Masanari Izumi

Transistor application of alkyl-substituted picene

Field-effect transistors (FETs) were fabricated with a thin film of 3,10-ditetradecylpicene, picene-(C14H29)2, formed using either a thermal deposition or a deposition from solution (solution process). All FETs showed p-channel normally-off characteristics. The field-effect mobility, μ, in a picene-(C14H29)2 thin-film FET with PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3 (PZT) gate dielectric reached ~21 cm2 V−1 s−1, which is the highest μ value recorded for organic thin-film FETs; the average μ value () evaluated from twelve FET devices was 14(4) cm2 V−1 s−1. The values for picene-(C14H29)2 thin-film FETs with other gate dielectrics such as SiO2, Ta2O5, ZrO2 and HfO2 were greater than 5 cm2 V−1 s−1, and the lowest absolute threshold voltage, |Vth|, (5.2 V) was recorded with a PZT gate dielectric; the average |Vth| for PZT gate dielectric is 7(1) V. The solution-processed picene-(C14H29)2 FET was also fabricated with an SiO2 gate dielectric, yielding μ = 3.4 × 10−2 cm2 V−1 s−1. These results verify the effectiveness of picene-(C14H29)2 for electronics applications.

Fabrication and physical properties of c-axis oriented thin films of layered perovskite La2−2xSr1+2xMn2O7

We have grown c-axis oriented films of a layered perovskite La2−2xSr1+2xMn2O7 (x=0.4) by pulsed laser deposition under the limited growth condition; above 900 °C and below 100 mTorr for substrate temperature and oxygen pressure (PO2), respectively. Otherwise, epitaxial but composition-unidentified films were deposited. The films show a resistive transition around 100 K in coincidence with the magnetic transition. The value of resistivity at low temperature is larger than that of a single crystal by about two orders of magnitude, perhaps due to the canted spin ordering. The films show gigantic magnetoresistance accompanied with hysteresis.

Strain-stabilized charge ordering and magnetorelaxor behaviors in Cr-doped Pr0.5Ca0.5MnO3 epitaxial thin films

Thin films of a magnetorelaxor compound, Pr0.5Ca0.5Mn1−yCryO3 were grown on various substrates. Strain-free and polycrystalline thin films on MgO substrates well reproduce the properties reported for the bulk samples. Pseudomorphically strained and atomically smooth epitaxial thin films grown on perovskite substrates show strain-driven modification of the properties. Being consistent with the orbital ordering accompanied with charge ordering, tensile strain anomalously stabilizes the charge-ordered (CO) state. Compressive strain also suppresses ferromagnetism but high-Cr doping (y=0.10) induces magnetorelaxor behaviors, where the volume ratio of coexisting CO and ferromagnetic phases can be tuned and memorized by the history of the magnetic-field application.

An Extended Phenacene-type Molecule, [8]Phenacene: Synthesis and Transistor Application

A new phenacene-type molecule, [8]phenacene, which is an extended zigzag chain of coplanar fused benzene rings, has been synthesised for use in an organic field-effect transistor (FET). The molecule consists of a phenacene core of eight benzene rings, which has a lengthy π-conjugated system. The structure was verified by elemental analysis, solid-state NMR, X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern, absorption spectrum and photoelectron yield spectroscopy (PYS). This type of molecule is quite interesting, not only as pure chemistry but also for its potential electronics applications. Here we report the physical properties of [8]phenacene and its FET application. An [8]phenacene thin-film FET fabricated with an SiO2 gate dielectric showed clear p-channel characteristics. The highest μ achieved in an [8]phenacene thin-film FET with an SiO2 gate dielectric is 1.74 cm2 V−1 s−1, demonstrating excellent FET characteristics; the average μ was evaluated as 1.2(3) cm2 V−1 s−1. The μ value in the [8]phenacene electric-double-layer FET reached 16.4 cm2 V−1 s−1, which is the highest reported in EDL FETs based on phenacene-type molecules; the average μ was evaluated as 8(5) cm2 V−1 s−1. The μ values recorded in this study show that [8]phenacene is a promising molecule for transistor applications.

Emergence of double-dome superconductivity in ammoniated metal-doped FeSe

The pressure dependence of the superconducting transition temperature (Tc) and unit cell metrics of tetragonal (NH3)yCs0.4FeSe were investigated in high pressures up to 41 GPa. The Tc decreases with increasing pressure up to 13 GPa, which can be clearly correlated with the pressure dependence of c (or FeSe layer spacing). The Tc vs. c plot is compared with those of various (NH3)yMxFeSe (M: metal atoms) materials exhibiting different Tc and c, showing that the Tc is universally related to c. This behaviour means that a decrease in two-dimensionality lowers the Tc. No superconductivity was observed down to 4.3 K in (NH3)yCs0.4FeSe at 11 and 13 GPa. Surprisingly, superconductivity re-appeared rapidly above 13 GPa, with the Tc reaching 49 K at 21 GPa. The appearance of a new superconducting phase is not accompanied by a structural transition, as evidenced by pressure-dependent XRD. Furthermore, Tc slowly decreased with increasing pressure above 21 GPa, and at 41 GPa superconductivity disappeared entirely at temperatures above 4.9 K. The observation of a double-dome superconducting phase may provide a hint for pursuing the superconducting coupling-mechanism of ammoniated/non-ammoniated metal-doped FeSe.

