The optical transition in high-fraction polymorphs of titania (TiO2) were investigated to determine the band gap behavior of the most common polymorphs—brookite, rutile, and anatase—the values of which are varied in the literature. The direct optical band gaps of brookite, rutile, and anatase, were determined to be 3.37(7)eV, 3.41(11)eV and...
Nonlinear optical processes can be described as multiphoton scattering events in terms of high order perturbation theory. The standard procedure for quantitative calculation of high order terms is to impose a steady state condition on the perturbative radiation fields. In the present work, this condition will be lifted, and explicit...
We have performed fluorescence extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) measurements on the Cd K-edge of partial electrolyte (PE) treated Cu(In[subscript 0.7]Ga[subscript 0.3])Se₂ (CIGS) thin film samples using synchrotron X-ray radiation. This data was compared to the EXAFS spectra of CdSe and CdO standards. Cd local structure models were constructed...
This thesis focuses on two aspects of transparent electronics, SnO₂ transparent thin-film transistors (TTFTs) and transparent circuits. Both depletion- and enhancement-mode SnO₂ TTFTs are realized. The maximum effective mobility for the depletion- and enhancement-mode devices are 2 cm²V⁻¹s⁻¹ and 0.8 cm²V⁻¹s⁻¹, respectively. A variety of techniques to decrease the carrier...
The objective of this dissertation is to introduce low-cost processing methods for the fabrication of ZnO transparent thin-film transistors (TTFTs). A novel method for depositing ZnO body layers via spin-coating of a zinc nitrate-based spin solution is presented. The processing conditions of spin-coated ZnO are optimized to produce continuous and...
The code is developed for the calculation of the magneto-crystalline anisotropy (MAE) in thin films using a classical Heisenberg hamiltonian with a correction developed by Van Vleck. A Metropolis style Monte Carlo algorithm was used with adequate corrections to accelerate the calculation. The MAE was calculated for the case of...
Transparent conductive oxides (TCOs), primarily indium doped tin oxide, have been widely used in numerous fields since decades ago, such as solar cells, displays, OLEDs and ‘smart windows’ etc. Owing to the scarcity of indium, there is a great demand for new alternative materials. Metal/insulator/metal (MIM) diodes are a critical...
The objective of this thesis is to provide an initial demonstration of the feasibility of constructing highly transparent active electronic devices. Such a demonstration is successfully achieved in the fabrication of ZnO-based thin film transistors (TFTs) exhibiting transparency greater than ~90% in the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum and...
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2.2 Thinfilm electrical and optical properties of p-type transparent con-
ductors. Et denotes
CuGaSe₂/CuInSe₂ tandem junction solar cell is currently being pursued to be a low cost and high efficiency renewable energy source. A reported theoretical efficiency of 33.9% solar cells has been the motivation to fabricate CuGaSe₂ films in a simple and low cost method. Electrodeposition is a potentially suitable method to...
Polylactic acid (PLA), a renewable material, is used widely in a variety of commercial and specialty applications. However, certain limitations such as high temperature stability and brittleness limit its applicability. This problem is addressed by reinforcing PLA with a variety of materials but the process gives rise to different issues...
The lead-zirconate-titanate (PZT) solid solution system is currently the workhorse of piezoelectric-based microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) research. Among bulk materials it is known to be one of the strongest piezoelectrics, with extremely high piezoelectric coefficients and electro-mechanical coupling factors. Reproducing these exceptional qualities in thin film form, however, requires precise tuning...
Bulk properties of CuSc₁₋ₓMgₓO₂, CuSc₁₋ₓMgₓO₂₊y, BaCu₂S₂, Bai₁₋ₓKCu₂S₂, BaCu₂Se₂
and Bai₁₋ₓKₓCu₂Se₂ are investigated supporting the search for highly conductive p-type
thin films. Mg is an efficient dopant in CuScO₂ with conductivity up to l.5.10⁻² S/cm.
Oxidation of CuScO₂:Mg leads to further increase in conductivity up to 0.5 S/cm. The
amount of...
The structural and stress changes in molybdenum/amorphous silicon (Mo/a-Si)
EUV reflecting multilayers during annealing at 316°C were studied. The amorphous
interlayers, with an Mo:Si stoichiometry of 1:2, grew during annealing. The residual
stresses in each component of the multilayer also changed significantly. Through high
resolution electron microscopy, selected area electron...
A constrained thin film desorption scheme has been experimentally tested to determine the desorption rates for water from an aqueous lithium bromide mixture through a confining membrane. Variable conditions include the inlet concentration, pressure differential across the membrane, and channel height. Desorption takes place in a channel created between two...
An experimental study of absorption of ammonia into a constrained thin film of ammonia-water solution is presented. A large aspect ratio microchannel with one of its walls formed by a porous material is used to constrain the thickness of the liquid film. Experiments were performed at a pressure of 1,...