Publications

Relaxor ferroelectrics have neither long range ferroelectric order nor structural transformation down to the lowest temperatures, and display isotropic optical properties like quadratic electro-optic effect. However, if an anisotropy is forced through an external agent, like electric field or uniaxial strain, a ferroelectric and structural long range order can be induced in these materials. Here, we show that epitaxial strain in relaxor ferroelectric thin films can be employed to induce a linear electro-optic effect, opening the path to new strain-controlled electro-optic materials. Epitaxial thin films with Pb1-3x/2LaxZr0.2Ti0.8O3 (x = 0.22) composition grown by pulsed laser deposition on (001) SrRuO3/SrTiO3 single crystal heterostructures become tetragonal below the susceptibility peak, which occurs at a temperature 140K higher as compared to bulk. These films show piezoelectric properties and almost linear electro-optic behaviour. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.

The emergence of magnetic properties and quadratic magnetoelectric coupling in a material with outstanding ferroelectric properties has been pursued. Thus, the multiferroicity driven by the substitution of rare earth R3+ ions (R = Sm, Nd) on the A-site of PbTiO3 perovskite ceramics has been investigated. In some samples, a transition element with large ionic radius, like Fe2+, has been also added on the A site. Polycrystalline ceramic samples with composition (Pb1-3x/2-yRxFey) (Ti0.98Mn0.02)O-3 (R = Sm; x = 0.08, y = 0.035) and (Pb1-3x/2Rx)(Ti0.98Mn0.02)O-3 (R = Nd, x = 0.08) have been prepared by conventional solid state ceramic processing, starting from reagent grade oxide powders. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the obtaining of a crystalline phase with tetragonal P4mm symmetry. Transmission electron microscopy and high resolution transmission electron microscopy investigations have been carried out in order to analyze the local structure. Temperature dependence of dielectric permittivity revealed a strong anomaly at the temperature T-c of the paraelectric-ferroelectric phase transition. Transition temperature values depend on the R ion type and are lower than in pure lead titanate by 80-100K. A broad anomaly of dielectric permittivity is found below 140-180K, where magnetization also increases due to the quadratic magnetoelectric coupling between ferroelectric and magnetic states. For the (Pb0.845Sm0.08Fe0.035)(Ti0.98Mn0.02)O-3 composition, the piezoelectric charge coefficient at room temperature was d(31) similar to-6.5 pC/N and the remanent magnetization Mr at room temperature was about 0.1 emu/g. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.

For practical applications of superconducting materials in applied magnetic fields, artificial pinning centres in addition to natural ones are required to oppose the Lorentz force. These pinning centres are actually various types of defects in the superconductor matrix. The pinning centres can be categorised on their dimension (volume, surface, or point) and on their character (normal cores or Delta kappa cores). We have used the Dew Hughes approach to determine the types of pinning centres present in various samples, with various thicknesses, temperatures and nanostructured additions to the superconducting matrix. Results show that normal surface pinning centres are present throughout almost all the samples, as dominant pinning mechanism. Such 2D extended pinning centres are mainly due to dislocations, grain boundaries, nanorods. Strong normal point pinning centres were found to be common in BZO doped YBCO samples. Other types of pinning centres, in various (minor) concentrations were also found in some of the samples. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Two different types of Ho2O3 powders (showing a much different morphology) were added to MgB2 in the ex-situ Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS). In the 5-25 K range, the first Ho2O3 powder type does not significantly suppress the critical current density J(c) at low magnetic fields and the second one enhances it at high fields, while their mixture simultaneously controls J(c) at both small and high magnetic fields so that the decrease is small at low fields and there is a notable enhancement at high fields when compared to pristine sample. The control of J(c)(H) is discussed versus specific characteristics of the raw powders, the resulting microstructure of the added SPS-ed samples and pinning details from magnetic relaxation measurements. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Relaxor-to-ferroelectric transformations induced by varying electric fields and temperatures are studied experimentally in acube-on-cubetype epitaxial PbSc1/2Nb1/2O3 film grown on La1/2Sr1/2CoO3/MgO(001). Dielectric response, quasi-static and dynamic polarization, and dynamic current-voltage characteristics evidence the absence of spontaneous relaxor-to-ferroelectric transition. The electricfield-induced transformation from a glass-like relaxor state to a new dynamic polar state is detected at low temperatures below 100 K only. The frustration of ferroelectricity is discussed in relation to orientational anisotropy of the dipolar system in the epitaxial (001) film.

