Characterization of La-doped xBiInO_3(1-x)PbTiO_3 Piezoelectric Films Deposited by the Radio-Frequency Magnetron Sputtering Method

La-doped and undoped xBiIn03-（1 - x）PbTi03 （BI-PT） thin films are deposited on （101）SrRuO3/（lOO）Pt/（lO0） MgO substrates by the rf-magnetron sputtering method. The structures of the films are characterized by XRD and SEM, and the results indicate that the thin films are grown with mainly （100） oriented and columnar structures. The ferroelectricity and piezoelectricity of the BI-PT films are also measured, and the measured results illustrate that both performances are effectively improved by the La-doping with suitable concentrations. These results will open up wide potential applications of the films in electronic devices.

High Ferroelectricities and High Curie Temperature of BiInO3PbTiO3Thin Films Deposited by RF Magnetron Sputtering Method

Properties of ferroelectric xBiInO3-（1-x）PbTiO3（xBI-（1-x）PT） thin films deposited on（101） SrRuO3/（200）Pt/（200） MgO substrates by rf magnetron sputtering method and effects of deposition conditions are investigated.The structures of the xBI-（1-x）PT films are characterized by x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy.The results indicate that the thin films are grown with mainly（001） orientation. The chemical compositions of the films are analyzed by scanning electron probe and the results indicate that the loss phenomena of Pb and Bi elements depend on the pressure and temperature during the sputtering process.The sputtering parameters including target composition, substrate temperature, and gas pressure are adjusted to obtain optimum sputtering conditions. To decrease leakage currents,2 mol% La2 O3 is doped in the targets. The P-E hysteresis loops show that the optimized xBI-（1-x）PT（x = 0.24） film has high ferroelectricities with remnant polarization2 Pr = 80μC/cm2 and coercive electric field 2 EC = 300 kV/cm. The Curie temperature is about 640℃. The results show that the films have optimum performance and will have wide applications.

Controllable Modulation of Morphology and Property of CsPbCl_(3)Perovskite Microcrystals by Vapor Deposition Method

As a direct wide bandgap semiconductor,CsPbCl_(3)has great potential applications in the eld of near-ultraviolet photodetectors,lasers and higher-order multiphoton uores-cent detectors.In this work,we synthesized CsPbCl_(3)micro/nanocrystals by vapor depo-sition method with CsCl and PbCl_(2)powders as the source materials.It was con rmed that the formation of CsPbCl_(3)perovskite through the chemical reaction of CsCl with PbCl_(2)occurred in the quartz boat before the source evaporation,not in vapor or on sub-strate surface.The evaporated CsPbCl_(3)can form micro/nanocrystals on substrate surfaces under appropriate conditions.Various morphologies including irregular polyhedrons,rods and pyramids could be observed at lower temperature,while stable and uniform CsPbCl_(3)single crystal microplatelets were controllably synthesized at 450℃.Prolonging the growth time could modulate the size and density of the microcrystals,but could not change the morphology.Substrate types made little di erence to the morphology of CsPbCl_(3)crystals.The photoluminescence spectra indicated that the crystallinity and morphology of CsPbCl_(3)micro/nanocrystals have signi cant e ects on their optical properties.The work is expected to be helpful to the development of optoelectronic devices based on individual CsPbCl_(3)microcrystal.

Application of fractal content-gradient method for delineating geochemical anomalies associated with copper occurrences in the Yangla ore field,China

Fractal and multi-fractal content area method finds application in a wide variety of geological,geochemical and geophysical fields.In this study,the fractal content-gradient method was used on1：10,000 scale to delineate geochemical anomalies associated with copper mineralization.Analysis of geochemical data from the Yangla super large Cu-Pb-Zn polymetallic ore district using the fractal content-gradient method,combined with other geological data from this area,indicates that oreprospecting in the ore district should focus on Cu as the main metal and Pb-Zn and Au as the auxiliary metals.The types of deposits include（in chronological order） re-formed sedimentary exhalative（SEDEX）,skarns,porphyries,and hydrothermal vein-type deposits.Three ore-prospecting targets are divided on a S-N basis：（1） the Qulong exploration area,in which the targets are porphyry-type Cu deposits;（2） the Zongya exploration area,where the targets are porphyry-type Cu and hydrothermal vein-type Cu-Pb polymetallic deposits;and（3） the Zarelongma exploration area,characterized mainly skarn-type ＂Yangla-style＂ massive sulfide Cu-Pb deposits.Our study demonstrates that the fractal content-gradient method is convenient,simple,rapid,and direct for delineating geochemical anomalies and for outlining potential exploration targets.

