Abstract: Phase transitions that occur in materials, driven, for instance, by changes in temperature or pressure, can dramatically change the materials' properties. Discovering new types of transitions and understanding their mechanisms is important not only from a fundamental perspective, but also for practical applications. Here we investigate a recently discovered Fe4O5 that adopts an orthorhombic CaFe3O5-type crystal structure that features linear chains of Fe ions. On cooling below approximately 150 K, Fe4O5 undergoes an unusual charge-ordering transition that involves competing dimeric and trimeric ordering within the chains of Fe ions. This transition is concurrent with a significant increase in electrical resistivity. Magnetic-susceptibility measurements and neutron diffraction establish the formation of a collinear antiferromagnetic order above room temperature and a spin canting at 85 K that gives rise to spontaneous magnetization. We discuss possible mechanisms of this transition and compare it with the trimeronic charge ordering observed in magnetite below the Verwey transition temperature.

Abstract: Nanocrystalline indium oxide films with extremely small grains in range of 7-40 nm are prepared by sol-gel method. The influence of grain size on the sensitivity of indium oxide to nitrogen dioxide in low concentration at room temperature is investigated under the UV illumination and without illumination. The sensitivity increases with the decrease of grain sizes when In2O3 is illuminated while in the dark In2O3 with intermediate grain size exhibits the highest response. An explanation of the different behavior of the In2O3 with different grain size sensitivity to NO2 under illumination and in the dark is proposed. We demonstrate that pulsed illumination may be used for NO2 detection at room temperature that significantly reduces the power consumption of sensor. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Abstract: Highly active photocatalysts were obtained by impregnation of nanocrystalline rutile TiO2 powders with small amounts of Cu(II) and Fe(III) ions, resulting in the enhancement of initial rates of photocatalytic degradation of 4-chlorophenol in water by factors of 7 and 4, compared to pristine rutile, respectively. Detailed structural analysis by EPR and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (EXAFS) revealed that Cu(II) and Fe(III) are present as single species on the rutile surface. The mechanism of the photoactivity enhancement was elucidated by a combination of DFT calculations and detailed experimental mechanistic studies including photoluminescence measurements, photocatalytic experiments using scavengers, OH radical detection, and photopotential transient measurements. The results demonstrate that the single Cu(II) and Fe(III) ions act as effective cocatalytic sites, enhancing the charge separation, catalyzing “dark” redox reactions at the interface, thus improving the normally very low quantum yields of UV light-activated TiO2 photocatalysts. The exact mechanism of the photoactivity enhancement differs depending on the nature of the cocatalyst. Cu(II)-decorated samples exhibit fast transfer of photogenerated electrons to Cu(II/I) sites, followed by enhanced catalysis of dioxygen reduction, resulting in improved charge separation and higher photocatalytic degradation rates. At Fe(III)-modified rutile the rate of dioxygen reduction is not improved and the photocatalytic enhancement is attributed to higher production of highly oxidizing hydroxyl radicals produced by alternative oxygen reduction pathways opened by the presence of catalytic Fe(III/II) sites. Importantly, it was demonstrated that excessive heat treatment (at 450 degrees C) of photocatalysts leads to loss of activity due to migration of Cu(II) and Fe(III) ions from TiO2 surface to the bulk, accompanied by formation of oxygen vacancies. The demonstrated variety of mechanisms of photoactivity enhancement at single site catalyst-modified photocatalysts holds promise for developing further tailored photocatalysts for various applications.

Abstract: The last few years have seen a great deal of progress in the development of transmission electron microscopy based techniques for strain mapping. New techniques have appeared such as dark field electron holography and nanobeam diffraction and better known ones such as geometrical phase analysis have been improved by using aberration corrected ultra-stable modern electron microscopes. In this paper we apply dark field electron holography, the geometrical phase analysis of high angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy images, nanobeam diffraction and precession diffraction, all performed at the state-of-the-art to five different types of semiconductor samples. These include a simple calibration structure comprising 10-nm-thick SiGe layers to benchmark the techniques. A SiGe recessed source and drain device has been examined in order to test their capabilities on 2D structures. Devices that have been strained using a nitride stressor have been examined to test the sensitivity of the different techniques when applied to systems containing low values of deformation. To test the techniques on modern semiconductors, an electrically tested device grown on a SOI wafer has been examined. Finally a GaN/AlN superlattice was tested in order to assess the different methods of measuring deformation on specimens that do not have a perfect crystalline structure. The different deformation mapping techniques have been compared to one another and the strengths and weaknesses of each are discussed.

Abstract: In epitaxial thin film systems, the crystal structure and its symmetry deviate from the bulk counterpart due to various mechanisms such as epitaxial strain and interfacial structural coupling, which induce an accompanying change in their properties. In perovskite materials, the crystal symmetry can be described by rotations of 6-fold coordinated transition metal oxygen octahedra, which are found to be altered at interfaces. Here, we unravel how the local oxygen octahedral coupling (OOC) at perovskite heterostructural interfaces initiates a different symmetry in epitaxial films and provide design rules to induce various symmetries in thin films by careful selecting appropriate combinations of substrate/buffer/film. Very interestingly we discovered that these combinations lead to symmetry changes throughout the full thickness of the film. Our results provide a deep insight into understanding the origin of induced crystal symmetry in a perovskite heterostructure and an intelligent route to achieve unique functional properties.

