P. V. Satyam

Synthesis and characterization of mn-doped zno nanocrystals

We report the synthesis and characterization of several sizes of Mn-doped ZnO nanocrystals, both in the free-standing and the capped particle forms. The sizes of these nanocrystals could be controlled by capping them with polyvinylpyrollidone under different synthesis conditions and were estimated by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The absorption properties of PVP-capped Mn-doped ZnO exhibit an interesting variation of the band gap with the concentration of Mn. Fluorescence emission, electron paramagnetic resonance, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy provide evidence for the presence of Mn in the interior as well as on the surface of the nanocrystals.

Understanding the quantum size effects in ZnO nanocrystals

In the present work, we report the synthesis of high quality ZnO nanocrystals with sharp absorption edges in four different sizes, namely 3.0, 3.5, 4.7 and 5.4 nm, characterized by X-ray and electron diffraction, as well as transmission electron microscopy. The bandgaps of these samples, in conjunction with further data from the published literature, exhibit a systematic dependence on the nanocrystal size. In absence of any prior reliable theoretical results in the literature to understand this dependence quantitatively, we have analyzed for the first time, the electronic structure of bulk ZnO obtained from the full potential linearized augmented plane wave method using fatbands, density of states and partial density of states. The crystal orbital Hamiltonian population is obtained from linearized Muffin-Tin orbital band structure calculations to understand the range of hopping interactions relevant for an accurate description of the electronic structure. Using these analyses, a realistic tight binding model is proposed. Based on this model, we calculate the variation of the bandgap with the size of ZnO nanocrystals. These theoretical results agree well with all available data over the entire range of sizes, establishing the effectiveness of this approach.

Composition mapping in InGaN by scanning transmission electron microscopy

We suggest a method for chemical mapping that is based on scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) imaging with a high-angle annular dark field (HAADF) detector. The analysis method uses a comparison of intensity normalized with respect to the incident electron beam with intensity calculated employing the frozen lattice approximation. This procedure is validated with an In(0.07)Ga(0.93)N layer with homogeneous In concentration, where the STEM results were compared with energy filtered imaging, strain state analysis and energy dispersive X-ray analysis. Good agreement was obtained, if the frozen lattice simulations took into account static atomic displacements, caused by the different covalent radii of In and Ga atoms. Using a sample with higher In concentration and series of 32 images taken within 42 min scan time, we did not find any indication for formation of In rich regions due to electron beam irradiation, which is reported in literature to occur for the parallel illumination mode. Image simulation of an In(0.15)Ga(0.85)N layer that was elastically relaxed with empirical Stillinger-Weber potentials did not reveal significant impact of lattice plane bending on STEM images as well as on the evaluated In concentration profiles for specimen thicknesses of 5, 15 and 50 nm. Image simulation of an abrupt interface between GaN and In(0.15)Ga(0.85)N for specimen thicknesses up to 200 nm showed that artificial blurring of interfaces is significantly smaller than expected from a simple geometrical model that is based on the beam convergence only. As an application of the method, we give evidence for the existence of In rich regions in an InGaN layer which shows signatures of quantum dot emission in microphotoluminescence spectroscopy experiments.

Synthesis and characterization of ZnO thin film grown by electron beam evaporation

Highly transparent, conducting, highly oriented, and almost single phase ZnO films have been deposited by simple e-beam evaporation method, and the deposition parameters were optimized. The films were prepared by (a) evaporation of ZnO at different substrate temperatures and (b) evaporation of ZnO at room temperature and subsequent annealing of the films in oxygen ambient at different temperatures. The characterizations of the film were performed by optical absorption spectroscopy (UV-visible), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, resistivity measurement, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photoluminescence, and x-ray diffraction measurement. Absorption spectra revealed that the films were highly transparent and the band gap of the pre- and postannealed films was in good agreement with the reported values. The band gap of the films increases on increasing the substrate temperature as well as annealing temperature, whereas the resistivity of the film decreases with substrate temperature and increa...

Structural evolution of TiO2 nanocrystalline thin films by thermal annealing and swift heavy ion irradiation

The present study probes into the transition from anatase to rutile phase of TiO2 in 100 nm thick nanocrystalline thin films under thermal annealing and swift heavy ion (SHI) irradiation. The films were prepared using sol-gel and spin coating techniques on silicon (100) substrates. The as-deposited films are found to be amorphous by glancing angle x-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. Though thermal annealing is known to cause transformation from anatase to rutile phase of TiO2 in a temperature interval of 700–900 °C, in nanoparticle thin films, we found that a sizable volume fraction of anatase still remains even after annealing at 1000 °C. Irradiations by 200 MeV Ag ions on the other hand suppressed the anatase phase and almost phase pure rutile TiO2 could be obtained at a fluence of 3×1012 ions cm−2. A mechanism based on the competing effect of grain growth and conversion of anatase to rutile at the grain boundary of the anatase on annealing and conversion of anatase to rutile in the grains of the ...

