Xuefei Feng

The band offset at CdS/Cu2ZnSnS4 heterojunction interface

The band offset at the CdS/Cu2ZnSnS4 heterojunction interface is studied by measuring the valence band spectra using synchrotron radiation photoemission spectroscopy. The Cu2ZnSnS4 thin films are prepared by the sulfurization of electrodeposited Cu-Zn-Sn precursors. A CdS overlayer is sequentially grown on the Cu2ZnSnS4 thin films from a chemical bath deposition process. Valence band spectra were obtained before and after each period of growth to study the electronic structure at the heterojunction interface. The valence band offset was determined to be 0.96 eV, and the conduction band offset was determined to be −0.06 eV. This means that the CdS/Cu2ZnSnS4 hetrojunction has a ‘type II’ band alignment which will cause large-scale recombination at the interfaces and will not be suitable for solar cells fabrication.

A Dynamic Punch Method to Quantify the Dynamic Shear Strength of Brittle Solids

Shear strength is an important material parameter for brittle solids. This parameter has been extensively used in material failure models. Although a few methods have been proposed to quantify this parameter under the static loading condition, there is no such a method available to measure it under dynamic loading conditions. This paper presents a punch shear device to measure the dynamic shear strength of brittle solids. In this method, a split Hopkinson pressure bar system (SHPB) is used to exert the dynamic load to a thin disc sample, which is placed in a specially designed holder to minimize the bending stress induced by punching. The sample holder also allows the punch head to load the sample directly and in combination with momentum-trap technique in SHPB, it enables soft recovery of the rock plug and rock ring produced by the punching test. The flexibility and applicability of this method is demonstrated by the application of an isotropic and fine-grained sandstone. Within the theoretical framework of the classical Mohr-Coulomb failure model, the obtained dynamic shear strengths are consistent with the dynamic tensile strengths for the same rock from the literature.

Growth and electronic structure of Sm on thin Al2O3/Ni3Al(111) films

The growth and electronic structure of vapor-deposited Sm on a well-ordered Al(2)O(3)/Ni(3)Al(111) ultrathin film under ultrahigh vacuum conditions at room temperature have been studied comprehensively using synchrotron radiation photoemission spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, work function measurements, scanning tunneling microscopy, and low-energy electron diffraction. Our results indicate that at room temperature Sm grows in a layer-by-layer fashion up to at least 1 ML, followed by three-dimensional growth. The interaction of Sm with Al(2)O(3) thin films leads to an initial oxidation of Sm, accompanied by a parallel reduction of the Al(2)O(3) substrate. Both the oxidation states of Sm(2+) and Sm(3+) are found at low coverage (<1 ML). The concentration of Sm(2+) saturates below 0.4 ML, while that of Sm(3+) keeps increasing until the metallic state of Sm appears at high coverages.

An eight-channel Doppler backscattering system in the experimental advanced superconducting tokamak.

Doppler backscattering system can measure the perpendicular velocity and fluctuation amplitude of the density turbulence with intermediate wavenumber. An eight-channel Doppler backscattering system has been installed in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), which can probe eight different radial locations simultaneously by launching eight fixed frequencies (55, 57.5, 60, 62.5, 67.5, 70, 72.5, 75 GHz) into plasma. The quasi-optical system consists of circular corrugated waveguide transmission, a fixed parabolic mirror, and a rotatable parabolic mirror which are integrated with quasi-optics front-end of the profile reflectometer inside the vacuum vessel. The incidence angle can be chosen from 5° to 12°, and the wavenumber range is 2-15/cm with the wavenumber resolution Δk/k≤0.21. Ray tracing simulations are used to calculate the scattering locations and the perpendicular wavenumber. The dynamic range of this new eight-channel Doppler backscattering system can be as large as 40 dB in the EAST. In this article, the hardware design, the ray tracing, and the preliminary experimental results in the EAST will be presented.

