National Institute Of Materials Physics - Romania

Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) is an economically and environmentally friendly alternative to other toxic and expensive materials used for photovoltaics, however, the variation in the composition during synthesis is often followed by the occurrence of the secondary binary and ternary crystalline phases. These phases produce changes in the optical absorption edge important in cell efficiency. We explore here the secondary phases that emerge in a combinatorial Cu2S-ZnS-SnS2 thin films library. Thin films with a composition gradient were prepared by simultaneous magnetron sputtering from three binary chalcogenide targets (Cu2S, SnS2 and ZnS). Then, the samples were crystallized by sulfurization annealing at 450 degrees C under argon flow. Their composition was measured by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), whereas the structural and optical properties were investigated by grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), Raman spectroscopy and optical transmission measurements. As already known, we found that annealing in a sulfur environment is beneficial, increasing the crystallinity of the samples. Raman spectroscopy revealed the presence of CZTS in all the samples from the library. Secondary crystalline phases such as SnS2, ZnS and Cu-S are also formed in the samples depending on their proximity to the binary chalcogenide targets. The formation of ZnS or Cu-S strongly correlates with the Zn/Sn and Cu/Zn ratio of the total sample composition. The presence of these phases produces a variation in the bandgap between 1.41 eV and 1.68 eV. This study reveals that as we go further away from CZTS in the composition space, in the quasi-ternary Cu2S-ZnS-SnS2 diagram, secondary crystalline phases arise and increase in number, whereas the bandgap takes values outside the optimum range for photovoltaic applications.

Titanium diffusion in tungsten is an undesirable phenomenon that may cause the drop of mechanical and thermal fatigue properties of tungsten base material and components in future fusion reactors. To avoid such as problematic, the effectiveness of two different diffusion coatings, deposited onto W base materials by means of RF magnetron sputtering (Cr and V layers), has been studied to analyze its impact on the operative brazing aspects of the W-Eurofer joints. Coatings with two different thicknesses were deposited over tungsten base material prepared using different surface roughness (0.08 and 0.09 mu m). The results indicated that Ti diffusion into tungsten base material after the brazing process was suppressed in all cases while the consecution of full metallic continuity was reached. However, both Cr and V layers were dissolved during the brazing process due to the high solubility of both elements into beta-Ti. Mechanical properties of the joints dropped especially when Cr is used but a strength higher than 100 MPa was obtained in the case of using V layers.

Nanocrystalline PdO films have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and electron probe microanalysis. The results demonstrate that thermal oxidation in an O-2 atmosphere causes similar to 35-nm-thick nanocrystalline Pd films on SiO2/Si(100) substrates to undergo a sequence of phase transformations resulting in PdO formation, followed by PdO decomposition into metallic Pd atT > 1120 K. In the range 670-970 K, theaandctetragonal cell parameters of the nanocrystalline PdO films increase monotonically with increasing temperature. The present and previously reported data have been used to construct a model for the unit cell in the crystal structure of palladium(II) oxide. Based on the quasi-chemical approach, we propose a model that accounts for the observed increase in the tetragonal cell parameters and thep-type conductivity of the nanocrystalline PdO films in terms of the formation of excess interstitial oxygen atoms.

This work investigates the structural, magnetic and magneto-optical properties of a new zinc phosphate-tellurite glass belonging to the 45ZnO-10Al(2)O(3)-40P(2)O(5)-5TeO(2)system. The glass was prepared by a wet method of processing the starting reagents followed by suitable melting-stirring-quenching-annealing steps. Specific parameters such as density, average molecular mass, molar volume, oxygen packaging density, refractive index, molar refractivity, electronic polarizability, reflection loss, optical transmission, band gap and optical basicity have been reported together with thermal, magnetic and magneto-optical characteristics. Absorption bands appear in the blue and red visible region, while over 600 nm the glass becomes more transparent. FTIR and Raman spectra evidenced phosphate-tellurite vibration modes proving the P(2)O(5)and TeO(2)network forming role. Magnetic measurements reveal the diamagnetic character of the Te-doped glass with an additional weak ferromagnetic signal, specific to diluted ferromagnetic oxides. Positive Faraday rotation angle with monotonous decreasing value at increasing wavelength was evidenced from magneto-optical measurements. The final product is a composite material comprising of a non-crystalline vitreous phase and Te-based nanoclusters accompanied by oxygen vacancies. The metallic-like Te colloids are responsible for the dark reddish color of the glass whereas the accompanying oxygen vacancies might be responsible for the weak ferromagnetic signal persisting up to room temperature.

Polyvinylidene fluoride-iron oxide (PVDF-Fe2O3) nanocomposites have been obtained my melt mixing of PVDF with Fe2O3 nanoparticles. The interactions between the polymeric matrix and the nanofiller have been investigated by wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Raman spectroscopy, using both red and green excitations (lasers). WAXS, FTIR, and Raman spectra confirm that all samples contain alpha PVDF as the major crystalline form of the polymeric matrix. Experimental data revealed small changes in the positions of X-ray lines as well as modifications of the width of X-ray lines upon loading by Fe2O3 nanoparticles. FTIR and Raman spectra are dominated by the lines of the polymeric matrix. Within the experimental errors, the positions of Raman lines are not affected by the wavelength of the incoming electromagnetic radiation, although they are sensitive to the strain of the polymeric matrix induced by addition of the nanofiller. The loading of the polymeric matrix with nanoparticles stretches the macromolecular chains, affecting their vibrational spectra (FTIR and Raman). A complex dependence of the positions of some Raman and FTIR lines on the loading with Fe2O3 is reported. The manuscript provides a detailed analysis of the effects of nanofiller on the position of WAXS, FTIR, and Raman lines. (c) 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020, 137, 48907.

