Effect of poly-crystallinity on the magnetoelectric behavior of TiN/AlN/Ni MEMS cantilevers investigated by finite element methods. - In: Physica status solidi, ISSN 1862-6319, Bd. 220 (2023), 16, 2200839, S. 1-6
Herein, magnetoelectric microelectromechanical system (MEMS) cantilevers are investigated on basis of a TiN/AlN/Ni laminate derived from experimental sensors using finite-element simulations. With the anisotropic ΔE effect as an implication of the magnetocrystalline anisotropy, the lateral sensitivity of the sensor is studied for different nickel layer thicknesses and boundary conditions. It is found that above 60% of the cantilever length, the nickel is effectively not contributing to the sensor sensitivity anymore which is supported by the investigation of sensors with partial nickel coverage. The boundary condition of the magnetostrictive layer is found to affect the sensitivity of thick layers while it is negligible for thinning layers. Further investigations on basis of polycrystalline untextured nickel with slightly preferred orientations reveal a stronger effect on thin layers than on thicker ones. It is found to arise from relatively large crystals in the high-sensitivity region near the clamping of the sensor. For thicker polycrystalline layers, the ΔE effect reproduces a characteristic based mainly on the (110) and (111) orientations while the (100) orientation appears to be underrepresented.
https://doi.org/10.1002/pssa.202200839
Atomic scale network structure of a barium aluminosilicate glass doped with different concentrations of rare-earth ions explored by molecular dynamics simulations. - In: Computational materials science, Bd. 218 (2023), 111965
Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation is employed for exploring the coordination of atoms in peralkaline BaO-Al2O3-SiO2 glasses of variable Gd3+ doping concentrations between 1 and 3.8 mol% Gd2O3. For this the MD simulation procedure of inherent structure sampling was used which provides statistically robust information on the local atomic surrounding of the doped rare earth ions. Distributions of Si/Al/Ba/Gd cations in the first, second and third coordination spheres are investigated. Special focus is laid on the effect of Gd3+ doping concentration on the local surrounding of the Gd3+ ions, i. e. rare earth clustering, and general glass structure. The simulations show that SiOAl bonds are preferred in comparison to SiOSi and AlOAl connections with respect to the random model predictions. Deviations from a statistical Si/Al distribution around the BaOp and GdOq polyhedra are observed. The network modifier ions are preferably surrounded by other network modifier ions, rather than by network formers. It is shown that the incorporation of Gd does not affect radial distribution functions, cumulative radial distribution function curves and the coordination sphere of Gd for Gd2O3 doping concentrations of up to 3.8 mol%, i.e. no rare earth clustering is observed. However, increasing Gd2O3 concentrations decrease the number of bridging oxygen and increase the number of non-bridging oxygen (NBO) species in the glass structure. Charge compensation of the additional non-bridging oxygen species is achieved by increasing NBO coordination numbers with Ba2+.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.commatsci.2022.111965
Hybrid thermoplastic-metal joining based on Al/Ni multilayer foils - analysis of the joining zone. - In: Materials and design, ISSN 1873-4197, Bd. 226 (2023), 111561, insges. 16 S.
