Fabrication of a single-crystal diamond neutron detector and its application in 14.1 MeV neutron detection in deuterium-tritium fusion experiments

A single-crystal diamond detector is fabricated to diagnose 14.1 MeV deuterium-tritium(D-T)fusion neutrons.The size of its diamond film is 4.5 mm×4.5 mm×500μm.This film is sandwiched by a flat,strip-patterned gold electrode.The dark current of this detector is experimentally measured to be lower than 0.1 nA under an electric field of 30 kV cm^(-1).This diamond detector is used to measure D-T fusion neutrons with a flux of about 7.5×10^(5) s^(-1)cm^(-2).The pronounced peak with a central energy of 8.28 MeV characterizing the^(12)C(n,α)~9Be reaction in the neutron energy spectrum is experimentally diagnosed,and the energy resolution is better than 1.69%,which is the best result reported so far using a diamond detector.A clear peak with a central energy of 6.52 MeV characterizing the^(12)C(n,n')3αreaction is also identified with an energy resolution of better than 7.67%.

Toughness enhancement of single-crystal diamond by the homoepitaxial growth of periodic nitrogen-doped nano-multilayers

Periodic nitrogen-doped homoepitaxial nano-multilayers were grown by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition. The residual time of gases(such as CH4and N2) in the chamber was determined by optical emission spectroscopy to determine the nano-multilayer growth process, and thin, nanoscale nitrogen-doped layers were obtained. The highest toughness of 18.2 MPa·m^(1/2)under a Young’s modulus of1000 GPa is obtained when the single-layer thickness of periodic nitrogen-doped nano-multilayers is about 96 nm. The fracture toughness of periodic nitrogen-doped CVD layer is about 2.1 times that of the HPHT seed substrate. Alternating tensile and compressive stresses are derived from periodic nitrogen doping;hence, the fracture toughness is significantly improved. Single-crystal diamond with a high toughness demonstrates wide application prospects for high-pressure anvils and single-point diamond cutting tools.

Relationship between the spatial position of the seed and growth mode for single-crystal diamond grown with an enclosed-type holder

The relationship between the spatial position of the diamond seed and growth mode is investigated with an enclosedtype holder for single-crystal diamond growth using the microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition epitaxial method.The results demonstrate that there are three main regions by varying the spatial position of the seed.Due to the plasma concentration occurring at the seed edge,a larger depth is beneficial to transfer the plasma to the holder surface and suppress the polycrystalline diamond rim around the seed edge.However,the plasma density at the edge decreases drastically when the depth is too large,resulting in the growth of a vicinal grain plane and the reduction of surface area.By adopting an appropriate spatial location,the size of single-crystal diamond can be increased from 7 mm×7 mm×0.35 mm to8.6 mm×8.6 mm×2.8 mm without the polycrystalline diamond rim.

Comparison of α particle detectors based on single-crystal diamond films grown in two types of gas atmospheres by microwave plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition

Chemical vapor deposition(CVD)-grown diamond films have been developed as irradiation-resistant materials to replace or upgrade current detectors for use in extreme radiation environments. However, their sensitivity in practical applications has been inhibited by space charge stability issues caused by defects and impurities in pure diamond crystal materials. In this study, two high-quality CVD-grown single-crystal diamond(SCD) detectors with low content of nitrogen impurities were fabricated and characterized. The intrinsic properties of the SCD samples were characterized using Raman spectroscopy, stereomicroscopy, and X-ray diffraction with the rocking curve mode, cathode luminescence(CL), and infrared and ultraviolet-visible-near infrared spectroscopies. After packaging the detectors, the dark current and energy resolution under α particle irradiation were investigated. Dark currents of less than 5 pA at 100 V were obtained after annealing the electrodes, which is comparable with the optimal value previously reported. The detector that uses a diamond film with higher nitrogen content showed poor energy resolution, whereas the detector with more dislocations showed poor charge collection efficiency(CCE). This demonstrates that the nitrogen content in diamond has a significant effect on the energy resolution of detectors, while the dislocations in diamond largely contribute to the poor CCE of detectors.