ZnO nanowires were prepared by electrochemical deposition in polycarbonate ion track templates. After the deposition process the polymer templates were dissolved in dichloromethane and the nanowires were harvested by ultrasonication in isopropyl. A droplet of nanowire suspension was placed on a Si/SiO2 substrate patterned with interdigitated electrodes. By means of electron beam lithography single nanowires were selected and provided with electrical contacts. We found that in order to obtain reliable electrical contacts and typical field effect characteristics the electrode deposition process needs to be adapted to the 3 D shape of the wires and that annealing and passivation treatments are necessary. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

ZnO structures were deposited using a simple chemical bath deposition technique onto interdigitated electrodes fabricated by a conventional photolithography method on SiO2/Si substrates. The X-ray diffraction studies show that the ZnO samples have a hexagonal wurtzite crystalline structure. The scanning electron microscopy observations prove that the substrates are uniformly covered by ZnO networks formed by monodisperse rods. The ZnO rod average diameter and length were tuned by controlling reactants' concentration and reaction time. Optical spectroscopy measurements demonstrate that all the samples display bandgap values and emission bands typical for ZnO. The electrical measurements reveal percolating networks which are highly sensitive when the samples are exposed to ammonia vapors, a variation in their resistance with the exposure time being evidenced. Other important characteristics are that the ZnO rod networks exhibit superhydrophobicity, with water contact angles exceeding 150 degrees and a high water droplet adhesion. Reproducible, easily scalable, and low-cost chemical bath deposition and photolithography techniques could provide a facile approach to fabricate such ZnO networks and devices based on them for a wide range of applications where multifunctionality, i.e., sensing and superhydrophobicity, properties are required.

A new composite material was synthesized via the electrochemical oxidation of 2,2'-bithiophene (BTh) and pyrene (Py) monomers dissolved in a solution of LiC1O(4) in CH3CN onto a working electrode of Au coated with a film of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). The interaction of the poly(2,2'-bithiophene-co-pyrene) (PBTh-Py) with the SWNTs and the orientation of the copolymer on the working electrode were studied by anti-Stokes and Stokes Raman scattering and FTIR spectroscopy in the grazing-incidence angle reflection geometry. The Raman lines at 1464 and 1435 cm(-1), attributed to the symmetric stretching modes of the C=C bond in the quinoid and aromatic rings of the PBTh-Py copolymer, were observed when the working electrode is either a blank Au film or a Au support coated with a SWNT film. In the latter case, charge transfer occurs at the interface of the two constituents. This charge transfer leads to functionalization of the carbon nanotubes with the copolymer molecules. The presence of enhanced anti-Stokes Raman lines at -1461, -1435 and -1187 cm(-1) indicates a resonant optical excitation process of the PBTh-Py/SWNT composite. The FTIR spectra acquired under polarized light for the PBTh-Py copolymer electrosynthesized on a bare Au support reveal significant changes in the absorption bands situated in the spectral ranges of 1000-1150 and 1550-1650 cm(-1) that originate in the surface-enhanced IR absorption (SEIRA) processes. The functionalization of the SWNTs with the PBTh-Py copolymer is evidenced by the enhancement of the absorption of the FTIR bands at 793 and 846 cm(-1), which are assigned to the C S C deformation vibrational mode and the substituted benzene ring, respectively, due to the effects of steric hindrance that are induced for the copolymer molecules by the binding of carbon nanotubes. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The GeTiO2 amorphous films were deposited by magnetron sputtering and subsequently annealed at 400, 550, 600 and 700 degrees C for nanostructuring. The structure of annealed films was investigated by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The transmittance spectra of all annealed GeTiO2 films were measured and simulated by using Bruggeman effective medium approximation considering components of TiO2 anatase, crystalline Ge, GeO2 and voids determined from the structure investigations. The electrical behavior of 400, 600 and 700 degrees C annealed films was studied by measuring current-voltage characteristics. We found that by increasing the annealing temperature the films thickness decreases from 330 nm (as-deposited films) to 290 nm (700 degrees C annealed films). The 400 degrees C annealed films are amorphous, while all the others annealed at higher temperatures are crystallized (X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy). In the 550 and 600 degrees C annealed films we found the (TiGe)O-2 rutile structure which is formed by starting from the GeO2 tetragonal structure with high Ti content. Additionally, these films contain TiO2 anatase structure and cubic Ge nanocrystals. At 700 degrees C annealing temperature, a surface layer of GeO2 tetragonal nanocrystals is formed by Ge diffusion and a part of Ge is lost. The experimental transmittance spectra indicate a broadening of the transparency range by increasing the annealing temperature, and the simulated ones also indicate this behavior with the decrease of Ge content, the experimental and simulated spectra being in good agreement. Also, the increase of annealing temperature produces an increase of electrical conductivity. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

We present the effect of single molecular magnet ([Fe(bpca) Dy-2(NO (3))(4)] a <...H (2) Oa <...4.5 CH (3) NO (2) and [Mn (2)(naften) (2)(CH 3COO)(CH 3OH)] a <...BPh (4)) thermolysis on the superconducting properties of polycrystalline MgB (2) samples when inserted and sintered by spark plasma sintering technique. As a result of pyrolysis, Fe- and Dy-magnetic compounds grow within the MgB (2) matrix and give a paramagnetic behavior in normal state, whereas the Mn-based compounds display negligible magnetic properties. We find that the magnetic critical current density of the as-obtained superconducting composites, as well as the pinning mechanism, is dependent on the magnetic background, with a noticeable advantage for the sample with magnetic compounds.