Papers by Keyword: Lattice Mismatch

Abstract: Piezoelectricity (PE) is defined as the polarization under homogeneous application of stress on polar/non-centrosymmetry/no-inversion symmetry dielectrics, whereas it has been commonly accepted that flexoelectricity (FLX) is the induced polarization due to strain gradient in any polar/nonpolar dielectrics, the latter effect is universal and can be generated in any materials under inhomogeneous stress. Flexoelectricity is inversely proportional to the size of materials and devices which further suggests that giant FLX effects may develop in nanoscale materials. Flexoelectricity represents the polarization due to strain gradient and have significant effects on the functional properties of nanoscale materials, epitaxial thin films, one-dimensional structure with various shape and size, liquid crystals, polymers, nanobio-hybrid materials, etc. Till late sixties, very few works on flexoelectricity have been reported due to very weak magnitude compared to piezoelectricity. Advancement in nanoscale materials and device fabrication process and highly sophisticated electronics with detection of data with high signal to noise ratio lead the scientists/researchers to get several orders of higher flexoelectric coefficients compared to the proposed theoretical limits. Recently, giant FLX have been observed in nanoscale materials and their magnitudes are six to seven orders larger than the theoretical limits. In this review article, we describe the basic mechanism of flexoelectricity, brief history of discovery, theoretical modeling, experimental procedures, and results reported by several authors for bulk and nanoscale ferroelectric and dielectric materials.

Abstract: The changes in the γ’ solvus temperature and the volume fraction of Co-Al-W based alloys with fcc / L1₂ two-phase microstructures upon alloying with quaternary elements have been investigated. All investigated quaternary elements, except for Fe and Re, increase the γ’ solvus temperatures of Co-Al-W based alloys with varying efficiencies depending on quaternary element. On the other hand, the variation of the γ’ volume fraction with alloying depends on the alloying element. Of the investigated quaternary elements, Ta is found to be the most effective in increasing the γ’ solvus temperature of Co-Al-W based alloys. The lattice mismatch significantly increase upon alloying with Ta of 4at.%, which destroys the coherent cuboidal structure.

Abstract: The c- and a-lattice constants of nitrogen-doped 4H-SiC were measured in the wide temperature range (RT - 1100°C). The samples used in this study were heavily doped substrates and lightly-doped free-standing epilayers. The lattice constants at room temperature are almost identical for all the samples. However, the lattice contraction by heavy nitrogen doping was clearly observed at high temperatures, which indicates that the thermal expansion coefficients are dependent on the nitrogen concentration. The lattice mismatch (Δd/d) between a lightly-doped free-standing epilayer (N_d = 6x10¹⁴ cm^-3) and a heavily-doped substrate (N_d = 2x10¹⁹ cm^-3) was calculated as 1.7x10^-4 at 1100°C. The authors also investigated lattice constants of high-dose N⁺, P⁺, and Al⁺-implanted 4H-SiC. Reciprocal space mapping (RSM) was utilized to investigate the lattice mismatch and misorientation. The RSM images show the c-lattice expansion and c-axis tilt of the ion-implanted layers, irrespective of ion species. The authors conclude that the lattice expansion is not caused by heavy doping itself, but by secondary defects formed after the ion-implantation and activation-annealing process.

Abstract: La_0.7Sr_0.3MnO₃(LSMO) films 35-350nm thick have been grown on (001)LaAlO₃ (LAO) substrates. The strain state evolution was examined fully by x-ray reciprocal space maps, in order to clarify its impact on the thickness-dependent properties of the films. It was found that LSMO epitaxial films have properties which is from partially strained to fully relaxed with film thickness increasing on the same substrate. Resistivity measurement shows that the relaxed film has higher resistivity than that of the strained film, because the relaxed film contains the high deficiency density. In this paper, however, the relaxed property of the same thickness LSMO epitaxial film grown on the different substrates is also discussed.

Abstract: Morphology of phase-separated microstructure consisting of cubic disordered A1 and ordered L1₂ phases and tetragonal ordered D0₂₂ phase in Ni-V-X (X=Al, Si) alloys has been investigated by transmission electron microscopy. Ternary Ni-V-Al alloy showed the lamellar structure of D0₂₂ phase with spherical L1₂ particles, while Ni-V-Si ternary alloy indicated the anisotropic microstructure consisting of plate- or diamond-shaped D0₂₂ and plate-shaped L1₂ phases. When a part of element Al is substituted by Si, the morphology of three-phase microstructure (A1/L1₂/D0₂₂) varied depending on the amount of element substitution. When Ni-16.1V-4.0Al-2.8Si (at.%) alloy was aged at 1173K for long time, D0₂₂ plate-like particle aligned along <110> direction and L1₂ particles formed between them in the shape of sphere. In the case of Ni-16.6V-2.8Al-4.0Si (at%) alloy more substituted for Al by Si, cuboidal L1₂ phases were first formed aligning along <100> direction and then plate-shaped D0₂₂ phases precipitated along the <100> direction in the channel of cuboidal L1₂ particles. Such morphological changes with the substitution of the third elements X by Al or Si were able to be explained based on lattice mismatch.

