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Now showing 1 - 10 of 13
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    Effect of geometrical constraint condition on the formation of nanoscale twins in the Ni-based metallic glass composite
    (Milton Park : Taylor and Francis Ltd., 2014) Lee, M.H.; Kim, B.S.; Kim, D.H.; Ott, R.T.; Sansoz, F.; Eckert, J.
    We investigated the effect of geometrically constrained stress-strain conditions on the formation of nanotwins in -brass phase reinforced Ni59Zr20 Ti16 Si2 Sn3 metallic glass (MG) matrix deformed under macroscopic uniaxial compression. The specific geometrically constrained conditions in the samples lead to a deviation from a simple uniaxial state to a multi-axial stress state, for which nanocrystallization in the MG matrix together with nanoscale twinning of the brass reinforcement is observed in localized regions during plastic flow. The nanocrystals in the MG matrix and the appearance of the twinned structure in the reinforcements indicate that the strain energy is highly confined and the local stress reaches a very high level upon yielding. Both the effective distribution of reinforcements on the strain enhancement of composite and the effects of the complicated stress states on the development of nanotwins in the second-phase brass particles are discussed.
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    Nanoscale mechanical surface properties of single crystalline martensitic Ni-Mn-Ga ferromagnetic shape memory alloys
    (Bristol : IOP, 2012) Jakob, A.M.; Müller, M.; Rauschenbach, B.; Mayr, S.G.
    Located beyond the resolution limit of nanoindentation, contact resonance atomic force microscopy (CR-AFM) is employed for nano-mechanical surface characterization of single crystalline 14M modulated martensitic Ni-Mn-Ga (NMG) thin films grown by magnetron sputter deposition on (001) MgO substrates. Comparing experimental indentation moduli-obtained with CR-AFM-with theoretical predictions based on density functional theory (DFT) indicates the central role of pseudo plasticity and inter-martensitic phase transitions. Spatially highly resolved mechanical imaging enables the visualization of twin boundaries and allows for the assessment of their impact on mechanical behavior at the nanoscale. The CR-AFM technique is also briefly reviewed. Its advantages and drawbacks are carefully addressed.
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    Temperature-dependent Raman investigation of rolled up InGaAs/GaAs microtubes
    (New York, NY [u.a.] : Springer, 2012) Rodriguez, R.D.; Sheremet, E.; Thurmer, D.J.; Lehmann, D.; Gordan, O.D.; Seidel, F.; Milekhin, A.; Schmidt, O.G.; Hietschold, M.; Zahn, D.R.T.
    Large arrays of multifunctional rolled-up semiconductors can be mass-produced with precisely controlled size and composition, making them of great technological interest for micro- and nano-scale device fabrication. The microtube behavior at different temperatures is a key factor towards further engineering their functionality, as well as for characterizing strain, defects, and temperature-dependent properties of the structures. For this purpose, we probe optical phonons of GaAs/InGaAs rolled-up microtubes using Raman spectroscopy on defect-rich (faulty) and defect-free microtubes. The microtubes are fabricated by selectively etching an AlAs sacrificial layer in order to release the strained InGaAs/GaAs bilayer, all grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Pristine microtubes show homogeneity of the GaAs and InGaAs peak positions and intensities along the tube, which indicates a defect-free rolling up process, while for a cone-like microtube, a downward shift of the GaAs LO phonon peak along the cone is observed. Formation of other type of defects, including partially unfolded microtubes, can also be related to a high Raman intensity of the TO phonon in GaAs. We argue that the appearance of the TO phonon mode is a consequence of further relaxation of the selection rules due to the defects on the tubes, which makes this phonon useful for failure detection/prediction in such rolled up systems. In order to systematically characterize the temperature stability of the rolled up microtubes, Raman spectra were acquired as a function of sample temperature up to 300°C. The reversibility of the changes in the Raman spectra of the tubes within this temperature range is demonstrated.
