By analyzing the angular correlations in scanning electron nanodiffraction patterns from a melt-spun Zr(36)Cu(64) glass, the dominant local order was identified as icosahedral clusters. Mapping the extent of this icosahedral short-range order demonstrates that the medium-range order in this material is consistent with a face-sharing or interpenetrating configuration. These conclusions support results from atomistic modeling and a structural basis for the glass formability of this system.

Au-hyperdoped Si, synthesized by ion implantation and pulsed laser melting, is known to exhibit a strong sub-band gap photoresponse that scales monotonically with the Au concentration. However, there is thought to be a limit to this behavior since ultrahigh Au concentrations (>1 × 10 20 cm −3) are expected to induce cellular breakdown during the rapid resolidification of Si, a process that is associated with significant lateral impurity precipitation. This work shows that the cellular morphology observed in Au-hyperdoped Si differs from that in conventional, steady-state cellular breakdown. In particular, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry combined with channeling and transmission electron microscopy revealed an inhomogeneous Au distribution and a subsurface network of Au-rich filaments, within which the Au impurities largely reside on substitutional positions in the crystalline Si lattice, at concentrations as high as ∼3 at. %. The measured substitutional Au dose, regardless of the presence of Au-rich filaments, correlates strongly with the sub-band gap optical absorptance. Upon subsequent thermal treatment, the supersaturated Au forms precipitates, while the Au substitutionality and the sub-band gap optical absorption both decrease. These results offer insight into a metastable filamentary regime in Au-hyperdoped Si that has important implications for Si-based infrared optoelectronics.

High-temperature nanoindentation coupled with in-situ electrical measurements has been used to investigate the temperature dependence (25-200oC) of the phase transformation behavior of diamond cubic (dc) silicon at the nanoscale.1 Along with in-situ indentation and electrical data, Raman and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy have also been used to reveal the indentation-induced deformation mechanisms in crystalline Si wafer. This study finds that phase transformation and defect propagation within the crystal lattice are not mutually exclusive deformation processes at elevated temperature. Depending on the temperature and loading conditions both the deformation mechanisms can occur up to 150oC but to different extents. It is observed that phase transformation is dominant below 100oC but deformation by twinning along {111} planes dominates at 150oC and 200oC. This work, therefore, provides clear insight into the temperature dependent deformation mechanisms in dc-Si at the nanoscale and helps to clarify previous inconsistencies in the literature.1 1M.

Diamond cubic Ge is subjected to high pressures via nanoindentation at temperatures between À45 C and 20 C. The residual impressions are studied using ex-situ Raman microspectroscopy and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. The deformation mechanism at 20 C is predominately via the generation of crystalline defects. However, when the temperature is lowered, the analysis of residual indentation impressions provides evidence for deformation by phase transformation and formation of additional phases such as r8-Ge, hd-Ge, and amorphous Ge. Furthermore, these results show that at 0 C and below, dc-Ge will reliably phase transform via nanoindentation.

The germanium-tin (Ge1−xSnx) material system is expected to be a direct bandgap group IV semiconductor at a Sn content of 6.5−11 at. %. Such Sn concentrations can be realized by non-equilibrium deposition techniques such as molecular beam epitaxy or chemical vapour deposition. In this report, the combination of ion implantation and pulsed laser melting is demonstrated to be an alternative promising method to produce a highly Sn concentrated alloy with a good crystal quality. The structural properties of the alloys such as soluble Sn concentration, strain distribution, and crystal quality have been characterized by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, Raman spectroscopy, x ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. It is shown that it is possible to produce a high quality alloy with up to 6.2 at. %Sn. The optical properties and electronic band structure have been studied by spectroscopic ellipsometry. The introduction of substitutional Sn into Ge is shown to either induce a splitting between light and heavy hole subbands or lower the conduction band at the Γ valley. Limitations and possible solutions to introducing higher Sn content into Ge that is sufficient for a direct bandgap transition are also discussed.