The behavior of steps on the basal surface of alumina under conditions of evaporativemass transport has been investigated. Steps on a clean surface of alumina tend to be uniformly spaced indicating a repulsive interaction between the steps. The presence of foreign particles causes step bunching that leads to the formation of a new facet. The lower energy of the macrofacet may provide a driving force for the bunching process.

Silicon nitride–Si2N2O in situ composites were prepared by hot pressing powder mixtures of α–Si3N4, 6 wt% Y2O3, 1 wt% Al2O3, and 0–12 wt% SiO2. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis indicated that the volume percents of Si2N2O were 0, 13, 31, and 54 for the composites prepared with 0, 4, 8, and 12 wt% SiO2, respectively. XRD results also indicated that both silicon nitride grains and Si2N2O grains were laid down perpendicular to hot pressing direction. As the volume percent of Si2N2O increased, the width and the amount of elongated silicon nitride grains decreased, but the fracture toughness increased. Young's modulus of the in situ composites decreased as the Si2N2O content was increased. The erosion rate decreased as the Si2N2O content was increased, in part, due to both the increased fracture toughness and the reduced grain size. Erosion of the composites occurred primarily due to the grain dislodgment. The sample without Si2N2O experienced micro-chipping due to transgranular fracture.

A microscopic theory of thermally induced crack healing in poly(methyl methacrylate) is presented. Both laser-induced cylindrical cracks and knife-induced surface cracks were analyzed. For a given temperature, the crack closure rate was constant for both types of cracks. However, the crack closure rate was lower for samples with cylindrical cracks than for those with surface cracks. The former exhibited higher activation energy for crack closure than the latter, because the knife-induced cracks had sharper crack tips. Fracture stress was proportional to surface crack healing time to the one-fourth power for thermal healing at a given temperature. Based on the reptation model of polymer chains, the activation energy of chain diffusion was calculated. The healing process was monitored via fractography and crack closure was confirmed. The results were compared with solvent healing and thermal healing in the literature.

A novel magnetic pair-making interaction between Mn and Ru shows a strong correlation between the magnetic ordering and electronic transport, which was well exemplified in the investigation of bulk polycrystalline samples of La0.7Pb0.3Mn1⊟xRuxO3 and La0.6Pb0.4Mn1⊟xRuxO3, where 0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.4. The metal-insulator transition (Tρ) complementing the Curie temperature (Tc) was observed up to 30% of Ru in La0.7Pb0.3Mn1⊟xRuxO3, and extended up to 40% of Ru in La0.6Pb0.4Mn1⊟xRuxO3, showing a unique double-exchange ferromagnetic exchange interaction between Mn and Ru ions. An upturn in resistance due to charge carrier localization at low temperatures (T<0.5 Tc) for more than 20% Ru doping was due to a dominant hole carrier density contribution rather than to grain boundary effects as inferred from the scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray studies of the samples sintered at 1200 and 1400 °C. The charge localization effect of the eg electrons was removed by tuning the hole carrier density as demonstrated in the La0.6Pb0.4Mn1⊟xRuxO3 samples. Long range correlations between magnetism and transport in this series was attributed to the presence of mixed valence Ru(IV/V) and Mn(III)/(IV) pair, which shows a unique double exchange mediated interaction.

Nanocrystalline gallium nitride powder was synthesized from a gallium dimethylamide-derived polymeric precursor by pyrolysis in ammonia atmosphere to study the grain growth mechanisms in the temperature range 800–1150 °C. In particular, growth exponents and activation energies were determined. Up to 900 °C, grain growth was inhibited, whereas, above 1000 °C, evaporation–condensation was identified as the dominant material transport path.

Phase formation and thermal stability for an Al–Mn–Be alloy have been investigated by melt-spinning and conventional casting. Significant differences in the phase formation and the thermal stability of the microstructure were found as a result of the different cooling rates. In the melt-spun ribbons, a large volume fraction of a metastable icosahedral phase was found to coexist with an Al solid solution. In the bulk cast ingots, the primary phase formed in the two-phase microstructure was a hexagonal approximant phase of quasicrystals. This phase that solidified in the form of faceted particles embedded in the Al solid matrix proved to be thermodynamically stable during annealing at 540 °C for 100 h. The effect of Be addition on the formation of the stable approximant phase is discussed in terms of the Hume–Rothery mechanism.

The present paper reports the effect of partial replacement of Ni by Cu in the Al85Y8Ni5Co2 alloy. The studied alloys were produced by rapid solidification. Glass-formation, crystallization behavior, and stability of the supercooled liquid were studied by x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. Partial replacement of Ni by Cu in the Al85Y8Ni5Co2 metallic glass caused formation of the nanoscale α–Al particles and resulted in a decrease in the crystallization temperature and disappearance of the supercooled liquid.

