Pawan K. Tyagi

High-resolution transmission electron microscopy mapping of nickel and cobalt single-crystalline nanorods inside multiwalled carbon nanotubes and chirality calculations

The nickel and cobalt nanorods of the diameters in the range of 6–20nm with lengths of 0.29–0.9μm are formed using multiwalled carbon nanotubes as templates. The nickel and cobalt nanorods as described in our letter are perfect single crystals inside the nanotube with their Miller planes inclined with respect to the tube axis in a particular fashion. The (111) planes of face-centered-cubic nickel and cobalt are inclined at angles 39.6° and 39.4°, respectively, while the hexagonal-closed-packed cobalt (002) planes incline at an angle 53.4°. The inclination of these planes is studied in detail and results are discussed in terms of elastic energy and surface tension. The chirality of the carbon nanotubes, in intimate contact with the nanorod, is determined using the mapping of Ni and C atoms in a graphene sheet. We believe this could pave a way for synthesizing the tubes with known chirality.

Hexagonal diamond synthesis on h-GaN strained films

Chemical vapor deposited diamond films grown on strained gallium nitride-coated quartz substrate are found to display a dominantly hexagonal diamond phase. The phase identification is done using Raman spectroscopy and orientation imaging microscopy (OIM). The presence of a 1324.4cm−1 band in the Raman spectra is attributed to a hexagonal diamond symmetry, but the unambiguous signature of the hexagonal phase is confirmed by OIM. A phase map of the sample clearly shows that 88% of the scanned sample area is hexagonal diamond.

Influence of laser repetition rate on the structural and optical properties of GaN layers grown on sapphire (0001) by laser molecular beam epitaxy

High-quality GaN layers were grown on sapphire (0001) substrates using laser molecular beam epitaxy (LMBE) by laser ablating a solid GaN target at different laser repetition rates (10–40 Hz) under a constant supply of r.f. nitrogen plasma. The effect of laser repetition rate on the structural and optical properties of GaN layers was systematically studied using high-resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. High-resolution X-ray rocking curve measurements revealed highly c-axis oriented GaN layers on sapphire grown at 30 Hz with a calculated screw dislocation density of ~1.42 × 107 cm−2, whereas the GaN layers grown at 10 or 40 Hz consisted the screw dislocation density in the range of 108–109 cm−2. Surface morphological analysis revealed a change in grain size as well as surface roughness as a function of laser repetition rate and is explained on the basis of growth kinetics. Vibrational Raman spectroscopy revealed that the GaN layer grown at 10 Hz shows an in-plane compressive stress of ~1 GPa, while the film grown at 30 Hz exhibits a minimum stress of ~0.3 GPa. The PL measurements show a highly luminescent band-to-band emission of GaN at 3.44 eV for the 10 Hz grown highly strained GaN layer and at 3.41 eV for the less strained film grown at 30 Hz along with a broad defect band emission centered around 2.28 eV. It is found that the GaN layers grown at 30 Hz have excellent structural and optical properties. We expect that the less strained thin and highly oriented GaN film grown by LMBE can further be utilized for developing prodigious low-temperature-grown nitride-based multilayer structures and devices.

Supercooling transition in phase separated manganite thin films: An electrical transport study

The impact of variation in the relative fractions of the ferromagnetic metallic and antiferromagnetic/charge ordered insulator phases on the supercooling/superheating transition in strongly phase separated system, La5/8−yPryCa3/8MnO3 (y ≈ 0.4), has been studied employing magnetotransport measurements. Our study clearly shows that the supercooling transition temperature is non-unique and strongly depends on the magneto-thermodynamic path through which the low temperature state is accessed. In contrast, the superheating transition temperature remains constant. The thermo-magnetic hysteresis, the separation of the two transitions and the associated resistivity, all are functions of the relative fraction of the coexisting phases.

Multilayer graphene as a transparent conducting electrode in silicon heterojunction solar cells

In this paper, the structure of a graphene/silicon heterojunction solar cell has been studied under simulated conditions. The parameters of the cell’s layers have been optimized by using AFORS-HET software. Instead of reported 2D nature, we considered graphene as 3D in nature. To ensure the formation of Schottky junction, electrical contacts were made along c-axis to collect the minority carriers, which generate upon illumination. By optimizing the various parameters of n-type multilayer graphene, we achieved the best-simulated cell with the power conversion efficiency of 7.62 % at room temperature. Up to 40 layers of n-type graphene, the efficiency found to be constant and enhanced only to 7.623 %. After further optimization of the parameters of p-crystalline silicon wafer, a maximum efficiency of 11.23 % has been achieved. Temperature dependence on the cell performance has also been studied and an efficiency of 11.38 % has been achieved at 270 K. Finally, we have demonstrated that n-type multilayer graphene can act as an excellent transparent conducting electrode.

