We have developed continuous random network (CRN) model based Metropolis Monte Carlo simulation tools which are capable of predicting the structural properties of amorphous semiconductor and oxide materials as well as their interface. To bolster the reliability of the CRN model, we have developed force fields based on gradient corrected density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Our in-house CRN-MMC tools have been massively parallelized, which allows us to create fairly large model structures within a reasonable computational time. Using the integrated CRN-MMC tools, we have elucidated the complex growth and structure of self-interstitial and vacancy clusters in silicon and the effect of strain on the structure and stability of the defect clusters. Our work for vacancy clusters suggests that small vacancy defects exclusively favor fourfold-coordination thermodynamically with no significant kinetic limitation rather than void-like structure formation, which has widely been adapted to explain the behavior and properties of vacancy defects. Our results also highlight the identification of stable high-symmetry fourfold-coordinated V₁₂ and V₃₂ clusters that could be expected to exist to a large extent in a vacancy rich region although its direct characterization appears impractical at present. Our work for self-interstitial clusters provides the first theoretical support for earlier experiments which suggest a shape transition from compact to elongated structures around n = 10. When the cluster size is smaller than 10, the stable I₄ and I₈ compact clusters are found to inhibit the formation of elongated defects, whereas the newly discovered fourfold-coordinated I₁₂ state is found to serve as an effective nucleation center for large extended defects. Our CRN-MMC approach also enabled us to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of synthesis and manipulation of Si rich insulators as well as the fundamental understanding of the relationship between the atomic structure and properties. We developed a valence force field based on a modified Keating model for the structure and energetics of amorphous Si rich oxide materials. In particular, our work emphasizes the importance of correctly describing the wide Si-O-Si angle distribution. Our work also suggests that the relative rigidity between Si and SiO₂ matrices is critical in determination of the Si/SiO₂ interface structure. The present potential model coupled with the CRN-MMC method can be used to create structural models (free of coordination defects) for complex a-SiO[subscript x]-based materials, which will further allow thorough studies of the properties of these materials. / text

Abstract This research is designed to investigate the occurrence of interdiffusion-induced mesopores, Brownian motion, cleaving and healing and defect clusters in three binary composites, i.e. Ni1-xO/Co1-xO, Ni1-xO/ZrO2 and Co1-xO/ZrO2 of the Ni1-xO-Co1-xO-ZrO2 system. Firstly, the (NimCo1-m)1-£_O/Ni-doped Co3-dO4 composites prepared by reactive sintering Ni1-xO and Co1-xO powders (1:2 molar ratio, denoted as N1C2) at 1000oC with or without further annealing at 720oC in air were studied by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy to clarify the formation mechanism of mesoporous spinel precipitates. Submicron-sized inter- and intragranular pores, due to incomplete sintering and grain boundary detachment, prevails in (Ni0.33Co0.67)1-£_O protoxide with rock salt structure; whereas nanosize pores due to Kirkendall effect were restricted to the spinel precipitates having Ni component progressively expelled upon annealing. A rapid net vacancy flux and a tensile misfit stress perpendicular to the protoxide/spinel interface caused the formation of elongated and aligned {100}-faceted mesopores in the spinel precipitates with a relatively low equilibrium vacancy concentration. Aligned mesopores in diffusion zone of nonstoichiometric metal oxides have potential applications on thermal barrier bond coating and mass-transport limited heterogeneous catalysis. Also, this thesis deals with the reorientation and shape change of low-crystal-symmetry (non-cubic) ZrO2 within the high-crystal-symmetry grains of Co1-xO/Ni1-xO cubic rock salt-type structure. ZrO2/Co1-xO composites 1:99 and ZrO2/Ni1-xO composites 1:9 in molar ratio were sintered and then annealed at 1650oC for 24 and 100 h in air to induce reorientation of the embedded particles. Transmission electron microscopic observations in both systems indicated that the submicron tetragonal/monoclinic (t/m) ZrO2 particles fell into three topotaxial relationships with respect to the host Co1-xO/Ni1-xO grain: (1) parallel topotaxy, (2) ¡§eutectic¡¨ topotaxy i.e. [100]Z//[111]C,N, [010]Z//[0 1]C,N and (3) ¡§occasional¡¨ topotaxy [100]Z//[111]C,N, [01 ]Z//[0 1]C,N. The parallel topotaxy has a beneficial low energy for the family of {100}Z/C,N and {111}Z/C,N interfaces. The change from the occasional topotaxy to an energetically more favorable eutectic topotaxy was likely achieved by a rotation of the ZrO2 particles over a specific (100)Z/(111)C,N interface. Brownian-type rotation is probable for the embedded t-ZrO2 particles in terms of anchorage release at the interphase interface with the Co1-xO/Ni1-xO host. Detachment or bypassing of rock salt type grain boundaries could also cause orientation as well as shape changes of intergranular ZrO2 particles. Zirconia-polymorphism-induced cleaving and spontaneous healing by precipitation was studied in Co1-xO polycrystals containing a dispersion of ZrO2 particles. Conventional, analytical, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy indicated that the Co1-xO matrix cleaves parallel to {100} and {110} planes and heals itself by co-precipitation of parallel-topotaxial ZrO2/Co3-£_O4 particles upon cooling. Due to size effect and matrix constraint, nanometer-size ZrO2 precipitates at cleavages were able to retain tetragonality upon further cooling to room temperature. Paracrystalline array of defect cluster was shown to form in Zr-doped Ni1-xO and Co1-xO polycrystals while prepared by sintering at relative high temperature, i.e., 1650oC to increase the defect concentration. Paracrystalline array of defect clusters in Co3-£_O4 spinel structure also occurred when doped with Zr4+ at high temperature or cooled below 900oC to activate oxy-precipitation of Co3-dO4 at dislocations. transmission electron microscopic observations indicated the spinel precipitate and its paracrystal predominantly formed at the ZrO2/Co1-xO interface and the cleavages/dislocations of the Co1-xO host. Defect chemistry consideration suggests the paracrystal is due to the assembly of charge- and volume-compensating defects of the 4:1 type with four octahedral vacant sites surrounding one Co3+-filled tetrahedral interstitial site. The spacing of paracrystalline distribution is 3.3, 2.9 and 4.9 times the lattice parameter for Zr-doped Ni1-xO, Zr-doped Co1-xO and Zr-doped Co3-dO4. This spacing between defect clusters is about 0.98 times that of the previously studied undoped Co3-dO4. There is much larger (3.4 times difference) paracrystalline spacing for Zr-doped Co3-£_O4 than its parent phase of Zr-doped Co1-xO.