Preparation of Highly Textured Bi and MnBi Films by the Pulsed Laser Deposition Method

Textured Bi and MnBi/Bi thin films are prepared by the pulsed laser deposition method. The highly c-axis textured MnBi films are obtained by annealing the bilayer consisting of textured Bi and Mn films. The eoercivities of the MnBi/Bi film are 1.5 T and 2.35 T at room temperature and at 373K, respectively, showing a positive temperature coefficient. Microstructural investigations show that the textured MnBi film results from the orientated growth induced by the textured Bi under-layer.

Study on the Pyrolytic Carbon Generated by the Electric Heating CVD Method

A new method of fabricating C/C composite materials, namely electric heating CVD method, was used, which electrified the carbon fiber directly by using the conductivity of itself. Acetylene was used as the carbon source with nitrogen as dilution gas, and the pyrolytic carbon started to deposit on the carbon fiber surface when the deposition temperature was reached. The morphology of pyrolytic carbon was characterized by SEM, and the surface properties of carbon fibers before and after CVD were characterized by Raman spectroscopy. The experimental results show that the electric heating method is a novel method to fabricate C/C composite materials, which can form a dense C/C composite material in a short time. The order degree and the average crystallite size of the carbon fiber surface were decreased after the experiment.

A Simple Deposition Method for Self-Assembling Single Crystalline Hybrid Perovskite Nanostructures

A sequential deposition method is developed, where the hybrid organic-inorganic halide perovskite （CH3NH3Pb （I1-xBrx）3 ） is synthesized using precursor solutions containing CH3NH3I and PbBr2 with different mole ratios and reaction times. The perovskite achieved here is quite stable in the atmosphere for a relatively long time without noticeable degradation, and the perovskite nanowires are proved to be single crystalline structure, based on transmission electron microscopy.Furthermore, strong red photoluminescence from perovskite is observed in the wavelength range from 746nm to 770nm with the increase of the reaction time, on account of the exchanges between I- ions and Br- ions in the perovskite crystal. Lastly, the influences of concentration and reaction time of the precursor solutions are discussed, which are important for evolution of hybrid perovskite from nanocuboid to nanowire and nanosheet.

TiO_2 thin film photocatalyst

It is well known that the photocatalytic activity of TiO_2 thin filmsstrongly depends on the preparing methods and post-treatment conditions, since they have a decisiveinfluence on the chemical and physical properties of TiO_2 thin films. Therefore, it is necessary toelucidate the influence of the preparation process and post-treatment conditions on thephoto-catalytic activity and surface microstructures of the films. This review deals with thepreparation of TiO_2 thin film photo-catalysts by wet-chemical methods (such as sol-gel,-reversemicellar and liquid phase deposition) and the comparison of various preparation methods as well astheir advantage and disadvantage. Furthermore, it is discussed that the advancement ofphotocatalytic activity, super-hydrophilicity and bactericidal activity of TiO_2 thin filmphotocatalyst in recent years.

Fully-inorganic strontium incorporated CsPbI_(2)Br perovskite solar cells with promoted efficiency and stability

In the present investigation, we fabricated strontium (Sr2+) incorporated CsPbI2Br-based inorganic perovskite solar cells in ambient conditions. The morphology, crystallinity, absorption, elemental composition and photoluminescence analysis of the bare CsPbI2Br and CsPb1-xSrxI2Br perovskite thin films were studied systematically to investigate the role of Sr2+ incorporation. It is observed that the surface morphology of the CsPbI2Br perovskite thin film has been improved by partial substitution of Pb2+ by Sr2+ which facilitates photoactive black phase-stabilization and defect passivation. The champion device having CsPb0.98Sr0.02I2Br composition exhibited a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 16.61% which is much higher than the bare device (13.65%). Furthermore, our CsPb0.98Sr0.02I2Br-based devices maintain > 85% of its initial efficiency over 100 h in ambient conditions.