Abstract: The correlation between the energy band-gap of AlxGa1-xN epitaxial thin films and lattice strain was investigated using both High Resolution X-ray Diffraction (HRXRD) and Spectroscopic Ellipsometry (SE). The Al fraction, lattice relaxation, and elastic lattice strain were determined for all AlxGa1-xN epilayers, and the energy gap as well. Given the type of intermediate layer, a correlation trend was found between energy band-gap bowing parameter and lattice mismatch, the higher the lattice mismatch is, the smaller the bowing parameter (b) will be.

Abstract: Heterostructure device concepts promise several advantages in micro- and optoelectronics. From the material point of view, the main obstacle to be overcome is the large lattice mismatch of silicon based heterostructures. One of the best of them, silicon germanium (SiGe) is lattice mismatched to silicon by up to 4% depending on its Ge content. Basic investigations on strained layer growth, interface properties, and deviation from equilibrium are done with SiGe / Si heterostructures. Early results are discussed in context with our recent understanding. The application focus of this review is devoted to micro- and optoelectronic devices which could be fabricated after solving or understanding the basic interface problems. This includes devices already in production, and those in emerging fields for inclusion in the next generation of integrated circuits, as well as a selection of future device concepts with high merits to be proven in experiment.

Abstract: Phase separation of γ (A1) supersaturated solid solution into A1, γ’ (L12) and γ” (D022) phases was investigated in two Ni-rich Ni-V-Si ternary alloys by means of transmission electron microscopy. When the alloys are annealed at 1073K, two different sequences of the phase separation are observed, depending on the chemical composition of the alloy: In Ni-17.0at%V-6.9at%Si alloy (A) at the D022 corner of three-phase field, first many D022 particles precipitate aligning along the <110> direction of the matrix and the so-called chessboard pattern is observed, followed by the formation of L12 phase at the interface between D022 and A1 phases. In Ni-12.1at%V-11.3at%Si alloy (B) at the L12 corner of the Gibbs triangle, cuboidal L12 particles precipitate arranging along the <100> direction, and then D022 phase is formed. As the phase separation proceeds, a selective growth/formation of the third phase (L12 in the alloy A, D022 in the alloy B) occurs: In the alloy A, L12 phase grows into D022 particle inside along the diagonal direction of D022 cube which is parallel to the a-axis of D022 tetragonal phase. In the alloy B, D022 forms on the {100} cube face of cuboidal L12 particle, arranging the c-axis of D022 perpendicular to the {100} cube face of L12 phase. As a result of such a selective growth/formation, the first phase D022/L12 is split off into two particles, which results in the formation of laminated structure consisting of D022 and L12 phases. The selective growth/formation is considered to occur so as to maintain the less elastic strain state.

Abstract: Variations in the lattice parameters of γ and γ' phases perpendicular to the [001] tensile axis were recorded in situ at ~10 minutes intervals using the Triple Axis Diffractometer of the High Energy (ID15) beamline at ESRF. Testing was carried out on an AM1 superalloy specimen with a raft microstructure at high temperature (1072°C) under load steps between 0 MPa and 300 MPa. These data were used to evaluate the Young modulus and the effective (Von Mises) stresses within the γ' rafts and γ corridors, as well the average plastic strain rates of each phase. The recorded stress data scatter was within the MPa range, and should be good enough to probe the elementary mechanisms of plasticity.

Abstract: This article summarizes the work of the author’s lab based on crystallography. The topics are categorized in the following three fields: The first category is crystallographic analysis of materials, the second one is correlations between crystal structure and their properties, and the third one is crystallography for processing such as epitaxy, topotaxy and templates. The examples for these categories are: (1) multilayer ceramic capacitor (MLCC); (2) microwave dielectrics of tungstenbronze-type like solid solutions, and piezoelectric materials langasite (La3Ga5SiO14); (3) thin film growth of GaN or AlN on sapphire for example of epitaxy, hydroxy-apatite grown on diopside for topotaxy, and template growth of microwave dielectrics for template. Crystallography is useful in all studies, but is not almighty. Interdisciplinary study between crystallography and solid state physics is necessary to make clear the mechanism of the properties.