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    Composition profiling of inhomogeneous SiGe nanostructures by Raman spectroscopy
    (New York, NY [u.a.] : Springer, 2012) Picco, A.; Bonera, E.; Pezzoli, F.; Grilli, E.; Schmidt, O.G.; Isa, F.; Cecchi, S.; Guzzi, M.
    In this work, we present an experimental procedure to measure the composition distribution within inhomogeneous SiGe nanostructures. The method is based on the Raman spectra of the nanostructures, quantitatively analyzed through the knowledge of the scattering efficiency of SiGe as a function of composition and excitation wavelength. The accuracy of the method and its limitations are evidenced through the analysis of a multilayer and of self-assembled islands.
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    Tunable charge transfer properties in metal-phthalocyanine heterojunctions
    (Cambridge : Royal Society of Chemistry, 2016) Siles, P.F.; Hahn, T.; Salvan, G.; Knupfer, M.; Zhu, F.; Zahn, D.R.T.; Schmidt, O.G.
    Organic materials such as phthalocyanine-based systems present a great potential for organic device applications due to the possibility of integrating films of different organic materials to create organic heterostructures which combine the electrical capabilities of each material. This opens the possibility to precisely engineer and tune new electrical properties. In particular, similar transition metal phthalocyanines demonstrate hybridization and charge transfer properties which could lead to interesting physical phenomena. Although, when considering device dimensions, a better understanding and control of the tuning of the transport properties still remain in the focus of research. Here, by employing conductive atomic force microscopy techniques, we provide an insight about the nanoscale electrical properties and transport mechanisms of MnPc and fluorinated phthalocyanines such as F16CuPc and F16CoPc. We report a transition from typical diode-like transport mechanisms for pure MnPc thin films to space-charge-limited current transport regime (SCLC) for Pc-based heterostructures. The controlled addition of fluorinated phthalocyanine also provides highly uniform and symmetric-polarized transport characteristics with conductance enhancements up to two orders of magnitude depending on the polarization. We present a method to spatially map the mobility of the MnPc/F16CuPc structures with a nanoscale resolution and provide theoretical calculations to support our experimental findings. This well-controlled nanoscale tuning of the electrical properties for metal transition phthalocyanine junctions stands as key step for future phthalocyanine-based electronic devices, where the low dimension charge transfer, mediated by transition metal atoms could be intrinsically linked to a transfer of magnetic moment or spin.
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    Pattern formation on Ge by low energy ion beam erosion
    (Bristol : IOP, 2013) Teichmann, M.; Lorbeer, J.; Ziberi, B.; Frost, F.; Rauschenbach, B.
    Modification of nanoscale surface topography is inherent to low-energy ion beam erosion processes and is one of the most important fields of nanotechnology. In this report a comprehensive study of surface smoothing and self-organized pattern formation on Ge(100) by using different noble gases ion beam erosion is presented. The investigations focus on low ion energies ( 2000 eV) and include the entire range of ion incidence angles. It is found that for ions (Ne, Ar) with masses lower than the mass of the Ge target atoms, no pattern formation occurs and surface smoothing is observed for all angles of ion incidence. In contrast, for erosion with higher mass ions (Kr, Xe), ripple formation starts at incidence angles of about 65° depending on ion energy. At smaller incident angles surface smoothing occurs again. Investigations of the surface dynamics for specific ion incidence angles by changing the ion fluence over two orders of magnitude gives a clear evidence for coarsening and faceting of the surface pattern. Both observations indicate that gradient-dependent sputtering and reflection of primary ions play crucial role in the pattern evolution, just at the lowest accessible fluences. The results are discussed in relation to recently proposed redistributive or stress-induced models for pattern formation. In addition, it is argued that a large angular variation of the sputter yield and reflected primary ions can significantly contribute to pattern formation and evolution as nonlinear and non-local processes as supported by simulation of sputtering and ion reflection.
