FIG. 3. Torque at a magnetic field of 50 kOe in the temperature range from 260 to 280 K for (a) the (0001) plane and (b) the ð10 10Þ plane. (c) Fit of the torque for the (0001) plane at 280 K. (d) Temperature dependence of the anisotropy constants of Mn 3 Sn at 50 kOe.

Structural and electrical characteristics of the metal–insulator–semiconductor (MIS) structures of Al/Al2O3/Si containing Ge nanoclusters are experimentally demonstrated. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy results indicate the out-diffusion of Ge after annealing at 800 °C in N2 ambient for 30 min. An increment of leakage current is observed due to the out-diffusion of Ge. Capacitance–voltage studies indicate that annealing can effectively passivate the negatively charged trapping centers. Memory effect of the Ge nanoclusters is verified by the hysteresis in the C–V curves in the annealed sample.

Metal–insulator–semiconductor (MIS) structures containing Ge nanocrystals embedded in high permittivity dielectrics (ZrO2/Al2O3) are fabricated by electron-beam evaporation method. Capacitance–voltage (C–V) and I–V characteristics of the fabricated MIS structures are investigated in the dark and under illumination. Charge storing and negative photoconductivity effects of the Ge nanocrystals are experimentally demonstrated by the hysteresis in the C–V curves and the decrease of the current under illumination at a given voltage, respectively.

Amorphous germanium (α-Ge) nanoclusters embedded in Al2O3 matrix are synthesized on fused-quartz glass substrate at room temperature by vacuum electron-beam coevaporation. Linear optical transmittance measurements reveal an indirect optical absorption edge with a blueshift as large as 1.6 eV due to the quantum confinement effects. The Z-scan method is used to study the third-order nonlinear absorption process of the synthesized samples, which clearly show a two-photon nonlinear process. Results also suggest that Ge nanocluster density or size is of great influence to the value of nonlinear absorption coefficient β.