7 CFR 29.2438 - Thin Leaf (C Group).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Thin Leaf (C Group). 29.2438 Section 29.2438... REGULATIONS TOBACCO INSPECTION Standards Grades § 29.2438 Thin Leaf (C Group). This group consists of leaves... body than those of the B group, and show little or no ground injury. Choice- and fine-quality tobacco...

Big Five Personality Traits and Eating Attitudes in Intensively Training Dancers: The Mediating Role of Internalized Thinness Norms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stéphanie Scoffier-Mériaux, Charlène Falzon, Peter Lewton-Brain, Edith Filaire, Fabienne d’Arripe-Longueville

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Dancers are at high risk of developing disordered eating attitudes, notably because of internalized thinness norms. Although the big five personality traits have been shown to be associated with eating attitudes in daily life, in dancers where eating issues and thinness norms internalization could be salient little is known about these associations and the role of the internalization of thinness norms in this relationship. The main objectives of this study were thus to examine the relationships between the personality traits defined in the big five model and the self-regulation of eating attitudes, and to assess the role of internalized thinness norms in this association. The study included 180 intensively training dancers with an average age of 15.6 years (SD = 2.8. Dancers completed questionnaires measuring the big five personality traits, internalization of thinness norms and self-regulation of eating attitudes in sport. Bootstrapped mediation analyses showed that neuroticism was negatively associated with self-regulation of eating attitudes, both directly and indirectly through the mediating role of internalized thinness norms. This study suggested that: (a neuroticism is a vulnerability factor for self-regulation of eating attitudes in dancers, as already evidenced in the general population, and (b the internalization of thinness norms is a pathway through which neuroticism affects self-regulation of eating attitudes. The big five model is therefore partially related to the internalization of thinness norms and eating attitudes in dancers.

Drive for thinness, affect regulation and physical activity in eating disorders: a daily life study.

Science.gov (United States)

Vansteelandt, Kristof; Rijmen, Frank; Pieters, Guido; Probst, Michel; Vanderlinden, Johan

2007-08-01

Using Ecological Momentary Assessment, the within patient associations between drive for thinness, emotional states, momentary urge to be physically active and physical activity were studied in 32 inpatients with an eating disorder. Participants received an electronic device and had to indicate at nine random times a day during 1 week their momentary drive for thinness, positive and negative emotional states and their urge to be physically active and physical activity. Multilevel analyses indicated that patients with higher mean levels for urge to be physically active were characterized by lower body mass index (BMI) and chronically negative affect whereas patients with higher mean levels for physical activity were characterized by lower BMI and higher dispositions for drive for thinness. In addition, within patient relations between drive for thinness and urge to be physically active were moderated by BMI and chronically negative affect whereas within patient relations between drive for thinness and physical activity were moderated by BMI. Finally, also positive emotional states were significantly associated with physical activity within patients. By using a daily process design, characteristics of physical activity were revealed that have not been identified with assessment methods that have a lower time resolution.

Research progress of VO2 thin film as laser protecting material

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zhiwei; Lu, Yuan; Hou, Dianxin

2018-03-01

With the development of laser technology, the battlefield threat of directional laser weapons is becoming more and more serious. The blinding and destruction caused by laser weapons on the photoelectric equipment is an important part of the current photo-electronic warfare. The research on the defense technology of directional laser weapons based on the phase transition characteristics of VO2 thin films is an important subject. The researches of VO2 thin films are summarized based on review these points: the preparation methods of VO2 thin films, phase transition mechanism, phase transition temperature regulating, interaction between VO2 thin films and laser, and the application prospect of vo2 thin film as laser protecting material. This paper has some guiding significance for further research on the VO2 thin films in the field of defense directional laser weapons.

Rapamycin up-regulates triglycerides in hepatocytes by down-regulating Prox1.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Sora; Jeon, Ji-Sook; Kim, Su Bin; Hong, Young-Kwon; Ahn, Curie; Sung, Jung-Suk; Choi, Inho

2016-02-27

Although the prolonged use of rapamycin may cause unwanted side effects such as hyperlipidemia, the underlying mechanism remains unknown. Prox1 is a transcription factor responsible for the development of several tissues including lymphatics and liver. There is growing evidences that Prox1 participates in metabolism in addition to embryogenesis. However, whether Prox1 is directly related to lipid metabolism is currently unknown. HepG2 human hepatoma cells were treated with rapamycin and total lipids were analyzed by thin layer chromatography. The effect of rapamycin on the expression of Prox1 was determined by western blotting. To investigate the role of Prox1 in triglycerides regulation, siRNA and overexpression system were employed. Rapamycin was injected into mice for 2 weeks and total lipids and proteins in liver were measured by thin layer chromatography and western blot analysis, respectively. Rapamycin up-regulated the amount of triglyceride and down-regulated the expression of Prox1 in HepG2 cells by reducing protein half-life but did not affect its transcript. The loss-of-function of Prox1 was coincident with the increase of triglycerides in HepG2 cells treated with rapamycin. The up-regulation of triglycerides by rapamycin in HepG2 cells reverted to normal levels by the compensation of Prox1 using the overexpression system. Rapamycin also down-regulated Prox1 expression but increased triglycerides in mouse liver. This study suggests that rapamycin can increase the amount of triglycerides by down-regulating Prox1 expression in hepatocytes, which means that the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling is important for the regulation of triglycerides by maintaining Prox1 expression.

Effects of cluster thinning on vine photosynthesis, berry ripeness and flavonoid composition of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yu; He, Yan-Nan; Chen, Wei-Kai; He, Fei; Chen, Wu; Cai, Xiao-Dong; Duan, Chang-Qing; Wang, Jun

2018-05-15

Cluster thinning is a common practice for regulating vine yield and grape quality. The effects of cluster thinning on vine photosynthesis, berry ripeness and flavonoid composition of V. vinifera L. Cabernet Sauvignon were evaluated during two seasons. Half of the clusters were removed at pea-size and veraison relative to two controls, respectively. Both cluster thinning treatments significantly increased pruning weight and decreased yield. No effects of cluster thinning on berry growth, ripeness and flavonol composition were observed. Early cluster thinning decreased the photosynthetic rate at pea-size, but the effect diminished at post-veraison. Early cluster thinning significantly promoted the biosynthesis of anthocyanins but decreased the proportion of 3'5'-hydroxylated and acylated anthocyanins at veraison. Late cluster thinning decreased the proportions of 3'5'-hydroxylated and acylated anthocyanins. Additionally, Cluster thinning showed inconsistent effects on flavan-3-ol composition over the two seasons. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Location of and post-mortem changes in some cytoskeletal proteins in pork and cod muscle

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Morrison, E.H.; Bremner, Allan; Purslow, P.P.

2000-01-01

The cytoskeletal proteins actin, nebulin, spectrin, desmin, vinculin and talin were labelled immunohistochemically in sections of muscle from commercially available pigs and cod (Gadus morhua) taken pre-rigor and from samples stored for several days. Actin, nebulin and spectrin gave similar...... labelling patterns in both pork and cod muscle which remained the same in stored samples. Desmin was intensely labelled at the cell boundaries and within the body of the cells in both pork and cod in the initial and the stored samples. Vinculin was readily labelled in pork muscle but showed only diffuse...... labelling in fish. Labelling for talin in pork muscle was intense at the sarcolemma but was not present in samples stored for 4 days. In contrast, the label for talin was concentrated at the myotendinous junction of the cod muscle throughout the storage period. These are the first reports of the detection...

Interleukin-7 Plasma Levels in Human Differentiate Anorexia Nervosa, Constitutional Thinness and Healthy Obesity.

Science.gov (United States)

Germain, Natacha; Viltart, Odile; Loyens, Anne; Bruchet, Céline; Nadin, Katia; Wolowczuk, Isabelle; Estour, Bruno; Galusca, Bogdan

2016-01-01

Interleukin-7 (IL-7) is a cytokine involved in energy homeostasis as demonstrated in rodents. Anorexia nervosa is characterized by restrained eating behavior despite adaptive orexigenic regulation profile including high ghrelin plasma levels. Constitutional thinness is a physiological condition of resistance to weight gain with physiological anorexigenic profile including high Peptide YY plasma level. Healthy obesity can be considered as a physiological state of resistance to weight loss with opposite appetite regulating profile to constitutional thinness including low Peptide YY plasma level. No studies in IL-7 are yet available in those populations. Therefore we evaluated circadian plasma levels of IL-7 in anorexia nervosa compared to constitutional thinness, healthy obese and control females. 10 restrictive-type anorexia nervosa women, 5 bingeing/purging anorexia nervosa woman, 5 recovered restrictive anorexia nervosa women, 4 bulimic females, 10 constitutional thinness women, 7 healthy obese females, and 10 normal weight women controls were enrolled in this cross-sectional study, performed in endocrinology unit and academic laboratory. Twelve-point circadian profiles of plasma IL-7 levels were measured in each subject. 24h mean IL-7 plasma levels (pg/ml, mean±SEM) were decreased in restrictive-type anorexia nervosa (123.4±14.4, panorexia nervosa (24.2±5.6, panorexia nervosa (64.2±16.1, p = 0.01) and healthy obese patients (51±3.2, panorexia nervosa, confirming its difference with constitutional thinness. Healthy obesity, with low IL-7, is once again in mirror image of constitutional thinness with normal high IL-7.

Influence of Fe(Cr) miscibility on thin film grain size and stress

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Xuyang; Kaub, Tyler; Martens, Richard L.; Thompson, Gregory B., E-mail: gthompson@eng.ua.edu

2016-08-01

During the post coalescence portion of thin film deposition, thin film stress is related to the grain size and adatom mobility of the depositing material. Using a Fe(Cr) alloy thin film, the manipulation of the tensile stress for thick films was studied as a function of Cr solute content up to 8 at.%. Solute concentrations up to 4 at.% resulted in an approximate 50% increase in grain size that resulted in a reduction of the tensile stress to be lower than either elemental film. Upon increasing the Cr content, the grain size refined and the tensile stress of the films increased. Atom probe characterization of the grain boundaries confirmed Cr chemical partitioning which refined the grain size and altered the film's texture, both of which contributed to the change in film stress. The use of intrinsic segregation, rather than deposition processing parameters, appears to be another viable option for regulating film stress. - Highlights: • Solute segregation to regulate grain size in controlling film stress • Quantification of Cr interfacial excess as a function of alloy content • Quantification of texture fiber alignment as a function of Cr content.

Orienting Block Copolymer Thin Films via Entropy and Surface Plasma Treatment

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, Rong-Ming; Lu, Kai-Yuan; Lo, Ting-Ya; Dehghan, Ashkan; Shi, An-Chang; Prokopios, Georgopanos; Avgeropoulos, Apostolos

Controlling the orientation of nanostructured thin films of block copolymers (BCPs) is essential for next generation lithography. In the thin-film state, how to achieve the perpendicular orientation of the nanostructured microdomains remains challenging due to the interfacial effects from the air and also the substrate, especially for the blocks with silicon containing segments which usually have different surface energies, favoring parallel microdomain orientation. Here, we show that entropic effect can be used to control the orientation of BCP thin films. Specifically, we used the architecture of star-block copolymers consisting of polystyrene (PS) and poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) blocks to regulate the entropic contribution to the self-assembled nanostructures. Moreover, we aim to achieve the formation of perpendicular orientation from the air surface via surface plasma treatment to neutralize the interfacial energy difference. By combining the architecture effect (entropy effect) on BCP self-assembly and the surface plasma treatment (enthalpy effect), well-defined perpendicular PDMS microdomains in the PS-b-PDMS thin film can be formed from the bottom of non-neutral substrate and the top of the thin film surface, giving great potential for lithographic applications.

Reguladores vegetais e o desbaste químico de frutos de tangor murcote Plant growth regulators and 'Honey' orange fruit chemical thinning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcio Christian Serpa Domingues

2001-09-01

Full Text Available O tangor 'Murcote' apresenta necessidade de desbaste de frutos devido a alternância de produção, caracterizado por anos de excessiva produção intercalado com anos de baixa produção, evitando assim, a diminuição da qualidade dos frutos. O presente trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar a eficiência de reguladores vegetais, a auxina ANA (ácido naftalenacético e ethephon (etileno no desbaste químico de frutos de tangor 'Murcote' aplicado 40 dias após o pleno florescimento. O experimento foi conduzido em Pratânia, SP, onde plantas de 5 anos de idade, enxertadas sobre o limoeiro 'Cravo', foram pulverizadas com ANA a 0, 100, 200, 300 e 400 mg L-1 e com ethephon a 200, 300 e 400 mg L-1, ambos em solução aquosa juntamente com adjuvante não iônico a 0,05%. A contagem dos frutos foi realizada previamente aos tratamentos em 2 ramos marcados por planta. O ANA não interferiu significativamente no desbaste de frutos, com porcentagens de queda variando entre 7 a 14%, enquanto que as pulverizações com ethephon mostraram maior eficiência no desbaste de frutos, principalmente na dose de 400 mg L-1, promovendo 66,6% de queda de frutos, sem contudo induzir a abscisão foliar. As doses inferiores de ethephon também promoveram desbaste de frutos da ordem de 40%. As porcentagens de queda de frutos foram pequenas, para plantas pulverizadas com ANA, enquanto que a aplicação de ethephon promoveu maior eficiência no desbaste de frutos.Alternate bearing is an important caracteristic of some mandarins that reduces fruit quality and yield in tangor Murcott, and to reduce this effect is necessary to perform fruit thinning to avoid high and low production year by year. To evaluate the effects of plant growth regulators on fruit thinning of the 'honey' orange, an auxin (NAA-naphthalene acetic acid and ethephon (ethylene, were applied 40 days after full bloom in an experiment carried out at Pratania, S.P., Brazil. Five-year-old plants grafted on Rangpur

Effect of cluster thinning and prohexadione calcium applications on phenolic composition and sensory properties of red wines.

Science.gov (United States)

Avizcuri-Inac, José-Miguel; Gonzalo-Diago, Ana; Sanz-Asensio, Jesús; Martínez-Soria, María-Teresa; López-Alonso, Miguel; Dizy-Soto, Marta; Echávarri-Granado, José-Federico; Vaquero-Fernández, Luis; Fernández-Zurbano, Purificación

2013-02-06

The overall objective of this study was to investigate the effect of manual cluster thinning (CT) and the application of the growth regulator Prohexadione calcium (ProCa) on the phenolic composition and the sensory profile of Tempranillo and Grenache wines produced from treated vines in La Rioja (Spain). ProCa was applied at preblooming and CT was carried out at veraison in two consecutive years. Different physicochemical parameters and analyses of phenolic compounds were carried out in control, CT and ProCa grapes and wines and wine sensory was performed. Thinning treatments decreased crop yield, besides ProCa application reduced berry size, and berry weight. Color and phenolic composition of Grenache and Tempranillo wines in general were affected by thinning treatments, with an increase in anthocyanin, flavanol and flavonol concentrations. In sensory analysis, wines obtained from thinned vines presented higher values for several aromatic (e.g., white and yellow fruits, fresh flowers) and taste attributes (i.e., astringency, bitternes, persistence). CT and ProCa treatments resulted in an improvement in wine quality. In general, similar results in phenolic composition, sensory properties and quality of wines were obtained by manual and chemical cluster thinning. ProCa as a growth regulator may be an option for a quality vitiviniculture.

Investigation of Processes and Factors Regulating the Generation, Maintenance and Breakdown of Bioluminescent Thin Layers

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Widder, Edith

2001-01-01

.... Katz's submersible holographic camera mounted on the upper work platform. Thin layers were located using real-time sensor feedback from intensified video recordings of stimulated bioluminescence...

Mutation-specific effects on thin filament length in thin filament myopathy.

Science.gov (United States)

Winter, Josine M de; Joureau, Barbara; Lee, Eun-Jeong; Kiss, Balázs; Yuen, Michaela; Gupta, Vandana A; Pappas, Christopher T; Gregorio, Carol C; Stienen, Ger J M; Edvardson, Simon; Wallgren-Pettersson, Carina; Lehtokari, Vilma-Lotta; Pelin, Katarina; Malfatti, Edoardo; Romero, Norma B; Engelen, Baziel G van; Voermans, Nicol C; Donkervoort, Sandra; Bönnemann, C G; Clarke, Nigel F; Beggs, Alan H; Granzier, Henk; Ottenheijm, Coen A C

2016-06-01

Thin filament myopathies are among the most common nondystrophic congenital muscular disorders, and are caused by mutations in genes encoding proteins that are associated with the skeletal muscle thin filament. Mechanisms underlying muscle weakness are poorly understood, but might involve the length of the thin filament, an important determinant of force generation. We investigated the sarcomere length-dependence of force, a functional assay that provides insights into the contractile strength of muscle fibers as well as the length of the thin filaments, in muscle fibers from 51 patients with thin filament myopathy caused by mutations in NEB, ACTA1, TPM2, TPM3, TNNT1, KBTBD13, KLHL40, and KLHL41. Lower force generation was observed in muscle fibers from patients of all genotypes. In a subset of patients who harbor mutations in NEB and ACTA1, the lower force was associated with downward shifted force-sarcomere length relations, indicative of shorter thin filaments. Confocal microscopy confirmed shorter thin filaments in muscle fibers of these patients. A conditional Neb knockout mouse model, which recapitulates thin filament myopathy, revealed a compensatory mechanism; the lower force generation that was associated with shorter thin filaments was compensated for by increasing the number of sarcomeres in series. This allowed muscle fibers to operate at a shorter sarcomere length and maintain optimal thin-thick filament overlap. These findings might provide a novel direction for the development of therapeutic strategies for thin filament myopathy patients with shortened thin filament lengths. Ann Neurol 2016;79:959-969. © 2016 American Neurological Association.

Effects of fertilization and thinning on heartwood area, sapwood area and growth in Scots pine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moerling, T.; Valinger, E. [Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences, Umeaa (Sweden). Dept. of Silviculture

1999-07-01

In a fertilization and thinning experiment on Pinus sylvestris L. situated in northern Sweden, the effects on the amount of heartwood and sapwood were examined 12 yrs after treatment. On stem discs taken from the stump up to 75% of tree height, age, diameter, heartwood diameter and growth rings included in the heartwood were measured. Increases in heartwood area following fertilization and thinning were not statistically significant, whereas sapwood area was significantly increased by both fertilization and thinning. There was a significant positive interaction effect of fertilization and thinning on diameter under bark, sapwood area and relative heartwood area. The number of growth rings included in the heartwood at breast height was not affected by treatments. Thinned trees showed a higher needle biomass per unit of sapwood area at breast height. The results show that the possibility of affecting the amount of heartwood in individual trees by thinning and fertilization is limited. The results are discussed in relation to the pipe-model theory and the regulation of sapwood and heartwood.

Thermoelectric Cooling-Aided Bead Geometry Regulation in Wire and Arc-Based Additive Manufacturing of Thin-Walled Structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fang Li

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Wire and arc-based additive manufacturing (WAAM is a rapidly developing technology which employs a welding arc to melt metal wire for additive manufacturing purposes. During WAAM of thin-walled structures, as the wall height increases, the heat dissipation to the substrate is slowed down gradually and so is the solidification of the molten pool, leading to variation of the bead geometry. Though gradually reducing the heat input via adjusting the process parameters can alleviate this issue, as suggested by previous studies, it relies on experience to a large extent and inevitably sacrifices the deposition rate because the wire feed rate is directly coupled with the heat input. This study introduces for the first time an in-process active cooling system based on thermoelectric cooling technology into WAAM, which aims to eliminate the difference in heat dissipation between upper and lower layers. The case study shows that, with the aid of thermoelectric cooling, the bead width error is reduced by 56.8%, the total fabrication time is reduced by 60.9%, and the average grain size is refined by 25%. The proposed technique provides new insight into bead geometry regulation during WAAM with various benefits in terms of geometric accuracy, productivity, and microstructure.

Divergent regulation of the sarcomere and the cytoskeleton.

Science.gov (United States)

Schevzov, Galina; Fath, Thomas; Vrhovski, Bernadette; Vlahovich, Nicole; Rajan, Sudarsan; Hook, Jeff; Joya, Josephine E; Lemckert, Frances; Puttur, Franz; Lin, Jim J-C; Hardeman, Edna C; Wieczorek, David F; O'Neill, Geraldine M; Gunning, Peter W

2008-01-04

The existence of a feedback mechanism regulating the precise amounts of muscle structural proteins, such as actin and the actin-associated protein tropomyosin (Tm), in the sarcomeres of striated muscles is well established. However, the regulation of nonmuscle or cytoskeletal actin and Tms in nonmuscle cell structures has not been elucidated. Unlike the thin filaments of striated muscles, the actin cytoskeleton in nonmuscle cells is intrinsically dynamic. Given the differing requirements for the structural integrity of the actin thin filaments of the sarcomere compared with the requirement for dynamicity of the actin cytoskeleton in nonmuscle cells, we postulated that different regulatory mechanisms govern the expression of sarcomeric versus cytoskeletal Tms, as key regulators of the properties of the actin cytoskeleton. Comprehensive analyses of tissues from transgenic and knock-out mouse lines that overexpress the cytoskeletal Tms, Tm3 and Tm5NM1, and a comparison with sarcomeric Tms provide evidence for this. Moreover, we show that overexpression of a cytoskeletal Tm drives the amount of filamentous actin.

Serotonin regulates C. elegans fat and feeding through independent molecular mechanisms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Srinivasan, Supriya; Sadegh, Leila; Elle, Ida C

2008-01-01

We investigated serotonin signaling in C. elegans as a paradigm for neural regulation of energy balance and found that serotonergic regulation of fat is molecularly distinct from feeding regulation. Serotonergic feeding regulation is mediated by receptors whose functions are not required for fat...... feeding behavior. These findings suggest that, as in mammals, C. elegans feeding behavior is regulated by extrinsic and intrinsic cues. Moreover, obesity and thinness are not solely determined by feeding behavior. Rather, feeding behavior and fat metabolism are coordinated but independent responses...

Thin-film photovoltaic technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bhattacharya, R.N. [National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO (United States)

2010-07-01

The high material and processing costs associated with single-crystal and polycrystalline silicon wafers that are commonly used in photovoltaic cells render these modules expensive. This presentation described thin-film solar cell technology as a promising alternative to silicon solar cell technology. Cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin films along with copper, indium, gallium, and selenium (CIGS) thin films have become the leaders in this field. Their large optical absorption coefficient can be attributed to a direct energy gap that allows the use of thin layers (1-2 {mu}m) of active material. The efficiency of thin-film solar cell devices based on CIGS is 20 per cent, compared to 16.7 per cent for thin-film solar cell devices based on CdTe. IBM recently reported an efficiency of 9.7 per cent for a new type of inorganic thin-film solar cell based on a Cu{sub 2}ZnSn(S, Se){sub 4} compound. The efficiency of an organic thin-film solar cell is 7.9 per cent. This presentation included a graph of PV device efficiencies and discussed technological advances in non-vacuum deposited, CIGS-based thin-film solar cells. 1 fig.

Solid thin film materials for use in thin film charge-coupled devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lynch, S.J.

1983-01-01

Solid thin films deposited by vacuum deposition were evaluated to ascertain their effectiveness for use in the manufacturing of charge-coupled devices (CCDs). Optical and electrical characteristics of tellurium and Bi 2 Te 3 solid thin films were obtained in order to design and to simulate successfully the operation of thin film (TF) CCDs. In this article some of the material differences between single-crystal material and the island-structured thin film used in TFCCDs are discussed. The electrical parameters were obtained and tabulated, e.g. the mobility, conductivity, dielectric constants, permittivity, lifetime of holes and electrons in the thin films and drift diffusion constants. The optical parameters were also measured and analyzed. After the design was complete, experimental TFCCDs were manufactured and were successfully operated utilizing the aforementioned solid thin films. (Auth.)

Design of a 3 kW wind turbine generator with thin airfoil blades

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ameku, Kazumasa; Nagai, Baku M.; Roy, Jitendro Nath [Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of the Ryukyus, 1 Senbaru, Nishihara-cho, Okinawa 903-0213 (Japan)

2008-09-15

Three blades of a 3 kW prototype wind turbine generator were designed with thin airfoil and a tip speed ratio of 3. The wind turbine has been controlled via two control methods: the variable pitch angle and by regulation of the field current of the generator and examined under real wind conditions. The characteristics of the thin airfoil, called ''Seven arcs thin airfoil'' named so because the airfoil is composed of seven circular arcs, are analyzed with the airfoil design and analysis program XFOIL. The thin airfoil blade is designed and calculated by blade element and momentum theory. The performance characteristics of the machine such as rotational speed, generator output as well as stability for wind speed changes are described. In the case of average wind speeds of 10 m/s and a maximum of 19 m/s, the automatically controlled wind turbine ran safely through rough wind conditions and showed an average generator output of 1105 W and a power coefficient 0.14. (author)

Thin film processes II

CERN Document Server

Kern, Werner

1991-01-01

This sequel to the 1978 classic, Thin Film Processes, gives a clear, practical exposition of important thin film deposition and etching processes that have not yet been adequately reviewed. It discusses selected processes in tutorial overviews with implementation guide lines and an introduction to the literature. Though edited to stand alone, when taken together, Thin Film Processes II and its predecessor present a thorough grounding in modern thin film techniques.Key Features* Provides an all-new sequel to the 1978 classic, Thin Film Processes* Introduces new topics, and sever

Examination of the radiation of magnetron discharge in the process of spraying thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sokolov, V.F.; Sokolova, Yu.A.; Protasevich, A.A.

1999-01-01

In this work, we investigated the light radiation of the magnetron discharge in order to develop a method of spectral control and regulation of the process of deposition of thin films in UVN-25 industrial equipment used for metallising of superlarge integrated circuits and other components

Pyrolyzed thin film carbon

Science.gov (United States)

Tai, Yu-Chong (Inventor); Liger, Matthieu (Inventor); Harder, Theodore (Inventor); Konishi, Satoshi (Inventor); Miserendino, Scott (Inventor)

2010-01-01

A method of making carbon thin films comprises depositing a catalyst on a substrate, depositing a hydrocarbon in contact with the catalyst and pyrolyzing the hydrocarbon. A method of controlling a carbon thin film density comprises etching a cavity into a substrate, depositing a hydrocarbon into the cavity, and pyrolyzing the hydrocarbon while in the cavity to form a carbon thin film. Controlling a carbon thin film density is achieved by changing the volume of the cavity. Methods of making carbon containing patterned structures are also provided. Carbon thin films and carbon containing patterned structures can be used in NEMS, MEMS, liquid chromatography, and sensor devices.

thin films

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

microscopy (SEM) studies, respectively. The Fourier transform ... Thin films; chemical synthesis; hydrous tin oxide; FTIR; electrical properties. 1. Introduction ... dehydrogenation of organic compounds (Hattori et al 1987). .... SEM images of (a) bare stainless steel and (b) SnO2:H2O thin film on stainless steel substrate at a ...

Cell behaviors on micro-patterned porous thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phong, Ho Quoc; Wang Shuling; Wang, Meng-Jiy

2010-01-01

Thin polymer films with patterned surfaces have drawn tremendous attention in manufacturing advanced electronic, mechanical devices and in biomaterials due to the advantageous properties such as mechanical strength, chemical resistance and optic transparency. The applications can be extended to the fields such as catalysts, antireflection coatings, template for inorganic growth masks, and substrates for cell culturing providing the patterned surface containing micron-sized features. Various methods have been used to fabricate polymers with micro-patterned surfaces such as photolithographic, ink-jet printing, nonsolvent, spin coating in a dry environment, self-organization, and the condensation of monodisperse water droplet on the polymer solution. The physiological functions of mature cells depend on the microenvironment/niche surrounding which can provide proper factors to regulate cell proliferation and differentiation. While designing appropriate scaffolds for tissue engineering, the microstructure is one of the most important factors to be considered. In this work, a facile single-step phase separation method was used to create micro-patterned polymer thin films with concaves or convexes with sizes ranged from 7 to 70 μm. The effects of water content, casting volume and the addition of surfactant on the distribution of pores and substrate morphology were examined. Moreover, detailed observations of fibroblast cells on the micro-patterned thin films were presented to compare and elucidate the roles of surface micro-features and chemical functionalities.

Optimized pre-thinning procedures of ion-beam thinning for TEM sample preparation by magnetorheological polishing.

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Hu; Yin, Shaohui; Zhang, Guanhua; Liu, Chunhui; Tang, Qingchun; Guo, Meijian

2017-10-01

Ion-beam-thinning is a well-established sample preparation technique for transmission electron microscopy (TEM), but tedious procedures and labor consuming pre-thinning could seriously reduce its efficiency. In this work, we present a simple pre-thinning technique by using magnetorheological (MR) polishing to replace manual lapping and dimpling, and demonstrate the successful preparation of electron-transparent single crystal silicon samples after MR polishing and single-sided ion milling. Dimples pre-thinned to less than 30 microns and with little mechanical surface damage were repeatedly produced under optimized MR polishing conditions. Samples pre-thinned by both MR polishing and traditional technique were ion-beam thinned from the rear side until perforation, and then observed by optical microscopy and TEM. The results show that the specimen pre-thinned by MR technique was free from dimpling related defects, which were still residual in sample pre-thinned by conventional technique. Nice high-resolution TEM images could be acquired after MR polishing and one side ion-thinning. MR polishing promises to be an adaptable and efficient method for pre-thinning in preparation of TEM specimens, especially for brittle ceramics. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Thinning 'Elstar' apple with benzyladenine

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maas, F.M.

2006-01-01

‘Elstar’, the main apple cultivar grown in the Netherlands, requires adequate thinning to reach marketable fruit sizes and to achieve regular yields by preventing alternate bearing. At the moment, chemical thinning of ‘Elstar’ is the only economically feasible way of thinning. Thinning by hand is

Specific heat measurement set-up for quench condensed thin superconducting films.

Science.gov (United States)

Poran, Shachaf; Molina-Ruiz, Manel; Gérardin, Anne; Frydman, Aviad; Bourgeois, Olivier

2014-05-01

We present a set-up designed for the measurement of specific heat of very thin or ultra-thin quench condensed superconducting films. In an ultra-high vacuum chamber, materials of interest can be thermally evaporated directly on a silicon membrane regulated in temperature from 1.4 K to 10 K. On this membrane, a heater and a thermometer are lithographically fabricated, allowing the measurement of heat capacity of the quench condensed layers. This apparatus permits the simultaneous thermal and electrical characterization of successively deposited layers in situ without exposing the deposited materials to room temperature or atmospheric conditions, both being irreversibly harmful to the samples. This system can be used to study specific heat signatures of phase transitions through the superconductor to insulator transition of quench condensed films.

Application of NAA and BA in chemical thinning of some commercial apple cultivars

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Šebek Gordana

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the fruit thinning response of some commercial apple cultivars to NAA and BA plant regulators. The experiment was designed to evaluate NAA applied separately at three concentrations - 13.2 ppm, 17.82 ppm and 26.73 ppm, and BA + NAA combinations (BA - 60 ppm, 100 ppm, 120 ppm or 140 ppm + NAA 4.29 ppm for thinning the assessed apple cultivars. All treatments with NAA and BA + NAA adequately thinned 'McIntosh' and 'Jonathan', whereas the application of NAA 17.82 ppm and 26.73 ppm and the combined treatment BA 140 ppm+ NAA 4.29 ppm were effective fruit thinners for 'Prima'. In terms of the average fruit weight, number of fruits categorized as large (> 75 mm or > 65 mm, and number of fruit per trunk cross-sectional area, the treatment BA 140 ppm + NAA 4.29 ppm was most effective on 'McIntosh' and 'Prima', whereas BA 100 ppm + NAA 4.29 ppm had the best effect on 'Jonathan'.

The effects of thinning and similar stand treatments on fire behavior in Western forests.

Science.gov (United States)

Russell T. Graham; Alan E. Harvey; Theresa B. Jain; Jonalea R. Tonn

1999-01-01

In the West, thinning and partial cuttings are being considered for treating millions of forested acres that are overstocked and prone to wildfire. The objectives of these treatments include tree growth redistribution, tree species regulation, timber harvest, wildlife habitat improvement, and wildfire-hazard reduction. Depending on the forest type and its structure,...

Increased body satisfaction after exposure to thin ideal children's television in young girls showing thin ideal internalisation.

Science.gov (United States)

Anschutz, Doeschka J; Engels, Rutger C M E; Van Strien, Tatjana

2012-01-01

This study tested the direct effect of watching thin ideal children's television on body satisfaction in preadolescent girls (6-8 years old). A within-subject design was used in which girls (N = 51) were tested three times. They watched television clips in random order containing either (1) thin ideal animated characters or (2) animated characters with no thin ideal features or (3) 'real' human actors with no thin ideal features. After watching, their state body satisfaction was measured. Girls with higher levels of thin ideal internalisation showed higher body satisfaction after exposure to the thin ideal characters than after exposure to animated or real characters featuring no thin ideal features. No differences on body satisfaction between the exposure conditions were found in girls with lower levels of thin ideal internalisation. The results might suggest that young girls who internalised the thin ideal are inspired by thin ideal characters in children's media.

NMR characterization of thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Gerald II, Rex E.; Klingler, Robert J.; Rathke, Jerome W.; Diaz, Rocio; Vukovic, Lela

2010-06-15

A method, apparatus, and system for characterizing thin film materials. The method, apparatus, and system includes a container for receiving a starting material, applying a gravitational force, a magnetic force, and an electric force or combinations thereof to at least the starting material, forming a thin film material, sensing an NMR signal from the thin film material and analyzing the NMR signal to characterize the thin film of material.

NMR characterization of thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Gerald, II, Rex E.; Klingler, Robert J.; Rathke, Jerome W.; Diaz, Rocio; Vukovic, Lela

2008-11-25

A method, apparatus, and system for characterizing thin film materials. The method, apparatus, and system includes a container for receiving a starting material, applying a gravitational force, a magnetic force, and an electric force or combinations thereof to at least the starting material, forming a thin film material, sensing an NMR signal from the thin film material and analyzing the NMR signal to characterize the thin film of material.

Rare Earth Oxide Thin Films

CERN Document Server

Fanciulli, Marco

2007-01-01

Thin rare earth (RE) oxide films are emerging materials for microelectronic, nanoelectronic, and spintronic applications. The state-of-the-art of thin film deposition techniques as well as the structural, physical, chemical, and electrical properties of thin RE oxide films and of their interface with semiconducting substrates are discussed. The aim is to identify proper methodologies for the development of RE oxides thin films and to evaluate their effectiveness as innovative materials in different applications.

Thin seam mining

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sikora, W [Politechnika Slaska, Gliwice (Poland). Instytut Mechanizacji Gornictwa

1989-06-01

Discusses thin seam mining in Poland and its prospects. There were 194 working faces in coal seams to 1.5 m thick in Poland in 1988. Of them, 115 fell on faces with powered supports, 79 on faces with SHC-40 and Valent props; 108 shearer loaders and 45 coal plows were used for longwall mining of thin coal seams. Drilling and blasting was used to mine 21 working faces. Longwall faces in seams to 1.0 m thick gave 2.0% coal output, faces in coal seams 1.01-1.5 m thick gave 12.2% of daily coal output of underground mining. Structure of daily coal output of faces in thin seams was the following: 52 faces below 300 t/day, 42 from 301-500 t/day, 63 from 501 to 1,000 t/day, 17 faces above 1,000 t/day. Prospects for increasing coal output of faces in thin seams are discussed. 7 refs.

Overview of the Muscle Cytoskeleton

Science.gov (United States)

Henderson, Christine A.; Gomez, Christopher G.; Novak, Stefanie M.; Mi-Mi, Lei; Gregorio, Carol C.

2018-01-01

Cardiac and skeletal striated muscles are intricately designed machines responsible for muscle contraction. Coordination of the basic contractile unit, the sarcomere, and the complex cytoskeletal networks are critical for contractile activity. The sarcomere is comprised of precisely organized individual filament systems that include thin (actin), thick (myosin), titin, and nebulin. Connecting the sarcomere to other organelles (e.g., mitochondria and nucleus) and serving as the scaffold to maintain cellular integrity are the intermediate filaments. The costamere, on the other hand, tethers the sarcomere to the cell membrane. Unique structures like the intercalated disc in cardiac muscle and the myotendinous junction in skeletal muscle help synchronize and transmit force. Intense investigation has been done on many of the proteins that make up these cytoskeletal assemblies. Yet the details of their function and how they interconnect have just started to be elucidated. A vast number of human myopathies are contributed to mutations in muscle proteins; thus understanding their basic function provides a mechanistic understanding of muscle disorders. In this review, we highlight the components of striated muscle with respect to their interactions, signaling pathways, functions, and connections to disease. PMID:28640448

Thin-Film Power Transformers

Science.gov (United States)

Katti, Romney R.

1995-01-01

Transformer core made of thin layers of insulating material interspersed with thin layers of ferromagnetic material. Flux-linking conductors made of thinner nonferromagnetic-conductor/insulator multilayers wrapped around core. Transformers have geometric features finer than those of transformers made in customary way by machining and mechanical pressing. In addition, some thin-film materials exhibit magnetic-flux-carrying capabilities superior to those of customary bulk transformer materials. Suitable for low-cost, high-yield mass production.

Thin Places

OpenAIRE

Lockwood, Sandra Elizabeth

2013-01-01

This inquiry into the three great quests of the twentieth century–the South Pole, Mount Everest, and the Moon–examines our motivations to venture into these sublime, yet life-taking places. The Thin Place was once the destination of the religious pilgrim seeking transcendence in an extreme environment. In our age, the Thin Place quest has morphed into a challenge to evolve beyond the confines of our own physiology; through human ingenuity and invention, we reach places not meant to accommod...

Handbook of thin film technology

CERN Document Server

Frey, Hartmut

2015-01-01

“Handbook of Thin Film Technology” covers all aspects of coatings preparation, characterization and applications. Different deposition techniques based on vacuum and plasma processes are presented. Methods of surface and thin film analysis including coating thickness, structural, optical, electrical, mechanical and magnetic properties of films are detailed described. The several applications of thin coatings and a special chapter focusing on nanoparticle-based films can be found in this handbook. A complete reference for students and professionals interested in the science and technology of thin films.

Ion beam-based characterization of multicomponent oxide thin films and thin film layered structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krauss, A.R.; Rangaswamy, M.; Lin, Yuping; Gruen, D.M.; Schultz, J.A.; Schmidt, H.K.; Chang, R.P.H.

1992-01-01

Fabrication of thin film layered structures of multi-component materials such as high temperature superconductors, ferroelectric and electro-optic materials, and alloy semiconductors, and the development of hybrid materials requires understanding of film growth and interface properties. For High Temperature Superconductors, the superconducting coherence length is extremely short (5--15 Angstrom), and fabrication of reliable devices will require control of film properties at extremely sharp interfaces; it will be necessary to verify the integrity of thin layers and layered structure devices over thicknesses comparable to the atomic layer spacing. Analytical techniques which probe the first 1--2 atomic layers are therefore necessary for in-situ characterization of relevant thin film growth processes. However, most surface-analytical techniques are sensitive to a region within 10--40 Angstrom of the surface and are physically incompatible with thin film deposition and are typically restricted to ultra high vacuum conditions. A review of ion beam-based analytical methods for the characterization of thin film and multi-layered thin film structures incorporating layers of multicomponent oxides is presented. Particular attention will be paid to the use of time-of-flight techniques based on the use of 1- 15 key ion beams which show potential for use as nondestructive, real-time, in-situ surface diagnostics for the growth of multicomponent metal and metal oxide thin films

Profitable thinning: dream or reality. Main conclusions from the FPP-study 'the influences of growing space regulation on the operational success of spruce management units'

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johann, K; Pollanschuetz, J

1980-01-01

A computer simulation program (STAOET) was used to evaluate various thinning treatments for Picea abies. Treatment varied in: initial number of trees/ha (2500 vs. 5000); thinning intensity (weak, very strong, or graduated, i.e. early thinning strong, later weak); age (from 15 to 50 years) at first thinning; and age and number of later thinnings. Preliminary, final and total harvests were evaluated in terms of: volume (total, small timber, and log timber), mean diameter b.h., average volume/tree, and net value. Effects of varying site class index, rotation time, and timber cost/price structures (of small timber vs. log timber) were also studied. Low initial number of trees/ha and/or early reduction in tree number tended to give markedly higher final log timber volume, average diameter b.h., average volume/tree, and net value; resistance to snow damage also increased due to decrease in height/diameter ratio. (Refs. 2).

Effect of length of thinning area on the failure behavior of carbon steel pipe containing a defect of wall thinning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jin Weon; Park, Chi Yong

2003-01-01

The present study performed pipe failure tests using 102 mm-Sch. 80 carbon steel pipe with various simulated wall thinning defects, to investigate the effect of axial length of wall thinning and internal pressure on the failure behavior of pipe thinned by flow accelerated corrosion (FAC). The tests were conducted under loading conditions of four-point bending with and without internal pressure. The results showed that a failure mode of pipe with a defect depended on the magnitude of internal pressure and axial thinning length as well as stress type and thinning depth and circumferential angle. Both load carrying capability (LCC) and deformation capability (DC) were depended on stress type in the thinning area and dimensions of thinning defect. For applying tensile stress to the thinned area, the dependence of LCC on the axial length of wall thinning was determined by circumferential thinning angle, and the DC was proportionally increased with increase in axial length of wall thinning regardless of the circumferential angle. For applying compressive stress to thinned area, however, the LCC was decreased with increase in axial length of the thinned area. Also, the effect of internal pressure on failure behavior was characterized by failure mode of thinned pipe, and it promoted crack occurrence and mitigated a local buckling of the thinned area

DC magnetron sputtering prepared Ag-C thin film anode for thin film lithium ion microbatteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Y.; Tu, J.P.; Shi, D.Q.; Huang, X.H.; Wu, H.M.; Yuan, Y.F.; Zhao, X.B.

2007-01-01

An Ag-C thin film was prepared by DC magnetron co-sputtering, using pure silver and graphite as the targets. The microstructure and morphology of the deposited thin film were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Electrochemical performances of the Ag-C thin film anode were investigated by means of discharge/charge and cyclic voltammogram (CV) tests in model cells. The electrochemical impedance spectrum (EIS) characteristics and the chemical diffusion coefficient, D Li of the Ag-C thin film electrode at different discharging states were discussed. It was believed that the excellent cycling performance of the Ag-C electrode was ascribed to the good conductivity of silver and the volume stability of the thin film

Deposition techniques for the preparation of thin film nuclear targets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muggleton, A.H.F.

1987-07-01

This review commences with a brief description of the basic principles that regulate vacuum evaporation and the physical processes involved in thin film formation, followed by a description of the experimental methods used. The principle methods of heating the evaporant are detailed and the means of measuring and controlling the film thickness are elucidated. Types of thin film nuclear targets are considered and various film release agents are listed. Thin film nuclear target behaviour under ion-bombardment is described and the dependence of nuclear experimental results upon target thickness and uniformity is outlined. Special problems associated with preparing suitable targets for lifetime measurements are discussed. The causes of stripper-foil thickening and breaking under heavy-ion bombardment are considered. A comparison is made between foils manufactured by a glow discharge process and those produced by vacuum sublimation. Consideration is given to the methods of carbon stripper-foil manufacture and to the characteristics of stripper-foil lifetimes are considered. Techniques are described that have been developed for the fabrication of special targets, both from natural and isotopically enriched material, and also of elements that are either chemically unstable, or thermally unstable under irradiation. The reduction of metal oxides by the use of hydrogen or by utilising a metallothermic technique, and the simultaneous evaporation of reduced rare earth elements is described. A comprehensive list of the common targets is presented

Thin film metal-oxides

CERN Document Server

Ramanathan, Shriram

2009-01-01

Presents an account of the fundamental structure-property relations in oxide thin films. This title discusses the functional properties of thin film oxides in the context of applications in the electronics and renewable energy technologies.

Host thin films incorporating nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Qureshi, Uzma

The focus of this research project was the investigation of the functional properties of thin films that incorporate a secondary nanoparticulate phase. In particular to assess if the secondary nanoparticulate material enhanced a functional property of the coating on glass. In order to achieve this, new thin film deposition methods were developed, namely use of nanopowder precursors, an aerosol assisted transport technique and an aerosol into atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition system. Aerosol assisted chemical vapour deposition (AACVD) was used to deposit 8 series of thin films on glass. Five different nanoparticles silver, gold, ceria, tungsten oxide and zinc oxide were tested and shown to successfully deposit thin films incorporating nanoparticles within a host matrix. Silver nanoparticles were synthesised and doped within a titania film by AACVD. This improved solar control properties. A unique aerosol assisted chemical vapour deposition (AACVD) into atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition (APCVD) system was used to deposit films of Au nanoparticles and thin films of gold nanoparticles incorporated within a host titania matrix. Incorporation of high refractive index contrast metal oxide particles within a host film altered the film colour. The key goal was to test the potential of nanopowder forms and transfer the suspended nanopowder via an aerosol to a substrate in order to deposit a thin film. Discrete tungsten oxide nanoparticles or ceria nanoparticles within a titanium dioxide thin film enhanced the self-cleaning and photo-induced super-hydrophilicity. The nanopowder precursor study was extended by deposition of zinc oxide thin films incorporating Au nanoparticles and also ZnO films deposited from a ZnO nanopowder precursor. Incorporation of Au nanoparticles within a VO: host matrix improved the thermochromic response, optical and colour properties. Composite VC/TiC and Au nanoparticle/V02/Ti02 thin films displayed three useful

Process for forming thin film, heat treatment process of thin film sheet, and heat treatment apparatus therefor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, S.

1984-01-01

The invention provides a process for forming a magnetic thin film on a base film, a heat treatment process of a thin film sheet consisting of the base film and the magnetic thin film, and an apparatus for performing heat treatment of the thin film sheet. Tension applied to the thin film sheet is substantially equal to that applied to the base film when the magnetic thin film is formed thereon. Then, the thin film sheet is treated with heat. The thin film sheet is heated with a given temperature gradient to a reactive temperature at which heat shrinkage occurs, while the tension is being applied thereto. Thereafter, the thin film sheet to which the tension is still applied is cooled with substantially the same temperature gradient as applied in heating. The heat treatment apparatus has a film driving unit including a supply reel, a take-up reel, a drive source and guide rollers; a heating unit including heating plates, heater blocks and a temperature controller for heating the sheet to the reactive temperature; and a heat insulating unit including a thermostat and another temperature controller for maintaining the sheet at the nonreactive temperature which is slightly lower than the reactive temperature

Thin-film solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aberle, Armin G.

2009-01-01

The rapid progress that is being made with inorganic thin-film photovoltaic (PV) technologies, both in the laboratory and in industry, is reviewed. While amorphous silicon based PV modules have been around for more than 20 years, recent industrial developments include the first polycrystalline silicon thin-film solar cells on glass and the first tandem solar cells based on stacks of amorphous and microcrystalline silicon films ('micromorph cells'). Significant thin-film PV production levels are also being set up for cadmium telluride and copper indium diselenide.

Ceramic Composite Thin Films

Science.gov (United States)

Ruoff, Rodney S. (Inventor); Stankovich, Sasha (Inventor); Dikin, Dmitriy A. (Inventor); Nguyen, SonBinh T. (Inventor)

2013-01-01

A ceramic composite thin film or layer includes individual graphene oxide and/or electrically conductive graphene sheets dispersed in a ceramic (e.g. silica) matrix. The thin film or layer can be electrically conductive film or layer depending the amount of graphene sheets present. The composite films or layers are transparent, chemically inert and compatible with both glass and hydrophilic SiOx/silicon substrates. The composite film or layer can be produced by making a suspension of graphene oxide sheet fragments, introducing a silica-precursor or silica to the suspension to form a sol, depositing the sol on a substrate as thin film or layer, at least partially reducing the graphene oxide sheets to conductive graphene sheets, and thermally consolidating the thin film or layer to form a silica matrix in which the graphene oxide and/or graphene sheets are dispersed.

Thin Film Microbatteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dudney, Nancy J.

2008-01-01

Thin film batteries are built layer by layer by vapor deposition. The resulting battery is formed of parallel plates, much as an ordinary battery construction, just much thinner. The figure (Fig. 1) shows an example of a thin film battery layout where films are deposited symmetrically onto both sides of a supporting substrate. The full stack of films is only 10 to 15 (micro)m thick, but including the support at least doubles the overall battery thickness. When the support is thin, the entire battery can be flexible. At least six companies have commercialized or are very close to commercializing such all-solid-state thin film batteries and market research predicts a growing market and a variety of applications including sensors, RFID tags, and smarter cards. In principle with a large deposition system, a thin film battery might cover a square meter, but in practice, most development is targeting individual cells with active areas less than 25 cm 2 . For very small battery areas, 2 , microfabrication processes have been developed. Typically the assembled batteries have capacities from 0.1 to 5 mAh. The operation of a thin film battery is depicted in the schematic diagram (Fig. 2). Very simply, when the battery is allowed to discharge, a Li + ion migrates from the anode to the cathode film by diffusing through the solid electrolyte. When the anode and cathode reactions are reversible, as for an intercalation compound or alloy, the battery can be recharged by reversing the current. The difference in the electrochemical potential of the lithium determines the cell voltage. Most of the thin films used in current commercial variations of this thin film battery are deposited in vacuum chambers by RF and DC magnetron sputtering and by thermal evaporation onto unheated substrates. In addition, many publications report exploring a variety of other physical and chemical vapor deposition processes, such as pulsed laser deposition, electron cyclotron resonance sputtering, and

The Role of Nanobiotechnology in the Study of Dystrophin and B-Dystroglycan in Membrane Stability of Aging Skeletal Muscles

Science.gov (United States)

Vaseashta, Ashok

2005-03-01

Duchene muscular dystrophy (DMD) is one of nine types of muscular dystrophy, a group of genetic degenerative diseases, primarily affecting voluntary muscles, caused by absence of dystrophin. New experiments on mice with DMD has shown that gene therapy can reverse some symptoms of the disease. The ultimate goal of gene therapy for muscle diseases is improvement of strength and function, which will require treatment in multiple muscles simultaneously. A major limitation to gene therapy until now has been that no one had found a method by which a new gene could be delivered to all the muscles of an adult animal. Recent utilization of nanotechnology to life sciences has shown exciting promises in a wide range of disciplines, showing advances in the ability to manipulate, fabricate and alter tiny subjects at the nanometer scale. In the present investigation, we have employed such techniques to study single motors such as myosin and kinesin, as well elastic proteins viz. titin and nebulin, muscle filaments, cytoskeletal filaments, and receptors in cellular membranes and cellular organelles viz. myofibril, ribosome, and chromatin. Application of AFM to images and measures the elastic properties of single monomeric and oligomeric protein, genetically engineered titin, and nebulin molecules will be presented.

