Glancing Incidence X-ray Diffraction Research Articles

Ferroelectricity in Ce0.2-HfO2 films around 500 nm in thickness

CeO2-HfO2 solid solution thin films (Hf1-xCexO2) were deposited on Pt(111)/TiO2/SiO2/Si(100) substrates using the chemical solution deposition method. This study investigates the influence of CeO2 content and annealing temperature on the structure and ferroelectric properties of Hf1-xCexO2 films. Ferroelectric behavior is demonstrated in polycrystalline Hf0.80Ce0.20O2 films with thicknesses ranging from 163 to 524 nm. And the structure of the films is analyzed using glancing incidence X-ray diffraction. The comprehensive results indicate that Hf0.80Ce0.20O2 films annealed at 850 °C exhibit excellent ferroelectricity. Square hysteresis loops associated with the ferroelectric orthorhombic phase are observed, even in the 524-nm-thick film. The remnant polarization (Pr) and coercive field (Ec) range from 16 to 18 μC/cm2 and 1100–1250 kV/cm, respectively, under a maximum applied electric field of 2 MV/cm for all Hf0.80Ce0.20O2 films. Furthermore, the film presents thickness-insensitive characteristic. The current work paves the new way to design high-performance thick HfO2-based ferroelectric films.

Unraveling the effect of 600 keV carbon ion irradiation on the structural and magnetic properties of ZnO thin film

600 keV 12C+ carbon ions have been irradiated upon 800 nm thin ZnO film. The thin ZnO films have been grown by pulsed laser deposition technique upon SiO2/Si substrate. The glancing incidence X-ray diffraction study exhibits the hexagonal wurtzite crystal structure of ZnO, having space group P63mc. Systematic X-ray diffraction analysis of both unirradiated and irradiated samples, reveals that the strain decreases in the sample post irradiation. Room temperature magnetization studies have been performed using SQUID-VSM. As the 600 keV carbon ion fluence is varied, an onset of ferromagnetic ordering in the ZnO thin film is observed. The maximum average magnetic moment induced by each carbon ion is found to be about 6.71 μB. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy has been utilized to analyze the oxidation state of the C/O/Zn, which also rules out the presence of any transition metal elements in carbon ions irradiated ZnO thin film samples. The chemical and structural analysis of the samples have been examined by Raman spectroscopy. It reveals a red shift in A1 (LO) mode, which confirms the presence of tensile strain in the sample post irradiation. These experimental results, clearly indicate that oxygen vacancies and strain in the film trigger the onset of ferromagnetism in the ZnO thin film system.

Effects of duty cycle and nitrogen flow rate on the mechanical properties of (V,Mo)N coatings deposited by high-power pulsed magnetron sputtering

(V,Mo)N is theoretically predicted to have high hardness and fracture toughness and is a promising material for the application on protective hard coatings. However, the toughness enhancement of (V,Mo)N coatings deposited by dc-unbalanced magnetron sputtering (dc-UBMS) was not as remarkable as expected. The issue could be due to insufficient energy delivery to the plasma species in the deposition process such that nitrogen and metal atoms were not fully reacted and led to the degradation of coating quality. Since high-power pulsed magnetron sputtering (HPPMS) can provide high peak power density, the method was selected to deposit (V,Mo)N coatings in this research. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of duty cycle and nitrogen flow rate on the microstructure and mechanical properties of (V,Mo)N coatings deposited on Si substrates by HPPMS. Four sets of (V,Mo)N coatings were deposited by HPPMS at different durations with two duty cycles, 5% and 3%, and two nitrogen flow rates, 6.0 and 12.0 SCCM. The results showed that the N/metal ratio was mainly affected by the nitrogen flow rate, ranging from 0.70 to 0.96 with increasing nitrogen flow rate. The lattice parameter of the samples linearly increased with the N/metal ratio. The x-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns revealed that all samples tended to approach (200)-preferred orientation with increasing deposition duration. The glancing incident XRD patterns indicated that the samples deposited at 6 SCCM nitrogen flow rate and 3% duty cycle have multiphases. Transmission electron microscopy analysis confirmed that phase separation from (V,Mo)N to (V-rich,Mo)N and (V,Mo-rich)N occurred in those samples. The hardness of the (V,Mo)N coatings decreased with increasing N/metal ratio, which may be related to the N-vacancy hardening effect. The sample deposited at 6 SCCM nitrogen flow rate and 3% duty cycle for 36 h showed the highest hardness of 28.4 GPa, which was possibly associated with the phase separation, and hence plastic deformation became difficult. The fracture toughness (Gc) of the (V,Mo)N coatings was evaluated using the internal energy-induced cracking method. The resultant Gc of the (V,Mo)N coatings, ranging from 36.1 to 43.7 J/m2, was higher than that of the coatings deposited by dc-UBMS in our previous study. The toughness enhancement could be caused by a higher fraction of Mo–N bonding due to the adequate reaction energy provided by the HPPMS process.

