19 Search Results

Several bulk and thin‐film crystals of SnO ₂ are grown and examined using generalized ellipsometry techniques. The bulk samples are grown using the chemical vapor transport technique and thin films of SnO ₂ are grown using the pulsed laser deposition technique. The bulk samples are examined using the two‐modulator generalized ellipsometry microscope (2‐MGEM) at normal incidence and the spectroscopic two‐modulator generalized ellipsometer (2‐MGE). The spectroscopic optical functions of tin oxide are then obtained using the 2‐MGE from 1.46 to 6.2 eV. The material is highly birefringent, and the ordinary bandgap is less than the extraordinary band edge. 2‐MGE measurements are alsomore » made on thin‐film samples of crystalline tin oxide grown on sapphire and rutile, showing no cross polarization. Because of the complicated morphology of the tin oxide films grown on sapphire, the ellipsometry data are simulated using the Tauc–Lorentz model. Films grown on rutile had the optic axis perpendicular to the sample surface, but the film is strained, resulting in a more complicated ellipsometric spectrum. These films are modeled using the air/surface roughness/tin oxide/interface/rutile model, where the roughness and interface are modeled using the incomplete Beta function.« less

The diffusion of defects (e.g., vacancies and interstitials) and elements used for dating (e.g., He and Pb) in a mineral structure is a thermal process: This is the primary assumption used to determine the age and thermal history of minerals. For instance, thermal history reconstruction, through the number and length distribution of tracks produced by spontaneous fission of ²³⁸U, is obtained by assuming a thermal event to be the only energy source for shortening of fission tracks. Here, we report a new, non-thermal energy source that induces additional shortening of fission tracks by the irradiation of alpha-recoils from the alpha-decaymore » of ²³⁸U and ²³²Th. We simulate alpha-decay induced track-shortening by combining ion accelerator irradiations with transmission electron microscopy. This allows for the first observation of track-shrinkage during in situ ion irradiation. We show that rather than alpha-particles, alpha-recoils induce a significant shortening of fission tracks by nuclear-collisions. The shortening of track-length can be quantified as a function of alpha-decay event dose. However, apatite is less sensitive than zircon to this non-thermal process. Furthermore, the findings exemplify the interactions among different types of self-irradiation from alpha-particles, alpha-recoils and fission-fragment nuclei in single mineral grains and have important implications for the use of zircon and apatite for radiometric dating and thermochronology.« less

A cryo-quenched 70 wt % Fe-15 wt% Cr-15 wt% Ni single-crystal alloy with fcc (face centered cubic), bcc (body centered cubic), and hcp (hexagonal close packed) phases was implanted with 200 keV He⁺ ions up to 2 × 10¹⁷ ions·cm⁻² at 773 K. Surface-relief features were observed subsequent to the He⁺ ion implantation, and transmission electron microscopy was used to characterize both the surface relief properties and the details of associated “swelling effects” arising cumulatively from the austenitic-to-martensitic phase transformation and helium ion-induced bubble evolution in the single-crystal ternary alloy. The bubble size in the bcc phase was found tomore » be larger than that in the fcc phase, while the bubble density in the bcc phase was correspondingly lower. The phase boundaries with misfit dislocations formed during the martensitic transformation and reversion processes served as helium traps that dispersed the helium bubble distribution. Swelling caused by the phase transformation in the alloy was dominant compared to that caused by helium bubble formation due to the limited depth of the helium ion implantation. The detailed morphology of helium bubbles formed in the bcc, hcp, and fcc phases were compared and correlated with the characters of each phase. The helium diffusion coefficient under irradiation at 773 K in the bcc phase was much higher (i.e., by several orders of magnitude) than that in the fcc phase and led to faster bubble growth. Moreover, the misfit phase boundaries were shown to be effective sites for the diffusion of helium atoms. This feature may be considered to be a desirable property for improving the radiation tolerance of the subject, ternary alloy.« less

We have previously reported (Boatner et al., J. Alloys Compd. 691 (2017) 666–671) on the discovery, formation, processing, and application of a new decorative ternary steel alloy and on its use in a wide range of practical applications including: custom and commercial knives, art objects, jewelry, electronics, and furniture. This decorative property results when polished single crystals of the 70 wt%Fe-15 wt%Ni-15 wt% Cr austenitic alloy are cryo-quenched into the martensitic phase resulting in the formation of a three-dimensional raised pattern of mixed austenitic/martensitic laths. These laths propagate across large dimensions of the material due to the absence of grainmore » boundaries in the single crystal. The macroscopic optically reflective 3-D decorative pattern reproduces the structural symmetry inherent in the single-crystal orientation. This pattern results solely from the metallurgical phase properties of the ternary alloy and is completely distinct from the properties of Damascus steels or more modern so-called pattern-welded steels. Here we use X-ray diffraction, nanoindentation, hardness measurements/scratch testing, tribological measurements, and alloy resistivity and magnetization methods to obtain a more fundamental and comprehensive study of the effects of the austenitic/martensitic phase transition on the structural and physical properties of the 70 wt%Fe-15 wt%Ni-15 wt% Cr alloy. These results reveal new insight into irreversible phenomena that are associated with the inhibited phase transition on heating of the two-phase, mixed austenitic/martensitic structure that is formed subsequent to cryo-quenching the alloy crystal to 77 K.« less

