Nanopillar Arrays on Semiconductor Membranes as Electron Emission Amplifiers

A new transmission-type electron multiplier was fabricated from silicon-on-insulator (SOI) material by integrating an array of one dimensional (1D) silicon nanopillars onto a two dimensional (2D) silicon membrane. Primary electrons are injected into the nanopillar-membrane system from the flat surface of the membrane, while electron emission from the other side is probed by an anode. The secondary electron yield (SEY) from nanopillars is found to be about 1.8 times that of plane silicon membrane. This gain in electron number is slightly enhanced by the electric field applied from the anode. Further optimization of the dimensions of nanopillars and membrane and application of field emission promise an even higher gain for detector applications and allow for probing of electronic/mechanical excitations in nanopillar-membrane system excited by incident particles or radiation.Comment: 4 figure

Correlations among superconductivity, structural instability, and band filling in Nb1-xB2 at the critical point x=0.2

We performed an extensive investigation on the correlations among superconductivity, structural instability and band filling in Nb1-xB2 materials. Structural measurements reveal that a notable phase transformation occurs at x=0.2, corresponding to the Fermi level (EF) in the pseudogap with the minimum total density of states (DOS) as demonstrated by the first-principles calculations. Superconductivity in Nb1-xB2 generally becomes visible in the Nb-deficient materials with x=0.2. Electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) measurements on B K-edge directly demonstrated the presence of a chemical shift arising from the structural transformation. Our systematical experimental results in combination with theoretical analysis suggest that the emergence of hole states in the sigma-bands plays an important role for understanding the superconductivity and structural transition in Nb1-xB2.Comment: 16 pages, 4 figure

Attosecond tracking of light absorption and refraction in fullerenes

The collective response of matter is ubiquitous and widely exploited, e.g. in plasmonic, optical and electronic devices. Here we trace on an attosecond time scale the birth of collective excitations in a finite system and find distinct new features in this regime. Combining quantum chemical computation with quantum kinetic methods we calculate the time-dependent light absorption and refraction in fullerene that serve as indicators for the emergence of collective modes. We explain the numerically calculated novel transient features by an analytical model and point out the relevance for ultra-fast photonic and electronic applications. A scheme is proposed to measure the predicted effects via the emergent attosecond metrology.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, accepted in Phys. Rev.

Compositional analysis of InAs-GaAs-GaSb heterostructures by low-loss electron energy loss spectroscopy

As an alternative to Core-Loss Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy, Low-Loss EELS is suitable for compositional analysis of complex heterostructures, such as the InAs-GaAs-GaSb system, since in this energy range the edges corresponding to these elements are better defined than in Core-Loss. Furthermore, the analysis of the bulk plasmon peak, which is present in this energy range, also provides information about the composition. In this work, compositional information in an InAs-GaAs-GaSb heterostructure has been obtained from Low-Loss EEL spectra

Revisiting graphene oxide chemistry via spatially-resolved electron energy loss spectroscopy

The type and distribution of oxygen functional groups in graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide remain still a subject of great debate. Local analytic techniques are required to access the chemistry of these materials at a nanometric scale. Electron energy loss spectroscopy in a scanning transmission electron microscope can provide the suitable resolution, but GO and RGO are extremely sensitive to electron irradiation. In this work we employ a dedicated experimental set-up to reduce electron illumina- tion below damage limit. GO oxygen maps obtained at a few nanometres scale show separated domains with diferent oxidation levels. The C/O ratio varies from about 4:1 to 1:1, the latter corresponding to a complete functionalization of the graphene flakes. In RGO the residual oxygen concentrates mostly in regions few tens nanometres wide. Specific energy-loss near-edge structures are observed for diferent oxidation levels. By combining these findings with first principles simulations we propose a model for the highly oxidized domains where graphene is fully functionalized by hydroxyl groups forming a 2D-sp3 carbon network analogous to that of graphane.AT, AZ and OS acknowledge support from the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR), program of future investment TEMPOS-CHROMATEM (No. ANR-10-EQPX-50). The work has also received funding from the European Union in Seventh Framework Programme (No. FP7/2007 -2013) under Grant Agreement No. n312483 (ESTEEM2). AMB and WKM are grateful for Financial support from the Spanish Ministry MINECO and the European Regional development Fund (project ENE2013-48816-C5-5-R) and from the Regional Government of Aragon and the European Social Fund (DGA-ESF-T66 Grupo Consolidado). The authors are grateful to P. Launois, S. Rouziere and C.P. Ewels for useful discussion.Peer reviewe

