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1. Introducing gallium in silicon and thin film polysilicon using self assembled monolayer doping

   https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matlet.2022.132839  

   Carolyn Spaulding; Alex Taylor; Scott Williams; Glenn Packard; Gabriel Curvacho; Santosh Kurinec (October 2022, Materials letters)

   Aldo R. Boccaccini (Ed.)

   Monolayer Doping (MLD) is a technique involving the fmmation of a self-assembled dopant-containing layer on the substrate. The dopant is subsequently incorporated into the substrate by annealing, fmming a diffused region. Following MLD, samples were capped with silicon dioxide and rapid the1mal annealed (RTA). In this work, gallium doping using MLD has been demonstrated. Gallium containing compound Tris (2,4 pentanedionato) gallium(III) was synthesized, and shown to be suitable for monolayer doping silicon subsa-ates and deposited thin film polysi!icon. Seconda1y ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) and spreading resistance probe (SRP) measurements were performed to determine the dopant profiles and dopant elecu-ical activation. TI1ese results showed that a dose of l.6*1015 atoms/cm2 was received, and the gallium dopant produced a 0.2 µm junction in 11-type silicon. For polysilicon, tlle entire 0.4 µm film was evenly doped, witll a concenu-ation greater than 1019 atoms/cm3 tllroughout. 

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2. The Extreme-ultraviolet Precursors and Postcursors of Solar Flares

   https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ada8a5  

   Krista, Larisza D (February 2025, The Astrophysical journal)

   - (Ed.)

   EUV brightenings are small-scale magnetic reconnection events that consistently appear before and after solar flares. However, it is not well understood how EUV precursors might foreshadow flares and what the physical connection is between the EUV signatures and flares. We studied flare-active and inactive periods in three separate studies using the Detection and EUV Flare Tracking (DEFT) tool. In Study 1, EUV signatures were identified in 200 no-flare days, in Study 2 EUV signatures before 360 flares were analyzed, and in Study 3 close to 36,000 EUV signatures were detected, and their pre- and postflare distribution and trends were studied. Our key questions were as follows: do EUV signatures occur consistently before flares, do EUV signatures occur without flares, are there flares without EUV precursors, and is it possible to forecast different magnitude flares based on preceding EUV signature trends? Study 1 showed that in no-flare periods EUV signatures were only detected 4% of the time. Study 2 showed that EUV precursors were present 92% of the time within 6 hr before ≥C-class flares. Study 3 showed that over 90% of the signatures were associated with flares (≥B class), and over 50% of all signatures were associated with ≥M-class flares. A superposed epoch analysis showed precursor frequency peaks at  ∼70 and 100 minutes before M- and X-class flares, respectively, while B- and C-class flares had no notable precursor frequency peaks. These results demonstrate the close connection between EUV signatures and flares and the significant potential EUV signatures have in improving space weather forecasting. 

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3. Selective phosphorus doping of polycrystalline silicon on glass using self-assembled monolayer doping (MLD) and flash anneal

   https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matlet.2021.130780  

   Glenn Packard; Carolyn Spaulding; Alex Taylor; Karl Hirschman; Scott Williams, Santosh Kurinec (August 2021, Materials letters)

   Aldo R. Boccaccini (Ed.)

   We report doping of thin (~60 nm) amorphous silicon (a-Si) on glass substrate to form n + polycrystalline silicon on glass in selective regions using Monolayer doping (MLD) via Flash Lamp Annealing (FLA). The phosphorus monolayer was formed on the exposed regions of SiO2 patterned a-Si, through functionalization with chemically bound Diethyl vinylphosphonate (DVP) dopant molecules. The samples were capped with SiO2 and annealed using a single xenon flash pulse (5.0 J/cm2, 250 μs) to simultaneously crystallize a-Si, incorporate and activate phosphorus dopants. SIMS results show an average concentration of 8x1019 cm−3 in the 60 nm of thin silicon on glass. Electrical results show a resistivity of ~6.60x10−2 Ω.cm in doped regions. N-channel field effect transistor devices are successfully demonstrated using this MLD-FLA technique. 

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4. Detecting Solar Flare Precursors Using DEFT

   https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad98fa  

   Krista, Larisza_D (December 2024, The Astrophysical Journal)

   Abstract The Detection and EUV Flare Tracking (DEFT) tool automatically identifies flare precursors in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) observations in a fast and consistent manner, with minimal computational overhead. DEFT currently uses GOES/SUVI 304 Å observations to detect, group, and flag sudden impulses that could be precursors to flares. In this study, we analyzed precursor signatures before 351 flares (150 C, 150 M, and 51 X class flares) that occurred from 2017 to date. Across these magnitudes, precursors were detected for 93% of the flares when using a 6 hr window before the flare start times. Using superposed epoch analysis, we found that elevated precursor activity tends to occur across all magnitude flares in the last 2 hr before the flares. The frequency of precursors gradually increases before M class flares but decreases for C class flares. We also found that in the last 20 minutes there is a significantly higher precursor frequency, pixel count, and power associated with M class flares than C class flares. We suggest that the observed EUV precursors are the observable signatures of small-scale magnetic reconnection events, and the consistently increasing frequency of precursor activity could indicate that the region is becoming increasingly unstable and reaching a critical stage that could result in flare initiation. Continuing research on EUV precursors is essential to better understand preflare processes that build and reduce magnetic instability prior to main-stage flares. The consistent and reliable detection and differentiation of EUV precursors could also complement and significantly improve current flare forecasting efforts. 

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5. Overcoming scale-up challenges for nanostructured photoelectrodes via one-step interface engineering

   https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2024.01.221  

   Rodríguez-Gutiérrez, Ingrid; Peregrino, Lizandra RP; Bedin, Karen C; Morishita, Gustavo M; Morais, Gabriel H; Castro, Ricardo HR; Leite, Edson R; Souza, Flavio L (March 2024, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy)

   Scaling up photoelectrochemical (PEC) devices for green hydrogen production is a significant challenge that requires robust and cost-effective production methods. In this study, hematite photoelectrodes has been synthesized using a cost-effective polymeric precursor solution, resulting in homogeneous ultra-thin films (~125 nm) with areas up to 200 cm2. We observed a substantial photocurrent drop as photoelectrode area increases, addressed by modifying the precursor solution with Hf4+. This modification improves the morphology and films adherence, leading to simultaneous grain|grain interface segregation and a modified FTO|hematite interface. As a result, film conductivity increases, reducing the photocurrent drop at larger photoelectrode areas. The improved charge separation and surface charge injection efficiencies allows a homogeneous photocurrent of 1.6 mA cm⁻2 at 1.45V across a 15.75 m2 electrode area, using less than 70 μg of photoactive material. Cost analysis study indicates that this low-energy fabrication method is a significant step forward in green hydrogen production, contributing to sustainable and efficient green hydrogen technologies. 

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