hide
Free keywords:
crystal structures, electronic structure, semiconductors, solid-state structures, Ion beams, Manufacture, Alternative routes, Electronic transport, Intrinsic property, Physical and chemical properties, Secondary phasis, Semiconducting behavior, Solid-state materials, Synthesis route, Impurities
Abstract:
An efficient application of a material is only possible if we know its physical and chemical properties, which is frequently obstructed by the presence of micro- or macroscopic inclusions of secondary phases. While sometimes a sophisticated synthesis route can address this issue, often obtaining pure material is not possible. One example is TaGeIr, which has highly sample-dependent properties resulting from the presence of several impurity phases, which influence electronic transport in the material. The effect of these minority phases was avoided by manufacturing, with the help of focused-ion-beam, a μm-scale device containing only one phase—TaGeIr. This work provides evidence for intrinsic semiconducting behavior of TaGeIr and serves as an example of selective single-domain device manufacturing. This approach gives a unique access to the properties of compounds that cannot be synthesized in single-phase form, sparing costly and time-consuming synthesis efforts. © 2020 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.