Effects of terbium ions on the structural, morphological and optical properties of zinc selenide thin films prepared by photo-assisted chemical bath method

This study presents undoped and terbium doped ZnSe thin films deposited at different terbium III (Tb3+) ion concentrations using Photo-assisted chemical bath technique. The samples were characterized using glancing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), Raman spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscope, Atomic force microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The GIXRD and Raman peaks intensities, surface roughness and energy band gap increased with increasing Tb3+ ions concentration up to 0.8% and decreased thereafter. This behavior, which is equally observed in the PL emission, is ascribed to concentration quenching due to the presence of natural defect in the host material. Three PL emission peaks all associated with the defects were observed at 535, 672 and 743 nm. The thin films morphology transformed from flakes to spherical grains with increased Tb3+ ions concentration and the presence of the expected elements was confirmed. The deposited films have potential applications in light emitting devices.

Methyl ammonium iodide via novel PECVD process for the growth of 2-step vacuum based perovskite (MAPbI3) thin films

MAPbI3 thin films were grown via 2-step vacuum based processes by depositing methyl ammonium iodide (MAI) layer as first step using plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) technique and then depositing lead iodide (PbI2) layer over it as second step using RF-sputtering technique. To the best of our knowledge MAI layer was deposited for the first time by PECVD technique. MAI solution for PECVD process and PbI2 target for sputtering process were made to deposit these two layers under optimized plasma conditions for the growth of MAPbI3 thin films. Characterization techniques like UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy and Photoluminescence spectroscopy were performed to study the optical properties. Powder-XRD (PXRD) and glancing incidence XRD (GIXRD) were performed to study structural properties. SEM and cross-SEM were performed for morphological study to view top-view and cross-sectional view of the deposited MAPbI3 perovskite thin film. Perovskite thin films deposited on silicon wafer have been used as perovskite/silicon heterojunction photodiode exhibiting critical performance parameters such as rectifying ratio of 1.58 × 104 at 1.0 V, photo-sensitivity value 7.46 × 102 at light intensity 100 mw/cm2 without biasing.

Fabrication of CuO (p)–ZnO (n) Core–Shell Nanowires and Their H2-Sensing Properties

Unlike the conventional one-dimensional (1D) core–shell nanowires (NWs) composed of p-type shells and n-type cores, in this work, an inverse design is proposed by depositing n-type ZnO (shell) layers on the surface of p-type CuO (core) NWs, to have a comprehensive understanding of their conductometric gas-sensing kinetics. The surface morphologies of bare and core–shell NWs were investigated by field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM). The ZnO shell layer was presented by overlay images taken by electron dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The pronounced crystalline plane peaks of ZnO were recorded in the compared glancing incident X-ray diffraction (GI-XRD) spectra of CuO and CuO–ZnO core–shell NWs. The ZnO shell layers broaden the absorption curve of CuO NWs in the UV-vis absorption spectra. As a result of the heterostructure formation, the intrinsic p-type sensing behavior of CuO NWs towards 250 and 500 ppm of hydrogen (H2) switched to n-type due to the deposition of ZnO shell layers, at 400 °C in dry airflow.