Synthesis and characterizations of boron and nitrogen co-doped high pressure and high temperature large single-crystal diamonds with increased mobility

We synthesized and investigated the boron-doped and boron/nitrogen co-doped large single-crystal diamonds grown under high pressure and high temperature(HPHT) conditions(5.9 GPa and 1290℃). The optical and electrical properties and surface characterization of the synthetic diamonds were observed and studied. Incorporation of nitrogen significantly changed the growth trace on surface of boron-containing diamonds. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS) measurements showed good evident that nitrogen atoms successfully incorporate into the boron-rich diamond lattice and bond with carbon atoms. Raman spectra showed differences on the as-grown surfaces and interior between boron-doped and boron/nitrogen co-doped diamonds. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR) measurements indicated that the nitrogen incorporation significantly decreases the boron acceptor concentration in diamonds. Hall measurements at room temperature showed that the carriers concentration of the co-doped diamonds decreases, and the mobility increases obviously. The highest hole mobility of sample BNDD-1 reached 980 cm^(2)·V^(-1)·s^(-1), possible reasons were discussed in the paper.

Stress Analysis on Single-Crystal Diamonds by Raman Spectroscopy 3D Mapping

Results on stress analysis for single-crystal diamonds are presented. Isolated crystals were studied by Raman mapping and depth profiling techniques, using confocal microscopy. Diamonds were deposited on molybdenum and tantalum by hot filament and microwave CVD methods at growth rates between 10 and 30 μm·h-1. Crystals from 10 to 40 μm size were examined. Local stress was evaluated by analyzing the position, broadening and splitting of the 1332 cm-1 Raman peak in a 3D mapping. For the (001) orientation, the most stressed zone was found at the center of the crystal base, close to the interface with the substrate: a Raman peak around 1340 cm-1 was measured, corresponding to a pressure c.a. 3 GPa, according to our dynamical calculations. This peak disappears few microns out of the center, suggesting that this highly concentrated stress sector was the nucleation zone of the crystal. A shifting and slight broadening of the 1332 cm-1 band was observed in the rest of the crystal. The causes of these effects are discussed: they proved not to be due to anisotropic stress but to refractive effects. Same results were found for different crystal sizes and growth rates.

Synergistic influences of titanium,boron,and oxygen on large-size single-crystal diamond growth at high pressure and high temperature

The synergistic influences of boron,oxygen,and titanium on growing large single-crystal diamonds are studied using different concentrations of B_(2)O_(3) in a solvent-carbon system under 5.5 GPa-5.7 GPa and 1300℃-1500℃.It is found that the boron atoms are difficult to enter into the crystal when boron and oxygen impurities are doped using B_(2)O_(3) without the addition of Ti atoms.However,high boron content is achieved in the doped diamonds that were synthesized with the addition of Ti.Additionally,boron-oxygen complexes are found on the surface of the crystal,and oxygen-related impurities appear in the crystal interior when Ti atoms are added into the FeNi-C system.The results show that the introduction of Ti atoms into the synthesis cavity can effectively control the number of boron atoms and the number of oxygen atoms in the crystal.This has important scientific significance not only for understanding the synergistic influence of boron,oxygen,and titanium atoms on the growth of diamond in the earth,but also for preparing the high-concentration boron or oxygen containing semiconductor diamond technologies.

Optical characterization of single-crystal diamond grown by DC arc plasma jet CVD

Optical centers of single-crystal diamond grown by DC arc plasma jet chemical vapor deposition(CVD) were examined using a low-temperature photoluminescence(PL) technique. The results show that most of the nitrogen-vacancy(NV) complexes are present as NV-centers, although some H2 and H3 centers and B-aggregates are also present in the single-crystal diamond because of nitrogen aggregation resulting from high N_2 incorporation and the high mobility of vacancies under growth temperatures of 950–1000°C. Furthermore, emissions of radiation-induced defects were also detected at 389, 467.5, 550, and 588.6 nm in the PL spectra. The reason for the formation of these radiation-induced defects is not clear. Although a Ni-based alloy was used during the diamond growth, Ni-related emissions were not detected in the PL spectra. In addition, the silicon-vacancy(Si-V)-related emission line at 737 nm, which has been observed in the spectra of many previously reported microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition(MPCVD) synthetic diamonds, was absent in the PL spectra of the single-crystal diamond prepared in this work. The high density of NV-centers, along with the absence of Ni-related defects and Si-V centers, makes the single-crystal diamond grown by DC arc plasma jet CVD a promising material for applications in quantum computing.