Reorientation of the crystalline planes in confined single crystal nickel nanorods induced by heavy ion irradiation

In a recent letter Tyagi et al. [Appl. Phys. Lett. 86, 253110 (2005)] have reported the special orientation of nickel planes inside multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with respect to the tube axis. Heavy ion irradiation has been performed with 1.5MeV Au2+ and 100MeV Au7+ ions on these nickel filled MWCNTs at fluences ranging from 1012to1015ions∕cm2 at room temperature. Ion-induced modifications have been studied using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The diffraction pattern and the lattice imaging showed the presence of ion-induced planar defects on the tube walls and completely amorphized encapsulated nickel nanorods. The results are discussed in terms of thermal spike model.

Potential application of mono/bi-layer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) sheet as an efficient transparent conducting electrode in silicon heterojunction solar cells

In this paper, we have simulated the structure of n-type MoS2/silicon heterojunction solar cell and studied its function under different conditions. The optimization of parameters of the cells layer has been carried out by using AFORS-HET software. In the present study, MoS2 has been considered as 3-D in nature instead of the reported 2-D nature. In order to ensure the formation of Schottky junction, electric contact has been made along the c-axis to collect the minority charge carriers. After optimizing the various parameters of n-type single layer MoS2, power efficiency of 12.44% has been achieved at the room temperature, which has further decreased to 9.042% as the layer number has increased up to 40. Furthermore, after optimizing the parameters of silicon wafer maximum efficiency of 16.4% has been achieved. Temperature dependence of the cell performance has also been studied and the maximum efficiency has been achieved at 300 K. In the present study, we have demonstrated that n-type ultrathin layer o...

Diamond nucleation and growth on zeolites

Abstract In this work, we report the use of zeolites as substrates for the deposition of porous diamond films. Films were deposited in a hot-filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) apparatus. The HFCVD system was fed with a mixture of methane (0.8%) with the balance being hydrogen. A series of depositions were done in the pressure range 20–120 Torr and at substrate temperature 880 °C. The morphologies of the as-deposited films were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and show isolated diamond grains in the initial nucleation stages, which develop into a microporous film in the next stage and form a continuous film after long time deposition. Raman spectroscopy was used to investigate the crystal morphology, structure and non-diamond impurities in the films deposited at various growth conditions. The nature of the hydrogen bonding with sp 3 and sp 2 network and the quantitative analysis were done by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.

Effect of phase separation induced supercooling on magnetotransport properties of epitaxial La5/8−yPryCa3/8MnO3 (y≈0.4) thin film

Thin films of La5/8−yPryCa3/8MnO3 (y≈0.4) have been grown on single crystal SrTiO3 (001) by RF sputtering. The structural and surface characterizations confirm the epitaxial nature of these film. However, the difference between the ω-scan of the (002) and (110) peaks and the presence of pits/holes in the step-terrace type surface morphology suggests high density of defect in these films. Pronounced hysteresis between the field cooled cooling (FCC) and field cooled warming (FCW) magnetization measurements suggest towards the non-ergodic magnetic state. The origin of this nonergodicity could be traced to the magnetic liquid like state arising from the delicacy of the coexisting magnetic phases, viz., ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic-charge ordered (FM/AFM-CO). The large difference between the insulator metal transitions during cooling and warming cycles (TIMC ∼ 64 K and TIMW ∼ 123 K) could be regarded as a manifestation of the nonergodicity leading to supercooling of the magnetic liquid while cooling. Th...

Facile Synthesis of Semiconducting Ultrathin Layer of Molybdenum Disulfide

In this paper, we have reported a simple and efficient method for the synthesis of uniform, highly conducting single or few layer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) on large scale. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) have been used for the confirmation of mono or few layered nature of the as-synthesized MoS2 sheets. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Raman Spectroscopy have also been used to study the elemental, phase, and molecular composition of the sample. Optical properties of as-synthesized sample have been probed by measuring absorption and photoluminescence spectra which also compliment the formation of mono and few layers MoS2 Current-voltage (I-V ) characteristics of as-synthesized sample in the pellet form reveal that MoS2 sheets have an ohmic character and found to be highly conducting. Besides characterizing the as-synthesized sample, we have also proposed the mechanism and factors which play a decisive role in formation of high quality MoS2 sheets.