Influence of compositional and microstructural gradient on the wear performance of nanocrystalline Ni–W coatings

Although the nanocrystalline Ni–W coatings offer superior wear resistance, under sufficiently higher loads and strain rates they often suffer from the strain localization which leads to a severe wear damage. Further, the presence of tensile residual stresses exaggerates the situation. Herein, we report a facile approach of microstructural gradation to circumvent this problem. Present study investigates the sliding wear performance of gradient nanocrystalline Ni–W coatings prepared by pulse electrodeposition. By tailoring the W-content along the deposition direction, a concomitant modulation in the microstructure, hardness and elastic modulus was obtained as revealed by the depth-wise glancing incidence XRD and nanoindentation, respectively. The gradient Ni–W coatings have demonstrated a low coefficient of friction (CoF) and superior wear resistance over their homogeneous counterparts. The micro-Raman spectroscopy has indicated the formation of tribo-oxide layer composed majorly of CoWO4, WO3 and NiO on the surface of the wear tracks. Based on the crystal-chemical model, the lower CoF of gradient Ni–W is attributed to the presence of a stable and adherent tribo-oxide. Furthermore, the enhanced wear resistance of the gradient Ni–W coating is ascribed to the lower tensile residual stresses, strain delocalization and its higher thermal diffusivity.

Microstructure evolution and electrochemical properties of carburized CSS-42L steel by high dose carbon ion implantation

The precipitation of Cr-rich carbides creates significant chromium depletion zones against the steel matrix, which are more sensitive to pitting corrosion. In this work, high dose carbon ion implantation was introduced to eliminate the negative effect of Cr-rich carbides precipitated in carburized CSS-42L steel. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis reveals the co-existence of graphite bonds and carbide bonds for the carbon implanted samples. Amorphization transformation for Cr-rich carbides and precipitation of nanocrystalline Fe2C carbides in the implanted layer are confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and glancing incidence x-ray diffraction (GIXRD) investigations. The electrochemical results indicated that the microstructure evolution induced by carbon ion implantation was beneficial in improving the corrosion property of carburized CSS-42L steel, in which the intergranular corrosion was suppressed and the corrosion degree was also modified.

Swift Heavy Ion-Induced Reactivity and Surface Modifications in Indium Thin Films.

As an energetic ion traverses a target material, it loses its energy through the processes of electronic energy loss (Se) and nuclear energy loss (Sn). Controlled swift heavy ion (SHI) irradiation on solid targets produces its effects through both of these mechanisms, as a consequence of which modifications occur in the structure, surface morphology, and magnetic and optical properties, apart from ion implantation and ion-induced reactivity. A systematic investigation of these effects can be useful in developing standard protocols for creating desired effects in materials using specific ion beams. In this study, indium films of thickness 25 nm were deposited on silicon substrates and were subjected to 100 MeV O7+ and 100 MeV Si7+ ion irradiation, with the fluences varying from 1 × 1011 to 1 × 1013 ions/cm2. The pristine and SHI-irradiated films were then characterized using glancing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The motive was to identify the effects of irradiation with different ion species having large variations in electronic and nuclear energy losses. While the RBS results suggest that sputtering is extremely low and that there are no major changes in the film composition due to ion beam-induced mixing, the GIXRD analysis indicates that increasing the ion fluence reduces the crystallinity of the film for both the ions. Ion beam irradiation with O7+ ions, however, results in beam-induced reactivity, as the GIXRD scan shows characteristic peaks from indium oxide (In2O3), which become the predominant peaks at the highest fluence used here. Si7+ ion irradiation results in a narrowing of the particle size distribution on the surface, with no evidence of reactivity. SEM results indicate fusion and fragmentation of grains with the increase in the ion fluences, and AFM images reveal an increase in the surface roughness of a few percent when irradiated with both 100 MeV O7+ and 100 MeV Si7+ ions.

Anomalous structural phase transformation in swift heavy ion-irradiated δ-Sc4Hf3O12

Swift heavy ion irradiation was carried out to examine the ionization effects on structural changes of δ-Sc4Hf3O12 in which oxygen vacancies are regularly arranged. The specimens were irradiated at room temperature with 92 MeV xenon ions to fluences ranging from 3 × 1012 to 1 × 1014/cm2 and characterized by grazing (glancing) incidence x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and scanning transmission electron microscopy. It was found that the pristine long-range ordered rhombohedral δ-phase undergoes a reconstructive transformation toward a long-range disordered cubic oxygen-deficient fluorite phase promoted by ionization effects. In addition, an ordered phase with a short-range structure different from the δ-type was formed in a layer going from the surface to a depth of ∼4.5 μm in the specimen irradiated to a fluence of 1 × 1014/cm2. It was found that the ordered phase is formed from the disordered cubic fluorite phase. This structural change is anomalous, because it is the opposite process of the usual irradiation-induced structural change, the order-to-disorder phase transformation. Electron diffraction experiments revealed that short-range ordered regions in this layer possess an oxygen-excess bixbyite organization (C-type heavy rare-earth oxides) with randomly filled anion vacant sites to account for the different stoichiometry and a long-range average oxygen-deficient fluorite phase.

