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1. Enhancing magnetic pinning by BaZrO 3 nanorods forming coherent interface by strain-directed Ca-doping in YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7−x nanocomposite films

   https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6668/ac1fd3  

   Ogunjimi, Victor ; Sebastian, Mary Ann ; Zhang, Di ; Gautam, Bibek ; Jian, Jie ; Huang, Jijie ; Zhang, Yifan ; Haugan, Timothy ; Wang, Haiyan ; Wu, Judy ( September 2021 , Superconductor Science and Technology)

   BaZrO₃(BZO) one-dimensional artificial pinning centers (1D-APCs) aligned along thec-axis of the YBa₂Cu₃O₇(YBCO) have been adopted to enhance the magnetic vortex pinning in BZO/YBCO nanocomposite films. However, the pinning force densityF_pof the BZO 1D-APCs remains moderate at temperatures near 77 K. A hypothesis of the major limiting factor is the defective BZO 1D-APCs/YBCO interface as a direct consequence of the large interfacial strain originated from the BZO/YBCO lattice mismatch of ∼7.7%. Herein, we explore enlarging thec-axis of the YBCO dynamically to reduce the lattice mismatch and hence to prevent formation of the defective BZO 1D-APCs/YBCO interface. Specifically, thec-axis enlargement was achieved by partial replacement of Cu with Ca on the YBCO lattice using strain-directed Ca diffusion into YBCO from two Ca_0.3Y_0.7Ba₂Cu₃O_7−x(CaY-123) spacers of only 10 nm in thickness inserted into the 2 vol% BZO 1D-APC/YBCO nanocomposite thin films of ∼150 nm in total thickness. The achieved elongatedc-axis is attributed to the formation of stacking faults induced by Ca-replacement of Cu on YBCO lattice. The reduced BZO/YBCO lattice mismatch allows formation of a coherent BZO 1D-APC/YBCO interface with negligible defects. This leads to an enhancedF_pvalue up to 98 GN m⁻³at 65 K, which is 70% higher than that of the reference 2 vol% BZO 1D-APC/YBCO sample. Furthermore, the benefit of the enhanced pinning of the BZO 1D-APCs with a coherent interface with YBCO can be extended to a large angular range of the magnetic field orientation. This study reveals the significant effect of the BZO/YBCO interface on the pinning efficiency of BZO 1D-APCs and provides a promising approach to achieve a coherent interface in BZO/YBCO nanocomposite films.

    

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2. Enabling coherent BaZrO 3 nanorods/YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7−x interface through dynamic lattice enlargement in vertical epitaxy of BaZrO 3 /YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7−x nanocomposites

   https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6668/ac4aff  

   Wu, Judy Z ; Ogunjimi, Victor ; Sebastian, Mary Ann ; Zhang, Di ; Jian, Jie ; Huang, Jijie ; Zhang, Yifan ; Gautam, Bibek ; Haugan, Timothy ; Wang, Haiyan ( February 2022 , Superconductor Science and Technology)

   Abstract One-dimensional c -axis-aligned BaZrO 3 (BZO) nanorods are regarded as strong one-dimensional artificial pinning centers (1D-APCs) in BZO-doped YaBa 2 Cu 3 O 7− x (BZO/YBCO) nanocomposite films. However, a microstructure analysis has revealed a defective, oxygen-deficient YBCO column around the BZO 1D-APCs due to the large lattice mismatch of ∼7.7% between the BZO (3a = 1.26 nm) and YBCO (c = 1.17 nm), which has been blamed for the reduced pinning efficiency of BZO 1D-APCs. Herein, we report a dynamic lattice enlargement approach on the tensile strained YBCO lattice during the BZO 1D-APCs growth to induce c -axis elongation of the YBCO lattice up to 1.26 nm near the BZO 1D-APC/YBCO interface via Ca/Cu substitution on single Cu-O planes of YBCO, which prevents the interfacial defect formation by reducing the BZO/YBCO lattice mismatch to ∼1.4%. Specifically, this is achieved by inserting thin Ca 0.3 Y 0.7 Ba 2 Cu 3 O 7− x (CaY-123) spacers as the Ca reservoir in 2–6 vol.% BZO/YBCO nanocomposite multilayer (ML) films. A defect-free, coherent BZO 1D-APC/YBCO interface is confirmed in transmission electron microscopy and elemental distribution analyses. Excitingly, up to five-fold enhancement of J c ( B ) at magnetic field B = 9.0 T// c -axis and 65 K–77 K was obtained in the ML samples as compared to their BZO/YBCO single-layer (SL) counterpart’s. This has led to a record high pinning force density F p together with significantly enhanced B max at which F p reaches its maximum value F p,max for BZO 1D-APCs at B // c -axis. At 65 K, the F p,max ∼158 GN m −3 and B max ∼ 8.0 T for the 6% BZO/YBCO ML samples represent a significant enhancement over F p,max ∼ 36.1 GN m −3 and B max ∼ 5.0 T for the 6% BZO/YBCO SL counterparts. This result not only illustrates the critical importance of a coherent BZO 1D-APC/YBCO interface in the pinning efficiency, but also provides a facile scheme to achieve such an interface to restore the pristine pinning efficiency of the BZO 1D-APCs. 