Thin films and nanomaterials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jayakumar, S.; Kannan, M.D.; Prasanna, S.

2012-01-01

The objective of this book is to disseminate the most recent research in Thin Films, Nanomaterials, Corrosion and Metallurgy presented at the International Conference on Advanced Materials (ICAM 2011) held in PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, India during 12-16 December 2011. The book is a compilation of 113 chapters written by active researchers providing information and critical insights into the recent advancements that have taken place. Important new applications are possible today in the fields of microelectronics, opto-electronics, metallurgy and energy by the application of thin films on solid surfaces. Recent progress in high vacuum technology and new materials has a remarkable effect in thin film quality and cost. This has led to the development of new single or multi-layered thin film devices with diverse applications in a multitude of production areas, such as optics, thermal barrier coatings and wear protections, enhancing service life of tools and to protect materials against thermal and atmospheric influence. On the other hand, thin film process techniques and research are strongly related to the basic research activities in nano technology, an increasingly important field with countless opportunities for applications due to the emergence of new properties at the nanoscale level. Materials and structures that are designed and fabricated at the nano scale level, offer the potential to produce new devices and processes that may enhance efficiencies and reduce costs in many areas, as photovoltaic systems, hydrogen storage, fuel cells and solar thermal systems. In the book, the contributed papers are classified under two sections i) thin films and ii) nanomaterials. The thin film section includes single or multi layer conducting, insulating or semiconducting films synthesized by a wide variety of physical or chemical techniques and characterized or analyzed for different applications. The nanomaterials section deals with novel or exciting materials

Management alternatives of energy wood thinning stands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heikkilae, Jani; Siren, Matti; Aeijaelae, Olli

2007-01-01

Energy wood thinning has become a feasible treatment alternative of young stands in Finland. Energy wood thinnings have been carried out mainly in stands where precommercial thinning has been neglected and the harvesting conditions for industrial wood thinning are difficult. Despite of its positive effects on harvesting costs and on renewable energy potential, whole-tree harvesting has been constantly criticized for causing growth loss. In this paper, the profitability of energy wood thinning was studied in 20 Scots pine-dominated stands where energy wood thinning was carried out. The growth of the stands after thinning was predicted with the help of Motti-stand simulator. Entire rotation time of the stands was simulated with different management alternatives. The intensity of first thinning and recovery level of logging residues varied between alternatives. In order to attain acceptable harvesting conditions, industrial wood thinning had to be delayed. The effect of energy wood thinning on subsequent stem wood growth was almost the same as in conventional thinning. Whole-tree harvesting for energy proved to be profitable alternative if the stumpage price is around 3EUR m -3 , the interest rate is 3% or 5% and the removal of pulpwood is less than 20 m 3 ha -1 . If the harvestable pulpwood yield is over 20 m 3 ha -1 , integrated harvesting of industrial and energy wood or delayed industrial wood harvesting becomes more profitable. (author)

Emotional dysregulation and anxiety control in the psychopathological mechanism underlying drive for thinness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francesca eFiore

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Emotional dysregulation is a process which consists in mitigating, intensifying or maintaining a given emotion and is the trigger for some psychological disorders. Research has shown that a anxiety control plays an important role in emotional expression and regulation and, in addition, for anorexia nervosa and, more in general, in drive for thinness. Scientific literature suggests that in anorexia nervosa there is a core of emotional dysregulation and anxiety control. The aim of this study is to explore the roles of emotional dysregulation and anxiety control as independent or third variables in a mediational regression model related to drive for thinness. 154 clinical individuals with anorexia participated in the study and all completed a set of self-report questionnaires: eating disorders inventory version 3 (EDI-3, DERS, and the anxiety control questionnaire (ACQ. The data confirmed a mediational model in which the relation between emotional dysregulation and drive for thinness is mediated by anxiety control. The current study partially supports a clinical model in which emotional dysregulation is a distal factor in eating disorders while the mediator variable anxiety control is a proximal factor in the psychopathological process underlying it.

Thin Solid Oxide Cell

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2010-01-01

The present invention relates to a thin and in principle unsupported solid oxide cell, comprising at least a porous anode layer, an electrolyte layer and a porous cathode layer, wherein the anode layer and the cathode layer comprise an electrolyte material, at least one metal and a catalyst...... material, and wherein the overall thickness of the thin reversible cell is about 150 [mu]m or less, and to a method for producing same. The present invention also relates to a thin and in principle unsupported solid oxide cell, comprising at least a porous anode layer, an electrolyte layer and a porous...... cathode layer, wherein the anode layer and the cathode layer comprise an electrolyte material and a catalyst material, wherein the electrolyte material is doper zirconia, and wherein the overall thickness of the thin reversible cell is about 150 [mu]m or less, and to a method for producing same...

Thin film device applications

CERN Document Server

Kaur, Inderjeet

1983-01-01

Two-dimensional materials created ab initio by the process of condensation of atoms, molecules, or ions, called thin films, have unique properties significantly different from the corresponding bulk materials as a result of their physical dimensions, geometry, nonequilibrium microstructure, and metallurgy. Further, these characteristic features of thin films can be drasti­ cally modified and tailored to obtain the desired and required physical characteristics. These features form the basis of development of a host of extraordinary active and passive thin film device applications in the last two decades. On the one extreme, these applications are in the submicron dimensions in such areas as very large scale integration (VLSI), Josephson junction quantum interference devices, magnetic bubbles, and integrated optics. On the other extreme, large-area thin films are being used as selective coatings for solar thermal conversion, solar cells for photovoltaic conver­ sion, and protection and passivating layers. Ind...

Biomimetic thin film synthesis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Graff, G.L.; Campbell, A.A.; Gordon, N.R.

1995-05-01

The purpose of this program is to develop a new process for forming thin film coatings and to demonstrate that the biomimetic thin film technology developed at PNL is useful for industrial applications. In the biomimetic process, mineral deposition from aqueous solution is controlled by organic functional groups attached to the underlying substrate surface. The coatings process is simple, benign, inexpensive, energy efficient, and particularly suited for temperature sensitive substrate materials (such as polymers). In addition, biomimetic thin films can be deposited uniformly on complex shaped and porous substrates providing a unique capability over more traditional line-of-sight methods.

A novel application of the CuI thin film for preparing thin copper nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shi Shuo; Sun Jialin; Zhang Jianhong; Cao Yang

2005-01-01

We present a novel application of the CuI thin film for preparing thin copper nanowires under a direct current electric field (DCEF). The CuI thin film was used as a medium for transmitting cuprous ions during the growing process of copper nanowires. As electrodes are the source of cuprous ions, high-purity copper films were deposited on both ends of the CuI thin film. At 353 K, under whole solid condition, without any templates, and having applied a DCEF of 1.5x10 4 V/m, cuprous ions were generated at the anode and migrated towards the cathode through the CuI film. At the edge of the cathode, cuprous ions obtained electrons and congregated to form a disordered thin copper nanowires bundle. The SEM images showed that these copper nanowires were from 10 to 20 nm in diameter and several hundred nanometers in length. The effect of the electric field intensity and the growth temperature on the diameter of the nanowires was also studied

Thinning increases climatic resilience of red pine

Science.gov (United States)

Magruder, Matthew; Chhin, Sophan; Palik, Brian; Bradford, John B.

2013-01-01

Forest management techniques such as intermediate stand-tending practices (e.g., thinning) can promote climatic resiliency in forest stands by moderating tree competition. Residual trees gain increased access to environmental resources (i.e., soil moisture, light), which in turn has the potential to buffer trees from stressful climatic conditions. The influences of climate (temperature and precipitation) and forest management (thinning method and intensity) on the productivity of red pine (Pinus resinosa Ait.) in Michigan were examined to assess whether repeated thinning treatments were able to increase climatic resiliency (i.e., maintaining productivity and reduced sensitivity to climatic stress). The cumulative productivity of each thinning treatment was determined, and it was found that thinning from below to a residual basal area of 14 m2·ha−1 produced the largest average tree size but also the second lowest overall biomass per acre. On the other hand, the uncut control and the thinning from above to a residual basal area of 28 m2·ha−1 produced the smallest average tree size but also the greatest overall biomass per acre. Dendrochronological methods were used to quantify sensitivity of annual radial growth to monthly and seasonal climatic factors for each thinning treatment type. Climatic sensitivity was influenced by thinning method (i.e., thinning from below decreased sensitivity to climatic stress more than thinning from above) and by thinning intensity (i.e., more intense thinning led to a lower climatic sensitivity). Overall, thinning from below to a residual basal area of 21 m2·ha−1 represented a potentially beneficial compromise to maximize tree size, biomass per acre, and reduced sensitivity to climatic stress, and, thus, the highest level of climatic resilience.

Thin Images Reflected in the Water: Narcissism and Girls' Vulnerability to the Thin-Ideal.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomaes, Sander; Sedikides, Constantine

2016-10-01

The purpose of this research is to test how adolescent girls' narcissistic traits-characterized by a need to impress others and avoid ego-threat-influence acute adverse effects of thin-ideal exposure. Participants (11-15 years; total N = 366; all female) reported their narcissistic traits. Next, in two experiments, they viewed images of either very thin or average-sized models, reported their wishful identification with the models (Experiment 2), and tasted high-calorie foods in an alleged taste test (both experiments). Narcissism kept girls from wishfully identifying with thin models, which is consistent with the view that narcissistic girls are prone to disengage from thin-ideal exposure. Moreover, narcissism protected vulnerable girls (those who experience low weight-esteem) from inhibiting their food intake, and led other girls (those who consider their appearance relatively unimportant) to increase their food intake. These effects did not generalize to conceptually related traits of self-esteem and perfectionism, and were not found for a low-calorie foods outcome, attesting to the specificity of findings. These experiments demonstrate the importance of narcissism at reducing girls' thin-ideal vulnerability. Girls high in narcissism disengage self-protectively from threats to their self-image, a strategy that renders at least subsets of them less vulnerable to the thin-ideal. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Characteristics of heat transfer fouling of thin stillage using model thin stillage and evaporator concentrates

Science.gov (United States)

Challa, Ravi Kumar

The US fuel ethanol demand was 50.3 billion liters (13.3 billion gallons) in 2012. Corn ethanol was produced primarily by dry grind process. Heat transfer equipment fouling occurs during corn ethanol production and increases the operating expenses of ethanol plants. Following ethanol distillation, unfermentables are centrifuged to separate solids as wet grains and liquid fraction as thin stillage. Evaporator fouling occurs during thin stillage concentration to syrup and decreases evaporator performance. Evaporators need to be shutdown to clean the deposits from the evaporator surfaces. Scheduled and unscheduled evaporator shutdowns decrease process throughput and results in production losses. This research were aimed at investigating thin stillage fouling characteristics using an annular probe at conditions similar to an evaporator in a corn ethanol production plant. Fouling characteristics of commercial thin stillage and model thin stillage were studied as a function of bulk fluid temperature and heat transfer surface temperature. Experiments were conducted by circulating thin stillage or carbohydrate mixtures in a loop through the test section which consisted of an annular fouling probe while maintaining a constant heat flux by electrical heating and fluid flow rate. The change in fouling resistance with time was measured. Fouling curves obtained for thin stillage and concentrated thin stillage were linear with time but no induction periods were observed. Fouling rates for concentrated thin stillage were higher compared to commercial thin stillage due to the increase in solid concentration. Fouling rates for oil skimmed and unskimmed concentrated thin stillage were similar but lower than concentrated thin stillage at 10% solids concentration. Addition of post fermentation corn oil to commercial thin stillage at 0.5% increments increased the fouling rates up to 1% concentration but decreased at 1.5%. As thin stillage is composed of carbohydrates, protein, lipid

DNA Methylation program in normal and alcohol-induced thinning cortex.

Science.gov (United States)

Öztürk, Nail Can; Resendiz, Marisol; Öztürk, Hakan; Zhou, Feng C

2017-05-01

While cerebral underdevelopment is a hallmark of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), the mechanism(s) guiding the broad cortical neurodevelopmental deficits are not clear. DNA methylation is known to regulate early development and tissue specification through gene regulation. Here, we examined DNA methylation in the onset of alcohol-induced cortical thinning in a mouse model of FASD. C57BL/6 (B6) mice were administered a 4% alcohol (v/v) liquid diet from embryonic (E) days 7-16, and their embryos were harvested at E17, along with isocaloric liquid diet and lab chow controls. Cortical neuroanatomy, neural phenotypes, and epigenetic markers of methylation were assessed using immunohistochemistry, Western blot, and methyl-DNA assays. We report that cortical thickness, neuroepithelial proliferation, and neuronal migration and maturity were found to be deterred by alcohol at E17. Simultaneously, DNA methylation, including 5-methylcytosine (5mC) and 5-hydroxcylmethylcytosine (5hmC), which progresses as an intrinsic program guiding normal embryonic cortical development, was severely affected by in utero alcohol exposure. The intricate relationship between cortical thinning and this DNA methylation program disruption is detailed and illustrated. DNA methylation, dynamic across the multiple cortical layers during the late embryonic stage, is highly disrupted by fetal alcohol exposure; this disruption occurs in tandem with characteristic developmental abnormalities, ranging from structural to molecular. Finally, our findings point to a significant question for future exploration: whether epigenetics guides neurodevelopment or whether developmental conditions dictate epigenetic dynamics in the context of alcohol-induced cortical teratogenesis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Thin Film & Deposition Systems (Windows)

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — Coating Lab: Contains chambers for growing thin film window coatings. Plasma Applications Coating Lab: Contains chambers for growing thin film window coatings. Solar...

The effects of overfeeding on the neuronal response to visual food cues in thin and reduced-obese individuals.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marc-Andre Cornier

2009-07-01

Full Text Available The regulation of energy intake is a complex process involving the integration of homeostatic signals and both internal and external sensory inputs. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of short-term overfeeding on the neuronal response to food-related visual stimuli in individuals prone and resistant to weight gain.22 thin and 19 reduced-obese (RO individuals were studied. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI was performed in the fasted state after two days of eucaloric energy intake and after two days of 30% overfeeding in a counterbalanced design. fMRI was performed while subjects viewed images of foods of high hedonic value and neutral non-food objects. In the eucaloric state, food as compared to non-food images elicited significantly greater activation of insula and inferior visual cortex in thin as compared to RO individuals. Two days of overfeeding led to significant attenuation of not only insula and visual cortex responses but also of hypothalamus response in thin as compared to RO individuals.These findings emphasize the important role of food-related visual cues in ingestive behavior and suggest that there are important phenotypic differences in the interactions between external visual sensory inputs, energy balance status, and brain regions involved in the regulation of energy intake. Furthermore, alterations in the neuronal response to food cues may relate to the propensity to gain weight.

Thin Film Photovoltaic Partnership Project | Photovoltaic Research | NREL

Science.gov (United States)

Thin Film Photovoltaic Partnership Project Thin Film Photovoltaic Partnership Project NREL's Thin Film Photovoltaic (PV) Partnership Project led R&D on emerging thin-film solar technologies in the United States from 1994 to 2009. The project made many advances in thin-film PV technologies that allowed

Solarbus Solar Array Innovative Light Weight Mechanical Architecture with Thin Lateral Panels Deployed with Shape Memory Alloy Regulator

Science.gov (United States)

D'Abrigeon, Laurent; Carpine, Anne; Laduree, Gregory

2005-05-01

The standard ALCATEL SOLAR ARRAY PLANAR CONCEPT on the TELECOM market today on flight is named SOLARBUS.This concept is:• 3 to 10 identical panels covered with Si Hi-η celltechnology.• A central mast constitute by 3 to 4 panels and 1yoke linked together by hinges and synchronizedby cables.• From 2 to 6 lateral panelsThis concept is able to fit with the customer requirements in order to have a competitive "global offer at system level" (mass to power ratio 48-50 W/Kg)But, for the near future, in line with the market trend, and based on the previous experience, an improvement of the SOLARBUS Solar Array concept in term of W/kg/€ is essential in order to maintain the competitiveness of the global ALCATEL offer at system level.In order to increase the W/Kg performance Alcatel has developed a new architecture named Lightweight Panel Structure (LPS). The objectives of this new structure are :• To decrease the kg/m2 ratio • To be compatible of all promising cells technology including Si Hi-n, GaAs, GaAs+ small reflectors. This new architecture is based on the fact that during the 3 major life phases of a Solar Array (Launch/Deployment/Deployed orbital life), the structural needs are more important for the central panels than for the lateral panels.So two different panels have been designed :• Central panels (named LPS1)• Lateral panels (named LPS2)The stowing configuration as been adapted : 2 thin lateral panels LPS2 between 2 structural central panels LPS1, and local bumpers to transfer the loads from LPS2 to LPS1.Also one of the more stringent loads applied to the panels are corresponding to deployment loads. In order to limit the mass of reinforcement of the panels, a deployment speed regulator shall be used. In the frame of the new generation of solar arrays, Alcatel has developed a new actuator based on shape memory alloy torsional rod. This light weight component is directly connected to heaters lines and is able to provide great actuation torque

Thin and thick primary cutaneous melanomas reveal distinct patterns of somatic copy number alterations.

Science.gov (United States)

Montagnani, Valentina; Benelli, Matteo; Apollo, Alessandro; Pescucci, Chiara; Licastro, Danilo; Urso, Carmelo; Gerlini, Gianni; Borgognoni, Lorenzo; Luzzatto, Lucio; Stecca, Barbara

2016-05-24

Cutaneous melanoma is one of the most aggressive type of skin tumor. Early stage melanoma can be often cured by surgery; therefore current management guidelines dictate a different approach for thin (thick (>4mm) melanomas. We have carried out whole-exome sequencing in 5 thin and 5 thick fresh-frozen primary cutaneous melanomas. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering analysis of somatic copy number alterations (SCNAs) identified two groups corresponding to thin and thick melanomas. The most striking difference between them was the much greater abundance of SCNAs in thick melanomas, whereas mutation frequency did not significantly change between the two groups. We found novel mutations and focal SCNAs in genes that are embryonic regulators of axon guidance, predominantly in thick melanomas. Analysis of publicly available microarray datasets provided further support for a potential role of Ephrin receptors in melanoma progression. In addition, we have identified a set of SCNAs, including amplification of BRAF and ofthe epigenetic modifier EZH2, that are specific for the group of thick melanomas that developed metastasis during the follow-up. Our data suggest that mutations occur early during melanoma development, whereas SCNAs might be involved in melanoma progression.

Thin-Film Material Science and Processing | Materials Science | NREL

Science.gov (United States)

Thin-Film Material Science and Processing Thin-Film Material Science and Processing Photo of a , a prime example of this research is thin-film photovoltaics (PV). Thin films are important because cadmium telluride thin film, showing from top to bottom: glass, transparent conducting oxide (thin layer

Thin-film solar cell

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Metselaar, J.W.; Kuznetsov, V.I.

1998-01-01

The invention relates to a thin-film solar cell provided with at least one p-i-n junction comprising at least one p-i junction which is at an angle alpha with that surface of the thin-film solar cell which collects light during operation and at least one i-n junction which is at an angle beta with

Ultra-thin chip technology and applications

CERN Document Server

2010-01-01

Ultra-thin chips are the "smart skin" of a conventional silicon chip. This book shows how very thin and flexible chips can be fabricated and used in many new applications in microelectronics, microsystems, biomedical and other fields. It provides a comprehensive reference to the fabrication technology, post processing, characterization and the applications of ultra-thin chips.

Matérn thinned Cox processes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Ina Trolle; Hahn, Ute

2016-01-01

and hard core behaviour can be achieved by applying a dependent Matérn thinning to a Cox process. An exact formula for the intensity of a Matérn thinned shot noise Cox process is derived from the Palm distribution. For the more general class of Matérn thinned Cox processes, formulae for the intensity...

Matérn thinned Cox processes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Ina Trolle; Hahn, Ute

of clustering and hard core behaviour can be achieved by applying a dependent Matérn thinning to a Cox process. An exact formula for the intensity of a Matérn thinned shot noise Cox process is derived from the Palm distribution. For the more general class of Matérn thinned Cox processes, formulae...

Myosin binding protein-C activates thin filaments and inhibits thick filaments in heart muscle cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Kampourakis, Thomas; Yan, Ziqian; Gautel, Mathias; Sun, Yin-Biao; Irving, Malcolm

2014-12-30

Myosin binding protein-C (MyBP-C) is a key regulatory protein in heart muscle, and mutations in the MYBPC3 gene are frequently associated with cardiomyopathy. However, the mechanism of action of MyBP-C remains poorly understood, and both activating and inhibitory effects of MyBP-C on contractility have been reported. To clarify the function of the regulatory N-terminal domains of MyBP-C, we determined their effects on the structure of thick (myosin-containing) and thin (actin-containing) filaments in intact sarcomeres of heart muscle. We used fluorescent probes on troponin C in the thin filaments and on myosin regulatory light chain in the thick filaments to monitor structural changes associated with activation of demembranated trabeculae from rat ventricle by the C1mC2 region of rat MyBP-C. C1mC2 induced larger structural changes in thin filaments than calcium activation, and these were still present when active force was blocked with blebbistatin, showing that C1mC2 directly activates the thin filaments. In contrast, structural changes in thick filaments induced by C1mC2 were smaller than those associated with calcium activation and were abolished or reversed by blebbistatin. Low concentrations of C1mC2 did not affect resting force but increased calcium sensitivity and reduced cooperativity of force and structural changes in both thin and thick filaments. These results show that the N-terminal region of MyBP-C stabilizes the ON state of thin filaments and the OFF state of thick filaments and lead to a novel hypothesis for the physiological role of MyBP-C in the regulation of cardiac contractility.

Analysis of Hard Thin Film Coating

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Dashen

1998-01-01

MSFC is interested in developing hard thin film coating for bearings. The wearing of the bearing is an important problem for space flight engine. Hard thin film coating can drastically improve the surface of the bearing and improve the wear-endurance of the bearing. However, many fundamental problems in surface physics, plasma deposition, etc, need further research. The approach is using electron cyclotron resonance chemical vapor deposition (ECRCVD) to deposit hard thin film an stainless steel bearing. The thin films in consideration include SiC, SiN and other materials. An ECRCVD deposition system is being assembled at MSFC.

The bio-ethanol production with the thin stillage recirculation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Rakin

2009-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the bioethanol production with the thin stillage recirculation in mashing was investigated. The mashing was performed with recirculation of: 0, 10, 20 and 30 % of the thin stillage. The thin stillage recirculation was repeated six times. In the experiment without the thin stillage, the recirculation bioethanol yield (compared to the theoretical yield was 97.96 %, which implicates that the experiment conditions were chosen and performed well. With the addition of the thin stillage, the bioethanol yield increased and was above 100 %. Higher bioethanol yield than 100 % can be explained by the fact that the thin stillage contains carbohydrates, amino acids and yeast cells degradation products. The bioethanol yield increased with the increased number of thin stillage recirculation cycles. Dry matter content in fermenting slurry increased with the increased thin stillage quantity and the number of the thin stillage recirculation cycles (8.04 % for the first and 9.40 % for the sixth cycle. Dry matter content in thin stillage increased with the increased thin stillage quantity and the number of thin stillage recirculation cycles. Based on the obtained results it can be concluded that thin stillage recirculation increased the bioethanol yield. The highest bioethanol yields were obtained with recirculation of 10% thin stillage.

Nanocrystal thin film fabrication methods and apparatus

Science.gov (United States)

Kagan, Cherie R.; Kim, David K.; Choi, Ji-Hyuk; Lai, Yuming

2018-01-09

Nanocrystal thin film devices and methods for fabricating nanocrystal thin film devices are disclosed. The nanocrystal thin films are diffused with a dopant such as Indium, Potassium, Tin, etc. to reduce surface states. The thin film devices may be exposed to air during a portion of the fabrication. This enables fabrication of nanocrystal-based devices using a wider range of techniques such as photolithography and photolithographic patterning in an air environment.

Thin pentacene layer under pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Srnanek, R.; Jakabovic, J.; Kovac, J.; Donoval, D.; Dobrocka, E.

2011-01-01

Organic semiconductors have got a lot of interest during the last years, due to their usability for organic thin film transistor. Pentacene, C 22 H 14 , is one of leading candidates for this purpose. While we obtain the published data about pressure-induced phase transition only on single crystal of pentacene we present pressure-induced phase transition in pentacene thin layers for the first time. Changes in the pentacene structure, caused by the pressure, were detected by micro-Raman spectroscopy. Applying the defined pressure to the pentacene layer it can be transformed from thin phase to bulk phase. Micro-Raman spectroscopy was found as useful method for detection of changes and phases identification in the pentacene layer induced by mechanical pressure. Such a pressure-induced transformation of pentacene thin layers was observed and identified for the first time. (authors)

Characterization of organic thin films

CERN Document Server

Ulman, Abraham; Evans, Charles A

2009-01-01

Thin films based upon organic materials are at the heart of much of the revolution in modern technology, from advanced electronics, to optics to sensors to biomedical engineering. This volume in the Materials Characterization series introduces the major common types of analysis used in characterizing of thin films and the various appropriate characterization technologies for each. Materials such as Langmuir-Blodgett films and self-assembled monolayers are first introduced, followed by analysis of surface properties and the various characterization technologies used for such. Readers will find detailed information on: -Various spectroscopic approaches to characterization of organic thin films, including infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy -X-Ray diffraction techniques, High Resolution EELS studies, and X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy -Concise Summaries of major characterization technologies for organic thin films, including Auger Electron Spectroscopy, Dynamic Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry, and Tra...

Cylindrical thin-shell wormholes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eiroa, Ernesto F.; Simeone, Claudio

2004-01-01

A general formalism for the dynamics of nonrotating cylindrical thin-shell wormholes is developed. The time evolution of the throat is explicitly obtained for thin-shell wormholes whose metric has the form associated with local cosmic strings. It is found that the throat collapses to zero radius, remains static, or expands forever, depending only on the sign of its initial velocity

Thinning in artificially regenerated young beech stands

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Novák Jiří

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Although beech stands are usually regenerated naturally, an area of up to 5,000 ha year−1 is artificially regenerated by beech in the Czech Republic annually. Unfortunately, these stands often showed insufficient stand density and, consequently, lower quality of stems. Therefore, thinning methods developed for naturally regenerated beech stands are applicable with difficulties. The paper evaluates the data from two thinning experiments established in young artificially regenerated beech stands located in different growing conditions. In both experiments, thinning resulted in the lower amount of salvage cut in following years. Positive effect of thinning on periodic stand basal area increment and on periodic diameter increment of dominant trees was found in the beech stand located at middle elevations. On the other hand, thinning effects in mountain conditions were negligible. Thinning focusing on future stand quality cannot be commonly applied in artificially regenerated beech stands because of their worse initial quality and lower density. However, these stands show good growth and response to thinning, hence their management can be focused on maximising beech wood production.

Capillary Thinning of Particle-laden Drops

Science.gov (United States)

Wagoner, Brayden; Thete, Sumeet; Jahns, Matt; Doshi, Pankaj; Basaran, Osman

2015-11-01

Drop formation is central in many applications such as ink-jet printing, microfluidic devices, and atomization. During drop formation, a thinning filament is created between the about-to-form drop and the fluid hanging from the nozzle. Therefore, the physics of capillary thinning of filaments is key to understanding drop formation and has been thoroughly studied for pure Newtonian fluids. The thinning dynamics is, however, altered completely when the fluid contains particles, the physics of which is not well understood. In this work, we explore the impact of solid particles on filament thinning and drop formation by using a combination of experiments and numerical simulations.

Thin epitaxial silicon detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stab, L.

1989-01-01

Manufacturing procedures of thin epitaxial surface barriers will be given. Some improvements have been obtained: larger areas, lower leakage currents and better resolutions. New planar epitaxial dE/dX detectors, made in a collaboration work with ENERTEC-INTERTECHNIQUE, and a new application of these thin planar diodes to EXAFS measurements, made in a collaboration work with LURE (CNRS,CEA,MEN) will also be reported

Thin film tritium dosimetry

Science.gov (United States)

Moran, Paul R.

1976-01-01

The present invention provides a method for tritium dosimetry. A dosimeter comprising a thin film of a material having relatively sensitive RITAC-RITAP dosimetry properties is exposed to radiation from tritium, and after the dosimeter has been removed from the source of the radiation, the low energy electron dose deposited in the thin film is determined by radiation-induced, thermally-activated polarization dosimetry techniques.

Characterizations of photoconductivity of graphene oxide thin films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shiang-Kuo Chang-Jian

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Characterizations of photoresponse of a graphene oxide (GO thin film to a near infrared laser light were studied. Results showed the photocurrent in the GO thin film was cathodic, always flowing in an opposite direction to the initial current generated by the preset bias voltage that shows a fundamental discrepancy from the photocurrent in the reduced graphene oxide thin film. Light illumination on the GO thin film thus results in more free electrons that offset the initial current. By examining GO thin films reduced at different temperatures, the critical temperature for reversing the photocurrent from cathodic to anodic was found around 187°C. The dynamic photoresponse for the GO thin film was further characterized through the response time constants within the laser on and off durations, denoted as τon and τoff, respectively. τon for the GO thin film was comparable to the other carbon-based thin films such as carbon nanotubes and graphenes. τoff was, however, much larger than that of the other's. This discrepancy was attributable to the retardation of exciton recombination rate thanks to the existing oxygen functional groups and defects in the GO thin films.

Thermochromic Oxide-Based Thin Films and Nanoparticle Composites for Energy-Efficient Glazings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claes G. Granqvist

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Today’s advances in materials science and technology can lead to better buildings with improved energy efficiency and indoor conditions. Particular attention should be directed towards windows and glass facades—jointly known as “glazings”—since current practices often lead to huge energy expenditures related to excessive inflow or outflow of energy which need to be balanced by energy-intensive cooling or heating. This review article outlines recent progress in thermochromics, i.e., it deals with materials whose optical properties are strongly dependent on temperature. In particular, we discuss oxide-based thin surface coatings (thin films and nanoparticle composites which can be deposited onto glass and are able to regulate the throughput of solar energy while the luminous (visible properties remain more or less unaltered. Another implementation embodies lamination materials incorporating thermochromic (TC nanoparticles. The thin films and nanocomposites are based on vanadium dioxide (VO2, which is able to change its properties within a narrow temperature range in the vicinity of room temperature and either reflects or absorbs infrared light at elevated temperatures, whereas the reflectance or absorptance is much smaller at lower temperatures. The review outlines the state of the art for these thin films and nanocomposites with particular attention to recent developments that have taken place in laboratories worldwide. Specifically, we first set the scene by discussing environmental challenges and their relationship with TC glazings. Then enters VO2 and we present its key properties in thin-film form and as nanoparticles. The next part of the article gives perspectives on the manufacturing of these films and particles. We point out that the properties of pure VO2 may not be fully adequate for buildings and we elaborate how additives, antireflection layers, nanostructuring and protective over-coatings can be employed to yield improved

Self-Limited Growth in Pentacene Thin Films.

Science.gov (United States)

Pachmajer, Stefan; Jones, Andrew O F; Truger, Magdalena; Röthel, Christian; Salzmann, Ingo; Werzer, Oliver; Resel, Roland

2017-04-05

Pentacene is one of the most studied organic semiconducting materials. While many aspects of the film formation have already been identified in very thin films, this study provides new insight into the transition from the metastable thin-film phase to bulk phase polymorphs. This study focuses on the growth behavior of pentacene within thin films as a function of film thickness ranging from 20 to 300 nm. By employing various X-ray diffraction methods, combined with supporting atomic force microscopy investigations, one crystalline orientation for the thin-film phase is observed, while three differently tilted bulk phase orientations are found. First, bulk phase crystallites grow with their 00L planes parallel to the substrate surface; second, however, crystallites tilted by 0.75° with respect to the substrate are found, which clearly dominate the former in ratio; third, a different bulk phase polymorph with crystallites tilted by 21° is found. The transition from the thin-film phase to the bulk phase is rationalized by the nucleation of the latter at crystal facets of the thin-film-phase crystallites. This leads to a self-limiting growth of the thin-film phase and explains the thickness-dependent phase behavior observed in pentacene thin films, showing that a large amount of material is present in the bulk phase much earlier during the film growth than previously thought.

Interfaces and thin films physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Equer, B.

1988-01-01

The 1988 progress report of the Interfaces and Thin Film Physics laboratory (Polytechnic School France) is presented. The research program is focused on the thin films and on the interfaces of the amorphous semiconductor materials: silicon and silicon germanium, silicon-carbon and silicon-nitrogen alloys. In particular, the following topics are discussed: the basic processes and the kinetics of the reactive gas deposition, the amorphous materials manufacturing, the physico-chemical characterization of thin films and interfaces and the electron transport in amorphous semiconductors. The construction and optimization of experimental devices, as well as the activities concerning instrumentation, are also described [fr

Thin films for emerging applications v.16

CERN Document Server

Francombe, Maurice H

1992-01-01

Following in the long-standing tradition of excellence established by this serial, this volume provides a focused look at contemporary applications. High Tc superconducting thin films are discussed in terms of ion beam and sputtering deposition, vacuum evaporation, laser ablation, MOCVD, and other deposition processes in addition to their ultimate applications. Detailed treatment is also given to permanent magnet thin films, lateral diffusion and electromigration in metallic thin films, and fracture and cracking phenomena in thin films adhering to high-elongation substrates.

Thinning spatial point processes into Poisson processes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, Jesper; Schoenberg, Frederic Paik

, and where one simulates backwards and forwards in order to obtain the thinned process. In the case of a Cox process, a simple independent thinning technique is proposed. In both cases, the thinning results in a Poisson process if and only if the true Papangelou conditional intensity is used, and thus can......This paper describes methods for randomly thinning certain classes of spatial point processes. In the case of a Markov point process, the proposed method involves a dependent thinning of a spatial birth-and-death process, where clans of ancestors associated with the original points are identified...... be used as a diagnostic for assessing the goodness-of-fit of a spatial point process model. Several examples, including clustered and inhibitive point processes, are considered....

Temperature dependence of LRE-HRE-TM thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zuoyi; Cheng, Xiaomin; Lin, Gengqi; Li, Zhen; Huang, Zhixin; Jin, Fang; Wang, Xianran; Yang, Xiaofei

2003-04-01

Temperature dependence of the properties of RE-TM thin films is very important for MO recording. In this paper, we studied the temperature dependence of the magnetic and magneto-optical properties of the amorphous LRE-HRE-TM single layer thin films and LRE-HRE-TM/HRE-TM couple-bilayered thin films. For LRE-HRE-TM single layer thin films, the temperature dependence of the magnetization was investigated by using the mean field theory. The experimental and theoretical results matched very well. With the LRE substitution in HRE-TM thin film, the compensation temperature Tcomp decreased and the curie temperature Tc remained unchanged. Kerr rotation angle became larger and the saturation magnetization Ms at room temperature increased. For LRE-HRE-TM/HRE-TM couple-bilayered thin films, comparisons of the temperature dependences of the coercivities and Kerr rotation angles were made between isolated sublayers and couple-bilayered thin film.

Application-related properties of giant magnetostrictive thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lim, S.H.; Kim, H.J.; Na, S.M.; Suh, S.J.

2002-01-01

In an effort to facilitate the utilization of giant magnetostrictive thin films in microdevices, application-related properties of these thin films, which include induced anisotropy, residual stress and corrosion properties, are investigated. A large induced anisotropy with an energy of 6x10 4 J/m 3 is formed in field-sputtered amorphous Sm-Fe-B thin films, resulting in a large magnetostriction anisotropy. Two components of residual stress, intrinsic compressive stress and tensile stress due to the difference of the thermal expansion coefficients between the substrate and thin film, are identified. The variation of residual stress with fabrication parameter and annealing temperature, and its influence on mechanical bending and magnetic properties are examined. Better corrosion properties are observed in Sm-Fe thin films than in Tb-Fe. Corrosion properties of Tb-Fe thin films, however, are much improved with the introduction of nitrogen to the thin films without deteriorating magnetostrictive properties

Nanometric thin film membranes manufactured on square meter scale: ultra-thin films for CO 2 capture

KAUST Repository

Yave, Wilfredo

2010-09-01

Miniaturization and manipulation of materials at nanometer scale are key challenges in nanoscience and nanotechnology. In membrane science and technology, the fabrication of ultra-thin polymer films (defect-free) on square meter scale with uniform thickness (<100 nm) is crucial. By using a tailor-made polymer and by controlling the nanofabrication conditions, we developed and manufactured defect-free ultra-thin film membranes with unmatched carbon dioxide permeances, i.e. >5 m3 (STP) m-2 h -1 bar-1. The permeances are extremely high, because the membranes are made from a CO2 philic polymer material and they are only a few tens of nanometers thin. Thus, these thin film membranes have potential application in the treatment of large gas streams under low pressure like, e.g., carbon dioxide separation from flue gas. © 2010 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Thinning spatial point processes into Poisson processes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, Jesper; Schoenberg, Frederic Paik

2010-01-01

are identified, and where we simulate backwards and forwards in order to obtain the thinned process. In the case of a Cox process, a simple independent thinning technique is proposed. In both cases, the thinning results in a Poisson process if and only if the true Papangelou conditional intensity is used, and......In this paper we describe methods for randomly thinning certain classes of spatial point processes. In the case of a Markov point process, the proposed method involves a dependent thinning of a spatial birth-and-death process, where clans of ancestors associated with the original points......, thus, can be used as a graphical exploratory tool for inspecting the goodness-of-fit of a spatial point process model. Several examples, including clustered and inhibitive point processes, are considered....

Operating method of amorphous thin film semiconductor element

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mori, Koshiro; Ono, Masaharu; Hanabusa, Akira; Osawa, Michio; Arita, Takashi

1988-05-31

The existing technologies concerning amorphous thin film semiconductor elements are the technologies concerning the formation of either a thin film transistor or an amorphous Si solar cell on a substrate. In order to drive a thin film transistor for electronic equipment control by the output power of an amorphous Si solar cell, it has been obliged to drive the transistor weth an amorphous solar cell which was formed on a substrate different from that for the transistor. Accordingly, the space for the amorphous solar cell, which was formed on the different substrate, was additionally needed on the substrate for the thin film transistor. In order to solve the above problem, this invention proposes an operating method of an amorphous thin film semiconductor element that after forming an amorphous Si solar cell through lamination on the insulation coating film which covers the thin film transistor formed on the substrate, the thin film transistor is driven by the output power of this solar cell. The invention eliminates the above superfluous space and reduces the size of the amorphous thin film semiconductor element including the electric source. (3 figs)

Chemical thinning of 'Conference' pears

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maas, F.M.; Kanne, H.J.; Steeg, van der P.A.H.

2010-01-01

The increasing difference in the market value of small and larger sized ‘Conference’ pears (>65 mm) and the high labour costs for hand thinning, makes it interesting for growers to find a cheaper and reliable method for thinning pear trees. In 2007, 2008 and 2009 trials were carried out to test

Semiconductor-nanocrystal/conjugated polymer thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Alivisatos, A. Paul; Dittmer, Janke J.; Huynh, Wendy U.; Milliron, Delia

2014-06-17

The invention described herein provides for thin films and methods of making comprising inorganic semiconductor-nanocrystals dispersed in semiconducting-polymers in high loading amounts. The invention also describes photovoltaic devices incorporating the thin films.

Preparation of LiMn2O4 cathode thin films for thin film lithium secondary batteries by a mist CVD process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tadanaga, Kiyoharu; Yamaguchi, Akihiro; Sakuda, Atsushi; Hayashi, Akitoshi; Tatsumisago, Masahiro; Duran, Alicia; Aparacio, Mario

2014-01-01

Highlights: • LiMn 2 O 4 thin films were prepared by using the mist CVD process. • An aqueous solution of lithium and manganese acetates is used for the precursor solution. • The cell with the LiMn 2 O 4 thin films exhibited a capacity of about 80 mAh/g. • The cell showed good cycling performance during 10 cycles. - Abstract: LiMn 2 O 4 cathode thin films for thin film lithium secondary batteries were prepared by using so-called the “mist CVD process”, employing an aqueous solution of lithium acetate and manganese acetate, as the source of Li and Mn, respectively. The aqueous solution of starting materials was ultrasonically atomized to form mist particles, and mists were transferred by nitrogen gas to silica glass substrate to form thin films. FE-SEM observation revealed that thin films obtained by this process were dense and smooth, and thin films with a thickness of about 750 nm were obtained. The electrochemical cell with the thin films obtained by sintering at 700 °C exhibited a capacity of about 80 mAh/g, and the cell showed good cycling performance during 10 cycles

Effect of protein S-nitrosylation on autolysis and catalytic ability of μ-calpain.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Rui; Li, Yupin; Wang, Mengqin; Zhou, Guanghong; Zhang, Wangang

2016-12-15

The effect of S-nitrosylation on the autolysis and catalytic ability of μ-calpain in vitro in the presence of 50μM Ca(2 +) was investigated. μ-Calpain was incubated with different concentrations of nitric oxide donor S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) and subsequently reacted with purified myofibrils. Results showed that the amount of 80kDa μ-calpain subunit significantly decreased as GSNO increased from 0 to 300μM, but increases of GSNO to 300, 500 and 1000μM did not result in further inhibition. The catalytic ability of nitrosylated μ-calpain to degrade titin, nebulin, troponin-T and desmin was significantly reduced when the GSNO concentration was higher than 300μM. The cysteine residues of μ-calpain at positions 49, 351, 384, and 592 in the catalytic subunit and at 142 in small subunit were S-nitrosylated, which could be responsible for decreased μ-calpain activity. Thus, S-nitrosylation can negatively regulate the activation of μ-calpain resulting in decreased proteolytic ability on myofibrils. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thin Film Photovoltaics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zweibel, K.

1998-11-19

The motivation to develop thin film technologies dates back to the inception of photovoltaics. It is an idea based on achieving truly low-cost photovoltaics appropriate for mass production and energy significant markets. The key to the idea is the use of pennies worth of active materials. Since sunlight carries relatively little energy in comparison with combustion-based energy sources, photovoltaic (PV) modules must be cheap to produce energy that can be competitive. Thin films are presumed to be the answer to that low-cost requirement. But how cheap do they have to be? The following is an oversimplified analysis that allows some insight into this question.

Organic thin films and surfaces directions for the nineties

CERN Document Server

Ulman, Abraham

1995-01-01

Physics of Thin Films has been one of the longest running continuing series in thin film science consisting of 20 volumes since 1963. The series contains some of the highest quality studies of the properties ofvarious thin films materials and systems.In order to be able to reflect the development of todays science and to cover all modern aspects of thin films, the series, beginning with Volume 20, will move beyond the basic physics of thin films. It will address the most important aspects of both inorganic and organic thin films, in both their theoretical as well as technological aspects. Ther

Development of pipe wall thinning prediction software 'FALSET'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoneda, Kimitoshi; Morita, Ryo; Inada, Fumio; Fujiwara, Kazutoshi

2012-01-01

Pipe wall thinning in power plants has been managed for maintaining plant integrity and safety with great importance. The target thinning phenomena are Flow Accelerated Corrosion (FAC) and Liquid Droplet Impingement Erosion (LDI). At present, the management is based on thinning rate and residual lifetime evaluation using pipe wall thickness measurement results. For the future, more safety and improvement in the management is required, and in this sense, prediction method of wall thinning is willing to be introduced. Therefore, prediction model of FAC and LDI have been constructed in CRIEPI, and to utilize these models to actual plant piping management easily, prediction software 'FALSET' is developed. FALSET has equipped with essential function for pipe wall thinning management in power plants, as follows; (1) Information and condition input of plant piping system and its component, (2) Wall thinning rate evaluation with CRIEPI's FAC/LDI prediction model, (3) Loading of wall thickness measurement data files and graphics of data trend, (4) Residual lifetime evaluation considering both measured and predicted thinning rate, (5) Statistical process and graphics of thinning rate and residual lifetime for multi-piping systems. With further verification and improvement of each function, there will be a perspective for this FALSET to be utilized as a management tool in power plants. (author)

Electron microscopy and three-dimensional reconstruction of native thin filaments reveal species-specific differences in regulatory strand densities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cammarato, Anthony, E-mail: acammara@burnham.org [Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 East Concord Street, Boston, MA 02118 (United States); Craig, Roger [Department of Cell Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 Lake Avenue North, Worcester, MA 01655 (United States); Lehman, William [Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 East Concord Street, Boston, MA 02118 (United States)

2010-01-01

Throughout the animal kingdom striated muscle contraction is regulated by the thin filament troponin-tropomyosin complex. Homologous regulatory components are shared among vertebrate and arthropod muscles; however, unique protein extensions and/or components characterize the latter. The Troponin T (TnT) isoforms of Drosophila indirect flight and tarantula femur muscle for example contain distinct C-terminal extensions and are {approx}20% larger overall than their vertebrate counterpart. Using electron microscopy and three-dimensional helical reconstruction of native Drosophila, tarantula and frog muscle thin filaments we have identified species-specific differences in tropomyosin regulatory strand densities. The strands on the arthropod thin filaments were significantly larger in diameter than those from vertebrates, although not significantly different from each other. These findings reflect differences in the regulatory troponin-tropomyosin complex, which are likely due to the larger TnT molecules aligning and extending along much of the tropomyosin strands' length. Such an arrangement potentially alters the physical properties of the regulatory strands and may help establish contractile characteristics unique to certain arthropod muscles.

Electron microscopy and three-dimensional reconstruction of native thin filaments reveal species-specific differences in regulatory strand densities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cammarato, Anthony; Craig, Roger; Lehman, William

2010-01-01

Throughout the animal kingdom striated muscle contraction is regulated by the thin filament troponin-tropomyosin complex. Homologous regulatory components are shared among vertebrate and arthropod muscles; however, unique protein extensions and/or components characterize the latter. The Troponin T (TnT) isoforms of Drosophila indirect flight and tarantula femur muscle for example contain distinct C-terminal extensions and are ∼20% larger overall than their vertebrate counterpart. Using electron microscopy and three-dimensional helical reconstruction of native Drosophila, tarantula and frog muscle thin filaments we have identified species-specific differences in tropomyosin regulatory strand densities. The strands on the arthropod thin filaments were significantly larger in diameter than those from vertebrates, although not significantly different from each other. These findings reflect differences in the regulatory troponin-tropomyosin complex, which are likely due to the larger TnT molecules aligning and extending along much of the tropomyosin strands' length. Such an arrangement potentially alters the physical properties of the regulatory strands and may help establish contractile characteristics unique to certain arthropod muscles.

Thin films: Past, present, future

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zweibel, K

1995-04-01

This report describes the characteristics of the thin film photovoltaic modules necessary for an acceptable rate of return for rural areas and underdeveloped countries. The topics of the paper include a development of goals of cost and performance for an acceptable PV system, a review of current technologies for meeting these goals, issues and opportunities in thin film technologies.

Scaling during capillary thinning of particle-laden drops

Science.gov (United States)

Thete, Sumeet; Wagoner, Brayden; Basaran, Osman

2017-11-01

A fundamental understanding of drop formation is crucial in many applications such as ink-jet printing, microfluidic devices, and atomization. During drop formation, the about-to-form drop is connected to the fluid hanging from the nozzle via a thinning filament. Therefore, the physics of capillary thinning of filaments is key to understanding drop formation and has been thoroughly studied for pure Newtonian fluids using theory, simulations, and experiments. In some of the applications however, the forming drop and hence the thinning filament may contain solid particles. The thinning dynamics of such particle-laden filaments differs radically from that of particle-free filaments. Moreover, our understanding of filament thinning in the former case is poor compared to that in the latter case despite the growing interest in pinch-off of particle-laden filaments. In this work, we go beyond similar studies and experimentally explore the impact of solid particles on filament thinning by measuring both the radial and axial scalings in the neck region. The results are summarized in terms of a phase diagram of capillary thinning of particle-laden filaments.

Nanostructured thin film coatings with different strengthening effects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Panfilov Yury

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A number of articles on strengthening thin film coatings were analyzed and a lot of unusual strengthening effects, such as super high hardness and plasticity simultaneously, ultra low friction coefficient, high wear-resistance, curve rigidity increasing of drills with small diameter, associated with process formation of nanostructured coatings by the different thin film deposition methods were detected. Vacuum coater with RF magnetron sputtering system and ion-beam source and arc evaporator for nanostructured thin film coating manufacture are represented. Diamond Like Carbon and MoS2 thin film coatings, Ti, Al, Nb, Cr, nitride, carbide, and carbo-nitride thin film materials are described as strengthening coatings.

Tank wall thinning -- Process and programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greer, S.D.; McBrine, W.J.

1994-01-01

In-service thinning of tank walls has occurred in the power industry and can pose a significant risk to plant safety and dependability. Appropriate respect for the energy stored in a high-pressure drain tank warrants a careful consideration of this possibility and appropriate action in order to assure the adequate safety margins against leakage or rupture. Although it has not proven to be a widespread problem, several cases of wall thinning and at least one recent tank rupture has highlighted this issue in recent years, particularly in nuclear power plants. However, the problem is not new or unique to the nuclear power industry. Severe wall thinning in deaerator tanks has been frequently identified at fossil-fueled power plants. There are many mechanisms which can contribute to tank wall thinning. Considerations for a specific tank are dictated by the system operating conditions, tank geometry, and construction material. Thinning mechanisms which have been identified include: Erosion/Corrosion Impingement Erosion Cavitation Erosion General Corrosion Galvanic Corrosion Microbial-induced Corrosion of course there are many other possible types of material degradation, many of which are characterized by pitting and cracking. This paper specifically addresses wall thinning induced by Erosion/Corrosion (also called Flow-Accelerated Corrosion) and Impingement Erosion of tanks in a power plant steam cycle. Many of the considerations presented are applicable to other types of vessels, such as moisture separators and heat exchangers

Thin Films in the Photovoltaic Industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaeger-Waldau, A.