Using the DEM-CFD method to predict Brownian particle deposition in a constricted tube

Modelling of the agglomeration and deposition on a constricted tube collector of colloidal size particles immersed in a liquid is investigated using the discrete element method （DEM）. The ability of this method to represent surface interactions allows the simulation of agglomeration and deposition at the particle scale. The numerical model adopts a mechanistic approach to represent the forces involved in colloidal suspensions by including near-wall drag retardation, surface interaction and Brownian forces. The model is implemented using the commercially available DEM package EDEM 2.3~, so that results can be repli- cated in a standard and user-friendly framework. The effects of various particle-to-collector size ratios, inlet fluid flow-rates and particle concentrations are examined and it is found that deposition efficiency is strongly dependent on the inter-relation of these parameters. Particle deposition and re-suspension mechanisms have been identified and analyzed thanks to EDEM＇s post processing capability. One-way coupling with computational fluid dynamics （CFD） is considered and results are compared with a two- way coupling between EDEM 2.3 and FLUENT 12.1. It is found that two-way coupling requires circa 500% more time than one-way coupling for similar results.

Chemical vapor deposition synthesis and Raman scattering investigation of quasi-one-dimensional ZrS_(3)nanoflakes

Quasi-one-dimensional ZrS_(3)nanoflakes attract intense interest attributed to their superior electrical and optical anisotropy,stemming from the low symmetry in the crystal structure.However,the conventional chemical vapor transport method for synthesizing bulk ZrS_(3)is limited by morphology and size controllability.It is highly desirable to propose a facile way to precisely synthesize ZrS_(3)nanoflakes.In this work,the chemical vapor deposition method is proposed as a feasible way to synthesize ZrS_(3)nanoflakes.The effects of various substrates and temperatures on ZrS_(3)synthesis have been investigated.For the as-grown ZrS_(3),good crystallinity is confirmed with X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy.The structure and interlayer coupling are investigated with Raman scattering spectroscopy.The strong in-plane anisotropy and interlayer coupling of the ZrS_(3)nanoflakes are illustrated with angle-resolved Raman spectroscopy and temperature-dependent Raman characterization,respectively.This study demonstrates a feasible way for the synthesis of transition metal trisulfides,which may shed new light on the research of other two-dimensional anisotropic transition metal materials.

Biocompatible DCPD Coating Formed on AZ91D Magnesium Alloy by Chemical Deposition and Its Corrosion Behaviors in SBF

Bioactive calcium phosphate coatings were prepared on AZ91D magnesium alloy in phosphating solution in order to im- prove the corrosion resistance of the magnesium alloy in Simulated Body Fluid （SBF）. The surface morphologies and compo- sitions of the calcium phosphate coatings deposited in the phosphating bath with different compositions were investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy （SEM） with Energy Dispersive Spectrometer （EDS） and X-ray Diffraction （XRD）. Results showed that the calcium phosphate coating was mainly composed of dicalcium phosphate dihydrate （CaHPO4o2H20, DCPD）, with Ca/P ratio of approximately 1 ： 1. The corrosion resistance was evaluated by acid drop, electrochemical polarization, elec- trochemical impedance spectroscopy and immersion tests. The dense and uniform calcium phosphate coating obtained from the optimal phosphating bath can greatly decrease the corrosion rate and hydrogen evolution rate of AZ91D magnesium alloy in SBE

Ca-P Conversion Coating on AZ60 Magnesium Alloy for Biomedical Application

To improve the anti-corrosion behaviors of magnesium alloy in the inner environment of human body,a bioactive Ca-P coating was deposited on the AZ60 magnesium alloy by a novel simple method.The morphologies of the Ca-P coatings formed under different treatment time were studied by scanning electron microscopy（SEM）.The corrosion behaviors of Ca-P coating were investigated by electrochemical polarization test and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in both 3％（mass fraction） NaCl solution and simulated body fluid（SBF）.Immersion test in SBF was performed to evaluate the corrosion rate of Ca-P coated magnesium alloy.X-Ray diffraction（XRD） analysis result shows that the coating mentioned above mainly consists of dicalcium phosphate dehydrate（CaHPO4·2H2O,DCPD） and β-tricalcium phosphate dehydrate[β-TCP,Ca3（PO4）2],which exhibits good corrosion resistance.After magnesium alloy was immersed in 1 mol/L NaOH solution at 80 ℃ for 2 h,hydroxyapatite [Ca10（PO4）6（OH）2,HA]appeared on the magnesium alloy substrate,which can further decrease the corrosion rate of AZ60 magnesium alloy in SBF.

