Electron trapping at point defects on hydroxylated silica surfaces

Learning Adsorption Patterns on Amorphous Surfaces

The physicochemical heterogeneity found on amorphous surfaces leads to a complex interaction of adsorbate molecules with topological and undercoordinated defects, which enhance the adsorption capacity and can participate in catalytic reactions. The identification and analysis of the adsorption structure observed on amorphous surfaces require novel tools that allow the segmentation of the surfaces into complex-shaped regions that contrast with the periodic patterns found on crystalline surfaces. We propose a Random Forest (RF) classifier that segments the surface into regions that can then be further analyzed and classified to reveal the dynamics of the interaction with the adsorbate. The RF segmentation is applied to the surface density map of the adsorbed molecules and employs multiple features (intensity, gradient, and the eigenvalues of the Hessian matrix) which are nonlocal and allow a better identification of the adsorption structures. The segmentation depends on a set of parameters that specify the training set and can be tailored to serve the specific purpose of the segmentation. Here, we consider an example in which we aim to separate highly heterogeneous regions from weakly heterogeneous regions. We demonstrate that the RF segmentation is able to separate the surface into a fully connected weakly heterogeneous region (whose behavior is somehow similar to crystalline surfaces and has an exponential distribution of the residence time) and a very heterogeneous region characterized by a complex residence-time distribution, which is generated by the undercoordinated defects and is responsible for the peculiar characteristics of the amorphous surface.

Uncertainty and Irreproducibility of Triboelectricity Based on Interface Mechanochemistry

Triboelectrification mechanism is still not understood, despite centuries of investigations. Here, we propose a model showing that mechanochemistry is key to elucidate triboelectrification fundamental properties. Studying contact between gold and silicate glasses, we observe that the experimental triboelectric output is subject to large variations and polarity inversions. First principles analysis shows that electronic transfer is activated by mechanochemistry and the tribopolarity is determined by the termination exposed to contact, depending on the material composition, which can result in different charging at the macroscale. The electron transfer mechanism is driven by the interface barrier dynamics, regulated by mechanical forces. The model provides a unified framework to explain several experimental observations, including the systematic variations in the triboelectric output and the mixed positive-negative "mosaic" charging patterns, and paves the way to the theoretical prediction of the triboelectric properties.

Modeling of Diffusion and Incorporation of Interstitial Oxygen Ions at the TiN/SiO2 Interface

Silica-based resistive random access memory devices have become an active research area due to complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor compatibility and recent dramatic increases in their performance and endurance. In spite of both experimental and theoretical insights gained into the electroforming process, many atomistic aspects of the set and reset operation of these devices are still poorly understood. Recently a mechanism of electroforming process based on the formation of neutral oxygen vacancies (V_O⁰) and interstitial O ions (O_i^2-) facilitated by electron injection into the oxide has been proposed. In this work, we extend the description of the bulk (O_i^2-) migration to the interface of amorphous SiO₂ with the polycrystaline TiN electrode, using density functional theory simulations. The results demonstrate a strong kinetic and thermodynamic drive for the movement of O_i^2- to the interface, with dramatically reduced incorporation energies and migration barriers close to the interface. The arrival of O_i^2- at the interface is accompanied by preferential oxidation of undercoordinated Ti sites at the interface, forming a Ti-O layer. We investigate how O ions incorporate into a perfect and defective ∑5(012)[100] grain boundary (GB) in TiN oriented perpendicular to the interface. Our simulations demonstrate the preferential incorporation of O_i at defects within the TiN GB and their fast diffusion along a passivated grain boundary. They explain how, as a result of electroforming, the system undergoes very significant structural changes with the oxide being significantly reduced, interface being oxidized, and part of the oxygen leaving the system.