Ohmic and Schottky contacts of hydrogenated and oxygenated boron-doped single-crystal diamond with hill-like polycrystalline grains

Hill-like polycrystalline diamond grains(HPDGs)randomly emerged on a heavy boron-doped p+single-crystal diamond(SCD)film by prolonging the growth duration of the chemical vapor deposition process.The Raman spectral results confirm that a relatively higher boron concentration(~1.1×10^(21) cm^(-3))is detected on the HPDG with respect to the SCD region(~5.4×10^(20) cm^(-3)).It demonstrates that the Au/SCD interface can be modulated from ohmic to Schottky contact by varying the surface from hydrogen to oxygen termination.The current-voltage curve between two HPDGs is nearly linear with either oxygen or hydrogen termination,which means that the HPDGs provide a leakage path to form an ohmic contact.There are obvious rectification characteristics between oxygen-terminated HPDGs and SCD based on the difference in boron doping levels in those regions.The results reveal that the highly boron-doped HPDGs grown in SCD can be adopted as ohmic electrodes for Hall measurement and electronic devices.

In-situ coating and surface partial protonation co-promoting performance of single-crystal nickel-rich cathode in all-solid-state batteries

The poor electrochemical performance of all-solid-state batteries(ASSBs),which is assemblied by Ni-rich cathode and poly(ethylene oxide)(PEO)-based electrolytes,can be attributed to unstable cathodic interface and poor crystal structure stability of Ni-rich cathode.Several coating strategies are previously employed to enhance the stability of the cathodic interface and crystal structure for Ni-rich cathode.However,these methods can hardly achieve simplicity and high efficiency simultaneously.In this work,polyacrylic acid(PAA)replaced traditional PVDF as a binder for cathode,which can achieve a uniform PAA-Li(LixPAA(0<x≤1))coating layer on the surface of single-crystal LiNi_(0.83)Co_(0.12)Mn_(0.05)O_(2)(SC-NCM83)due to H^(+)/Li^(+)exchange reaction during the initial charging-discharging process.The formation of PAA-Li coating layer on cathode can promote interfacial Li^(+)transport and enhance the stability of the cathodic interface.Furthermore,the partially-protonated surface of SC-NCM83 casued by H^(+)/Li^(+)exchange reaction can restrict Ni ions transport to enhance the crystal structure stability.The proposed SC-NCM83-PAA exhibits superior cycling performance with a retention of 92%compared with that(57.3%)of SC-NCM83-polyvinylidene difluoride(PVDF)after 200 cycles.This work provides a practical strategy to construct high-performance cathodes for ASSBs.

Insight into the capacity degradation and structural evolution of single-crystal Ni-rich cathodes

Single-crystal Ni-rich cathodes are a promising candidate for high-energy lithium-ion batteries due to their higher structural and cycling stability than polycrystalline materials.However,the phase evolution and capacity degradation of these single-crystal cathodes during continuous lithation/delithation cycling remains unclear.Understanding the mapping relationship between the macroscopic electrochemical properties and the material physicochemical properties is crucial.Here,we investigate the correlation between the physical-chemical characteristics,phase transition,and capacity decay using capacity differential curve feature identification and in-situ X-ray spectroscopic imaging.We systematically clarify the dominant mechanism of phase evolution in aging cycling.Appropriately high cut-off voltages can mitigate the slow kinetic and electrochemical properties of single-crystal cathodes.We also find that second-order differential capacity discharge characteristic curves can be used to identify the crystal structure disorder of Ni-rich cathodes.These findings constitute a step forward in elucidating the correlation between the electrochemical extrinsic properties and the physicochemical intrinsic properties and provide new perspectives for failure analysis of layered electrode materials.

