Electrical activity of grain boundaries in polycrystalline silicon – influences of grain boundary structure, chemistry and temperature

2005 ◽  
Vol 96 (2) ◽  
pp. 197-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sadahiro Tsurekawa ◽  
Kota Kido ◽  
Shu Hamada ◽  
Tadao Watanabe ◽  
Takashi Sekiguchi
Keyword(s):  
Grain Boundary ◽  
Electrical Activity ◽  
Grain Boundaries ◽  
Polycrystalline Silicon ◽  
Boundary Structure ◽  
Grain Boundary Structure

Structural and Mechanical Properties of Nanophase Ni: A Molecular-Dynamics Study of the Influence of Grain-Boundary Structure on Elastic and Plastic Behavior

1997 ◽  
Vol 492 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Van Swygenhoven ◽  
M. Spaczér ◽  
A. Caro
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Dynamics ◽  
Grain Boundary ◽  
Grain Boundaries ◽  
Diffusion Mechanism ◽  
Distribution Functions ◽  
Boundary Structure ◽  
Plastic Behavior ◽  
Self Diffusion ◽  
Common Neighbour ◽  
Grain Boundary Structure

ABSTRACTMolecular dynamics computer simulations of high load plastic deformation at temperatures up to 500K of Ni nanophase samples with mean grain size of 5 nm are reported. Two types of samples are considered: a polycrystal nucleated from different seeds, each having random location and random orientation, representing a sample with mainly high angle grain boundaries, and polycrystals with seeds located at the same places as before, but with a limited missorientation representing samples with mainly low angle grain boundaries. The structure of the grain boundaries is studied by means of pair distribution functions, coordination number, atom energetics, and common neighbour analysis. Plastic behaviour is interpreted in terms of grain-boundary viscosity, controlled by a self diffusion mechanism at the disordered interface activated by thermal energy and stress.

Systematic Study of Grain Boundary Structure and Chemical Analysis of [100] and [111] Tilt Grain Boundaries in Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia

2004 ◽  
Vol 10 (S02) ◽  
pp. 304-305 ◽  
Author(s):  
James P Buban ◽  
Katsuyuki Matsunaga ◽  
Takahisa Yamamoto ◽  
Yuichi Ikuhara
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Analysis ◽  
Grain Boundary ◽  
Grain Boundaries ◽  
Systematic Study ◽  
Yttria Stabilized Zirconia ◽  
Boundary Structure ◽  
Stabilized Zirconia ◽  
Grain Boundary Structure

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2004 in Savannah, Georgia, USA, August 1–5, 2004.

GRAIN BOUNDARIES: PHASE TRANSITIONS AND CRITICAL PHENOMENA

1991 ◽  
Vol 05 (19) ◽  
pp. 2989-3028 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.I. RABKIN ◽  
L.S. SHVINDLERMAN ◽  
B.B. STRAUMAL
Keyword(s):  
Phase Transitions ◽  
Grain Boundary ◽  
Grain Boundaries ◽  
Critical Phenomena ◽  
External Surface ◽  
Theoretical Models ◽  
Boundary Structure ◽  
Boundary Phase ◽  
Recent Experimental Data ◽  
Grain Boundary Structure

Recent theories of grain boundary structure have been reviewed briefly. The possibility of existence of the same variety of phase transitions on grain boundaries as that on the crystal external surface has been demonstrated. Recent experimental data and theoretical models concerning grain boundary phase transitions are critically analysed. Grain boundary phase transitions connected with the formation of thin disordered layers on the boundary (prewetting, premelting) are particularly distinguished. Results of recent indirect experiments, which may be treated in terms of prewetting and premelting, have been reviewed. Experimentally observed critical phenomena in the vicinity of the prewetting transition on the tin-germanium interphase boundary have been discussed in terms of the critical exponents theory. Some ideas regarding directions of further research are presented.

