Olivia M. Castellini

Thermal decomposition of surfactant coatings on Co and Ni nanocrystals

The pathway for thermal decomposition of an oleic acid surfactant protecting Co and Ni nanocrystals is identified by probing the relevant molecular orbitals with x-ray absorption spectroscopy. The two steps observed previously in thermogravimetric measurements are identified with thermal desorption of entire molecules at ≈200 °C and dehydrogenation at ≈400 °C, which leaves a graphitic surface with alkane fragments underneath.

Photogating carbon nanotube transistors

Optoelectronic measurements of carbon nanotube transistors have shown a wide variety of sensitivites to the incident light. Direct photocurrent processes compete with a number of extrinsic mechanisms. Here we show that visible light absorption in the silicon substrate generates a photovoltage that can electrically gate the nanotube device. The photocurrent induced by the changing gate voltage can be significantly larger than that due to direct electron-hole pair generation in the nanotube. The dominance of photogating in these devices is confirmed by the power and position dependence of the resulting photocurrent. The power dependence is strongly nonlinear and photocurrents are measured through the device even when the laser illuminates up to 1mm from the nanotube.

Template-directed carbon nanotube network using self-organized Si nanocrystals

We demonstrate a way to direct carbon nanotube growth using Si nanocrystals that are self-ordered via the thermal decomposition of thin silicon-on-insulator substrates. The Si nanocrystals are about 90nm wide and 100–150nm tall, with 200nm spacing. Nanotubes connect the silicon nanocrystals to form a network. Nanotubes selectively appear between tops of the Si nanocrystals. We show that the flow pattern of the carbon feedstock in the chemical vapor deposition growth process is disturbed by the geometric effect of the Si nanocrystals, providing a mechanism for growth between the tops of the Si nanocrystals.

Electrically isolated SiGe quantum dots

A variation of electric force microscopy (EFM) is used to measure the electrical isolation of SiGe quantum dots (QDs). The SiGe QDs are grown on mesas of ultrathin silicon on insulator. Near the mesa edges, the thin silicon layer has been incorporated into the QDs, resulting in electrically isolated QDs. Away from the edges, the silicon layer is not incorporated and has a two-dimensional resistivity of less than 800 TΩ per sq, resulting in relatively short RC times for charge flow on the mesa. The EFM technique we use here is a powerful probe of samples and devices with floating-gate geometries.

Pattern Formation on Silicon-on-Insulator

The strain driven self-assembly of faceted Ge nanocrystals during epitaxy on Si(001) to form quantum dots (QDs) is by now well known. We have also recently provided an understanding of the thermodynamic driving force for directed assembly of QDs on bulk Si (extendable to other QD systems) based on local chemical potential and curvature of the surface. Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) produces unique new phenomena. The essential thermodynamic instability of the very thin crystalline layer (called the template layer) resting on an oxide can cause this layer, under appropriate conditions, to dewet, agglomerate, and self-organize into an array of Si nanocrystals. Using low-energy electron microscopy (LEEM), we observe this process and, with the help of first-principles total-energy calculations, we provide a quantitative understanding of this pattern formation. The Si nanocrystal pattern formation can be controlled by lithographic patterning of the SOI prior to the dewetting process. The resulting patterns of electrically isolated Si nanocrystals can in turn be used as a template for growth of nanostructures, such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Finally we show that this growth may be controlled by the flow dynamics of the feed gas across the substrate.