Surface-to-bulk engineering with high-valence W^(6+) enabling stabilized single-crystal LiNi_(0.9)Co_(0.05)Mn_(0.05)O_(2) cathode

Single-crystal Nickel-rich layered oxides has been recognized as one of the promising cathodes for nextgeneration lithium batteries on account of their high capacity,while its practical application was hindered by structural instability and slow Li^(+) transfer kinetics.Herein,a surface-to-bulk engineered single-crystal LiNi_(0.9)Co_(0.05)Mn_(0.05)O_(2)(Ni90) cathode,which features W-doped bulk and Li_(2)WO_(4) surface layer,was successfully achieved by a one-step high-valence W^(6+) modification.The as-obtained W-modified Ni90 delivers excellent cycling stability(89.8% capacity retention after 300 cycles at 0.5 C)and rate capability.The enhanced electrochemical performance was ascribed to the doped-W induced stabilized lattice oxygen,reduced Li^(+)/Ni^(2+) mixing and inhibited H2-H3 phase transition in the bulk,and Li_(2)WO_(4) layer generated stabilized cathode/electrolyte interface.In addition,the thinner LiF-rich cathode electrolyte interphase(CEI) on surface and smaller grain size for W-modified Ni90 benefit to its Li^(+) diffusion dynamics.The effect of high-valence W^(6+)on single-crystal Ni-rich cathode was firstly revealed in detail,which deepens the understanding of electrochemical behavior of Ni-rich cathode with high-valence cations modification,and provides clues for design of high-performance layered cathodes.

Understanding the failure mechanism towards developing high-voltage single-crystal Ni-rich Co-free cathodes

Benefited from its high process feasibility and controllable costs,binary-metal layered structured LiNi_(0.8)Mn_(0.2)O_(2)(NM)can effectively alleviate the cobalt supply crisis under the surge of global electric vehicles(EVs)sales,which is considered as the most promising nextgeneration cathode material for lithium-ion batteries(LIBs).However,the lack of deep understanding on the failure mechanism of NM has seriously hindered its application,especially under the harsh condition of high-voltage without sacrifices of reversible capacity.Herein,singlecrystal LiNi_(0.8)Mn_(0.2)O_(2) is selected and compared with traditional LiNi_(0.8)Co_(0.1)Mn_(0.1)O_(2)(NCM),mainly focusing on the failure mechanism of Cofree cathode and illuminating the significant effect of Co element on the Li/Ni antisite defect and dynamic characteristic.Specifically,the presence of high Li/Ni antisite defect in NM cathode easily results in the extremely dramatic H2/H3 phase transition,which exacerbates the distortion of the lattice,mechanical strain changes and exhibits poor electrochemical performance,especially under the high cutoff voltage.Furthermore,the reaction kinetic of NM is impaired due to the absence of Co element,especially at the single-crystal architecture.Whereas,the negative influence of Li/Ni antisite defect is controllable at low current densities,owing to the attenuated polarization.Notably,Co-free NM can exhibit better safety performance than that of NCM cathode.These findings are beneficial for understanding the fundamental reaction mechanism of single-crystal Ni-rich Co-free cathode materials,providing new insights and great encouragements to design and develop the next generation of LIBs with low-cost and high-safety performances.

Growth mechanisms of interfacial carbides in solid-state reaction between single-crystal diamond and chromium

Interfacial bonding is one of the most challenging issues in the fabrication,and hence comprehensively influences the properties of diamond-based metal matrix composites(MMCs)materials.In this work,solid-state(S/S)interface reaction between single-crystal synthetic diamond and chromium(Cr)metal was critically examined with special attention given to unveil the role of crystal orientation in the for-mation and growth of interfacial products.It has been revealed that catalytically converted carbon(CCC)was formed prior to chromium carbides,which is counterintuitive to previous studies.Cr 7 C 3 was the first carbide formed in the S/S interface reaction,aided by the relaxation of diamond lattices that re-duces the interfacial mismatch.Interfacial Cr 7 C 3 and Cr 3 C 2 carbides were formed at 600 and 800℃,respectively,with the growth preferred on diamond(100)plane,because of its higher density of surface defects than(111)plane.Interfacial strain distribution was quasi-quantitively measured using windowed Fourier Transform-Geometric Phase Analysis(WFT-GPA)analysis and an ameliorated strain concentration was found after the ripening of interfacial carbides.Textured morphologies of Cr_(3)C_(2) grown on diamond(100)and(111)planes were perceived after S/S interface reaction at 1000℃,which is reported for the first time.The underlying mechanisms of Cr-induced phase transformation on diamond surface,as well as the crystal orientation dependent growth of interfacial carbides were unveiled using the first-principles calculation.The formation and growth mechanisms of Cr_(3)C_(2) were elucidated using SEM,TEM and XRD analyses.Finally,an approach for tailoring the interfacial microstructure between synthetic diamond and bonding metals was proposed.

