Room temperature ferromagnetic-like behavior in Mn-implanted and post-annealed InAs layers deposited by Molecular Beam Epitaxy

We report on the magnetic and structural properties of Ar and Mn implanted InAs epitaxial films grown on GaAs (100) by Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) and the effect of Rapid Thermal Annealing (RTA) for 30 seconds at 750C. Channeling Particle Induced X- ray Emission (PIXE) experiments reveal that after Mn implantation almost all Mn atoms are subsbtitutional in the In-site of the InAs lattice, like in a diluted magnetic semiconductor (DMS). All of these samples show diamagnetic behavior. But, after RTA treatment the Mn-InAs films exhibit room-temperature magnetism. According to PIXE measurements the Mn atoms are no longer substitutional. When the same set of experiments were performed with As as implantation ion all of the layers present diamagnetism without exception. This indicates that the appearance of room-temperature ferromagnetic-like behavior in the Mn-InAs-RTA layer is not related to lattice disorder produce during implantation, but to a Mn reaction produced after a short thermal treatment. X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD) and Rutherford Back Scattering (RBS) measurements evidence the segregation of an oxygen deficient-MnO2 phase (nominally MnO1.94) in the Mn-InAs-RTA epitaxial layers which might be on the origin of room temperature ferromagnetic-like response observed.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figures. Acepted in J. Appl. Phy

Electrochemical Estimation of the Corrosion Rate of Magnesium/Aluminium Alloys

The corrosion rate of AZ31, AZ80, and AZ91D magnesium/aluminium alloys immersed in 3.5 wt.% NaCl was determined comparing gravimetric and electrochemical measurements. The findings revealed that, for all investigated materials, a fraction of the metallic surface exposed to the corrosive medium did not reveal a normal electrochemical response to the applied signal. This may be associated with phenomena such as partial disintegration of specimens into fine metallic particles, electrochemical formation of ions, and/or anomalous chemical attack occurring simultaneously with the normal electrochemical corrosion attack. The abnormal electrochemical behaviour was more evident for lower amounts of aluminium in the bulk composition of the investigated materials. Thus, the electrochemical estimates of pure Mg and the AZ31 alloy were not reliable and tended to underestimate corrosion losses.Peer Reviewe

The role of spatial and temporal radiation deposition in inertial fusion chambers: the case of HiPER¿

The first wall armour for the reactor chamber of HiPER will have to face short energy pulses of 5 to 20 MJ mostly in the form of x-rays and charged particles at a repetition rate of 5–10 Hz. Armour material and chamber dimensions have to be chosen to avoid/minimize damage to the chamber, ensuring the proper functioning of the facility during its planned lifetime. The maximum energy fluence that the armour can withstand without risk of failure, is determined by temporal and spatial deposition of the radiation energy inside the material. In this paper, simulations on the thermal effect of the radiation–armour interaction are carried out with an increasing definition of the temporal and spatial deposition of energy to prove their influence on the final results. These calculations will lead us to present the first values of the thermo-mechanical behaviour of the tungsten armour designed for the HiPER project under a shock ignition target of 48 MJ. The results will show that only the crossing of the plasticity limit in the first few micrometres might be a threat after thousands of shots for the survivability of the armour

Large current-induced broadening of the superconducting transition in Mo/Au transition edge sensors

The R(T, I) shape of the superconducting transition in transition edge sensors (TESs) is of crucial importance to determine their ultimate performance. This paper reports a study of the temperature and current dependences of the transition of Mo/Au TESs, focused on the low resistance region, where these devices preferentially operate. A large broadening of the transition is observed when increasing the applied current. An empirical analytic expression for R(T, I) is found, which describes the transition of devices with different critical temperatures, from R = 0 up to at least 30% R-n (in some cases nearly 80% R-n). Several mechanisms for this behaviour are considered; results show that a current assisted vortex pair unbinding mechanism (Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition) could be the possible origin for this behaviour. Finally, the consequences of the current-induced transition broadening for TES properties and operation are outlined

Correlation between the surface chemistry and the atmospheric corrosion of AZ31, AZ80 and AZ91D magnesium alloys

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used in order to investigate the correlation between the surface chemistry and the atmospheric corrosion of AZ31, AZ80 and AZ91D magnesium alloys exposed to 98% relative humidity at 50 °C. Commercially pure magnesium, used as the reference material, revealed MgO, Mg(OH)2 and tracers of magnesium carbonate in the air-formed film. For the AZ80 and AZ91D alloys, the amount of magnesium carbonate formed on the surface reached similar values to those of MgO and Mg(OH)2. A linear relation between the amount of magnesium carbonate formed on the surface and the subsequent corrosion behaviour in the humid environment was found. The AZ80 alloy revealed the highest amount of magnesium carbonate in the air-formed film and the highest atmospheric corrosion resistance, even higher than the AZ91D alloy, indicating that aluminium distribution in the alloy microstructure influenced the amount of magnesium carbonate formedThanks to the MCYT for the financial support given to this work (Project MAT2006-13179-C02-01-02)Peer reviewe

Thermal stability of copper nitride thin films: The role of nitrogen migration

The atomic composition, structural, morphological, and optical properties of N-rich copper nitride thin films have been investigated prior to and after annealing them in vacuum at temperatures up to 300 °C. Films were characterized by means of ion-beam analysis (IBMA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and spectroscopic ellipsometry techniques (SE). The data reveal that even when the total (integrated over the whole thickness) atomic composition of the films remains constant, nitrogen starts to migrate from the bulk to the film surface, without out-diffusing, at temperatures as low as 100 °C. This migration leads to two chemical phases with different atomic concentration of nitrogen, lattice parameters, and crystallographic orientation but with the same crystal structure. XRD experimental and Rietveld refined data seem to confirm that nitrogen excess accommodates in interstitial locations within the anti-ReO3 crystal lattice forming a solid solution. The influence of nitrogen migration on the optical (electronic) properties of the films will be discusse

Compositional, structural and morphological modifications of N-rich Cu3N films induced by irradiation with Cu at 42 MeV

N-rich Cu3N films were irradiated with Cu at 42 MeV in the fluences range from 4 × 1011 to 1 × 1014 cm−2. The radiation-induced changes in the chemical composition, structural phases, surface morphology and optical properties have been characterized as a function of ion fluence, substrate temperature and angle of incidence of the incoming ion by means of ion-beam analysis (IBA), x-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, profilometry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy techniques. IBA methods reveal a very efficient sputtering of N whose yield (5 × 103 atom/ion) is almost independent of substrate temperature (RT-300 °C) but slightly depends on the incidence angle of the incoming ion. The Cu content remains essentially constant within the investigated fluence range. All data suggest an electronic mechanism to be responsible for the N depletion. The release of nitrogen and the formation of Cu2O and metallic Cu are discussed on the basis of existing models