Shape transition in the epitaxial growth of gold silicide in Au thin films on Si(111)

Growth of epitaxial gold silicide islands has been observed when an Au film deposited on a bromine-passivated vicinal (4\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} misoriented) Si(111) substrate was annealed around the Au-Si eutectic temperature. The islands grow in the shape of equilateral triangles, reflecting the symmetry of the (111) substrate, up to a critical size beyond which the symmetry of the structure is broken, resulting in a shape transition from triangle to trapezoid. The island edges are aligned along the three equivalent {11\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}0} directions of the Si(111) surface. The elongated islands, instead of growing along three equivalent {11\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}0} directions, grow only along one preferential direction. This has been attributed to the vicinality of the substrate surface as the steps on this substrate are expected to run along the observed preferential growth direction. We have observed, under various conditions, elongated islands with an aspect ratio as large as 15:1.

An RBS study of interdiffusion across a brominated Si( 111) /Cu interface with and without a barrier layer

Abstract Cu thin films have been deposited on Si(111) substrates with two different initial conditions. In one, the substrates had a top native oxide layer, and in the other the native oxide layer was etched in hydrofluoric acid and the etched surface was treated with a bromine-methanol solution prior to the surface being exposed to atmosphere. This Br-treatment is known to saturate surface dangling bonds on an Si(111) surface. Vacuum annealing of the Cu/Si samples, followed by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) measurements showed the onset temperature of interdiffusion to be ∼ 220°C for the Si(111) substrate treated with bromine-methanol solution whereas the onset temperature of interdiffusion was found to be between 600°C and 700°C for Si(111) surfaces with native oxide on top. This shows that the native oxide layer works like a diffusion barrier. The effect of an interposed TiNx layer on the diffusion behaviour has also been investigated. A thin layer ( 600°C) for the Cu/SiO2/Si(111) suggests that SiO2 introduces the highest barrier for Cu-Si interdiffusion among all the barrier combinations studied here. At annealing temperatures above the onset temperature of interdiffusion copper silicides are formed. RBS simulations have been used to study the compositions of the reacted films.

Polysaccharide-capped silver Nanoparticles inhibit biofilm formation and eliminate multi-drug-resistant bacteria by disrupting bacterial cytoskeleton with reduced cytotoxicity towards mammalian cells

Development of effective anti-microbial therapeutics has been hindered by the emergence of bacterial strains with multi-drug resistance and biofilm formation capabilities. In this article, we report an efficient green synthesis of silver nanoparticle (AgNP) by in situ reduction and capping with a semi-synthetic polysaccharide-based biopolymer (carboxymethyl tamarind polysaccharide). The CMT-capped AgNPs were characterized by UV, DLS, FE-SEM, EDX and HR-TEM. These AgNPs have average particle size of ~20–40 nm, and show long time stability, indicated by their unchanged SPR and Zeta-potential values. These AgNPs inhibit growth and biofilm formation of both Gram positive (B. subtilis) and Gram negative (E. coli and Salmonella typhimurium) bacterial strains even at concentrations much lower than the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) breakpoints of antibiotics, but show reduced or no cytotoxicity against mammalian cells. These AgNPs alter expression and positioning of bacterial cytoskeletal proteins FtsZ and FtsA. CMT-capped AgNPs can effectively block growth of several clinical isolates and MDR strains representing different genera and resistant towards multiple antibiotics belonging to different classes. We propose that the CMT-capped AgNPs can have potential bio-medical application against multi-drug-resistant microbes with minimal cytotoxicity towards mammalian cells.

Effect of halogen addition to monolayer protected gold nanoparticles

The effects of N-halosuccinimide and halogen addition to monolayer protected gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) dispersed in organic media are described. Contrary to the expectation that nanoparticles dispersed in organic media are stable against aggregation, N-iodosuccinimide addition induced aggregation of octadecylamine capped gold nanoparticles in chloroform or toluene. It was observed that even KI and CuI addition could bring about the aggregation though they are very sparingly soluble in organic solvents. It was also found that even molecular iodine could bring about the above mentioned aggregation. Interestingly, when CuI is used the aggregated structures readily convert to very thin flat nanostructures upon exposure to an electron beam or UV irradiation. In fact when the aggregation is induced by the addition of KI or N-iodosuccinamide we do not see the flattening of the aggregated structures exemplifying the important role of Cu ions in making these flat structures.

Growth of silver nanoclusters embedded in soda glass matrix

Temperature-controlled-growth of silver nanoclusters in soda glass matrix is investigated by low-frequency Raman scattering spectroscopy. Growth of the nanoclusters is ascribed to the diffusion-controlled precipitation of silver atoms due to annealing the silver-exchanged soda glass samples. For the first time, Rutherford backscattering measurements performed in this system to find out activation energy for the diffusion of silver ions in the glass matrix. Activation energy for the diffusion of silver ions in the glass matrix estimated from different experimental results is found to be consistent.