Observations and implications of grain boundary dislocation networks in high-angle YBa2Cu3O7−δ grain boundaries

1990 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. 919-928 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. E. Babcock ◽  
D. C. Larbalestier
Keyword(s):  
Grain Boundary ◽  
Grain Boundaries ◽  
Weak Link ◽  
Coincidence Site Lattice ◽  
Boundary Structure ◽  
High Angle ◽  
Grain Boundary Structure ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Means Of Transmission ◽  
Regular Networks

Regular networks of localized grain boundary dislocations (GBDs) have been imaged by means of transmission electron microscopy in three different types of high-angle grain boundaries in YBa2Cu3O7-δ, implying that these boundaries possess ordered structures upon which a significant periodic strain field is superimposed. The occurrence of these GBD networks is shown to be consistent with the GBD/Structural Unit and Coincidence Site Lattice (CSL)/Near CSL descriptions for grain boundary structure. Thus, these dislocations appear to be intrinsic features of the boundary structure. The spacing of the observed GBDs ranged from ∼10 nm to ∼100 nm. These GBDs make the grain boundaries heterogeneous on a scale that approaches the coherence length and may contribute to their weak-link character by producing the “superconducting micro-bridge” microstructure which has been suggested on the basis of detailed electromagnetic measurements on similar samples.

Mechanism of Surface Dissolution in Dense Hydroxyapatite

2007 ◽  
Vol 121-123 ◽  
pp. 1241-1244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dong Seok Seo ◽  
Hwan Kim ◽  
Jong Kook Lee
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Grain Boundary ◽  
Grain Boundaries ◽  
Xrd Analysis ◽  
Boundary Structure ◽  
Molar Ratio ◽  
Dissolution Mechanism ◽  
Grain Boundary Structure ◽  
High Resolution Tem ◽  
Moisture Protection

In this study, it was demonstrated how second phases with small amount, which are hardly detected by XRD analysis, affect grain boundary dissolution and related mechanical properties of HA. All HA disks sintered at 1200 oC for 2 h in air with under moisture protection were phase pure and had Ca/P molar ratio of 1.67. Following certain period of exposure to the distilled water, the surface dissolution initiated at grain boundaries and particle loosening, subsequently resulting in decrease in mechanical properties of HA. In order to understand the dissolution mechanism, grain boundary structure of HA was identified by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high resolution TEM observation. From the analysis, it was found that the non-stoichiometric phase as α-tricalcium phosphate (TCP) transformed from β-TCP was existed at grain boundaries and caused surface dissolution of HA. From the XRD analysis, it was found that (211) and (112) planes of hydroxyapatite were susceptible to dissolution, whereas (300) plane was relatively stable.

A Highly Reliable Al Line with Controlled Texture and Grain Boundaries

1995 ◽  
Vol 391 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Hasunuma ◽  
H. Toyoda ◽  
T. Kawanoue ◽  
S. Ito ◽  
H. Kaneko ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Grain Boundary ◽  
Single Crystal ◽  
Grain Boundaries ◽  
Empirical Relation ◽  
Boundary Structure ◽  
Homogeneous Microstructure ◽  
Grain Boundary Structure ◽  
Dislocation Arrays ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
Individual Grains

AbstractIn order to clarify the relationship between Al line reliability and film microstructure, especially grain boundary structure and crystal texture, we have tested three kinds of highly textured Al lines, namely, single-crystal Al line, quasi-single-crystal Al line and hypertextured Al line, and two kinds of conventional Al lines deposited on TiN/Ti and on SiO2. Consequently, the empirical relation between the electromigration (EM) lifetime of Al line † and the (111) full width at half maximum (FWHM) value ω is described by † ∝ ω-2 [1]. This improvement of Al line reliability results from as following reasons; firstly, homogeneous microstructure and high activation energy of 1.28eV for the single-crystal Al line (ω=0.18°); secondly, sub-grain boundaries which consisted of dislocation arrays found in the quasi-single-crystal Al line (ω=0.26°) has turned out to be no more effective mass transport paths because dislocation lines are perpendicular to the direction of electron wind. Although there exist plural grain boundary diffusion paths in the newly developed hypertextured Al line (ω=0.5°) formed by using an amorphous Ta-Al underlayer {1], the vacancy flux along the line has been suppressed to the same order of magnitude of single crystal line. It has been clarified that the decrease of FWHM value has promoted the formation of sub-grain boundaries and low-angle boundaries with detailed orientation analysis of individual grains in the hypertextured film. The longer EM lifetime for the hypertextured Al line is considered to be due to the small grain boundary diffusivities for these stable grain boundaries, and this diffusivity reduction resulted in the suppression of void/hillock pair in the Al lines. These results have confirmed that controlling texture and/or grain boundary itself is a promising approach to develop reliable Al lines which withstand higher current densities required in future ULSIs.