Shwachman-Diamond综合征7例患儿临床特点和基因变异分析

目的 探讨Shwachman-Diamond综合征(SDS)患儿的临床表型和基因变异特点。方法 选取2018年1月至2023年9月于儿内分泌遗传科长期随访的7例SDS患儿,收集其临床资料,采集外周血样进行外显子组测序(ES)分析,并通过Sanger测序对变异位点进行家系验证。结果 7例SDS患儿中男3例、女4例,初诊中位年龄为3.0(0.9~4.0)岁,6例为SBDS基因缺陷,1例为EFL1基因缺陷。6例SBDS缺陷的患儿中,5例携带复合杂合突变,2例为c.258+2T>C/c. 183_184 delinsCT,1例为c. 258+2 T>C/c. 40 A>G,1例为c. 258+2 T>C/c. 184 A>T,1例为c. 258+2 T>C/第3外显子杂合缺失;余1例携带c.258+2T>C纯合突变。SBDS缺陷患儿以矮小(6/6,100%)伴慢性腹泻(3/6,50%)和反复呼吸道感染(1/6,16.7%)就诊,经检查发现6例(100%)均存在中性粒细胞减少和肝酶升高,4例有骨骼发育异常表现,3例有胰腺外分泌功能不全表现。1例EFL 1缺陷患儿携带复合杂合突变(c. 2260 C>T/c. 316 G>A),表现为矮小和骨骼发育异常,但无胰腺和血液系统受累。结论 SBDS缺陷患儿具有异质性的临床表型,以上发现丰富了中国SDS的表型谱和变异谱,并首次在中国人群中报道了1例EFL1变异患儿的临床特征。对矮小合并中性粒细胞减少、胰腺外分泌功能障碍、骨骼畸形等症状的患儿,应完善基因检测以免漏诊SDS。

Laser patterning of large-scale perovskite single-crystal-based arrays for single-mode laser displays

Lead halide perovskites have attracted considerable attention as potential candidates for high-performance nano/microlasers,owing to their outstanding optical properties.However,the further development of perovskite microlaser arrays(especially based on polycrystalline thin films)produced by the conventional processing techniques is hindered by the chemical instability and surface roughness of the perovskite structures.Herein,we demonstrate a laser patterning of large-scale,highly crystalline perovskite single-crystal films to fabricate reproducible perovskite single-crystal-based microlaser arrays.Perovskite thin films were directly ablated by femtosecond-laser in multiple low-power cycles at a minimum machining line width of approximately 300 nm to realize high-precision,chemically clean,and repeatable fabrication of microdisk arrays.The surface impurities generated during the process can be washed away to avoid external optical loss due to the robustness of the single-crystal film.Moreover,the high-quality,large-sized perovskite single-crystal films can significantly improve the quality of microcavities,thereby realizing a perovskite microdisk laser with narrow linewidth(0.09 nm)and low threshold(5.1µJ/cm2).Benefiting from the novel laser patterning method and the large-sized perovskite single-crystal films,a high power and high color purity laser display with single-mode microlasers as pixels was successfully fabricated.Thus,this study may offer a potential platform for mass-scale and reproducible fabrication of microlaser arrays,and further facilitate the development of highly integrated applications based on perovskite materials.

Boosting High-Voltage and Ultralong-Cycling Performance of Single-Crystal LiNi_(0.5)Co_(0.2)Mn_(0.3)O_(2) Cathode Materials via Three-in-One Modification