Evaluation of heavy metal contamination hazards in nuisance dust particles, in Kurdistan Province, western Iran

The effects of natural andgeochemical factors depending on heavy metal contamination in nuisance dust particles were evaluated. The nuisance dust particles were sampled using passive deposit gauge method for one year from April2010 to March2011 and the obtained samples were measured for the total contents and the contamination levels of Fe, Mn, Cu and As usinggeo-accumulation index （Igeo ）, enrichment factor （EF） and the integrated pollution index （IPI）. The results showed that, the contamination levels of Fe and Mn based on Igeo values, were uncontaminated （Igeo 〈 0） （variations of the Igeo index was from -3.11 to -1.751 for Fe, from -0.630 to -1.925 for Mn）, while the values of Cu and As were demonstrated to have moderate contamination based on Igeo values （variations of Igeo index was from -1.125 to 0.848 for Cu, and from -2.002 to 1.249 for As）. The analysis of EF also revealed minor to moderate enrichment for Mn （1.215-4.214）, minor to moderately severe enrichment for Cu （2.791-6.484）, and As （1.370-8.462）, respectively. The variation of the IPI index also showed low to moderate level of heavy metal pollution in nuisance dust particulates （0.511-1.829）. The analysis of the results also approved that the natural processes andgeochemical variables （the changing meteorological parameters） can significantly affect the availability of heavy metals in nuisance dust particles in Western Iran.

Experimental-computational study of fibrous particle transport and deposition in a bifurcating lung model

Experiments carried out using a lung model with a single horizontal bifurcation under different steady inhalation conditions explored the orientation of depositing carbon fibers, and particle deposition frac- tions. The orientations of deposited fibers were obtained from micrographs. Specifically, the effects of the sedimentation parameter （γ）, fiber length, and flow rate on orientations were analyzed. Our results indicate that gravitational effect on deposition cannot be neglected for 0.0228 〈 γ 〈 0.247. The absolute orientation angle of depositing fibers decreased linearly with increasing y for values 0.0228 〈 γ 〈 0.15. Correspondence between Stokes numbers and y suggests these characteristics can be used to estimate fiber deposition in the lower airways. Computer simulations with sphere-equivalent diameter models for the fibers explored deposition efficiency vs. Stokes number. Using the volume-equivalent diameter model, our experimental data for the horizontal bifurcation were replicated. Results for particle deposition using a lung model with a vertical bifurcation indicate that body position also affects deposition.

Demonstration of a Polymer-Based Single Step Waveguide by 3D Printing Digital Light Processing Technology for Isopropanol Alcohol-Concentration Sensor

A polymer based horizontal single step waveguide fbr the sensing of alcohol is developed and analyzed.The waveguide is fabricated by 3-dimensional(3D)printing digital light processing(DLP)technology using monocure 3D rapid ultraviolet(UV)clear resin with a refractive index of n=1.50.The fabricated waveguide is a one-piece tower shaped ridge structure.It is designed to achieve the maximum light confinement at the core by reducing the effective refractive index around the cladding region.With the surface roughness generated from the 3D printing DLP technology,various waveguides with different gap sizes are printed.Comparison is done fbr the different gap waveguides to achieve the minimum feature gap size utilizing the light re-coupling principle and polymer swelling effect.This effect occurs due to the polymer-alcohol interaction that results in the diffusion of alcohol molecules inside the core of the waveguide,thus changing the waveguide from the leaky type(without alcohol)to the guided type(with alcohol).Using this principle,the analysis of alcohol concentration performing as a larger increase in the transmitted light in tensity can be measured.In this work,the sensitivity of the system is also compared and analyzed fbr different waveguide gap sizes with different concentrations of isopropanol alcohol(IPA).A waveguide gap size of 300 jim gives the highest in crease in the transmitted optical power of 65%when tested with 10μL(500ppm)concentration of IPA.Compared with all other gaps,it also displays faster response time(/=5seconds)fbr the optical power to change right after depositing IPA in the chamber.The measured limit of detection(LOD)achieved fbr 300μm is 0.366 yL.In addition,the fabricated waveguide gap of 300μm successfully demonstrates the sen sing limit of IPA concentration below 400μpm which is considered as an exposure limit by"National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health".All the mechanical mount and the alignments are done by 3D printing fused deposition method(FDM).