We present the ultrafast THz response of VO2 under high pressures. A clear anomaly is observed around 8 GPa indicating a pressure-induced phase transition. Our observations can be interpreted in terms of a bandwidth-controlled Mott-Hubbard transition.

Activator impurities and their distribution in the host lattice play a key role in scintillation phenomena. In this work a combination of cross-sectional noncontact atomic force microscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and density-functional theory were used to study the distribution of Eu²⁺ dopants in a NaI scintillator activated by 3% EuI₂. A variety of Eu-based structures were determined in crystals subjected to different postgrowth treatments. Transparent crystals with good scintillation properties contained mainly small precipitates with a cubic crystal structure and a size below 4 nm. Upon annealing, Eu segregated toward the surface, resulting in the formation of an ordered hexagonalmore » overlayer with a EuI₂ composition and a pronounced, unidirectional moiré pattern. Crystals with poor optical transparency showed a significant degree of mosaicity and the presence of precipitates. All observed crystals contained a very low concentration of Eu dopants present as isolated point defects; most of the europium was incorporated in larger structures.« less

Many ultrafast solid phase transitions are treated as chemical reactions that transform the structures between two different unit cells along a reaction coordinate, but this neglects the role of disorder. Although ultrafast diffraction provides insights into atomic dynamics during such transformations, diffraction alone probes an averaged unit cell and is less sensitive to randomness in the transition pathway. Using total scattering of femtosecond x-ray pulses, we show that atomic disordering in photoexcited vanadium dioxide (VO₂) is central to the transition mechanism and that, after photoexcitation, the system explores a large volume of phase space on a time scale comparable tomore » that of a single phonon oscillation. These results overturn the current understanding of an archetypal ultrafast phase transition and provide new microscopic insights into rapid evolution toward equilibrium in photoexcited matter.« less

Eu-doped strontium iodide single crystal growth has reached maturity and prototype SrI2(Eu)-based gamma ray spectrometers provide detection performance advantages over standard detectors. SrI2(Eu) offers a high, proportional light yield of >80,000 photons/MeV. Energy resolution of <3% at 662 keV with 1.5” x 1.5” SrI2(Eu) crystals is routinely achieved, by employing either a small taper at the top of the crystal or a digital readout technique. These methods overcome light-trapping, in which scintillation light is re-absorbed and re-emitted in Eu2+-doped crystals. Its excellent energy resolution, lack of intrinsic radioactivity or toxicity, and commercial availability make SrI2(Eu) the ideal scintillator for usemore » in handheld radioisotope identification devices. A 6-lb SrI2(Eu) radioisotope identifier is described.« less

The stacking of alternating charged planes in ionic crystals creates a diverging electrostatic energy—a “polar catastrophe”—that must be compensated at the surface. We used scanning probe microscopies and density functional theory to study compensation mechanisms at the perovskite potassium tantalate (KTaO₃) (001) surface as increasing degrees of freedom were enabled. The as-cleaved surface in vacuum is frozen in place but immediately responds with an insulator-to-metal transition and possibly ferroelectric lattice distortions. Annealing in vacuum allows the formation of isolated oxygen vacancies, followed by a complete rearrangement of the top layers into an ordered pattern of KO and TaO₂ stripes. Themore » optimal solution is found after exposure to water vapor through the formation of a hydroxylated overlayer with ideal geometry and charge.« less

Due to their very fast short-wavelength emission, neodymium-doped materials are a subject of current interest as potential scintillators. Although the initial reports regarding neodymium-doped orthophosphates (in crystalline form) and their scintillation properties appeared almost twenty years ago, they remain an interesting class of materials since there is no in-depth understanding of their fundamental scintillation mechanism. In the present research, we focus on the crystalline systems: XPO₄:Nd³⁺, where X = Y, Lu, La, Sc. The pulse height, optical absorption, radioluminescence and photoluminescence spectra were investigated and are reported here for various temperatures from 10 to 350 K. Here, results of bothmore » low and high temperature thermoluminescence measurements are reported in this communication.« less