Multi material pairings like metal-plastic hybrid compounds are becoming increasingly important across all industrial sectors. However, the substitution of metals by plastics leads to a multitude of challenges based on the combination of dissimilar materials. The variations in the chemical and physical properties of the used materials require innovative joining processes. The application of reactive multilayers represents an advanced joining method for flexible and low-distortion joining of dissimilar joining partners by means of a short-term and localized application of thermal energy. In the context of this publication, the joining process between semi-crystalline polyamide 6 and austenitic stainless steel X5CrNi18-10(EN 1.4301 / AlSI304) based on reactive Al/Ni multilayers is investigated. In addition to evaluation of resulting joint strength, the focus of the work is in particular the characterization of the resulting failure behavior at the fracture interface under tensile load and the deriving binding mechanisms in the joint. From the results obtained, it is estimated that a direct bond can be generated between plastic and metal despite the presence of a residual reacted foil in the joining area. The structures present in the metal surface have a particularly positive influence on crack initiation and the resulting increased bond strength.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2022.111561
Reactive magnetron sputtering of large-scale 3D aluminum-based plasmonic nanostructure for both light-induced thermal imaging and photo-thermoelectric conversion. - In: Advanced optical materials, ISSN 2195-1071, Bd. 11 (2023), 6, 2202664, S. 1-7
Plasmonic nanostructures have attracted tremendous interest due to their special capability to trap light, which is of great significance for many applications such as solar steam generation and desalination, electric power generation, photodetection, sensing, catalysis, cancer therapy, and photoacoustic imaging. However, the noble metal-based (Au, Ag, Pd) plasmonic nanostructures with expensive costs and limitations to large-scale fabrication restrict their practical applications. Here, a novel and noble-metal-free Al/AlN plasmonic nanostructure fabricated by a reactive magnetron sputtering at the elevated temperature of 200 ˚C is presented. The unique 3D Al/AlN plasmonic nanostructures show a highly efficient (96.8%) and broadband (full solar spectrum) absorption and a strong photothermal conversion effect on its surface, demonstrating the potential in applications in light-induced thermal imaging and photo-thermoelectric power generation. This simple fabrication method and the developed Al/AlN plasmonic nanostructure combine excellent light trapping performance, abundant and low-cost Al and N elements, good heat localization effect, and scalable fabrication method, suggesting a promising alternative to noble-metal plasmonic nanostructures for photonic applications.
https://doi.org/10.1002/adom.202202664
Application of capacitive sensors and controlled injection pressure to minimize void formation in resin transfer molding. - In: Polymer composites, ISSN 1548-0569, Bd. 44 (2023), 3, S. 1658-1671
Void formation as a result of irregular resin flow at the flow front is discussed and a practical method for reducing void formation during resin transfer molding (RTM) is introduced. In this study, a sensor system is developed for in situ measurement of resin velocity inside a closed cavity. Assisted by the acquired data, a resin injection system is augmented to automatically adjust the injection pressure and achieve a uniform flow front velocity. It is proven, that the developed system is suited to monitor the resin flow front and is able to sufficiently control flow velocity of a linear flow front. Test specimen produced by this method show significantly reduced void contents in comparison to a common resin transfer molding process.
https://doi.org/10.1002/pc.27195
Formation of CuO whiskers and facet-controlled oxidation during the oxidation of Au-Cu nanoparticles fabricated by solid-state dewetting. - In: Applied surface science, Bd. 610 (2023), 155547
The fabrication of cupric oxide (CuO) nanowires from Cu particles via thermal oxidation provides a simple and scalable method to produce hierarchical structures. A stress-induced growth mechanism is believed to account for the nanowire formation while a slow oxidation rate is favored to sustain the driving force. Here, CuO whiskers are grown from Au-Cu nanoparticles because the formation of Au-Cu phases decreases the Cu diffusion rate and in turn slows down the oxidation rate. The driving force for the whisker growth is attributed to the compressive stress imposed by the CuO shell on the Au-Cu core, which is induced by the significantdifference in their linear thermal expansion coefficients. The contribution of the compressive stress is proved by the calculation. Moreover, preferred oxidation is observed and it is related to the crystalline structures of different facets existing on the surface of Au-Cu nanoparticles. The more compact the plane, the slower the diffusion rate through the plane, resulting in the formation of thinner CuO on the relevant facet. The results open a cost-effect way to fabricate hybrid nanostructures consisting of Cu-based core-shell nanoparticles attached with CuO whiskers and bring new insights into the oxidation behaviors of Cu on different crystal planes.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2022.155547