Abstract: Co-rich ZnCoO nanoparticles embedded in wurtzite Zn0.7Co0.3O thin films are grown by pulsed laser deposition on a Si substrate. Local superconductivity with an onset Tc at 5.9 K is demonstrated in the hybrid system. The unexpected superconductivity probably results from Co(3+) in the Co-rich ZnCoO nanoparticles or from the interface between the Co-rich nanoparticles and the Zn0.7Co0.3O matrix.

Abstract: In this paper, with the example of two different polymorphs of KEu(MoO4)2, the influence of the ordering of the A-cations on the luminescent properties in scheelite related compounds (A′,A″)n[(B′,B″)O4]m is investigated. The polymorphs were synthesized using a solid state method. The study confirmed the existence of only two polymorphic forms at annealing temperature range 9231203 K and ambient pressure: a low temperature anorthic α-phase and a monoclinic high temperature β-phase with an incommensurately modulated structure. The structures of both polymorphs were solved using transmission electron microscopy and refined from synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction data. The monoclinic β-KEu(MoO4)2 has a (3+1)-dimensional incommensurately modulated structure (superspace group I2/b(αβ0)00, a = 5.52645(4) Å, b = 5.28277(4) Å, c = 11.73797(8) Å, γ = 91.2189(4)o, q = 0.56821(2)a*0.12388(3)b*), whereas the anorthic α-phase is (3+1)-dimensional commensurately modulated (superspace group I1̅(αβγ)0, a = 5.58727(22) Å, b = 5.29188(18)Å, c = 11.7120(4) Å, α = 90.485(3)o, β = 88.074(3)o, γ = 91.0270(23)o, q = 1/2a* + 1/2c*). In both cases the modulation arises due to Eu/K cation ordering at the A site: the formation of a 2-dimensional Eu3+ network is characteristic for the α-phase, while a 3-dimensional Eu3+-framework is observed for the β-phase structure. The luminescent properties of KEu(MoO4)2 samples prepared under different annealing conditions were measured, and the relation between their optical properties and their structures is discussed.

Abstract: Two-dimensional electron gases (2DEGs) formed at the interface of insulating complex oxides promise the development of all-oxide electronic devices. These 2DEGs involve many-body interactions that give rise to a variety of physical phenomena such as superconductivity, magnetism, tunable metalinsulator transitions and phase separation. Increasing the mobility of the 2DEG, however, remains a major challenge. Here, we show that the electron mobility is enhanced by more than two orders of magnitude by inserting a single-unit-cell insulating layer of polar La1−xSrxMnO3 (x = 0, 1/8, and 1/3) at the interface between disordered LaAlO3 and crystalline SrTiO3 produced at room temperature. Resonant X-ray spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy show that the manganite layer undergoes unambiguous electronic reconstruction, leading to modulation doping of such atomically engineered complex oxide heterointerfaces. At low temperatures, the modulation-doped 2DEG exhibits Shubnikovde Haas oscillations and fingerprints of the quantum Hall effect, demonstrating unprecedented high mobility and low electron density.

Abstract: Epitaxial double perovskite La2CoMnO6 (LCMO) films were grown by metalorganic aerosol deposition on SrTiO3(111) substrates. A high Curie temperature, T-C = 226 K, and large magnetization close to saturation, M-S(5 K) = 5.8 mu(B)/f.u., indicate a 97% degree of B-site (Co,Mn) ordering within the film. The Co/Mn ordering was directly imaged at the atomic scale by scanning transmission electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (STEM-EDX). Local electron-energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) measurements reveal that the B-sites are predominantly occupied by Co2+ and Mn4+ ions in quantitative agreement with magnetic data. Relatively small values of the (1/2 1/2 1/2) superstructure peak intensity, obtained by X-ray diffraction (XRD), point out the existence of ordered domains with an arbitrary phase relationship across the domain boundary. The size of these domains is estimated to be in the range 35-170 nm according to TEM observations and modelling the magnetization data. These observations provide important information towards the complexity of the cation ordering phenomenon and its implications on magnetism in double perovskites, and similar materials.

