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    Resolving mobility anisotropy in quasi-free-standing epitaxial graphene by terahertz optical Hall effect
    (Amsterdam [u.a.] : Elsevier Science, 2021) Armakavicius, Nerijus; Kühne, Philipp; Eriksson, Jens; Bouhafs, Chamseddine; Stanishev, Vallery; Ivanov, Ivan G.; Yakimova, Rositsa; Zakharov, Alexei A.; Al-Temimy, Ameer; Coletti, Camilla; Schubert, Mathias; Darakchieva, Vanya
    In this work, we demonstrate the application of terahertz-optical Hall effect (THz-OHE) to determine directionally dependent free charge carrier properties of ambient-doped monolayer and quasi-free-standing-bilayer epitaxial graphene on 4H–SiC(0001). Directionally independent free hole mobility parameters are found for the monolayer graphene. In contrast, anisotropic hole mobility parameters with a lower mobility in direction perpendicular to the SiC surface steps and higher along the steps in quasi-free-standing-bilayer graphene are determined for the first time. A combination of THz-OHE, nanoscale microscopy and optical spectroscopy techniques are used to investigate the origin of the anisotropy. Different defect densities and different number of graphene layers on the step edges and terraces are ruled out as possible causes. Scattering mechanisms related to doping variations at the step edges and terraces as a result of different interaction with the substrate and environment are discussed and also excluded. It is suggested that the step edges introduce intrinsic scattering in quasi-free-standing-bilayer graphene, that is manifested as a result of the higher ratio between mean free path and average terrace width parameters. The suggested scenario allows to reconcile existing differences in the literature regarding the anisotropic electrical transport in epitaxial graphene. © 2020 Elsevier Ltd
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    Stretchable Thin Film Mechanical-Strain-Gated Switches and Logic Gate Functions Based on a Soft Tunneling Barrier
    (Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2021) Chae, Soosang; Choi, Won Jin; Fotev, Ivan; Bittrich, Eva; Uhlmann, Petra; Schubert, Mathias; Makarov, Denys; Wagner, Jens; Pashkin, Alexej; Fery, Andreas
    Mechanical-strain-gated switches are cornerstone components of material-embedded circuits that perform logic operations without using conventional electronics. This technology requires a single material system to exhibit three distinct functionalities: strain-invariant conductivity and an increase or decrease of conductivity upon mechanical deformation. Herein, mechanical-strain-gated electric switches based on a thin-film architecture that features an insulator-to-conductor transition when mechanically stretched are demonstrated. The conductivity changes by nine orders of magnitude over a wide range of tunable working strains (as high as 130%). The approach relies on a nanometer-scale sandwiched bilayer Au thin film with an ultrathin poly(dimethylsiloxane) elastomeric barrier layer; applied strain alters the electron tunneling currents through the barrier. Mechanical-force-controlled electric logic circuits are achieved by realizing strain-controlled basic (AND and OR) and universal (NAND and NOR) logic gates in a single system. The proposed material system can be used to fabricate material-embedded logics of arbitrary complexity for a wide range of applications including soft robotics, wearable/implantable electronics, human-machine interfaces, and Internet of Things.
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    Mueller matrix imaging microscope using dual continuously rotating anisotropic mirrors
    (Washington, DC : Soc., 2021) Ruder, Alexander; Wright, Brandon; Feder, Rene; Kilic, Ufuk; Hilfiker, Matthew; Schubert, Eva; Herzinger, Craig M.; Schubert, Mathias
    We demonstrate calibration and operation of a Mueller matrix imaging microscope using dual continuously rotating anisotropic mirrors for polarization state generation and analysis. The mirrors contain highly spatially coherent nanostructure slanted columnar titanium thin films deposited onto optically thick titanium layers on quartz substrates. The first mirror acts as polarization state image generator and the second mirror acts as polarization state image detector. The instrument is calibrated using samples consisting of laterally homogeneous properties such as straight-through-air, a clear aperture linear polarizer, and a clear aperture linear retarder waveplate. Mueller matrix images are determined for spatially varying anisotropic samples consisting of a commercially available (Thorlabs) birefringent resolution target and a spatially patterned titanium slanted columnar thin film deposited onto a glass substrate. Calibration and operation are demonstrated at a single wavelength (530 nm) only, while, in principle, the instrument can operate regardless of wavelength. We refer to this imaging ellipsometry configuration as rotating-anisotropic-mirror-sample-rotating-anisotropic-mirror ellipsometry (RAM-S-RAM-E).
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    Precursor-surface interactions revealed during plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition of metal oxide thin films by in-situ spectroscopic ellipsometry
    ([London] : Macmillan Publishers Limited, part of Springer Nature, 2020) Kilic, Ufuk; Mock, Alyssa; Sekora, Derek; Gilbert, Simeon; Valloppilly, Shah; Melendez, Giselle; Ianno, Natale; Langell, Marjorie; Schubert, Eva; Schubert, Mathias
    We find that a five-phase (substrate, mixed native oxide and roughness interface layer, metal oxide thin film layer, surface ligand layer, ambient) model with two-dynamic (metal oxide thin film layer thickness and surface ligand layer void fraction) parameters (dynamic dual box model) is sufficient to explain in-situ spectroscopic ellipsometry data measured within and across multiple cycles during plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition of metal oxide thin films. We demonstrate our dynamic dual box model for analysis of in-situ spectroscopic ellipsometry data in the photon energy range of 0.7–3.4 eV measured with time resolution of few seconds over large numbers of cycles during the growth of titanium oxide (TiO2) and tungsten oxide (WO3) thin films, as examples. We observe cyclic surface roughening with fast kinetics and subsequent roughness reduction with slow kinetics, upon cyclic exposure to precursor materials, leading to oscillations of the metal thin film thickness with small but positive growth per cycle. We explain the cyclic surface roughening by precursor-surface interactions leading to defect creation, and subsequent surface restructuring. Atomic force microscopic images before and after growth, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and x-ray diffraction investigations confirm structural and chemical properties of our thin films. Our proposed dynamic dual box model may be generally applicable to monitor and control metal oxide growth in atomic layer deposition, and we include data for SiO2 and Al2O3 as further examples.