2008-03-01

In the past years, the yearly world market growth rate for Photovoltaics was an average of more than 40%, which makes it one of the fastest growing industries at present. Business analysts predict the market volume to increase to 40 billion euros in 2010 and expect rising profit margins and lower prices for consumers at the same time. Today PV is still dominated by wafer based Crystalline Silicon Technology as the 'working horse' in the global market, but thin films are gaining market shares. For 2007 around 12% are expected. The current silicon shortage and high demand has kept prices higher than anticipated from the learning curve experience and has widened the windows of opportunities for thin film solar modules. Current production capacity estimates for thin films vary between 3 and 6 GW in 2010, representing a 20% market share for these technologies. Despite the higher growth rates for thin film technologies compared with the industry average, Thin Film Photovoltaic Technologies are still facing a number of challenges to maintain this growth and increase market shares. The four main topics which were discussed during the workshop were: Potential for cost reduction; Standardization; Recycling; Performance over the lifetime.

Forest thinnings for integrated lumber and paper production

Science.gov (United States)

J.Y. Zhu; C.T. Scott; R. Gleisner; D. Mann; D.W. Vahey; D.P. Dykstra; G.H. Quinn; L.L. Edwards

2007-01-01

Integrated lumber and paper productions using forest thinning materials from U.S. national forests can significantly reduce the cost of prescriptive thinning operations. Many of the trees removed during forest thinnings are in small-diameter classes (diameter at breast height

Delamination of Compressed Thin Layers at Corners

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Kim D.; Jensen, Henrik Myhre; Clausen, Johan

2008-01-01

An analysis of delamination for a thin elastic layer under compression, attached to a substrate at a corner is carried out. The analysis is performed by combining results from interface fracture mechanics and the theory of thin shells. In contrast with earlier results for delamination on a flat s...... layers, Fracture mechanics, Crack closure, Steady state crack propagation.......An analysis of delamination for a thin elastic layer under compression, attached to a substrate at a corner is carried out. The analysis is performed by combining results from interface fracture mechanics and the theory of thin shells. In contrast with earlier results for delamination on a flat...... results for the fracture mechanical properties have been obtained, and these are applied in a study of the effect of contacting crack faces. Special attention has been given to analyse conditions under which steady state propagation of buckling driven delamination takes place. Keywords: Delamination, Thin...

The bio-ethanol production with the thin stillage recirculation

OpenAIRE

M. Rakin; J. Pejin; O. Grujić; Lj. Mojović; D. Pejin

2009-01-01

In this paper, the bioethanol production with the thin stillage recirculation in mashing was investigated. The mashing was performed with recirculation of: 0, 10, 20 and 30 % of the thin stillage. The thin stillage recirculation was repeated six times. In the experiment without the thin stillage, the recirculation bioethanol yield (compared to the theoretical yield) was 97.96 %, which implicates that the experiment conditions were chosen and performed well. With the addition of the thin still...

Intrinsically conductive polymer thin film piezoresistors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lillemose, Michael; Spieser, Martin; Christiansen, N.O.

2008-01-01

We report on the piezoresistive effect in the intrinsically conductive polymer, polyaniline. A process recipe for indirect patterning of thin film polyaniline has been developed. Using a specially designed chip, the polyaniline thin films have been characterised with respect to resistivity...

Analysis of US underground thin seam mining potential. Volume 1. Text. Final technical report, December 1978. [In thin seams

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pimental, R. A; Barell, D.; Fine, R. J.; Douglas, W. J.

1979-06-01

An analysis of the potential for US underground thin seam (< 28'') coal mining is undertaken to provide basic information for use in making a decision on further thin seam mining equipment development. The characteristics of the present low seam mines and their mining methods are determined, in order to establish baseline data against which changes in mine characteristics can be monitored as a function of time. A detailed data base of thin seam coal resources is developed through a quantitative and qualitative analysis at the bed, county and state level. By establishing present and future coal demand and relating demand to production and resources, the market for thin seam coal has been identified. No thin seam coal demand of significance is forecast before the year 2000. Current uncertainty as to coal's future does not permit market forecasts beyond the year 2000 with a sufficient level of reliability.

Optical thin film deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Macleod, H.A.

1979-01-01

The potential usefulness in the production of optical thin-film coatings of some of the processes for thin film deposition which can be classified under the heading of ion-assisted techniques is examined. Thermal evaporation is the process which is virtually universally used for this purpose and which has been developed to a stage where performance is in almost all respects high. Areas where further improvements would be of value, and the possibility that ion-assisted deposition might lead to such improvements, are discussed. (author)

A microfluidic approach to water-rock interactions using thin rock sections: Pb and U sorption onto thin shale and granite sections

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oh, Youn Soo [Institute of Mine Reclamation Technology, Mine Reclamation Corp., 2 Segye-ro, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do, 26464 (Korea, Republic of); Jo, Ho Young, E-mail: hyjo@korea.ac.kr [Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Korea University, Anam-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02841 (Korea, Republic of); Ryu, Ji-Hun; Kim, Geon-Young [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, 1045 Daedeokdaero, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34057 (Korea, Republic of)

2017-02-15

Highlights: • Microfluidic tests was used to investigate water-rock (mineral) interactions. • Pb and U sorption onto thin shale and granite sections was evaluated. • Pb removal by thin shale section is related primarily to Fe-containing minerals. • A slightly larger amount of U was removed onto the thin granite section with Fe-containing minerals. - Abstract: The feasibility of using microfluidic tests to investigate water-rock (mineral) interactions in fractures regarding sorption onto thin rock sections (i.e., shale and granite) of lead (Pb) and uranium (U) was evaluated using a synthetic PbCl{sub 2} solution and uranium-containing natural groundwater as fluids. Effluent composition and element distribution on the thin rock sections before and after microfluidic testing were analyzed. Most Pb removal (9.8 mg/cm{sup 2}) occurred within 3.5 h (140 PVF), which was 74% of the total Pb removal (13.2 mg/cm{sup 2}) at the end of testing (14.5 h, 560 PVF). Element composition on the thin shale sections determined by μ-XRF analysis indicated that Pb removal was related primarily to Fe-containing minerals (e.g., pyrite). Two thin granite sections (biotite rich, Bt-R and biotite poor, Bt-P) exhibited no marked difference in uranium removal capacity, but a slightly higher amount of uranium was removed onto the thin Bt-R section (266 μg/cm{sup 2}) than the thin Bt-P section (240 μg/cm{sup 2}) within 120 h (4800 PVF). However, uranium could not be detected by micro X-ray fluorescence (μ-XRF) analysis, likely due to the detection limit. These results suggest that microfluidic testing on thin rock sections enables quantitative evaluation of rock (mineral)-water interactions at the micro-fracture or pore scale.

Thin liquid films dewetting and polymer flow

CERN Document Server

Blossey, Ralf

2012-01-01

This book is a treatise on the thermodynamic and dynamic properties of thin liquid films at solid surfaces and, in particular, their rupture instabilities. For the quantitative study of these phenomena, polymer thin films haven proven to be an invaluable experimental model system.   What is it that makes thin film instabilities special and interesting, warranting a whole book? There are several answers to this. Firstly, thin polymeric films have an important range of applications, and with the increase in the number of technologies available to produce and to study them, this range is likely to expand. An understanding of their instabilities is therefore of practical relevance for the design of such films.   Secondly, thin liquid films are an interdisciplinary research topic. Interdisciplinary research is surely not an end to itself, but in this case it leads to a fairly heterogeneous community of theoretical and experimental physicists, engineers, physical chemists, mathematicians and others working on the...

Self-assembly of dodecaphenyl POSS thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Handke, Bartosz; Klita, Łukasz; Niemiec, Wiktor

2017-12-01

The self-assembly abilities of Dodecaphenyl Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane thin films on Si(1 0 0) surfaces were studied. Due to their thermal properties - relatively low sublimation temperature and preservation of molecular structure - cage type silsesquioxanes are ideal material for the preparation of a thin films by Physical Vapor Deposition. The Ultra-High Vacuum environment and the deposition precision of the PVD method enable the study of early stages of thin film growth and its molecular organization. X-ray Reflectivity and Atomic Force Microscopy measurements allow to pursuit size-effects in the structure of thin films with thickness ranges from less than a single molecular layer up to several tens of layers. Thermal treatment of the thin films triggered phase change: from a poorly ordered polycrystalline film into a well-ordered multilayer structure. Self-assembly of the layers is the effect of the π-stacking of phenyl rings, which force molecules to arrange in a superlattice, forming stacks of alternating organic-inorganic layers.

Non-linear optics of nano-scale pentacene thin film

Science.gov (United States)

Yahia, I. S.; Alfaify, S.; Jilani, Asim; Abdel-wahab, M. Sh.; Al-Ghamdi, Attieh A.; Abutalib, M. M.; Al-Bassam, A.; El-Naggar, A. M.

2016-07-01

We have found the new ways to investigate the linear/non-linear optical properties of nanostructure pentacene thin film deposited by thermal evaporation technique. Pentacene is the key material in organic semiconductor technology. The existence of nano-structured thin film was confirmed by atomic force microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The wavelength-dependent transmittance and reflectance were calculated to observe the optical behavior of the pentacene thin film. It has been observed the anomalous dispersion at wavelength λ 800. The non-linear refractive index of the deposited films was investigated. The linear optical susceptibility of pentacene thin film was calculated, and we observed the non-linear optical susceptibility of pentacene thin film at about 6 × 10-13 esu. The advantage of this work is to use of spectroscopic method to calculate the liner and non-liner optical response of pentacene thin films rather than expensive Z-scan. The calculated optical behavior of the pentacene thin films could be used in the organic thin films base advanced optoelectronic devices such as telecommunications devices.

Novel photon management for thin-film photovoltaics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Menon, Rajesh [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)

2016-11-11

The objective of this project is to enable commercially viable thin-film photovoltaics whose efficiencies are increased by over 10% using a novel optical spectral-separation technique. A thin planar diffractive optic is proposed that efficiently separates the solar spectrum and assigns these bands to optimal thin-film sub-cells. An integrated device that is comprised of the optical element, an array of sub-cells and associated packaging is proposed.

A modified K3M thinning algorithm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tabedzki Marek

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The K3M thinning algorithm is a general method for image data reduction by skeletonization. It had proved its feasibility in most cases as a reliable and robust solution in typical applications of thinning, particularly in preprocessing for optical character recognition. However, the algorithm had still some weak points. Since then K3M has been revised, addressing the best known drawbacks. This paper presents a modified version of the algorithm. A comparison is made with the original one and two other thinning approaches. The proposed modification, among other things, solves the main drawback of K3M, namely, the results of thinning an image after rotation with various angles.

Method for making thin carbon foam electrodes

Science.gov (United States)

Pekala, Richard W.; Mayer, Steven T.; Kaschmitter, James L.; Morrison, Robert L.

1999-01-01

A method for fabricating thin, flat carbon electrodes by infiltrating highly porous carbon papers, membranes, felts, metal fibers/powders, or fabrics with an appropriate carbon foam precursor material. The infiltrated carbon paper, for example, is then cured to form a gel-saturated carbon paper, which is subsequently dried and pyrolyzed to form a thin sheet of porous carbon. The material readily stays flat and flexible during curing and pyrolyzing to form thin sheets. Precursor materials include polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polymethylacrylonitrile (PMAN), resorcinol/formaldehyde, catechol/formaldehyde, phenol/formaldehyde, etc., or mixtures thereof. These thin films are ideal for use as high power and energy electrodes in batteries, capacitors, and fuel cells, and are potentially useful for capacitive deionization, filtration and catalysis.

Optical thin films and coatings from materials to applications

CERN Document Server

Flory, Francois

2013-01-01

Optical coatings, including mirrors, anti-reflection coatings, beam splitters, and filters, are an integral part of most modern optical systems. This book provides an overview of thin film materials, the properties, design and manufacture of optical coatings and their use across a variety of application areas.$bOptical coatings, including mirrors, anti-reflection coatings, beam splitters, and filters, are an integral part of most modern optical systems. Optical thin films and coatings provides an overview of thin film materials, the properties, design and manufacture of optical coatings and their use across a variety of application areas. Part one explores the design and manufacture of optical coatings. Part two highlights unconventional features of optical thin films including scattering properties of random structures in thin films, optical properties of thin film materials at short wavelengths, thermal properties and colour effects. Part three focusses on novel materials for optical thin films and coatings...

Sputtering materials for VLSI and thin film devices

CERN Document Server

Sarkar, Jaydeep

2010-01-01

An important resource for students, engineers and researchers working in the area of thin film deposition using physical vapor deposition (e.g. sputtering) for semiconductor, liquid crystal displays, high density recording media and photovoltaic device (e.g. thin film solar cell) manufacturing. This book also reviews microelectronics industry topics such as history of inventions and technology trends, recent developments in sputtering technologies, manufacturing steps that require sputtering of thin films, the properties of thin films and the role of sputtering target performance on overall p

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CALCULATION OF NORM TIME EDGE THINNING OPERATIONS PARTS OF FOOTWEAR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MALCOCI Marina

2016-05-01

Full Text Available It is known that regulations allow the introduction in production regimes efficient operation of equipment and methods of rational organization of production. To ensure accuracy imposed regulations must meet the following conditions: to take into account the main factors influencing consumption of work; depending on the types of production which they are intended to ensure adequate precision. In this work the analysis literature authors proposed a new relationship for calculating the standard time for the operation of thinning also set the value of two coefficients K1 and K2. K1 is a constant coefficient for thinning operation of 1,0549; and K2 - a constant that depends on the degree of automation of the machine. Knowing the degree of mechanization machines and time required to perform operation coefficient was determined K2, namely Km – 1,0833; KM – 1,0460; KA – 0,0785. Since the relationship for the calculation of the time aids not it into consideration that a part may contain from 3 to 5 types of profiles, it has been proposed that it be included in the relationship, so there was obtained a new relationship calculation. The study conducted also allowed the optimization of computing time assistant relationship, including the number of adjustments in relation computing machine. Proper use of normative values, taking into account the type of machine, but also their knowledge calclulul methodology allow us to identify the following positive effects on the company's footwear: reducing workload; achieving balanced labor standards; saving human effort; reducing worker fatigue etc.

Piezoelectric MEMS: Ferroelectric thin films for MEMS applications

Science.gov (United States)

Kanno, Isaku

2018-04-01

In recent years, piezoelectric microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) have attracted attention as next-generation functional microdevices. Typical applications of piezoelectric MEMS are micropumps for inkjet heads or micro-gyrosensors, which are composed of piezoelectric Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT) thin films and have already been commercialized. In addition, piezoelectric vibration energy harvesters (PVEHs), which are regarded as one of the key devices for Internet of Things (IoT)-related technologies, are promising future applications of piezoelectric MEMS. Significant features of piezoelectric MEMS are their simple structure and high energy conversion efficiency between mechanical and electrical domains even on the microscale. The device performance strongly depends on the function of the piezoelectric thin films, especially on their transverse piezoelectric properties, indicating that the deposition of high-quality piezoelectric thin films is a crucial technology for piezoelectric MEMS. On the other hand, although the difficulty in measuring the precise piezoelectric coefficients of thin films is a serious obstacle in the research and development of piezoelectric thin films, a simple unimorph cantilever measurement method has been proposed to obtain precise values of the direct or converse transverse piezoelectric coefficient of thin films, and recently this method has become to be the standardized testing method. In this article, I will introduce fundamental technologies of piezoelectric thin films and related microdevices, especially focusing on the deposition of PZT thin films and evaluation methods for their transverse piezoelectric properties.

Novel chemical analysis for thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Usui, Toshio; Kamei, Masayuki; Aoki, Yuji; Morishita, Tadataka; Tanaka, Shoji

1991-01-01

Scanning electron microscopy and total-reflection-angle X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-TRAXS) was applied for fluorescence X-ray analysis of 50A- and 125A-thick Au thin films on Si(100). The intensity of the AuM line (2.15 keV) emitted from the Au thin films varied as a function of the take-off angle (θ t ) with respect to the film surface; the intensity of AuM line from the 125A-thick Au thin film was 1.5 times as large as that of SiK α line (1.74 keV) emitted from the Si substrate when θ t = 0deg-3deg, in the vicinity of a critical angle for total external reflection of the AuM line at Si (0.81deg). In addition, the intensity of the AuM line emitted from the 50A-thick Au thin film was also sufficiently strong for chemical analysis. (author)

Failure Behavior of Elbows with Local Wall Thinning

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Sung-Ho; Lee, Jeong-Keun; Park, Jai-Hak

Wall thinning defect due to corrosion is one of major aging phenomena in carbon steel pipes in most plant industries, and it results in reducing load carrying capacity of the piping components. A failure test system was set up for real scale elbows containing various simulated wall thinning defects, and monotonic in-plane bending tests were performed under internal pressure to find out the failure behavior of them. The failure behavior of wall-thinned elbows was characterized by the circumferential angle of thinned region and the loading conditions to the piping system.

Corrosion of pure magnesium under thin electrolyte layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Tao; Chen Chongmu; Shao Yawei; Meng Guozhe; Wang Fuhui; Li Xiaogang; Dong Chaofang

2008-01-01

The corrosion behavior of pure magnesium was investigated by means of cathodic polarization curve, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and electrochemical noise (EN) under aerated and deaerated thin electrolyte layers (TEL) with various thicknesses. Based on shot noise theory and stochastic theory, the EN results were quantitatively analyzed by using the Weibull and Gumbel distribution function, respectively. The results show that the cathodic process of pure magnesium under thin electrolyte layer was dominated by hydrogen reduction. With the decreasing of thin electrolyte layer thickness, cathodic process was retarded slightly while the anodic process was inhibited significantly, which indicated that both the cathodic and anodic process were inhibited in the presence of oxygen. The absence of oxygen decreased the corrosion resistance of pure magnesium in case of thin electrolyte layer. The corrosion was more localized under thin electrolyte layer than that in bulk solution. The results also demonstrate that there exist two kinds of effects for thin electrolyte layer on the corrosion behavior of pure magnesium: (1) the rate of pit initiation was evidently retarded compared to that in bulk solution; (2) the probability of pit growth oppositely increased. The corrosion model of pure magnesium under thin electrolyte layer was suggested in the paper

Thin Watts-Strogatz networks.

Science.gov (United States)

de Moura, Alessandro P S

2006-01-01

A modified version of the Watts-Strogatz (WS) network model is proposed, in which the number of shortcuts scales with the network size N as Nalpha, with alpha infinity, whereas in the original WS model, this ratio is constant. We call such networks "thin Watts-Strogatz networks." We show that even though the fraction of shortcuts becomes vanishingly small for large networks, they still cause a kind of small-world effect, in the sense that the length L of the network increases sublinearly with the size. We develop a mean-field theory for these networks, which predicts that the length scales as N1-alpha ln N for large N. We also study how a search using only local information works in thin WS networks. We find that the search performance is enhanced compared to the regular network, and we predict that the search time tau scales as N1-alpha/2. These theoretical results are tested using numerical simulations. We comment on the possible relevance of thin WS networks for the design of high-performance low-cost communication networks.

Status of Joining Thin Sheet and Thin Wall Tubes of 14YWT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoelzer, David T. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Unocic, Kinga A. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Tang, Wei [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Feng, Zhili [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2015-09-18

Beginning this fiscal year, the FCRD research project initiated an investigation on joining thin sections of the advanced ODS 14YWT ferritic alloy. Friction stir welding (FSW) was investigated as a method to join thin plate and tubing of 14YWT since it is a solid state joining method that has been shown in past studies to be a promising method for joining plates of ODS alloys, such as 14YWT. However, this study will attempt to be the first to demonstrate if FSW can successfully join thin plates and thin wall tubing of 14YWT. In the first FSW attempt, a 1.06 cm thick plate of 14YWT (SM13 heat) was successfully rolled at 1000ºC to the target thickness of 0.1 cm with no edge cracking. This achievement is a highlight since previous attempts to roll 14YWT plates have resulted in extensive cracking. For the FSW run, a pin tool being developed by the ORNL FSW Process Development effort was used. The first FSW run successfully produced a bead-on-plate weld in the 0.1 cm thick plate. The quality of the weld zone appears very good with no evidence of large defects such as cavities. The microstructural characterization study of the bead-on-plate weld zone has been initiated to compare the results of the microstructure analysis with those obtained in the reference microstructural analysis of the 14YWT (SM13 heat) that showed ultra-fine grain size of 0.43 μm and a high number density of ~2-5 nm sizes oxygen-enriched nanoclusters.

Thin film bismuth iron oxides useful for piezoelectric devices

Science.gov (United States)

Zeches, Robert J.; Martin, Lane W.; Ramesh, Ramamoorthy

2016-05-31

The present invention provides for a composition comprising a thin film of BiFeO.sub.3 having a thickness ranging from 20 nm to 300 nm, a first electrode in contact with the BiFeO.sub.3 thin film, and a second electrode in contact with the BiFeO.sub.3 thin film; wherein the first and second electrodes are in electrical communication. The composition is free or essentially free of lead (Pb). The BFO thin film is has the piezoelectric property of changing its volume and/or shape when an electric field is applied to the BFO thin film.

Attention to fat- and thin-related words in body-satisfied and body-dissatisfied women before and after thin model priming

Science.gov (United States)

Sears, Christopher R.; Zumbusch, Alicia S.; von Ranson, Kristin M.

2018-01-01

Understanding the cognitive processes underlying body dissatisfaction provides important information on the development and perpetuation of eating pathology. Previous research suggests that body-dissatisfied women process weight-related information differently than body-satisfied women, but the precise nature of these processing differences is not yet understood. In this study, eye-gaze tracking was used to measure attention to weight-related words in body-dissatisfied (n = 40) and body-satisfied (n = 38) women, before and after exposure to images of thin fashion models. Participants viewed 8-second displays containing fat-related, thin-related, and neutral words while their eye fixations were tracked and recorded. Based on previous research and theory, we predicted that body-dissatisfied women would attend to fat-related words more than body-satisfied women and would attend to thin-related words less. It was also predicted that exposure to thin model images would increase self-rated body dissatisfaction and heighten group differences in attention. The results indicated that body-dissatisfied women attended to both fat- and thin-related words more than body-satisfied women and that exposure to thin models did not increase this effect. Implications for cognitive models of eating disorders are discussed. PMID:29447251

Thinned pipe management program of Korean NPPs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, S.H.; Kim, T.R.; Jeon, S.C.; Hwang, K.M.

2003-01-01

Wall thinning of carbon steel pipe components due to Flow-Accelerated Corrosion (FAC) is one of the most serious threats to the integrity of steam cycle systems in Nuclear Power Plants (NPP). If the thickness of a pipe component is reduced below the critical level, it cannot sustain stress and consequently results in leakage or rupture. In order to minimize the possibility of excessive wall thinning, Thinned Pipe Management Program (TPMP) has been set up and being implemented to all Korean NPPs. Important elements of the TPMP include the prediction of the FAC rate for each component based on model analysis, prioritization of pipe components for inspection, thickness measurement, calculation of wear and wear rate for each component. Additionally, decision making associated with replacement or continuous service for thinned pipe components and establishment of long-term strategic management plan based on diagnosis of plant condition regarding overall wall thinning also are essential part of the TPMP. From pre-service inspection data, it has been found that initial thickness is varies, which influences wear and wear rate calculations. (author)

Buckling of Thin Films in Nano-Scale

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li L.A.

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Investigation of thin film buckling is important for life prediction of MEMS device which are damaged mainly by the delamination and buckling of thin films. In this paper the mechanical and thermal properties of compressed thin film titanium films with 150 nm thickness deposited on an organic glass substrate under mechanical and thermal loads were measured and characterized. In order to simulate the thin films which subjected to compound loads and the buckle modes the external uniaxial compression and thermal loading were subjected to the specimen by the symmetric loading device and the electrical film in this experiment. The temperature of the thin film deposited on substrate was measured using thermoelectric couple. The range of temperature accords with the temperature range of the MEMS. It is found that the size and number of the delamination and buckling of the film are depended upon the pre-fixed mechanical loading and thermal temperature. The thermal transient conduction and thermal stability of the film and substrate was studied with finite element method.

Photoinduced hydrophobic surface of graphene oxide thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Xiaoyan; Song Peng; Cui Xiaoli

2012-01-01

Graphene oxide (GO) thin films were deposited on transparent conducting oxide substrates and glass slides by spin coating method at room temperature. The wettability of GO thin films before and after ultraviolet (UV) irradiation was characterized with water contact angles, which increased from 27.3° to 57.6° after 3 h of irradiation, indicating a photo-induced hydrophobic surface. The UV–vis absorption spectra, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and conductivity measurements of GO films before and after UV irradiation were taken to study the mechanism of photoinduced hydrophobic surface of GO thin films. It is demonstrated that the photoinduced hydrophobic surface is ascribed to the elimination of oxygen-containing functional groups on GO molecules. This work provides a simple strategy to control the wettability properties of GO thin films by UV irradiation. - Highlights: ► Photoinduced hydrophobic surface of graphene oxide thin films has been demonstrated. ► Elimination of oxygen-containing functional groups in graphene oxide achieved by UV irradiation. ► We provide novel strategy to control surface wettability of GO thin films by UV irradiation.

Oxidation of ruthenium thin films using atomic oxygen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McCoy, A.P.; Bogan, J.; Brady, A.; Hughes, G.

2015-12-31

In this study, the use of atomic oxygen to oxidise ruthenium thin films is assessed. Atomic layer deposited (ALD) ruthenium thin films (~ 3 nm) were exposed to varying amounts of atomic oxygen and the results were compared to the impact of exposures to molecular oxygen. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies reveal substantial oxidation of metallic ruthenium films to RuO{sub 2} at exposures as low as ~ 10{sup 2} L at 575 K when atomic oxygen was used. Higher exposures of molecular oxygen resulted in no metal oxidation highlighting the benefits of using atomic oxygen to form RuO{sub 2}. Additionally, the partial oxidation of these ruthenium films occurred at temperatures as low as 293 K (room temperature) in an atomic oxygen environment. - Highlights: • X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study of the oxidation of Ru thin films • Oxidation of Ru thin films using atomic oxygen • Comparison between atomic oxygen and molecular oxygen treatments on Ru thin films • Fully oxidised RuO{sub 2} thin films formed with low exposures to atomic oxygen.

Weld Repair of Thin Aluminum Sheet

Science.gov (United States)

Beuyukian, C. S.; Mitchell, M. J.

1986-01-01

Weld repairing of thin aluminum sheets now possible, using niobium shield and copper heat sinks. Refractory niobium shield protects aluminum adjacent to hole, while copper heat sinks help conduct heat away from repair site. Technique limits tungsten/inert-gas (TIG) welding bombardment zone to melt area, leaving surrounding areas around weld unaffected. Used successfully to repair aluminum cold plates on Space Shuttle, Commercial applications, especially in sealing fractures, dents, and holes in thin aluminum face sheets or clad brazing sheet in cold plates, heat exchangers, coolers, and Solar panels. While particularly suited to thin aluminum sheet, this process also used in thicker aluminum material to prevent surface damage near weld area.

Evolution of silvicultural thinning: from rejection to transcendence

Science.gov (United States)

Boris Zeide

2006-01-01

Our views on a main tool of forestry, silvicultural thinning, have changed greatly since the beginning of forestry over 200 years ago. At first, thinning was rejected as something unnatural and destructive. It was believed that the densest stands were the most productive and any thinning only detracted from maximum growth produced by nature. This philosophy was still...

Increased body satisfaction after exposure to thin ideal children's television in young girls showing thin ideal internalisation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Anschutz, Doeschka J; Engels, Rutger C M E; van Strien, Tatjana

2012-01-01

This study tested the direct effect of watching thin ideal children's television on body satisfaction in preadolescent girls (6-8 years old). A within-subject design was used in which girls (N = 51) were tested three times. They watched television clips in random order containing either (1) thin

Nanostructured thin films and coatings functional properties

CERN Document Server

Zhang, Sam

2010-01-01

The second volume in ""The Handbook of Nanostructured Thin Films and Coatings"" set, this book focuses on functional properties, including optical, electronic, and electrical properties, as well as related devices and applications. It explores the large-scale fabrication of functional thin films with nanoarchitecture via chemical routes, the fabrication and characterization of SiC nanostructured/nanocomposite films, and low-dimensional nanocomposite fabrication and applications. The book also presents the properties of sol-gel-derived nanostructured thin films as well as silicon nanocrystals e

Analyzing Investments in Thin-Kerf Saws

Science.gov (United States)

Philip H. Steele; Philip A. Araman

1996-01-01

The rising cost of hardwood sawlogs has increasd sawmill managers' interest in considering the installation of thin-kerf sawing machines in their sawmills. Replacement of circular headrigs by band headrigs and/or reducing resaw kerfs are the available options. Equipment replacement or modification to achieve thin-kerf sawing will require an investment. Sawmill...

Improvement in interfacial characteristics of low-voltage carbon nanotube thin-film transistors with solution-processed boron nitride thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jeon, Jun-Young; Ha, Tae-Jun, E-mail: taejunha0604@gmail.com

2017-08-15

Highlights: • We demonstrate the potential of solution-processed boron nitride (BN) thin films for nanoelectronics. • Improved interfacial characteristics reduced the leakage current by three orders of magnitude. • The BN encapsulation improves all the device key metrics of low-voltage SWCNT-TFTs. • Such improvements were achieved by reduced interaction of interfacial localized states. - Abstract: In this article, we demonstrate the potential of solution-processed boron nitride (BN) thin films for high performance single-walled carbon nanotube thin-film transistors (SWCNT-TFTs) with low-voltage operation. The use of BN thin films between solution-processed high-k dielectric layers improved the interfacial characteristics of metal-insulator-metal devices, thereby reducing the current density by three orders of magnitude. We also investigated the origin of improved device performance in SWCNT-TFTs by employing solution-processed BN thin films as an encapsulation layer. The BN encapsulation layer improves the electrical characteristics of SWCNT-TFTs, which includes the device key metrics of linear field-effect mobility, sub-threshold swing, and threshold voltage as well as the long-term stability against the aging effect in air. Such improvements can be achieved by reduced interaction of interfacial localized states with charge carriers. We believe that this work can open up a promising route to demonstrate the potential of solution-processed BN thin films on nanoelectronics.

Solving “Antenna Array Thinning Problem” Using Genetic Algorithm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rajashree Jain

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Thinning involves reducing total number of active elements in an antenna array without causing major degradation in system performance. Dynamic thinning is the process of achieving this under real-time conditions. It is required to find a strategic subset of antenna elements for thinning so as to have its optimum performance. From a mathematical perspective this is a nonlinear, multidimensional problem with multiple objectives and many constraints. Solution for such problem cannot be obtained by classical analytical techniques. It will be required to employ some type of search algorithm which can lead to a practical solution in an optimal. The present paper discusses an approach of using genetic algorithm for array thinning. After discussing the basic concept involving antenna array, array thinning, dynamic thinning, and application methodology, simulation results of applying the technique to linear and planar arrays are presented.

Increased body satisfaction after exposure to thin ideal children's television in young girls showing thin ideal internalisation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Anschutz, D.J.; Engels, R.C.M.E.; Strien, T. van

2012-01-01

This study tested the direct effect of watching thin ideal children's television on body satisfaction in preadolescent girls (6–8 years old). A within-subject design was used in which girls (N = 51) were tested three times. They watched television clips in random order containing either (1) thin

Geometry of thin liquid sheet flows

Science.gov (United States)

Chubb, Donald L.; Calfo, Frederick D.; Mcconley, Marc W.; Mcmaster, Matthew S.; Afjeh, Abdollah A.

1994-01-01

Incompresible, thin sheet flows have been of research interest for many years. Those studies were mainly concerned with the stability of the flow in a surrounding gas. Squire was the first to carry out a linear, invicid stability analysis of sheet flow in air and compare the results with experiment. Dombrowski and Fraser did an experimental study of the disintegration of sheet flows using several viscous liquids. They also detected the formulation of holes in their sheet flows. Hagerty and Shea carried out an inviscid stability analysis and calculated growth rates with experimental values. They compared their calculated growth rates with experimental values. Taylor studied extensively the stability of thin liquid sheets both theoretically and experimentally. He showed that thin sheets in a vacuum are stable. Brown experimentally investigated thin liquid sheet flows as a method of application of thin films. Clark and Dumbrowski carried out second-order stability analysis for invicid sheet flows. Lin introduced viscosity into the linear stability analysis of thin sheet flows in a vacuum. Mansour and Chigier conducted an experimental study of the breakup of a sheet flow surrounded by high-speed air. Lin et al. did a linear stability analysis that included viscosity and a surrounding gas. Rangel and Sirignano carried out both a linear and nonlinear invisid stability analysis that applies for any density ratio between the sheet liquid and the surrounding gas. Now there is renewed interest in sheet flows because of their possible application as low mass radiating surfaces. The objective of this study is to investigate the fluid dynamics of sheet flows that are of interest for a space radiator system. Analytical expressions that govern the sheet geometry are compared with experimental results. Since a space radiator will operate in a vacuum, the analysis does not include any drag force on the sheet flow.

Preparation of LiMn{sub 2}O{sub 4} cathode thin films for thin film lithium secondary batteries by a mist CVD process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tadanaga, Kiyoharu, E-mail: tadanaga@chem.osakafu-u.ac.jp [Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka Prefecture University, Sakai, Osaka, 599-8531 (Japan); Yamaguchi, Akihiro; Sakuda, Atsushi; Hayashi, Akitoshi; Tatsumisago, Masahiro [Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka Prefecture University, Sakai, Osaka, 599-8531 (Japan); Duran, Alicia; Aparacio, Mario [Instituto de Cerámica y Vidrio, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Kelsen 5 (Campus de Cantoblanco), Madrid, 28049 (Spain)

2014-05-01

Highlights: • LiMn{sub 2}O{sub 4} thin films were prepared by using the mist CVD process. • An aqueous solution of lithium and manganese acetates is used for the precursor solution. • The cell with the LiMn{sub 2}O{sub 4} thin films exhibited a capacity of about 80 mAh/g. • The cell showed good cycling performance during 10 cycles. - Abstract: LiMn{sub 2}O{sub 4} cathode thin films for thin film lithium secondary batteries were prepared by using so-called the “mist CVD process”, employing an aqueous solution of lithium acetate and manganese acetate, as the source of Li and Mn, respectively. The aqueous solution of starting materials was ultrasonically atomized to form mist particles, and mists were transferred by nitrogen gas to silica glass substrate to form thin films. FE-SEM observation revealed that thin films obtained by this process were dense and smooth, and thin films with a thickness of about 750 nm were obtained. The electrochemical cell with the thin films obtained by sintering at 700 °C exhibited a capacity of about 80 mAh/g, and the cell showed good cycling performance during 10 cycles.

Thermal convection of viscoelastic shear-thinning fluids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Albaalbaki, Bashar; Khayat, Roger E; Ahmed, Zahir U

2016-01-01

The Rayleigh–Bénard convection for non-Newtonian fluids possessing both viscoelastic and shear-thinning behaviours is examined. The Phan-Thien–Tanner (PTT) constitutive equation is implemented to model the non-Newtonian character of the fluid. It is found that while the shear-thinning and viscoelastic effects could annihilate one another for the steady roll flow, presence of both behaviours restricts the roll stability limit significantly compared to the cases when the fluid is either inelastic shear-thinning or purely viscoelastic with constant viscosity. (paper)

Conservation of the Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene in mice and humans

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoffman, E.P.; Monaco, A.P.; Feener, C.C.; Kunkel, L.M.

1987-10-16

A portion of the Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) gene transcript from human fetal skeletal muscle and mouse adult heart was sequence, representing approximately 25 percent of the total, 14-kb DMD transcript. The nucleic acid and predicted amino acid sequences from the two species are nearly 90 percent homologous. The amino acid sequence that is predicted from this portion of the DMD gene indicates that the protein product might serve a structural role in muscle, but the abundance and tissue distribution of the messenger RNA suggest that the DMD protein is not nebulin.

Characterization of Sucrose Thin Films for Biomedical Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. L. Iconaru

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Sucrose is a natural osmolyte accumulated in the cells of organisms as they adapt to environmental stress. In vitro sucrose increases protein stability and forces partially unfolded structures to refold. Thin films of sucrose (C12H22O11 were deposited on thin cut glass substrates by the thermal evaporation technique (P∼10−5 torr. Characteristics of thin films were put into evidence by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS, scanning electron microscopy (SEM, and differential thermal analysis and thermal gravimetric analysis (TG/DTA. The experimental results confirm a uniform deposition of an adherent layer. In this paper we present a part of the characteristics of sucrose thin films deposited on glass in medium vacuum conditions, as a part of a culture medium for osteoblast cells. Osteoblast cells were used to determine proliferation, viability, and cytotoxicity interactions with sucrose powder and sucrose thin films. The osteoblast cells have been provided from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC Centre. The outcome of this study demonstrated the effectiveness of sucrose thin films as a possible nontoxic agent for biomedical applications.

Tools to synthesize the learning of thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rojas, Roberto; Fuster, Gonzalo; Sluesarenko, Viktor

2011-01-01

After a review of textbooks written for undergraduate courses in physics, we have found that discussions on thin films are mostly incomplete. They consider the reflected and not the transmitted light for two instead of the four types of thin films. In this work, we complement the discussion in elementary textbooks, by analysing the phase differences required to match the conditions for constructive and destructive interference, in the reflected and transmitted light in four types of thin films. We consider thin films with varied sequences in the refractive index, which we identify as barriers, wells and stairs (up and down). Also, we use the conservation of energy in order to understand the complementary colour fringes observed in the reflected and transmitted light through thin films. We analyse systematically the phase changes by introducing a phase table and we synthesize the results in a circular diagram matching 16 physical situations of interference and their corresponding conditions on the film thickness. The phase table and the circular diagram are a pair of tools easily assimilated by students, and useful to organize, analyse and activate the knowledge about thin films.

Significant questions in thin liquid film heat transfer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bankoff, S.G.

1994-01-01

Thin liquid films appear in many contexts, such as the cooling of gas turbine blade tips, rocket engines, microelectronics arrays, and hot fuel element surfaces in hypothetical nuclear reactor accidents. Apart from these direct cooling applications of thin liquid layers, thin films form a crucial element in determining the allowable heat flux limits in boiling. This is because the last stages of dryout almost invariably involve the rupture of a residual liquid film, either as a microlayer underneath the bubbles, or a thin annular layer in a high-quality burnout scenario. The destabilization of these thin films under the combined actions of shear stress, evaporation, and thermocapillary effects is quite complex. The later stages of actual rupture to form dry regions, which then expand, resulting in possible overheating, are even more complex and less well understood. However, significant progress has been made in understanding the behavior of these thin films, which are subject to competing instabilities prior to actual rupture. This will be reviewed briefly. Recent work on the advance, or recession, of contact lines will also be described briefly, and significant questions that still remain to be answered will be discussed. 68 refs., 7 figs

Heavy and frequent thinning promotes drought adaptation in Pinus sylvestris forests.

Science.gov (United States)

Sohn, Julia A; Hartig, Florian; Kohler, Martin; Huss, Jürgen; Bauhus, Jürgen

2016-10-01

Droughts and their negative effects on forest ecosystems are projected to increase under climate change for many regions. It has been suggested that intensive thinning could reduce drought impacts on established forests in the short-term. Most previous studies on the effect of thinning on drought impacts, however, have been confined to single forest sites. It is therefore still unclear how general and persisting the benefits of thinning are. This study assesses the potential of thinning to increase drought tolerance of the wide spread Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) in Central Europe. We hypothesized (1) that increasing thinning intensity benefits the maintenance of radial growth of crop trees during drought (resistance) and its recovery following drought, (2) that those benefits to growth decrease with time elapsed since the last thinning and with stand age, and (3) that they may depend on drought severity as well as water limitations in pre- and post-drought periods. To test these hypotheses, we assessed the effects of thinning regime, stand age, and drought severity on radial growth of 129 Scots pine trees during and after drought events in four long-term thinning experiments in Germany. We found that thinning improved the recovery of radial growth following drought and to a lesser extent the growth resistance during a drought event. Growth recovery following drought was highest after the first thinning intervention and in recently and heavily thinned stands. With time since the last thinning, however, this effect decreased and could even become negative when compared to unthinned stands. Further, thinning helped to avoid an age-related decline in growth resistance (and recovery) following drought. The recovery following drought, but not the resistance during drought, was related to water limitations in the drought period. This is the first study that analyzed drought-related radial growth in trees of one species across several stands of different age. The

Nanocoatings and ultra-thin films technologies and applications

CERN Document Server

Tiginyanu, Ion

2011-01-01

Gives a comprehensive account of the developments of nanocoatings and ultra-thin films. This book covers the fundamentals, processes of deposition and characterisation of nanocoatings, as well as the applications. It is suitable for the glass and glazing, automotive, electronics, aerospace, construction and biomedical industries in particular.$bCoatings are used for a wide range of applications, from anti-fogging coatings for glass through to corrosion control in the aerospace and automotive industries. Nanocoatings and ultra-thin films provides an up-to-date review of the fundamentals, processes of deposition, characterisation and applications of nanocoatings. Part one covers technologies used in the creation and analysis of thin films, including chapters on current and advanced coating technologies in industry, nanostructured thin films from amphiphilic molecules, chemical and physical vapour deposition methods and methods for analysing nanocoatings and ultra-thin films. Part two focuses on the applications...

Which trees should be removed in thinning?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Timo Pukkala

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Background: In economically optimal management, trees that are removed in a thinning treatment should be selected on the basis of their value, relative value increment and the effect of removal on the growth of remaining trees. Large valuable trees with decreased value increment should be removed, especially when they overtop smaller trees. Methods: This study optimized the tree selection rule in the thinning treatments of continuous cover management when the aim is to maximize the profitability of forest management. The weights of three criteria (stem value, relative value increment and effect of removal on the competition of remaining trees were optimized together with thinning intervals. Results and conclusions: The results confirmed the hypothesis that optimal thinning involves removing predominantly large trees. Increasing stumpage value, decreasing relative value increment, and increasing competitive influence increased the likelihood that removal is optimal decision. However, if the spatial distribution of trees is irregular, it is optimal to leave large trees in sparse places and remove somewhat smaller trees from dense places. However, the benefit of optimal thinning, as compared to diameter limit cutting is not usually large in pure one-species stands. On the contrary, removing the smallest trees from the stand may lead to significant (30–40 % reductions in the net present value of harvest incomes. Keywords: Continuous cover forestry, Tree selection, High thinning, Optimal management, Spatial distribution, Spatial growth model

Nanosphere lithography applied to magnetic thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Gleason, Russell

Magnetic nanostructures have widespread applications in many areas of physics and engineering, and nanosphere lithography has recently emerged as promising tool for the fabrication of such nanostructures. The goal of this research is to explore the magnetic properties of a thin film of ferromagnetic material deposited onto a hexagonally close-packed monolayer array of polystyrene nanospheres, and how they differ from the magnetic properties of a typical flat thin film. The first portion of this research focuses on determining the optimum conditions for depositing a monolayer of nanospheres onto chemically pretreated silicon substrates (via drop-coating) and the subsequent characterization of the deposited nanosphere layer with scanning electron microscopy. Single layers of permalloy (Ni80Fe20) are then deposited on top of the nanosphere array via DC magnetron sputtering, resulting in a thin film array of magnetic nanocaps. The coercivities of the thin films are measured using a home-built magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) system in longitudinal arrangement. MOKE measurements show that for a single layer of permalloy (Py), the coercivity of a thin film deposited onto an array of nanospheres increases compared to that of a flat thin film. In addition, the coercivity increases as the nanosphere size decreases for the same deposited layer. It is postulated that magnetic exchange decoupling between neighboring nanocaps suppresses the propagation of magnetic domain walls, and this pinning of the domain walls is thought to be the primary source of the increase in coercivity.

Thin films of mixed metal compounds

Science.gov (United States)

Mickelsen, Reid A.; Chen, Wen S.

1985-01-01

A compositionally uniform thin film of a mixed metal compound is formed by simultaneously evaporating a first metal compound and a second metal compound from independent sources. The mean free path between the vapor particles is reduced by a gas and the mixed vapors are deposited uniformly. The invention finds particular utility in forming thin film heterojunction solar cells.

Biomass conversion and expansion factors are afected by thinning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Teresa Duque Enes

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Aim of the study: The objective of this paper is to investigate the use of Biomass Conversion and Expansion Factors (BCEFs in maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait. stands subjected to thinning.Area of the study: The study area refers to different ecosystems of maritime pine stands inNorthern Portugal.Material and methods: The study is supported by time data series and cross sectional data collected in permanent plots established in the North of Portugal. An assessment of BCEF values for the aboveground compartments and for total was completed for each studied stand. Identification of key variables affecting the value of the BCEFs in time and with thinning was conducted using correlation analysis. Predictive models for estimation of the BCEFs values in time and after thinning were developed using nonlinear regression analysis.Research highlights: For periods of undisturbed growth, the results show an allometric relationship between the BCEFs, the dominant height and the mean diameter. Management practices such as thinning also influence the factors. Estimates of the ratio change before and after thinning depend on thinning severity and thinning type. The developed models allow estimating the biomass of the stands, for the aboveground compartments and for total, based on information of stand characteristics and of thinning descriptors. These estimates can be used to assess the forest dry wood stocks to be used for pulp, bioenergy or other purposes, as well as the biomass quantification to support the evaluation of the net primary productivity.Keywords: carbon; softwood; thinning; volume; wood energy; maritime pine.

Bandtail characteristics in InN thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen, W.Z.; Jiang, L.F.; Yang, H.F.; Meng, F.Y.; Ogawa, H.; Guo, Q.X.

2002-01-01

The Urbach bandtail characteristics in InN thin films grown by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering on sapphire (0001) substrates have been investigated both theoretically and experimentally. The bandtail parameter in InN thin films has been obtained by temperature-dependent transmission spectra, with the aid of a detailed calculation of the transmission profile. A bandtail model based on the calculation of density of occupied states and the carrier-phonon interaction has been employed to analyze the temperature-dependent bandtail characteristics. The bandtail parameter is in the range of 90-120 meV in the InN thin film. It is found that the carrier-phonon interaction in InN is weak and the structural disorder contribution (∼90 meV) dominates over the interactive terms. The high structural disorder in InN thin films may relate to the high nonradiative recombination centers

Thin book

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

En lille bog om teater og organisationer, med bidrag fra 19 teoretikere og praktikere, der deltog i en "Thin Book Summit" i Danmark i 2005. Bogen bidrager med en state-of-the-art antologi om forskellige former for samarbejde imellem teater og organisationer. Bogen fokuserer både på muligheder og...

An Investigation on the Problem of Thinning in Fingerprint Processing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. O. Omeiza

2012-06-01

Full Text Available A high-integrity thinning procedure for binarised fingerprints is proposed in this paper. Several authors and software developers have approached the thinning problems in fingerprint-processing differently. Their approach produced in most cases, fingerprint skeletons with low reliability and thus require additional minutiae-pruning stage to discard the erroneous minutiae in the obtained skeletons. The work involves a careful blending of some already existing algorithms to achieve optimal performance in thinning binarised fingerprint images. The algorithms considered are as follows. The "Zhang and Suen" parallel algorithm for thinning digital patterns, the improved parallel thinning algorithm by Holt and company and template-based thinning algorithm by Stentiford and Mortimer. The idea of combining these stand-alone algorithms to improve the quality of obtained objects skeleton in general image processing was first suggested in a text by Parker in 1998. However, his work does not specifically address the fingerprint problem. This work has examined and proves the plausibility of this thinning approach in the particular case of fingerprint application domain. The thinning procedure obtained satisfactory skeletons for fingerprint applications.

Thin film ceramic thermocouples

Science.gov (United States)

Gregory, Otto (Inventor); Fralick, Gustave (Inventor); Wrbanek, John (Inventor); You, Tao (Inventor)

2011-01-01

A thin film ceramic thermocouple (10) having two ceramic thermocouple (12, 14) that are in contact with each other in at least on point to form a junction, and wherein each element was prepared in a different oxygen/nitrogen/argon plasma. Since each element is prepared under different plasma conditions, they have different electrical conductivity and different charge carrier concentration. The thin film thermocouple (10) can be transparent. A versatile ceramic sensor system having an RTD heat flux sensor can be combined with a thermocouple and a strain sensor to yield a multifunctional ceramic sensor array. The transparent ceramic temperature sensor that could ultimately be used for calibration of optical sensors.

Thermophilic anaerobic co-digestion of poultry litter and thin stillage.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Deepak; Espinosa-Solares, Teodoro; Huber, David H

2013-05-01

The purpose of this study was to test whether the performance of a thermophilic CSTR digester that has been stabilized on poultry litter will be enhanced or diminished by the addition of thin stillage as co-substrate. Replicate laboratory digesters, derived from a stable pilot-scale digester, were operated with increasing ratios (w/w) of thin stillage/poultry litter feedstock. After a period of adaptation to 20% and 40% thin stillage, digester performance showed increases in biogas, percent methane and COD removal, as well as a decrease in volatile acids. Peak performance occurred with 60% thin stillage. However, 80% thin stillage caused significant reduction of performance, including declines of methanogenic activity and COD removal. In conclusion, supplementing the thermophilic digestion of poultry litter with thin stillage improved the bioenergy (methane) output, but thin stillage became inhibitory at high concentrations. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pruning for crop regulation in high density guava (Psidium guajava L.) plantation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thakre, M.; Lal, S.; Uniyal, S.; Goswami, A.K. Prakash. P.

