Abstract: The mechanism allowing the transition from a two-dimensional strained layer of CdSe on ZnSe to self-assembled islands induced by the use of amorphous selenium is still not fully understood. For a better understanding, atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy studies were performed on CdSe films with a thickness close to that for quantum dot formation. Below this thickness, the sample surface results in undulations along the [110] crystal direction, while few quantum dots are situated in the wave valleys. Plan view transmission electron microscopy studies reveal a strong anisotropy of the islands and show that the Se desorption conditions are crucial. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Abstract: This paper discusses the nucleation behaviour of the CoSi to CoSi2 transformation from cobalt silicide thin films grown by deposition at elevated substrate temperatures ranging from 375 °C to 600 °C. A combination of channelling, real-time Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, real-time x-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy was used to investigate the effect of the deposition temperature on the subsequent formation temperature of CoSi2, its growth behaviour, and the epitaxial quality of the CoSi2 thus formed. The temperature at which deposition took place was observed to exert a significant and systematic influence on both the formation temperature of CoSi2 and its growth mechanism. CoSi films grown at the lowest temperatures were found to increase the CoSi2 nucleation temperature above that of CoSi2 grown by conventional solid phase reaction, whereas the higher deposition temperatures reduced the nucleation temperature significantly. In addition, a systematic change in growth mechanism of the subsequent CoSi2 growth occurs as a function of deposition temperature. First, the CoSi2 growth rate from films grown at the lower reactive deposition temperatures is substantially lower than that grown at higher reactive deposition temperatures, even though the onset of growth occurs at a higher temperature, Second, for deposition temperatures below 450 °C, the growth appears columnar, indicating nucleation controlled growth. Elevated deposition temperatures, on the other hand, render the CoSi2 formation process layer-by-layer which indicates enhanced nucleation of the CoSi2 and diffusion controlled growth. Our results further indicate that this observed trend is most likely related to stress and changes in microstructure introduced during reactive deposition of the CoSi film. The deposition temperature therefore provides a handle to tune the CoSi2 growth mechanism.

Abstract: Glass ceramic composites were prepared by bulk crystallization of NaNbO3 in sodium niobium borate glasses. A homogeneous bulk crystallization of the NaNbO3 phase takes place during heat treatments that produces visible-near infrared transparent materials with similar to 30 nm NaNbO3 nanocrystallites. Upon thermal poling, a strong Na+ depleted nonlinear optical thin layer is observed at the anode side that should induce a large internal static electric field. In addition, the chi((2)) response of the poled glass ceramic composites increases from 0.2 up to 1.9 pm/V with the rate of crystallization. Two mechanisms may be considered: a pure structural chi((2)) process connected with the occurrence of a spontaneous ferroelectric polarization or an increase of the chi((3)) response of the nanocrystallites that enhances the electric field induced second harmonic generation process. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.

Abstract: We compare the magnetic properties of pure and oxidized Co nanoparticles embedded in an amorphous Al2O3 matrix. Nanoparticles with diameters of 2 or 3 nm were prepared by alternate pulsed laser deposition in high vacuum conditions, and some of them were exposed to O-2 after production and before being embedded. The nanoparticles are organized in layers, the effective edge-to-edge in-depth separation being 5 or 10 nm. The lower saturation magnetizations per Co atom for the samples containing oxidized nanoparticles provide evidence for the formation of antiferromagnetic CoO shells in the nanoparticles. None of the samples with Co/CoO nanoparticles show exchange bias, while vertical hysteresis loop shifts and enhanced coercivities (as compared to samples with pure Co nanoparticles) are observed. This constitutes evidence for the nanoparticles size being in all cases smaller than the critical size for exchange bias. The difference in coercivity versus temperature dependences for the samples with pure and oxidized Co nanoparticles shows that the exchange anisotropy in Co/CoO nanoparticles appears at temperatures lower than 50 K. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.

Abstract: As-prepared and heat-treated oxyfluoride glasses, co-doped with Ag nanoclusters/nanoparticles, are prepared at 0.15 at. % Ag concentration. The as-prepared glass shows an absorption band in the UV/violet attributed to the presence of amorphous Ag nanoclusters with an average size of 1.1 nm. The luminescence spectra of the untreated glass can also be ascribed to these Ag nanoclusters. Upon heat-treatment, the clusters coalesce into Ag nanoparticles with an average size of 2.3 nm, and the glasses show an extra surface plasmon absorption band in the visible. These particles, however, cease to emit due to ascribing plasmonic properties of bulk silver.