Photocatalytic and mechanical properties of immobilized nanotubular TiO2 photocatalysts obtained by anodic oxidation: a novel combined analysis.

The photocatalytic and mechanical performance of TiO2 nanotubular coatings obtained by anodic oxidation of commercial titanium, using an NH4F and 3.5% v/v water in ethylene glycol solution as electrolyte was investigated.After the anodization, the coatings were thermally treated at 450°C for 2h. The effects of the anodizing voltage (40-80V) and NH4F concentration (0.06, 0.15, 0.27M) on the formation of the nanotube arrays were evaluated. Nanotube diameters (57 to 114nm), wall thicknesses (4 to 13nm), and lengths (5 to 17µm) increased with the anodizing voltage and the NH4F concentration. The photocatalysts were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, glancing incidence X-ray diffraction, and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The mechanical properties of the photocatalysts were determined: adhesion using the tape test (ASTM D3359) and erosion resistance through a 3h accelerated test. The photocatalytic activity of the nanotubes under UV irradiation was evaluated using hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) in the presence of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), using a 1.25 EDTA/Cr(VI) molar ratio solution at pH 2. A complete Cr(VI) transformation after 3h of irradiation was obtained for all samples, with a better performance than that of an immobilized P25 sample. The photocatalyst obtained with 0.27M NH4F at 40V presented a good behavior in adherence and erosion resistance, together with a very good photocatalytic activity. This novel analysis, combining photocatalytic and mechanical tests, proved that the new TiO2 nanotubular coatings could be successfully used as immobilized photocatalysts in photoreactors for water treatment.

Spray pyrolysed Cu2ZnSnS4 thin film photovoltaic cell fabricated using cost effective materials

The kesterite Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) absorber material was prepared using 2-methoxyethanol solvent without formation of any secondary phases and the same was confirmed using Glancing Incidence X-Ray Diffraction and Raman studies. The surface analysis was carried out by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy and Atomic Force Microscope and the thickness of the deposited films was calculated using FIB-SEM analysis. The precursor concentration of CZTS with 2:1:1:10 exhibits Cu-poor and Zn-rich CZTS film were achieved via sulfurization-free approach and was confirmed by EDX analysis. The optical absorbance, transmittance and bandgap of the films were characterized by UV–Visible spectrometer. The fluorescence spectroscopy was used to detect the electronic structural defects of the films and Hall measurements revealed that the prepared CZTS film exhibits p-type semiconductor behavior. As an attempt towards the preparation of nontoxic and low cost fabrication, the superstrate device structure glass/FTO/ZnO/ZnS/CZTS/Al was deposited using earth abundant materials in a cost effective method. The photovoltaic response was attained with a short circuit current density of 5.6 μA cm−2, open circuit voltage of 307 mV. The interface quality and internal charge transfer resistance of the CZTS device were investigated using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy.

Influence of swift heavy ions on aluminum thin films

Controlled ion beam irradiation of the target material results in material modification as the ions give away their energy to the material, either by interacting with electrons, a process designated as electronic energy loss (Se) or by interacting with the nuclei, known as nuclear energy loss (Sn). As a consequence, changes occur in the structural and electronic properties of the material that need to be systematically investigated. In this work, 25 nm thin Aluminium films were deposited over a silicon substrate and subjected to 100 MeV O7+ and 100 MeV Si7+ ion irradiation with ion fluences varying from 1 × 1011 to 1 × 1013 ions/cm2. The swift heavy ion (SHI) irradiated and pristine films are then characterised using Glancing Incident X-Ray Diffraction (GIXRD), Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), to study the effects of the irradiation with different ion species, having a large variation in Se and Sn. The GIXRD analysis revealed the change in crystallinity along with the change in crystallite size as compared to the pristine film. RBS studies indicate no change in the composition as there is negligible evidence of electronic sputtering. AFM shows that the irradiation of the film results in restructuring, with the particle size distribution shifting towards a lower value, while the surface roughness reduces from 2.8 ± 0.24 nm for the pristine surface to 1.35 ± 0.03 nm for O7+ and 1.63 ± 0.27 nm for Si7+ ion irradiated surfaces at the fluence of 1 × 1013 ions/cm2. SEM results confirm grain fragmentation as the irradiation proceeds, and also reveal the decrease in roughness values.