Ion bombardment was used to produce electron-emitting microscale features on surfaces of thick films printed with carbon pastes. This technology can potentially enable the development of large-area field emission displays. Systematic investigations using microscopy and electron field emission experiments have demonstrated a close link among paste formulation, ion processing parameters, and the development of surface microstructures. These investigations were also useful in understanding the fundamentals of microstructure formation under ion bombardment and the field emission characteristics of the carbon-based emitters. Several device concepts aimed toward achieving a low-voltage switchable triode were also tested with varying degrees of success. In this paper, we discuss various technological issues related to the materials, processes, and devices.

Silicon nitride ceramic composites were bonded using mixed Y2O3, La2O3, Al2O3, and SiO2 powers. The effect of bonding conditions on the joint strength was studied. The joint strength under different bonding conditions was measured by four-point bending tests. The interfacial microstructures were observed and analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), and x-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. The results of EPMA and XRD analyses showed that the liquid/glass solders reacted with silicon nitride at the interface, forming a Si3N4//Si2N2O/Y–La–Si–Al–O–N glass/Y–La–Si–Al–O glass gradient interface. From the results of the four-point bending tests, it is known that with an increase in bonding temperature and hold time, the joint strength first increased, reached a peak, and then decreased. LaYO3 precipitated from the joint glass can improve strength of the joint at both room and high temperatures.

The microstructures and their thermal behaviors of quenched Al94V4Fe2, Al90V8Fe2, Al86V8Fe6, and Al85V9Fe2Ni4 alloys were investigated by x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. The as-quenched microstructures of the four alloys consist of quasicrystal particles and a fcc-α–Al matrix. The as-quenched Al86V8Fe6 and Al85V9Fe2Ni4 alloys also contain a small volume fraction of amorphous phase. All phases observed have fine morphologies with grain sizes of less than 100 nm. With the increase in V from 4 to 8 at.% at 2 at.% Fe, the average grain size decreases from 100 to 70 nm and the melting temperature of α–Al solid solution increases from 640 to 653 °C. The alloy with 8 at.% V has a finer and more stable microstructure than that of the alloy with 4 at.% V. The Fe addition has minor effect on grain size but improves the glass-forming ability. The Ni addition significantly improves the glass-forming ability and refines the microstructure. The metastable amorphous and quasicrystalline phases transform into a stable crystalline phase during continuous heating and cooling. The stable phases in these Al–V–Fe alloys include α–Al(V, Fe), Al10V, and Al80V12.5Fe7.5.

Nanocrystalline TaC was synthesized by the field-activated combustion method. The crystallite size ranged from about 30 to 55 nm, depending on the applied field. At low fields (8.54 ≤ E < 16.39 V cm−1) the average crystallite size was relatively unaffected by the field, but it showed a significant increase at fields higher than 16.39 V cm−1. From temperature measurements, this field was found to coincide with the melting of Ta. The combustion wave velocity likewise showed a significant increase when the temperature was at the melting point. The composition of the product showed a dependence on the magnitude of the applied field. At low field values (above a threshold) the product contained Ta2C. When synthesized at high fields, the product showed the presence of TaC phase only. The lattice parameter and the C/Ta ratio showed a slight dependence on the field, both increasing with an increase in the magnitude of the field.

Microwave energy was used to sinter high thermal conductivity AlN ceramics (160–225 W/mK). The effects of sintering time, temperature, and amount of additive on phase composition, phase distribution, densification behavior, grain growth, and thermal conductivity were studied. The thermal conductivity of AlN was greatly improved by the addition of Y2O3, extended sintering time, and higher sintering temperatures. Thermal conductivity development in Y2O3-doped AlN showed two distinctive time regimes: (i) densification, where full densification, secondary phase formation, concentration and segregation, and rapid purification of AlN grains occur, accompanied by a large increase in thermal conductivity; (ii) postdensification, where grain growth and secondary phase sublimation/evaporation occur, yielding a further increase in thermal conductivity. Our results indicate that microwave sintering is a promising approach for synthesis of high thermal conductivity AlN ceramics.

The dependences of the properties of Au/Ni/Si/Ni contacts, deposited on p-GaN epilayers by using electron-beam evaporation, on the Si layer thickness and the annealing temperature were investigated with the goal of producing contacts with low specific resistances. The results of the current–voltage (I–V) curves showed that the lowest specific contact resistance obtained for the Au/Ni/Si/Ni contact with a 1200-Å- thick Si layer on p-type GaN annealed at 700 °C for 1 min in a nitrogen atmosphere was 8.49 × 10-4 Ω cm2. The x-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements on the annealed Au/Ni/Si/Ni/p-GaN/sapphire heterostructure showed that Ni3Si, GaAu, and NiGa layers were formed at the Au/Ni/Si/Ni/p-GaN interfaces. While the intensities corresponding to the Ni3Si layer decreased with increasing annealing temperature above 700 °C, those related to the GaAu and the NiGa layers increased with increasing temperature. These results indicate that the Au/Ni/Si/Ni contacts with 1200-Å-thick Si layers annealed at 700 °C hold promise for potential applications in p-GaN-based optoelectronic devices.