LiNi_(0.5)Co_(0.2)Mn_(0.3)O_(2) is extensively researched as one of the most widely used commercially materials for Li-ion batteries at present.However,the poor high-voltage performance(≥4.3 V)with low reversible capacity limits its replacement for LiCoO_(2) in high-end digital field.Herein,three-in-one modification,Na-doping and Al_(2)O_(3)@Li_(3)BO_(3) dual-coating simultaneously,is explored for single-crystalline LiNi_(0.5)Co_(0.2)Mn_(0.3)O_(2)(N-NCM@AB),which exhibits excellent high-voltage performance.N-NCM@AB displays a discharge-specific capacity of 201.8 mAh g^(−1) at 0.2 C with a high upper voltage of 4.6 V and maintains 158.9 mAh g^(−1) discharge capacity at 1 C over 200 cycles with the corresponding capacity retention of 87.8%.Remarkably,the N-NCM@AB||graphite pouch-type full cell retains 81.2% of its initial capacity with high working voltage of 4.4 V over 1600 cycles.More importantly,the fundamental understandings of three-in-one modification on surface morphology,crystal structure,and phase transformation of N-NCM@AB are clearly revealed.The Na+doped into the Li–O slab can enhance the bond energy,stabilize the crystal structure,and facilitate Li+transport.Additionally,the interior surface layer of Li^(+)-ions conductor Li_(3)BO_(3) relieves the charge transfer resistance with surface coating,whereas the outer surface Al_(2)O_(3) coating layer is beneficial for reducing the active materials loss and alleviating the electrode/electrolyte parasite reaction.This three-in-one strategy provides a reference for the further research on the performance attenuation mechanism of NCM,paving a new avenue to boost the high-voltage performance of NCM cathode in Li-ion batteries.

Revealing the atomic mechanism of diamond–iron interfacial reaction

Diamond,with ultrahigh hardness,high wear resistance,high thermal conductivity,and so forth,has attracted worldwide attention.However,researchers found emergent reactions at the interfaces between diamond and ferrous materials,which significantly affects the performance of diamond-based devices.Herein,combing experiments and theoretical calculations,taking diamond–iron(Fe)interface as a prototype,the counter-diffusion mechanism of Fe/carbon atoms has been established.Surprisingly,it is identified that Fe and diamond first form a coherent interface,and then Fe atoms diffuse into diamond and prefer the carbon vacancies sites.Meanwhile,the relaxed carbon atoms diffuse into the Fe lattice,forming Fe_(3)C.Moreover,graphite is observed at the Fe_(3)C surface when Fe_(3)C is over-saturated by carbon atoms.The present findings are expected to offer new insights into the atomic mechanism for diamondferrous material's interfacial reactions,benefiting diamond-based device applications.

Thermal stress damage mechanism in single-crystal germanium caused by 1080 nm laser irradiation

The process of thermal stress damage during 1080 nm laser ablation of single-crystal germanium was recorded in real time using a high-speed charge-coupled device.A three-dimensional finite element numerical model based on Fourier's heat conduction equation,Hooke's law and the Alexander–Hasson equation was developed to analyze the thermal stress damage mechanism involved.The damage morphology of the ablated samples was observed using an optical microscope.The results show that the cooling process has an important influence on fracture in the laser-irradiated region of single-crystal germanium.Fracture is the result of a combination of thermal stress and reduction in local yield strength.

Shwachman-Diamond综合征1例报告及文献复习

目的:探讨Shwachman-Diamond综合征(SDS)的临床特征、诊断及治疗,以提高临床医生对该疾病的认识。方法:回顾性分析1例以中性粒细胞减少和转氨酶水平升高为主要临床表现,经基因检测明确诊断为SDS患儿的临床资料,并结合相关资料分析SDS的临床表现、基因特征、诊断和治疗方法。结果:患儿,男性,27月龄。以中性粒细胞减少和转氨酶水平升高为首发临床表现,患儿既往3月龄时出现腹泻,口服胰酶散治疗后腹泻好转,近半年反复呼吸道感染。入院查体显示牙釉质发育不良,影像学表现为四肢长骨骨质密度异常,基因测序结果提示患儿Shwachman-Bodian-Diamond综合征(SBDS)基因c.258+2T>C纯合变异。住院期间给予保肝和增加粒细胞等对症支持治疗,患儿病情好转后出院,随访1年,患儿病情稳定。结论:SDS患儿典型表现为腹泻,肝功能、血象和骨骼异常,尤其是中性粒细胞减少,也可能存在生长发育落后,心脏、肝脏、中枢神经系统、骨骼和免疫系统受累,对疑似患儿及时进行基因检测,有助于SDS患儿早期诊断及治疗。