Electrical Conductivity and Optical Properties of Pulsed Laser Deposited LaNi5 Nanoscale Films

Abstract

This work presents pulsed laser deposition as a method to obtain unoxidized LaNi5 nanoscale films and describes their temperature and thickness dependent electrical conductivity and the spectral dispersions of some optical properties. AB5-type rare earth element (REE)-nickel compounds are currently studied from both theoretical and practical points of view. Special challenges are posed during the preparation of these nanomaterials, which can be overcome using finely tuned parameters in a preparation process that always involves the use of high energies. Film deposition was made by laser—induced vaporization, with short and modulated impulses and electro–optical tuning of the quality factor, mainly on glass and one SiO2 substrate. Deposition geometry dependent linear thickness increase, between 1.5–2.5 nm per laser burst, was achieved. Film structures and phase compositions were determined using XRD and discussed in comparison with films obtained by similar deposition procedures. Temperature and scale dependent properties were determined by studying electrical conductivity and optical properties. Electrical conductivity was measured using the four-probe method. The observed semiconductor-like conductivity for film thicknesses up to 110 nm can be explained by thermal activation of electrons followed by inter-insular hopping or quantum tunneling, which, on the other hand, modulates the material’s native metallic conductance. Films with thicknesses above this value can be considered essentially metallic and bulk-like. The spectral behaviors of the refractive index and absorption coefficient were deduced from differential reflectance spectroscopy data acquired on a broad ultraviolet, visible, near- and mid-infrared (UV-VIS-NIR-MIR) domain, processed using the Kramers-Krönig formalism. Their study led to the identification of the allowed interband transitions. Electronic behavior in the energy bands near the Fermi level and in the surface and interface-states was described, discussing the differences between experimental data and the classical free-electron theoretical model applied for the bulk intermetallic alloy, in correlation with theoretical optical properties or experimental X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results from references. However, the dielectric-like shape of the reflectance of the thinnest film was in accordance with the Lorentz–Drude model.

Electronic response of hydrogen storage intermetallics LaNi5 and LaNi4.5Co0.5: inelastic scattering experiment and ab initio calculations

“…Todoran et al [3] have studied the electrical conductivity and optical properties of pulsed laser deposited LaNi 5 nanoscale films. Low temperature synthesis of LaNi 5 nanoparticles for hydrogen storage has been discussed by Liu et al [4].…”

Effect of Vanadium on Structure and Morphology of SnO2 Thin Films

“…The process of doping metal oxides semiconductors with the transition metals of the second group in the periodic table or their ions is considered as an important and interesting subject in many fields of applications [1], such as gas sensors [2], surface coatings, environmental and human health [3], organic pollutants and toxic water [4], photocatalysis [5], probe reaction to evaluate the catalytic activity [6], and nanocomposite or heterojunction catalysts [7]. Where a small amount of material from the transition group can have a significant and a clear effect on the properties of surface electrical conductivity [8]. Tin dioxide was doped successfully with different transition metals such as cobalt [9], nickel [10], chromium [11], iron [12] and magnesium [13].…”