With an increasing demand for alternative clean energy solutions, much effort is being invested in the progression of nanoscale semiconductor materials in hopes of better harnessing solar energy. ZnO and TiO2 remain the most prominent photocatalytically active materials. This thesis reports on a comparison between nanoscale core-shell and hierarchical Zn-Ti-O/ZnO heterostructures. After a seed layer thickness optimization, hydrothermally grown ZnO nanorods were coated with mixed concentrations of Ti and Zn within an oxygen rich sputtering environment at two distinct temperature zones. Core-shell structures resulted from low temperature (23°C) depositions while hierarchical branch structures grew at high temperature (800°C). Excluding deposition temperature and the strategic variation of Zn and Ti gun power, every fabrication process remained identical between the two resultant heterostructure groups. Amongst the variety of samples produced, one from each heterostructure group proved notably similar in structural dimension, composition, and crystallization, yet demonstrated distinct differences in photoluminescence and dye degradation via UV-visible light spectroscopy. While photoluminescence results indicated core-shell heterostructure more photocatalytically promising, hierarchical heterostructure prevailed as the more powerful photocatalyst. Increased surface area due to hierarchical branching in conjunction with enhanced light exposure was believed responsible for the improved photocatalytic effectiveness.

Neste trabalho, desenvolvemos um gerador de nanopartículas (NPs) como uma adaptação para um sistema de magnetron sputtering. Com ele, somos capazes de produzir NPs de materiais diversos e codepositá-las em matrizes dielétricas ou metálicas. A adaptação consiste em incluir uma região de alta pressão relativa de Ar no caminho do vapor atômico removido do alvo. A aglomeração ocorre termodinamicamente devido a diminuição da energia cinética após colisões com o gás. Desenvolvemos também, uma metodologia para colimar o fluxo de NPs dentro da região de alta pressão. A deposição é feita no substrato na forma de uma mancha com alguns milímetros de diâmetro e o tempo de preparação da amostra é significativamente curto. Desenvolvemos um modelo fenomenológico para explicar a condensação e a colimação do nosso sistema. Este, apesar de não sofisticado, explica bem ambos os fenômenos e consegue prever o diâmetro das nanopartículas para certas condições. Em paralelo ao desenvolvimento, produzimos e caracterizamos nanopartículas de cobalto. Da caracterização morfológica, através de microscopia eletrônica, concluímos que as NPs produzidas tem diâmetros médios de 10 nm com uma dispersão de 13 %. Através de análises de retro espalhamento Rutherford estudamos a distribuição do material sobre o substrato e observamos que este segue uma distribuição Gaussiana de espessuras. Além disso, devido a colimação, observamos que as taxas de deposição são da ordem de 50 vezes maiores que as taxas usuais de um sistema de sputtering. Estudos estruturais através de difração de raios X mostraram que as nanopartículas são nanocristalinas e imagens em alta magnificação de microscopia eletrônica de transmissão comprovaram esta hipótese. Finalmente, estudos magnéticos mostraram que as NPs não possuem eixos preferenciais de magnetização. Desenvolvemos condições padrões de operação e estabilizamos o sistema que atualmente produz amostras confiáveis e reprodutíveis. Além do Co, nanopartículas de Cu e SmCo foram produzidas em condições parecidas. A morfologia destas partículas foi investigadas por microscopia eletrônica e seus tamanhos se mostraram próximos dos das NPs de Co. Estes resultados ilustraram a universalidade do nosso sistema de deposição de nanopartículas. / We have developed a nanoparticle (NP) generator by adapting one of the sputtering guns on a magnetron sputtering system. With it, we are able to produce nanoparticles with different types of material. The adaptation consists of including a high-pressure region in the path of the atomic vapor removed from the sputtering target. The condensation happens thermodynamically through the loss of kinetic energy that the atomic vapor suffers after collisions with the gas. We have also developed a methodology to collimate the flow of nanoparticles inside the high pressure region. The deposition on the substrate is in the form of a stain with a few millimeters in diameter. The sample preparation time is also relatively short. We created a phenomenological model to explain both the condensation and collimation phenomena in our system. Despite being relatively simple, this model explain both quite well. In parallel to the development of the system, we produced and characterized cobalt nanoparticles. From a morphological analysis, carried out using electron microscopy, we determined that the nanoparticles mean diameter is of about 10 nm with a dispersion of 13 %. Through Rutherford back-scattering analysis, we studied the thickness distribution of the sample along the substrate. We observed that it follows a Gaussian distribution. Also, because of the collimation of the material, the deposition rates are about 50 times higher than in a regular sputtering system. Using X ray diffraction we were able to determine that the NPs are nano-crystalline which is corroborated with high resolution transmission electron microscopy images. Finally, magnetic measurements showed that the nanoparticles do not have any preferential magnetization axis. We developed standards of operations and stabilized the system. The samples we produce are trustworthy and reproducible. Besides Co, Cu and SmCo NPs were produced using this system with conditions similar to the ones used on the Co NPs. Through morphological analysis, we determined that their sizes are also similar. These results illustrate the universality of our system.

