observed at lower annealing temperatures is transformed into a double layer with the smaller sized nanocrystals closer to the substrate SiO2 interface.
Open Access
The role of the interface in germanium quantum dots: when not only size matters for quantum confinement effects
(Royal Society of Chemistry, 2015) Cosentino, S.; Mio, A. M.; Barbagiovanni, E. G.; Raciti, R.; Bahariqushchi, R.; Miritello, M.; Nicotra, G.; Aydınlı, Atilla; Spinella, C.; Terrasi, A.; Mirabella, S.
Quantum confinement (QC) typically assumes a sharp interface between a nanostructure and its environment, leading to an abrupt change in the potential for confined electrons and holes. When the interface is not ideally sharp and clean, significant deviations from the QC rule appear and other parameters beyond the nanostructure size play a considerable role. In this work we elucidate the role of the interface on QC in Ge quantum dots (QDs) synthesized by rf-magnetron sputtering or plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). Through a detailed electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) analysis we investigated the structural and chemical properties of QD interfaces. PECVD QDs exhibit a sharper interface compared to sputter ones, which also evidences a larger contribution of mixed Ge-oxide states. Such a difference strongly modifies the QC strength, as experimentally verified by light absorption spectroscopy. A large size-tuning of the optical bandgap and an increase in the oscillator strength occur when the interface is sharp. A spatially dependent effective mass (SPDEM) model is employed to account for the interface difference between Ge QDs, pointing out a larger reduction in the exciton effective mass in the sharper interface case. These results add new insights into the role of interfaces on confined systems, and open the route for reliable exploitation of QC effects. © The Royal Society of Chemistry.
Open Access
SiGe nanocrystal formation in PECVD grown SiOx/Si/Ge/Si/SiOx multilayers
(World Scientific Publishing, 2009) Ağan, S.; Aydınlı, Atilla
We have studied alternating gennanium-silicon-silicon oxide layers of 41 nm thickness grown on Si substrates by plasma enhanced chemically vapor deposition. The compositions of the grown films were detennined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The films were annealed at temperatures varying from 700 to 950 °C for 7.5 minutes under nitrogen atmosphere. High resolution cross section TEM images, electron diffraction and electron energy-loss spectroscopy as well as energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX) confinn presence of Ge nanocrystals in each layer. The effect of annealing on the Ge nanocrystal fonnation in multi layers was investigated by Raman spectroscopy and TEM.
Open Access
Synthesis and size differentiation of Ge nanocrystals in amorphous SiO 2
(Springer, 2006) Aǧan, S.; Çelik-Aktaş, A.; Zuo, J. M.; Dana, A.; Aydınlı, Atilla
Germanosilicate layers were grown on Si substrates by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) and annealed at different temperatures ranging from 700-1010 °C for durations of 5 to 60 min. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to investigate Ge nanocrystal formation in SiO 2:Ge films. High-resolution cross section TEM images, electron energy-loss spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) data indicate that Ge nanocrystals are present in the amorphous silicon dioxide films. These nanocrystals are formed in two spatially separated layers with average sizes of 15 and 50 nm, respectively. EDX analysis indicates that Ge also diffuses into the Si substrate.
Open Access
Theoretical and spectroscopic investigations on the structure and bonding in B-C-N thin films
(2009) Bengu, E.; Genisel, M. F.; Gulseren, O.; Ovali, R.
In this study, we have synthesized boron, carbon, and nitrogen containing films using RF sputter deposition. We investigated the effects of deposition parameters on the chemical environment of boron, carbon, and nitrogen atoms inside the films. Techniques used for this purpose were grazing incidence reflectance-Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (GIR-FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). GIR-FTIR experiments on the B-C-N films deposited indicated presence of multiple features in the 600 to 1700 cm- 1 range for the infrared (IR) spectra. Analysis of the IR spectra, XPS and the corresponding EELS data from the films has been done in a collective manner. The results from this study suggested even under nitrogen rich synthesis conditions carbon atoms in the B-C-N films prefer to be surrounded by other carbon atoms rather than boron and/or nitrogen. Furthermore, we have observed a similar behavior in the chemistry of B-C-N films deposited with increasing substrate bias conditions. In order to better understand these results, we have compared and evaluated the relative stability of various nearest-neighbor and structural configurations of carbon atoms in a single BN sheet using DFT calculations. These calculations also indicated that structures and configurations that increase the relative amount of C-C bonding with respect to B-C and/or C-N were energetically favorable than otherwise. As a conclusion, carbon tends to phase-segregate in to carbon clusters rather than displaying a homogeneous distribution for the films deposited in this study under the deposition conditions studied.