Soft x-ray spectroscopy of high pressure liquid

We describe a new experimental technique that allows for soft x-ray spectroscopy studies (∼100-1000 eV) of high pressure liquid (∼100 bars). We achieve this through a liquid cell with a 100 nm-thick Si3N4 membrane window, which is sandwiched by two identical O-rings for vacuum sealing. The thin Si3N4 membrane allows soft x-rays to penetrate, while separating the high-pressure liquid under investigation from the vacuum required for soft x-ray transmission and detection. The burst pressure of the Si3N4 membrane increases with decreasing size and more specifically is inversely proportional to the side length of the square window. It also increases proportionally with the membrane thickness. Pressures > 60 bars could be achieved for 100 nm-thick square Si3N4 windows that are smaller than 65 μm. However, above a certain pressure, the failure of the Si wafer becomes the limiting factor. The failure pressure of the Si wafer is sensitive to the wafer thickness. Moreover, the deformation of the Si3N4 membrane is quantified using vertical scanning interferometry. As an example of the performance of the high-pressure liquid cell optimized for total-fluorescence detected soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy (sXAS), the sXAS spectra at the Ca L edge (∼350 eV) of a CaCl2 aqueous solution are collected under different pressures up to 41 bars.

A novel, tunable, multimodal microwave system for microwave reflectometry system

Based on a new technique, a tunable, multi-channel system that covers the Q-band (33-55 GHz) is presented in this article. It has a potential use of the Doppler backscattering system diagnostic that can measure the turbulence radial correlation and the perpendicular velocity of turbulence by changing the incident angle. The system consists primarily of a double-sideband (DSB) modulation and a multiplier, which creates four probing frequencies. The probing frequency enables the simultaneous analysis of the density fluctuations and flows at four distinct radial regions in tokamak plasma. The amplitude of the probing frequency can be adjusted by the initial phase of the intermediate frequency (IF) input from the double-sideband, and the typical flatness is less than 10 dB. The system was tested in the lab with a rotating grating, and the results show that the system can operate in the frequency range of 33-55 GHz with a Q-band multitude and that the power of each channel can be adjusted by the phase of the IF input of DSB.

Observation of geodesic acoustic mode in EAST using Doppler backscattering system

This paper presents an investigation of the geodesic acoustic mode (GAM) using two poloidally separated Doppler backscattering systems in Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak. Each system allows for the simultaneous measurement of turbulence rotation velocity and density fluctuations with high precision. With the Doppler backscattering systems, the GAM frequency, the symmetric feature of poloidal flow fluctuations, and the interaction between GAM and turbulence are surveyed. The results of bispectral analysis show a clear interaction of GAM with the ambient turbulence. A clear measurement of GAM in the envelope of plasma density fluctuations using Doppler backscatter system is shown, and the modulations of the turbulence perpendicular velocity on the density turbulence are correlated at two different poloidal position.This paper presents an investigation of the geodesic acoustic mode (GAM) using two poloidally separated Doppler backscattering systems in Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak. Each system allows for the simultaneous measurement of turbulence rotation velocity and density fluctuations with high precision. With the Doppler backscattering systems, the GAM frequency, the symmetric feature of poloidal flow fluctuations, and the interaction between GAM and turbulence are surveyed. The results of bispectral analysis show a clear interaction of GAM with the ambient turbulence. A clear measurement of GAM in the envelope of plasma density fluctuations using Doppler backscatter system is shown, and the modulations of the turbulence perpendicular velocity on the density turbulence are correlated at two different...

Investigation of electromagnetic geodesic acoustic mode in EAST RF-heating plasma

The magnetic fluctuations of geodesic acoustic modes (GAMs) have been investigated using a Doppler backscattering system and Mirnov probes during ion cyclotron resonance heating and lower hybrid wave heating in the edge plasma in the experimental advanced superconducting tokamak, and the magnetic component of the GAM was observed. The frequency of the GAM has a clear relationship with the edge electron temperature, and the mode numbers of the poloidal component of the magnetic structure of the GAM are approximately m = 2 ( sin ( 2 θ ) ) and n = 0. A more detailed investigation shows that the maximum values of the amplitude of the poloidal magnetic field fluctuations and poloidal electric field fluctuations are approximately 10 − 6 T and 200 V/m, respectively.The magnetic fluctuations of geodesic acoustic modes (GAMs) have been investigated using a Doppler backscattering system and Mirnov probes during ion cyclotron resonance heating and lower hybrid wave heating in the edge plasma in the experimental advanced superconducting tokamak, and the magnetic component of the GAM was observed. The frequency of the GAM has a clear relationship with the edge electron temperature, and the mode numbers of the poloidal component of the magnetic structure of the GAM are approximately m = 2 ( sin ( 2 θ ) ) and n = 0. A more detailed investigation shows that the maximum values of the amplitude of the poloidal magnetic field fluctuations and poloidal electric field fluctuations are approximately 10 − 6 T and 200 V/m, respectively.