Research progress in improving the performance of PEDOT:PSS/Microand Nano-textured Si heterojunction for hybrid solar cells

Silicon-based hybrid solar cells(HSCs),especially PEDOT:PSS/Si HSC,have attracted the interest of researchers because they combine the advantages of organic and inorganic materials.A high quality PEDOT:PSS/Si heterojunction is the key to the good performance of PEDOT:PSS/Si HSC.However,as generally requisite to enhance light absorption for HSCs,Si Micro/Nano structures will reduce the interface contact quality between PEDOT:PSS and Si surface.The inferior interface contact quality will limit the separation efficiency of the photogenerated carriers.In this paper,we summarize the research progress in improving the interface contact between Si Micro/Nano structures and PEDOT:PSS film from three aspects:the optimization of Si Micro/Nano structures aimed to improve the fluid properties of PEDOT:PSS solution,the material modification of PEDOT:PSS and interface modification with the purpose to enlarge the heterojunction area and improve the electrical contact,and the specific deposition process of PEDOT:PSS solution developed to achieve the high filling rate of PEDOT:PSS on Si Micro/Nano structures.The insight of this paper is helpful for the preparation of high-quality heterojunction,which is vitally important for the development of high efficiency PEDOT:PSS/Si HSCs.

High-efficiency technique based on dielectrophoresis for assembling metal,semiconductor,and polymer nanorods

This paper presents a high-efficiency technique based on dielectrophoresis (DEP) for assembling metal, semiconductor, and polymer nanorods, which are synthesized by electrochemical deposition (ECD). The assembly patterns of these nanorods (width: 20 nm; length: 7 μm) were designed using a finite element method (FEM) simulation tool. Further, these nanorods were used in our experiment after their assembly patterns were fabricated. The assembly yield was found to be approximately 70% at an AC voltage of 30 Vp-p and at frequencies of 20 and 30 kHz, and the DC voltage prevented the random alignment of the nanorods at the edge of the assembly pattern. Moreover, the above-mentioned nanorods, which had different permittivities, were found to have similar assembly yields. The proposed method can be improved and applied to nanostructure device fabrication.

A Rational Design of Heterojunction Photocatalyst Cd S Interfacing with One Cycle of ALD Oxide

Photo-corrosion is one of the major obstacles for CdS application in wet chemical fields, and atomic layer deposition （ALD） has been proposed as an effective way to suppress the corrosion. Here, prior to ALD coating, CdS, one facilely corrosive photocatalyst, was synthesized via hydrothermal synthesis to access the fundamental corrosion mechanism and the according corrosive sites. X-ray photoelectron spectros- copy （XPS） and X-ray diffraction （XRD） demonstrated that the failure of catalytic decomposition of methylene blue originated from the formation of soluble CdSO4 by oxidizing S2 of as-prepared CdS. High resolu- tion transmission electron microscopy （HRTEM） further identified the active sites in the V-shaped regions ofCdS nanoparticles, confirmed by the simulated electric field distribution. To rationally coat oxides on CdS, the right candidates and their thicknesses have been considered by our tunneling model with trans- fer matrix method based on quantum mechanism, upon which the thickness of protective layer should be less than 0.5 nm to maintain a high tunneling probability, and thus one cycle of ALD TiO2 or AbO3 was proposed to passivate the CdS powder to balance the carrier transportation and corrosion suppres- sion. Based on HRTEM results, we found that the active V-shaped region was covered by ALD oxides （TiO2 or AbO3）. For each case, no soluble CdSO4 has been found before and after photocatalytic reactions based XPS measurements. Importantly, we noticed that with the passivation of one cycle of ALD, the catalyst＇s lifetime was elongated up to 〉14 times higher than that of the as-prepared CdS.

Safe growth of graphene from non-flammable gas mixtures via chemical vapor deposition

Chemical vapor deposition has emerged as the most promising technique for the growth of graphene.However, most reports of this technique use either flammable or explosive gases, which bring safety concerns and extra costs to manage risk factors. In this article, we demonstrate that continuous monolayer graphene can be synthesized via chemical vapor deposition technique on Cu foils using industrially safe gas mixtures. Important factors, including the appropriate ratio of hydrogen flow and carbon precursor,pressure, and growth time are considered to obtain graphene films. Optical measurements and electrical transport measurements indicate graphene films are with comparable quality to other reports. Such continuous large area graphene can be synthesized under non-flammable and non-explosive conditions, which opens a safe and economical method for mass production of graphene. It is thereby beneficial for integration of graphene into semiconductor electronics.