Kyoto University (京都大学) / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(工学) / 甲第16847号 / 工博第3568号 / 新制||工||1539(附属図書館) / 29522 / 京都大学大学院工学研究科原子核工学専攻 / (主査)教授 伊藤 秋男, 准教授 柴田 裕実, 准教授 松尾 二郎 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当

The accurate knowledge of the implantation profiles is of considerable interest for testing theoretical models on the stopping of ions in matter, as well as for many important applications in metallurgy and semiconductor technology. Measurements of the depth distribution profiles of the implanted ions provide information on a wide range of fields, including ion-solid interactions, doping and diffusion. Several experimental methods have been employed to determine the depth distributions of the implanted ions. They can be divided into destructive and non-destructive methods. Most experimental results found in the literature are for heavier ions implanted into lighter target materials where the non¬destructive Rutherford Back-scattering method can be employed. Nuclear Reaction Analysis also provides a non-destructive method for determining the implanted profile of impurity atoms with mass number smaller or similar to that of the target material. One of the important effects in ion implantation is sputtering, the process in which the surface of the target material is eroded due to ion bombardment. This process modifies range moments of implantation profiles for high fluences. This study is mainly concerned about effects of sputtering on the implanted depth profile as a function of fluence and target mass. Sputtering correction factors are determined numerically to correct the theoretical depth distributions. / Dissertation (MSc (Physics))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Physics / unrestricted

Chalcogen-rich transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMD) magnetron sputtering targets were custom manufactured via ball milling and sintering in the interest of depositing p-type chalcogen-rich films. Room temperature radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering produced ultra-thin amorphous precursor of WSx and MoSx (where x is between 2-3) on several different substrates. The influence of working pressure on the MoS3 content of the amorphous films was explored with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), while the physical and chemical effects of sputtering were investigated for the WSx target itself. The amorphous precursor films with higher chalcogenide content were chosen for laser annealing, and their subsequent laser annealing induced phase transformations were investigated for the synthesis of polycrystalline 2H-phase semiconducting thin films. The role of laser fluence and the number of laser pulses during annealing on phase transformation and film mobility was determined from Raman spectroscopy and Hall effect measurement, respectively. Hall effect measurements were used to identify carrier type and track mobility between amorphous precursors and crystalline films. The p-type 2H-TMD films demonstrates the ability to produce a scalable processing criterion for quality ultra-thin TMD films on various substrates and in a method which is also compatible for flexible, stretchable, transparent, and bendable substrates.

GaSb is a semiconductor material having a narrow band gap in the infrared spectrum of 0.72 eV. This research is intended to investigate the low cost growth and properties of GaSb and to propose this material as a candidate for a cost effective method of developing a GaSb /silicon tandem solar cell. This work investigated the sputtering of GaSb films onto a glass substrate from a GaSb/Sb split-sputtering target. A GaSb compound was formed by placing Ga and Sb elements inside a vacuum sealed ampule. The ampule was placed inside a box furnace and heated at 800 0 C successfully forming a GaSb compound. Both GaSb and Sb were molded into a semicircular shape in a quartz container. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was conducted on sputtered films in order to confirm their structure. XRD peaks of the film were compared with reference peaks found on the Inorganic Crystal Structure Database (ICSD). GaSb peaks were apparent at specific sputtering chamber conditions of substrate temperature and source-to-substrate distance. Sputtered GaSb films were then further characterized with the Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Hall Effect measurements. A theoretical thickness of the films was calculated using FTIR measurements to be about 1 μm and 0.35 μm for the films grown on a substrate heated with heater powers of 280 watts and 250 watts respectively. SEM confirmed the sample thicknesses with 20% error. Hall Effect measurements resulted in a high carrier concentration and low free carrier activation energy; 7.545 x1019 cm-3 and 0.1017 eV respectively. These values are attributed to the possible existence of anti-site defects. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

