Tracing Nucleation and Growth on Atomic Level in Amorphous Sodium by Molecular Dynamics Simulation

Crystallization of amorphous Na is simulated by using the molecular dynamics method, and the evolutions of atomic clusters are traced by the cluster-type index method （CTIM） we proposed previously. It is demonstrated that the crystallization process exhibits three distinct stages of nucleation, subsequent growth of nuclei and coarsening of crystal grains. Both the size and the internal structure of a cluster play crucial roles in determining whether it is a nucleus. The cluster tracing analysis can identify different crystallization stages more clearly and accurately than other methods. Meanwhile, the simulation results can provide a reasonable explanation at an atomic level for the experimental phenomenon obtained previously.

Clockwise vs Counter-Clockwise I-V Hysteresis of Point-Contact Metal-Tip/Pr0.7 Ca0.3MnO3/Pt Devices

Metal-tip/Pr0.7Ca0.3MnO3/Pt devices possess two types of I-V hysteresis： clockwise vs counter clockwise depending on the tip materials. The criteria for categorization of these two types of devices can be simply based on whether the Gibbs free energy of oxidation for the metal tip is lower or higher than that of PCMO, respectively. While the clockwise hysteresis can be attributed to electric field induced oxidation/reduction, the counter clockwise hysteresis can be explained by oxygen vacancy migration in an electrical field. Alternating-current conductance spectra also reveal distinct hopping barriers between these two categories of devices at high resistive states.

Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Strontium Titanate

The molecular dynamics method is used to simulate the thermophysical properties of SrTiO3 thermoelectric material in the temperature range 300-2200 K. The Morse-type potential functions added to the Busing-Ida type potential for interatomic interaction are used in the simulation. The interatomic potential parameters are determined by fitting to the experimental data of lattice parameters with temperature and the data reported in literature. The linear thermal expansion coefficient, heat capacity and lattice contributions to the thermal conductivity are analyzed. The results agree with the data reported in the literature.

Raman Spectrum of Epitaxial Graphene on SiC （0001） by Pulsed Electron Irradiation

We report new Raman features of epitaxial graphene （EG） on Si-face 4H-SiC prepared by pulsed electron irradiation （PEI）. With increasing graphene layers, frequencies of G and 2D peaks show blue-shifts and approach those of bulk highly-oriented pyrolytic graphite. It is indicated that the EG is slightly tension strained and tends to be strain-free. Meanwhile, single Lorentzian line shapes are well fitted to the 2D peaks of EG on SiC（O001） and their full widths at half maximum decrease with the increasing graphene layers, which indicates that the multilayer EG on Si-face can also contain turbostratic stacking by our PEI route instead of only AB Bernal stacking by a traditional thermal annealing method. It is worth noting that the stacking style plays an important role on the charge carrier mobility. Therefore our findings will be a candidate for growing quality graphene with high carrier mobility both on the Si- and C-terminated SiC substrate. Mechanisms behind the features are studied and discussed.