Correlation between the structural change and the electrical transport properties of indium nitride under high pressure.

We report on the intriguing structural and electrical transport properties of compressed InN. Pronounced anomalies of the resistivity, Hall coefficient, electron concentration, and mobility are observed at ∼11.5 GPa, accompanied by a wurtzite-rocksalt structural transition confirmed using high-pressure XRD measurements and first-principles calculations. The pressure-tuned electrical properties of wurtzite and rocksalt InN are also studied, respectively. Particularly, compression pressure significantly decreases the electron concentration of rocksalt InN by two orders of magnitude and increases the mobility by ten fold. The obvious variations in electrical parameters can be rationalized by our band structure simulations, which reveal a direct-indirect energy crossover at 10 GPa, followed by the rapidly increasing patterns of the energy gap with a pressure coefficient of 33 meV GPa-1. Moreover the electron effective mass and energy gap are found to well satisfy with the k·p model. Definite correlation between the structural change and the electrical transport properties should shed a new light on building InN-based applications in the future.

Charge Carrier Transport Behavior and Dielectric Properties of BaF2:Tb3+ Nanocrystals.

The charge carrier behavior and dielectric properties of BaF2:Tb3+ nanocrystals have been studied by alternating current (AC) impedance spectroscopy. The electron and ion coexist in the transport process. The F- ion's contribution to the total conduction increases with the doping concentration up to 4% and then decreases. Tb doping leads to the increase of defect quantities and a variation of charge carrier transport paths, which causes the increase of the ion diffusion coefficient and the decreases of bulk and grain boundary resistance. When the Tb-doped concentration is higher than 4%, the effect of deformation potential scattering variation on the transport property is dominant, which results in the decrease of the ion diffusion coefficient and increases of bulk and grain boundary resistance. The conduction properties of our BaF2:Tb3+ nanocrystals are compared with previous results that were found for the single crystals of rare earth-doped BaF2. Tb doping causes increases of both the quantity and the probability of carrier hopping, and it finally leads to increases of BaF2 nanocrystals' permittivity in the low frequency region.

Effect of Tb-doped Concentration Variation on the Electrical and Dielectric Properties of CaF2 Nanoparticles.

Calcium fluoride (CaF2) nanoparticles with various terbium (Tb) doping concentrations were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and alternating current (AC) impedance measurement. The original shape and structure of CaF2 nanoparticles were retained after doping. In all the samples, the dominant charge carriers were electrons, and the F- ion transference number increased with increasing Tb concentration. The defects in the grain region considerably contributed to the electron transportation process. When the Tb concentration was less than 3%, the effect of the ionic radius variation dominated and led to the diffusion of the F- ions and facilitated electron transportation. When the Tb concentration was greater than 3%, the increasing deformation potential scattering dominated, impeding F- ion diffusion and electron transportation. The substitution of Ca2+ by Tb3+ enables the electron and ion hopping in CaF2 nanocrystals, resulting in increased permittivity.

Ionic Transportation and Dielectric Properties of YF3:Eu3+ Nanocrystals.

The ionic transportation and dielectric properties of YF3:Eu3+ nanocrystals are investigated by AC impedance spectroscopy. The ion diffusion coefficient and conductivity increase along with the doping concentration and reach their highest values at 4% of Eu3+. The difference of ionic radius between Eu3+ and Y3+ leads to the structural disorder and lattice strain, which deduces the increase of the ion diffusion coefficient and conductivity before 4% Eu3+ doping; then the interaction of the neighboring doping ions is dominated, which results in the difficulty of ion migration and decreases of the ion diffusion coefficient and conductivity. The strong dispersion of the permittivity in the low frequency region indicates that the charge carrier transport mechanism is the ion hopping in the system. The low-frequency hopping dispersion is affected by an interfacial polarization, which exhibits a Maxwell-Wagner relaxation process, and its loss peak shifts to higher frequency with the ionic conductivity increasing.

Enhanced Magnetic Properties of BiFeO3 Thin Films by Doping: Analysis of Structure and Morphology.

The improvement of ferromagnetic properties is critical for the practical application of multiferroic materials, to be exact, BiFeO3 (BFO). Herein, we have investigated the evolution in the structure and morphology of Ho or/and Mn-doped thin films and the related diversification in ferromagnetic behavior. BFO, Bi0.95Ho0.05FeO3 (BHFO), BiFe0.95Mn0.05O3 (BFMO) and Bi0.95Ho0.05Fe0.95Mn0.05O3 (BHFMO) thin films are synthesized via the conventional sol-gel method. Density, size and phase structure are crucial to optimize the ferromagnetic properties. Specifically, under the applied magnetic field of 10 kOe, BHFO and BFMO thin films can produce obvious magnetic properties during magnetization and, additionally, doping with Ho and Mn (BHFMO) can achieve better magnetic properties. This enhancement is attributed to the lattice distortions caused by the ionic sizes difference between the doping agent and the host, the generation of the new exchange interactions and the inhibition of the antiferromagnetic spiral modulated spin structure. This study provides key insights of understanding the tunable ferromagnetic properties of co-doped BFO.

In situ Hall effect measurement on diamond anvil cell under high pressure.

A method for in situ Hall effect measurement under high pressure was developed on a diamond anvil cell. The electrode was accurately integrated on one diamond anvil with regular shape. A uniform and strong magnetic field was introduced into the sample zone. The voltage errors brought by some negative effects during the measurement were well eliminated. The correction factor of the Hall coefficient, brought by the nonpoint contact between the electrode and the sample, was 4.51%. The measurement error of the magnetic field did not exceed 1%. The carrier character of ZnTe powders was studied up to 23 GPa. The evolution of conductivity with pressure was explained based on the variation of the carrier behavior.

Note: The effect of sample insulation on experiment precision of resistivity measurement in a diamond anvil cell.

By use of electrical field analysis method, the accuracy of electrical resistivity measurement with the van der Pauw method in a diamond anvil cell (DAC) was investigated for the situation that sample and gasket were electrically shorted. It is revealed that metal gasket could not be used in electrical measurement in DAC if the inside wall of the sample chamber was not insulated. When the shorted area was less than 20% of the inside wall of the sample chamber, the relative error was smaller than 10%. Once the shorted area exceeded 25%, the relative error increased rapidly.

In situ impedance measurements in diamond anvil cell under high pressure.

Two-electrode configuration was developed for in situ electrical impedance detecting on diamond anvil cell under high pressure. The metal gasket was used as one electrode and the risk coming from electrical short between sample and interside wall of the gasket was eliminated. The configuration was evaluated and proved to be effective by measuring the electric impedance of nanocrystalline ZnS under high pressure.