2016-11-01

High density management and crop regulation are two important aspects in guava (Psidium guajava L.) production. Therefore, to find out the economic way of managing high density planting and crop regulation, the present work was carried out on 6-year-old guava trees of cv. Pant Prabhat under double-hedge row system of planting during 2009-10 and 2010-11. Seven different forms of pruning [FBT: flower bud thinning by hand, FBTT: flower bud thinning by hand followed by removal of terminal one leaf pair, RLFO: removal of leaves and flower buds by hand, retaining one leaf pair at the top, RLF: removal of all leaves and flowers by hand, OLPS: one leaf pair shoot pruning, FSP: full shoot pruning, OLPF: one leaf pair pruning of fruited shoots only] were studied along with control (C).Minimum annual increase in tree volume (6.764 m3) was recorded with the treatment OLPF, which was 2.31 times less than the control (15.682 m3). Highest yield during winter season (55.30 kg/tree) and total yield (59.87 kg/tree) was obtained from treatment OLPF. One leaf pair pruning of fruited shoots only (OLPF) was also found profitable among other treatments by recording cost:benefit ratio of 1:2.96. This treatment also recorded the highest return distributed in rainy as well as in winter season. On the basis of findings it can be concluded that one leaf pair pruning of fruited shoots only is suitable for profitable high density management as well as crop regulation of guava in farmer friendly manner. (Author)

Molecular simulation of freestanding amorphous nickel thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dong, T.Q. [Université Paris-Est, Laboratoire Modélisation et Simulation Multi Echelle, UMR 8208 CNRS, 5 Boulevard Descartes, 77454 Marne-la-Vallée, Cedex 2 (France); Hoang, V.V., E-mail: vvhoang2002@yahoo.com [Department of Physics, Institute of Technology, National University of Ho Chi Minh City, 268 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City (Viet Nam); Lauriat, G. [Université Paris-Est, Laboratoire Modélisation et Simulation Multi Echelle, UMR 8208 CNRS, 5 Boulevard Descartes, 77454 Marne-la-Vallée, Cedex 2 (France)

2013-10-31

Size effects on glass formation in freestanding Ni thin films have been studied via molecular dynamics simulation with the n-body Gupta interatomic potential. Atomic mechanism of glass formation in the films is determined via analysis of the spatio-temporal arrangements of solid-like atoms occurred upon cooling from the melt. Solid-like atoms are detected via the Lindemann ratio. We find that solid-like atoms initiate and grow mainly in the interior of the film and grow outward. Their number increases with decreasing temperature and at a glass transition temperature they dominate in the system to form a relatively rigid glassy state of a thin film shape. We find the existence of a mobile surface layer in both liquid and glassy states which can play an important role in various surface properties of amorphous Ni thin films. We find that glass formation is size independent for models containing 4000 to 108,000 atoms. Moreover, structure of amorphous Ni thin films has been studied in details via coordination number, Honeycutt–Andersen analysis, and density profile which reveal that amorphous thin films exhibit two different parts: interior and surface layer. The former exhibits almost the same structure like that found for the bulk while the latter behaves a more porous structure containing a large amount of undercoordinated sites which are the origin of various surface behaviors of the amorphous Ni or Ni-based thin films found in practice. - Highlights: • Glass formation is analyzed via spatio-temporal arrangements of solid-like atoms. • Amorphous Ni thin film exhibits two different parts: surface and interior. • Mobile surface layer enhances various surface properties of the amorphous Ni thin films. • Undercoordinated sites play an important role in various surface activities.

Excimer Laser Deposition of PLZT Thin Films

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Petersen, GAry

1991-01-01

.... In order to integrate these devices into optical systems, the production of high quality thin films with high transparency and perovskite crystal structure is desired. This requires development of deposition technologies to overcome the challenges of depositing and processing PLZT thin films.

Low-field vortex dynamics in various high-Tc thin films

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Abstract. We present a novel ac susceptibility technique for the study of vortex creep in supercon- ducting thin films. With this technique we study the dynamics of dilute vortices in c-axis oriented. Y-123, Hg-1212, and Tl-1212 thin films, as well as a-axis oriented Hg-1212 thin films. Results on the Hg-1212 and Tl-1212 thin ...

Resistivity of thiol-modified gold thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Correa-Puerta, Jonathan; Del Campo, Valeria; Henríquez, Ricardo; Häberle, Patricio

2014-01-01

In this work, we study the effect of thiol self assembled monolayers on the electrical resistivity of metallic thin films. The analysis is based on the Fuchs–Sondheimer–Lucas theory and on electrical transport measurements. We determined resistivity change due to dodecanethiol adsorption on gold thin films. For this purpose, we controlled the deposition and annealing temperatures of the films to change the surface topography and to diminish the effect of electron grain boundary scattering. Results show that the electrical response to the absorption of thiols strongly depends on the initial topography of the surface. - Highlights: • We study the effect of self assembled monolayers on the resistivity of thin films. • Fuchs–Sondheimer theory reproduces the resistivity increase due to thiol deposition. • We determined resistivity change due to dodecanethiol deposition on gold thin films. • The electrical response strongly depends on the substrate surface topography

Resistivity of thiol-modified gold thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Correa-Puerta, Jonathan [Instituto de Física, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Av. Universidad 330, Curauma, Valparaíso (Chile); Del Campo, Valeria [Departamento de Física, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Av. España 1680, Valparaiso 2390123 (Chile); Henríquez, Ricardo, E-mail: ricardo.henriquez@usm.cl [Departamento de Física, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Av. España 1680, Valparaiso 2390123 (Chile); Häberle, Patricio [Departamento de Física, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Av. España 1680, Valparaiso 2390123 (Chile)

2014-11-03

In this work, we study the effect of thiol self assembled monolayers on the electrical resistivity of metallic thin films. The analysis is based on the Fuchs–Sondheimer–Lucas theory and on electrical transport measurements. We determined resistivity change due to dodecanethiol adsorption on gold thin films. For this purpose, we controlled the deposition and annealing temperatures of the films to change the surface topography and to diminish the effect of electron grain boundary scattering. Results show that the electrical response to the absorption of thiols strongly depends on the initial topography of the surface. - Highlights: • We study the effect of self assembled monolayers on the resistivity of thin films. • Fuchs–Sondheimer theory reproduces the resistivity increase due to thiol deposition. • We determined resistivity change due to dodecanethiol deposition on gold thin films. • The electrical response strongly depends on the substrate surface topography.

Photoluminescence of electron beam evaporated CaS:Bi thin films

CERN Document Server

Smet, P F; Poelman, D R; Meirhaeghe, R L V

2003-01-01

For the first time, the photoluminescence (PL) of electron beam evaporated CaS:Bi thin films is reported. Luminescent CaS:Bi powder prepared out of aqueous solutions was used as source material. The influence of substrate temperature on the PL and the morphology of thin films is discussed, and an optimum is determined. Substrate temperatures between 200 deg. C and 300 deg. C lead to good quality thin films with sufficient PL intensity. As-deposited thin films show two emission bands, peaking at 450 and 530 nm. Upon annealing the emission intensity increases, and annealing at 800 deg. C is sufficient to obtain a homogeneously blue emitting thin film (CIE colour coordinates (0.17; 0.12)), thanks to a single remaining emission band at 450 nm. The influence of ambient temperature on the PL of CaS:Bi powder and thin films was also investigated and it was found that CaS:Bi thin films show a favourable thermal quenching behaviour near room temperature.

Thin slices of child personality: Perceptual, situational, and behavioral contributions.

Science.gov (United States)

Tackett, Jennifer L; Herzhoff, Kathrin; Kushner, Shauna C; Rule, Nicholas

2016-01-01

The present study examined whether thin-slice ratings of child personality serve as a resource-efficient and theoretically valid measurement of child personality traits. We extended theoretical work on the observability, perceptual accuracy, and situational consistency of childhood personality traits by examining intersource and interjudge agreement, cross-situational consistency, and convergent, divergent, and predictive validity of thin-slice ratings. Forty-five unacquainted independent coders rated 326 children's (ages 8-12) personality in 1 of 15 thin-slice behavioral scenarios (i.e., 3 raters per slice, for over 14,000 independent thin-slice ratings). Mothers, fathers, and children rated children's personality, psychopathology, and competence. We found robust evidence for correlations between thin-slice and mother/father ratings of child personality, within- and across-task consistency of thin-slice ratings, and convergent and divergent validity with psychopathology and competence. Surprisingly, thin-slice ratings were more consistent across situations in this child sample than previously found for adults. Taken together, these results suggest that thin slices are a valid and reliable measure to assess child personality, offering a useful method of measurement beyond questionnaires, helping to address novel questions of personality perception and consistency in childhood. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Field ion microscope studies on thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cavaleru, A.; Scortaru, A.

1976-01-01

A review of the progress made in the last years in FIM application to thin film structure studies and adatom properties important in the nucleation stage of thin film growth: substrate binding and mobility of individual adatoms, behaviour of adatoms clusters is presented. (author)

Magnetic surfaces, thin films, and multilayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parkin, S.S.P.; Renard, J.P.; Shinjo, T.; Zinn, W.

1992-01-01

This paper details recent developments in the magnetism of surfaces, thin films and multilayers. More than 20 invited contributions and more than 60 contributed papers attest to the great interest and vitality of this subject. In recent years the study of magnetic surfaces, thin films and multilayers has undergone a renaissance, partly motivated by the development of new growth and characterization techniques, but perhaps more so by the discovery of many exciting new properties, some quite unanticipated. These include, most recently, the discovery of enormous values of magnetoresistance in magnetic multilayers far exceeding those found in magnetic single layer films and the discovery of oscillatory interlayer coupling in transition metal multilayers. These experimental studies have motivated much theoretical work. However these developments are to a large extent powered by materials engineering and our ability to control and understand the growth of thin layers just a few atoms thick. The preparation of single crystal thin film layers and multilayers remains important for many studies, in particular, for properties dependent. These studies obviously require engineering not just a layer thicknesses but of lateral dimensions as well. The properties of such structures are already proving to be a great interest

Physics of thin films advances in research and development

CERN Document Server

Hass, Georg; Vossen, John L

2013-01-01

Physics of Thin Films: Advances in Research and Development, Volume 12 reviews advances that have been made in research and development concerning the physics of thin films. This volume covers a wide range of preparative approaches, physics phenomena, and applications related to thin films. This book is comprised of four chapters and begins with a discussion on metal coatings and protective layers for front surface mirrors used at various angles of incidence from the ultraviolet to the far infrared. Thin-film materials and deposition conditions suitable for minimizing reflectance changes with

Thermal conductivity model for nanoporous thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Congliang; Zhao, Xinpeng; Regner, Keith; Yang, Ronggui

2018-03-01

Nanoporous thin films have attracted great interest because of their extremely low thermal conductivity and potential applications in thin thermal insulators and thermoelectrics. Although there are some numerical and experimental studies about the thermal conductivity of nanoporous thin films, a simplified model is still needed to provide a straightforward prediction. In this paper, by including the phonon scattering lifetimes due to film thickness boundary scattering, nanopore scattering and the frequency-dependent intrinsic phonon-phonon scattering, a fitting-parameter-free model based on the kinetic theory of phonon transport is developed to predict both the in-plane and the cross-plane thermal conductivities of nanoporous thin films. With input parameters such as the lattice constants, thermal conductivity, and the group velocity of acoustic phonons of bulk silicon, our model shows a good agreement with available experimental and numerical results of nanoporous silicon thin films. It illustrates that the size effect of film thickness boundary scattering not only depends on the film thickness but also on the size of nanopores, and a larger nanopore leads to a stronger size effect of the film thickness. Our model also reveals that there are different optimal structures for getting the lowest in-plane and cross-plane thermal conductivities.

Neutron activation analysis of thin orange pottery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harbottle, G.; Sayre, E.V.; Abascal, R.

1976-01-01

The evidence thus far obtained supports the idea of ''Thin Orange'' ware, typical of classic Teotihuacan culture, easily identifiable petrographically or chemically, not necessarily made at Teotihuacan itself but widely traded, and ''thin, orange'' pottery, fabricated in many other places, and perhaps at other times as well

Neutron activation analysis of thin orange pottery

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Harbottle, G; Sayre, E V; Abascal, R

1976-01-01

The evidence thus far obtained supports the idea of ''Thin Orange'' ware, typical of classic Teotihuacan culture, easily identifiable petrographically or chemically, not necessarily made at Teotihuacan itself but widely traded, and ''thin, orange'' pottery, fabricated in many other places, and perhaps at other times as well.

Nonglobal proof of the thin--sandwich conjecture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pereira, C.M.

1981-01-01

A gravitational thin--sandwich conjecture was first proposed by Wheeler and coworkers during the period 1962--4. The present paper contains a proof of the nonglobal form of this gravitational thin--sandwich conjecture. The proof (a) applies for arbitrary choices of the spatial metric and its time derivative; and (b) demonstrates the existence on a spacelike three-surface of solutions which satisfy conditions of continuity known to be sufficient to obtain existence and uniqueness of solutions to Einstein's equations off the three-surface and existence and uniqueness of geodesics. Riquier's existence theorem plays an important role in the proof. The relationship of the present results to previous work is discussed. Some global questions associated with the thin--sandwich conjecture are clarified. Some aspects of the relationship of the thin--sandwich conjecture to the problem of the quantization of the gravitational field are noted. Both the vacuum case and the case of a nonviscous fluid are included. The discussion allows for an arbitrary equation of state p = p

Thin films as an emerging platform for drug delivery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandeep Karki

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Pharmaceutical scientists throughout the world are trying to explore thin films as a novel drug delivery tool. Thin films have been identified as an alternative approach to conventional dosage forms. The thin films are considered to be convenient to swallow, self-administrable, and fast dissolving dosage form, all of which make it as a versatile platform for drug delivery. This delivery system has been used for both systemic and local action via several routes such as oral, buccal, sublingual, ocular, and transdermal routes. The design of efficient thin films requires a comprehensive knowledge of the pharmacological and pharmaceutical properties of drugs and polymers along with an appropriate selection of manufacturing processes. Therefore, the aim of this review is to provide an overview of the critical factors affecting the formulation of thin films, including the physico-chemical properties of polymers and drugs, anatomical and physiological constraints, as well as the characterization methods and quality specifications to circumvent the difficulties associated with formulation design. It also highlights the recent trends and perspectives to develop thin film products by various companies.

Photoluminescence properties of perovskite multilayer thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Macario, Leilane Roberta; Longo, Elson, E-mail: leilanemacario@gmail.com [Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos (UFSCar), SP (Brazil); Mazzo, Tatiana Martelli [Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo (UNIFESP), SP (Brazil); Bouquet, Valerie; Deputier, Stephanie; Ollivier, Sophie; Guilloux-Viry, Maryline [Universite de Rennes (France)

2016-07-01

Full text: The knowledge of the optical properties of thin films is important in many scientific, technological and industrial applications of thin films such as photoconductivity, solar energy, photography, and numerous other applications [1]. In this study, perovskite type oxides were grown by pulsed laser deposition [2] in order to obtain thin films with applicable optical properties. The LaNiO{sub 3} (LN), BaTiO{sub 3} (BT) and KNbO{sub 3} (KNb) targets were prepared by solid-state reaction. The X-ray Diffraction revealed the presence of the desired phases, containing the elements of interest in the targets and in the thin films that were produced. The LN, BT and KNb thin films were polycrystalline and the corresponding diffraction peaks were indexed in the with JCPDS cards n. 00-033-0711, n. 00-005-0626, and n. 00-009-0156, respectively. The multilayers films were polycrystalline. The majority of the micrographs obtained by scanning electron microscopy presented films with a thickness from 100 to 400 nm. The photoluminescent (PL) emission spectra of thin films show different broad bands that occupies large region of the visible spectrum, ranging from about 300-350 to 600-650 nm of the electromagnetic spectrum. The PL emission is associated with the order-disorder structural, even small structural changes can modify the interactions between electronic states. The structural disorder results in formation of new energy levels in the forbidden region. The proximity or distance of these new energy levels formed in relation to valence band and to the conduction band results in PL spectra located at higher or lower energies. These interactions change the electronic states which can be influenced by defects, particularly the interface defects between the layers of the thin films. The presence of defects results in changes in the broad band matrix intensity and in displacement of the PL emission maximum. (author)

Thin Film Photovoltaic/Thermal Solar Panels

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

David JOHNSTON

2008-01-01

A solar panel is described.in which thin films of semiconductor are deposited onto a metal substrate.The semiconductor-metal combination forms a thin film photovoltaic cell,and also acts as a reflector,absorber tandem, which acts as a solar selective surface,thus enhancing the solar thermal performance of the collector plate.The use of thin films reduces the distance heat is required to flow from the absorbing surface to the metal plate and heat exchange conduits.Computer modelling demonstrated that,by suitable choice of materials,photovohaic efficiency call be maintained,with thermal performance slishtly reduced,compared to that for thermal-only panels.By grading the absorber layer-to reduce the band gap in the lower region-the thermal performance can be improved,approaching that for a thermal-only solar panel.

Internalization of the ultra-thin ideal: positive implicit associations with underweight fashion models are associated with drive for thinness in young women.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahern, Amy L; Bennett, Kate M; Hetherington, Marion M

2008-01-01

This study examined whether young women who make implicit associations between underweight models and positive attributes report elevated eating disorder symptoms. Ninety nine female undergraduates completed a weight based implicit association test (IAT) and self report measures of body dissatisfaction, thin-ideal internalization and eating disorder symptoms. IAT scores were associated with drive for thinness (r = -0.26, p fashion and being attractive. The IAT used in the current study is sensitive enough to discriminate between participants on drive for thinness. Women who have developed cognitive schemas that associate being underweight with positive attributes report higher eating disorder symptoms. Attitude importance is highlighted as a key construct in thin ideal internalization.

Thermochemical hydrogen generation of indium oxide thin films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Taekyung Lim

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Development of alternative energy resources is an urgent requirement to alleviate current energy constraints. As such, hydrogen gas is gaining attention as a future alternative energy source to address existing issues related to limited energy resources and air pollution. In this study, hydrogen generation by a thermochemical water-splitting process using two types of In2O3 thin films was investigated. The two In2O3 thin films prepared by chemical vapor deposition (CVD and sputtering deposition systems contained different numbers of oxygen vacancies, which were directly related to hydrogen generation. The as-grown In2O3 thin film prepared by CVD generated a large amount of hydrogen because of its abundant oxygen vacancies, while that prepared by sputtering had few oxygen vacancies, resulting in low hydrogen generation. Increasing the temperature of the In2O3 thin film in the reaction chamber caused an increase in hydrogen generation. The oxygen-vacancy-rich In2O3 thin film is expected to provide a highly effective production of hydrogen as a sustainable and efficient energy source.

Delamination of Compressed Thin Layers at Corners

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Kim D.; Jensen, Henrik Myhre; Clausen, Johan

2008-01-01

An analysis of delamination for a thin elastic layer under compression, attached to a substrate at a corner is carried out. The analysis is performed by combining results from interface fracture mechanics and the theory of thin shells. In contrast with earlier results for delamination on a flat...

Thinning regimes and initial spacing for Eucalyptus plantations in Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferraz Filho, Antonio C; Mola-Yudego, Blas; González-Olabarria, José R; Scolforo, José Roberto S

2018-01-01

This study focuses on the effects of different thinning regimes on clonal Eucalyptus plantations growth. Four different trials, planted in 1999 and located in Bahia and Espírito Santo States, were used. Aside from thinning, initial planting density, and post thinning fertilization application were also evaluated. Before canopy closure, and therefore before excessive competition between trees took place, it was found that stands planted under low densities (667 trees per hectare) presented a lower mortality proportion when compared to stand planted under higher densities (1111 trees per hectare). However, diameter growth prior to thinning operations was not statistically different between these two densities, presenting an overall mean of 4.9 cm/year. After canopy closure and the application of the thinning treatments, it was found that thinning regimes beginning early in the life of the stand and leaving a low number of residual trees presented the highest diameter and height growth. Unthinned treatments and thinning regimes late in the life of the stand (after 5.5 years), leaving a large number of residual trees presented the highest values of basal area production. The choice of the best thinning regime for Eucalyptus clonal material will vary according to the plantation objective.

Regeneratoin Development 3 Years After Thinning and Fertilization in an East Texas Bottomland Hardwood Stand (To Manage or To Regenerate: Can We Do Both?)

Science.gov (United States)

Brian Roy Lockhart; Alexander J. Michalek; Matthew W. Lowe; Richard A. Williams

2004-01-01

Silviculture textbooks state that intermediate treatments, such as thinning, are prescribed to regulate the growing space for the benefit of existing trees and not to create enough growing space to initiate new trees of desirable species. If new, desirable regeneration develops, then it is considered a by-product of the intermediate treatment and is not to be managed,...

Fractal and multifractal analysis of LiF thin film surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yadav, R.P.; Dwivedi, S.; Mittal, A.K.; Kumar, M.; Pandey, A.C.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Fractal and multifractal analysis of surface morphologies of the LiF thin films. ► Complexity and roughness of the LiF thin films increases as thickness increases. ► LiF thin films are multifractal in nature. ► Strength of the multifractality increases with thickness of the film. - Abstract: Fractal and multifractal analysis is performed on the atomic force microscopy (AFM) images of the surface morphologies of the LiF thin films of thickness 10 nm, 20 nm, and 40 nm, respectively. Autocorrelation function, height–height correlation function, and two-dimensional multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis (MFDFA) are used for characterizing the surface. It is found that the interface width, average roughness, lateral correlation length, and fractal dimension of the LiF thin film increase with the thickness of the film, whereas the roughness exponent decreases with thickness. Thus, the complexity and roughness of the LiF thin films increases as thickness increases. It is also demonstrated that the LiF thin films are multifractal in nature. Strength of the multifractality increases with thickness of the film.

Preparation and properties of antimony thin film anode materials

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

SU Shufa; CAO Gaoshao; ZHAO Xinbing

2004-01-01

Metallic antimony thin films were deposited by magnetron sputtering and electrodeposition. Electrochemical properties of the thin film as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries were investigated and compared with those of antimony powder. It was found that both magnetron sputtering and electrodeposition are easily controllable processes to deposit antimony films with fiat charge/discharge potential plateaus. The electrochemical performances of antimony thin films, especially those prepared with magnetron sputtering, are better than those of antimony powder. The reversible capacities of the magnetron sputtered antimony thin film are above 400 mA h g-1 in the first 15 cycles.

Fabrication of ATO/Graphene Multi-layered Transparent Conducting Thin Films

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Na; Chen, Fei; Shen, Qiang; Wang, Chuanbin; Zhang, Lianmeng

2013-03-01

A novel transparent conducting oxide based on the ATO/graphene multi-layered thin films has been developed to satisfy the application of transparent conductive electrode in solar cells. The ATO thin films are prepared by pulsed laser deposition method with high quality, namely the sheet resistance of 49.5 Ω/sq and average transmittance of 81.9 %. The prepared graphene sheet is well reduced and shows atomically thin, spotty distributed appearance on the top of the ATO thin films. The XRD and optical micrographs are used to confirm the successfully preparation of the ATO/graphene multi-layered thin films. The Hall measurements and UV-Vis spectrophotometer are conducted to evaluate the sheet resistance and optical transmittance of the innovative structure. It is found that graphene can improve the electrical properties of the ATO thin films with little influence on the optical transmittance.

Fabrication of ATO/Graphene Multi-layered Transparent Conducting Thin Films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Na; Chen Fei; Shen Qiang; Wang Chuanbin; Zhang Lianmeng

2013-01-01

A novel transparent conducting oxide based on the ATO/graphene multi-layered thin films has been developed to satisfy the application of transparent conductive electrode in solar cells. The ATO thin films are prepared by pulsed laser deposition method with high quality, namely the sheet resistance of 49.5 Ω/sq and average transmittance of 81.9 %. The prepared graphene sheet is well reduced and shows atomically thin, spotty distributed appearance on the top of the ATO thin films. The XRD and optical micrographs are used to confirm the successfully preparation of the ATO/graphene multi-layered thin films. The Hall measurements and UV-Vis spectrophotometer are conducted to evaluate the sheet resistance and optical transmittance of the innovative structure. It is found that graphene can improve the electrical properties of the ATO thin films with little influence on the optical transmittance.

Stability analysis of thin-shell wormholes from charged black string

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sharif, M.; Azam, M., E-mail: msharif.math@pu.edu.pk, E-mail: azammath@gmail.com [Department of Mathematics, University of the Punjab, Quaid-e-Azam Campus, Lahore-54590 (Pakistan)

2013-04-01

In this paper, we construct thin-shell wormholes from charged black string through cut and paste procedure and investigate its stability. We assume modified generalized Chaplygin gas as a dark energy fluid (exotic matter) present in the thin layer of matter-shell. The stability of these constructed thin-shell wormholes is investigated in the scenario of linear perturbations. We conclude that static stable as well as unstable configurations are possible for cylindrical thin-shell wormholes.

Macro stress mapping on thin film buckling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goudeau, P.; Villain, P.; Renault, P.-O.; Tamura, N.; Celestre, R.S.; Padmore, H.A.

2002-11-06

Thin films deposited by Physical Vapour Deposition techniques on substrates generally exhibit large residual stresses which may be responsible of thin film buckling in the case of compressive stresses. Since the 80's, a lot of theoretical work has been done to develop mechanical models but only a few experimental work has been done on this subject to support these theoretical approaches and nothing concerning local stress measurement mainly because of the small dimension of the buckling (few 10th mm). This paper deals with the application of micro beam X-ray diffraction available on synchrotron radiation sources for stress mapping analysis of gold thin film buckling.

Thinning and rupture of a thin liquid film on a heated surface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bankoff, S.G.; Davis, S.H.

1992-08-05

Results on the dynamics and stability of thin films are summarized on the following topics: forced dryout, film instabilities on a horizontal plane and on inclined planes, instrumentation, coating flows, and droplet spreading. (DLC)

XRay Study of Transfer Printed Pentacene Thin Films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shao, Y.; Solin, S. A.; Hines, D. R.; Williams, E. D.

2007-01-01

We investigated the structural properties and transfer properties of pentacene thin films fabricated by thermal deposition and transfer printing onto SiO2 and plastic substrates, respectively. The dependence of the crystallite size on the printing time, temperature and pressure were measured. The increases of crystalline size were observed when pentacene thin films were printed under specific conditions, e.g. 120 deg. C and 600 psi and can be correlated with the improvement of the field effect mobility of pentacene thin-film transistors

Magnetic damping phenomena in ferromagnetic thin-films and multilayers

Science.gov (United States)

Azzawi, S.; Hindmarch, A. T.; Atkinson, D.

2017-11-01

Damped ferromagnetic precession is an important mechanism underpinning the magnetisation processes in ferromagnetic materials. In thin-film ferromagnets and ferromagnetic/non-magnetic multilayers, the role of precession and damping can be critical for spintronic device functionality and as a consequence there has been significant research activity. This paper presents a review of damping in ferromagnetic thin-films and multilayers and collates the results of many experimental studies to present a coherent synthesis of the field. The terms that are used to define damping are discussed with the aim of providing consistent definitions for damping phenomena. A description of the theoretical basis of damping is presented from early developments to the latest discussions of damping in ferromagnetic thin-films and multilayers. An overview of the time and frequency domain methods used to study precessional magnetisation behaviour and damping in thin-films and multilayers is also presented. Finally, a review of the experimental observations of magnetic damping in ferromagnetic thin-films and multilayers is presented with the most recent explanations. This brings together the results from many studies and includes the effects of ferromagnetic film thickness, the effects of composition on damping in thin-film ferromagnetic alloys, the influence of non-magnetic dopants in ferromagnetic films and the effects of combining thin-film ferromagnets with various non-magnetic layers in multilayered configurations.

Thermoelectric effects of amorphous Ga-Sn-O thin film

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuda, Tokiyoshi; Uenuma, Mutsunori; Kimura, Mutsumi

2017-07-01

The thermoelectric effects of an amorphous Ga-Sn-O (a-GTO) thin film have been evaluated as a physical parameter of a novel oxide semiconductor. Currently, a-GTO thin films are greatly desired not only because they do not contain rare metals and are therefore free from problems on the exhaustion of resources and the increase in cost but also because their initial characteristics and performance stabilities are excellent when they are used in thin-film transistors. In this study, an a-GTO thin film was deposited on a quartz substrate by RF magnetron sputtering and postannealing was performed in air at 350 °C for 1 h using an annealing furnace. The Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity of the a-GTO thin film were -137 µV/K and 31.8 S/cm at room temperature, and -183 µV/K and 43.8 S/cm at 397 K, respectively, and as a result, the power factor was 1.47 µW/(cm·K2) at 397 K; these values were roughly as high as those of amorphous In-Ga-Zn-O (a-IGZO) thin films. Therefore, a-GTO thin films will be a candidate material for thermoelectric devices fabricated in a large area at a low cost by controlling the carrier mobility, carrier density, device structures, and so forth.

Mechanical behaviour of a creased thin strip

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Liu

2018-02-01

Full Text Available In this study the mechanical behaviour of a creased thin strip under opposite-sense bending was investigated. It was found that a simple crease, which led to the increase of the second moment of area, could significantly alter the overall mechanical behaviour of a thin strip, for example the peak moment could be increased by 100 times. The crease was treated as a cylindrical segment of a small radius. Parametric studies demonstrated that the geometry of the strip could strongly influence its flexural behaviour. We showed that the uniform thickness and the radius of the creased segment had the greatest and the least influence on the mechanical behaviour, respectively. We further revealed that material properties could dramatically affect the overall mechanical behaviour of the creased strip by gradually changing the material from being linear elastic to elastic-perfect plastic. After the formation of the fold, the moment of the two ends of the strip differed considerably when the elasto-plastic materials were used, especially for materials with smaller tangent modulus in the plastic range. The deformation patterns of the thin strips from the finite element simulations were verified by physical models made of thin metal strips. The findings from this study provide useful information for designing origami structures for engineering applications using creased thin strips.

Swimming efficiency in a shear-thinning fluid

Science.gov (United States)

Nganguia, Herve; Pietrzyk, Kyle; Pak, On Shun

2017-12-01

Micro-organisms expend energy moving through complex media. While propulsion speed is an important property of locomotion, efficiency is another factor that may determine the swimming gait adopted by a micro-organism in order to locomote in an energetically favorable manner. The efficiency of swimming in a Newtonian fluid is well characterized for different biological and artificial swimmers. However, these swimmers often encounter biological fluids displaying shear-thinning viscosities. Little is known about how this nonlinear rheology influences the efficiency of locomotion. Does the shear-thinning rheology render swimming more efficient or less? How does the swimming efficiency depend on the propulsion mechanism of a swimmer and rheological properties of the surrounding shear-thinning fluid? In this work, we address these fundamental questions on the efficiency of locomotion in a shear-thinning fluid by considering the squirmer model as a general locomotion model to represent different types of swimmers. Our analysis reveals how the choice of surface velocity distribution on a squirmer may reduce or enhance the swimming efficiency. We determine optimal shear rates at which the swimming efficiency can be substantially enhanced compared with the Newtonian case. The nontrivial variations of swimming efficiency prompt questions on how micro-organisms may tune their swimming gaits to exploit the shear-thinning rheology. The findings also provide insights into how artificial swimmers should be designed to move through complex media efficiently.

Emotion regulation moderates relationships between body image concerns and psychological symptomatology.

Science.gov (United States)

Hughes, Elizabeth K; Gullone, Eleonora

2011-06-01

The study investigated the moderating role of emotion regulation (ER) in relationships between body image concerns and psychological symptomatology. A community sample of 533 boys and girls (11-20 years) completed measures assessing body image thoughts and feelings, domain-specific and general ER strategies, drive for thinness, and bulimic, depressive and anxiety symptoms. Results indicated that ER moderated relationships between body image concerns and both bulimic and depressive symptoms, but not relationships between body image concerns and drive for thinness or anxiety symptoms. Adolescents who reported frequent body image concerns were more likely to have higher levels of bulimic symptoms if they tended to use avoidance and internal dysfunctional ER strategies. Furthermore, adolescents who reported frequent body image concerns were more likely to have higher levels of depressive symptoms if they used positive rational acceptance and internal functional strategies infrequently. Implications of the findings for prevention and intervention are discussed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigation of transient thermal dissipation in thinned LSI for advanced packaging

Science.gov (United States)

Araga, Yuuki; Shimamoto, Haruo; Melamed, Samson; Kikuchi, Katsuya; Aoyagi, Masahiro

2018-04-01

Thinning of LSI is necessary for superior form factor and performance in dense cutting-edge packaging technologies. At the same time, degradation of thermal characteristics caused by the steep thermal gradient on LSIs with thinned base silicon is a concern. To manage a thermal environment in advanced packages, thermal characteristics of the thinned LSIs must be clarified. In this study, static and dynamic thermal dissipations were analyzed before and after thinning silicon to determine variations of thermal characteristics in thinned LSI. Measurement results revealed that silicon thinning affects dynamic thermal characteristics as well as static one. The transient variations of thermal characteristics of thinned LSI are precisely verified by analysis using an equivalent model based on the thermal network method. The results of analysis suggest that transient thermal characteristics can be easily estimated by employing the equivalent model.

Restructuring in block copolymer thin films

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Posselt, Dorthe; Zhang, Jianqi; Smilgies, Detlef-M.

2017-01-01

Block copolymer (BCP) thin films have been proposed for a number of nanotechnology applications, such as nanolithography and as nanotemplates, nanoporous membranes and sensors. Solvent vapor annealing (SVA) has emerged as a powerful technique for manipulating and controlling the structure of BCP...... thin films, e.g., by healing defects, by altering the orientation of the microdomains and by changing the morphology. Due to high time resolution and compatibility with SVA environments, grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) is an indispensable technique for studying the SVA process......, providing information of the BCP thin film structure both laterally and along the film normal. Especially, state-of-the-art combined GISAXS/SVA setups at synchrotron sources have facilitated in situ and real-time studies of the SVA process with a time resolution of a few seconds, giving important insight...

Ranking Thinning Potential of Lodgepole Pine Stands

OpenAIRE

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service

1987-01-01

This paper presents models for predicting edge-response of dominant and codominant trees to clearing. Procedures are given for converting predictions to a thinning response index, for ranking stands for thinning priority. Data requirements, sampling suggestions, examples of application, and suggestions for management use are included to facilitate use as a field guide.

Theoretical investigation of the thermodynamic properties of metallic thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hung, Vu Van; Phuong, Duong Dai; Hoa, Nguyen Thi; Hieu, Ho Khac

2015-01-01

The thermodynamic properties of metallic thin films with face-centered cubic structure at ambient conditions were investigated using the statistical moment method including the anharmonicity effects of thermal lattice vibrations. The analytical expressions of Helmholtz free energy, lattice parameter, linear thermal expansion coefficient, specific heats at the constant volume and constant pressure were derived in terms of the power moments of the atomic displacements. Numerical calculations of thermodynamic properties have been performed for Au and Al thin films and compared with those of bulk metals. This research proposes that thermodynamic quantities of thin films approach the values of bulk when the thickness of thin film is about 70 nm. - Highlights: • Thermodynamic properties of thin films were investigated using the moment method. • Expressions of Helmholtz energy, expansion coefficient, specific heats were derived. • Calculations for Au, Al thin films were performed and compared with those of bulks

Theoretical investigation of the thermodynamic properties of metallic thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hung, Vu Van [Vietnam Education Publishing House, 81 Tran Hung Dao, Hanoi (Viet Nam); Phuong, Duong Dai [Hanoi National University of Education, 136 Xuan Thuy, Hanoi (Viet Nam); Hoa, Nguyen Thi [University of Transport and Communications, Lang Thuong, Dong Da, Hanoi (Viet Nam); Hieu, Ho Khac, E-mail: hieuhk@duytan.edu.vn [Institute of Research and Development, Duy Tan University, K7/25 Quang Trung, Danang (Viet Nam)

2015-05-29

The thermodynamic properties of metallic thin films with face-centered cubic structure at ambient conditions were investigated using the statistical moment method including the anharmonicity effects of thermal lattice vibrations. The analytical expressions of Helmholtz free energy, lattice parameter, linear thermal expansion coefficient, specific heats at the constant volume and constant pressure were derived in terms of the power moments of the atomic displacements. Numerical calculations of thermodynamic properties have been performed for Au and Al thin films and compared with those of bulk metals. This research proposes that thermodynamic quantities of thin films approach the values of bulk when the thickness of thin film is about 70 nm. - Highlights: • Thermodynamic properties of thin films were investigated using the moment method. • Expressions of Helmholtz energy, expansion coefficient, specific heats were derived. • Calculations for Au, Al thin films were performed and compared with those of bulks.

Thin-wall approximation in vacuum decay: A lemma

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Adam R.

2018-05-01

The "thin-wall approximation" gives a simple estimate of the decay rate of an unstable quantum field. Unfortunately, the approximation is uncontrolled. In this paper I show that there are actually two different thin-wall approximations and that they bracket the true decay rate: I prove that one is an upper bound and the other a lower bound. In the thin-wall limit, the two approximations converge. In the presence of gravity, a generalization of this lemma provides a simple sufficient condition for nonperturbative vacuum instability.

Thinning effect on plant growth of pruned eucalypt clone

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diego Correa Ramos

2014-06-01

Full Text Available A pruned stand of eucalypt clone underwent five thinning treatments with the removal of different proportion of the planted trees, at different ages: a 0% - unthinned, b 35% at 55 months, c 35% at 81 months, d 70% at 81 months, removing sprouts in the thinned plant stumps and, e 70% at 81 months, without coppice sprouts removal. By the age of 141 months, the Weibull distribution showed higher number of trees in the smallest diameter classes for the unthinned treatment. The 70% thinning, with thinned coppice sprouts removal, presented higher number of individuals in the largest diameter classes. Height and yield were the smallest with the removal of 70% of the trees at 81 months, maintaining coppice sprouts. The afterthinning periodic annual increment was greater by thinning 35% of the trees at 55 months resulting in greater number of trees in the largest diameter classes as compared to the other treatments. Yield was higher for the unthinned treatment. The results of this study indicated that thinning 70% of the trees at the age of 81 months, with coppice sprout removal, could be recommended to obtain trees of larger diameter for multiproduct.

Substrate-HTcS thin film interaction studies by (S)TEM

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ramaekers, P.P.J.; Klepper, D.; Kitazawa, K.; Ishiguro, T.

1989-01-01

This paper concerns with compatibility aspects beween HTcS thin film either their substrates. The influence of substrate-thin film interaction and thin film microstructure on the superconducting properties is discussed. In this respect, data based on (S)TEM observations are presented. It is

Remediation of a contaminated thin aquifer by horizontal wells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Breh, W.; Suttheimer, J.; Hoetzl, H. [Univ. of Karlsruhe (Germany); Frank, K. [GEO-Service GmbH, Rheinmuenster (Germany)

1997-12-31

At an industrial site in Bruchsal (Germany) a huge trichloroethene contamination was found. After common remedial actions proved to be widely ineffective, new investigations led to a highly contaminated thin aquifer above the main aquifer. The investigation and the beginning of the remediation of the thin aquifer by two horizontal wells is described in this paper. Special attention was given to the dependence between precipitation and the flow direction in the thin aquifer and to hydraulic connections between the thin and the main aquifer. Also a short introduction into a new remedial technique by horizontal wells and first results of the test phase of the horizontal wells are given.

Properties of RF-Sputtered PZT Thin Films with Ti/Pt Electrodes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cui Yan

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Effect of annealing temperature and thin film thickness on properties of Pb(Zr0.53Ti0.47O3 (PZT thin film deposited via radiofrequency magnetron sputtering technique onto Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrate was investigated. Average grain sizes of the PZT thin film were measured by atomic force microscope; their preferred orientation was studied through X-ray diffraction analysis. Average residual stress in the thin film was estimated according to the optimized Stoney formula, and impedance spectroscopy characterization was performed via an intelligent LCR measuring instrument. Average grain sizes of PZT thin films were 60 nm~90 nm and their average roughness was less than 2 nm. According to X-ray diffraction analysis, 600°C is the optimal annealing temperature to obtain the PZT thin film with better crystallization. Average residual stress showed that thermal mismatch was the decisive factor of residual stress in Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrate; the residual stress in PZT thin film decreased as their thickness increased and increased with annealing temperature. The dielectric constant and loss angle tangent were extremely increased with the thickness of PZT thin films. The capacitance of the device can be adjusted according to the thickness of PZT thin films.

Simulation study of a single-grip harvester in thinning from below and thinning from above

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eliasson, Lars [Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences, Umeaa (Sweden). Dept. of Silviculture; Lageson, Haakan [Forest Owner' s Ass. of Norrbotten, Boden (Sweden)

1999-07-01

The time consumption and productivity of a single-grip harvester were studied, using a simulation model, when thinning from below and above in eight randomly selected stands. The model estimated the time required for each work element, given machine and tree positions, and tree size. A 2 x 5 factorial design was used with factors thinning type [from below (T{sub b}) and above (T{sub a})] and tree size. Trees were subjectively selected for harvest according to thinning type. Total basal area removal was 30% plot{sup -1}. Approximately 50% more trees were harvested in T{sub b} than in T{sub a}. Time consumption tree{sup -1} was higher for T{sub a} than T{sub b}. Time consumption for machine and boom movements decreased with increasing number of harvested trees, and time for felling and processing of trees increased with harvested mean stem volume. Harvester productivity was 36% higher for T{sub a}, since the increase in harvested mean stem volume was higher than the increase in time consumption tree{sup -1}.

Pruning for crop regulation in high density guava (Psidium guajava L. plantation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Madhubala Thakre

2016-06-01

Full Text Available High density management and crop regulation are two important aspects in guava (Psidium guajava L. production. Therefore, to find out the economic way of managing high density planting and crop regulation, the present work was carried out on 6-year-old guava trees of cv. Pant Prabhat under double-hedge row system of planting during 2009-10 and 2010-11. Seven different forms of pruning [FBT: flower bud thinning by hand, FBTT: flower bud thinning by hand followed by removal of terminal one leaf pair, RLFO: removal of leaves and flower buds by hand, retaining one leaf pair at the top, RLF: removal of all leaves and flowers by hand, OLPS: one leaf pair shoot pruning, FSP: full shoot pruning, OLPF: one leaf pair pruning of fruited shoots only] were studied along with control (C.Minimum annual increase in tree volume (6.764 m3 was recorded with the treatment OLPF, which was 2.31 times less than the control (15.682 m3. Highest yield during winter season (55.30 kg/tree and total yield (59.87 kg/tree was obtained from treatment OLPF. One leaf pair pruning of fruited shoots only (OLPF was also found profitable among other treatments by recording cost:benefit ratio of 1:2.96. This treatment also recorded the highest return distributed in rainy as well as in winter season. On the basis of findings it can be concluded that one leaf pair pruning of fruited shoots only is suitable for profitable high density management as well as crop regulation of guava in farmer friendly manner.

Characterization of nanocrystalline cadmium telluride thin films ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Unknown

tion method, successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR), are described. For deposition of CdTe thin films ... By conducting several trials optimization of the adsorption, reaction and rinsing time duration for CdTe thin film .... The electrical resistivity of CdTe films was studied in air. Figure 3 shows the variation of log ...

Some economic considerations in thinning Douglas-fir.

Science.gov (United States)

Norman P. Worthington

1957-01-01

Many thousands of acres of young Douglas-fir stands in western Washington are ready for commercial thinning. This is true even after liberal allowance is made for premerchantable and under stocked stands, unfavorable topography, and lack of markets. However, with but few exceptions, regular systematic thinning is not being practiced even in favorably located, operable...

Thin, Flexible Secondary Li-Ion Paper Batteries

KAUST Repository

Hu, Liangbing

2010-10-26

There is a strong interest in thin, flexible energy storage devices to meet modern society needs for applications such as interactive packaging, radio frequency sensing, and consumer products. In this article, we report a new structure of thin, flexible Li-ion batteries using paper as separators and free-standing carbon nanotube thin films as both current collectors. The current collectors and Li-ion battery materials are integrated onto a single sheet of paper through a lamination process. The paper functions as both a mechanical substrate and separator membrane with lower impedance than commercial separators. The CNT film functions as a current collector for both the anode and the cathode with a low sheet resistance (∼5 Ohm/sq), lightweight (∼0.2 mg/cm2), and excellent flexibility. After packaging, the rechargeable Li-ion paper battery, despite being thin (∼300 μm), exhibits robust mechanical flexibility (capable of bending down to <6 mm) and a high energy density (108 mWh/g). © 2010 American Chemical Society.

The limitations on applying classical thin plate theory to thin annular plates clamped on the inner boundary

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel W. Zietlow

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The experimentally measured resonance frequencies of a thin annular plate with a small ratio of inner to outer radii and clamped on the inner boundary are compared to the predictions of classical thin-plate (CTP theory and a finite-element (FE model. The results indicate that, contrary to the conclusions presented in a number of publications, CTP theory does not accurately predict the frequencies of a relatively small number of resonant modes at lower frequencies. It is shown that these inaccuracies are attributable to shear deformations, which are thought to be negligible in thin plates and are neglected in CTP theory. Of particular interest is the failure of CTP theory to accurately predict the resonance frequency of the lowest vibrational mode, which was shifted approximately 30% by shear motion at the inner boundary.

Hall effect of K-doped superconducting thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Son, Eunseon; Lee, Nam Hoon; Kang, Won Nam [Dept. of physics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon (Korea, Republic of); Hwang, Tae Jong; Kim, Dong Ho [Dept. of physics, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan(Korea, Republic of)

2013-09-15

We have studied Hall effect for potassium (K)-doped BaFe{sub 2}As{sub 2}superconducting thin films by analyzing the relation between the longitudinal resistivity (ρ{sub xy}) and the Hall resistivity (ρ{sub xy}). The thin films used in this study were fabricated on Al{sub O3} (000l) substrates by using an ex-situ pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique under a high-vacuum condition of ∼10{sup -6} Torr. The samples showed the high superconducting transition temperatures (T{sub C}) of ∼40 K. The ρ{sub xx} and ρ{sub xy}the for K-doped BaFeAs{sub 2} thin films were measured by using a physical property measurement system (PPMS) with a temperature sweep (T-sweep) mode at an applied current density of 100 A/cm{sup 2} and at magnetic fields from 0 up to 9 T. We report the T-sweep results of the ρ{sub xx} and the ρ{sub xy} to investigate Hall scaling behavior on the basis of the relation of ρ{sub xy} = A(ρ{sub xy}){sup β}. The ρ{sub xx} values are 3.0 ± 0.2 in the c-axis-oriented K-doped BaFeAs{sub 2} thin films, whereas the thin films with various oriented-directions like a polycrystal showed slightly lower β than that of c-axis-oriented thin films. Interestingly, the β value is decreased with increasing magnetic fields.

Thin films for precision optics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Araujo, J.F.; Maurici, N.; Castro, J.C. de

1983-01-01

The technology of producing dielectric and/or metallic thin films for high precision optical components is discussed. Computer programs were developed in order to calculate and register, graphically, reflectance and transmittance spectra of multi-layer films. The technology of vacuum evaporation of several materials was implemented in our thin-films laboratory; various films for optics were then developed. The possibility of first calculate film characteristics and then produce the film is of great advantage since it reduces the time required to produce a new type of film and also reduces the cost of the project. (C.L.B.) [pt

Nanostructured thin films and coatings mechanical properties

CERN Document Server

2010-01-01

The first volume in "The Handbook of Nanostructured Thin Films and Coatings" set, this book concentrates on the mechanical properties, such as hardness, toughness, and adhesion, of thin films and coatings. It discusses processing, properties, and performance and provides a detailed analysis of theories and size effects. The book presents the fundamentals of hard and superhard nanocomposites and heterostructures, assesses fracture toughness and interfacial adhesion strength of thin films and hard nanocomposite coatings, and covers the processing and mechanical properties of hybrid sol-gel-derived nanocomposite coatings. It also uses nanomechanics to optimize coatings for cutting tools and explores various other coatings, such as diamond, metal-containing amorphous carbon nanostructured, and transition metal nitride-based nanolayered multilayer coatings.

Removable Thin Films used for the Abatement and Mitigation of Beryllium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lumia, M.; Gentile, C.; Creek, K.; Sandoval, R.

2003-01-01

The use of removable thin films for the abatement of hazardous particulates has many advantages. Removable thin films are designed to trap and fix particulates in the film's matrix by adhesion. Thin films can be applied to an existing contaminated area to fix and capture the particulates for removal. The nature of the removable thin films, after sufficient cure time, is such that it can typically be removed as one continuous entity. The removable thin films can be applied to almost any surface type with a high success rate of removal

Visualizing Nanoscopic Topography and Patterns in Freely Standing Thin Films

Science.gov (United States)

Yilixiati, Subinuer; Zhang, Yiran; Pearsall, Collin; Sharma, Vivek

Thin liquid films containing micelles, nanoparticles, polyelectrolyte-surfactant complexes and smectic liquid crystals undergo thinning in a discontinuous, step-wise fashion. The discontinuous jumps in thickness are often characterized by quantifying changes in the intensity of reflected monochromatic light, modulated by thin film interference from a region of interest. Stratifying thin films exhibit a mosaic pattern in reflected white light microscopy, attributed to the coexistence of domains with various thicknesses, separated by steps. Using Interferometry Digital Imaging Optical Microscopy (IDIOM) protocols developed in the course of this study, we spatially resolve for the first time, the landscape of stratifying freestanding thin films. In particular, for thin films containing micelles of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), discontinuous, thickness transitions with concentration-dependent steps of 5-25 nm are visualized and analyzed using IDIOM protocols. We distinguish nanoscopic rims, mesas and craters and show that the non-flat features are sculpted by oscillatory, periodic, supramolecular structural forces that arise in confined fluids

Preparation and properties of thin films treatise on materials science and technology

CERN Document Server

Tu, K N

1982-01-01

Treatise on Materials Science and Technology, Volume 24: Preparation and Properties of Thin Films covers the progress made in the preparation of thin films and the corresponding study of their properties. The book discusses the preparation and property correlations in thin film; the variation of microstructure of thin films; and the molecular beam epitaxy of superlattices in thin film. The text also describes the epitaxial growth of silicon structures (thermal-, laser-, and electron-beam-induced); the characterization of grain boundaries in bicrystalline thin films; and the mechanical properti

Thin Film Approaches to the SRF Cavity Problem Fabrication and Characterization of Superconducting Thin Films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beringer, Douglas [College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA (United States)

2017-08-01

Superconducting Radio Frequency (SRF) cavities are responsible for the acceleration of charged particles to relativistic velocities in most modern linear accelerators, such as those employed at high-energy research facilities like Thomas Jefferson National Laboratory’s CEBAF and the LHC at CERN. Recognizing SRF as primarily a surface phenomenon enables the possibility of applying thin films to the interior surface of SRF cavities, opening a formidable tool chest of opportunities by combining and designing materials that offer greater performance benefit. Thus, while improvements in radio frequency cavity design and refinements in cavity processing techniques have improved accelerator performance and efficiency – 1.5 GHz bulk niobium SRF cavities have achieved accelerating gradients in excess of 35 MV/m – there exist fundamental material bounds in bulk superconductors limiting the maximally sustained accelerating field gradient (≈ 45 MV/m for Nb) where inevitable thermodynamic breakdown occurs. With state of the art Nb based cavity design fast approaching these theoretical limits, novel material innovations must be sought in order to realize next generation SRF cavities. One proposed method to improve SRF performance is to utilize thin film superconducting-insulating-superconducting (SIS) multilayer structures to effectively magnetically screen a bulk superconducting layer such that it can operate at higher field gradients before suffering critically detrimental SRF losses. This dissertation focuses on the production and characterization of thin film superconductors for such SIS layers for radio frequency applications. Correlated studies on structure, surface morphology and superconducting properties of epitaxial Nb and MgB2 thin films are presented.