Abstract: Complex [(La0.7Sr0.3MnO3)(m)(SrTiO3)(n)] [(LSMO)(m)/(STO)(8)](15) superlattices with different layer thicknesses (m=5, 8, 12, 16, 32) have been prepared using pulsed liquid injection metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. Transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction reveal a very clear and well-separated layer sequence. The remarkable microstructure, as well as the ferromagnetic transition temperature, depends on the LSMO layer thickness. Apart from a very clear layer sequence, electron microscopy shows evidence of a self-assembled nanostructure formation: SrMnO3 nanoinclusions and associated SrTiO3-SrMnO3 thin walls. A formation model and growth mechanism for the self-assembled structure is proposed, based on high resolution and energy filtered elemental imaging. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.

Abstract: Structure, morphology and composition of different tin oxide and germanium oxide thin film catalysts for the methanol steam reforming (MSR) reaction have been studied by a combination of (high-resolution) transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction, dark-field imaging and electron energy-loss spectroscopy. Deposition of the thin films on NaCl(0 0 1) cleavage faces has been carried out by thermal evaporation of the respective SnO2 and GeO2 powders in varying oxygen partial pressures and at different substrate temperatures. Preparation of tin oxide films in high oxygen pressures (10−1 Pa) exclusively resulted in SnO phases, at and above 473 K substrate temperature epitaxial growth of SnO on NaCl(0 0 1) leads to well-ordered films. For lower oxygen partial pressures (10−3 to 10−2 Pa), mixtures of SnO and β-Sn are obtained. Well-ordered SnO2 films, as verified by electron diffraction patterns and energy-loss spectra, are only obtained after post-oxidation of SnO films at temperatures T ≥ 673 K in 105 Pa O2. Preparation of GeOx films inevitably results in amorphous films with a composition close to GeO2, which cannot be crystallized by annealing treatments in oxygen or hydrogen at temperatures comparable to SnO/SnO2. Similarities and differences to neighbouring oxides relevant for selective MSR in the third group of the periodic system (In2O3 and Ga2O3) are also discussed with the aim of cross-correlation in formation of nanomaterials, and ultimately, also catalytic properties.

Abstract: Single crystals with two different morphologies, black and brown, of C60 with about 12% C70 have been studied by synchrotron X-ray diffraction. Integrated intensities from 8 reflections show that the charge distribution of the C60 cluster is shell-like giving rise to an oscillatory behaviour in the diffracted intensities. From the intensities, the distance between diametrically opposite carbon atoms has been determined to be (7.24 +/- 0.22) angstrom. The thickness of the charge distribution of the shell can be estimated as 3.06 angstrom and the cavity within a C60 cluster to have a diameter of about 4.18 angstrom. The finite longitudinal width of the diffraction peaks from black crystals indicates a lack of long-range crystalline order. The rocking curves are about 7-degrees broad and depict an unusually smooth behaviour. This may be indicative of a glassy or hexatic phase. High-resolution electron microscopy allows small crystallites with a relatively well-defined orientation relationship to be identified. In contrast, brown crystals have long-range order.

Abstract: Hollow silica spheres were quickly synthesized by an octylamine (OA) templating method using tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) as the silica source. N2-sorption results indicate that the hollow spheres have high surface areas and pore volumes. XRD and TEM measurements reveal that the structure of the hollow spheres depends on the amount of TEOS used in the synthesis. When low amount of TEOS is added, the template-containing precursor spheres depict an XRD pattern with two peaks, which can be indexed to a lamellar phase. After the removal of the template, the obtained hollow spheres show no diffraction peaks in the XRD pattern, suggesting that the nanopores in the silica shells are disordered. If increasing the amount of TEOS, either the uncalcined or the calcined sample gives an XRD pattern with a single diffraction peak. The mesostructure of these hollow silica spheres is typically as HMS materials. TGA analyses suggest that the interaction between the silica species and surfactant is stronger in the latter case.