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    Wireless magnetic-based closed-loop control of self-propelled microjets
    (San Francisco, CA : Public Library of Science, 2014) Khalil, I.S.M.; Magdanz, V.; Sanchez, S.; Schmidt, O.G.; Misra, S.
    In this study, we demonstrate closed-loop motion control of self-propelled microjets under the influence of external magnetic fields. We control the orientation of the microjets using external magnetic torque, whereas the linear motion towards a reference position is accomplished by the thrust and pulling magnetic forces generated by the ejecting oxygen bubbles and field gradients, respectively. The magnetic dipole moment of the microjets is characterized using the U-turn technique, and its average is calculated to be 1.3x10-10 A.m2 at magnetic field and linear velocity of 2 mT and 100 μm/s, respectively. The characterized magnetic dipole moment is used in the realization of the magnetic force-current map of the microjets. This map in turn is used for the design of a closed-loop control system that does not depend on the exact dynamical model of the microjets and the accurate knowledge of the parameters of the magnetic system. The motion control characteristics in the transient- and steady-states depend on the concentration of the surrounding fluid (hydrogen peroxide solution) and the strength of the applied magnetic field. Our control system allows us to position microjets at an average velocity of 115 μm/s, and within an average region-of-convergence of 365 μm.
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    Reducing the nucleation barrier in magnetocaloric Heusler alloys by nanoindentation
    (New York : American Institute of Physics, 2016) Niemann, R.; Hahn, S.; Diestel, A.; Backen, A.; Schultz, L.; Nielsch, K.; Wagner, M.F.-X.; Fähler, S.
    Magnetocaloric materials are promising as solid state refrigerants for more efficient and environmentally friendly cooling devices. The highest effects have been observed in materials that exhibit a first-order phase transition. These transformations proceed by nucleation and growth which lead to a hysteresis. Such irreversible processes are undesired since they heat up the material and reduce the efficiency of any cooling application. In this article, we demonstrate an approach to decrease the hysteresis by locally changing the nucleation barrier. We created artificial nucleation sites and analyzed the nucleation and growth processes in their proximity. We use Ni-Mn-Ga, a shape memory alloy that exhibits a martensitic transformation. Epitaxial films serve as a model system, but their high surface-to-volume ratio also allows for a fast heat transfer which is beneficial for a magnetocaloric regenerator geometry. Nanoindentation is used to create a well-defined defect. We quantify the austenite phase fraction in its proximity as a function of temperature which allows us to determine the influence of the defect on the transformation.
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    A graphene-based hot electron transistor
    (Washington, DC : American Chemical Society, 2013) Vaziri, S.; Lupina, G.; Henkel, C.; Smith, A.D.; Östling, M.; Dabrowski, J.; Lippert, G.; Mehr, W.; Lemme, M.C.
    We experimentally demonstrate DC functionality of graphene-based hot electron transistors, which we call graphene base transistors (GBT). The fabrication scheme is potentially compatible with silicon technology and can be carried out at the wafer scale with standard silicon technology. The state of the GBTs can be switched by a potential applied to the transistor base, which is made of graphene. Transfer characteristics of the GBTs show ON/OFF current ratios exceeding 104.
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    Rolled-up magnetic microdrillers: Towards remotely controlled minimally invasive surgery
    (Cambridge [u.a.] : Royal Society of Chemistry, 2013) Xi, W.; Solovev, A.A.; Ananth, A.N.; Gracias, D.H.; Sanchez, S.; Schmidt, O.G.
    Self-folded magnetic microtools with sharp ends are directed at enabling drilling and related incision operations of tissues, ex vivo, in a fluid with a viscosity similar to that of blood. These microtools change their rotation from a horizontal to a vertical one when they are immersed into a rotational magnetic field. Novel self-assembly paradigms with magnetic materials can enable the creation of remotely controlled and mass-produced tools for potential applications in minimally invasive surgery.