Twinning Ge0.54 Si0.46 nanocrystal growth mechanism in amorphous SiO2 films

L. Z. Liu; X. L. Wu; T. H. Li; Paul K. Chu

doi:10.1063/1.3395407

Twinning Ge_0.54 Si_0.46 nanocrystal growth mechanism in amorphous SiO₂ films

L. Z. Liu
, X. L. Wu
, T. H. Li
, Paul K. Chu

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

12 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Ge_0.54 Si_0.46 alloy nanocrystals (NCs) with different twinning structures are synthesized by magnetron sputtering followed by high temperature (>1100 °C) annealing and rapid cooling. The local strain induced by rapid cooling enables neighboring NCs to coalesce quickly. Because of insufficient time to form individual structures, a leading twinning interface forms inevitably in the interior of the NCs. The twinning NCs with large surface free energies reconstruct for energy optimization at high temperature. Consequently, the twinning layer thickness shrinks slowly, finally transforming into untwined stable NCs with the lowest surface free energy. Our experimental observations are corroborated by theoretical calculation. © 2010 American Institute of Physics.

Original language	English
Article number	173111
Journal	Applied Physics Letters
Volume	96
Issue number	17
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3395407
Publication status	Published - 26 Apr 2010

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@article{cd8ca4031d7a4758b1045f10525583cf,

title = "Twinning Ge0.54 Si0.46 nanocrystal growth mechanism in amorphous SiO2 films",

abstract = "Ge0.54 Si0.46 alloy nanocrystals (NCs) with different twinning structures are synthesized by magnetron sputtering followed by high temperature (>1100 °C) annealing and rapid cooling. The local strain induced by rapid cooling enables neighboring NCs to coalesce quickly. Because of insufficient time to form individual structures, a leading twinning interface forms inevitably in the interior of the NCs. The twinning NCs with large surface free energies reconstruct for energy optimization at high temperature. Consequently, the twinning layer thickness shrinks slowly, finally transforming into untwined stable NCs with the lowest surface free energy. Our experimental observations are corroborated by theoretical calculation. {\textcopyright} 2010 American Institute of Physics.",

author = "Liu, \{L. Z.\} and Wu, \{X. L.\} and Li, \{T. H.\} and Chu, \{Paul K.\}",

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doi = "10.1063/1.3395407",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Twinning Ge0.54 Si0.46 nanocrystal growth mechanism in amorphous SiO2 films

AU - Liu, L. Z.

AU - Wu, X. L.

AU - Li, T. H.

AU - Chu, Paul K.

PY - 2010/4/26

Y1 - 2010/4/26

N2 - Ge0.54 Si0.46 alloy nanocrystals (NCs) with different twinning structures are synthesized by magnetron sputtering followed by high temperature (>1100 °C) annealing and rapid cooling. The local strain induced by rapid cooling enables neighboring NCs to coalesce quickly. Because of insufficient time to form individual structures, a leading twinning interface forms inevitably in the interior of the NCs. The twinning NCs with large surface free energies reconstruct for energy optimization at high temperature. Consequently, the twinning layer thickness shrinks slowly, finally transforming into untwined stable NCs with the lowest surface free energy. Our experimental observations are corroborated by theoretical calculation. © 2010 American Institute of Physics.

AB - Ge0.54 Si0.46 alloy nanocrystals (NCs) with different twinning structures are synthesized by magnetron sputtering followed by high temperature (>1100 °C) annealing and rapid cooling. The local strain induced by rapid cooling enables neighboring NCs to coalesce quickly. Because of insufficient time to form individual structures, a leading twinning interface forms inevitably in the interior of the NCs. The twinning NCs with large surface free energies reconstruct for energy optimization at high temperature. Consequently, the twinning layer thickness shrinks slowly, finally transforming into untwined stable NCs with the lowest surface free energy. Our experimental observations are corroborated by theoretical calculation. © 2010 American Institute of Physics.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/77952388731

UR - https://www.scopus.com/record/pubmetrics.uri?eid=2-s2.0-77952388731&origin=recordpage

U2 - 10.1063/1.3395407

DO - 10.1063/1.3395407

M3 - RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal

SN - 0003-6951

VL - 96

JO - Applied Physics Letters

JF - Applied Physics Letters

IS - 17

M1 - 173111

ER -