Modeling Excited States in TiO2 Nanoparticles: On the Accuracy of a TD-DFT Based Description

We have investigated the suitability of Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory (TD-DFT) to describe vertical low-energy excitations in naked and hydrated titanium dioxide nanoparticles. Specifically, we compared TD-DFT results obtained using different exchange-correlation (XC) potentials with those calculated using Equation-of-Motion Coupled Cluster (EOM-CC) quantum chemistry methods. We demonstrate that TD-DFT calculations with commonly used XC potentials (e.g., B3LYP) and EOM-CC methods give qualitatively similar results for most TiO2 nanoparticles investigated. More importantly, however, we also show that, for a significant subset of structures, TD-DFT gives qualitatively different results depending upon the XC potential used and that only TD-CAM-B3LYP and TD-BHLYP calculations yield results that are consistent with those obtained using EOM-CC theory. Moreover, we demonstrate that the discrepancies for such structures originate from a particular combination of defects that give rise to charge-transfer excitations, which are poorly described by XC potentials that do not contain sufficient Hartree-Fock like exchange. Finally, we consider that such defects are readily healed in the presence of ubiquitously present water and that, as a result, the description of vertical low-energy excitations for hydrated TiO2 nanoparticles is nonproblematic.

Photo darkening of rare earth doped silica

The photo darkening (PD) absorption spectra from unseeded amplifier operation (by 915 nm pumping) of ytterbium / aluminum and co-doped silica fibers is after prolonged operation observed to develop a characteristic line at 2.6 eV (477 nm). This line is proposed to be due to inter center excitation transfer from type II oxygen deficiency centers ODC(II) to Tm3+ trace impurities. The ODC(II) is proposed to be the result of a displacive transition of a 4-fold silica ring hosting two 3-fold silicon units that presents two non-bridging oxygen to Yb3+ (as part of its 6-fold coordination by oxygen). The displacive transition is initiated by a charge disproportionation process which leads to NBO transfer in forming dioxasilirane (2-fold coordinated silicon with two NBO attached) next to silylene (2-fold coordinated silicon with a lone electron pair). In collaboration with a valence electron of Yb3+ a new ½ / 1½ chemical bond is formed on dioxasilirane which comprises the PD color center for the visible and near-infrared. Difference in solid acidity of the silica material co-doped with Yb/Al and Yb/P may explain the observed difference in spectral shapes by change of bond order to the formed chemical bond.

Electron traps and their effect on the surface chemistry of TiO2(110)

Oxygen vacancies on metal oxide surfaces have long been thought to play a key role in the surface chemistry. Such processes have been directly visualized in the case of the model photocatalyst surface TiO(2)(110) in reactions with water and molecular oxygen. These vacancies have been assumed to be neutral in calculations of the surface properties. However, by comparing experimental and simulated scanning tunneling microscopy images and spectra, we show that oxygen vacancies act as trapping centers and are negatively charged. We demonstrate that charging the defect significantly affects the reactivity by following the reaction of molecular oxygen with surface hydroxyl formed by water dissociation at the vacancies. Calculations with electronically charged hydroxyl favor a condensation reaction forming water and surface oxygen adatoms, in line with experimental observations. This contrasts with simulations using neutral hydroxyl where hydrogen peroxide is found to be the most stable product.

Atomic scale imaging and spectroscopy of individual electron trap states using force detected dynamic tunnelling

We report the first atomic scale imaging and spectroscopic measurements of electron trap states in completely non-conducting surfaces by dynamic tunnelling force microscopy/spectroscopy. Single electrons are dynamically shuttled to/from individual states in thick films of hafnium silicate and silicon dioxide. The new method opens up surfaces that are inaccessible to the scanning tunnelling microscope for imaging and spectroscopy on an atomic scale.

Generation of defects in amorphous SiO(2) assisted by two-step absorption on impurity sites

Generation of the Si dangling bond defect in amorphous SiO(2) (E' centre) induced by tunable pulsed UV laser radiation was investigated by in situ optical absorption measurements. The defect generation efficiency peaks when the photon energy equals ∼5.1 eV, it depends quadratically on laser intensity and is correlated with the native linear absorption due to Ge impurities. We propose a model in which the generation of E' is assisted by a two-step absorption process occurring on Ge impurity sites.