Abstract: New layered structures corresponding to the general formula [PbBiO2]A(n+1)B(n)O(3n-1)Cl(2) Were prepared. Pb5BiFe3O10Cl2 (n = 3) and Pb5Bi2Fe4O13Cl2 (n = 4) are built as a stacking of truncated A(n+1)B(n)O(3n-1) perovskite blocks and alpha-PbO-type [A(2)O(2)](2+) (A = Pb, Bi) blocks combined with chlorine sheets. The alternation of these structural blocks can be represented as an intergrowth between the hematophanite and Sullen-type structural blocks. The crystal and-Magnetic structures of Pb5BiFe3O10Cl2 and Pb5Bi2Fe4O13Cl2 were investigated in the temperature range of 1.5-700 K using X-ray and neutron powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and Fe-57 Mossbauer spectroscopy. Both compounds crystallize in the I4/mmm space group with the unit cell parameters a approximate to a(p) approximate to 3.92 angstrom (a unit-cell parameter of the perovskite-structure), c approximate to 43.0 angstrom for the n = 3 member and c approximate to 53.5 angstrom for the n = 4 member. Despite the large separation between the slabs containing the Fe3+ ions (nearly 14 angstrom), long-range antiferromagnetic order sets in below similar to 600 K with the G-type arrangement of the Fe magnetic moments aligned along the c-axis. The possibility of mixing d(0) and d(n) cations at the B sublattice of these structures was also demonstrated by preparing the Ti-substituted n = 4 member Pb6BiFe3TiO13Cl2.

Abstract: Highly ordered SBA-15-type ethane-bridged PMOs have been obtained by employing H3PO4 as acid to tune the pH in the presence of copolymer surfactant P123. The effects of the acidity and the addition of inorganic salt on the formation of the mesostructure are investigated. It is found that, compared with HCl, the polyprotic weak acid H3PO4 is preferable for the synthesis of highly ordered SBA-15-type ethane-bridged PMOs with larger pore size and surface areas under mild acidic conditions. Moreover, taking the advantages of the mild acidic condition, vanadium-containing SBA-15-type ethane-bridged PMOs were successfully prepared through a direct synthesis approach. The XRD, N2-sorption, UVVis and CW-EPR studies of the V-PMO show that part of the vanadium species are present in polymeric (VOV)n clusters, while part of the vanadium centers are well-dispersed and immobilized on the inner surface of the mesopores.

Abstract: In recent years, it has been observed that Inconel X-750 spacers in CANDU reactors exhibits lower ductility with reduced load carrying capacity following irradiation in a reactor environment. The fracture behaviour of ex-service material was also found to be entirely intergranular at high doses. The thermalized flux spectrum in a CANDU reactor leads to transmutation of 58Ni to 59Ni. The 59Ni itself has unusually high thermal neutron reaction cross-sections of the type: (n, γ), (n, p), and (n, α). The latter two reactions, in particular, contribute to a significant enhancement of the atomic displacements in addition to creating high concentrations of hydrogen and helium within the material. Microstructural examinations by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) have confirmed the presence of helium bubbles in the matrix and aligned along grain boundaries and matrix–precipitate interfaces. Helium bubble size and density are found to be highly dependent on the irradiation temperature and material microstructure; the bubbles are larger within grain boundary precipitates. TEM specimens extracted from fracture surfaces and crack tips provide information that is consistent with crack propagation along grain boundaries due to the presence of He bubbles.

Abstract: The interfacial atomic structure of a metallic LaNiO3/LaAlO3 superlattice grown on a LaSrAlO4 substrate was
investigated using a combination of atomically resolved electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) at the Al K,
Al L2,3, Sr L2,3, Ni L2,3, La M4,5, and O K edges as well as hybridization mapping of selected features of the O
K-edge fine structure.We observe an additional La1−xSrxAl1−yNiyO3 layer at the substrate-superlattice interface,
possibly linked to diffusion of Al and Sr into the growing film or a surface reconstruction due to Sr segregation.
The roughness of the LaNiO3/LaAlO3 interfaces is found to be on average around one pseudocubic unit cell. The
O K-edge EELS spectra revealed reduced spectral weight of the prepeak derived from Ni-O hybridized states in
the LaNiO3 layers. We rule out oxygen nonstoichiometry of the LaNiO3 layers and discuss changes in the Ni-O
hybridization due to heterostructuring as possible origin.

Abstract: The investigation of the system SmBaFe-O in air has allowed an oxygen deficient perovskite Sm2-epsilon Ba3+epsilon Fe5O15-delta (delta = 0.75, epsilon = 0.125) to be synthesized. In contrast to the XRPD pattern which gives a cubic symmetry (a(p) = 3.934 angstrom), the combined HREM/EELS study shows that this phase is nanoscale ordered with a quintuple tetragonal cell, a(p) X a(p) X 5(ap). The nanodomains exhibit a unique stacking sequence of the A-site cationic layers along the crystallographic c-axis, namely SmBaBa/SmBa/SmBaSm, and are chemically twinned in the three crystallographic directions. The nanoscale ordering of this perovskite explains its peculiar magnetic properties on the basis of antiferromagnetic interactions with spin blockade at the boundary between the nanodomains. The variation of electrical conductivity and oxygen content of this oxide versus temperature suggest potential SOFC applications. They may be related to the particular distribution of oxygen vacancies in the lattice and to the 3d(5)(L) under bar configuration of iron.