Usman Ilyas

Oxygen rich p-type ZnO thin films using wet chemical route with enhanced carrier concentration by temperature-dependent tuning of acceptor defects

This paper reports the temperature-dependent tailoring of acceptor defects in oxygen rich ZnO thin films, for enhanced p-type conductivity. The oxygen rich p-type ZnO thin films were successfully grown by pulsed laser deposition on silicon substrate at different postdeposition annealing temperatures (500–800 °C). The oxygen rich ZnO powder was synthesized by wet chemical method using zinc acetate dihydrate [Zn(CH3COO)2·2H2O] and potassium hydroxide (KOH) as precursors. The powder was then compressed and sintered to make pellets for pulsed laser deposition system. The x-ray diffraction analysis exhibits an improved crystallinity in thin films annealed at elevated temperatures with a temperature-dependent variation in lattice constants. An analysis of Auger Zn L3M4,5M4,5 peak reveals a consistent decrease in interstitial zinc (Zni) exhibiting its temperature-dependent reversion to zinc lattice sites. Room temperature photoluminescence of the p-type ZnO shows a dominant deep level emission peak at ∼3.12 eV r...

Enhanced indirect ferromagnetic p-d exchange coupling of Mn in oxygen rich ZnO:Mn nanoparticles synthesized by wet chemical method

This paper investigates the ferromagnetism in ZnO:Mn powders and presents our findings about the role played by the doping concentration and the structural defects towards the ferromagnetic signal. The narrow-size-distributed ZnO:Mn nanoparticles based powders with oxygen rich stoichiometery were synthesized by wet chemical method using zinc acetate dihydrate and manganese acetate tetrahydrate as precursors. A consistent increase in the lattice cell volume, estimated from x-ray diffraction spectra and the presence of Mn 2p3/2 peak at � 640.9eV, in x-ray photoelectron spectroscopic spectra, confirmed a successful incorporation of manganese in its Mn 2þ oxidation state in ZnO host matrix. Extended deep level emission spectra in Mn doped ZnO powders exhibited the signatures of oxygen interstitials and zinc vacancies except for the sample with 5 at. % Mn doping. The nanocrystalline powders with 2 and 5 at. % Mn doping concentration were ferromagnetic at room temperature while the 10 at. % Mn doped sample exhibited paramagnetic behavior. The maximum saturation magnetization of 0.05emu/g in the nanocrystalline powder with 5 at. % Mn doping having minimum defects validated the ferromagnetic signal to be due to strong p-d hybridization of Mn ions. V C 2012 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3679129]

Neutron Emission Characteristics of NX-3 Plasma Focus Device: Speed Factor as the Guiding Rule for Yield Optimization

This paper reports the results of characterization and optimization experiments carried out on a newly developed NX-3 dense plasma focus device (20 kJ at 20 kV, a quarter time period of ~ 3 μs, and 10 kJ/600 kA at 14 kV) at the Plasma Radiation Source Laboratory, NIE, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Initial experiments were conducted with an electrode assembly configuration having anode radius and length of 20 and 160 mm, respectively, for detailed neutron emission characterization of NX-3 device followed by further optimization of neutron yield using various other electrode configurations designed using the Lee Code. At ≥10-kJ operation, the average neutron yield on the order of 109 neutrons/pulse in 4πsr was obtained for the deuterium filling gas pressure range of 6-8 mbar. The neutron yield of ~ 4.6 ×109 neutrons/pulse at 10 kJ/6 mbar is the highest ever reported for a device with the same stored energy. The neutron anisotropy measurements point to the beam-target mechanism as the dominant neutron production mechanism for NX-3 plasma focus device. Further optimization of neutron yield in NX-3 was achieved with the peak average neutron yield being enhanced from ~ (2.38 ±0.31) ×109 neutrons/shot for the initial electrode configuration to about ~ (3.40 ±0.43) ×109 neutrons/shot for the electrode configuration with anode radius and length of 26 and 140 mm, respectively. The analysis of neutron yield results for various electrode assembly configurations demonstrates the speed factor as a key optimization tool for maximization of neutron yield.

Cost-effective biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles using different organs of plants and their antimicrobial applications: A review

In the recent times, fabrication of metallic nanoparticles has become an enthralling area of research in the field of materials science. Among all, silver nanoparticles have taken the position of talented candidate for the modern study because of their efficient applications in biomedical field. Various chemical and physical routs have been explored for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles. However, green synthesis is found to be the most advantageous, environment-friendly, exciting and easily adoptable pathway over the other conventional approaches. In this review, we have highlighted the role of plants and their different parts for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles and their antibacterial applications. Moreover, the effect of different experimental parameters on the size of nanoparticles is also described.

High temperature ferromagnetic ordering in c-axis oriented ZnO:Mn nanoparticle thin films by tailoring substrate temperature

This study reports the enhanced ferromagnetic ordering in ZnO:Mn nanoparticle thin films, grown at different substrate temperatures using pulsed laser deposition. The optimum growth conditions were deduced from X-ray, photoemission and magnetic measurements. The X-ray measurements reveal that there was an optimum substrate temperature where the thin films showed relatively stronger texture, better crystallinity and lower strain. Substrate temperature tuned the deep level recombination centers in ZnO:Mn, which changed the optical quality by altering the electronic structure. The M-H curves, in the present study, revealed superior ferromagnetic response of 20-nm sized particles in ZnO:Mn thin film grown at a substrate temperature of 450 °C. Ferromagnetic ordering becomes weaker at higher/lower substrate temperatures due to the activation of native defects in ZnO host matrix.

Nanofabrication using home-made RF plasma coupled chemical vapour deposition system

Zinc oxide, ZnO, a popular semiconductor material with a wide band gap (3.37 eV) and high binding energy of the exciton (60 meV), has numerous applications such as in optoelectronics, chemical/biological sensors, and drug delivery. This project aims to (i) optimize the operating conditions for growth of ZnO nanostructures using the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method, and (ii) investigate the effects of coupling radiofrequency (RF) plasma to the CVD method on the quality of ZnO nanostructures. First, ZnO nanowires were synthesized using a home-made reaction setup on gold-coated and non-coated Si (100) substrates at 950 °C. XRD, SEM, EDX, and PL measurements were used for characterizations and it was found that a deposition duration of 10 minutes produced the most well-defined ZnO nanowires. SEM analysis revealed that the nanowires had diameters ranging from 30-100 mm and lengths ranging from 1-4 µm. In addition, PL analysis showed strong UV emission at 380 nm, making it suitable for UV lasing. Next, RF...

SPECTROSCOPIC STUDY OF DEEP LEVEL EMISSIONS FROM ACCEPTOR DEFECTS IN ZnO THIN FILMS WITH OXYGEN RICH STOICHIOMETRY

This paper reports the tailoring of acceptor defects in oxygen rich ZnO thin films at different post-deposition annealing temperatures (500–800°C) and Mn doping concentrations. The XRD spectra exhibited the nanocrystalline nature of ZnO thin films along with inconsistent variation in lattice parameters suggesting the temperature-dependent activation of structural defects. Photoluminescence emission spectra revealed the temperature dependent variation in deep level emissions (DLE) with the presence of acceptors as dominating defects. The concentration of native defects was estimated to be increased with temperature while a reverse trend was observed for those with increasing doping concentration. A consistent decrease in DLE spectra, with increasing Mn content, revealed the quenching of structural defects in the optical band gap of ZnO favorable for good quality thin films with enhanced optical transparency.