Layer-dependent anisotropic electronic structure of freestanding quasi-two dimensional MoS2

The anisotropy of the electronic transition is an important physical property not only determining the materials' optical property, but also revealing the underlying character of the electronic states involved. Here we used momentum-resolved electron energy-loss spectroscopy to study the evolution of the anisotropy of the electronic transition involving the low energy valence electrons in the free-standing MoS2 systems as the layer thickness was reduced to monolayer. We used the orientation and the spectral-density analysis to show that indirect to direct band-gap transition is accompanied by a three- to two-dimensional anisotropy cross-over. The result provides a logical explanation for the large sensitivity of indirect transition to the change of thickness compared with that for direct transition. By tracking the energy of indirect transition, we also revealed the asymmetric response of the valence band and conduction band to the quantum confinement effect. Our results have implication for future optoelectronic applications of atomic thin MoS2

White Lines and 3d-Occupancy for the 3d Transition-Metal Oxides

Electron energy-loss spectrometry was employed to measure the white lines at the L23 absorption edges of the 3d transition-metal oxides and lithium transition-metal oxides. The white-line ratio (L3/L2) was found to increase between d^0 and d^5 and decrease between d^5 and d^10, consistent with previous results for the transition metals and their oxides. The intensities of the white lines, normalized to the post-edge background, are linear for the 3d transition-metal oxides and lithium transition-metal oxides. An empirical correlation between normalized white-line intensity and 3d occupancy is established. It provides a method for measuring changes in the 3d-state occupancy. As an example, this empirical relationship is used to measure changes in the transition-metal valences of Li_{1-x}Ni_{0.8}Co_{0.2}O_2 in the range of 0 < x < 0.64. In these experiments the 3d occupancy of the nickel ion decreased upon lithium deintercalation, while the cobalt valence remained constant.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figure

Defect Structure of the High-Dielectric-Constant Perovskite Cacu3ti4o12

Using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) we studied CaCu3Ti4O12, an intriguing material that exhibits a huge dielectric response, up to kilohertz frequencies, over a wide range of temperature. Neither in single crystals, nor in polycrystalline samples, including sintered bulk- and thin-films, did we observe the twin domains suggested in the literature. Nevertheless, in the single crystals, we saw a very high density of dislocations with a Burger vector of [110], as well as regions with cation disorder and planar defects with a displacement vector 1/4[110]. In the polycrystalline samples, we observed many grain boundaries with oxygen deficiency, in comparison with the grain interior. The defect-related structural disorders and inhomogeneity, serving as an internal barrier layer capacitance (IBLC) in a semiconducting matrix, might explain the very large dielectric response of the material. Our TEM study of the structure defects in CaCu3Ti4O12 supports a recently proposed morphological model with percolating conducting regions and blocking regions.Comment: To be published in Physical Review B 21 pages, 8 figure

Helium irradiation effects in polycrystalline Si, silica, and single crystal Si

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has been used to investigate the effects of room temperature 6 keV helium ion irradiation of a thin (≈55 nm thick) tri-layer consisting of polycrystalline Si, silica, and single-crystal Si. The ion irradiation was carried out in situ within the TEM under conditions where approximately 24% of the incident ions came to rest in the specimen. This paper reports on the comparative development of irradiation-induced defects (primarily helium bubbles) in the polycrystalline Si and single-crystal Si under ion irradiation and provides direct measurement of a radiation-induced increase in the width of the polycrystalline layer and shrinkage of the silica layer. Analysis using TEM and electron energy-loss spectroscopy has led to the hypothesis that these result from helium-bubble-induced swelling of the silicon and radiation-induced viscoelastic flow processes in the silica under the influence of stresses applied by the swollen Si layers. The silicon and silica layers are sputtered as a result of the helium ion irradiation; however, this is estimated to be a relatively minor effect with swelling and stress-related viscoelastic flow being the dominant mechanisms of dimensional change