The invention provides process for preparing tin or germanium monochalcogenides of cubic crystalline structure, the process comprises combining a source of tin or germanium and a source of chalcogenide in a reaction vessel in the presence of uncharged liquid primary amine R—NH.sub.2 and a charged form R—NH.sub.3+ associated with a counter anion, wherein R is saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbyl, which may be the same or different in the uncharged and charged forms, and recovering from the reaction mixture an essentially pure cubic phase of the monochalcogenides.

Production method for metal oxide fine particles includes: a step of mixing a fatty acid represented by C.sub.nH.sub.2nO.sub.2 (n=5 to 14) and a metal source consisting of a metal, metal oxide, or metal hydroxide of at least two metal elements selected from the group consisting of Zn, In, Sn, and Sb to obtain a mixture; a step of heating the mixture at a temperature that is equal to or higher than a melting temperature of the fatty acid and lower than a decomposition temperature of the fatty acid to obtain a metal soap which is a precursor of metal oxide fine particles; and a step of heating the precursor at a temperature that is equal to or higher than a melting temperature of the precursor and lower than a decomposition temperature of the precursor to obtain metal oxide fine particles having an average particle diameter of 80 nm or less.

Production method for metal oxide fine particles includes: a step of mixing a fatty acid represented by C.sub.nH.sub.2nO.sub.2 (n=5 to 14) and a metal source consisting of a metal, metal oxide, or metal hydroxide of at least two metal elements selected from the group consisting of Zn, In, Sn, and Sb to obtain a mixture; a step of heating the mixture at a temperature that is equal to or higher than a melting temperature of the fatty acid and lower than a decomposition temperature of the fatty acid to obtain a metal soap which is a precursor of metal oxide fine particles; and a step of heating the precursor at a temperature that is equal to or higher than a melting temperature of the precursor and lower than a decomposition temperature of the precursor to obtain metal oxide fine particles having an average particle diameter of 80 nm or less.

An object is to provide a material suitably used for a semiconductor included in a transistor, a diode, or the like. Another object is to provide a semiconductor device including a transistor in which the condition of an electron state at an interface between an oxide semiconductor film and a gate insulating film in contact with the oxide semiconductor film is favorable. Further, another object is to manufacture a highly reliable semiconductor device by giving stable electric characteristics to a transistor in which an oxide semiconductor film is used for a channel. A semiconductor device is formed using an oxide material which includes crystal with c-axis alignment, which has a triangular or hexagonal atomic arrangement when seen from the direction of a surface or an interface and rotates around the c-axis.

The inventive concept relates to a complex for detecting gas responsive to gas to be tested. The complex for the detecting the gas contains a nanostructure made of an oxide semiconductor, and a Terbium (Tb) additive supported on the nanostructure.

A surface modified electrode, and methods for preparing the surface modified electrode for use in an electrochemical sensor for detection of an analyte is described. The surface modified electrode includes a copper oxide (CuO) co-doped tin dioxide (SnO.sub.2) nano-spikes disposed over a gold-plated chip. The surface modified electrode further includes a polymer matrix (nafion) configured to bind the gold-plated chip with the copper oxide (CuO) co-doped tin dioxide (SnO.sub.2) nano-spikes. The present disclosure also relates to a process of preparing the surface modified electrode. The surface modified electrode of the present disclosure can be used in electrochemical sensors for detection of analytes, like 4-nitrophenol (4-NP).

A system and method for treating a cavity comprises arranging a niobium structure in a coating chamber, the coating chamber being arranged inside a furnace, coating the niobium structure with tin thereby forming an Nb.sub.3Sn layer on the niobium structure, and doping the Nb.sub.3Sn layer with nitrogen, thereby forming a nitrogen doped Nb.sub.3Sn layer on the niobium structure.

This n-type SnS thin-film has n-type conductivity, an average thickness thereof is 0.100 μm to 10 μm, a ratio (α.sub.1.1/α.sub.1.6) of an absorption coefficient α.sub.1.1 at a photon energy of 1.1 eV to an absorption coefficient α.sub.1.6 at a photon energy of 1.6 eV is 0.200 or less, an atomic ratio of an S content to an Sn content is 0.85 to 1.10.

A metal oxide film with high electrical characteristics is provided. A metal oxide film with high reliability is provided. The metal oxide film contains indium, M (M is aluminum, gallium, yttrium, or tin), and zinc. In the metal oxide film, distribution of interplanar spacings d determined by electron diffraction by electron beam irradiation from a direction perpendicular to a film surface of the metal oxide film has a first peak and a second peak. The top of the first peak is positioned at greater than or equal to 0.25 nm and less than or equal to 0.30 nm, and the top of the second peak is positioned at greater than or equal to 0.15 nm and less than or equal to 0.20 nm. The distribution of the interplanar spacings d is obtained from a plurality of electron diffraction patterns of a plurality of regions of the metal oxide film. The electron diffraction is performed using an electron beam with a beam diameter of greater than or equal to 0.3 nm and less than or equal to 10 nm.

A preparation method of a cube-like ZnSnO.sub.3 composite coated with highly graphitized fine ash comprises steps: S1: with the gasified fine slag of pulverized coal as a raw material, preparing the fine ash by adopting a three-step acidification method; and S2: adding the fine ash prepared in the Si into a container filled with distilled water, ultrasonically dispersing for 20-40 min, adding equal molar masses of SnCl.sub.4.5H.sub.2O and (Zn(NO.sub.3).6H.sub.2O respectively, uniformly stirring, dropwise adding ammonia into the mixed solution and magnetically stirring until the pH value of the mixed solution is 12, heating the mixed solution, washing the product obtained with deionized water and ethanol for 2-4 times, and finally drying to obtain a ZnSnO.sub.3@fine composite. With the dielectric property and conductivity adjusted, the composite prepared reveals a good impedance matching performance and an improved MA performance.