Cupric tungstate (CuWO4) can be synthesized at high rates of conversion from a variety of solid reactants. However, the fixed copper content in the metal phase of CuWO4 limits its use as an oxide precursor for making W–Cu composite powders. This paper presents test results on synthesis of CuWO4-based composite oxides with a variable content of copper in the metal phase (5–25.7%). Hydrogen reduction converts the oxides to W–Cu composite powders with a unique phase distribution: each individual particle consists of a tungsten phase and a copper phase in which the tungsten phase substantially encapsulates the copper phase. These powders, when pressed and sintered without activators, yield high-density parts with a very fine microstructure and high electrical and thermal conductivity.

Spinel LiMn2O4 thin films have been prepared on MgO(110) and Au/MgO(110) substrates by a chemical solution deposition method. The interfaces between film and substrate were characterized by means of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HREM) as well as x-ray diffraction. Cross-sectional HREM observation revealed that LiMn2O4 films grew epitaxially on the MgO(110) and Au/MgO(110) substrates. In the LiMn2O4/MgO system, misfit dislocations formed to accommodate the lattice strain at the LiMn2O4/MgO interface. In the LiMn2O4/Au/MgO system, Au grew epitaxially on the MgO substrate with its surface facetted along {111} planes, probably because the surface energy of this plane is relatively low. The formation of these facets is considered to have a favorable effect on the growth of {111} planes of LiMn2O4 when deposited on the Au film.

In this work an attractive technique is presented that brings together the advantage of the micelle reverse technique to control the particle growth and the efficiency of the amine silanes as sol-gel-compatible surface modifiers. The diamino silane is far from being a passive agent in the formation process of the gold particle; it strongly modifies the growth of the gold particle in the reverse micelle. The diamino silane allows the gold particles to keep their individual properties unaltered throughout the process, which ends with their incorporation into a SiO2–TiO2 sol-gel thin film.

We have investigated epitaxial superconducting SmBa2Cu3O7 (Sm123) films grown by pulsed-laser deposition on single-crystal SrTiO3 substrates. The deposition temperature plays an important role in determining the superconducting properties of Sm123 films. The superconducting transition temperature increases with the deposition temperature whereas the transition width decreases at deposition temperatures in the range of 700–875 °C. A Sm123 film deposited at 850 °C exhibits a transition temperature above 93 K with a transition width less than 0.5 K. Even though Sm123 films exhibit a higher transition temperature than Yba2Cu3O7 (Y123), the Sm123 shows lower critical current density at liquid-nitrogen temperature. The nominal critical current density of Sm123 film is less than 1 MA/cm2 at 75.4 K. Nevertheless, the Sm123 films have less anisotropy and stronger pinning characteristics compared to Y123. They are also much smoother with fewer particulates, as revealed by scanning electron microscopy.

The influence of synthesis conditions on the formation of yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) powders starting from the same solution precursors was investigated by employing a citrate–nitrate gel combustion process and a precursor plasma spraying technique. YAG powders were formed at ≥500 °C, through the citrate–nitrate gel combustion process, without any intermediate phase formation. Time-resolved x-ray experiments were performed for the first time on these citrate–nitrate precursor materials to understand their mode of decomposition. The in situ data confirmed a single-step conversion to YAG from the precursor powder without any intermediate phase formation. Ex situ experiments also produced similar results. However, the use of the same citrate–nitrate precursor solution as a liquid feedstock material in the precursor plasma spraying technique revealed an entirely different transformation mechanism to YAG through intermediate phases like H–YalO3 and O–YalO3.

The kinetics of (Bi,Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10+x phase formation in KCl flux was studied, and kinetic analysis using the Avrami relation for isothermal phase transformation gave the Avrami exponent n = 2.5 at 855 °C for the whole process of (Bi,Pb)-2223 phase formation. The estimated value of the activation energy Ea = 150 kJ/mol for the formation of (Bi,Pb)-2223 phase at 845–855 °C is the lowest among the previously reported values. The low value of activation energy explains the fast formation of single-phase (Bi,Pb)-2223 powder in the KCl flux.

The atomic layer deposition technique was used to deposit TaN thin films from TaCl5 and TaBr5 and tert-butylamine or allylamine as a reductive nitrogen source with and without ammonia. The films were characterized with time-of-flight elastic recoil detection analysis, energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, and the standard four-point probe method. The films deposited from tert-butylamine and ammonia with both tantalum precursors had reasonably low halide contents. When allylamine was used as a nitrogen source, on the contrary, the films contained larger amounts of chlorine and other impurities. The resistivity increased markedly as the deposition temperature was decreased. The lowest resistivities (below 1500 μΩ cm) were obtained when the films were deposited from TaCl5 or TaBr5 with tert-butylamine at 500 °C.