Temperature coefficients of grain boundary resistance variations in a ZnO/p-Si heterojunction

Heteroepitaxial undoped ZnO films were grown on Si （100） substrates by radio-frequency reactive sputtering, and then some of the samples were annealed at N2-800℃ （Sample 1, S1） and 02-800℃ （Sample 2, S2） for 1 h, respectively. The electrical transport characteristics of a ZnO/p-Si heterojunction were investigated. We found two interesting phenomena. First, the temperature coefficients of grain boundary resistances of S 1 were positive （positive temperature coefficients, PTC） while that of both the as-grown sample and S2 were negative （negative temperature coefficients, NTC）. Second, the I-V properties of S2 were similar to those common p-n junctions while that of both the as-grown sample and S 1 had double Schottky barrier behaviors, which were in contradiction with the ideal p-n heterojunction model. Combined with the deep level transient spectra results, this revealed that the concentrations of intrinsic defects in ZnO grains and the densities of interfacial states in ZnO/p-Si heterojunction varied with the different annealing ambiences, which caused the grain boundary barriers in ZnO/p-Si heterojunction to vary. This resulted in adjustment electrical properties ofZnO/p-Si heterojunction that may be suitable in various applications.

Grain Size Distribution and Interfacial Heat Transfer Coefficient during Solidification of Magnesium Alloys Using High Pressure Die Casting Process

The objective of this study is to predict grain size and heat transfer coefficient at the metal-die interface during high pressure die casting process and solidification of the magnesium alloy AM60. Multiple runs of the commercial casting simulation package, ProCASTTM, were used to model the mold filling and solidification events employing a range of interfacial heat transfer coefficient values. The simulation results were used to estimate the centerline cooling curve at various locations through the casting. The centerline cooling curves, together with the die temperature and the thermodynamic properties of the alloy, were then used as inputs to compute the solution to the Stefan problem of a moving phase boundary, thereby providing the through-thickness cooling curves at each chosen location of the casting, Finally, the local cooling rate was used to calculate the resulting grain size via previously established relationships. The effects of die temperature, filling time and heat transfer coefficient on the grain structure in skin region and core region were quantitatively characterized. It was observed that the grain size of skin region strongly depends on above three factors whereas the grain size of core region shows dependence on the interracial heat transfer coefficient and thickness of the samples. The grain size distribution from surface to center was estimated from the relationship between grain size and the predicted cooling rate. The prediction of grain size matches well with experimental results. A comparison of the predicted and experimentally determined grain size profiles enables the determination of the apparent interracial heat transfer coefficient for different locations.

Effect of Nitrogen Doping on the Electrical Properties of 3C-SiC Thin Films for High-Temperature Sensors Applications

3C-SiC is a promising structural material for piezoresistive sensors used in high-temperature applications. For sensor development, the preparation of sensor materials and study of its electrical properties, such as resistivity, barrier height of grain boundaries, and temperature coefficient of resistivity, are important in addition to structural properties and these have to be optimized. In the present work, 3C-SiC thin film with in situ doping of nitrogen is prepared through low- pressure chemical vapor deposition by using methyl trichloro silane, ammonia, and hydrogen as precursors. Electrical properties of deposited 3C-SiC thin films with varying nitrogen doping concentration through four probe technique are studied. Atomic force microscopy investigations are carried out to study the grain size on and average root-mean-squared roughness 3C-SiC thin films. A decrease in the degree of crystallinity is observed in nitrogen-doped 3C-SiC thin films. The sheet resistivity of nitrogen-doped 3C-SiC thin film is found to decrease with increase in temperature in the range from 303 to 823 K. The sheet resistivity, average temperature coefficient of resistance, and barrier height of the grain boundaries of film doped with 17 at.% of nitrogen are 0.14 cm, -1.0 x 10-n/K, and 0.01 eV, respectively. Comparing all the nitrogen-doped 3C-SiC thin films, the film doped with 17 at.% of nitrogen exhibits an improved structural and electrical properties and it can be used as sensing material for high-temperature applications.