Evolution of the phase structure, magnetic domain structure, and magnetic properties of annealed Fe72Ga28 thin films

In contrast to the disordered body-centered cubic (bcc) A2 phase, the ordered face-centered cubic (fcc) L12 phase exhibits negative magnetostriction (λ) and has a high elastic modulus (E). Therefore, an in-depth understanding of the microstructural evolution of Fe–Ga thin films from bcc A2 phase to fcc L12 phase is essential to obtain Fe–Ga thin films with desirable properties. The transformation of the phase structure, magnetic domain structure, and magnetic properties of Fe72Ga28 thin films is analyzed in this study. The phase transformation of the Fe72Ga28 thin film from A2 to A2 L12 occurred after heat treatment, as determined by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and glancing-incidence X-ray diffraction (GI-XRD). Non-continuous lattice distortion at the phase boundaries of A2 and L12 was also observed, as shown by geometric phase analysis (GPA) and electron backscattered scattering detection (EBSD). Numerous edge dislocations at the phase boundaries were revealed by HRTEM. A shift in the magnetic domain structure from the maze-like domain to maze-like domain and honeycomb-like domain was detected by magnetic force microscopy (MFM). The variation in magnetic properties was determined to be related to the structural transformation and ununiform lattice distortion between the phase boundaries of the A2 and L12.

Reduced delamination and improved cutting performance of TiAlSiN multilayer coated cutter by tailoring the adhesion layers and intermediate layers

Adhesion layers and intermediate layers exert important effects on the adhesion and cutting performance of PVD multilayer coatings. In this work, TiAlSiN multilayer coatings with different combinations of adhesion layers and intermediate layers were deposited, and their microstructure, adhesion and milling performance were assessed. Rockwell indentation and scratch results showed that delamination from the interfaces between the adhesion layers and intermediate layers occurred both for the T1 coating (TiN adhesion layer + Al17.5Ti80Si2.5N intermediate layer) and T2 coating (Al33Ti67N adhesion layer + Al43Ti54Si3N intermediate layer). Synchrotron radiation glancing incidence X-ray diffraction (SR-GIXRD) investigation on T2 coating revealed the discontinuities in lattice constant a and micro-strain at the interfaces between intermediate layer and adhesion layer, which resulted in poor cohesion of them. The T3 coating (Al67Ti33N adhesion layer + Al64Ti34Si2N intermediate layer) exhibited the lower residual stress (−3.7 GPa), and better cohesion and adhesion (Lc2 = 72 N). The T3 coating also had the longer milling life corresponding to a cut length 1700 m, due to its better cohesion and adhesion increased the “steady wear” stage. This improved cohesion and cutting performance of the multilayer coatings could be achieved by using proper combinations of adhesion layers and intermediate layers.

Effect of substrate temperature on the crystalline phases of Cu2-xTe films grown by RF sputtering

The effect of the substrate temperature (Ts) on the growth of Cu2-xTe films using the RF sputtering technique has been studied through a structural assessment of the different trigonal (space group P3m1) phases encountered in the range 100–350 °C. A new stoichiometric Cu7Te4 phase (δ′) with Z = 1 is proposed, and it is present in all the temperatures studied. Low-angle peaks (2θ < 20°) of Glancing Incidence X-ray Diffraction (GIXD) patterns are consistent with the formation of commensurate phases (forms α′) through variations in the c parameter whose value can be as large as 25.47 Å. The base modulation vector is the c parameter of the unit-cell of phase δ′ that, in this work, resulted in a value of 3.61 Å. The origin of the observed commensurate phases has been ascribed to an occupancy-wave modulation. Whereas at high temperatures (Ts > 250 °C), the major phase is δ' (Cu7Te4 or Cu2-xTe with x = 0.25), the predominant phase, for Ts < 250 °C, is the commensurate superstructure 7C with higher [Cu]/[Te] ratio (x < 0.25). The transition between these two thermal regimes is stated at a temperature of about 250 °C. Maintaining a constant global composition, the devaluation of [Cu] in films, with the temperature above the transition range, is explained in terms of diffusion of copper downward the film and towards its edges.