Emergence of Multiple Superconducting Phases in (NH3)yMxFeSe (M: Na and Li).

We previously discovered multiple superconducting phases in the ammoniated Na-doped FeSe material, (NH3)yNaxFeSe. To clarify the origin of the multiple superconducting phases, the variation of Tc was fully investigated as a function of x in (NH3)yNaxFeSe. The 32 K superconducting phase is mainly produced in the low-x region below 0.4, while only a single phase is observed at x  =  1.1, with Tc =  45 K, showing that the Tc depends significantly on x, but it changes discontinuously with x. The crystal structure of (NH3)yNaxFeSe does not change as x increases up to 1.1, i.e., the space group of I4/mmm. The lattice constants, a and c, of the low-Tc phase (Tc = 32.5 K) are 3.9120(9) and 14.145(8) Å, respectively, while a = 3.8266(7) Å and c = 17.565(9) Å for the high-Tc phase (~46 K). The c increases in the high Tc phase, implying that the Tc is directly related to c. In (NH3)yLixFeSe material, the Tc varies continuously within the range of 39 to 44 K with changing x. Thus, the behavior of Tc is different from that of (NH3)yNaxFeSe. The difference may be due to the difference in the sites that the Na and Li occupy.

Orientation-controlled epitaxy of A2CuO3 (A: Sr, Ca) films with large optical nonlinearity

The one-dimensional Cu–O chains responsible for the large optical nonlinearity in Sr2CuO3 (SCO) and Ca2CuO3 (CCO) are aligned in one direction in films grown on LaSrAlO4 (LSAO) (1 0 0) substrates by using pulsed laser deposition. The CCO films deposited directly on lattice matched LSAO substrates have a single orientation with high crystallinity, while the SCO films include small portions of misoriented domains. Using a simple model of lattice mismatch, we developed a Sr2TiO4 buffer layer in order to grow orientation-controlled SCO films with both high crystallinity and a sharp optical absorption edge. This technique will be a key to fabricating ultrafast all-optical switches with a waveguide structure.

Photoelectron Holographic Atomic Arrangement Imaging of Cleaved Bimetal-intercalated Graphite Superconductor Surface.

From the C 1s and K 2p photoelectron holograms, we directly reconstructed atomic images of the cleaved surface of a bimetal-intercalated graphite superconductor, (Ca, K)C8, which differed substantially from the expected bulk crystal structure based on x-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements. Graphene atomic images were collected in the in-plane cross sections of the layers 3.3 Å and 5.7 Å above the photoelectron emitter C atom and the stacking structures were determined as AB- and AA-type, respectively. The intercalant metal atom layer was found between two AA-stacked graphenes. The K atomic image revealing 2 × 2 periodicity, occupying every second centre site of C hexagonal columns, was reconstructed, and the Ca 2p peak intensity in the photoelectron spectra of (Ca, K)C8 from the cleaved surface was less than a few hundredths of the K 2p peak intensity. These observations indicated that cleavage preferentially occurs at the KC8 layers containing no Ca atoms.

Large optical nonlinearity in 1D and 2D cuprates investigated by third harmonic generation spectroscopy

Spectra of third-order nonlinear susceptibility |X (3) | have been investigated for 1D Mott insulators (Mls), Sr 2 CuO 3 and Ca 2 CuO 3 and 2D Mls, Nd 2 CuO 4 and La 2 CuO 4 , by using third-harmonic generation (THG) spectroscopy. The three-photon resonance to the odd-charge-transfer (CT) state enhances |X (3) |. The maximum values of |X (3) | in the 2D MIs (∼10 -10 esu) are one order smaller than those in the 1D Mls(∼10 -9 esu). The difference of the magnitudes and spectral shapes of |X (3) | between the 1D and 2D Mls can be explained by taking account of the concept of spin-charge separation.

Chemical analysis of superconducting phase in K-doped picene

Potassium-doped picene (K3.0picene) with a superconducting transition temperature (T C) as high as 14 K at ambient pressure has been prepared using an annealing technique. The shielding fraction of this sample was 5.4% at 0 GPa. The T C showed a positive pressure-dependence and reached 19 K at 1.13 GPa. The shielding fraction also reached 18.5%. To investigate the chemical composition and the state of the picene skeleton in the superconducting sample, we used energy-dispersive x-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, MALDI-time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction (XRD). Both EDX and MALDI-TOF indicated no contamination with materials other than K-doped picene or K-doped picene fragments, and supported the preservation of the picene skeleton. However, it was also found that a magnetic K-doped picene sample consisted mainly of picene fragments or K-doped picene fragments. Thus, removal of the component contributing the magnetic quality to a superconducting sample should enhance the volume fraction.