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3. Phase‐Controlled Synthesis and Quasi‐Static Dielectric Resonances in Silver Iron Sulfide (AgFeS 2 ) Nanocrystals

   https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202104975  

   Lee, Soohyung ; Hoyer, Chad E. ; Liao, Can ; Li, Xiaosong ; Holmberg, Vincent C. ( December 2021 , Small)

   Ternary metal‐chalcogenide semiconductor nanocrystals are an attractive class of materials due to their tunable optoelectronic properties that result from a wide range of compositional flexibility and structural diversity. Here, the phase‐controlled synthesis of colloidal silver iron sulfide (AgFeS₂) nanocrystals is reported and their resonant light–matter interactions are investigated. The product composition can be shifted selectively from tetragonal to orthorhombic by simply adjusting the coordinating ligand concentration, while keeping the other reaction parameters unchanged. The results show that excess ligands impact precursor reactivity, and consequently the nanocrystal growth rate, thus deterministically dictating the resulting crystal structure. Moreover, it is demonstrated that the strong ultraviolet‐visible extinction peak exhibited by AgFeS₂nanocrystals is a consequence of a quasi‐static dielectric resonance (DR), analogous to the optical response observed in CuFeS₂nanocrystals. Spectroscopic studies and computational calculations confirm that a negative permittivity at ultraviolet/visible frequencies arises due to the electronic structure of these intermediate‐band (IB) semiconductor nanocrystals, resulting in a DR consisting of resonant valence‐band‐to‐intermediate‐band excitations, as opposed to the well‐known localized surface plasmon resonance response typically observed in metallic nanostructures. Overall, these results expand the current library of an underexplored class of IB semiconductors with unique optical properties, and also enrich the understanding of DRs in ternary metal‐iron‐sulfide nanomaterials.

    

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4. Improved SnO 2 Electron Transport Layers Solution‐Deposited at Near Room Temperature for Rigid or Flexible Perovskite Solar Cells with High Efficiencies

   https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.201900834  

   Dong, Qingshun ; Li, Jiangwei ; Shi, Yantao ; Chen, Min ; Ono, Luis K. ; Zhou, Ke ; Zhang, Chunyang ; Qi, Yabing ; Zhou, Yuanyuan ; Padture, Nitin P. ; et al ( May 2019 , Advanced Energy Materials)

   Electron transport layer (ETL) is a functional layer of great significance for boosting the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). To date, it is still a challenge to simultaneously reduce the surface defects and improve the crystallinity in ETLs during their low‐temperature processing. Here, a novel strategy for the mediation of in situ regrowth of SnO₂nanocrystal ETLs is reported: introduction of controlled trace amounts of surface absorbed water on the fluorinated tin oxide (FTO) or indium–tin oxide (ITO) surfaces of the substrates using ultraviolet ozone (UVO) pretreatment. The optimum amount of adsorbed water plays a key role in balancing the hydrolysis–condensation reactions during the structural evolution of SnO₂thin films. This new approach results in a full‐coverage SnO₂ETL with a desirable morphology and crystallinity for superior optical and electrical properties, as compared to the control SnO₂ETL without the UVO pretreatment. Finally, the rigid and flexible PSC devices based on the new SnO₂ETLs yield high PCEs of up to 20.5% and 17.5%, respectively.

    

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5. Low‐temperature synthesis of HfC/HfO 2 nanocomposites from a commercial single‐source precursor

   https://doi.org/10.1002/ces2.10187  

   Mujib, Shakir Bin ; Arunachalam, Saravanan R. ; Singh, Gurpreet ( August 2023 , International Journal of Ceramic Engineering & Science)

   A liquid‐phase polymer‐to‐ceramic approach is reported for the synthesis of hafnium carbide (HfC)/hafnium oxide (HfO₂) composite particles from a commercial precursor. Typically, HfC ceramics have been obtained by sintering of fine powders, which usually results in large particle size and high porosity during densification. In this study a single‐source liquid precursor was first cured at low temperature and then pyrolyzed at varying conditions to achieve HfC ceramics. The chemical structure of the liquid and cured precursors, and the resulting HfC ceramics was studied using various analytical techniques. The nuclear magnetic resonance and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated the presence of partially hydrated hafnium oxychloride (Hf–O–Cl·nH₂O) in the precursor. Scanning electron microscopy of the resulting HfC crystals showed a size distribution in the range of approx. 600–700 nm. The X‐ray diffraction of the pyrolyzed samples confirmed the formation of crystalline HfC along with monoclinic‐HfO₂and free carbon phase. The formation of HfO₂in the ceramics was significantly reduced by controlling the low‐temperature curing temperature. Pyrolysis at various temperatures showed that HfC formation occurred even at 1000°C. These results show that the reported precursor could be promising for the direct synthesis of ultrahigh temperature HfC ceramics and for precursor infiltration pyrolysis of reinforced ceramic matrix composites.

    

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