Crystals of an incongruent-melting compound, Ba₃MgSi₂O₈, were grown by the flux method and its structure was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction methods. Ba₃MgSi₂O₈ crystallizes in trigonal space group P-3[bar]m1 with a = 5.6123(3) Å, c = 7.2667(9) Å and Z = 1. Eu²⁺ ions prefer one crystallographic Ba site...
This dissertation outlines two approaches for improving the efficiency and reducing the cost of photovoltaic energy generation. First, the structures of known binary copper and iron compounds are used to choose the promising compositions Fe₂XS₄ (X = Si, Ge), Cu₃TaQ₄ (Q = Se, Te), and BaCuQ'F (Q' = S, Se,...
Solid-state amorphous materials show amazing promise in thin-film electronics. The interface-to-bulk ratio of thin films makes interfacial chemistries of these systems of utmost importance. Thin films of amorphous metals, dielectrics and semiconductors have novel chemistries that are not only based upon their elemental constituent makeup, but also based upon the...
Several types of solid-state inorganic materials are prepared and characterized. By using the SILAR (Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption and Reaction) deposition method in conjunction with hydrothermal dehydration both low-temperature deposition and crystallization of oxide thin films are achieved. Various aspects of new transparent p-type materials are studied by examining both...
The continuous microreactor-assisted solution deposition (MASD) process was used for the deposition of CdS thin films on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass. The MASD system, including a T-junction micromixer and a microchannel heat exchanger is capable of isolating the homogeneous particle precipitation from the heterogeneous surface reaction. The results show...
Advances in energy technologies and electronics have typically occurred through either heightened performance or cost reduction. This dissertation explores both routes through a series of fundamental material studies that may contribute to the enabling of next generation devices. Solution based syntheses and deposition of chemical products offer a low cost...
BiCuOSe and SnS are layered, moderate band gap (ε[subscript G] ≈ 1 eV) semiconductors that exhibit intrinsic p type conductivity. Doping of BiCuOSe with Ca results in a slight expansion of the lattice and an increase of the hole concentration from 10¹⁸ cm⁻³ to greater than 10²⁰ cm⁻³. The large...