Flush Mounting Of Thin-Film Sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Thomas C., Sr.

1992-01-01

Technique developed for mounting thin-film sensors flush with surfaces like aerodynamic surfaces of aircraft, which often have compound curvatures. Sensor mounted in recess by use of vacuum pad and materials selected for specific application. Technique involves use of materials tailored to thermal properties of substrate in which sensor mounted. Together with customized materials, enables flush mounting of thin-film sensors in most situations in which recesses for sensors provided. Useful in both aircraft and automotive industries.

Catalytic EC′ reaction at a thin film modified electrode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gerbino, Leandro; Baruzzi, Ana M.; Iglesias, Rodrigo A.

2013-01-01

Numerical simulations of cyclic voltammograms corresponding to a catalytic EC′ reaction taking place at a thin film modified electrode are performed by way of finite difference method. Besides considering the chemical kinetic occurring inside the thin film, the model takes into account the different diffusion coefficients for each species at each of the involved phases, i.e. the thin film layer and bulk solution. The theoretical formulation is given in terms of dimensionless model parameters but a brief discussion of each of these parameters and their relationship to experimental variables is presented. Special emphasis is given to the use of working curve characteristics to quantify diffusion coefficient, homogeneous kinetic constant and thickness of the thin layer in a real system. Validation of the model is made by comparison of experimental results corresponding to the electron charge transfer of Ru(NH 3 ) 6 3+ /Ru(NH 3 ) 6 2+ hemi-couple at a thin film of a cross-linked chitosan film containing an immobilized redox dye

Room temperature ferroelectricity in continuous croconic acid thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jiang, Xuanyuan; Lu, Haidong; Yin, Yuewei; Ahmadi, Zahra; Costa, Paulo S. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588 (United States); Zhang, Xiaozhe [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588 (United States); Department of Physics, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China); Wang, Xiao; Yu, Le; Cheng, Xuemei [Department of Physics, Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania 19010 (United States); DiChiara, Anthony D. [Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439 (United States); Gruverman, Alexei, E-mail: alexei-gruverman@unl.edu, E-mail: a.enders@me.com, E-mail: xiaoshan.xu@unl.edu; Enders, Axel, E-mail: alexei-gruverman@unl.edu, E-mail: a.enders@me.com, E-mail: xiaoshan.xu@unl.edu; Xu, Xiaoshan, E-mail: alexei-gruverman@unl.edu, E-mail: a.enders@me.com, E-mail: xiaoshan.xu@unl.edu [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588 (United States); Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588 (United States)

2016-09-05

Ferroelectricity at room temperature has been demonstrated in nanometer-thin quasi 2D croconic acid thin films, by the polarization hysteresis loop measurements in macroscopic capacitor geometry, along with observation and manipulation of the nanoscale domain structure by piezoresponse force microscopy. The fabrication of continuous thin films of the hydrogen-bonded croconic acid was achieved by the suppression of the thermal decomposition using low evaporation temperatures in high vacuum, combined with growth conditions far from thermal equilibrium. For nominal coverages ≥20 nm, quasi 2D and polycrystalline films, with an average grain size of 50–100 nm and 3.5 nm roughness, can be obtained. Spontaneous ferroelectric domain structures of the thin films have been observed and appear to correlate with the grain patterns. The application of this solvent-free growth protocol may be a key to the development of flexible organic ferroelectric thin films for electronic applications.

Susceptibility for thin ideal media and eating styles

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Anschutz, Doeschka J; Engels, Rutger C M E; van Strien, Tatjana

This study examined the relations between susceptibility for thin ideal media and restrained, emotional and external eating, directly and indirectly through body dissatisfaction. Thin ideal media susceptibility, body dissatisfaction and eating styles were measured in a sample of 163 female students.

Harvester Productivity for Row Thinning Loblolly Pine Plantations

Science.gov (United States)

James E. Granskog; Walter C. Anderson

1980-01-01

Tivo tree harvesters currently being used to thin southern pine plantations were evaluated to determine the effects of stand characteristics on machine productivity. Production rates for row thinning loblolly plantations are presented by stand age, site index, and stand density.

Simulated Thin-Film Growth and Imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Schillaci, Michael

2001-06-01

Thin-films have become the cornerstone of the electronics, telecommunications, and broadband markets. A list of potential products includes: computer boards and chips, satellites, cell phones, fuel cells, superconductors, flat panel displays, optical waveguides, building and automotive windows, food and beverage plastic containers, metal foils, pipe plating, vision ware, manufacturing equipment and turbine engines. For all of these reasons a basic understanding of the physical processes involved in both growing and imaging thin-films can provide a wonderful research project for advanced undergraduate and first-year graduate students. After producing rudimentary two- and three-dimensional thin-film models incorporating ballsitic deposition and nearest neighbor Coulomb-type interactions, the QM tunneling equations are used to produce simulated scanning tunneling microscope (SSTM) images of the films. A discussion of computational platforms, languages, and software packages that may be used to accomplish similar results is also given.

Solid surfaces, interfaces and thin films

CERN Document Server

Lüth, Hans

2015-01-01

This book emphasises both experimental and theoretical aspects of surface, interface and thin-film physics. As in previous editions the preparation of surfaces and thin films, their atomic and morphological structure, their vibronic and electronic properties as well as fundamentals of adsorption are treated. Because of their importance in modern information technology and nanostructure research, particular emphasis is paid to electronic surface and interface states, semiconductor space charge layers and heterostructures. A special chapter of the book is devoted to collective phenomena at interfaces and in thin films such as superconductivity and magnetism. The latter topic includes the meanwhile important issues giant magnetoresistance and spin-transfer torque mechanism, both effects being of high interest in information technology. In this new edition, for the first time, the effect of spin-orbit coupling on surface states is treated. In this context the class of the recently detected topological insulators,...

Nanostructured thin films as functional coatings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lazar, Manoj A; Tadvani, Jalil K; Tung, Wing Sze; Lopez, Lorena; Daoud, Walid A, E-mail: Walid.Daoud@sci.monash.edu.au [School of Applied Sciences and Engineering, Monash University, Churchill, VIC 3842 (Australia)

2010-06-15

Nanostructured thin films is one of the highly exploiting research areas particularly in applications such as photovoltaics, photocatalysis and sensor technologies. Highly tuned thin films, in terms of thickness, crystallinity, porosity and optical properties, can be fabricated on different substrates using the sol-gel method, chemical solution deposition (CSD), electrochemical etching, along with other conventional methods such as chemical vapour deposition (CVD) and physical vapour deposition (PVD). The above mentioned properties of these films are usually characterised using surface analysis techniques such as XRD, SEM, TEM, AFM, ellipsometry, electrochemistry, SAXS, reflectance spectroscopy, STM, XPS, SIMS, ESCA, X-ray topography and DOSY-NMR. This article presents a short review of the preparation and characterisation of thin films of nanocrystalline titanium dioxide and modified silicon as well as their application in solar cells, water treatment, water splitting, self cleaning fabrics, sensors, optoelectronic devices and lab on chip systems.

Solid Surfaces, Interfaces and Thin Films

CERN Document Server

Lüth, Hans

2010-01-01

This book emphasises both experimental and theoretical aspects of surface, interface and thin film physics. As in previous editions the preparation of surfaces and thin films, their atomic and morphological, their vibronic and electronic properties as well as fundamentals of adsorption are treated. Because of their importance in modern information technology and nanostructure physics particular emphasis is paid to electronic surface and interface states, semiconductor space charge layers and heterostructures as well as to superconductor/semiconductor interfaces and magnetic thin films. The latter topic was significantly extended in this new edition by more details about the giant magnetoresistance and a section about the spin-transfer torque mechanism including one new problem as exercise. Two new panels about Kerr-effect and spin-polarized scanning tunnelling microscopy were added, too. Furthermore, the meanwhile important group III-nitride surfaces and high-k oxide/semiconductor interfaces are shortly discu...

Bi-axially crumpled silver thin-film electrodes for dielectric elastomer actuators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Low, Sze-Hsien; Lau, Gih-Keong

2014-01-01

Metal thin films, which have high conductivity, are much stiffer and may fracture at a much lower strain than dielectric elastomers. In order to fabricate compliant electrodes for use in dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs), metal thin films have been formed into either zigzag patterns or corrugations, which favour bending and only allow uniaxial DEA deformations. However, biaxially compliant electrodes are desired in order to maximize generated forces of DEA. In this paper, we present crumpled metal thin-film electrodes that are biaxially compliant and have full area coverage over the dielectric elastomer. These crumpled metal thin-film electrodes are more stretchable than flat metal thin films; they remain conductive beyond 110% radial strain. Also, crumpling reduced the stiffening effect of metal thin films on the soft elastomer. As such, DEAs using crumpled metal thin-film electrodes managed to attain relatively high actuated area strains of up to 128% at 1.8 kV (102 Vμm −1 ). (paper)

Investigations of Si Thin Films as Anode of Lithium-Ion Batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, Qingliu [Department of Chemical; Shi, Bing; Bareño, Javier; Liu, Yuzi; Maroni, Victor A.; Zhai, Dengyun; Dees, Dennis W.; Lu, Wenquan

2018-01-22

Amorphous silicon thin films having various thicknesses were investigated as a negative electrode material for lithium-ion batteries. Electrochemical characterization of the 20 nm thick thin silicon film revealed a very low first cycle Coulombic efficiency, which can be attributed to the silicon oxide layer formed on both the surface of the as-deposited Si thin film and the interface between the Si and the substrate. Among the investigated films, the 100 nm Si thin film demonstrated the best performance in terms of first cycle efficiency and cycle life. Observations from scanning electron microscopy demonstrated that the generation of cracks was inevitable in the cycled Si thin films, even as the thickness of the film was as little as 20 nm, which was not predicted by previous modeling work. However, the cycling performance of the 20 and 100 nm silicon thin films was not detrimentally affected by these cracks. The poor capacity retention of the 1 mu m silicon thin film was attributed to the delamination.

Solution processed pentacene thin films and their structural properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tao Chunlan; Zhang Xuhui; Zhang Fujia; Liu Yiyang; Zhang Haoli

2007-01-01

The paper reported the solution process of pentacene thin films from organic solvent O-dichlorobenzene. The pentacene thin films obtained from different conditions were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and UV-vis spectroscopy. The result shows that the pentacene solution was successfully obtained at a minimum temperature of 40 deg. C. The optimum temperature of forming pentacene thin films was 100 deg. C

Structural changes of the regulatory proteins bound to the thin filaments in skeletal muscle contraction by X-ray fiber diffraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugimoto, Yasunobu; Takezawa, Yasunori; Matsuo, Tatsuhito; Ueno, Yutaka; Minakata, Shiho; Tanaka, Hidehiro; Wakabayashi, Katsuzo

2008-01-01

In order to clarify the structural changes related to the regulation mechanism in skeletal muscle contraction, the intensity changes of thin filament-based reflections were investigated by X-ray fiber diffraction. The time course and extent of intensity changes of the first to third order troponin (TN)-associated meridional reflections with a basic repeat of 38.4 nm were different for each of these reflections. The intensity of the first and second thin filament layer lines changed in a reciprocal manner both during initial activation and during the force generation process. The axial spacings of the TN-meridional reflections decreased by ∼0.1% upon activation relative to the relaxing state and increased by ∼0.24% in the force generation state, in line with that of the 2.7-nm reflection. Ca 2+ -binding to TN triggered the shortening and a change in the helical symmetry of the thin filaments. Modeling of the structural changes using the intensities of the thin filament-based reflections suggested that the conformation of the globular core domain of TN altered upon activation, undergoing additional conformational changes at the tension plateau. The tail domain of TN moved together with tropomyosin during contraction. The results indicate that the structural changes of regulatory proteins bound to the actin filaments occur in two steps, the first in response to the Ca 2+ -binding and the second induced by actomyosin interaction

The effect of interpersonal rejection on attentional biases regarding thin-ideal and non-thin images: The moderating role of body weight- and shape-based self-worth.

Science.gov (United States)

Rieger, Elizabeth; Dolan, Ashleigh; Thomas, Brittany; Bell, Jason

2017-09-01

Interpersonal dysfunction and weight/shape-based self-worth have been implicated as key constructs for eating disorders, although the relationship between these two concepts is under-researched. This study investigated the moderating role of weight/shape-based self-worth in terms of the impact of interpersonal rejection on attentional bias regarding thin-ideal and non-thin images. Participants were 94 females without an eating disorder, who were exposed to either interpersonal rejection or acceptance (using the Cyberball paradigm), and subsequently assessed in terms of their attentional biases regarding thin-ideal and non-thin images. Results revealed that weight/shape-based self-worth moderated the relationship between interpersonal rejection/acceptance and attentional biases for thin-ideal (but not non-thin) images. Specifically, participants with a greater tendency to base their self-worth on weight/shape demonstrated reduced avoidance of thin-ideal images when rejected relative to those who were accepted. The findings support the role of interpersonal rejection in eliciting attentional disturbances among those with higher body weight/shape-based self-worth. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Subtle Raman signals from nano-diamond and β-SiC thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuntumalla, Mohan Kumar; Ojha, Harish; Srikanth, Vadali Venkata Satya Siva

2013-01-01

Micro Raman scattering experiments are carried out in pursuit of subtle but discernable signals from nano-diamond and β-SiC thin films. The thin films are synthesized using microwave plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition technique. Raman scattering experiments in conjunction with scanning electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction were carried out to extract microstructure and phase information of the above mentioned thin films. Certain subtle Raman signals have been identified in this work. In the case of nanodiamond thin films, Raman bands at ∼ 485 and ∼ 1220 cm −1 are identified. These bands have been assigned to the nanodiamond present in nanodiamond thin films. In the case of nano β-SiC thin films, optical phonons are identified using surface enhanced Raman scattering. - Highlights: ► Subtle Raman signals from nano-diamond and β-silicon carbide related thin films. ► Raman bands at ∼ 485 and ∼ 1220 cm −1 from nanodiamond thin films are identified. ► Longitudinal optical phonon from nano β-silicon carbide thin films is identified

Preparation of Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4} thin films by sulfurizing stacked precursor thin films via successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Su Zhenghua; Yan Chang; Sun Kaiwen; Han Zili [School of Metallurgical Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); Liu Fangyang, E-mail: liufangyang@csu.edu.cn [School of Metallurgical Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); Liu Jin [School of Metallurgical Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); Lai Yanqing, E-mail: laiyanqingcsu@163.com [School of Metallurgical Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); Li Jie; Liu Yexiang [School of Metallurgical Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China)

2012-07-15

Earth-abundant Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4} is a promising alternative photovoltaic material which has been examined as absorber layer of thin film solar cells. In this study, Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4} (CZTS) thin films have been successfully fabricated by sulfurizing stacked precursor thin films via successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method. The prepared CZTS thin films have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive spectrometer, Raman spectroscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy, Hall effect measurements and photoelectrochemical tests. Results reveal that the thin films have kesterite structured Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4} and the p-type conductivity with a carrier concentration in the order of 10{sup 18} cm{sup -3} and an optical band gap of 1.5 eV, which are suitable for applications in thin film solar cells.

Molecular dynamics simulation of Cu/Au thin films under temperature gradient

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Qibin; Peng, Xianghe; Peng, Tiefeng; Tang, Qizhong; Zhang, Xiaomin; Huang, Cheng

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: Heat transportation in the thin films. - Highlights: • The coherent lattice interface is found at thin films after annealing. • The vacancies are observed clearly in the deposit thin films. • The defect and component will influence the energy transportation in the coatings. • The vacancies and lattice mismatch can enlarge the mobility of atoms. • The phonon transportation in thin films has no apparent rule. - Abstract: Three modulation period thin films, 1.8 nm Cu/3.6 nm Au, 2.7 nm Cu/2.7 nm Au and 3.6 nm Cu/1.8 nm Au, are obtained from deposition method and ideal modeling based on lattice constant, to examine their structures and thermophysical characteristics under temperature gradient. The coherent lattice interface is found both at deposit and ideal thin films after annealing. Also, the vacancies are observed clearly in the deposit thin films. The defect and component of thin films will influence the energy transportation in the coatings. The vacancies and lattice mismatch can enlarge the mobility of atoms and result in the failure of coating under the thermal stress. The power spectrum of atoms’ movement has no apparent rule for phonon transportation in thin films. The results are helpful to reveal the micro-mechanism and provide reasonable basis for the failure of metallic coatings.

Molecular dynamics simulation of Cu/Au thin films under temperature gradient

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Qibin, E-mail: qibinli@cqu.edu.cn [College of Aerospace Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030 (China); State Key Laboratory of Coal Mine Disaster Dynamics and Control, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030 (China); Chongqing Key Laboratory of Heterogeneous Material Mechanics, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030 (China); Peng, Xianghe [College of Aerospace Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030 (China); State Key Laboratory of Coal Mine Disaster Dynamics and Control, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030 (China); Peng, Tiefeng, E-mail: pengtiefeng@cqu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Coal Mine Disaster Dynamics and Control, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030 (China); Tang, Qizhong [College of Aerospace Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030 (China); Zhang, Xiaomin [College of Aerospace Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030 (China); Chongqing Key Laboratory of Heterogeneous Material Mechanics, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030 (China); Huang, Cheng [College of Aerospace Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030 (China)

2015-12-01

Graphical abstract: Heat transportation in the thin films. - Highlights: • The coherent lattice interface is found at thin films after annealing. • The vacancies are observed clearly in the deposit thin films. • The defect and component will influence the energy transportation in the coatings. • The vacancies and lattice mismatch can enlarge the mobility of atoms. • The phonon transportation in thin films has no apparent rule. - Abstract: Three modulation period thin films, 1.8 nm Cu/3.6 nm Au, 2.7 nm Cu/2.7 nm Au and 3.6 nm Cu/1.8 nm Au, are obtained from deposition method and ideal modeling based on lattice constant, to examine their structures and thermophysical characteristics under temperature gradient. The coherent lattice interface is found both at deposit and ideal thin films after annealing. Also, the vacancies are observed clearly in the deposit thin films. The defect and component of thin films will influence the energy transportation in the coatings. The vacancies and lattice mismatch can enlarge the mobility of atoms and result in the failure of coating under the thermal stress. The power spectrum of atoms’ movement has no apparent rule for phonon transportation in thin films. The results are helpful to reveal the micro-mechanism and provide reasonable basis for the failure of metallic coatings.

Anomalous precipitation hardening in Al-(1 wt%)Cu thin films

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bergers, L. J. C.; De Hosson, J. Th. M.; Geers, M. G. D.; Hoefnagels, J. P. M.

2018-01-01

This paper concentrates on the precipitation hardening of Al-(1 wt%)Cu thin films. It is shown that in contrast to bulk, the well-known approach of precipitation hardening in confined systems like thin layers and thin films does not operate in the conventional way. This work analyses and discusses

Relationships between self-esteem, media influence and drive for thinness.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandez, Sofia; Pritchard, Mary

2012-12-01

The media is a powerful societal tool for expressing expectations about how men and women should look. As a result, over the past several years, women have shown an increase in body dissatisfaction (Cash, Morrow, Hrabosky, & Perry, 2004). The present study examined the relationships between drive for thinness, self-esteem, and media influence among men and women. Two hundred ninety-four college students completed the Texas Social Behavior Inventory (Helmreich & Stapp, 1974), Sociocultural Attitudes towards Appearance Scale-3 (Thompson, van den Berg, Roehrig, Guarda, & Hienberg, 2004), self-constructed questionnaire influence of media models, and the drive for Thinness Subscale (DT) from the Eating Disorder Inventory-3 (EDI-3; (Garner, 2004)). We expected to find an association between drive for thinness and media influence and between drive for thinness and self-esteem for both men and women. Finally, we expected that the use of media, social pressures and media internalization would be predictors of drive for thinness. We found a relationship between media influence and drive for thinness. There was also a relationship between self-esteem and drive for thinness. For both men and women, media models were the primary predictor for drive for thinness. However, for women the secondary predictor was social pressures; whereas for men the secondary predictor was internalization. Such findings show the importance of examining the impact of media sources on men and women in order to entangle gender differences. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thin film characterization by resonantly excited internal standing waves

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Di Fonzio, S [SINCROTRONE TRIESTE, Trieste (Italy)

1996-09-01

This contribution describes how a standing wave excited in a thin film can be used for the characterization of the properties of the film. By means of grazing incidence X-ray reflectometry one can deduce the total film thickness. On the other hand in making use of a strong resonance effect in the electric field intensity distribution inside a thin film on a bulk substrate one can learn more about the internal structure of the film. The profile of the internal standing wave is proven by diffraction experiments. The most appropriate non-destructive technique for the subsequent thin film characterization is angularly dependent X-ray fluorescence analysis. The existence of the resonance makes it a powerful tool for the detection of impurities and of ultra-thin maker layers, for which the position can be determined with very high precision (about 1% of the total film thickness). This latter aspect will be discussed here on samples which had a thin Ti marker layer at different positions in a carbon film. Due to the resonance enhancement it was still possible to perform these experiments with a standard laboratory x-ray tube and with standard laboratory tool for marker or impurity detection in thin films.

12. International conference on thin films (ICTF 12). Book of Abstract

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Majkova, E.

2002-09-01

The publication has been set up as a proceedings of the conference dealing with thin films production and study of their properties. The conference was focused on the following topics: (1) Advanced deposition techniques; (2) Thin Film Growth; (3) Diagnostics, Structure - Properties Relationship; (4) Mechanical Properties and Stress; (5) Protective and Functional Coatings; (6) Micropatterning and Nanostructures; (7) EUV and Soft X-Ray Multilayers; (8) Magnetic Thin Films and Multilayers; (9) Organic Thin Films; (10) Thin Films for Electronics and Optics. In this proceedings totally 157 abstracts are published of which 126 are interest for INIS

Optical characteristics of the thin-film scintillator detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muga, L.; Burnsed, D.

1976-01-01

A study of the thin-film detector (TFD) was made in which various light guide and scintillator film support configurations were tested for efficiency of light coupling. Masking of selected portions of the photomultiplier (PM) tube face revealed the extent to which emitted light was received at the exposed PM surfaces. By blocking off selected areas of the scintillator film surface from direct view of the PM tube faces, a measure of the light-guiding efficiency of the film and its support could be estimated. The picture that emerges is that, as the light which is initially trapped in the thin film spreads radially outward from the ion entrance/exit point, it is scattered out of the film by minute imperfections. Optimum signals were obtained by a configuration in which the thin scintillator film was supported on a thin rectangular Celluloid frame inserted within a highly polished metal cylindrical sleeve

Profitability of Precommericially Thinning Oak Stump Sprouts

Science.gov (United States)

John P. Dwyer; Daniel C. Dey; William B. Kurtz

1993-01-01

Thinning oak stump sprouts to a single stem at an early age will increase diameter growth of the released stem. However, percommercial thinning represents a substantial investment which must be carried for many years before any returns are realized. We estimated the incremental gains in yield and the present net worth for five crop-tree release treatments of 5-yr-old...

Profitability of precommercially thinning oak stump sprouts

Science.gov (United States)

John P. Dwyer; Daniel C. Dey; William B. Kurtz

1993-01-01

Thinning oak stump sprouts to a single stem at an early age will increase diameter growth of the released stem. However, precommercial thinning represents a substantial investment which must be carried for many years before any returns are realized. We estimated the incremental gains in yield and the present net worth for five crop-tree release treatments of 5-year-old...

Collective Behavior of Amoebae in Thin Films

Science.gov (United States)

Bae, Albert

2005-03-01

We have discovered new aspects of social behavior in Dictyostelium discoideum by culturing high density colonies in liquid media depleted of nutrients in confined geometries by using three different preparations: I. thin (15-40um thick) and II. ultrathin (behavior of cells despite flattening that increased their areas by over an order of magnitude. We also observed that the earliest synchronized response of cells following the onset of starvation, a precursor to aggregation, was hastened by reducing the thickness of the aqueous culture layer. We were surprised to find that the threshold concentration for aggregation was raised by thin film confinement when compared to bulk behavior. Finally, both the ultra thin and microfluidic preparations reveal, with new clarity, vortex states of aggregation.

The Dynamic Similitude Design Method of Thin Walled Structures and Experimental Validation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhong Luo

2016-01-01

Full Text Available For the applicability of dynamic similitude models of thin walled structures, such as engine blades, turbine discs, and cylindrical shells, the dynamic similitude design of typical thin walled structures is investigated. The governing equation of typical thin walled structures is firstly unified, which guides to establishing dynamic scaling laws of typical thin walled structures. Based on the governing equation, geometrically complete scaling law of the typical thin walled structure is derived. In order to determine accurate distorted scaling laws of typical thin walled structures, three principles are proposed and theoretically proved by combining the sensitivity analysis and governing equation. Taking the thin walled annular plate as an example, geometrically complete and distorted scaling laws can be obtained based on the principles of determining dynamic scaling laws. Furthermore, the previous five orders’ accurate distorted scaling laws of thin walled annular plates are presented and numerically validated. Finally, the effectiveness of the similitude design method is validated by experimental annular plates.

Feasibility of Ultra-Thin Fiber-Optic Dosimeters for Radiotherapy Dosimetry.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Bongsoo; Kwon, Guwon; Shin, Sang Hun; Kim, Jaeseok; Yoo, Wook Jae; Ji, Young Hoon; Jang, Kyoung Won

2015-11-17

In this study, prototype ultra-thin fiber-optic dosimeters were fabricated using organic scintillators, wavelength shifting fibers, and plastic optical fibers. The sensor probes of the ultra-thin fiber-optic dosimeters consisted of very thin organic scintillators with thicknesses of 100, 150 and 200 μm. These types of sensors cannot only be used to measure skin or surface doses but also provide depth dose measurements with high spatial resolution. With the ultra-thin fiber-optic dosimeters, surface doses for gamma rays generated from a Co-60 therapy machine were measured. Additionally, percentage depth doses in the build-up regions were obtained by using the ultra-thin fiber-optic dosimeters, and the results were compared with those of external beam therapy films and a conventional fiber-optic dosimeter.

Thermal properties and stabilities of polymer thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanaya, Toshiji; Kawashima, Kazuko; Inoue, Rintaro; Miyazaki, Tsukasa

2009-01-01

Recent extensive studies have revealed that polymer thin films showed very interesting but unusual thermal properties and stabilities. In the article we show that X-ray reflectivity and neutron reflectivity are very powerful tools to study the anomalous properties of polymer thin films. (author)

Content Model Use and Development to Redeem Thin Section Records

Science.gov (United States)

Hills, D. J.

2014-12-01

The National Geothermal Data System (NGDS) is a catalog of documents and datasets that provide information about geothermal resources located primarily within the United States. The goal of NGDS is to make large quantities of geothermal-relevant geoscience data available to the public by creating a national, sustainable, distributed, and interoperable network of data providers. The Geological Survey of Alabama (GSA) has been a data provider in the initial phase of NGDS. One method by which NGDS facilitates interoperability is through the use of content models. Content models provide a schema (structure) for submitted data. Schemas dictate where and how data should be entered. Content models use templates that simplify data formatting to expedite use by data providers. These methodologies implemented by NGDS can extend beyond geothermal data to all geoscience data. The GSA, using the NGDS physical samples content model, has tested and refined a content model for thin sections and thin section photos. Countless thin sections have been taken from oil and gas well cores housed at the GSA, and many of those thin sections have related photomicrographs. Record keeping for these thin sections has been scattered at best, and it is critical to capture their metadata while the content creators are still available. A next step will be to register the GSA's thin sections with SESAR (System for Earth Sample Registration) and assign an IGSN (International Geo Sample Number) to each thin section. Additionally, the thin section records will be linked to the GSA's online record database. When complete, the GSA's thin sections will be more readily discoverable and have greater interoperability. Moving forward, the GSA is implementing use of NGDS-like content models and registration with SESAR and IGSN to improve collection maintenance and management of additional physical samples.

Two-dimensional models for the optical response of thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yilei; Heinz, Tony F.

2018-04-01

In this work, we present a systematic study of 2D optical models for the response of thin layers of material under excitation by normally incident light. The treatment, within the framework of classical optics, analyzes a thin film supported by a semi-infinite substrate, with both the thin layer and the substrate assumed to exhibit local, isotropic linear response. Starting from the conventional three-dimensional (3D) slab model of the system, we derive a two-dimensional (2D) sheet model for the thin film in which the optical response is described by a sheet optical conductivity. We develop criteria for the applicability of this 2D sheet model for a layer with an optical thickness far smaller than the wavelength of the light. We examine in detail atomically thin semi-metallic and semiconductor van-der-Waals layers and ultrathin metal films as representative examples. Excellent agreement of the 2D sheet model with the 3D slab model is demonstrated over a broad spectral range from the radio frequency limit to the near ultraviolet. A linearized version of system response for the 2D model is also presented for the case where the influence of the optically thin layer is sufficiently weak. Analytical expressions for the applicability and accuracy of the different optical models are derived, and the appropriateness of the linearized treatment for the materials is considered. We discuss the advantages, as well as limitations, of these models for the purpose of deducing the optical response function of the thin layer from experiment. We generalize the theory to take into account in-plane anisotropy, layered thin film structures, and more general substrates. Implications of the 2D model for the transmission of light by the thin film and for the implementation of half- and totally absorbing layers are discussed.

Highly coercive thin-film nanostructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou, J.; Skomski, R.; Kashyap, A.; Sorge, K.D.; Sui, Y.; Daniil, M.; Gao, L.; Yan, M.L.; Liou, S.-H.; Kirby, R.D.; Sellmyer, D.J.

2005-01-01

The processing, structure, and magnetism of highly coercive Sm-Co and FePt thin-film nanostructures are investigated. The structures include 1:5 based Sm-Co-Cu-Ti magnets, particulate FePt:C thin films, and FePt nanotubes. As in other systems, the coercivity depends on texture and imperfections, but there are some additional features. A specific coercivity mechanism in particulate media is a discrete pinning mode intermediate between Stoner-Wohlfarth rotation and ordinary domain-wall pinning. This mechanism yields a coercivity maximum for intermediate intergranular exchange and explains the occurrence of coercivities of 5 T in particulate Sm-Co-Cu-Ti magnets

Nonlinear Ballistic Transport in an Atomically Thin Material.

Science.gov (United States)

Boland, Mathias J; Sundararajan, Abhishek; Farrokhi, M Javad; Strachan, Douglas R

2016-01-26

Ultrashort devices that incorporate atomically thin components have the potential to be the smallest electronics. Such extremely scaled atomically thin devices are expected to show ballistic nonlinear behavior that could make them tremendously useful for ultrafast applications. While nonlinear diffusive electron transport has been widely reported, clear evidence for intrinsic nonlinear ballistic transport in the growing array of atomically thin conductors has so far been elusive. Here we report nonlinear electron transport of an ultrashort single-layer graphene channel that shows quantitative agreement with intrinsic ballistic transport. This behavior is shown to be distinctly different than that observed in similarly prepared ultrashort devices consisting, instead, of bilayer graphene channels. These results suggest that the addition of only one extra layer of an atomically thin material can make a significant impact on the nonlinear ballistic behavior of ultrashort devices, which is possibly due to the very different chiral tunneling of their charge carriers. The fact that we observe the nonlinear ballistic response at room temperature, with zero applied magnetic field, in non-ultrahigh vacuum conditions and directly on a readily accessible oxide substrate makes the nanogap technology we utilize of great potential for achieving extremely scaled high-speed atomically thin devices.

Pronounced prefronto-temporal cortical thinning in schizophrenia: Neuroanatomical correlate of suicidal behavior?

Science.gov (United States)

Besteher, Bianca; Wagner, Gerd; Koch, Kathrin; Schachtzabel, Claudia; Reichenbach, Jürgen R; Schlösser, Ralf; Sauer, Heinrich; Schultz, C Christoph

2016-10-01

Schizophrenia is characterized by increased mortality for which suicidality is the decisive factor. An analysis of cortical thickness and folding to further elucidate neuroanatomical correlates of suicidality in schizophrenia has not yet been performed. We searched for relevant brain regions with such differences between patients with suicide-attempts, patients without any suicidal thoughts and healthy controls. 37 schizophrenia patients (14 suicide-attempters and 23 non-suicidal) and 50 age- and gender-matched healthy controls were included. Suicidality was documented through clinical interview and chart review. All participants underwent T1-weighted MRI scans. Whole brain node-by-node cortical thickness and folding were estimated (FreeSurfer Software) and compared. Additionally a three group comparison for prefrontal regions-of-interest was performed in SPSS using a multifactorial GLM. Compared with the healthy controls patients showed a typical pattern of cortical thinning in prefronto-temporal regions and altered cortical folding in the right medial temporal cortex. Patients with suicidal behavior compared with non-suicidal patients demonstrated pronounced (psuicidal patients with non-suicidal patients significant (psuicidal behaviour in schizophrenia. We identified cortical thinning in a network strongly involved in regulation of impulsivity, emotions and planning of behaviour in suicide attempters, which might lead to neuronal dysregulation in this network and consequently to a higher risk of suicidal behavior. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Compositional ratio effect on the surface characteristics of CuZn thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Ahrom; Park, Juyun; Kang, Yujin; Lee, Seokhee; Kang, Yong-Cheol

2018-05-01

CuZn thin films were fabricated by RF co-sputtering method on p-type Si(100) wafer with various RF powers applied on metallic Cu and Zn targets. This paper aimed to determine the morphological, chemical, and electrical properties of the deposited CuZn thin films by utilizing a surface profiler, atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), UV photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS), and a 4-point probe. The thickness of the thin films was fixed at 200 ± 8 nm and the roughness of the thin films containing Cu was smaller than pure Zn thin films. XRD studies confirmed that the preferred phase changed, and this tendency is dependent on the ratio of Cu to Zn. AES spectra indicate that the obtained thin films consisted of Cu and Zn. The high resolution XPS spectra indicate that as the content of Cu increased, the intensities of Zn2+ decreased. The work function of CuZn thin films increased from 4.87 to 5.36 eV. The conductivity of CuZn alloy thin films was higher than pure metallic thin films.

Ultra-thin zirconia films on Zr-alloys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Joong Il Jake; Mayr-Schmoelzer, Wernfried; Mittendorfer, Florian; Redinger, Josef; Diebold, Ulrike; Schmid, Michael [Institute of Applied Physics, Vienna University of Technology (Austria); Li, Hao; Rupprechter, Guenther [Institute of Materials Chemistry, Vienna University of Technology (Austria)

2014-07-01

Zirconia ultra-thin films have been prepared by oxidation of Pt{sub 3}Zr(0001) and showed a structure equivalent to (111) of cubic zirconia. Following previous work, we have prepared ultra-thin zirconia by oxidation of a different alloy, Pd{sub 3}Zr(0001), which resulted in a similar structure with a slightly different lattice parameter, 351.2 ±0.4 pm. Unlike the oxide on Pt{sub 3}Zr, where Zr of the oxide binds to Pt in the substrate, here the oxide binds to substrate Zr via oxygen. This causes stronger distortion of the oxide structure, i.e. a stronger buckling of Zr in the oxide. After additional oxidation of ZrO{sub 2}/Pt{sub 3}Zr, a different ultra-thin zirconia phase is observed. A preliminary structure model for this film is based on (113)-oriented cubic zirconia. 3D oxide clusters are also present after growing ultra-thin zirconia films. They occur at the step edges, and the density is higher on Pd{sub 3}Zr. These clusters also appear on terraces after additional oxidation. XPS reveals different core level shifts of the oxide films, bulk, and oxide clusters.

The Structure and Stability of Molybdenum Ditelluride Thin Films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhouling Wang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Molybdenum-tellurium alloy thin films were fabricated by electron beam evaporation and the films were annealed in different conditions in N2 ambient. The hexagonal molybdenum ditelluride thin films with well crystallization annealed at 470°C or higher were obtained by solid state reactions. Thermal stability measurements indicate the formation of MoTe2 took place at about 350°C, and a subtle weight-loss was in the range between 30°C and 500°C. The evolution of the chemistry for Mo-Te thin films was performed to investigate the growth of the MoTe2 thin films free of any secondary phase. And the effect of other postdeposition treatments on the film characteristics was also investigated.

Squalene aspiration pneumonia : thin-section CT and histopathologic findings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Jin Seong; Gong, Gyung Yub; Lim, Tae Hwan

1998-01-01

The purpose of this study was to describe the thin-section computed tomography (CT) findings and histopathologic findings of squalene aspiration pneumonia. Thin-section CT scans were obtained from nine patients with proven exogenous lipoid pneumonia resulting from aspiration of squalene (derived from shark liver oil). The condition was diagnosed by biopsy (n=3), bronchoalveolar lavage(n=4), or sputum cytology and clinical history (n=2) of squalene use was confirmed in all patients. Specimens of transbronchial lung biopsy were also reviewed and compared with thin-section CT findings. On the basis of these results, we concluded that squalene aspiration pneumonia can be reliably diagnosed by thin-section CT findings particularly when the appropriate history is known. (author). 19 refs., 3 figs

Effect of solution concentration on MEH-PPV thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Affendi, I. H. H.; Sarah, M. S. P.; Alrokayan, Salman A. H.; Khan, Haseeb A.; Rusop, M.

2018-05-01

MEH-PPV thin films were prepared with a mixture of THF (tetrahydrofuran) solution deposited by spin coating method. The surface topology of MEH-PPV thin film were characterize by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and optical properties of absorption spectra were characterized by using Ultraviolet-visible-near-infrared (UV-Vis-NIR). The MEH-PPV concentration variation affects the surface and optical properties of the thin film where 0.5 mg/ml MEH-PPV concentration have a good surface topology provided the same film also gives the highest absorption coefficient were then deposited to a TiO2 thin film forming composite layer. The composite layer then shows low current flow of short circuit current of Isc = -5.313E-7 A.

Sputtered molybdenum thin films and the application in CIGS solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, D.; Zhu, H., E-mail: hongbing1982@hotmail.com; Liang, X.; Zhang, C.; Li, Z.; Xu, Y.; Chen, J.; Zhang, L.; Mai, Y., E-mail: yaohuamai@hbu.edu.cn

2016-01-30

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Mo thin films are prepared by magnetron sputtering. • The dynamic deposition rate increases with the increasing discharge power. • The surface structure of Mo films varies with discharge power and working pressure. • High efficiency CIGS thin film solar cell of 15.2% has been obtained. - Abstract: Molybdenum (Mo) thin films are prepared by magnetron sputtering with different discharge powers and working pressures for the application in Cu(In, Ga)Se{sub 2} (CIGS) thin film solar cells as back electrodes. Properties of these Mo thin films are systematically investigated. It is found that the dynamic deposition rate increases with the increasing discharge power while decreases with the increasing working pressure. The highest dynamic deposition rate of 15.1 nm m/min is achieved for the Mo thin film deposited at the discharge power of 1200 W and at the working pressure of 0.15 Pa. The achieved lowest resistivity of 3.7 × 10{sup −5} Ω cm is attributed to the large grains in the compact thin film. The discharge power and working pressure have great influence on the sputtered Mo thin films. High efficiency of 12.5% was achieved for the Cu(In, Ga)Se{sub 2} (CIGS) thin film solar cells with Mo electrodes prepared at 1200 W and low working pressures. By further optimizing material and device properties, the conversion efficiency has reached to 15.2%.

CdS thin films prepared by laser assisted chemical bath deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia, L.V.; Mendivil, M.I.; Garcia Guillen, G.; Aguilar Martinez, J.A.; Krishnan, B.; Avellaneda, D.; Castillo, G.A.; Das Roy, T.K.; Shaji, S.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • CdS thin films by conventional CBD and laser assisted CBD. • Characterized these films using XRD, XPS, AFM, optical and electrical measurements. • Accelerated growth was observed in the laser assisted CBD process. • Improved dark conductivity and good photocurrent response for the LACBD CdS. - Abstract: In this work, we report the preparation and characterization of CdS thin films by laser assisted chemical bath deposition (LACBD). CdS thin films were prepared from a chemical bath containing cadmium chloride, triethanolamine, ammonium hydroxide and thiourea under various deposition conditions. The thin films were deposited by in situ irradiation of the bath using a continuous laser of wavelength 532 nm, varying the power density. The thin films obtained during deposition of 10, 20 and 30 min were analyzed. The changes in morphology, structure, composition, optical and electrical properties of the CdS thin films due to in situ irradiation of the bath were analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and UV–vis spectroscopy. The thin films obtained by LACBD were nanocrystalline, photoconductive and presented interesting morphologies. The results showed that LACBD is an effective synthesis technique to obtain nanocrystalline CdS thin films having good optoelectronic properties

CdS thin films prepared by laser assisted chemical bath deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garcia, L.V.; Mendivil, M.I.; Garcia Guillen, G.; Aguilar Martinez, J.A. [Facultad de Ingenieria Mecanica y Electrica, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Av. Pedro de Alba s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, San Nicolas de los Garza, Nuevo Leon 66450 (Mexico); Krishnan, B. [Facultad de Ingenieria Mecanica y Electrica, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Av. Pedro de Alba s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, San Nicolas de los Garza, Nuevo Leon 66450 (Mexico); CIIDIT – Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Apodaca, Nuevo Leon (Mexico); Avellaneda, D.; Castillo, G.A.; Das Roy, T.K. [Facultad de Ingenieria Mecanica y Electrica, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Av. Pedro de Alba s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, San Nicolas de los Garza, Nuevo Leon 66450 (Mexico); Shaji, S., E-mail: sshajis@yahoo.com [Facultad de Ingenieria Mecanica y Electrica, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Av. Pedro de Alba s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, San Nicolas de los Garza, Nuevo Leon 66450 (Mexico); CIIDIT – Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Apodaca, Nuevo Leon (Mexico)

2015-05-01

Highlights: • CdS thin films by conventional CBD and laser assisted CBD. • Characterized these films using XRD, XPS, AFM, optical and electrical measurements. • Accelerated growth was observed in the laser assisted CBD process. • Improved dark conductivity and good photocurrent response for the LACBD CdS. - Abstract: In this work, we report the preparation and characterization of CdS thin films by laser assisted chemical bath deposition (LACBD). CdS thin films were prepared from a chemical bath containing cadmium chloride, triethanolamine, ammonium hydroxide and thiourea under various deposition conditions. The thin films were deposited by in situ irradiation of the bath using a continuous laser of wavelength 532 nm, varying the power density. The thin films obtained during deposition of 10, 20 and 30 min were analyzed. The changes in morphology, structure, composition, optical and electrical properties of the CdS thin films due to in situ irradiation of the bath were analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and UV–vis spectroscopy. The thin films obtained by LACBD were nanocrystalline, photoconductive and presented interesting morphologies. The results showed that LACBD is an effective synthesis technique to obtain nanocrystalline CdS thin films having good optoelectronic properties.

Atomic Structure Control of Silica Thin Films on Pt(111)

KAUST Repository

Crampton, Andrew S

2015-05-27

Metal oxide thin films grown on metal single crystals are commonly used to model heterogeneous catalyst supports. The structure and properties of thin silicon dioxide films grown on metal single crystals have only recently been thoroughly characterized and their spectral properties well established. We report the successful growth of a three- dimensional, vitreous silicon dioxide thin film on the Pt(111) surface and reproduce the closed bilayer structure previously reported. The confirmation of the three dimensional nature of the film is unequivocally shown by the infrared absorption band at 1252 cm−1. Temperature programmed desorption was used to show that this three-dimensional thin film covers the Pt(111) surface to such an extent that its application as a catalyst support for clusters/nanoparticles is possible. The growth of a three-dimensional film was seen to be directly correlated with the amount of oxygen present on the surface after the silicon evaporation process. This excess of oxygen is tentatively attributed to atomic oxygen being generated in the evaporator. The identification of atomic oxygen as a necessary building block for the formation of a three-dimensional thin film opens up new possibilities for thin film growth on metal supports, whereby simply changing the type of oxygen enables thin films with different atomic structures to be synthesized. This is a novel approach to tune the synthesis parameters of thin films to grow a specific structure and expands the options for modeling common amorphous silica supports under ultra high vacuum conditions.

Polarized Neutron Reflectivity Simulation of Ferromagnet/ Antiferromagnet Thin Films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Ki Yeon; Lee, Jeong Soo

2008-02-15

This report investigates the current simulating and fitting programs capable of calculating the polarized neutron reflectivity of the exchange-biased ferromagnet/antiferromagnet magnetic thin films. The adequate programs are selected depending on whether nonspin flip and spin flip reflectivities of magnetic thin films and good user interface are available or not. The exchange-biased systems such as Fe/Cr, Co/CoO, CoFe/IrMn/Py thin films have been simulated successfully with selected programs.

Thin Capitalization Rules and Multinational Firm Capital Structure

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Blouin, J.; Huizinga, H.P.; Laeven, L.; Nicodeme, G.

2014-01-01

Abstract: This paper examines the impact of thin capitalization rules that limit the tax deductibility of interest on the capital structure of the foreign affiliates of US multinationals. We construct a new data set on thin capitalization rules in 54 countries for the period 1982-2004. Using

Mesoscopic Fluctuations for the Thinned Circular Unitary Ensemble

Science.gov (United States)

Berggren, Tomas; Duits, Maurice

2017-09-01

In this paper we study the asymptotic behavior of mesoscopic fluctuations for the thinned Circular Unitary Ensemble. The effect of thinning is that the eigenvalues start to decorrelate. The decorrelation is stronger on the larger scales than on the smaller scales. We investigate this behavior by studying mesoscopic linear statistics. There are two regimes depending on the scale parameter and the thinning parameter. In one regime we obtain a CLT of a classical type and in the other regime we retrieve the CLT for CUE. The two regimes are separated by a critical line. On the critical line the limiting fluctuations are no longer Gaussian, but described by infinitely divisible laws. We argue that this transition phenomenon is universal by showing that the same transition and their laws appear for fluctuations of the thinned sine process in a growing box. The proofs are based on a Riemann-Hilbert problem for integrable operators.

Perovskite phase thin films and method of making

Science.gov (United States)

Boyle, Timothy J.; Rodriguez, Mark A.

2000-01-01

The present invention comprises perovskite-phase thin films, of the general formula A.sub.x B.sub.y O.sub.3 on a substrate, wherein A is selected from beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, and barium or a combination thereof; B is selected from niobium and tantalum or a combination thereof; and x and y are mole fractions between approximately 0.8 and 1.2. More particularly, A is strontium or barium or a combination thereof and B is niobium or tantalum or a combination thereof. Also provided is a method of making a perovskite-phase thin film, comprising combining at least one element-A-containing compound, wherein A is selected from beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium or barium, with at least one element-B-containing compound, wherein B niobium or tantalum, to form a solution; adding a solvent to said solution to form another solution; spin-coating the solution onto a substrate to form a thin film; and heating the film to form the perovskite-phase thin film.

Electrochemical Thinning for Anodic Aluminum Oxide and Anodic Titanium Oxide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, In Hae; Jo, Yun Kyoung; Kim, Yong Tae; Tak, Yong Sug; Choi, Jin Sub [Inha University, Incheon (Korea, Republic of)

2012-05-15

For given electrolytes, different behaviors of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) and anodic titanium oxide (ATO) during electrochemical thinning are explained by ionic and electronic current modes. Branched structures are unavoidably created in AAO since the switch of ionic to electronic current is slow, whereas the barrier oxide in ATO is thinned without formation of the branched structures. In addition, pore opening can be possible in ATO if chemical etching is performed after the thinning process. The thinning was optimized for complete pore opening in ATO and potential-current behavior is interpreted in terms of ionic current-electronic current switching.

Porous Zinc Oxide Thin Films: Synthesis Approaches and Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Laurenti

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Zinc oxide (ZnO thin films have been widely investigated due to their multifunctional properties, i.e., catalytic, semiconducting and optical. They have found practical use in a wide number of application fields. However, the presence of a compact micro/nanostructure has often limited the resulting material properties. Moreover, with the advent of low-dimensional ZnO nanostructures featuring unique physical and chemical properties, the interest in studying ZnO thin films diminished more and more. Therefore, the possibility to combine at the same time the advantages of thin-film based synthesis technologies together with a high surface area and a porous structure might represent a powerful solution to prepare ZnO thin films with unprecedented physical and chemical characteristics that may find use in novel application fields. Within this scope, this review offers an overview on the most successful synthesis methods that are able to produce ZnO thin films with both framework and textural porosities. Moreover, we discuss the related applications, mainly focused on photocatalytic degradation of dyes, gas sensor fabrication and photoanodes for dye-sensitized solar cells.

Self-enhancing effects of exposure to thin-body images.