With the aim of demonstrating phase coexistence of two magnetic phases in an intermediate annealing regime and obtaining highly coercive FePt nanocomposite magnets, two alloys of slightly off-equiatomic composition of a binary Fe-Pt system were prepared by dynamic rotation switching and ball milling. The alloys, with a composition Fe(53)Pt(47)and Fe55Pt45, were subsequently annealed at 400 degrees C and 550 degrees C and structurally and magnetically characterized by means of X-ray diffraction,Fe-57 Mossbauer spectrometry and Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) magnetometry measurements. Gradual disorder-order phase transformation and temperature-dependent evolution of the phase structure were monitored using X-ray diffraction of synchrotron radiation. It was shown that for annealing temperatures as low as 400 degrees C, a predominant, highly ordered L1(0)phase is formed in both alloys, coexisting with a cubic L1(2)soft magnetic FePt phase. The coexistence of the two phases is evidenced through all the investigating techniques that we employed. SQUID magnetometry hysteresis loops of samples annealed at 400 degrees C exhibit inflection points that witness the coexistence of the soft and hard magnetic phases and high values of coercivity and remanence are obtained. For the samples annealed at 500 degrees C, the hysteresis loops are continuous, without inflection points, witnessing complete exchange coupling of the hard and soft magnetic phases and further enhancement of the coercive field. Maximum energy products comparable with values of current permanent magnets are found for both samples for annealing temperatures as low as 500 degrees C. These findings demonstrate an interesting method to obtain rare earth-free permanent nanocomposite magnets with hard-soft exchange-coupled magnetic phases.

We have grown, by Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD), a large number of YBa2Cu3O7 films with artificial pinning centers, with various impurities, various architectures and thickness, and various techniques of nano-scale pinning engineering: substrate decoration, BaZrO3 (BZO) nano-inclusions, and (quasi) multilayer architecture. Here we will present the results regarding vortex matter, dynamics, and pinning, in some of our best samples. Magnetic relaxation studies with magnetic field perpendicular to the film show that in both cases the splayed defects and/or nanoscale inclusions help reduce the dissipation in certain field-temperature range, by inhibiting the detrimental double vortex-kink formation. The response of the vortex system to AC excitation is rather complex but extremely useful for the characterization of the vortex dynamics. We have measured AC susceptibility in various DC fields, with various AC fields and frequencies and found that the effective vortex activation energy U-eff has a logarithmic dependence on the AC-field-induced current density J. Synergetic pinning centers assured a low anisotropy of the critical current for various field orientations, a property desired in coil/solenoid applications.

We have measured the two-dimensional image potential states (IPS) of a germanene layer synthesized on a Ge2Pt crystal using scanning tunnelling microscopy and spectroscopy. The IPS spectrum of germanene exhibits several differences as compared to the IPS spectrum of pristine Ge(001). First, then = 1peak of the Rydberg series of the IPS spectrum of germanene has two contributions, labelledn = 1(-)andn = 1(+), respectively. The peak at the lower energy side is weaker and is associated to the mirror-symmetric state with opposite parity. The appearance of this peak indicates that the interaction between the germanene layer and the substrate is very weak. Second, the work function of germanene is about 0.75 eV lower in energy than the work function of Ge(001). This large difference in work function of germanene and pristine Ge(001) is in agreement with first-principles calculations.

This work is focused on investigation of thermal, structural, optical, magnetic, and magneto-optical properties of novel titanium phosphate-tellurite glass applied as Faraday rotators. The glass belonging to the system 35Li(2)O-10Al(2)O(3)-5TiO(2)-45P(2)O(5)-5TeO(2) was prepared by a nonconventional wet route of raw materials processing, followed by melting-quenching-annealing steps. Some important physical properties of the investigated glass have been measured and calculated, providing knowledge related to glass compactness, electronic structure, glass forming capability, etc. XRD analysis evidenced an amorphous network structure of the investigated glass. The optical absorption in the Vis domain is mainly due to Ti3+ ions and Te-2 clusters formed during the glass melting process. A relatively low optical absorption is noticed over 600 nm that activates a significant Faraday magneto-optical effect. Photoluminescence bands in the blue, red, and infrared domains are observed, caused by Te-2 clusters formed during the glass melting process. The magnetization in dependency on applied magnetic field reveals a complex behavior of the glass, depending on temperature. Thus, it is found a ferromagnetic behavior up to 2000 Oe, a paramagnetic component up to 40 000 Oe, followed by a diamagnetic one over 40 000 Oe. Faraday rotation angle and Verdet constant values in the visible domain are correlated with the reduced TeO2 content of the glass.