Tensile Characterization of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes with Helical Structural Defects.

Recently, evidence was presented that certain single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) possess helical defective traces, exhibiting distinct cleaved lines, yet their mechanical characterization remains a challenge. On the basis of the spiral growth model of SWNTs, here we present atomic details of helical defects and investigate how the tensile behaviors of SWNTs change with their presence using molecular dynamics simulations. SWNTs have exhibited substantially lower tensile strength and strain than theoretical results obtained from a seamless tubular structure, whose physical origin cannot be explained either by any known SWNT defects so far. We find that this long-lasting puzzle could be explained by assuming helical defects in SWNTs, exhibiting excellent agreement with experimental observation. The mechanism of this tensile process is elucidated by analyzing atomic stress distribution and evolution, and the effects of the chirality and diameter of SWNTs on this phenomenon are examined based on linear elastic fracture mechanics. This work contributes significantly to our understanding of the growth mechanism, defect hierarchies, and mechanical properties of SWNTs.

Effect of Nanoscale Ag Film Thickness on the Electrical and Optical Properties of Transparent IZTO/Ag/IZTO Multilayer Films Deposited on Glass Substrates.

The effect of nanoscale Ag film thickness on the electrical and optical properties in transparent conducting oxide films consisting of an IZTO/Ag/IZTO multilayer were investigated. The homoge- neous morphologies of the Ag films sandwiched between the IZTO films affected the optical and electrical properties of the IZTO/Ag/IZTO multilayer films. The transmittance and resistivity of the IZTO/Ag/IZTO multilayer films decreased with increasing Ag film thickness. The resistivities of the IZTO/Ag/IZTO multilayer films grown on glass substrates were decreased by using an Ag thin inter- layer in comparison with that of the IZTO single layer.

Enhancement of the memory effects for nonvolatile memory devices fabricated utilizing ZnO nanoparticles embedded in a Si3N4 layer.

ZnO nanoparticles embedded in a Si3N4 layer by using spin-coating and thermal treatment were fabricated to investigate the feasible applications in charge trapping regions of the metal/oxide/nitride/oxide/p-Si memory devices. The magnitude of the flatband voltage shift of the capacitance-voltage (C-V) curve for the Al/SiO2/ZnO nanoparticles embedded in Si3N4 layer/SiO2/p-Si memory device was larger than that of Al/ZnO nanoparticles embedded in SiO2 layer/p-Si and Al/SiO2/Si3N4/SiO2/p-Si devices. The increase in the flatband voltage shift of the C-V curve for the Al/SiO2/ZnO nanoparticles embedded in Si3N4 layer/SiO2/p-Si memory device in comparison with other devices was attributed to the existence of the ZnO nanoparticles or the interface trap states between the ZnO nanoparticles and the Si3N4 layer resulting from existence of ZnO nanoparticles embedded in the Si3N4 layer.