Science.gov (United States)

Joshi, Ramona; Herman, C Peter; Polivy, Janet

2004-04-01

This study examines the effect of thin-body media images on mood, self-esteem, and self-image ratings of restrained and unrestrained eaters. A secondary purpose was to examine whether these effects were influenced by exposure duration. Under the guise of a perception study, participants were exposed to thin-body or control advertisements (e.g., perfume bottles) for either 7 or 150 ms and then completed a questionnaire packet. Restrained eaters reported more favorable self-image and social self-esteem (but not appearance self-esteem) scores after exposure to thin-body images than after exposure to control advertisements. The self-image and social self-esteem scores of unrestrained eaters were unaffected by advertisement type, but their appearance self-esteem scores were lower after exposure to thin-body advertisements. No differences were found for mood ratings and total self-esteem. We discuss restraint status as a moderator of the effects of thin-body images on women's body image. Copyright 2004 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 35: 333-341, 2004.

Emergent Topological Phenomena in Thin Films of Pyrochlore Iridates

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Bohm-Jung; Nagaosa, Naoto

2014-06-01

Because of the recent development of thin film and artificial superstructure growth techniques, it is possible to control the dimensionality of the system, smoothly between two and three dimensions. In this Letter we unveil the dimensional crossover of emergent topological phenomena in correlated topological materials. In particular, by focusing on the thin film of pyrochlore iridate antiferromagnets grown along the [111] direction, we demonstrate that the thin film can have a giant anomalous Hall conductance, proportional to the thickness of the film, even though there is no Hall effect in 3D bulk material. Moreover, in the case of ultrathin films, a quantized anomalous Hall conductance can be observed, despite the fact that the system is an antiferromagnet. In addition, we uncover the emergence of a new topological phase, the nontrivial topological properties of which are hidden in the bulk insulator and manifest only in thin films. This shows that the thin film of correlated topological materials is a new platform to search for unexplored novel topological phenomena.

Thin film description by wavelet coefficients statistics

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Boldyš, Jiří; Hrach, R.

2005-01-01

Roč. 55, č. 1 (2005), s. 55-64 ISSN 0011-4626 Grant - others:GA UK(CZ) 173/2003 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10750506 Keywords : thin films * wavelet transform * descriptors * histogram model Subject RIV: BD - Theory of Information Impact factor: 0.360, year: 2005 http://library.utia.cas.cz/separaty/2009/ZOI/boldys-thin film description by wavelet coefficients statistics .pdf

Quench simulation in the thin superconducting solenoid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tominaka, T.; Takasaki, M.; Wake, M.; Yamada, R.

1983-07-01

The propagation velocities of a normal zone were calculated for a 1 mdiameter x 1 m superconducting solenoid and for a 3 mdiameter x 5 m thin solenoid based on a simple model using the one-dimensional thermal equation. The quench back effect can be observed in certain conditions. The quench of the large thin solenoid was also simulated by using the computer program 'QUENCH'. (author)

Thin-ideal internalization: How much is too much?

Science.gov (United States)

Schaefer, Lauren M; Burke, Natasha L; Thompson, J Kevin

2018-03-16

Internalization of the thin-ideal is a risk factor for eating disorders that frequently persists into recovery and increases patient risk for relapse. Addressing thin-ideal internalization as a core element of eating disorder prevention and treatment produces significant reductions in eating pathology. However, research has not yet quantified levels of thin-ideal internalization that may signal increased versus decreased risk for disordered eating. To address this gap in the literature, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to identify a thin-ideal internalization cutoff score that signified clinically-meaningful eating disorder pathology. 787 college women (age M = 20.17, SD = 2.41; BMI M = 23.58, SD = 5.29) were classified as "healthy" (N = 717) or those with significant disordered eating (N = 70) using established clinical cutoffs for the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire. ROC curve analysis was used to test the performance of the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-4 (SATAQ-4) Internalization: Thin/Low Body Fat subscale in predicting disordered eating status, and to identify a cutoff score that maximized sensitivity and specificity to discriminate between healthy and disordered eating samples. Mean SATAQ-4 internalization scores were 3.29 (SD = 0.92) and 4.27 (SD = 0.62) for healthy and disordered eating participants, respectively. The SATAQ-4 internalization scores were good predictors of disordered eating status (area under the curve = 0.81, 95% CI: 0.76-0.86). The optimal cutoff of 3.78 (measured on a 1-5 Likert scale) yielded a sensitivity of 0.81 and specificity of 0.64. Overall, results provide preliminary support for the discriminant validity of SATAQ-4 thin internalization scores and suggest that even moderate levels of thin-ideal internalization may be predictive of clinically-significant eating pathology. It may be important for prevention and intervention work to actively seek to reduce

Designing shear-thinning

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Arif Z.; Ewoldt, Randy H.

2017-11-01

Design in fluid mechanics often focuses on optimizing geometry (airfoils, surface textures, microfluid channels), but here we focus on designing fluids themselves. The dramatically shear-thinning ``yield-stress fluid'' is currently the most utilized non-Newtonian fluid phenomenon. These rheologically complex materials, which undergo a reversible transition from solid-like to liquid-like fluid flow, are utilized in pedestrian products such as paint and toothpaste, but also in emerging applications like direct-write 3D printing. We present a paradigm for yield-stress fluid design that considers constitutive model representation, material property databases, available predictive scaling laws, and the many ways to achieve a yield stress fluid, flipping the typical structure-to-rheology analysis to become the inverse: rheology-to-structure with multiple possible materials as solutions. We describe case studies of 3D printing inks and other flow scenarios where designed shear-thinning enables performance remarkably beyond that of Newtonian fluids. This work was supported by Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company and the National Science Foundation under Grant No. CMMI-1463203.

Photovoltaics: tests of thin-film technologies. 6 thin-film technologies in 3 different BIPV modes compared in a real outdoor performance test; PV-ThinFilmTest. 6 thin-film technologies in 3 different BIPV modes compared in a real outdoor performance test

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Frei, R.; Meier, Ch.

2005-07-01

This final report for the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) presents the results of a comparison made between six types of thin-film, building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) technologies used in three different modes of building-integration. More than 450 thin-film modules including amorphous silicon and CIS technologies were monitored. Each type of module was installed in three different modes: inclined (20{sup o}), flat with free back air flow, and flat with thermal back insulation. The performance of these commercially available thin-film BIPV systems was monitored using an extensive monitoring program. Additionally, three mono-crystalline PV arrays allowed direct comparison of the technologies. The results of the monitoring work are presented and further work to be done is discussed, including the monitoring of possible long-term degradation.

Current status of thin seam longwall mining in the US

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peng, S.S. [West Virginia Univ., Morgantown, WV (United States); Orndorff, A.

1996-12-31

Thin seams in this paper refers to those seams the economic mining height of which is below 50-55 in. that are traditionally considered to be the proprietary of plowing and present a whole net set of problems for longwall mining. In thin seams it is difficult to design and manufacture an efficient high capacity cutting machine for maintenance and production operations. Thin seam mining by longwall plowing began in the late fifties in southern West Virginia, and continues to the present time. In the seventies when longwall mining began to take off a large percentage of U.S. longwalls were operating in the thin seams. Tables 1 and 2 show the historical trends of cutting machines used for seams less than 55 in and 50 in, respectively. In addition to the plow system, the single-ended fixed drum and single-ended ranging drum shearers were introduced in the mid and late seventies and operated continuously until 2-4 years ago. The double-ended ranging drum shearers have also been employed for thin seam longwall mining during this period including several in-web (or off-pan) shearers between late seventies and early eighties. In this paper three thin-seam longwalls in three states employing the latest thin-seam longwall technology will be reviewed. However only two of them are still in operation while the third one ceased operation recently.

Nondestructive testing of welds on thin-walled tubing

Science.gov (United States)

Hagemaier, D. J.; Posakony, G. J.

1969-01-01

Special ultrasonic search unit, or transducer assembly, reliably inspects the quality of melt-through welds of fusion welded tubing couplers for hydraulic lines. This instrumentation can also be used to detect faulty braze bonds in thin-walled, small diameter joints and wall thickness of thin-walled metal tubing.

Optimized grid design for thin film solar panels

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Deelen, J. van; Klerk, L.; Barink, M.

2014-01-01

There is a gap in efficiency between record thin film cells and mass produced thin film solar panels. In this paper we quantify the effect of monolithic integration on power output for various configurations by modeling and present metallization as a way to improve efficiency of solar panels. Grid

Thermal stability of gold-PS nanocomposites thin films

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Low-temperature transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies were performed on polystyrene (PS, w = 234 K) – Au nanoparticle composite thin films that were annealed up to 350°C under reduced pressure conditions. The composite thin films were prepared by wet chemical approach and the samples were then ...

Thin films for the manipulation of light

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Piegari, Angela; Sytchkova, Anna

2015-01-01

The manipulation of light is typically accomplished by a series of optical surfaces on which the incident beam is reflected, or through which the beam is transmitted. Thin film coatings help to modify the behavior of such surfaces for obtaining the desired result: antireflection coatings to reduce reflection losses, high-reflectance mirrors, filters to divide or combine beams of different wavelengths, and many other types. The amount of light that is transmitted or reflected depends on the optical parameters of the materials and on interference phenomena in thin-film structures. Dedicated software is available to design the proper coating for each requirement. There are several applications of optical thin films, many of them are useful in the everyday life, many others are dedicated to scientific purposes, as will be described in this paper [it

Wall thinning of piping in power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohta, Joji; Inada, Fumio; Morita, Ryo; Kawai, Noboru; Yoneda, Kimitoshi

2005-01-01

Major mechanisms causing wall thinning of piping in power plants are flow accelerated corrosion (FAC), cavitation erosion and droplet erosion. Their fundamental aspects are reviewed on the basis of literature data. FAC is chemical process and it is affected by hydrodynamic factors, temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen concentration and chemical composition of materials. On the other hand, cavitation erosion and droplet erosion are mechanical process and they are mainly affected by hydrodynamic factors and mechanical properties of materials. Evaluation codes for FAC and mitigation methods of FAC and the erosion are also described. Wall thinning of piping is one of public concerns after an accident of a pipe failure at Mihama Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3, Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc., in August 2004. This paper gives comprehensive understanding of the wall thinning mechanism. (author)

Ion beam heating of thin silicon membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tissot, P.E.; Hart, R.R.

1993-01-01

For silicon membranes irradiated by an ion beam in a vacuum environment, such as the masks used for ion beam lithography and the membranes used for thin film self-annealing, the heat transfer modes are radiation and limited conduction through the thin membrane. The radiation component depends on the total hemispherical emissivity which varies with the thickness and temperature of the membrane. A semiempirical correlation for the absorption coefficient of high resistivity silicon was derived and the variation of the total emissivity with temperature was computed for membranes with thicknesses between 0.1 and 10 μm. Based on this result, the temperatures reached during exposure to ion beams of varying intensities were computed. A proper modeling of the emissivity is shown to be important for beam heating of thin silicon membranes. (orig.)

Detecting Super-Thin Clouds With Polarized Light

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Wenbo; Videen, Gorden; Mishchenko, Michael I.

2014-01-01

We report a novel method for detecting cloud particles in the atmosphere. Solar radiation backscattered from clouds is studied with both satellite data and a radiative transfer model. A distinct feature is found in the angle of linear polarization of solar radiation that is backscattered from clouds. The dominant backscattered electric field from the clear-sky Earth-atmosphere system is nearly parallel to the Earth surface. However, when clouds are present, this electric field can rotate significantly away from the parallel direction. Model results demonstrate that this polarization feature can be used to detect super-thin cirrus clouds having an optical depth of only 0.06 and super-thin liquid water clouds having an optical depth of only 0.01. Such clouds are too thin to be sensed using any current passive satellite instruments.

Unidirectional oxide hetero-interface thin-film diode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Youngmin; Lee, Eungkyu; Lee, Jinwon; Lim, Keon-Hee; Kim, Youn Sang

2015-01-01

The unidirectional thin-film diode based on oxide hetero-interface, which is well compatible with conventional thin-film fabrication process, is presented. With the metal anode/electron-transporting oxide (ETO)/electron-injecting oxide (EIO)/metal cathode structure, it exhibits that electrical currents ohmically flow at the ETO/EIO hetero-interfaces for only positive voltages showing current density (J)-rectifying ratio of ∼10 5 at 5 V. The electrical properties (ex, current levels, and working device yields) of the thin-film diode (TFD) are systematically controlled by changing oxide layer thickness. Moreover, we show that the oxide hetero-interface TFD clearly rectifies an AC input within frequency (f) range of 10 2  Hz < f < 10 6  Hz, providing a high feasibility for practical applications

Unidirectional oxide hetero-interface thin-film diode

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Youngmin; Lee, Eungkyu; Lee, Jinwon; Lim, Keon-Hee [Program in Nano Science and Technology, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Youn Sang, E-mail: younskim@snu.ac.kr [Program in Nano Science and Technology, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of); Advanced Institute of Convergence Technology, Gyeonggi-do 443-270 (Korea, Republic of)

2015-10-05

The unidirectional thin-film diode based on oxide hetero-interface, which is well compatible with conventional thin-film fabrication process, is presented. With the metal anode/electron-transporting oxide (ETO)/electron-injecting oxide (EIO)/metal cathode structure, it exhibits that electrical currents ohmically flow at the ETO/EIO hetero-interfaces for only positive voltages showing current density (J)-rectifying ratio of ∼10{sup 5} at 5 V. The electrical properties (ex, current levels, and working device yields) of the thin-film diode (TFD) are systematically controlled by changing oxide layer thickness. Moreover, we show that the oxide hetero-interface TFD clearly rectifies an AC input within frequency (f) range of 10{sup 2} Hz < f < 10{sup 6} Hz, providing a high feasibility for practical applications.

Thin metal electrodes for semitransparent organic photovoltaics

KAUST Repository

Lee, Kyusung

2013-08-01

We demonstrate semitransparent organic photovoltaics (OPVs) based on thin metal electrodes and polymer photoactive layers consisting of poly(3-hexylthiophene) and [6,6]-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester. The power conversion efficiency of a semitransparent OPV device comprising a 15-nm silver (Ag) rear electrode is 1.98% under AM 1.5-G illumination through the indium-tin-oxide side of the front anode at 100 mW/cm2 with 15.6% average transmittance of the entire cell in the visible wavelength range. As its thickness increases, a thin Ag electrode mainly influences the enhancement of the short circuit current density and fill factor. Its relatively low absorption intensity makes a Ag thin film a viable option for semitransparent electrodes compatible with organic layers. © 2013 ETRI.

Thinning trials in lowland plantations in the Veneto Region (North-eastern Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mario Pividori

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Thinning trials in lowland plantations in the Veneto Region (North-eastern Italy. More than 234 hectares of new plantations of lowland mixed forest have been realized in the last 20 years in the Veneto Region (North-eastern Italy. In many of these is now needed to start thinning operations, but there is a lack of experience about this topic. Aim of this work was to undertake an experimentation on different types of thinnings. The thinning trial has been performed at Bosco San Marco forest, municipality of Cessalto (Venice, in a very dense hornbeam-oak plantation aged 16. In 2010, three different thinning types were implemented on 9 hectares according to the following layout: geometrical (34% of woody mass removed, selective (15%, mixed geometrical-selective (30%, control plot. Three years later no significant differences between thinning trials in term of diametric growth, geometrical thinning excepted, were observed. These results provide a suite of solutions to the forest manager for choosing the early thinning type in high tree density condition.

Large Area Thin Film Silicon: Synergy between Displays and Solar Cells

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schropp, R.E.I.

2012-01-01

Thin-film silicon technology has changed our society, owing to the rapid advance of its two major application fields in communication (thin-film displays) and sustainable energy (thin-film solar cells). Throughout its development, advances in these application fields have always benefitted each

Characterization of ultrasonic spray pyrolysed ruthenium oxide thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Patil, P.S.; Ennaoui, E.A.; Lokhande, C.D.; Mueller, M.; Giersig, M.; Diesner, K.; Tributsch, H. [Hahn-Meitner-Institut Berlin GmbH (Germany). Bereich Physikalische Chemie

1997-11-21

The ultrasonic spray pyrolysis (USP) technique was employed to deposit ruthenium oxide thin films. The films were prepared at 190 C substrate temperature and further annealed at 350 C for 30 min in air. The films were 0.22 {mu} thick and black grey in color. The structural, compositional and optical properties of ruthenium oxide thin films are reported. Contactless transient photoconductivity measurement was carried out to calculate the decay time of excess charge carriers in ruthenium oxide thin films. (orig.) 28 refs.

The impact of exposure to the thin-ideal media image on women.

Science.gov (United States)

Hawkins, Nicole; Richards, P Scott; Granley, H Mac; Stein, David M

2004-01-01

The purpose of this study was to experimentally examine the effects of exposure to the thin-ideal body image on women's affect, self-esteem, body satisfaction, eating disorder symptoms, and level of internalization of the thin-ideal. College women (N=145) were randomly exposed to photographs from popular magazines containing either thin-ideal images or neutral images. Exposure to thin-ideal magazine images increased body dissatisfaction, negative mood states, and eating disorder symptoms and decreased self-esteem, although it did not cause more internalization of the thin-ideal. Exposure to thin-ideal media images may contribute to the development of eating disorders by causing body dissatisfaction, negative moods, low self-esteem, and eating disorders symptoms among women.

On the Nature and Extent of Optically Thin Marine low Clouds

Science.gov (United States)

Leahy, L. V.; Wood, R.; Charlson, R. J.; Hostetler, C. A.; Rogers, R. R.; Vaughan, M. A.; Winker, D. M.

2012-01-01

Macrophysical properties of optically thin marine low clouds over the nonpolar oceans (60 deg S-60 deg N) are measured using 2 years of full-resolution nighttime data from the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP). Optically thin clouds, defined as the subset of marine low clouds that do not fully attenuate the lidar signal, comprise almost half of the low clouds over the marine domain. Regionally, the fraction of low clouds that are optically thin (f(sub thin,cld)) exhibits a strong inverse relationship with the low-cloud cover, with maxima in the tropical trades (f(sub thin,cld) greater than 0.8) and minima in regions of persistent marine stratocumulus and in midlatitudes (f(sub thin,cld) less than 0.3). Domain-wide, a power law fit describes the cloud length distribution, with exponent beta = 2.03 +/- 0.06 (+/-95% confidence interval). On average, the fraction of a cloud that is optically thin decreases from approximately 1 for clouds smaller than 2 km to less than 0.3 for clouds larger than 30 km. This relationship is found to be independent of region, so that geographical variations in the cloud length distribution explain three quarters of the variance in f(sub thin,cld). Comparing collocated trade cumulus observations from CALIOP and the airborne High Spectral Resolution Lidar reveals that clouds with lengths smaller than are resolvable with CALIOP contribute approximately half of the low clouds in the region sampled. A bounded cascade model is constructed to match the observations from the trades. The model shows that the observed optically thin cloud behavior is consistent with a power law scaling of cloud optical depth and suggests that most optically thin clouds only partially fill the CALIOP footprint.

Preparation and characterization of vanadium oxide thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Monfort, O.; Plesch, G. [Comenius University of Bratislava, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Inorganic Chemistry, 84215 Bratislava (Slovakia); Roch, T. [Comenius University of Bratislava, Faculty of Mathematics Physics and Informatics, Department of Experimental Physics, 84248 Bratislava (Slovakia)

2013-04-16

The thermotropic VO{sub 2} films have many applications, since they exhibit semiconductor-conductor switching properties at temperature around 70 grad C. Vanadium oxide thin films were prepared via sol-gel method. Spin coater was used to depose these films on Si/SiO{sub 2} and lime glass substrates. Thin films of V{sub 2}O{sub 5} can be reduced to metastable VO{sub 2} thin films at the temperature of 450 grad C under the pressure of 10{sup -2} Pa. These films are then converted to thermotropic VO{sub 2} at 700 grad C in argon under normal pressure. (authors)

Regeneration in defoliated and thinned hardwood stands of north-central West Virginia

Science.gov (United States)

R. M. Muzika; M. J. Twery

1995-01-01

Overstory species regeneration was examined in 1989, prior to gypsy moth defoliation and thinnings, on 16 stands in the West Virginia University Forest. Three stands were thinned and defoliated while five were thinned only and three were defoliated only. Five stands were neither thinned nor defoliated. Data were collected from these stands for three years subsequent to...

Characterization of Pb(Zr, Ti)O sub 3 thin films prepared by metal-organic chemical-vapor deposition using a solid delivery system

CERN Document Server

Shin, J C; Hwang, C S; Kim, H J; Lee, J M

1999-01-01

Pb(Zr, Ti)O sub 3 (PZT) thin films were deposited on Pt/SiO sub 2 /Si substrates by metal-organic chemical-vapor deposition technique using a solid delivery system to improve the reproducibility of the deposition. The self-regulation mechanism, controlling the Pb-content of the film, was observed to work above a substrate temperature of 620 .deg. C. Even with the self-regulation mechanism, PZT films having low leakage current were obtained only when the molar mixing ratio of the input precursors was 1

PZT Thin-Film Micro Probe Device with Dual Top Electrodes

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Chuan

Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin-film actuators have been studied intensively for years because of their potential applications in many fields. In this dissertation, a PZT thin-film micro probe device is designed, fabricated, studied, and proven to be acceptable as an intracochlear acoustic actuator. The micro probe device takes the form of a cantilever with a PZT thin-film diaphragm at the tip of the probe. The tip portion of the probe will be implanted in cochlea later in animal tests to prove its feasibility in hearing rehabilitation. The contribution of the dissertation is three-fold. First, a dual top electrodes design, consisting of a center electrode and an outer electrode, is developed to improve actuation displacement of the PZT thin-film diaphragm. The improvement by the dual top electrodes design is studied via a finite element model. When the dimensions of the dual electrodes are optimized, the displacement of the PZT thin-film diaphragm increases about 30%. A PZT thin-film diaphragm with dual top electrodes is fabricated to prove the concept, and experimental results confirm the predictions from the finite element analyses. Moreover, the dual electrode design can accommodate presence of significant residual stresses in the PZT thin-film diaphragm by changing the phase difference between the two electrodes. Second, a PZT thin-film micro probe device is fabricated and tested. The fabrication process consists of PZT thin-film deposition and deep reactive ion etching (DRIE). The uniqueness of the fabrication process is an automatic dicing mechanism that allows a large number of probes to be released easily from the wafer. Moreover, the fabrication is very efficient, because the DRIE process will form the PZT thin-film diaphragm and the special dicing mechanism simultaneously. After the probes are fabricated, they are tested with various possible implantation depths (i.e., boundary conditions). Experimental results show that future implantation depths

Effects of introduction of argon on structural and transparent conducting properties of ZnO-In2O3 thin films prepared by pulsed laser deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moriga, Toshihiro; Mikawa, Michio; Sakakibara, Yuji; Misaki, Yukinori; Murai, Kei-ichiro; Nakabayashi, Ichiro; Tominaga, Kikuo; Metson, James B.

2005-01-01

Indium-zinc oxide thin films were deposited on a glass substrate from a ZnO and In 2 O 3 mixed target by a pulsed laser deposition technique. The effects on surface texture, structure and transparent conducting properties of the introduction of argon into the chamber during the depositions of amorphous and homologous ZnO-In 2 O 3 thin films were examined. The compositional range where amorphous films formed was widened by the introduction of argon. Resistivity in the region where the amorphous phase appeared increased slightly, with an increase of zinc content, due to the counteractions of decreased Hall mobility and increased carrier concentration. Introduction of argon improved surface roughness of the films and reduced and regulated particle and/or crystallite sizes of the films

Molecular dynamics simulation about porous thin-film growth in secondary deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Huawei; Tieu, A. Kiet; Liu Qiang; Hagiwara, Ichiro; Lu Cheng

2007-01-01

The thin film growth has been confirmed to be assembled by an enormous number of clusters in experiments of CVD. Sequence of clusters' depositions proceeds to form the thin film at short time as gas fluids through surface of substrate. In order to grow condensed thin film using series of cluster deposition, the effect of initial velocity, substrate temperature and density of clusters on property of deposited thin film, especially appearance of nanoscale pores inside thin film must be investigated. In this simulation, three different cluster sizes of 203, 653, 1563 atoms with different velocities (0, 10, 100, 1000 and 3000 m/s) were deposited on a Cu(0 0 1) substrate whose temperatures were set between 300 and 1000 K. Four clusters and one cluster were used in primary deposition and secondary deposition, respectively. We have clarified that adhesion between clusters and substrate is greatly influenced by initial velocity. As a result, the exfoliation pattern of deposited thin film is dependent on initial velocity and different between them. One borderline dividing whole region into porous region and nonporous region are obtained to show the effect of growth conditions on appearance of nanoscale pores inside thin film. Moreover, we have also shown that the likelihood of porous thin film is dependent on the point of impact of a cluster relative to previously deposited clusters

Molecular dynamics simulation about porous thin-film growth in secondary deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen Huawei [School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, No. 37 Xuyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing (China) and Mechanical Materials and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, NSW 2522 (Australia)]. E-mail: chen_hua_wei@yahoo.com; Tieu, A. Kiet [Mechanical Materials and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, NSW 2522 (Australia); Liu Qiang [School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, No. 37 Xuyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing (China); Hagiwara, Ichiro [Department of Mechanical Sciences and Engineering, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 O-okayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo (Japan); Lu Cheng [Mechanical Materials and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, NSW 2522 (Australia)

2007-07-15

The thin film growth has been confirmed to be assembled by an enormous number of clusters in experiments of CVD. Sequence of clusters' depositions proceeds to form the thin film at short time as gas fluids through surface of substrate. In order to grow condensed thin film using series of cluster deposition, the effect of initial velocity, substrate temperature and density of clusters on property of deposited thin film, especially appearance of nanoscale pores inside thin film must be investigated. In this simulation, three different cluster sizes of 203, 653, 1563 atoms with different velocities (0, 10, 100, 1000 and 3000 m/s) were deposited on a Cu(0 0 1) substrate whose temperatures were set between 300 and 1000 K. Four clusters and one cluster were used in primary deposition and secondary deposition, respectively. We have clarified that adhesion between clusters and substrate is greatly influenced by initial velocity. As a result, the exfoliation pattern of deposited thin film is dependent on initial velocity and different between them. One borderline dividing whole region into porous region and nonporous region are obtained to show the effect of growth conditions on appearance of nanoscale pores inside thin film. Moreover, we have also shown that the likelihood of porous thin film is dependent on the point of impact of a cluster relative to previously deposited clusters.

Microstructured extremely thin absorber solar cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Biancardo, Matteo; Krebs, Frederik C

2007-01-01

In this paper we present the realization of extremely thin absorber (ETA) solar cells employing conductive glass substrates functionalized with TiO2 microstructures produced by embossing. Nanocrystalline or compact TiO2 films on Indium doped tin oxide (ITO) glass substrates were embossed by press......In this paper we present the realization of extremely thin absorber (ETA) solar cells employing conductive glass substrates functionalized with TiO2 microstructures produced by embossing. Nanocrystalline or compact TiO2 films on Indium doped tin oxide (ITO) glass substrates were embossed...

Nanomechanical investigation of thin-film electroceramic/metal-organic framework multilayers

Science.gov (United States)

Best, James P.; Michler, Johann; Liu, Jianxi; Wang, Zhengbang; Tsotsalas, Manuel; Maeder, Xavier; Röse, Silvana; Oberst, Vanessa; Liu, Jinxuan; Walheim, Stefan; Gliemann, Hartmut; Weidler, Peter G.; Redel, Engelbert; Wöll, Christof

2015-09-01

Thin-film multilayer stacks of mechanically hard magnetron sputtered indium tin oxide (ITO) and mechanically soft highly porous surface anchored metal-organic framework (SURMOF) HKUST-1 were studied using nanoindentation. Crystalline, continuous, and monolithic surface anchored MOF thin films were fabricated using a liquid-phase epitaxial growth method. Control over respective fabrication processes allowed for tuning of the thickness of the thin film systems with a high degree of precision. It was found that the mechanical indentation of such thin films is significantly affected by the substrate properties; however, elastic parameters were able to be decoupled for constituent thin-film materials (EITO ≈ 96.7 GPa, EHKUST-1 ≈ 22.0 GPa). For indentation of multilayer stacks, it was found that as the layer thicknesses were increased, while holding the relative thickness of ITO and HKUST-1 constant, the resistance to deformation was significantly altered. Such an observation is likely due to small, albeit significant, changes in film texture, interfacial roughness, size effects, and controlling deformation mechanism as a result of increasing material deposition during processing. Such effects may have consequences regarding the rational mechanical design and utilization of MOF-based hybrid thin-film devices.

Review of thin film superconductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kihlstrom, K.E.

1989-01-01

Advances in thin film superconductivity are critical to the success of many proposed applications. The authors review several of the prominent techniques currently used to produce thin films of the high temperature superconductors including electron beam co-deposition, sputtering (both multiple and composite source configurations) and laser ablation. The authors look at the relevant parameters for each and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each technique. In addition, promising work on in situ oxidation is discussed. Also addressed are efforts to find optimum substrate materials and substrate buffer layers for various applications. The current state of the art for T c , J c and H c2 is presented for the yttrium, bismuth, and thallium compounds

Extending the 3ω method: thermal conductivity characterization of thin films.

Science.gov (United States)

Bodenschatz, Nico; Liemert, André; Schnurr, Sebastian; Wiedwald, Ulf; Ziemann, Paul

2013-08-01

A lock-in technique for measurement of thermal conductivity and volumetric heat capacity of thin films is presented. The technique is based on the 3ω approach using electrical generation and detection of oscillatory heat along a thin metal strip. Thin films are deposited onto the backside of commercial silicon nitride membranes, forming a bilayer geometry with distinct thermal parameters. Stepwise comparison to an adapted heat diffusion model delivers these parameters for both layers. Highest sensitivity is found for metallic thin films.

Electrical properties of epitaxially grown VOx thin films

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rata, A.D.; Chezan, A.R; Presura, C.N.; Hibma, T

2003-01-01

High quality VOx thin films on MgO(100) substrates were prepared and studied from the structural and electronic point of view. Epitaxial growth was confirmed by RHEED and XRD techniques. The oxygen content of VOx thin films as a function of oxygen flux was determined using RBS. The upper and lower

Thin Film Magnetless Faraday Rotators for Compact Heterogeneous Integrated Optical Isolators (Postprint)

Science.gov (United States)

2017-06-15

AFRL-RX-WP-JA-2017-0348 THIN-FILM MAGNETLESS FARADAY ROTATORS FOR COMPACT HETEROGENEOUS INTEGRATED OPTICAL ISOLATORS (POSTPRINT) Dolendra Karki...Interim 9 May 2016 – 1 December 2016 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE THIN-FILM MAGNETLESS FARADAY ROTATORS FOR COMPACT HETEROGENEOUS INTEGRATED OPTICAL...transfer of ultra-compact thin-film magnetless Faraday rotators to silicon photonic substrates. Thin films of magnetization latching bismuth

Electrical and optical properties of spray - deposited CdSe thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bedir, M.; Oeztas, M.; Bakkaloglu, O. F.

2002-01-01

The CdSe thin films were developed by using spray-deposition technique at different substrate temperatures of 380C, 400C and, 420C on the glass substrate. All spraying processes involved CdCI 2 (0.05 moles/liter) and SeO 2 (0.05 moles/liter ) and were carried out in atmospheric condition. The CdSe thin film samples were characterized using x-ray diffractometer and optical absorption measurements. The electrical properties of the thin film samples were investigated via Wander Pauw method. XRD patterns indicated that the CdSe thin film samples have a hexagonal structure. The direct band gap of the CdSe thin film samples were determined from optical absorption and spectral response measurements of 1.76 eV. The resistivity of the CdSe thin film samples were found to vary in the range from 5.8x10''5 to 7.32x10''5 Ωcm depending to the substrate temperature

stress distribution in continuo ribution in continuous thin ribution

African Journals Online (AJOL)

eobe

studied stresses in thin-walled box girder bridges but stress distribution walled box girder bridges .... the classical thin plate theory and trigonometric series. Lertsima et al. ..... remedied by applying spline finite strip method. Compared to other ...

Optical and electrical properties of chemical bath deposited cobalt sulphide thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Govindasamy, Geetha [R& D Centre, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore (India); Murugasen, Priya, E-mail: priyamurugasen15@gmail.com [Department of Physics, Saveetha Engineering, Chennai, Tamil Nadu (India); Sagadevan, Suresh [Department of Physics, AMET University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu (India)

2017-01-15

Cobalt sulphide (CoS) thin films were synthesized using the Chemical Bath Deposition (CBD) technique. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis was used to study the structure and the crystallite size of CoS thin film. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) studies reveal the surface morphology of these films. The optical properties of the CoS thin films were determined using UV-Visible absorption spectrum. The optical band gap of the thin films was found to be 1.6 eV. Optical constants such as the refractive index, the extinction coefficient and the electric susceptibility were determined. The dielectric studies were carried out at different frequencies and at different temperatures for the prepared CoS thin films. In addition, the plasma energy of the valence electron, Penn gap or average energy gap, the Fermi energy and electronic polarizability of the thin films were determined. The AC electrical conductivity measurement was also carried out for the thin films. The activation energy was determined by using DC electrical conductivity measurement. (author)

The Characterization of Thin Film Nickel Titanium Shape Memory Alloys

Science.gov (United States)

Harris Odum, Nicole Latrice

Shape memory alloys (SMA) are able to recover their original shape through the appropriate heat or stress exposure after enduring mechanical deformation at a low temperature. Numerous alloy systems have been discovered which produce this unique feature like TiNb, AgCd, NiAl, NiTi, and CuZnAl. Since their discovery, bulk scale SMAs have undergone extensive material property investigations and are employed in real world applications. However, its thin film counterparts have been modestly investigated and applied. Researchers have introduced numerous theoretical microelectromechanical system (MEMS) devices; yet, the research community's overall unfamiliarity with the thin film properties has delayed growth in this area. In addition, it has been difficult to outline efficient thin film processing techniques. In this dissertation, NiTi thin film processing and characterization techniques will be outlined and discussed. NiTi thin films---1 mum thick---were produced using sputter deposition techniques. Substrate bound thin films were deposited to analysis the surface using Scanning Electron Microscopy; the film composition was obtained using Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy; the phases were identified using X-ray diffraction; and the transformation temperatures acquired using resistivity testing. Microfabrication processing and sputter deposition were employed to develop tensile membranes for membrane deflection experimentation to gain insight on the mechanical properties of the thin films. The incorporation of these findings will aid in the movement of SMA microactuation devices from theory to fruition and greatly benefit industries such as medicinal and aeronautical.

Vibration welding system with thin film sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Wayne W; Abell, Jeffrey A; Li, Xiaochun; Choi, Hongseok; Zhao, Jingzhou

2014-03-18

A vibration welding system includes an anvil, a welding horn, a thin film sensor, and a process controller. The anvil and horn include working surfaces that contact a work piece during the welding process. The sensor measures a control value at the working surface. The measured control value is transmitted to the controller, which controls the system in part using the measured control value. The thin film sensor may include a plurality of thermopiles and thermocouples which collectively measure temperature and heat flux at the working surface. A method includes providing a welder device with a slot adjacent to a working surface of the welder device, inserting the thin film sensor into the slot, and using the sensor to measure a control value at the working surface. A process controller then controls the vibration welding system in part using the measured control value.

Illumination estimation via thin-plate spline interpolation.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Lilong; Xiong, Weihua; Funt, Brian

2011-05-01

Thin-plate spline interpolation is used to interpolate the chromaticity of the color of the incident scene illumination across a training set of images. Given the image of a scene under unknown illumination, the chromaticity of the scene illumination can be found from the interpolated function. The resulting illumination-estimation method can be used to provide color constancy under changing illumination conditions and automatic white balancing for digital cameras. A thin-plate spline interpolates over a nonuniformly sampled input space, which in this case is a training set of image thumbnails and associated illumination chromaticities. To reduce the size of the training set, incremental k medians are applied. Tests on real images demonstrate that the thin-plate spline method can estimate the color of the incident illumination quite accurately, and the proposed training set pruning significantly decreases the computation.

Thin low Z coatings for plasma devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Norem, J.; Bowers, D.A.

1978-05-01

Coating the walls of the vacuum chamber with beryllium or some other low Z material has been proposed as a possible means of solving the problems of high Z influx into plasmas. We attempt to demonstrate that very thin, low Z coatings are compatible with the operation of plasma devices and beneficial to plasma performance. We determine that the thickness of coating material required is only about 10 monolayers. In a radiation environment, radiation-induced solute segregation should help to maintain the integrity of such thin coatings against diffusion and other processes. We discuss the properties of these thin coatings and possible means of in situ application and maintenance. Since deposition of plasma impurities on the walls will occur anyway, we discuss injection of solid pellets into the plasma as a direct way of introducing impurities which would ultimately serve as coating material

Synthesis of nanocrystalline TiO2 thin films by liquid phase ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

WINTEC

goes degradation efficiently in presence of TiO2 thin films by exposing its aqueous solution to .... Figure 6. Photodegradation of IGOR organic dye by a. bare TiO2 thin film and b. ... Meng L-J and Dos Santos M P 1993 Thin Solid Films 226 22.

Aluminosilicate glass thin films elaborated by pulsed laser deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carlier, Thibault [Univ. Lille, CNRS, Centrale Lille, ENSCL, Univ. Artois, UMR 8181 – UCCS – Unité de Catalyse et Chimie du Solide, F-59000 Lille (France); Saitzek, Sébastien [Univ. Artois, CNRS, Centrale Lille, ENSCL, Univ. Lille, UMR 8181, Unité de Catalyse et de Chimie du Solide (UCCS), F-62300 Lens (France); Méar, François O., E-mail: francois.mear@univ-lille1.fr [Univ. Lille, CNRS, Centrale Lille, ENSCL, Univ. Artois, UMR 8181 – UCCS – Unité de Catalyse et Chimie du Solide, F-59000 Lille (France); Blach, Jean-François; Ferri, Anthony [Univ. Artois, CNRS, Centrale Lille, ENSCL, Univ. Lille, UMR 8181, Unité de Catalyse et de Chimie du Solide (UCCS), F-62300 Lens (France); Huvé, Marielle; Montagne, Lionel [Univ. Lille, CNRS, Centrale Lille, ENSCL, Univ. Artois, UMR 8181 – UCCS – Unité de Catalyse et Chimie du Solide, F-59000 Lille (France)

2017-03-01

Highlights: • Successfully deposition of a glassy thin film by PLD. • A good homogeneity and stoichiometry of the coating. • Influence of the deposition temperature on the glassy thin-film structure. - Abstract: In the present work, we report the elaboration of aluminosilicate glass thin films by Pulsed Laser Deposition at various temperatures deposition. The amorphous nature of glass thin films was highlighted by Grazing Incidence X-Ray Diffraction and no nanocristallites were observed in the glassy matrix. Chemical analysis, obtained with X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy and Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy, showed a good transfer and homogeneous elementary distribution with of chemical species from the target to the film a. Structural studies performed by Infrared Spectroscopy showed that the substrate temperature plays an important role on the bonding configuration of the layers. A slight shift of Si-O modes to larger wavenumber was observed with the synthesis temperature, assigned to a more strained sub-oxide network. Finally, optical properties of thins film measured by Spectroscopic Ellipsometry are similar to those of the bulk aluminosilicate glass, which indicate a good deposition of aluminosilicate bulk glass.

Voltage transients in thin-film InSb Hall sensor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexey Bardin

Full Text Available The work is reached to study temperature transients in thin-film Hall sensors. We experimentally study InSb thin-film Hall sensor. We find transients of voltage with amplitude about 10 μV on the sensor ports after current switching. We demonstrate by direct measurements that the transients is caused by thermo-e.m.f., and both non-stationarity and heterogeneity of temperature in the film. We find significant asymmetry of temperature field for different direction of the current, which is probably related to Peltier effect. The result can be useful for wide range of scientist who works with switching of high density currents in any thin semiconductor films. 2000 MSC: 41A05, 41A10, 65D05, 65D17, Keywords: Thin-films, Semiconductors, Hall sensor, InSb, thermo-e.m.f.

Physical Vapor Deposition of Thin Films

Science.gov (United States)

Mahan, John E.

2000-01-01

A unified treatment of the theories, data, and technologies underlying physical vapor deposition methods With electronic, optical, and magnetic coating technologies increasingly dominating manufacturing in the high-tech industries, there is a growing need for expertise in physical vapor deposition of thin films. This important new work provides researchers and engineers in this field with the information they need to tackle thin film processes in the real world. Presenting a cohesive, thoroughly developed treatment of both fundamental and applied topics, Physical Vapor Deposition of Thin Films incorporates many critical results from across the literature as it imparts a working knowledge of a variety of present-day techniques. Numerous worked examples, extensive references, and more than 100 illustrations and photographs accompany coverage of: * Thermal evaporation, sputtering, and pulsed laser deposition techniques * Key theories and phenomena, including the kinetic theory of gases, adsorption and condensation, high-vacuum pumping dynamics, and sputtering discharges * Trends in sputter yield data and a new simplified collisional model of sputter yield for pure element targets * Quantitative models for film deposition rate, thickness profiles, and thermalization of the sputtered beam

Material Properties of Laser-Welded Thin Silicon Foils

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. T. Hessmann

2013-01-01

Full Text Available An extended monocrystalline silicon base foil offers a great opportunity to combine low-cost production with high efficiency silicon solar cells on a large scale. By overcoming the area restriction of ingot-based monocrystalline silicon wafer production, costs could be decreased to thin film solar cell range. The extended monocrystalline silicon base foil consists of several individual thin silicon wafers which are welded together. A comparison of three different approaches to weld 50 μm thin silicon foils is investigated here: (1 laser spot welding with low constant feed speed, (2 laser line welding, and (3 keyhole welding. Cross-sections are prepared and analyzed by electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD to reveal changes in the crystal structure at the welding side after laser irradiation. The treatment leads to the appearance of new grains and boundaries. The induced internal stress, using the three different laser welding processes, was investigated by micro-Raman analysis. We conclude that the keyhole welding process is the most favorable to produce thin silicon foils.

Butanol production from thin stillage using Clostridium pasteurianum.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahn, Jae-Hyung; Sang, Byoung-In; Um, Youngsoon

2011-04-01

The production of butanol from thin stillage by Clostridium pasteurianum DSM 525 was evaluated in the paper. At initial pH values ranging from 5.0 to 7.0 C. pasteurianum DSM 525 produced 6.2-7.2 g/L of butanol utilizing glycerol in thin stillage as the main carbon source, with yields of 0.32-0.44 g butanol produced/g glycerol consumed, which are higher than previously reported yields (e.g., 0.14-0.31 g butanol/g glycerol, Biebl, 2001). Lactic acid in the thin stillage acted as a buffering agent, maintaining the pH of the medium within a range of 5.7-6.1. Lactic acid was also utilized along with glycerol, enhancing butanol production (6.5 g/L butanol vs. 8.7 g/L butanol with 0 and 16 g/L lactic acid, respectively). These results demonstrate the feasibility of cost-effective butanol production using thin stillage as a nutrient-containing medium with a pH buffering capacity. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Proceedings of the international conference on thin films and applications: book of abstracts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2013-01-01

In the era of miniaturization, the role of thin films is highly significant to achieve smaller devices with higher speed especially in new generation of integrated circuits, sensors, flat panel displays, Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS), biomedical devices, optical instruments and microwave communications. Thin films as a nano-scale dimensional system have great importance to many challenging applications. Biological coatings, clean energy, ferroelectric and piezoelectric thin films, ion beam thin films, magnetic thin films, nanostructured and nano composite coatings, NEMS, sensors, thin film preparation and characterization are the topics covered in this symposium. Papers relevant to INIS are indexed separately

Cell adhesion to cathodic arc plasma deposited CrAlSiN thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Sun Kyu, E-mail: skim@ulsan.ac.kr [School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Ulsan, Ulsan 680-749 (Korea, Republic of); Pham, Vuong-Hung [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-744 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Chong-Hyun [Department of Food Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 (United States)

2012-07-01

Osteoblast cell response (cell adhesion, actin cytoskeleton and focal contact adhesion as well as cell proliferation) to CrN, CrAlSiN and Ti thin films was evaluated in vitro. Cell adhesion and actin stress fibers organization depended on the film composition significantly. Immunofluorescent staining of vinculin in osteoblast cells showed good focal contact adhesion on the CrAlSiN and Ti thin films but not on the CrN thin films. Cell proliferation was significantly greater on the CrAlSiN thin films as well as on Ti thin films than on the CrN thin films.

Optical modeling and simulation of thin-film photovoltaic devices

CERN Document Server

Krc, Janez

2013-01-01

In wafer-based and thin-film photovoltaic (PV) devices, the management of light is a crucial aspect of optimization since trapping sunlight in active parts of PV devices is essential for efficient energy conversions. Optical modeling and simulation enable efficient analysis and optimization of the optical situation in optoelectronic and PV devices. Optical Modeling and Simulation of Thin-Film Photovoltaic Devices provides readers with a thorough guide to performing optical modeling and simulations of thin-film solar cells and PV modules. It offers insight on examples of existing optical models

Thin film characterisation by advanced X-ray diffraction techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cappuccio, G.; Terranova, M.L.

1996-09-01

The Fifth School on X-ray diffraction from polycrystalline materials was devoted to thin film characterization by advanced X-ray diffraction techniques. Twenty contributions are contained in this volume; all twenty are recorded in the INIS Database. X-ray diffraction is known to be a powerful analytical tool for characterizing materials and understanding their structural features. The aim of these articles is to illustrate the fundamental contribution of modern diffraction techniques (grazing incidence, surface analysis, standing waves, etc.) to the characterization of thin and ultra-thin films, which have become important in many advanced technologies

Thermionic vacuum arc (TVA) technique for magnesium thin film deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Balbag, M.Z., E-mail: zbalbag@ogu.edu.t [Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Education Faculty, Primary Education, Meselik Campus, Eskisehir 26480 (Turkey); Pat, S.; Ozkan, M.; Ekem, N. [Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Art and Science Faculty, Physics Department, Eskisehir 26480 (Turkey); Musa, G. [Ovidius University, Physics Department, Constanta (Romania)

2010-08-15

In this study, magnesium thin films were deposited on glass substrate by the Thermionic Vacuum Arc (TVA) technique for the first time. We present a different technique for deposition of high-quality magnesium thin films. By means of this technique, the production of films is achieved by condensing the plasma of anode material generated using Thermionic Vacuum Arc (TVA) under high vacuum conditions onto the surface to be coated. The crystal orientation and morphology of the deposited films were investigated by using XRD, EDX, SEM and AFM. The aim of this study is to search the use of TVA technique to coat magnesium thin films and to determine some of the physical properties of the films generated. Furthermore, this study will contribute to the scientific studies which search the thin films of magnesium or the compounds containing magnesium. In future, this study will be preliminary work to entirely produce magnesium diboride (MgB{sub 2}) superconductor thin film with the TVA technique.

Infrared analysis of thin films amorphous, hydrogenated carbon on silicon

CERN Document Server

Jacob, W; Schwarz-Selinger, T

2000-01-01

The infrared analysis of thin films on a thick substrate is discussed using the example of plasma-deposited, amorphous, hydrogenated carbon layers (a-C:H) on silicon substrates. The framework for the optical analysis of thin films is presented. The main characteristic of thin film optics is the occurrence of interference effects due to the coherent superposition of light multiply reflected at the various internal and external interfaces of the optical system. These interference effects lead to a sinusoidal variation of the transmitted and reflected intensity. As a consequence, the Lambert-Beer law is not applicable for the determination of the absorption coefficient of thin films. Furthermore, observable changes of the transmission and reflection spectra occur in the vicinity of strong absorption bands due to the Kramers-Kronig relation. For a sound data evaluation these effects have to be included in the analysis. To be able to extract the full information contained in a measured optical thin film spectrum, ...

Thin Film Solar Cells and their Optical Properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stanislav Jurecka

2006-01-01

Full Text Available In this work we report on the optical parameters of the semiconductor thin film for solar cell applications determination. The method is based on the dynamical modeling of the spectral reflectance function combined with the stochastic optimization of the initial reflectance model estimation. The spectral dependency of the thin film optical parameters computations is based on the optical transitions modeling. The combination of the dynamical modeling and the stochastic optimization of the initial theoretical model estimation enable comfortable analysis of the spectral dependencies of the optical parameters and incorporation of the microstructure effects on the solar cell properties. The results of the optical parameters ofthe i-a-Si thin film determination are presented.

Residual stress in spin-cast polyurethane thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Hong; Zhang, Li, E-mail: lizhang@mae.cuhk.edu.hk [Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin N.T., Hong Kong (China); Chow Yuk Ho Technology Centre for Innovative Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin N.T., Hong Kong (China)

2015-01-19

Residual stress is inevitable during spin-casting. Herein, we report a straightforward method to evaluate the residual stress in as-cast polyurethane thin films using area shrinkage measurement of films in floating state, which shows that the residual stress is independent of radial location on the substrate and decreased with decreasing film thickness below a critical value. We demonstrate that the residual stress is developed due to the solvent evaporation after vitrification during spin-casting and the polymer chains in thin films may undergo vitrification at an increased concentration. The buildup of residual stress in spin-cast polymer films provides an insight into the size effects on the nature of polymer thin films.

Investigation of phase transformation for ferrite–austenite structure in stainless steel thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Merakeb, Noureddine [Laboratory of Physical Metallurgy and Property of Materials (LM2PM), Metallurgy and Materials Engineering Department, Badji Mokhtar University, P.O. Box 12, Annaba 23000 (Algeria); Messai, Amel [Laboratoire d' Ingénierie et Sciences des Matériaux Avancés (ISMA), Institut des Sciences et Technologie, Abbès Laghrour University, Khenchela 40000 (Algeria); Ayesh, Ahmad I., E-mail: ayesh@qu.edu.qa [Department of Mathematics, Statistics and Physics, Qatar University, Doha (Qatar)

2016-05-01

In this work we report on phase transformation of 304 stainless steel thin films due to heat treatment. Ex-situ annealing was applied for evaporated 304 stainless steel thin films inside an ultra-high vacuum chamber with a pressure of 3 × 10{sup −7} Pa at temperatures of 500 °C and 600 °C. The structure of thin films was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and conversion electron Mössbauer spectroscopy (CEMS) techniques. The results revealed a transformation from α-phase that exhibits a body-centered cubic structure (BCC) to γ-phase that exhibits a face-centered cubic (FCC) due to annealing. In addition, the percentage of γ-phase structure increased with the increase of annealing temperature. Annealing thin films increased the crystal size of both phases (α and γ), however, the increase was nonlinear. The results also showed that phase transformation was produced by recrystallization of α and γ crystals with a temporal evolution at each annealing temperature. The texture degree of thin films was investigated by XRD rocking curve method, while residual stress was evaluated using curvature method. - Highlights: • Stainless steel thin films were fabricated by thermal evaporation on quartz. • Alpha to gamma phase transformation of thin films was investigated. • Annealing of thin films reduces disruption in crystal lattice. • The stress of as-grown thin films was independent on the thin film thickness. • The stress of the thin films was reduced due to annealing.

