We report the production and characterization of a form of amorphous carbon with $sp\mathrm{\text{−}}s{p}^2$ hybridization (atomic fraction of $sp$ hybridized species $\ge 20\%$) where the predominant $sp$ bonding appears to be $(=\mathrm{C}=\mathrm{C}={)}_n$ cumulene. Vibrational and electronic properties have been studied by in situ Raman spectroscopy and electrical conductivity measurements. Cumulenic chains are substantially stable in high vacuum conditions for temperatures lower than 250 K and they influence the electrical transport properties of the $sp\mathrm{\text{−}}s{p}^2$ carbon through a self-doping mechanism by pinning the Fermi level closer to one of the mobility gap edges. Upon heating above 250 K the cumulenic species decay to form graphitic nanodomains embedded in the $s{p}^2$ amorphous matrix thus reducing the activation energy of the material. This is the first example of a pure carbon system where the $sp$ hybridization influences bulk properties.

Gas sensor technology is widely utilized in various areas ranging from home security, environment and air pollution, to industrial production. It also hold great promise in non-invasive exhaled breath detection and an essential device in future internet of things. The past decade has witnessed giant advance in both fundamental research and industrial development of gas sensors, yet current efforts are being explored to achieve better selectivity, higher sensitivity and lower power consumption. The sensing layer in gas sensors have attracted dominant attention in the past research. In addition to the conventional metal oxide semiconductors, emerging nanocomposites and graphene-like two-dimensional materials also have drawn considerable research interest. This inspires us to organize this comprehensive 2020 gas sensing materials roadmap to discuss the current status, state-of-the-art progress, and present and future challenges in various materials that is potentially useful for gas sensors.

In this work we analyzed the radiation hardness of SiC p/sup +/ n diodes used as minimum ionizing particle (MIP) detectors after very high 1 MeV neutron fluences. The diode structure is based on ion implanted p/sup +/ emitter in an n-type epilayer with thickness equal to 55 /spl mu/m and donor doping N/sub D/=2/spl times/ 10/sup 14/cm/sup -3/. The diode breakdown voltages were above 1000 V. At 1000 V the leakage currents are of the order of 1 nA for all the measured diodes. The full depletion voltage is near 220-250 V. The charge collection efficiency to minimum ionizing particle has been investigated by a /sup 90/Sr /spl beta/ source. At 250 V the collected charge of the unirradiated diodes saturates near 3000 e/sup -/. At bias voltages over 100 V the energy spectrum of the collected charge was found to consist of a signal peak well separated from the noise. At around 250 V the signal saturates, in agreement with CV results. These devices have been irradiated at 6 different fluences, logarithmically distributed in the range 10/sup 14/-10/sup 16/ (1 MeV) neutrons/cm/sup 2/. The leakage current after irradiation decreases. The collected charges decrease for increasing fluences, remaining very high only until some 10/sup 14/ n/cm/sup 2/.