Structural and luminescence behavior of Eu3+ ions in ZnO-B2O3-WO3 glasses. - In: Journal of non-crystalline solids, ISSN 0022-3093, Bd. 600 (2023), 122006
Structure and luminescence properties of glasses with compositions 50ZnO:40B2O3:10WO3:xEu2O3, 0 ≤ x ≤ 10 mol% were studied using infrared, Raman and photoluminescence spectroscopic techniques. Physical properties like density, molar volume, oxygen molar volume and oxygen packing density of the glasses were also determined. The overall results obtained indicate the efficiency of the 50ZnO:40B2O3:10WO3 glass structure for the luminescence performance of doped Eu3+. The most intense luminescence peak observed at 612 nm and the high integrated emission intensity ratio (R) of the 5D0&flech;7F2/5D0&flech;7F1 transitions at 612 and 590 nm of 5.77 suggest that the glasses are potential materials for red emission. The results are compared to measurements of a glass without WO3 addition (50ZnO:50B2O3:5Eu2O3) and results from other publications of similar glasses.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnoncrysol.2022.122006
Generalized modeling of photoluminescence transients. - In: Physica status solidi, ISSN 1521-3951, Bd. 260 (2023), 1, 2200339, S. 1-12
Time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) measurements and the extraction of meaningful parameters involve four key ingredients: a suitable sample such as a semiconductor double heterostructure, a state-of-the-art measurement setup, a kinetic model appropriate for the description of the sample behavior, and a general analysis method to extract the model parameters of interest from the measured TRPL transients. Until now, the last ingredient is limited to single curve fits, which are mostly based on simple models and least-squares fits. These are often insufficient for the parameter extraction in real-world applications. The goal of this article is to give the community a universal method for the analysis of TRPL measurements, which accounts for the Poisson distribution of photon counting events. The method can be used to fit multiple TRPL transients simultaneously using general kinematic models, but should also be used for single transient fits. To demonstrate this approach, multiple TRPL transients of a GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure are fitted simultaneously using coupled rate equations. It is shown that the simultaneous fits of several TRPL traces supplemented by systematic error estimations allow for a more meaningful and more robust parameter determination. The statistical methods also quantify the quality of the description by the underlying physical model.
https://doi.org/10.1002/pssb.202200339
Self-aligning metallic vertical interconnect access formation through microlensing gas phase electrodeposition controlling airgap and morphology. - In: Advanced electronic materials, ISSN 2199-160X, Bd. 9 (2023), 1, 2200838, S. 1-8
This publication reports self-aligning metallic via microlensing gas phase electrodeposition formation. Key operational parameters to fabricate vertical ruthenium and rhodium interconnects (via) with a diameter of 100 nm are discussed. Moreover, airgaps are implemented during the deposition process, which utilizes spark discharge to generate a flux of charged nanoparticles. An inert gas flow transports the nanoparticles through a reactor chamber close to the target substrate. The substrate uses a pre-patterned resist with openings to a silicon/silicon dioxide/metal stack to direct the deposition of the nanoparticles to form localized self-aligning vertical interconnects. Five process parameters were identified, which impact the morphology and conductance of the resulting interconnects: spark discharge power, gas flow rate, microlens via dimensions, substrate surface potential, and in situ flash lamp power. This parameter set enables a controlled adjustment of the via interconnect morphology and its minimum feature size. Gas flow rate in combination with spark discharge power contribute significantly to the morphology of the interconnect. Spark power and microlens via dimensions have the largest influence on the surface potential of the insulating resist cover, which enables a localized microlensing gas phase electrodeposition of a via with a controlled ratio between conducting diameter and airgap.
https://doi.org/10.1002/aelm.202200838
Electrochemical deposition of silicon in organic electrolytes. - In: Reference module in chemistry, molecular sciences and chemical engineering, (2023)
Electrodeposition is a versatile instrumental technique, already applied in many industrial fields. However, the deposition of silicon and other reactive elements is still challenging and requires further research and improvement. Accomplishing an efficient electrodeposition of silicon at room temperature is very attractive due to the high number of manufacturing technologies that would benefit from this approach. This work provides an overview of the electrochemical approaches for silicon deposition performed in organic electrolytes. The main factors that impact this process are individually discussed and exemplified with appropriately updated literature sources. Furthermore, the previously available research on characterization of electrodeposited silicon containing layers is provided. These studies are presented in the context of better understanding the structure, composition, and functional properties of the deposited silicon material, which may attract the attention of young academic scientists and process engineers.
https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-85669-0.00005-2