A Study On Critical Thinning In Thin-walled Tube Bending Of Al-Alloy 5052O Via Coupled Ductile Fracture Criteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Heng; Yang He; Zhan Mei

2010-01-01

Thin-walled tube bending(TWTB) method of Al-alloy tube has attracted wide applications in aerospace, aviation and automobile,etc. While, under in-plane double tensile stress states at the extrados of bending tube, the over-thinning induced ductile fracture is one dominant defect in Al-alloy tube bending. The main objective of this study is to predict the critical wall-thinning of Al-alloy tube bending by coupling two ductile fracture criteria(DFCs) into FE simulation. The DFCs include Continuum Damage Mechanics(CDM)-based model and GTN porous model. Through the uniaxial tensile test of the curved specimen, the basic material properties of the Al-alloy 5052O tube is obtained; via the inverse problem solution, the damage parameters of both the two fracture criteria are interatively determined. Thus the application study of the above DFCs in the TWTB is performed, and the more reasonable one is selected to obtain the critical thinning of Al-alloy tube in bending. The virtual damage initiation and evolution (when and where the ductile fracture occurs) in TWTB are investigated, and the fracture mechanisms of the voided Al-alloy tube in tube bending are consequently discussed.

Ion Beam Assisted Deposition of Thin Epitaxial GaN Films.

Science.gov (United States)

Rauschenbach, Bernd; Lotnyk, Andriy; Neumann, Lena; Poppitz, David; Gerlach, Jürgen W

2017-06-23

The assistance of thin film deposition with low-energy ion bombardment influences their final properties significantly. Especially, the application of so-called hyperthermal ions (energy GaN thin films on (0001)-oriented 6H-SiC substrates at 700 °C. The films are studied in situ by reflection high energy electron diffraction, ex situ by X-ray diffraction, scanning tunnelling microscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. It is demonstrated that the film growth mode can be controlled by varying the ion to atom ratio, where 2D films are characterized by a smooth topography, a high crystalline quality, low biaxial stress, and low defect density. Typical structural defects in the GaN thin films were identified as basal plane stacking faults, low-angle grain boundaries forming between w-GaN and z-GaN and twin boundaries. The misfit strain between the GaN thin films and substrates is relieved by the generation of edge dislocations in the first and second monolayers of GaN thin films and of misfit interfacial dislocations. It can be demonstrated that the low-energy nitrogen ion assisted molecular beam epitaxy is a technique to produce thin GaN films of high crystalline quality.

Nanomechanical investigation of thin-film electroceramic/metal-organic framework multilayers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Best, James P., E-mail: james.best@empa.ch, E-mail: engelbert.redel@kit.edu, E-mail: christof.woell@kit.edu; Michler, Johann; Maeder, Xavier [Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Laboratory for Mechanics of Materials and Nanostructures, Feuerwerkerstrasse 39, CH-3602 Thun (Switzerland); Liu, Jianxi; Wang, Zhengbang; Tsotsalas, Manuel; Liu, Jinxuan; Gliemann, Hartmut; Weidler, Peter G.; Redel, Engelbert, E-mail: james.best@empa.ch, E-mail: engelbert.redel@kit.edu, E-mail: christof.woell@kit.edu; Wöll, Christof, E-mail: james.best@empa.ch, E-mail: engelbert.redel@kit.edu, E-mail: christof.woell@kit.edu [Institute of Functional Interfaces (IFG), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Röse, Silvana [Preparative Macromolecular Chemistry, Institute for Chemical Technology and Polymer Chemistry (ICTP), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Engesserstrasse 18, 76128 Karlsruhe (Germany); Institute for Biological Interfaces (IBG), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Herrmann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Oberst, Vanessa [Institute of Applied Materials (IAM), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Walheim, Stefan [Institute of Nanotechnology (INT), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany)

2015-09-07

Thin-film multilayer stacks of mechanically hard magnetron sputtered indium tin oxide (ITO) and mechanically soft highly porous surface anchored metal-organic framework (SURMOF) HKUST-1 were studied using nanoindentation. Crystalline, continuous, and monolithic surface anchored MOF thin films were fabricated using a liquid-phase epitaxial growth method. Control over respective fabrication processes allowed for tuning of the thickness of the thin film systems with a high degree of precision. It was found that the mechanical indentation of such thin films is significantly affected by the substrate properties; however, elastic parameters were able to be decoupled for constituent thin-film materials (E{sub ITO} ≈ 96.7 GPa, E{sub HKUST−1} ≈ 22.0 GPa). For indentation of multilayer stacks, it was found that as the layer thicknesses were increased, while holding the relative thickness of ITO and HKUST-1 constant, the resistance to deformation was significantly altered. Such an observation is likely due to small, albeit significant, changes in film texture, interfacial roughness, size effects, and controlling deformation mechanism as a result of increasing material deposition during processing. Such effects may have consequences regarding the rational mechanical design and utilization of MOF-based hybrid thin-film devices.

Nanomechanical investigation of thin-film electroceramic/metal-organic framework multilayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Best, James P.; Michler, Johann; Maeder, Xavier; Liu, Jianxi; Wang, Zhengbang; Tsotsalas, Manuel; Liu, Jinxuan; Gliemann, Hartmut; Weidler, Peter G.; Redel, Engelbert; Wöll, Christof; Röse, Silvana; Oberst, Vanessa; Walheim, Stefan

2015-01-01

Thin-film multilayer stacks of mechanically hard magnetron sputtered indium tin oxide (ITO) and mechanically soft highly porous surface anchored metal-organic framework (SURMOF) HKUST-1 were studied using nanoindentation. Crystalline, continuous, and monolithic surface anchored MOF thin films were fabricated using a liquid-phase epitaxial growth method. Control over respective fabrication processes allowed for tuning of the thickness of the thin film systems with a high degree of precision. It was found that the mechanical indentation of such thin films is significantly affected by the substrate properties; however, elastic parameters were able to be decoupled for constituent thin-film materials (E ITO  ≈ 96.7 GPa, E HKUST−1  ≈ 22.0 GPa). For indentation of multilayer stacks, it was found that as the layer thicknesses were increased, while holding the relative thickness of ITO and HKUST-1 constant, the resistance to deformation was significantly altered. Such an observation is likely due to small, albeit significant, changes in film texture, interfacial roughness, size effects, and controlling deformation mechanism as a result of increasing material deposition during processing. Such effects may have consequences regarding the rational mechanical design and utilization of MOF-based hybrid thin-film devices

Activity-dependent self-regulation of viscous length scales in biological systems

Science.gov (United States)

Nandi, Saroj Kumar

2018-05-01

The cellular cortex, which is a highly viscous thin cytoplasmic layer just below the cell membrane, controls the cell's mechanical properties, which can be characterized by a hydrodynamic length scale ℓ . Cells actively regulate ℓ via the activity of force-generating molecules, such as myosin II. Here we develop a general theory for such systems through a coarse-grained hydrodynamic approach including activity in the static description of the system providing an experimentally accessible parameter and elucidate the detailed mechanism of how a living system can actively self-regulate its hydrodynamic length scale, controlling the rigidity of the system. Remarkably, we find that ℓ , as a function of activity, behaves universally and roughly inversely proportional to the activity of the system. Our theory rationalizes a number of experimental findings on diverse systems, and comparison of our theory with existing experimental data shows good agreement.

Solar-absorbing metamaterial microencapsulation of phase change materials for thermo-regulating textiles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

William Tong

2015-04-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a novel concept for designing solar-absorbing metamaterial microcapsules of phase change materials (PCMs integrated with thermo-regulating smart textiles intended for coats or garments, especially for wear in space or cold weather on earth. The metamaterial is a periodically nanostructured metal-dielectric-metal thin film and can acquire surface plasmons to trap or absorb solar energy at subwavelength scales. This kind of metamaterial microencapsulation is not only able to take advantage of latent heat that can be stored or released from the PCMs over a tunable temperature range, but also has other advantages over conventional polymer microencapsulation of PCMs, such as enhanced thermal conductivity, improved flame-retardant capabilities, and usage as an extra solar power resource. The thermal analysis for this kind of microencapsulation has been done and can be used as a guideline for designing integrated thermo-regulating smart textiles in the future. These metamaterial microcapsules may open up new routes to enhancing thermo-regulating textiles with novel properties and added value.

Chemical vapour deposition of thin-film dielectrics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vasilev, Vladislav Yu; Repinsky, Sergei M

2005-01-01

Data on the chemical vapour deposition of thin-film dielectrics based on silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride and silicon dioxide and on phosphorus- and boron-containing silicate glasses are generalised. The equipment and layer deposition procedures are described. Attention is focussed on the analysis and discussion of the deposition kinetics and on the kinetic models for film growth. The film growth processes are characterised and data on the key physicochemical properties of thin-film covalent dielectric materials are given.

Electrochemical Deposition of Lanthanum Telluride Thin Films and Nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Chi, Su (Ike); Farias, Stephen; Cammarata, Robert

2013-03-01

Tellurium alloys are characterized by their high performance thermoelectric properties and recent research has shown nanostructured tellurium alloys display even greater performance than bulk equivalents. Increased thermoelectric efficiency of nanostructured materials have led to significant interests in developing thin film and nanowire structures. Here, we report on the first successful electrodeposition of lanthanum telluride thin films and nanowires. The electrodeposition of lanthanum telluride thin films is performed in ionic liquids at room temperature. The synthesis of nanowires involves electrodepositing lanthanum telluride arrays into anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) nanoporous membranes. These novel procedures can serve as an alternative means of simple, inexpensive and laboratory-environment friendly methods to synthesize nanostructured thermoelectric materials. The thermoelectric properties of thin films and nanowires will be presented to compare to current state-of-the-art thermoelectric materials. The morphologies and chemical compositions of the deposited films and nanowires are characterized using SEM and EDAX analysis.

In vitro behaviour of nanocrystalline silver-sputtered thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Piedade, A P; Vieira, M T; Martins, A; Silva, F

2007-01-01

Silver thin films were deposited with different preferential orientations and special attention was paid to the bioreactivity of the surfaces. The study was essentially focused on the evaluation of the films by x-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) and contact angle measurements. The deposited thin films were characterized before and after immersion in S-enriched simulated human plasma in order to estimate the influence of the preferential crystallographic orientation on the in vitro behaviour. Silver thin films with and without (111) preferential crystallographic orientation were deposited by r.f. magnetron sputtering to yield nanocrystalline coatings, high compact structures, very hydrophobic surfaces and low roughness. These properties reduce the chemisorption of reactive species onto the film surface. The in vitro tests indicate that silver thin films can be used as coatings for biomaterials applications

Domains in Ferroic Crystals and Thin Films

CERN Document Server

Tagantsev, Alexander K; Fousek, Jan

2010-01-01

Domains in Ferroic Crystals and Thin Films presents experimental findings and theoretical understanding of ferroic (non-magnetic) domains developed during the past 60 years. It addresses the situation by looking specifically at bulk crystals and thin films, with a particular focus on recently-developed microelectronic applications and methods for observation of domains with techniques such as scanning force microscopy, polarized light microscopy, scanning optical microscopy, electron microscopy, and surface decorating techniques. Domains in Ferroic Crystals and Thin Films covers a large area of material properties and effects connected with static and dynamic properties of domains, which are extremely relevant to materials referred to as ferroics. In most solid state physics books, one large group of ferroics is customarily covered: those in which magnetic properties play a dominant role. Numerous books are specifically devoted to magnetic ferroics and cover a wide spectrum of magnetic domain phenomena. In co...

Flip chip assembly of thinned chips for hybrid pixel detector applications

CERN Document Server

Fritzsch, T; Woehrmann, M; Rothermund, M; Huegging, F; Ehrmann, O; Oppermann, H; Lang, K.D

2014-01-01

There is a steady trend to ultra-thin microelectronic devices. Especially for future particle detector systems a reduced readout chip thickness is required to limit the loss of tracking precision due to scattering. The reduction of silicon thickness is performed at wafer level in a two-step thinning process. To minimize the risk of wafer breakage the thinned wafer needs to be handled by a carrier during the whole process chain of wafer bumping. Another key process is the flip chip assembly of thinned readout chips onto thin sensor tiles. Besides the prevention of silicon breakage the minimization of chip warpage is one additional task for a high yield and reliable flip chip process. A new technology using glass carrier wafer will be described in detail. The main advantage of this technology is the combination of a carrier support during wafer processing and the chip support during flip chip assembly. For that a glass wafer is glue-bonded onto the backside of the thinned readout chip wafer. After the bump depo...

Transient Analysis of Lumped Circuit Networks Loaded Thin Wires By DGTD Method

KAUST Repository

Li, Ping

2016-03-31

With the purpose of avoiding very fine mesh cells in the proximity of a thin wire, the modified telegrapher’s equations (MTEs) are employed to describe the thin wire voltage and current distributions, which consequently results in reduced number of unknowns and augmented Courant-Friedrichs-Lewy (CFL) number. As hyperbolic systems, both the MTEs and the Maxwell’s equations are solved by the discontinuous Galerkin time-domain (DGTD) method. In realistic situations, the thin wires could be either driven or loaded by circuit networks. The thin wire-circuit interface performs as a boundary condition for the thin wire solver, where the thin wire voltage and current used for the incoming flux evaluation involved in the DGTD analyzed MTEs are not available. To obtain this voltage and current, an auxiliary current flowing through the thin wire-circuit interface is introduced at each interface. Corresponding auxiliary equations derived from the invariable property of characteristic variable for hyperbolic systems are developed and solved together with the circuit equations established by the modified nodal analysis (MNA) modality. Furthermore, in order to characterize the field and thin wire interactions, a weighted electric field and a volume current density are added into the MTEs and Maxwell-Ampere’s law equation, respectively. To validate the proposed algorithm, three representative examples are presented.

Transient Analysis of Lumped Circuit Networks Loaded Thin Wires By DGTD Method

KAUST Repository

Li, Ping; Shi, Yifei; Jiang, Li Jun; Bagci, Hakan

2016-01-01

With the purpose of avoiding very fine mesh cells in the proximity of a thin wire, the modified telegrapher’s equations (MTEs) are employed to describe the thin wire voltage and current distributions, which consequently results in reduced number of unknowns and augmented Courant-Friedrichs-Lewy (CFL) number. As hyperbolic systems, both the MTEs and the Maxwell’s equations are solved by the discontinuous Galerkin time-domain (DGTD) method. In realistic situations, the thin wires could be either driven or loaded by circuit networks. The thin wire-circuit interface performs as a boundary condition for the thin wire solver, where the thin wire voltage and current used for the incoming flux evaluation involved in the DGTD analyzed MTEs are not available. To obtain this voltage and current, an auxiliary current flowing through the thin wire-circuit interface is introduced at each interface. Corresponding auxiliary equations derived from the invariable property of characteristic variable for hyperbolic systems are developed and solved together with the circuit equations established by the modified nodal analysis (MNA) modality. Furthermore, in order to characterize the field and thin wire interactions, a weighted electric field and a volume current density are added into the MTEs and Maxwell-Ampere’s law equation, respectively. To validate the proposed algorithm, three representative examples are presented.

Thin stillage fractionation using ultrafiltration: resistance in series model.

Science.gov (United States)

Arora, Amit; Dien, Bruce S; Belyea, Ronald L; Wang, Ping; Singh, Vijay; Tumbleson, M E; Rausch, Kent D

2009-02-01

The corn based dry grind process is the most widely used method in the US for fuel ethanol production. Fermentation of corn to ethanol produces whole stillage after ethanol is removed by distillation. It is centrifuged to separate thin stillage from wet grains. Thin stillage contains 5-10% solids. To concentrate solids of thin stillage, it requires evaporation of large amounts of water and maintenance of evaporators. Evaporator maintenance requires excess evaporator capacity at the facility, increasing capital expenses, requiring plant slowdowns or shut downs and results in revenue losses. Membrane filtration is one method that could lead to improved value of thin stillage and may offer an alternative to evaporation. Fractionation of thin stillage using ultrafiltration was conducted to evaluate membranes as an alternative to evaporators in the ethanol industry. Two regenerated cellulose membranes with molecular weight cut offs of 10 and 100 kDa were evaluated. Total solids (suspended and soluble) contents recovered through membrane separation process were similar to those from commercial evaporators. Permeate flux decline of thin stillage using a resistance in series model was determined. Each of the four components of total resistance was evaluated experimentally. Effects of operating variables such as transmembrane pressure and temperature on permeate flux rate and resistances were determined and optimum conditions for maximum flux rates were evaluated. Model equations were developed to evaluate the resistance components that are responsible for fouling and to predict total flux decline with respect to time. Modeling results were in agreement with experimental results (R(2) > 0.98).

Can the Media Affect Us? Social Comparison, Self-Discrepancy, and the Thin Ideal

Science.gov (United States)

Bessenoff, Gayle R.

2006-01-01

The current study explored body image self-discrepancy as moderator and social comparison as mediator in the effects on women from thin-ideal images in the media. Female undergraduates (N = 112) with high and low body image self-discrepancy were exposed to advertisements either with thin women (thin ideal) or without thin women…

Improved ITO thin films for photovoltaic applications with a thin ZnO layer by sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herrero, J.; Guillen, C.

2004-01-01

The improvement of the optical and electrical characteristics of indium tin oxide (ITO) layers is pursued to achieve a higher efficiency in its application as frontal electrical contacts in thin film photovoltaic devices. In order to take advantage of the polycrystalline structure of ZnO films as growth support, the properties of ITO layers prepared at room temperature by sputtering onto bare and ZnO-coated substrates have been analyzed using X-ray diffraction, optical and electrical measurements. It has been found that by inserting a thin ZnO layer, the ITO film resistivity can be reduced as compared to that of a single ITO film with similar optical transmittance. The electrical quality improvement is related to ITO grain growth enhancement onto the polycrystalline ZnO underlayer

Co-sputtered ZnO:Si thin films as transparent conductive oxides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Faure, C. [CNRS, Univ. Bordeaux, ICMCB, UPR 9048, F33600 Pessac (France); Clatot, J. [LRCS, 33 Rue St Leu, F-80039 Amiens (France); Teule-Gay, L.; Campet, G. [CNRS, Univ. Bordeaux, ICMCB, UPR 9048, F33600 Pessac (France); Labrugere, C. [CeCaMA, Universite de Bordeaux, ICMCB, 87 avenue du Dr. A. Schweitzer, Pessac, F-33608 (France); Nistor, M. [National Institute for Lasers, Plasmas and Radiation Physics, L22, PO Box MG-36, 77125 Bucharest-Magurele (Romania); Rougier, A., E-mail: rougier@icmcb-bordeaux.cnrs.fr [CNRS, Univ. Bordeaux, ICMCB, UPR 9048, F33600 Pessac (France)

2012-12-01

Silicon doped Zinc Oxide thin films, so-called SZO, were deposited at room temperature on glass and plastic substrates by co-sputtering of ZnO and SiO{sub 2} targets. The influence of the SiO{sub 2} target power supply (from 30 to 75 W) on the SZO thin film composition and crystallinity is discussed. Si/Zn atomic ratio, determined by X-ray microprobe, increases from 1.2 to 8.2 at.%. For Si/Zn ratio equal and lower than 3.9%, SZO (S{sub 3.9}ZO) thin films exhibit the Wurzite structure with the (0 0 2) preferred orientation. Larger Si content leads to a decrease in crystallinity. With Si addition, the resistivity decreases down to 3.5 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -3} Ohm-Sign {center_dot}cm for SZO thin film containing 3.9 at.% of Si prior to an increase. The mean transmittance of S{sub 3.9}ZO thin film on glass substrate approaches 80% (it is about 90% for the film itself) in the visible range (from 400 to 750 nm). Co-sputtered SZO thin films are suitable candidates for large area transparent conductive oxides. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Si doped ZnO thin films by co-sputtering of ZnO and SiO{sub 2} targets. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Minimum of resistivity for Si doped ZnO thin films containing 3.9% of Si. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Si and O environments by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy.

Wood fuel from early thinning and plantation cleaning. Summary of an international review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Puttock, D.

1998-01-01

This paper summaries the results of an international of wood fuel from early thinning and plantation cleaning. The economic and biological benefits from early thinning have been well documented. However, removing forest biomass during early stages of stand development from sites which are low in one or more nutrients may contribute a loss of nutrients and organic matter. Depending on the pre-thinning density and the thinning intensity, the potential yield of wood fuel from early thinning may be as much as 79 dry tons per hectare. Thus, wood fuel from the thinnings could be an important source of revenue to forest owners and would contribute to domestic energy requirements. Motor-manual felling predominates in early thinning, mainly due to the lack of appropriate technology for thinning small trees. However, the productivity of motor-manual felling is greatly affected by the initial stand density and declines dramatically at densities greater than 10 000 stems per ha. Under these conditions, purpose-built wood fuel harvesters with small-tree harvesting capability offer the greatest potential for increasing felling productivity and reducing the cost of wood fuel. The cost of wood fuel from early thinnings varies widely between countries from USD 25.00 - 87.50 per dry ton depending on stand conditions, harvesting system, transport distance, domestic tax rates, and stumpage prices. At the low end of this range, wood fuel chips from early thinning are competitive with wood fuel produced from mill waste, the residues from clearfell operations, or from later thinnings

Plastic response of thin films due to thermal cycling

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nicola, L.; van der Giessen, E.; Needleman, A.; Ahzi, S; Cherkaoui, M; Khaleel, MA; Zbib, HM; Zikry, MA; Lamatina, B

2004-01-01

Discrete dislocation simulations of thin films on semi-infinite substrates under cyclic thermal loading are presented. The thin film is modelled as a two-dimensional single crystal under plane strain conditions. Dislocations of edge character can be generated from initially present sources and glide

The state of the art of thin-film photovoltaics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Surek, T.

1993-10-01

Thin-film photovoltaic technologies, based on materials such as amorphous or polycrystalline silicon, copper indium diselenide, cadmium telluride, and gallium arsenide, offer the potential for significantly reducing the cost of electricity generated by photovoltaics. The significant progress in the technologies, from the laboratory to the marketplace, is reviewed. The common concerns and questions raised about thin films are addressed. Based on the progress to date and the potential of these technologies, along with continuing investments by the private sector to commercialize the technologies, one can conclude that thin-film PV will provide a competitive alternative for large-scale power generation in the future

Silicon-integrated thin-film structure for electro-optic applications

Science.gov (United States)

McKee, Rodney A.; Walker, Frederick Joseph

2000-01-01

A crystalline thin-film structure suited for use in any of an number of electro-optic applications, such as a phase modulator or a component of an interferometer, includes a semiconductor substrate of silicon and a ferroelectric, optically-clear thin film of the perovskite BaTiO.sub.3 overlying the surface of the silicon substrate. The BaTiO.sub.3 thin film is characterized in that substantially all of the dipole moments associated with the ferroelectric film are arranged substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate to enhance the electro-optic qualities of the film.

Copper zinc tin sulfide-based thin film solar cells

CERN Document Server

Ito, Kentaro

2014-01-01

Beginning with an overview and historical background of Copper Zinc Tin Sulphide (CZTS) technology, subsequent chapters cover properties of CZTS thin films, different preparation methods of CZTS thin films, a comparative study of CZTS and CIGS solar cell, computational approach, and future applications of CZTS thin film solar modules to both ground-mount and rooftop installation. The semiconducting compound (CZTS) is made up earth-abundant, low-cost and non-toxic elements, which make it an ideal candidate to replace Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) and CdTe solar cells which face material scarcity and tox

Nitrogen incorporation in sputter deposited molybdenum nitride thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stöber, Laura, E-mail: laura.stoeber@tuwien.ac.at; Patocka, Florian, E-mail: florian.patocka@tuwien.ac.at; Schneider, Michael, E-mail: michael.schneider@tuwien.ac.at; Schmid, Ulrich, E-mail: ulrich.e366.schmid@tuwien.ac.at [Institute of Sensor and Actuator Systems, TU Wien, Gußhausstraße 27-29, A-1040 Vienna (Austria); Konrath, Jens Peter, E-mail: jenspeter.konrath@infineon.com; Haberl, Verena, E-mail: verena.haberl@infineon.com [Infineon Technologies Austria AG, Siemensstraße 2, 9500 Villach (Austria)

2016-03-15

In this paper, the authors report on the high temperature performance of sputter deposited molybdenum (Mo) and molybdenum nitride (Mo{sub 2}N) thin films. Various argon and nitrogen gas compositions are applied for thin film synthetization, and the amount of nitrogen incorporation is determined by Auger measurements. Furthermore, effusion measurements identifying the binding conditions of the nitrogen in the thin film are performed up to 1000 °C. These results are in excellent agreement with film stress and scanning electron microscope analyses, both indicating stable film properties up to annealing temperatures of 500 °C.

Stability of generic thin shells in conformally flat spacetimes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amirabi, Z. [Eastern Mediterranean Univ., Gazimagusa (Turkey). Dept. of Physics

2017-07-15

Some important spacetimes are conformally flat; examples are the Robertson-Walker cosmological metric, the Einstein-de Sitter spacetime, and the Levi-Civita-Bertotti-Robinson and Mannheim metrics. In this paper we construct generic thin shells in conformally flat spacetime supported by a perfect fluid with a linear equation of state, i.e., p = ωσ. It is shown that, for the physical domain of ω, i.e., 0 < ω ≤ 1, such thin shells are not dynamically stable. The stability of the timelike thin shells with the Mannheim spacetime as the outer region is also investigated. (orig.)

Magnetic and magneto-optical properties of FeRh thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inoue, Sho; Nam, Nguyen T.; Phuoc, Nguyen N.; Cao Jiangwei; Yu Ko, Hnin Yu; Suzuki, Takao

2008-01-01

The magnetic and magneto-optical properties of FeRh thin films epitaxially deposited onto MgO(1 0 0) substrates by RF sputter-deposition system have been investigated in conjunction with the structure. An intriguing virgin effect has been found in the M-T curves of the as-deposited FeRh thin films, which is presumably interpreted in term of a change in structural phase when heating. Also, a (negative) maximum peak of Kerr rotation at around 3.8 eV has been observed when FeRh thin films are in ferromagnetic state. The polar Kerr rotation angle is found to increase at temperatures above 100 deg. C, which corresponds to the antiferromagnet (AF)-ferromagnet (FM) transition of FeRh thin films

Experimental High Speed Milling of the Selected Thin-Walled Component

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jozef Zajac

2017-11-01

Full Text Available In a technical practice, it is possible to meet thin-walled parts more and more often. These parts are most commonly used in the automotive industry or aircraft industry to reduce the weight of different design part of cars or aircraft. Presented article is focused on experimental high speed milling of selected thin-walled component. The introduction of this article presents description of high speed machining and specification of thin – walled parts. The experiments were carried out using a CNC machine Pinnacle VMC 650S and C45 material - plain carbon steel for automotive components and mechanical engineering. In the last part of the article, described are the arrangements to reduction of deformation of thin-walled component during the experimental high speed milling.

Polycaprolactone thin films for retinal tissue engineering and drug delivery

Science.gov (United States)

Steedman, Mark Rory

This dissertation focuses on the development of polycaprolactone thin films for retinal tissue engineering and drug delivery. We combined these thin films with techniques such as micro and nanofabrication to develop treatments for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a disease that leads to the death of rod and cone photoreceptors. Current treatments are only able to slow or limit the progression of the disease, and photoreceptors cannot be regenerated or replaced by the body once lost. The first experiments presented focus on a potential treatment for AMD after photoreceptor death has occurred. We developed a polymer thin film scaffold technology to deliver retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) to the affected area of the eye. Earlier research showed that RPCs destined to become photoreceptors are capable of incorporating into a degenerated retina. In our experiments, we showed that RPC attachment to a micro-welled polycaprolactone (PCL) thin film surface enhanced the differentiation of these cells toward a photoreceptor fate. We then used our PCL thin films to develop a drug delivery device capable of sustained therapeutic release over a multi-month period that would maintain an effective concentration of the drug in the eye and eliminate the need for repeated intraocular injections. We first investigated the biocompatibility of PCL in the rabbit eye. We injected PCL thin films into the anterior chamber or vitreous cavity of rabbit eyes and monitored the animals for up to 6 months. We found that PCL thin films were well tolerated in the rabbit eye, showing no signs of chronic inflammation due to the implant. We then developed a multilayered thin film device containing a microporous membrane. We loaded these devices with lyophilized proteins and quantified drug elution for 10 weeks, finding that both bovine serum albumin and immunoglobulin G elute from these devices with zero order release kinetics. These experiments demonstrate that PCL is an extremely useful

Nanoporous cerium oxide thin film for glucose biosensor.

Science.gov (United States)

Saha, Shibu; Arya, Sunil K; Singh, S P; Sreenivas, K; Malhotra, B D; Gupta, Vinay

2009-03-15

Nanoporous cerium oxide (CeO(2)) thin film deposited onto platinum (Pt) coated glass plate using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) has been utilized for immobilization of glucose oxidase (GOx). Atomic force microscopy studies reveal the formation of nanoporous surface morphology of CeO(2) thin film. Response studies carried out using differential pulsed voltammetry (DPV) and optical measurements show that the GOx/CeO(2)/Pt bio-electrode shows linearity in the range of 25-300 mg/dl of glucose concentration. The low value of Michaelis-Menten constant (1.01 mM) indicates enhanced enzyme affinity of GOx to glucose. The observed results show promising application of the nanoporous CeO(2) thin film for glucose sensing application without any surface functionalization or mediator.

Thin film microelectrodes for electrochemical detection of neurotransmitters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Simon Tylsgaard

An important signaling process in the nervous system is the release of chemical messengers called neurotransmitters from neurons. In this thesis alternative thin film electrode materials for applications targeting electrochemical detection of neurotransmitters in chip devices were evaluated...... and conductive polymer microelectrodes made of Pedot:Pss were also fabricated and used successfully to measure transmitter release from cells. The use of different thin film electrodes for low-noise amperometric measurements of single events of transmitter release from neuronal cells was studied....... For this application a very low current noise is needed together with a large temporal resolution. It was shown, that resistive and capacitive properties of thin film electrode materials are determining their usefulness in low-noise amperometric measurements. An analytical expression for the noise was derived...

High-intensity, thin-target He-jet production source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bai, Y.; Vieira, D.J.; Wouters, J.M.; Butler, G.W.; Rosenauer, Dk; Loebner, K.E.G.; Lind, V.G.; Phillips, D.R.

1996-01-01

A thin-target He-jet system suited to the production and rapid transport of non-volatile radioactive species has been successfully operated with proton beam intensities of up to 700 μA. The system consists of a water-cooled, thin-target chamber, capillary gas transport system, moving tape/Ge detection system, and an aerosol generator/gas recirculator. The yields for a wide variety of uranium fission and deep spallation products have been measured and robust operation of the system demonstrated for several weeks. He-jet transport and collection efficiencies ranged between 15 and 25% with collection rates of 10 7 to 10 8 atoms/sec/isotope. The high-intensity, thin-target He-jet approach represents a robust production source for nonvolatile radioactive heavy ion beams

Implementing optimal thinning strategies

Science.gov (United States)

Kurt H. Riitters; J. Douglas Brodie

1984-01-01

Optimal thinning regimes for achieving several management objectives were derived from two stand-growth simulators by dynamic programming. Residual mean tree volumes were then plotted against stand density management diagrams. The results supported the use of density management diagrams for comparing, checking, and implementing the results of optimization analyses....

Nanowire decorated, ultra-thin, single crystalline silicon for photovoltaic devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Aurang, Pantea; Turan, Rasit; Unalan, Husnu Emrah

2017-10-06

Reducing silicon (Si) wafer thickness in the photovoltaic industry has always been demanded for lowering the overall cost. Further benefits such as short collection lengths and improved open circuit voltages can also be achieved by Si thickness reduction. However, the problem with thin films is poor light absorption. One way to decrease optical losses in photovoltaic devices is to minimize the front side reflection. This approach can be applied to front contacted ultra-thin crystalline Si solar cells to increase the light absorption. In this work, homojunction solar cells were fabricated using ultra-thin and flexible single crystal Si wafers. A metal assisted chemical etching method was used for the nanowire (NW) texturization of ultra-thin Si wafers to compensate weak light absorption. A relative improvement of 56% in the reflectivity was observed for ultra-thin Si wafers with the thickness of 20 ± 0.2 μm upon NW texturization. NW length and top contact optimization resulted in a relative enhancement of 23% ± 5% in photovoltaic conversion efficiency.

Repulsive effects of hydrophobic diamond thin films on biomolecule detection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ruslinda, A. Rahim, E-mail: ruslindarahim@gmail.com [Institute of Nano Electronic Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Jln Kgr-Alor Setar, Seriab, 01000 Kangar, Perlis (Malaysia); Department of Nano Science and Nano Engineering, School of Advance Science and Engineering, Ohkubo 3-4-1, Shinjuku, 169-8555 Tokyo (Japan); Ishiyama, Y. [Department of Nano Science and Nano Engineering, School of Advance Science and Engineering, Ohkubo 3-4-1, Shinjuku, 169-8555 Tokyo (Japan); Penmatsa, V. [Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Florida International University, 10555 West Flagler Street, Miami, FL 33174 (United States); Ibori, S.; Kawarada, H. [Department of Nano Science and Nano Engineering, School of Advance Science and Engineering, Ohkubo 3-4-1, Shinjuku, 169-8555 Tokyo (Japan)

2015-02-15

Highlights: • We report the effect of fluorine plasma treatment on diamond thin film to resist the nonspecific adsorption of biomolecules. • The diamond thin film were highly hydrophobic with a surface energy value of ∼25 mN/m. • The repulsive effect shows excellent binding efficiency for both DNA and HIV-1 Tat protein. - Abstract: The repulsive effect of hydrophobic diamond thin film on biomolecule detection, such as single-nucleotide polymorphisms and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 trans-activator of transcription peptide protein detection, was investigated using a mixture of a fluorine-, amine-, and hydrogen-terminated diamond surfaces. These chemical modifications lead to the formation of a surface that effectively resists the nonspecific adsorption of proteins and other biomolecules. The effect of fluorine plasma treatment on elemental composition was also investigated via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). XPS results revealed a fluorocarbon layer on the diamond thin films. The contact angle measurement results indicated that the fluorine-treated diamond thin films were highly hydrophobic with a surface energy value of ∼25 mN/m.

Repulsive effects of hydrophobic diamond thin films on biomolecule detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruslinda, A. Rahim; Ishiyama, Y.; Penmatsa, V.; Ibori, S.; Kawarada, H.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • We report the effect of fluorine plasma treatment on diamond thin film to resist the nonspecific adsorption of biomolecules. • The diamond thin film were highly hydrophobic with a surface energy value of ∼25 mN/m. • The repulsive effect shows excellent binding efficiency for both DNA and HIV-1 Tat protein. - Abstract: The repulsive effect of hydrophobic diamond thin film on biomolecule detection, such as single-nucleotide polymorphisms and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 trans-activator of transcription peptide protein detection, was investigated using a mixture of a fluorine-, amine-, and hydrogen-terminated diamond surfaces. These chemical modifications lead to the formation of a surface that effectively resists the nonspecific adsorption of proteins and other biomolecules. The effect of fluorine plasma treatment on elemental composition was also investigated via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). XPS results revealed a fluorocarbon layer on the diamond thin films. The contact angle measurement results indicated that the fluorine-treated diamond thin films were highly hydrophobic with a surface energy value of ∼25 mN/m

Structural and Electrochemical Properties of Lithium Nickel Oxide Thin Films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gyu-bong Cho

2014-01-01

Full Text Available LiNiO2 thin films were fabricated by RF magnetron sputtering. The microstructure of the films was determined by X-ray diffraction and field-emission scanning electron microscopy. The electrochemical properties were investigated with a battery cycler using coin-type half-cells. The LiNiO2 thin films annealed below 500°C had the surface carbonate. The results suggest that surface carbonate interrupted the Li intercalation and deintercalation during charge/discharge. Although the annealing process enhanced the crystallization of LiNiO2, the capacity did not increase. When the annealing temperature was increased to 600°C, the FeCrNiO4 oxide phase was generated and the discharge capacity decreased due to an oxygen deficiency in the LiNiO2 thin film. The ZrO2-coated LiNiO2 thin film provided an improved discharge capacity compared to bare LiNiO2 thin film suggesting that the improved electrochemical characteristic may be attributed to the inhibition of surface carbonate by ZrO2 coating layer.

Thin films of metal-organic compounds and metal nanoparticle

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Thin films of metal-organic compounds and metal nanoparticle-embedded polymers for nonlinear optical applications. S Philip Anthony Shatabdi Porel D ... Thin films based on two very different metal-organic systems are developed and some nonlinear optical applications are explored. A family of zinc complexes which ...

Surface proton transport of fully protonated poly(aspartic acid) thin films on quartz substrates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nagao, Yuki, E-mail: ynagao@jaist.ac.jp; Kubo, Takahiro

2014-12-30

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Proton transport of fully protonated poly(aspartic acid) thin film was investigated. • The thin film structure differed greatly from the partially protonated one. • Proton transport occurs on the surface, not inside of the thin film. • This result contributes to biological transport systems such as bacteriorhodopsin. - Abstract: Thin film structure and the proton transport property of fully protonated poly(aspartic acid) (P-Asp100) have been investigated. An earlier study assessed partially protonated poly(aspartic acid), highly oriented thin film structure and enhancement of the internal proton transport. In this study of P-Asp100, IR p-polarized multiple-angle incidence resolution (P-MAIR) spectra were measured to investigate the thin film structure. The obtained thin films, with thicknesses of 120–670 nm, had no oriented structure. Relative humidity dependence of the resistance, proton conductivity, and normalized resistance were examined to ascertain the proton transport property of P-Asp100 thin films. The obtained data showed that the proton transport of P-Asp100 thin films might occur on the surface, not inside of the thin film. This phenomenon might be related with the proton transport of the biological system.

Surface proton transport of fully protonated poly(aspartic acid) thin films on quartz substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagao, Yuki; Kubo, Takahiro

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Proton transport of fully protonated poly(aspartic acid) thin film was investigated. • The thin film structure differed greatly from the partially protonated one. • Proton transport occurs on the surface, not inside of the thin film. • This result contributes to biological transport systems such as bacteriorhodopsin. - Abstract: Thin film structure and the proton transport property of fully protonated poly(aspartic acid) (P-Asp100) have been investigated. An earlier study assessed partially protonated poly(aspartic acid), highly oriented thin film structure and enhancement of the internal proton transport. In this study of P-Asp100, IR p-polarized multiple-angle incidence resolution (P-MAIR) spectra were measured to investigate the thin film structure. The obtained thin films, with thicknesses of 120–670 nm, had no oriented structure. Relative humidity dependence of the resistance, proton conductivity, and normalized resistance were examined to ascertain the proton transport property of P-Asp100 thin films. The obtained data showed that the proton transport of P-Asp100 thin films might occur on the surface, not inside of the thin film. This phenomenon might be related with the proton transport of the biological system

Thin-film voltammetry and its analytical applications: A review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tian, Huihui; Li, Yunchao; Shao, Huibo; Yu, Hua-Zhong

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Electrochemistry at immiscible liquid–liquid interfaces is fundamentally important. • Methods for studying redox processes at liquid–liquid interfaces are reviewed. • Thin-film voltammetry is simple in experimental operation and kinetic data analysis. • Thin-film voltammetry’s analytical applications are prevailing and comprehensive. - Abstract: Electrochemical reactions at the interfaces of immiscible electrolyte solutions (ITIES) are of fundamental importance in the fields of chemical, biological and pharmaceutical sciences. Four-electrode cell setup, scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) and thin-film voltammetry are the three most frequently used methods for studying the electrochemical processes at these interfaces. The principle, experimental design, advantages and challenges of the three methods are described and compared. The thin-film voltammetry is highlighted for its simplicity in experimental operation and kinetic data analysis. Its versatile analytical applications are discussed in detail, including the study of redox properties of hydrophobic compounds, evaluation of interfacial electron transfer kinetics, synthesis of nanoparticles/nanostructures, and illustration of cross-membrane ion transport phenomena

Numerical simulations of electrohydrodynamic evolution of thin polymer films

Science.gov (United States)

Borglum, Joshua Christopher

Recently developed needleless electrospinning and electrolithography are two successful techniques that have been utilized extensively for low-cost, scalable, and continuous nano-fabrication. Rational understanding of the electrohydrodynamic principles underneath these nano-manufacturing methods is crucial to fabrication of continuous nanofibers and patterned thin films. This research project is to formulate robust, high-efficiency finite-difference Fourier spectral methods to simulate the electrohydrodynamic evolution of thin polymer films. Two thin-film models were considered and refined. The first was based on reduced lubrication theory; the second further took into account the effect of solvent drying and dewetting of the substrate. Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) based spectral method was integrated into the finite-difference algorithms for fast, accurately solving the governing nonlinear partial differential equations. The present methods have been used to examine the dependencies of the evolving surface features of the thin films upon the model parameters. The present study can be used for fast, controllable nanofabrication.

An optimal control model of crop thinning in viticulture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Schamel Guenter H.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available We develop an economic model of cluster thinning in viticulture to control for grape quantity harvested and grape quality, applying a simple optimal control model with the aim to raise grape quality and related economic profits. The model maximizes vineyard owner profits and allows to discuss two relevant scenarios using a phase diagram analysis: (1 when the initial grape quantity is sufficiently small, thinning grapes will not be optimal and (2 when the initial grape quantity is high enough, it is optimal to thin grapes from the beginning of the relevant planning horizon and to reduce the quantity over time until the stock of grapes arrives at its optimum. Depending on the model's parameters, the “stopping time” for thinning grapes is reached sooner or later. After the stopping time, grape quantity evolves solely according to natural decay. The results relate to observed dynamics in viticulture and for other horticultural crops.

Laser process for extended silicon thin film solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hessmann, M.T.; Kunz, T.; Burkert, I.; Gawehns, N.; Schaefer, L.; Frick, T.; Schmidt, M.; Meidel, B.; Auer, R.; Brabec, C.J.

2011-01-01

We present a large area thin film base substrate for the epitaxy of crystalline silicon. The concept of epitaxial growth of silicon on large area thin film substrates overcomes the area restrictions of an ingot based monocrystalline silicon process. Further it opens the possibility for a roll to roll process for crystalline silicon production. This concept suggests a technical pathway to overcome the limitations of silicon ingot production in terms of costs, throughput and completely prevents any sawing losses. The core idea behind these thin film substrates is a laser welding process of individual, thin silicon wafers. In this manuscript we investigate the properties of laser welded monocrystalline silicon foils (100) by micro-Raman mapping and spectroscopy. It is shown that the laser beam changes the crystalline structure of float zone grown silicon along the welding seam. This is illustrated by Raman mapping which visualizes compressive stress as well as tensile stress in a range of - 147.5 to 32.5 MPa along the welding area.

Antibacterial Properties of Titanate Nano fiber Thin Films Formed on a Titanium Plate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yada, M.; Inoue, Y.; Morita, T.; Torikai, T.; Watari, T.; Noda, I.; Hotokebuchi, T.

2013-01-01

A sodium titanate nano fiber thin film and a silver nanoparticle/silver titanate nano fiber thin film formed on the surface of a titanium plate exhibited strong antibacterial activities against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, which is one of the major bacteria causing in-hospital infections. Exposure of the sodium titanate nano fiber thin film to ultraviolet rays generated a high antibacterial activity due to photo catalysis and the sodium titanate nano fiber thin film immediately after its synthesis possessed a high antibacterial activity even without exposure to ultraviolet rays. Elution of silver from the silver nanoparticle/silver titanate nano fiber thin film caused by the silver ion exchange reaction was considered to contribute substantially to the strong antibacterial activity. The titanate nano fiber thin films adhered firmly to titanium. Therefore, these titanate nano fiber thin film/titanium composites will be extremely useful as implant materials that have excellent antibacterial activities.

Chalcogenide phase-change thin films used as grayscale photolithography materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Rui; Wei, Jingsong; Fan, Yongtao

2014-03-10

Chalcogenide phase-change thin films are used in many fields, such as optical information storage and solid-state memory. In this work, we present another application of chalcogenide phase-change thin films, i.e., as grayscale photolithgraphy materials. The grayscale patterns can be directly inscribed on the chalcogenide phase-change thin films by a single process through direct laser writing method. In grayscale photolithography, the laser pulse can induce the formation of bump structure, and the bump height and size can be precisely controlled by changing laser energy. Bumps with different height and size present different optical reflection and transmission spectra, leading to the different gray levels. For example, the continuous-tone grayscale images of lifelike bird and cat are successfully inscribed onto Sb(2)Te(3) chalcogenide phase-change thin films using a home-built laser direct writer, where the expression and appearance of the lifelike bird and cat are fully presented. This work provides a way to fabricate complicated grayscale patterns using laser-induced bump structures onto chalcogenide phase-change thin films, different from current techniques such as photolithography, electron beam lithography, and focused ion beam lithography. The ability to form grayscale patterns of chalcogenide phase-change thin films reveals many potential applications in high-resolution optical images for micro/nano image storage, microartworks, and grayscale photomasks.

Thin Film Approaches to the SRF Cavity Problem: Fabrication and Characterization of Superconducting Thin Films

Science.gov (United States)

Beringer, Douglas B.

Superconducting Radio Frequency (SRF) cavities are responsible for the acceleration of charged particles to relativistic velocities in most modern linear accelerators, such as those employed at high-energy research facilities like Thomas Jefferson National Laboratory's CEBAF and the LHC at CERN. Recognizing SRF as primarily a surface phenomenon enables the possibility of applying thin films to the interior surface of SRF cavities, opening a formidable tool chest of opportunities by combining and designing materials that offer greater benefit. Thus, while improvements in radio frequency cavity design and refinements in cavity processing techniques have improved accelerator performance and efficiency - 1.5 GHz bulk niobium SRF cavities have achieved accelerating gradients in excess of 35 MV/m - there exist fundamental material bounds in bulk superconductors limiting the maximally sustained accelerating field gradient (approximately 45 MV/m for Niobium) where inevitable thermodynamic breakdown occurs. With state of the art niobium based cavity design fast approaching these theoretical limits, novel material innovations must be sought in order to realize next generation SRF cavities. One proposed method to improve SRF performance is to utilize thin film superconducting-insulating-superconducting (SIS) multilayer structures to effectively magnetically screen a bulk superconducting layer such that it can operate at higher field gradients before suffering critically detrimental SRF losses. This dissertation focuses on the production and characterization of thin film superconductors for such SIS layers for radio-frequency applications.

Aluminum nitride and nanodiamond thin film microstructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Knoebber, Fabian; Bludau, Oliver; Roehlig, Claus-Christian; Williams, Oliver; Sah, Ram Ekwal; Kirste, Lutz; Cimalla, Volker; Lebedev, Vadim; Nebel, Christoph; Ambacher, Oliver [Fraunhofer-Institute for Applied Solid State Physics, Freiburg (Germany)

2010-07-01

In this work, aluminum nitride (AlN) and nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) thin film microstructures have been developed. Freestanding NCD membranes were coated with a piezoelectrical AlN layer in order to build tunable micro-lens arrays. For the evaluation of the single material quality, AlN and NCD thin films on silicon substrates were fabricated using RF magnetron sputtering and microwave chemical vapor deposition techniques, respectively. The crystal quality of AlN was investigated by X-ray diffraction. The piezoelectric constant d{sub 33} was determined by scanning laser vibrometry. The NCD thin films were optimized with respect to surface roughness, mechanical stability, intrinsic stress and transparency. To determine the mechanical properties of the materials, both, micromechanical resonator and membrane structures were fabricated and measured by magnetomotive resonant frequency spectroscopy and bulging experiments, respectively. Finally, the behavior of AlN/NCD heterostructures was modeled using the finite element method and the first structures were characterized by piezoelectrical measurements.

Thin films prepared from tungstate glass matrix

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Montanari, B.; Ribeiro, S.J.L.; Messaddeq, Y. [Departamento de Quimica Geral e Inorganica, Instituto de Quimica, Sao Paulo State University-UNESP, CP 355, CEP 14800-900, Araraquara, SP (Brazil); Li, M.S. [Instituto de Fisica, USP, CP 369, CEP 13560-970, Sao Carlos, SP (Brazil); Poirier, G. [Departamento de Ciencias Exatas, UNIFAL-MG, CEP 37130-000, Alfenas-MG (Brazil)], E-mail: gael@unifal-mg.edu.br

2008-01-30

Vitreous samples containing high concentrations of WO{sub 3} (above 40% M) have been used as a target to prepare thin films. Such films were deposited using the electron beam evaporation method onto soda-lime glass substrates. These films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), perfilometry, X-ray energy dispersion spectroscopy (EDS), M-Lines and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy. In this work, experimental parameters were established to obtain stable thin films showing a chemical composition close to the glass precursor composition and with a high concentration of WO{sub 3}. These amorphous thin films of about 4 {mu}m in thickness exhibit a deep blue coloration but they can be bleached by thermal treatment near the glass transition temperature. Such bleached films show several guided modes in the visible region and have a high refractive index. Controlled crystallization was realized and thus it was possible to obtain WO{sub 3} microcrystals in the amorphous phase.