Cation Coordination At Σ Grain Boundaries in TiO2 and SrTiO3, and its Effect on the Local Electronic Properties

1999 ◽  
Vol 5 (S2) ◽  
pp. 792-793
Author(s):  
J.A. Zaborac ◽  
J.P. Buban ◽  
H.O. Moltaji ◽  
S. Stemmer ◽  
N.D. Browning
Keyword(s):  
Grain Boundary ◽  
Grain Boundaries ◽  
Electronic Properties ◽  
Defect Formation ◽  
Boundary Structure ◽  
Polycrystalline Materials ◽  
Dominant Effect ◽  
Grain Boundary Structure ◽  
Charge Potential ◽  
Cation Coordination

Grain boundaries have long been known to have a dominant effect on the electronic properties of polycrystalline materials. In the case of electroceramic oxides, the thermodynamics of defect formation (vacancies or interstitials, cations or anions) are usually invoked to predict the presence of a space charge potential at the grain boundaries. The relative energetics for the formation of each type of defect determines the size and sign of this potential barrier and thus, the effect that boundaries have on the overall electronic properties of the materials. However, a limitation to this continuum thermodynamics approach is that it does not consider the effect of the grain boundary structure.To investigate whether the grain boundary atomic structure can have an effect on the energetics of defect formation and hence the electronic properties, here we examine the structure of Σ5 boundaries in two systems, SrTiO3 (perovskite) and TiO2(rutile).

High-resolution TEM of grain boundaries in silicon

1978 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 428-429
Author(s):  
H. FÖll ◽  
D.G. Ast
Keyword(s):  
Grain Boundary ◽  
Grain Boundaries ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Boundary Structure ◽  
Scale Production ◽  
Silicon Crystals ◽  
Grain Boundary Structure ◽  
Large Scale Production ◽  
High Resolution Tem ◽  
Boundary Properties

In contrast to grain boundaries in metals, little is known about the structure and the properties of grain boundaries in covalent crystals, especially in semiconductors. The reason for this lack of knowledge is that grain-boundary-free crystals of, e.g., silicon, are easy to grow; commercially used silicon crystals are free of dislocations and thus nearly perfect. It was not until after the use of polycrystalline silicon had been proposed for the large scale production of cheap solar cells that grain-boundary properties in silicon gained considerable interest. In particular their electronic properties and their influence on device performance is important in this case. Moreover, “grain boundary devices”, i.e., devices with a grain boundary as the active element and with rather interesting properties, are conceivable - provided the relationship between the grain boundary structure and their electronic behaviour can be understood (cf. /l/). In addition, the study of grain boundaries in silicon, with an electronic structure and a binding configuration very different from metals, may provide a valuable tool to test competing grain boundary models (see, e.g., /2,3/) and may lead to a deeper insight into the crystal parameters governing the grain boundary properties.

The structure of a near Σ=27 tilt grain boundary in Ge

1992 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 214-215
Author(s):  
Stuart McKernan ◽  
C. Barry Carter
Keyword(s):  
Grain Boundary ◽  
Grain Boundaries ◽  
Structural Unit ◽  
Perfect Crystal ◽  
Boundary Plane ◽  
Boundary Structure ◽  
Structural Units ◽  
Grain Boundary Plane ◽  
Grain Boundary Structure ◽  
Complex Structural

The modeling of tilt grain boundaries in terms of repeating structural units of varying separation is now a well established concept. High-resolution electron microscope (HREM) images of different tilt grain boundaries in many materials display a qualitative similarity of atomic configurations of the grain boundary structure. These boundaries are frequently described in terms of characteristic structural units, which may be separated from each other by regions of ‘perfect’ crystal (as, for example, in low-angle grain boundaries), or may be contiguous, forming ordered arrays of the structural units along the boundary. In general there will be a different arrangement of the structural units or an arrangement of different structural units, according to the precise geometry of the particular grain boundary. The structure of some special grain boundaries has been examined and these are found to exist in several different configurations, depending on the orientation of the grain boundary plane among other parameters. Symmetry-related symmetric tilt grain boundaries and asymmetric tilt grain boundaries with one grain having a prominent, low-index facet, are commonly observed, low-energy configurations. Structural multiplicity of these configurations along the same grain boundary has been observed in some systems. Defects in the perfect ordering of the structural units may be caused by deviations of the grain boundary plane away from the perfect tilt orientation. Deviations of grain boundary structure away from the exact orientation will also produce defects in the repeating structural unit configuration. These deviations may have a regular and well-defined structure, producing a more complex structural unit.

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