The origin of anisotropy and high density of states in the electronic structure of Cr2GeC by means of polarized soft x-ray spectroscopy and ab initio calculations.

The anisotropy in the electronic structure of the inherently nanolaminated ternary phase Cr2GeC is investigated by bulk-sensitive and element selective soft x-ray absorption/emission spectroscopy. The angle-resolved absorption/emission measurements reveal differences between the in-plane and out-of-plane bonding at the (0001) interfaces of Cr2GeC. The Cr L(2, 3), C K, and Ge M1, M(2, 3) emission spectra are interpreted with first-principles density-functional theory (DFT) including core-to-valence dipole transition matrix elements. For the Ge 4s states, the x-ray emission measurements reveal two orders of magnitude higher intensity at the Fermi level than DFT within the General Gradient Approximation (GGA) predicts. We provide direct evidence of anisotropy in the electronic structure and the orbital occupation that should affect the thermal expansion coefficient and transport properties. As shown in this work, hybridization and redistribution of intensity from the shallow 3d core levels to the 4s valence band explain the large Ge density of states at the Fermi level.

Structure and bonding in amorphous iron carbide thin films.

We investigate the amorphous structure, chemical bonding, and electrical properties of magnetron sputtered Fe(1-xCx) (0.21 ⩽ x ⩽ 0.72) thin films. X-ray, electron diffraction and transmission electron microscopy show that the Fe(1-xCx) films are amorphous nanocomposites, consisting of a two-phase domain structure with Fe-rich carbidic FeC(y), and a carbon-rich matrix. Pair distribution function analysis indicates a close-range order similar to those of crystalline Fe(3)C carbides in all films with additional graphene-like structures at high carbon content (71.8 at% C). From x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements, we find that the amorphous carbidic phase has a composition of 15-25 at% carbon that slightly increases with total carbon content. X-ray absorption spectra exhibit an increasing number of unoccupied 3d states and a decreasing number of C 2p states as a function of carbon content. These changes signify a systematic redistribution in orbital occupation due to charge-transfer effects at the domain-size-dependent carbide/matrix interfaces. The four-point probe resistivity of the Fe(1-xCx) films increases exponentially with carbon content from ∼200 µΩ cm (x = 0.21) to ∼1200 µΩ cm (x = 0.72), and is found to depend on the total carbon content rather than the composition of the carbide. Our findings open new possibilities for modifying the resistivity of amorphous thin film coatings based on transition metal carbides through the control of amorphous domain structures.

Crystallization characteristics and chemical bonding properties of nickel carbide thin film nanocomposites.

The crystal structure and chemical bonding of magnetron-sputtering deposited nickel carbide Ni1-xCx (0.05 ⩽ x⩽0.62) thin films have been investigated by high-resolution x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy. By using x-ray as well as electron diffraction, we found carbon-containing hcp-Ni (hcp-NiCy phase), instead of the expected rhombohedral-Ni3C. At low carbon content (4.9 at%), the thin film consists of hcp-NiCy nanocrystallites mixed with a smaller amount of fcc-NiCx. The average grain size is about 10-20 nm. With the increase of carbon content to 16.3 at%, the film contains single-phase hcp-NiCy nanocrystallites with expanded lattice parameters. With a further increase of carbon content to 38 at%, and 62 at%, the films transform to x-ray amorphous materials with hcp-NiCy and fcc-NiCx nanodomain structures in an amorphous carbon-rich matrix. Raman spectra of carbon indicate dominant sp(2) hybridization, consistent with photoelectron spectra that show a decreasing amount of C-Ni phase with increasing carbon content. The Ni 3d-C 2p hybridization in the hexagonal structure gives rise to the salient double-peak structure in Ni 2p soft x-ray absorption spectra at 16.3 at% that changes with carbon content. We also show that the resistivity is not only governed by the amount of carbon, but increases by more than a factor of two when the samples transform from crystalline to amorphous.

Electronic correlation effects in the Cr2GeC Mn+1AXn phase.

The magnetic properties, electronic band structure and Fermi surfaces of the hexagonal Cr(2)GeC system have been studied by means of both generalized gradient approximation (GGA) and the +U corrected method (GGA + U). The effective U value has been computed within the augmented plane wave theoretical scheme by following the constrained density functional theory formalism of Anisimov and Gunnarsson (1991 Phys. Rev. B 45 7570-74). On the basis of our GGA + U calculations, a compensated antiferromagnetic spin ordering of Cr atoms has been found to be the ground-state solution for this material, where a Ge-mediated super-exchange coupling is responsible for an opposite spin distribution between the ABA stacked in-plane Cr-C networks. Structural properties have also been tested and found to be in good agreement with the available experimental data. Topological analysis of Fermi surfaces has been used to qualitatively address the electronic transport properties of Cr(2)GeC, and found an important asymmetrical carrier-type distribution within the hexagonal crystal lattice. We conclude that an appropriate description of the strongly correlated Cr d electrons is an essential issue for interpreting the material properties of this unusual Cr-based MAX phase.

Electronic structure and chemical bonding of amorphous chromium carbide thin films.

The microstructure, electronic structure and chemical bonding of chromium carbide thin films with different carbon contents have been investigated with high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, electron energy loss spectroscopy and soft x-ray absorption-emission spectroscopies. Most of the films can be described as amorphous nanocomposites with non-crystalline CrC(x) in an amorphous carbon matrix. At high carbon contents, graphene-like structures are formed in the amorphous carbon matrix. At 47 at.% carbon content, randomly oriented nanocrystallites are formed creating a complex microstructure of three components. The soft x-ray absorption-emission study shows additional peak structures exhibiting non-octahedral coordination and bonding.

Mapping the frontier electronic structures of triphenylamine based organic dyes at TiO2 interfaces.

The frontier electronic structures of a series of organic dye molecules containing a triphenylamine moiety, a thiophene moiety and a cyanoacrylic acid moiety have been investigated by photoelectron spectroscopy (PES), X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) and resonant photoelectron spectroscopy (RPES). The experimental results were compared to electronic structure calculations on the molecules, which are used to confirm and enrich the assignment of the spectra. The approach allows us to experimentally measure and interpret the basic valence energy level structure in the dye, including the highest occupied energy level and how it depends on the interaction between the different units. Based on N 1s X-ray absorption and emission spectra we also obtain insight into the structure of the excited states, the molecular orbital composition and dynamics. Together the results provide an experimentally determined energy level map useful in the design of these types of materials. Included are also results indicating femtosecond charge redistribution at the dye/TiO(2) interface.