Sammendrag
The present work explores the concept of high-entropy alloys to design FeCoNi-based oxides suitable for functional applications. Fundamental changes in electronic behaviour produced by metal substitution and variable oxygen content were screened to investigate the potential of these materials for specific applications, such as transparent conductors and thermoelectric materials. Elements with atomic radius similar to the average value expected for FeCoNi have been selected for substitutional replacement: (i) Cr and Cu as relatively abundant commodities with intensive industrial application and (ii) Ge due its semiconductor nature.
We have sputtered CrFeCoNiCu and of GeFeCoNiCu thin films onto insulating and optically transparent substrates in order to measure electrical and optical properties. The deposition was done by reactive DC magnetron sputtering from targets with equimolar proportions of the metallic elements using atmospheres ranging from 0 to 20 at.% O2 /Ar. The films where characterized by structural, spectroscopic and electrical methods. Transmission electron microscopy showed that for oxygen content up to 8 at.% the materials adopted an fcc-type structure while the NaCl-structure was found for higher oxygen concentrations. X-ray-photoelectron spectroscopy was used to characterize the oxidation state of the metals. Standard absorption analysis by UV-VIS spectrometry revealed that the films had bandgaps ranging from 0.8 to 2.8 eV. The resistivity measured at RT ranged from 10-4 to values above 104 Ω.cm. Hall measurements and Seebeck measurements indicated that both electrons and holes contribute to conduction and at RT the Hall coefficient and Seebeck coefficients have different sign. This behaviour is discussed in terms of the structural analysis and suggested electronic model of the films.
In conclusion, the optical band gap and resistivity of the materials produced span over large ranges demonstrating potential for a variety of functional applications.
We have sputtered CrFeCoNiCu and of GeFeCoNiCu thin films onto insulating and optically transparent substrates in order to measure electrical and optical properties. The deposition was done by reactive DC magnetron sputtering from targets with equimolar proportions of the metallic elements using atmospheres ranging from 0 to 20 at.% O2 /Ar. The films where characterized by structural, spectroscopic and electrical methods. Transmission electron microscopy showed that for oxygen content up to 8 at.% the materials adopted an fcc-type structure while the NaCl-structure was found for higher oxygen concentrations. X-ray-photoelectron spectroscopy was used to characterize the oxidation state of the metals. Standard absorption analysis by UV-VIS spectrometry revealed that the films had bandgaps ranging from 0.8 to 2.8 eV. The resistivity measured at RT ranged from 10-4 to values above 104 Ω.cm. Hall measurements and Seebeck measurements indicated that both electrons and holes contribute to conduction and at RT the Hall coefficient and Seebeck coefficients have different sign. This behaviour is discussed in terms of the structural analysis and suggested electronic model of the films.
In conclusion, the optical band gap and resistivity of the materials produced span over large ranges demonstrating potential for a variety of functional applications.