Aluminum single crystals are tested using X-Ray Bragg diffraction, which may have applications in microscopy and electronics fabrication industry. Yet, their efficiency for x- ray beam diffraction depends on the accurate crystal orientation, the microstructure and imperfections. Moreover, the final sample that is formed from the as-grown crystal by cutting, grinding, polishing and chemical etching, introduces various surface defects that penetrate deep into the crystal affecting its natural structure. Defect penetration is attributed to the fact that ultra-pure aluminum single crystals are soft and ductile with a hardness in the range of 2~2.5 mho. This leads to lattice deformation, resulting in a deviation from the crystallographic orientation of the final device, affecting the diffraction intensity and an apparent shift in the Bragg angle. In this work we investigate the influence of processing aluminum single crystals by mechanical and chemical means using XRD and Rocking-Curve broadening as a quantitative indication concerning the depth of the damage. This is a preliminary step in supporting future work on the study of electrical conduction in aluminum single crystals. Supplementing electrical conductivity measurements of aluminum, quality assessment of defects in front cell aluminum conductors can assist in designing novel low resistance aluminum conductors replacing the currently widely used and relatively rare silver.
Enabling the Ambient Pressure Growth of ScB2 Crystals for AlGaN Power Electronics
Johns Hopkins University（约翰斯·霍普金斯大学）；University of North Texas（北德克萨斯大学）；Morgan State University（摩根州立大学）；National Laboratories of the Rockies（落基山国家实验室）；Colorado School of Mines（科罗拉多矿业学院）；University of Colorado Boulder（科罗拉多大学博尔德分校）；Towson University（陶森大学）；Argonne National Laboratory（阿贡国家实验室）；The University of Virginia（弗吉尼亚大学）