Recrystallization of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Semiconductor Thin Films via InCl3 Treatment

One of the key challenges to promote the economic viability of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) solar cells is the multi-stage co-evaporation process required to make a high quality absorber layer. One phenomenon of interest is dynamic recrystallization using a fluxing agent. While these techniques have significantly improved material systems like CdTe, their impact on other nonmetallic systems are relatively unexplored. In this paper, we demonstrate that InCl3 can be used effectively to recrystallize CIGS for temperature as low as 450 °C, but that it also induces a modification of the surface composition. Analyses, notably via glancing incidence X-ray diffraction and secondary ion mass spectrometry, show an indium enriched surface as well as a modified alkali profile.

Excess Heat Capacity in Mo/Au Transition Edge Sensor Bolometric Detectors.

Excess heat capacity in a bolometric detector has the consequence of increasing or leading to multiple device time constants. The Mo/Au bilayer transition edge sensor (TES) bolometric detectors initially fabricated for the high resolution mid-infrared spectrometer (HIRMES) exhibited two response thermalization scales, one of which is a few times longer than estimates based upon the properties of the bulk materials employed in the design. The relative contribution of this settling time to the overall time response of the detectors is roughly proportional to the pixel area, which ranges between ~0.3 and 2.6 mm2. Use of laser ablation to remove sections of the silicon membranes comprising the pixels results in a detector response with a smaller contribution from the secondary time constant. Additional information about the nature of this excess heat capacity is gleaned from glancing incidence x-ray diffraction, which reveals the presence of molybdenum silicides near the silicon surface which is a consequence of the bi-layer deposition. Quantitative analysis of the concentration of excess molybdenum, estimated with secondary ion mass spectroscopy, is commensurate to the additional heat capacity needed to explain the anomalous time response of the detectors.

Improvement of remanent polarization of CeO2–HfO2 solid solution thin films on Si substrates by chemical solution deposition

CeO2–HfO2 solid solution thin films, Hf1−xCexO2, are fabricated on n+-Si(100) substrates by the chemical solution deposition method. The effects of the CeO2 content and annealing temperature on the structure and ferroelectric properties of Hf1−xCexO2 are studied. The structural properties are investigated by glancing incidence x-ray diffraction and high resolution transmission electron microscopy, while the chemical states are examined by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results reveal that the admixture of CeO2 could effectively induce the ferroelectric phase. For Hf0.85Ce0.15O2 fabricated at an annealing temperature of 800 °C, an enhanced remanent polarization (Pr) of ∼20 μC/cm2 (after correction for leakage and parasitics) could be attained. Moreover, Hf0.85Ce0.15O2 demonstrates good endurance behavior, that the polarization does not show obvious degradation over 1 × 109 bipolar switching cycles, at an electric field of 2.9 MV/cm and a frequency of 100 kHz. This work highlights the importance of CeO2–HfO2 solid solution films in HfO2-based ferroelectric thin films.

Energetic argon beam stimulated growth of plasmonic silver nanoparticles in Ag+-exchanged soda glass: A study on the structural, optical, photoluminescence and electrical behavior

Fabrication of silver nanoparticles inside soda glass by Ar+ irradiation at an incidence angle of 40° has been presented. Emergence of surface plasmon resonance peak at 410.5 nm for the specimen fabricated by implantation to 5×1016 Ar+ cm−2 at an incidence angle of 40° in optical absorption spectrum provides the signature of silver nanoparticles and the data obtained was further analyzed to evaluate refractive index, optical energy gap and Urbach’s energy of the specimens. Glancing incidence X-ray diffraction study displayed that silver nanoparticles are in face-centered cubic geometry. Their shape, size and distribution in the glass matrix were further probed using transmission electron microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy. Rutherford back scattering spectrometry measurement revealed that a 180 nm thick layer of silver nanoparticles is formed in the near surface layers of glass. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy suggested that after ion-exchange silver is primarily in the ionic form and after Ar+ implantation at an angle of 40° it acquires metallic form which further nucleate and grow to form silver nanoparticles in glass.