Zn K-edge XANES in nanocrystalline ZnO

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Combining scanning probe microscopy and x-ray spectroscopy

A new versatile tool, combining Shear Force Microscopy and X-Ray Spectroscopy was designed and constructed to obtain simultaneously surface topography and chemical mapping. Using a sharp optical fiber as microscope probe, it is possible to collect locally the visible luminescence of the sample. Results of tests on ZnO and on ZnWO4 thin layers are in perfect agreement with that obtained with other conventional techniques. Twin images obtained by simultaneous acquisition in near field of surface topography and of local visible light emitted by the sample under X-Ray irradiation in synchrotron environment are shown. Replacing the optical fibre by an X-ray capillary, it is possible to collect local X-ray fluorescence of the sample. Preliminary results on Co-Ti sample analysis are presented

A new tool for nanoscale X-ray absorption spectroscopy and element-specific SNOM microscopy

Investigations of complex nanostructured materials used in modern technologies require special experimental techniques able to provide information on the structure and electronic properties of materials with a spatial resolution down to the nanometer scale. We tried to address these needs through the combination of X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) using synchrotron radiation microbeams with scanning near-field optical microscopy (SNOM) detection of the X-ray excited optical luminescence (XEOL) signal. The first results obtained with the prototype instrumentation installed at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (Grenoble, France) are presented. They illustrate the possibility to detect an element-specific contrast and to perform nanoscale XAS experiments at the Zn K and W L-3-absorption edges in pure ZnO and mixed ZnWO4/ZnO thin films. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

X-ray excited optical luminescence detection by scanning near-field optical microscope : a new tool for nanoscience

Investigations of complex nanostructured materials used in modern technologies require special experimental techniques able to provide information on the structure and electronic properties of materials with a spatial resolution down to the nanometer scale. We tried to address these needs through the combination of x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) using synchrotron radiation microbeams with scanning near-field optical microscopy (SNOM) detection of the x-ray excited optical luminescence (XEOL) signal. This new instrumentation offers the possibility to carry out a selective structural analysis of the sample surface with the subwavelength spatial resolution determined by the SNOM probe aperture. In addition, the apex of the optical fiber plays the role of a topographic probe, and chemical and topographic mappings can be simultaneously recorded. Our working XAS-SNOM prototype is based on a quartz tuning-fork head mounted on a high stability nanopositioning system; a coated optical fiber tip, operating as a probe in shear-force mode; a detection system coupled with the microscope head control system; and a dedicated software/hardware setup for synchronization of the XEOL signal detection with the synchrotron beamline acquisition system. We illustrate the possibility to obtain an element-specific contrast and to perform nano-XAS experiments by detecting the Zn K and W L-3 absorption edges in luminescent ZnO and mixed ZnWO4-ZnO nanostructured thin films. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics

Short-range order around Er3+ in silica waveguides containing aluminium, titanium and hafnium

Er3+-doped silica waveguides, co-doped with aluminium, titanium, and hafnium oxides, were prepared using the sol-gel method and dip-coating processing. Here, we present a characterisation of the local environment around Er3+ ions, as determined from the Er L-3-edge extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) measurements performed at ESRF (France). The first coordination shell is composed of 5-6 oxygen atoms at distances -2.32-2.35 angstrom, slightly varying as a function of the modifier oxide. Er3+ nearest neighbors distance does not show a significant compositional dependence. On the contrary, outer shells analysis shows significant differences: Al2O3 doping (less than 2% mol) induces an ordering around Er and increases the distance of the second shell, probably due to the substitution of Si by Al atoms; for TiO2 doping (7-15% mol), it is most probable that the second shell is composed from Si atoms as the case of pure SiO2; for HfO2 doping (from 10 to 50 mol%) there is a very clear evidence of Er-Hf coordination already at the lowest Hf content, but still in amorphous environment. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

X-Ray studies on optical and structural properties of ZnO nanostructured thin films

X-ray absorption near-edge fine Structure (XANES) studies have been carried out oil nanostructured ZnO thin films prepared by atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition (APCVD). Films have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and optical luminescence spectroscopy exciting with laser light (PL) or X-ray (XEOL). According to XRD measurements, all the APCVD samples reveal a highly (002) oriented crystalline structure. The samples have different thickness (less than 1 mu m) and show significant shifts of the PL and XEOL bands in the visible region. Zn K-edge XANES spectra were recorded using synchrotron radiation at BM08 of ESRF (France), by detecting photoluminescence yield (PLY) and X-ray fluorescence yield (FLY). The differences between the PLY- and FLY-XANES confirm the possibility of studying the local environment in the luminescence centres and to correlate the Structural and optical properties of ZnO nanostructured samples. (C) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Silicon nanocrystal formation in annealed silicon-rich silicon oxide films prepared by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition

Silicon-rich silicon oxide films deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition with different total Si contents (from 39 to 46 at. %) have been annealed at increasing temperature (up to 1250 degrees C) in order to study the Si nanocrystal (Si-nc) nucleation as well as the structural changes induced in the amorphous embedding matrix. The comparison between x-ray absorption measurements in total electron yield mode, Raman spectroscopy, and photoluminescence spectra allowed us to gain insight about the Si nanocrystal formation, while the chemical composition and the nature of chemical bonds into the oxidized matrix was studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. A comprehensive picture of the nucleation process has been obtained, demonstrating the active role played by the hydrogen and nitrogen atoms in the formation of Si-nc and in the thermally induced evolution of the deposited films

Silicon nanocrystals formation in annealed silicon-rich silicon oxide films prepared by plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition

Silicon-rich silicon oxide films deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition with different total Si contents (from 39 to 46 at. %) have been annealed at increasing temperature (up to 1250 degrees C) in order to study the Si nanocrystal (Si-nc) nucleation as well as the structural changes induced in the amorphous embedding matrix. The comparison between x-ray absorption measurements in total electron yield mode, Raman spectroscopy, and photoluminescence spectra allowed us to gain insight about the Si nanocrystal formation, while the chemical composition and the nature of chemical bonds into the oxidized matrix was studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. A comprehensive picture of the nucleation process has been obtained, demonstrating the active role played by the hydrogen and nitrogen atoms in the formation of Si-nc and in the thermally induced evolution of the deposited film