<p> This report presents a study of the sputtering of vacuum deposited thin films of cadmium sulphide on a (111) face of single crystal silicon by Rutherford backscattering (RBS) technique. Cadmium was found to be preferentially sputtered when bombarded to high fluences of 80 kV Bi+ while no significant preferential sputtering was observed in the case of 40 kV Ar+ bombardment. </p> <p> The structural study by reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) revealed that the films grew epitaxially in the wurtzite structure. The epitaxial relations are (00.1) Cds || (111) Si with [10.0] II [110] Si. </p> <p> Scanning electron microscope (SID4) microphotographs showed smooth surface features with a large grain size (surface grain size was ~ 83 nm) for a film of about 60 nm thickness. </p> <p> The basic structure did not change with highest fluences of Bi+ (Sxlo16 ions/cm2 ) and Ar+ (6.7xlo16 ions/cm2). He+ beam channeling was done for unbombarded and bombarded CdS films. It was found that the critical angle of channeling for cadmium increased for bombarded samples while for sulfur the statistics were too poor for any conclusion. </p> <p> Saturation fluences for bismuth and argon retention were observed and are compared with calculated values. </p> / Thesis / Master of Engineering (MEngr)

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No description available.

O PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition- Deposição física na fase de vapor) é um meio utilizado para a produção de recobrimentos e empregado em grande escala industrial. É um processo de deposição atômica no qual o material é vaporizado de alvo sólido por sputtering e posteriormente condensado sobre a peça a ser revestida na forma de filme. O processo ocorre em uma câmara de vácuo, na presença de plasma, e por diferença de potencial os íons, na forma pura ou combinados com átomos de hidrogênio ou carbono, são movidos para a superfície do substrato. Uma técnica relativamente nova de sputtering é o HiPIMS (High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering) que utiliza impulsos de energia extremamente altas com densidade de potência possibilitando filmes com melhores performances e mais densos. No presente trabalho filmes de nitreto de cromo (CrN) foram depositados por duas técnicas de magnetron sputtering, HiPIMS e DCMS (Direct Current Magnetron Sputtering), variando frequência de pulso em 400 Hz, 450 Hz e 500 Hz para o HiPIMS e a tensão de polarização em 0 V, -20 V, -40V, -60V, - 100 V e -140 V para os dois processos. Foram obtidos filmes com maior dureza, menor rugosidade para HiPIMS, no entanto DCMS apresentou maior taxa de deposição. O aumento da frequência nos filmes HiPIMS, assim como o aumento da tensão de polarização negativa possibilitaram filmes com morfologia mais densa e homogênea. Este fato também foi observado com o aumento do valor de bias nos filmes depositados por DCMS. Os valores de dureza obtidos (17 ± 2 para DCMS e 26 ± 1 para HiPIMS) são superiores aos reportados na literatura e podem estar relacionados ao efeito de \"multicamadas\" obtido pela oscilação do substrato. / PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) is a process used for coatings deposition and it is used on a large industrial scale. It is an atomic deposition process in which the material is vaporized from solid target by sputtering and then condensed onto the part to be coated in film form. The process occurs in a vacuum chamber in the presence of plasma, and by potential difference the ions in pure form or combined with hydrogen or carbon atoms are moved to the surface of the substrate. A relatively new sputtering technique is the HiPIMS (High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering) which uses extremely high energy pulses with power density to enable higher performance and denser films. In the present work, chromium nitride (CrN) films were deposited by two magnetron sputtering techniques, HiPIMS and DCMS (Direct Current Magnetron Sputtering), varying the pulse frequency at 400 Hz, 450 Hz and 500 Hz for the HiPIMS and the bias at 0 V, -20 V, -40 V, -60 V, -100 V and -140 V for both processes. It was obtained films with high hardness, less roughness for HiPIMS, however DCMS presented a higher rate of deposition. The increase of the frequency in the HiPIMS films, as well as the increase of the negative polarization voltage, allowed films with denser and homogeneous morphology. This fact was also observed with the increase of the value in the films deposited by DCMS. The hardness values obtained (17 ± 2 for DCMS and 26 ± 1 for HiPIMS) were higher than those reported in the literature and may be related to the \"multilayer\" effect obtained by substrate oscillation.