Core-Shell Microneedle Gel for Self-Regulated Insulin Delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jinqiang; Ye, Yanqi; Yu, Jicheng; Kahkoska, Anna R; Zhang, Xudong; Wang, Chao; Sun, Wujin; Corder, Ria D; Chen, Zhaowei; Khan, Saad A; Buse, John B; Gu, Zhen

2018-03-27

A bioinspired glucose-responsive insulin delivery system for self-regulation of blood glucose levels is desirable for improving health and quality of life outcomes for patients with type 1 and advanced type 2 diabetes. Here we describe a painless core-shell microneedle array patch consisting of degradable cross-linked gel for smart insulin delivery with rapid responsiveness and excellent biocompatibility. This gel-based device can partially dissociate and subsequently release insulin when triggered by hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) generated during the oxidation of glucose by a glucose-specific enzyme covalently attached inside the gel. Importantly, the H 2 O 2 -responsive microneedles are coated with a thin-layer embedding H 2 O 2 -scavenging enzyme, thus mimicking the complementary function of enzymes in peroxisomes to protect normal tissues from injury caused by oxidative stress. Utilizing a chemically induced type 1 diabetic mouse model, we demonstrated that this smart insulin patch with a bioresponsive core and protective shell could effectively regulate the blood glucose levels within a normal range with improved biocompatibility.

Thin layers in actinide research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gouder, T.

1998-01-01

Surface science research at the ITU is focused on the synthesis and surface spectroscopy studies of thin films of actinides and actinide compounds. The surface spectroscopies used are X-ray and ultra violet photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS and UPS, respectively), and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). Thin films of actinide elements and compounds are prepared by sputter deposition from elemental targets. Alloy films are deposited from corresponding alloy targets and could be used, in principle, as replicates of these targets. However, there are deviations between alloy film and target composition, which depend on the deposition conditions, such as pressure and target voltage. Mastering of these effects may allow us to study stoichiometric film replicates instead of thick bulk compounds. As an example, we discuss the composition of U-Ni films prepared from a UNi 5 target. (orig.)

Improvement of physical properties of ZnO thin films by tellurium doping

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sönmezoğlu, Savaş, E-mail: svssonmezoglu@kmu.edu.tr; Akman, Erdi

2014-11-01

Highlights: • We report the synthesis of tellurium-doped zinc oxide (Te–ZnO) thin films using sol–gel method. • Highly c-axis oriented Te-doped ZnO thin films were grown on FTO glasses as substrate. • 1.5% Te-doping ratio could improve the physical properties of ZnO thin films. - Abstract: This investigation addressed the structural, optical and morphological properties of tellurium incorporated zinc oxide (Te–ZnO) thin films. The obtained results indicated that Te-doped ZnO thin films exhibit an enhancement of band gap energy and crystallinity compared with non-doped films. The optical transmission spectra revealed a shift in the absorption edge toward lower wavelengths. X-ray diffraction measurement demonstrated that the film was crystallized in the hexagonal (wurtzite) phase and presented a preferential orientation along the c-axis. The XRD obtained patterns indicate that the crystallite size of the thin films, ranging from 23.9 to 49.1 nm, changed with the Te doping level. The scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy results demonstrated that the grain size and surface roughness of the thin films increased as the Te concentration increased. Most significantly, we demonstrate that it is possible to control the structural, optical and morphological properties of ZnO thin films with the isoelectronic Te-incorporation level.

Study on the Preparation and Properties of Colored Iron Oxide Thin Films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Xianhui; Li Changhong; Liu Qiuping; He Junjing; Wang Hai; Liang Song; Duan Yandong; Liu Su

2013-01-01

Colored iron oxide thin films were prepared using Sol-gel technique. The raw materials were tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), etoh ehanol (EtOH), iron nitrate, and de-ionized water. Various properties were measured and analysed, including the colour of thin films, surface topography, UV-Visible spectra, corrosion resistance and hydrophobicity. To understand how these properties influenced the structural and optical properties of Fe 2 O 3 thin films, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), UV Spectrophotometer and other facilities were employed. Many parameters influence the performance of thin films, such as film layers, added H 2 O content, and the amount of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). When the volume ratio of TEOS, EtOH and H 2 O was 15: 13: 1, the quality of Fe(NO 3 ) 3 ·9H 2 O was 6g, and pH value was 3, reddish and uniform Fe 2 O 3 thin films with excellent properties were produced. Obtained thin films possessed corrosion resistance in hydrochloric acid with pH=l and the absorption edge wavelength was ∼350.2nm. Different H 2 O contents could result in different morphologies of Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles. When 1.5 ml PDMS was added into the Sol, thin films possessed hydrophobiliry without dropping. Coating with different layers, thin films appeared different morphologies. Meanwhile, with the increment of film layers, the absorbance increased gradually.

Effects of neutral particle beam on nano-crystalline silicon thin films, with application to thin film transistor backplane for flexible active matrix organic light emitting diodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jang, Jin Nyoung; Song, Byoung Chul; Lee, Dong Hyeok; Yoo, Suk Jae; Lee, Bonju; Hong, MunPyo

2011-01-01

A novel deposition process for nano-crystalline silicon (nc-Si) thin films was developed using neutral beam assisted chemical vapor deposition (NBaCVD) technology for the application of the thin film transistor (TFT) backplane of flexible active matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED). During the formation of a nc-Si thin film, the energetic particles enhance nano-sized crystalline rather microcrystalline Si in thin films. Neutral Particle Beam (NPB) affects the crystallinity in two ways: (1) NPB energy enhances nano-crystallinity through kinetic energy transfer and chemical annealing, and (2) heavier NPB (such as Ar) induces damage and amorphization through energetic particle impinging. Nc-Si thin film properties effectively can be changed by the reflector bias. As increase of NPB energy limits growing the crystalline, the performance of TFT supports this NPB behavior. The results of nc-Si TFT by NBaCVD demonstrate the technical potentials of neutral beam based processes for achieving high stability and reduced leakage in TFT backplanes for AMOLEDs.

Materials science in microelectronics I the relationships between thin film processing and structure

CERN Document Server

Machlin, Eugene

2005-01-01

Thin films play a key role in the material science of microelectronics, and the subject matter of thin-films divides naturally into two headings: processing / structure relationship, and structure / properties relationship.The first volume of Materials Science in Microelectronics focuses on the first relationship - that between processing and the structure of the thin-film. The state of the thin film's surface during the period that one monolayer exists - before being buried in the next layer - determines the ultimate structure of the thin film, and thus its properties. This

Immunological identification of a high molecular weight protein as a condidate for the product of the Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kao, L.; Krstenansky, J.; Mendell, J.; Rammohan, K.W.; Gruenstein, E. (Univ. of Cincinnati College of Medicine, OH (USA))

1988-06-01

An oligopeptide was synthesized based on translation of the nucleotide sequence of the putative exon region of clone pERT87-25 from the gene for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Immunization of rabbits with this oligopeptide induced the formation of antibodies directed against a protein present in human, rat, and rabbit skeletal muscle. This protein, which is missing in the skeletal muscle of two patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, has a molecular mass of {approx}320-420 kDa and is clearly different from the putative Duchenne muscular dystrophy-related protein nebulin. The data suggest that this 320-420-kDa protein is produced by the Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene.

Immunological identification of a high molecular weight protein as a condidate for the product of the Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kao, L.; Krstenansky, J.; Mendell, J.; Rammohan, K.W.; Gruenstein, E.

1988-01-01

An oligopeptide was synthesized based on translation of the nucleotide sequence of the putative exon region of clone pERT87-25 from the gene for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Immunization of rabbits with this oligopeptide induced the formation of antibodies directed against a protein present in human, rat, and rabbit skeletal muscle. This protein, which is missing in the skeletal muscle of two patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, has a molecular mass of ∼320-420 kDa and is clearly different from the putative Duchenne muscular dystrophy-related protein nebulin. The data suggest that this 320-420-kDa protein is produced by the Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene

Cadmium sulphide thin film for application in gamma radiation ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Cadmium Sulphide (CdS) thin film was prepared using pyrolytic spraying technique and then irradiated at varied gamma dosage. The CdS thin film absorption before gamma irradiation was 0.6497. Absorbed doses were computed using standard equation established for an integrating dosimeter. The plot of absorbed dose ...

NPPs Secondary Circuit Piping Wall-Thinning Management in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhong Zhimin; Li Jinsong; Zheng Hui

2012-01-01

Since 1980s, secondary circuit piping wall-thinning incidents happened in nuclear power plants (NPPs) worldwide. Particularly Surry 2 and Mihama 3 accidents resulted from flow-accelerated corrosion (FAC), unplanned outage, huge fatalities and economic loss pushed whole industry to pay more attention on the wall-thinning problem.

Polymer surfaces, interfaces and thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stamm, M [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Polymerforschung, Mainz (Germany)

1996-11-01

Neutron reflectometry can be used in various ways to investigate surfaces, interfaces and thin films of polymers. Its potential comes mostly from the possibilities offered by selective deuteration, where a particular component can be made visible with respect to its activity at the interface. In addition the depth resolution is much better than with most other direct techniques, and details of the profiles may be resolved. Several examples will be discussed including the segment diffusion at the interface between two polymer films, the determination of the narrow interfaces between incompatible polymer blends and the development of order in thin diblock copolymer films. (author) 10 figs., 2 tabs., 38 refs.

Polymer surfaces, interfaces and thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stamm, M.

1996-01-01

Neutron reflectometry can be used in various ways to investigate surfaces, interfaces and thin films of polymers. Its potential comes mostly from the possibilities offered by selective deuteration, where a particular component can be made visible with respect to its activity at the interface. In addition the depth resolution is much better than with most other direct techniques, and details of the profiles may be resolved. Several examples will be discussed including the segment diffusion at the interface between two polymer films, the determination of the narrow interfaces between incompatible polymer blends and the development of order in thin diblock copolymer films. (author) 10 figs., 2 tabs., 38 refs

Indium Sulfide and Indium Oxide Thin Films Spin-Coated from Triethylammonium Indium Thioacetate Precursor for n-Channel Thin Film Transistor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tung, Duy Dao; Jeong, Hyun Dam [Chonnam Natioal University, Gwangju (Korea, Republic of)

2014-09-15

The In{sub 2}S{sub 3} thin films of tetragonal structure and In{sub 2}O{sub 3} films of cubic structure were synthesized by a spin coating method from the organometallic compound precursor triethylammonium indium thioacetate ([(Et){sub 3}NH]+ [In(SCOCH{sub 3}){sub 4}]''-; TEA-InTAA). In order to determine the electron mobility of the spin-coated TEA-InTAA films, thin film transistors (TFTs) with an inverted structure using a gate dielectric of thermal oxide (SiO{sub 2}) was fabricated. These devices exhibited n-channel TFT characteristics with a field-effect electron mobility of 10.1 cm''2 V''-1s''-1 at a curing temperature of 500 o C, indicating that the semiconducting thin film material is applicable for use in low-cost, solution-processed printable electronics.

Thin film processes

CERN Document Server

Vossen, John L

1978-01-01

Remarkable advances have been made in recent years in the science and technology of thin film processes for deposition and etching. It is the purpose of this book to bring together tutorial reviews of selected filmdeposition and etching processes from a process viewpoint. Emphasis is placed on the practical use of the processes to provide working guidelines for their implementation, a guide to the literature, and an overview of each process.

FABRICATION OF ZNS THIN FILM FOR INORGANIC EL BY THE VACCUUM EVAPORATION

OpenAIRE

龍見, 雅美; 島谷, 圭市; 小西, 信行; 元木, 健作

2008-01-01

"Zinc sulfide is a typical material for inorganic electroluminescent(EL) device. Recently very high luminance and life time e has been reported on an inorganic EL device based on thin film zinc sulfide material. The present study tries to realize high quality zinc sulfide thin film for EL device. The thin film was grown by the vacuum evaporation method. In order to obtain stoichiometric thin film, the vacuum evaporation was carried out in a quasi-closed vessel under a condition of sulfur atmo...

Analyzing the LiF thin films deposited at different substrate temperatures using multifractal technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yadav, R.P. [Department of Physics, University of Allahabad, Allahabad, UP 211002 (India); Dwivedi, S., E-mail: suneetdwivedi@gmail.com [K Banerjee Centre of Atmospheric and Ocean Studies, University of Allahabad, Allahabad, UP 211002 (India); Mittal, A.K. [Department of Physics, University of Allahabad, Allahabad, UP 211002 (India); K Banerjee Centre of Atmospheric and Ocean Studies, University of Allahabad, Allahabad, UP 211002 (India); Kumar, Manvendra [Nanotechnology Application Centre, University of Allahabad, Allahabad, UP 211002 (India); Pandey, A.C. [K Banerjee Centre of Atmospheric and Ocean Studies, University of Allahabad, Allahabad, UP 211002 (India); Nanotechnology Application Centre, University of Allahabad, Allahabad, UP 211002 (India)

2014-07-01

The Atomic Force Microscopy technique is used to characterize the surface morphology of LiF thin films deposited at substrate temperatures 77 K, 300 K and 500 K, respectively. It is found that the surface roughness of thin film increases with substrate temperature. The multifractal nature of the LiF thin film at each substrate temperature is investigated using the backward two-dimensional multifractal detrended moving average analysis. The strength of multifractility and the non-uniformity of the height probabilities of the thin films increase as the substrate temperature increases. Both the width of the multifractal spectrum and the difference of fractal dimensions of the thin films increase sharply as the temperature reaches 500 K, indicating that the multifractility of the thin films becomes more pronounced at the higher substrate temperatures with greater cluster size. - Highlights: • Analyzing LiF thin films using multifractal detrended moving average technique • Surface roughness of LiF thin film increases with substrate temperature. • LiF thin films at each substrate temperature exhibit multifractality. • Multifractility becomes more pronounced at the higher substrate temperatures.

The optical properties of plasma polymerized polyaniline thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goktas, Hilal, E-mail: hilal_goktas@yahoo.com [Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Physics Department, 17020 Canakkale (Turkey); Demircioglu, Zahide; Sel, Kivanc [Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Physics Department, 17020 Canakkale (Turkey); Gunes, Taylan [Yalova University, Energy Systems Engineering Department, 77100 Yalova (Turkey); Kaya, Ismet [Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Chemistry Department, 17020 Canakkale (Turkey)

2013-12-02

We report herein the characterizations of polyaniline thin films synthesized using double discharge plasma system. Quartz glass substrates were coated at a pressure of 80 Pa, 19.0 kV pulsed and 1.5 kV dc potential. The substrates were located at different regions in the reactor to evaluate the influence of the position on the morphological and molecular structure of the obtained thin films. The molecular structure of the thin films was investigated by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and UV–visible photospectrometers (UV–vis), and the morphological studies were carried out by scanning electron microscope. The FTIR and UV–vis data revealed that the molecular structures of the synthesized thin films were in the form of leuocoemeraldine and exhibited similar structures with the films produced via chemical or electrochemical methods. The optical energy band gap values of the as-grown samples ranged from 2.5 to 3.1 eV, which indicated that these materials have potential applications in semiconductor devices. The refractive index in the transparent region (from 650 to 1000 nm) steadily decreased from 1.9 to 1.4 and the extinction coefficient was found to be on order of 10{sup −4}. The synthesized thin films showed various degrees of granular morphologies depending on the location of the substrate in the reactor. - Highlights: • Polyaniline thin films were synthesized for the first time via double discharge plasma system. • The films have similar structure to that of the chemically synthesized films. • The morphology of the films could be tuned by this technique. • These materials would have potential applications at semiconductor devices.

Investigation of ferromagnetism in oxygen deficient hafnium oxide thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hildebrandt, Erwin; Kurian, Jose; Krockenberger, Yoshiharu; Alff, Lambert [Institut fuer Materialwissenschaft, TU Darmstadt (Germany); Suter, Andreas [PSI, Villingen (Switzerland); Wilhelm, Fabrice; Rogalev, Andrei [ESRF, Grenoble (France)

2008-07-01

Oxygen deficient thin films of hafnium oxide were grown on single crystal r-cut and c-cut sapphire by reactive molecular beam epitaxy. RF-activated oxygen was used for the in situ oxidation of hafnium oxide thin films. Oxidation conditions were varied substantially in order to create oxygen deficiency in hafnium oxide films intentionally. The films were characterized by X-ray and magnetic measurements. X-ray diffraction studies show an increase in lattice parameter with increasing oxygen deficiency. Oxygen deficient hafnium oxide thin films also showed a decreasing bandgap with increase in oxygen deficiency. The magnetisation studies carried out with SQUID did not show any sign of ferromagnetism in the whole oxygen deficiency range. X-ray magnetic circular dichroism measurements also confirmed the absence of ferromagnetism in oxygen deficient hafnium oxide thin films.

Characteristics of Iron-Palladium alloy thin films deposited by magnetron sputtering

Science.gov (United States)

Chiu, Y.-J.; Shen, C.-Y.; Chang, H.-W.; Jian, S.-R.

2018-06-01

The microstructural features, magnetic, nanomechanical properties and wettability behaviors of Iron-Palladium (FePd) alloy thin films are investigated by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), nanoindentation and water contact angle (CA) techniques, respectively. The FePd alloy thin films were deposited on glass substrates using a magnetron sputtering system. The post-annealing processes of FePd alloy thin films were carried out at 400 °C and 750 °C and resulted in a significant increase of both the average grain size and surface roughness. The XRD analysis showed that FePd alloy thin films exhibited a predominant (1 1 1) orientation. The magnetic field dependence of magnetization of all FePd thin films are measured at room temperature showed the ferromagnetic characteristics. The nanoindentation with continuous stiffness measurement (CSM) is used to measure the hardness and Young's modulus of present films. The contact angle (θCA) increased with increasing surface roughness. The maximum θCA of 75° was achieved for the FePd alloy thin film after annealing at 750 °C and a surface roughness of 4.2 nm.

Radiodiagnosis of gastric diseases on the basis of thin contour findings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zubarev, A.V.; Zavodnov, V.Ya.; Sklyanskaya, O.A.

1988-01-01

The authors have analyzed the role of the thin contour in radiodiagnisis of various diseases of the gastric mucosa. Altogether 140 patients with various gastric diseases were investigated. Using X-ray examination of the stomach based on the common 2-phase method, thin contour images were obtained in 80 % of the cases. The results of the investigation have revealed direct correlation between the type of the thin contour and a morphological picture of the gastric mucosa in chronic gastritis. Early stomach cancer was characterized by the local absence or rearrangement of a usual pattern of the thin contour on stomach radiograms. It was difficult to defect single erosions or polyps with a diameter under 5 mm against a background of the gastric mucosa thin contour. Good visualization of stomach areolae, particularly those of a rough nodular type in the proximal part of the stomach was suggestive of an ulcerative lesion

Thin Film Packaging Solutions for High Efficiency OLED Lighting Products

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

2008-06-30

The objective of the 'Thin Film Packaging Solutions for High Efficiency OLED Lighting Products' project is to demonstrate thin film packaging solutions based on SiC hermetic coatings that, when applied to glass and plastic substrates, support OLED lighting devices by providing longer life with greater efficiency at lower cost than is currently available. Phase I Objective: Demonstrate thin film encapsulated working phosphorescent OLED devices on optical glass with lifetime of 1,000 hour life, CRI greater than 75, and 15 lm/W. Phase II Objective: Demonstrate thin film encapsulated working phosphorescent OLED devices on plastic or glass composite with 25 lm/W, 5,000 hours life, and CRI greater than 80. Phase III Objective: Demonstrate 2 x 2 ft{sup 2} thin film encapsulated working phosphorescent OLED with 40 lm/W, 10,000 hour life, and CRI greater than 85. This report details the efforts of Phase III (Budget Period Three), a fourteen month collaborative effort that focused on optimization of high-efficiency phosphorescent OLED devices and thin-film encapsulation of said devices. The report further details the conclusions and recommendations of the project team that have foundation in all three budget periods for the program. During the conduct of the Thin Film Packaging Solutions for High Efficiency OLED Lighting Products program, including budget period three, the project team completed and delivered the following achievements: (1) a three-year marketing effort that characterized the near-term and longer-term OLED market, identified customer and consumer lighting needs, and suggested prototype product concepts and niche OLED applications lighting that will give rise to broader market acceptance as a source for wide area illumination and energy conservation; (2) a thin film encapsulation technology with a lifetime of nearly 15,000 hours, tested by calcium coupons, while stored at 16 C and 40% relative humidity ('RH'). This encapsulation technology

Nano structured TiO2 thin films by polymeric precursor method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stroppa, Daniel Grando; Giraldi, Tania Regina; Leite, Edson Roberto; Varela, Jose Arana; Longo, Elson

2008-01-01

This work focuses in optimizing setup for obtaining TiO 2 thin films by polymeric precursor route due to its advantages on stoichiometric and morphological control. Precursor stoichiometry, synthesis pH, solids concentration and rotation speed at deposition were optimized evaluating thin films morphology and thickness. Thermogravimetry and NMR were applied for precursor's characterization and AFM, XRD and ellipsometry for thin films evaluation. Results showed successful attainment of homogeneous nanocrystalline anatase TiO 2 thin films with outstanding control over morphological characteristics, mean grain size of 17 nm, packing densities between 57 and 75%, estimated surface areas of 90 m 2 /g and monolayers thickness within 20 and 128 nm. (author)

Radiation induced luminescence from a dipole immersed in a thin film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nkoma, J.S.

1990-08-01

Luminescence is modelled as electromagnetic radiation from a dipole immersed in a thin film. Maxwell's equations are solved for the cases when the dipole in the thin film is oriented normal and parallel to the interfaces. Expressions for emitted electric fields outside the thin film are derived and are found to have a resonant denominator that vanishes at the surface polariton excitation frequencies for a thin film. Luminescent spectra are plotted and peaks are found that are identified to be associated with both surface response and bulk response. Numerical results are presented to illustrate the model by considering a vacuum-GaP-sapphire system. (author). 9 refs, 5 figs

Modified lead titanate thin films for pyroelectric infrared detectors on gold electrodes

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Moinuddin; Butler, Donald P.

2015-07-01

Pyroelectric infrared detectors provide the advantage of both a wide spectral response and dynamic range, which also has enabled systems to be developed with reduced size, weight and power consumption. This paper demonstrates the deposition of lead zirconium titanate (PZT) and lead calcium titanate (PCT) thin films for uncooled pyroelectric detectors with the utilization of gold electrodes. The modified lead titanate thin films were deposited by pulsed laser deposition on gold electrodes. The PZT and PCT thins films deposited and annealed at temperatures of 650 °C and 550 °C respectively demonstrated the best pyroelectric performance in this work. The thin films displayed a pyroelectric effect that increased with temperature. Poling of the thin films was carried out for a fixed time periods and fixed dc bias voltages at elevated temperature in order to increase the pyroelectric coefficient by establishing a spontaneous polarization of the thin films. Poling caused the pyroelectric current to increase one order of magnitude.

Voltage transients in thin-film InSb Hall sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Bardin, Alexey; Ignatjev, Vyacheslav; Orlov, Andrey; Perchenko, Sergey

The work is reached to study temperature transients in thin-film Hall sensors. We experimentally study InSb thin-film Hall sensor. We find transients of voltage with amplitude about 10 μ V on the sensor ports after current switching. We demonstrate by direct measurements that the transients is caused by thermo-e.m.f., and both non-stationarity and heterogeneity of temperature in the film. We find significant asymmetry of temperature field for different direction of the current, which is probably related to Peltier effect. The result can be useful for wide range of scientist who works with switching of high density currents in any thin semiconductor films.

Debt Financing and Thin-Capitalization: Case Study in Slovenia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lidija Hauptman

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Since each form of financing provides a different level of security and risk, companies are often faced with a dilemma, which equity to debt ratio to choose in financial structure. In order to avoid overexploitation of certain types of debt financing, tax legislation defines a thin capitalization rule. In this paper we present, how the relationship between equity and debt financing has changed in the period 1997–2012 and how the thin capitalization rules affected this relationship in the selected parent companies in Slovenia. The analysis reveals that the proportion of debt financing increased before and after the introduction of thin capitalization rules throughout the period.

Malic acid production from thin stillage by Aspergillus species.

Science.gov (United States)

West, Thomas P

2011-12-01

The ability of Aspergillus strains to utilize thin stillage to produce malic acid was compared. The highest malic acid was produced by Aspergillus niger ATCC 9142 at 17 g l(-1). Biomass production from thin stillage was similar with all strains but ATCC 10577 was the highest at 19 g l(-1). The highest malic acid yield (0.8 g g(-1)) was with A. niger ATCC 9142 and ATCC 10577 on the stillage. Thus, thin stillage has the potential to act as a substrate for the commercial production of food-grade malic acid by the A. niger strains. © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2011

Injectable shear-thinning nanoengineered hydrogels for stem cell delivery

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thakur, Ashish; Jaiswal, Manish K.; Peak, Charles W.

2016-01-01

-thinning characteristics, and enhanced mechanical stiffness, elastomeric properties, and physiological stability. The shear-thinning characteristics of nanocomposite hydrogels are investigated for human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) delivery. The hMSCs showed high cell viability after injection and encapsulated cells......Injectable hydrogels are investigated for cell encapsulation and delivery as they can shield cells from high shear forces. One of the approaches to obtain injectable hydrogels is to reinforce polymeric networks with high aspect ratio nanoparticles such as two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials. 2D...... showed a circular morphology. The proposed shear-thinning nanoengineered hydrogels can be used for cell delivery for cartilage tissue regeneration and 3D bioprinting....

Structural characterization of vacuum evaporated ZnSe thin films

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The lattice parameter, grain size, average internal stress, microstrain, dislocation density and degree of pre- ferred orientation in the film are calculated and correlated with Ts. Keywords. ZnSe thin films; X-ray diffraction; average internal stress; microstrain; dislocation density. 1. Introduction. Thin films of ZnSe has attracted ...

Atomic Structure Control of Silica Thin Films on Pt(111)

KAUST Repository

Crampton, Andrew S; Ridge, Claron J.; Rö tzer, Marian David; Zwaschka, Gregor; Braun, Thomas; D'Elia, Valerio; Basset, Jean-Marie; Schweinberger, Florian Frank; Gü nther, Sebastian; Heiz, Ueli

2015-01-01

Metal oxide thin films grown on metal single crystals are commonly used to model heterogeneous catalyst supports. The structure and properties of thin silicon dioxide films grown on metal single crystals have only recently been thoroughly

REDUCTION OF HERBICIDE AND WATER STRESS IN SPRING BARLEY BY REGULATORS OF POLYAMINE BIOSYNTHESIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pavol Trebichalský

2014-02-01

Full Text Available The experiment was carried out under artificial light of fluorescent lamps starting with 60 % full water capacity which was afterwards decreased on 40 % and finally the plants of barley were not watered. 30 plants of this cereal after plant emergence were thinned on 22 pieces. Experiment was treated by triazine herbicide, as well as its mixtures of regulators of polyamine synthesis: γ-aminobutyric acid, 1.3-propylenediamine dihydrochloride and salicyl acid. Solo application of triazine herbicide during water stress had negative balance on formation of root and above ground biomass. Addition of regulators of polyamine synthesis had positive effects on mentioned parameters, but not in comparison to control variant. These stress factors were eliminated most significantly only the application of GABA (100 g.ha-1 in mixture with herbicide.

Forest thinning and soil respiration in a ponderosa pine plantation in the Sierra Nevada.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Jianwu; Qi, Ye; Xu, Ming; Misson, Laurent; Goldstein, Allen H

2005-01-01

Soil respiration is controlled by soil temperature, soil water, fine roots, microbial activity, and soil physical and chemical properties. Forest thinning changes soil temperature, soil water content, and root density and activity, and thus changes soil respiration. We measured soil respiration monthly and soil temperature and volumetric soil water continuously in a young ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex P. Laws. & C. Laws.) plantation in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California from June 1998 to May 2000 (before a thinning that removed 30% of the biomass), and from May to December 2001 (after thinning). Thinning increased the spatial homogeneity of soil temperature and respiration. We conducted a multivariate analysis with two independent variables of soil temperature and water and a categorical variable representing the thinning event to simulate soil respiration and assess the effect of thinning. Thinning did not change the sensitivity of soil respiration to temperature or to water, but decreased total soil respiration by 13% at a given temperature and water content. This decrease in soil respiration was likely associated with the decrease in root density after thinning. With a model driven by continuous soil temperature and water time series, we estimated that total soil respiration was 948, 949 and 831 g C m(-2) year(-1) in the years 1999, 2000 and 2001, respectively. Although thinning reduced soil respiration at a given temperature and water content, because of natural climate variability and the thinning effect on soil temperature and water, actual cumulative soil respiration showed no clear trend following thinning. We conclude that the effect of forest thinning on soil respiration is the combined result of a decrease in root respiration, an increase in soil organic matter, and changes in soil temperature and water due to both thinning and interannual climate variability.

Dense zig-zag microstructures in YSZ thin films by pulsed laser deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Stender, Dieter; Schäuble, Nina; Weidenkaff, Anke; Montagne, Alex; Ghisleni, Rudy; Michler, Johann; Schneider, Christof W.; Wokaun, Alexander; Lippert, Thomas

2015-01-01

The very brittle oxygen ion conductor yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) is a typical solid electrolyte for miniaturized thin film fuel cells. In order to decrease the fuel cell operating temperature, the thickness of yttria stabilized zirconia thin films is reduced. Often, these thin membranes suffer from mechanical failure and gas permeability. To improve these mechanical issues, a glancing angle deposition approach is used to grow yttria stabilized zirconia thin films with tilted columnar structures. Changes of the material flux direction during the deposition result in a dense, zigzag-like structure with columnar crystallites. This structure reduces the elastic modulus of these membranes as compared to columnar yttria stabilized zirconia thin films as monitored by nano-indentation which makes them more adaptable to applied stress.

Dense zig-zag microstructures in YSZ thin films by pulsed laser deposition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dieter Stender

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The very brittle oxygen ion conductor yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ is a typical solid electrolyte for miniaturized thin film fuel cells. In order to decrease the fuel cell operating temperature, the thickness of yttria stabilized zirconia thin films is reduced. Often, these thin membranes suffer from mechanical failure and gas permeability. To improve these mechanical issues, a glancing angle deposition approach is used to grow yttria stabilized zirconia thin films with tilted columnar structures. Changes of the material flux direction during the deposition result in a dense, zigzag-like structure with columnar crystallites. This structure reduces the elastic modulus of these membranes as compared to columnar yttria stabilized zirconia thin films as monitored by nano-indentation which makes them more adaptable to applied stress.

Stability of tetraphenyl butadiene thin films in liquid xenon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanguino, P.; Balau, F.; Botelho do Rego, A.M.; Pereira, A.; Chepel, V.

2016-01-01

Tetraphenyl butadiene (TPB) is widely used in particle detectors as a wavelength shifter. In this work we studied the stability of TPB thin films when immersed in liquid xenon (LXe). The thin films were deposited on glass and quartz substrates by thermal evaporation. Morphological and chemical surface properties were monitored before and after immersion into LXe by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. No appreciable changes have been detected with these two methods. Grain size and surface chemical composition were found to be identical before and after submersion into LXe. However, the film thickness, measured via optical transmission in the ultraviolet–visible wavelength regions, decreased by 1.6 μg/cm 2 (24%) after immersion in LXe during 20 h. These results suggest the necessity of using a protective thin film over the Tetraphenyl butadiene when used as a wavelength shifter in LXe particle detectors. - Highlights: • Stability of tetraphenyl butadiene (TPB) thin films immersed in liquid xenon (LXe). • Thermally evaporated TPB thin films were immersed in LXe for 20 h. • Film morphology and chemical surface properties remained unchanged. • Surface density of the films decreased by 1.6 μg/cm 2 (24%) after immersion in LXe. • For using in LXe particle detectors, TPB films should be protected with a coating.

Characterization of electron beam deposited thin films of HfO2 and binary thin films of (HfO2:SiO2) by XRD and EXAFS measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Das, N.C.; Sahoo, N.K.; Bhattacharyya, D.; Thakur, S.; Kamble, N.M.; Nanda, D.; Hazra, S.; Bal, J.K.; Lee, J.F.; Tai, Y.L.; Hsieh, C.A.

2009-10-01

In this report, we have discussed the microstructure and the local structure of composite thin films having varying hafnia and silica compositions and prepared by reactive electron beam evaporation. XRD and EXAFS studies have confirmed that the pure hafnium oxide thin film has crystalline microstructure whereas the films with finite hafnia and silica composition are amorphous. The result of EXAFS analysis has shown that the bond lengths as well as coordination numbers around hafnium atom change with the variation of hafnia and silica compositions in the thin film. Finally, change of bond lengths has been correlated with change of refractive index and band gap of the composite thin films. (author)

Ultra thin continuously reinforced concrete pavement research in south Africa

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Perrie, BD

2007-08-01

Full Text Available Ultra thin continuously reinforced concrete pavements (UTCRCP), in literature also referred to as Ultra Thin Reinforced High Performance Concrete (UTHRHPC), have been used in Europe successfully as a rehabilitation measure on steel bridge decks...

Laser nanostructuring of ZnO thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nedyalkov, N., E-mail: nned@ie.bas.bg [Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi Kohoku-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa-ken 223-8522 (Japan); Institute of Electronics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Tzarigradsko shousse 72, Sofia 1784 (Bulgaria); Koleva, M.; Nikov, R.; Atanasov, P. [Institute of Electronics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Tzarigradsko shousse 72, Sofia 1784 (Bulgaria); Nakajima, Y.; Takami, A.; Shibata, A.; Terakawa, M. [Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi Kohoku-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa-ken 223-8522 (Japan)

2016-06-30

Highlights: • Nanosecond laser pulse nanostructuring of ZnO thin films on metal substrate is demonstrated. • Two regimes of the thin film modification are observed depending on the applied laser fluence. • At high fluence regime the ZnO film is homogeneously decomposed into nanosized particles. • The characteristic size of the formed nanostructures corresponds to the domain size of the thin film. - Abstract: In this work, results on laser processing of thin zinc oxide films deposited on metal substrate are presented. ZnO films are obtained by classical nanosecond pulsed laser deposition method in oxygen atmosphere on tantalum substrate. The produced films are then processed by nanosecond laser pulses at wavelength of 355 nm. The laser processing parameters and the film thickness are varied and their influence on the fabricated structures is estimated. The film morphology after the laser treatment is found to depend strongly on the laser fluence as two regimes are defined. It is shown that at certain conditions (high fluence regime) the laser treatment of the film leads to formation of a discrete nanostructure, composed of spherical like nanoparticles with narrow size distribution. The dynamics of the melt film on the substrate and fast cooling are found to be the main mechanisms for fabrication of the observed structures. The demonstrated method is an alternative way for direct fabrication of ZnO nanostructures on metal which can be easy implemented in applications as resistive sensor devices, electroluminescent elements, solar cell technology.

limit loads for wall-thinning feeder pipes under combined bending and internal pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Je, Jin Ho; Lee, Kuk Hee; Chung, Ha Joo; Kim, Ju Hee; Han, Jae Jun; Kim, Yun Jae

2009-01-01

Flow Accelerated Corrosion (FAC) during inservice conditions produces local wall-thinning in the feeder pipes of CANDU. The Wall-thinning in the feeder pipes is main degradation mechanisms affecting the integrity of piping systems. This paper discusses the integrity assessment of wall-thinned feeder pipes using limit load analysis. Based on finite element limit analyses, this paper compare limit loads for wall-thinning feeder pipes under combined bending and internal pressure with proposed limit loads. The limit loads are determined from limit analyses based on rectangular wall-thinning and elastic-perfectly-plastic materials using the large geometry change.

Paper-thinned diaphragm: CT sign of diaphragmatic eventration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Im, Jung Gi; Han, Man Chung; Kim, Chu Wan; Shim, Young Soo

1990-01-01

CT findings of total left hemidiaphragmatic eventration in two adult patients are described. Chest radiograph showed elevated left hemidiaphragm and left hilum. Paper-thinned muscular portion of the diseased diaphragm was clearly demonstrated with CT scan. With demonstration of paper-thinned diaphragm by CT scan, differentiation of the diaphragmatic eventration from recent onset phrenic nerve paralysis by tumor invasion or from post-traumatic diaphragmatic hernia can be made

Paper-thinned diaphragm: CT sign of diaphragmatic eventration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Im, Jung Gi; Han, Man Chung; Kim, Chu Wan; Shim, Young Soo [College of Medicine, Seoul National Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1990-10-15

CT findings of total left hemidiaphragmatic eventration in two adult patients are described. Chest radiograph showed elevated left hemidiaphragm and left hilum. Paper-thinned muscular portion of the diseased diaphragm was clearly demonstrated with CT scan. With demonstration of paper-thinned diaphragm by CT scan, differentiation of the diaphragmatic eventration from recent onset phrenic nerve paralysis by tumor invasion or from post-traumatic diaphragmatic hernia can be made.

Chapter 23. Single and Heterostructure Multiferroic Thin Films

OpenAIRE

Barbier , Antoine

2018-01-01

International audience; Multiferroic oxide materials exhibiting several long range ferroic orders are of high interest because of their wide range of potential applications. The incorporation of their genuine properties in new devices, offering additional physical properties, requires often elaborating them in form of thin films. Retaining their multiferroic characteristics is very challenging. However, thin films can be structured on the nanometer scale and additional degrees of freedom, suc...

Influence of Si wafer thinning processes on (sub)surface defects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Inoue, Fumihiro, E-mail: fumihiro.inoue@imec.be [Imec, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven (Belgium); Jourdain, Anne; Peng, Lan; Phommahaxay, Alain; De Vos, Joeri; Rebibis, Kenneth June; Miller, Andy; Sleeckx, Erik; Beyne, Eric [Imec, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven (Belgium); Uedono, Akira [Division of Applied Physics, Faculty of Pure and Applied Science, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8573 (Japan)

2017-05-15

Highlights: • Mono-vacancy free Si-thinning can be accomplished by combining several thinning techniques. • The grinding damage needs to be removed prior to dry etching, otherwise vacancies remain in the Si at a depth around 0.5 to 2 μm after Si wafer thickness below 5 μm. • The surface of grinding + CMP + dry etching is equivalent mono vacancy level as that of grinding + CMP. - Abstract: Wafer-to-wafer three-dimensional (3D) integration with minimal Si thickness can produce interacting multiple devices with significantly scaled vertical interconnections. Realizing such a thin 3D structure, however, depends critically on the surface and subsurface of the remaining backside Si after the thinning processes. The Si (sub)surface after mechanical grinding has already been characterized fruitfully for a range of few dozen of μm. Here, we expand the characterization of Si (sub)surface to 5 μm thickness after thinning process on dielectric bonded wafers. The subsurface defects and damage layer were investigated after grinding, chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), wet etching and plasma dry etching. The (sub)surface defects were characterized using transmission microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and positron annihilation spectroscopy. Although grinding provides the fastest removal rate of Si, the surface roughness was not compatible with subsequent processing. Furthermore, mechanical damage such as dislocations and amorphous Si cannot be reduced regardless of Si thickness and thin wafer handling systems. The CMP after grinding showed excellent performance to remove this grinding damage, even though the removal amount is 1 μm. For the case of Si thinning towards 5 μm using grinding and CMP, the (sub)surface is atomic scale of roughness without vacancy. For the case of grinding + dry etch, vacancy defects were detected in subsurface around 0.5–2 μm. The finished surface after wet etch remains in the nm scale in the strain region. By inserting a CMP step in

Bone mineral density comparison of adolescents with constitutional thinness and anorexia nervosa.

Science.gov (United States)

Pehlivantürk Kızılkan, Melis; Akgül, Sinem; Derman, Orhan; Kanbur, Nuray

2018-04-25

The negative impact of anorexia nervosa (AN) on bone health is well defined. However, there are very few studies evaluating the effect of constitutional thinness on bone health, especially in the adolescent period and in the male gender. The aim of this study is to compare the bone mineral density (BMD) measurements of adolescents with AN and with constitutional thinness. Between April 2013 and March 2014, 40 adolescents with AN and 36 adolescents with constitutional thinness participated in the study. The femoral neck and lumbar spine BMD were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Mean lumbar z and BMD scores of adolescents with constitutional thinness were significantly lower than in adolescents with AN, whereas the mean femoral z and BMD scores were not significantly different. When males were compared separately, lumbar z and BMD values of the constitutionally thin group were found to be significantly lower than in the AN group. This difference was not significant for females. The difference between the male and female results of our study suggested two hypotheses. The significantly lower BMD values in constitutionally thin boys are attributed to their longer duration of low body mass index (BMI). Although the duration of low BMI is also longer for constitutionally thin girls, similar BMD values of AN and constitutionally thin female groups are attributed to the additional negative impact of estrogen deficiency on the bone health of girls with AN.

Research Progress on Measurement Methods and Influence Factors of Thin-film Stress

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MA Yibo

2018-02-01

Full Text Available With the size of thin-film electronic devices decreasing, the film stress became an important reason for the failure of thin film devices. Film stress not only affected the membrane structure, but also associated with film optics, electricity, mechanics and other properties, therefore film stress turned into one hot spot in the research field of thin-film materials. This paper reviewed the latest research progress of film stress, substrate curvature method, X-ray diffraction technique and Raman spectroscopy, several frequently used stress measuring techniques were compared and analyzed, and composition ratios of thin film, substrate types, magnetron sputtering process parameters (sputtering power, work pressure, substrate temperature and annealing etc. factors influencing thin film stress were summarized. It was found that substrate curvature method was suitable for measuring almost all kinds of thin film materials. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy were just fit for measuring materials with characteristic peaks. Nanoindentation method required extra stress-free samples as comparison experiments. During film fabrication and annealing process, film stress usually transited from compressive to tensile status, and several factors combined together could affect stress, so film stress could be reached the minimum value or even stress-free status through setting appropriate parameters. Finally, combined with film stress research status, accurate stress measurement methods for different materials as a thin-film stress research direction were introduced, and challenges in thin film detection range were pointed out.

Nanocrystalline magnetite thin films grown by dual ion-beam sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prieto, Pilar; Ruiz, Patricia; Ferrer, Isabel J.; Figuera, Juan de la; Marco, José F.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • We have grown tensile and compressive strained nanocrystalline magnetite thin films by dual ion beam sputtering. • The magnetic and thermoelectric properties can be controlled by the deposition conditions. • The magnetic anisotropy depends on the crystalline grain size. • The thermoelectric properties depend on the type of strain induced in the films. • In plane uniaxial magnetic anisotropy develops in magnetite thin films with grain sizes ⩽20 nm. - Abstract: We have explored the influence of an ion-assisted beam in the thermoelectric and magnetic properties of nanocrystalline magnetite thin films grown by ion-beam sputtering. The microstructure has been investigated by XRD. Tensile and compressive strained thin films have been obtained as a function of the parameters of the ion-assisted beam. The evolution of the in-plane magnetic anisotropy was attributed to crystalline grain size. In some films, magneto-optical Kerr effect measurements reveal the existence of uniaxial magnetic anisotropy induced by the deposition process related with a small grain size (⩽20 nm). Isotropic magnetic properties have observed in nanocrystalline magnetite thin film having larger grain sizes. The largest power factor of all the films prepared (0.47 μW/K 2 cm), obtained from a Seebeck coefficient of −80 μV/K and an electrical resistivity of 13 mΩ cm, is obtained in a nanocrystalline magnetite thin film with an expanded out-of-plane lattice and with a grain size ≈30 nm

Energy Migration in Organic Thin Films--From Excitons to Polarons

Science.gov (United States)

Mullenbach, Tyler K.

The rise of organic photovoltaic devices (OPVs) and organic light-emitting devices has generated interest in the physics governing exciton and polaron dynamics in thin films. Energy transfer has been well studied in dilute solutions, but there are emergent properties in thin films and greater complications due to complex morphologies which must be better understood. Despite the intense interest in energy transport in thin films, experimental limitations have slowed discoveries. Here, a new perspective of OPV operation is presented where photovoltage, instead of photocurrent, plays the fundamental role. By exploiting this new vantage point the first method of measuring the diffusion length (LD) of dark (non-luminescent) excitons is developed, a novel photodetector is invented, and the ability to watch exciton arrival, in real-time, at the donor-acceptor heterojunction is presented. Using an enhanced understanding of exciton migration in thin films, paradigms for enhancing LD by molecular modifications are discovered, and the first exciton gate is experimentally and theoretically demonstrated. Generation of polarons from exciton dissociation represents a second phase of energy migration in OPVs that remains understudied. Current approaches are capable of measuring the rate of charge carrier recombination only at open-circuit. To enable a better understanding of polaron dynamics in thin films, two new approaches are presented which are capable of measuring both the charge carrier recombination and transit rates at any OPV operating voltage. These techniques pave the way for a more complete understanding of charge carrier kinetics in molecular thin films.

Critical phenomena in Ising-type thin films by Monte Carlo study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Masrour, R.; Jabar, A.; Benyoussef, A.; Hamedoun, M.

2016-01-01

The magnetic properties of ferrimagnetic spin-2 and 3/2 Ising-typed thin films are studied by Monte Carlo simulation. The critical temperature is obtained for different values of thickness of the thin film and for different exchange interactions. The total magnetization has been determined for different values of exchange interactions in surface and in bulk and different temperatures. The magnetic hysteresis cycle is obtained for different values of exchange interactions ferro and antiferromagnetic in the surface and in the bulk and for different values of temperatures for a fixed size of the film thickness. The coercive field increase with increasing the film thickness. - Highlights: • The magnetic properties of thin films are studied by Monte Carlo simulation. • The critical temperature is obtained for different values of thickness of thin film. • The magnetic hysteresis cycle is obtained in the surface and in the bulk. • The coercive field increase with increasing the thin film thickness.

Critical phenomena in Ising-type thin films by Monte Carlo study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Masrour, R., E-mail: rachidmasrour@hotmail.com [Laboratory of Materials, Processes, Environment and Quality, Cady Ayyed University, National School of Applied Sciences, 63, 46000 Safi (Morocco); Laboratoire de Magnétisme et Physique des Hautes Energies L.M.P.H.E.URAC 12, Université Mohammed V, Faculté des Sciences, B.P. 1014, Rabat (Morocco); Jabar, A. [Laboratoire de Magnétisme et Physique des Hautes Energies L.M.P.H.E.URAC 12, Université Mohammed V, Faculté des Sciences, B.P. 1014, Rabat (Morocco); Benyoussef, A. [Laboratoire de Magnétisme et Physique des Hautes Energies L.M.P.H.E.URAC 12, Université Mohammed V, Faculté des Sciences, B.P. 1014, Rabat (Morocco); Institute of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnologies, MAScIR, Rabat (Morocco); Hassan II Academy of Science and Technology, Rabat (Morocco); Hamedoun, M. [Institute of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnologies, MAScIR, Rabat (Morocco)

2016-04-01

The magnetic properties of ferrimagnetic spin-2 and 3/2 Ising-typed thin films are studied by Monte Carlo simulation. The critical temperature is obtained for different values of thickness of the thin film and for different exchange interactions. The total magnetization has been determined for different values of exchange interactions in surface and in bulk and different temperatures. The magnetic hysteresis cycle is obtained for different values of exchange interactions ferro and antiferromagnetic in the surface and in the bulk and for different values of temperatures for a fixed size of the film thickness. The coercive field increase with increasing the film thickness. - Highlights: • The magnetic properties of thin films are studied by Monte Carlo simulation. • The critical temperature is obtained for different values of thickness of thin film. • The magnetic hysteresis cycle is obtained in the surface and in the bulk. • The coercive field increase with increasing the thin film thickness.

Subtractive fabrication of ferroelectric thin films with precisely controlled thickness

Science.gov (United States)

Ievlev, Anton V.; Chyasnavichyus, Marius; Leonard, Donovan N.; Agar, Joshua C.; Velarde, Gabriel A.; Martin, Lane W.; Kalinin, Sergei V.; Maksymovych, Petro; Ovchinnikova, Olga S.

2018-04-01

The ability to control thin-film growth has led to advances in our understanding of fundamental physics as well as to the emergence of novel technologies. However, common thin-film growth techniques introduce a number of limitations related to the concentration of defects on film interfaces and surfaces that limit the scope of systems that can be produced and studied experimentally. Here, we developed an ion-beam based subtractive fabrication process that enables creation and modification of thin films with pre-defined thicknesses. To accomplish this we transformed a multimodal imaging platform that combines time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry with atomic force microscopy to a unique fabrication tool that allows for precise sputtering of the nanometer-thin layers of material. To demonstrate fabrication of thin-films with in situ feedback and control on film thickness and functionality we systematically studied thickness dependence of ferroelectric switching of lead-zirconate-titanate, within a single epitaxial film. Our results demonstrate that through a subtractive film fabrication process we can control the piezoelectric response as a function of film thickness as well as improve on the overall piezoelectric response versus an untreated film.

Structural and electrical properties of CZTS thin films by electrodeposition

Science.gov (United States)

Rao, M. C.; Basha, Sk. Shahenoor

2018-06-01

CZTS (Cu2ZnSnS4) thin films were coated on ITO glass substrates by single bath electrodeposition technique. The prepared films were subsequently characterized by XRD, SEM, FTIR, UV-visible spectroscopy and Raman studies. The thickness of the thin films was measured by wedge method. X-ray diffraction studies revealed the formation of polycrystalline phase. The morphological surface of the prepared thin films was examined by SEM and AFM and showed the presence of microcrystals on the surface of the samples. The elemental analysis and their compositional ratios present in the samples were confirmed by the energy dispersive X-ray analysis. Functional groups and the position of band structure involved in the materials were confirmed by FTIR. Optical absorption studies were performed on the prepared thin films in the wavelength ranging from 300 to 1000 nm and the energy bandgap values were found to be in the range from 1.39 to 1.60 eV. Raman spectral peak which was observed at 360 cm-1 correspond to kesterite phase, was formed due to the vibration of the molecules. Electrical measurements confirmed the nature of the thin film depending on the charge concentration present in the samples.

Mechanical stability of cylindrical thin-shell wormholes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sharif, M. [University of the Punjab, Department of Mathematics, Lahore (Pakistan); Azam, M. [University of Education, Division of Science and Technology, Lahore (Pakistan)

2013-04-15

In this paper, we apply the cut and paste procedure to the charged black string for the construction of a thin-shell wormhole. We consider the Darmois-Israel formalism to determine the surface stresses of the shell. We take the Chaplygin gas to deal with the matter distribution on shell. The radial perturbation approach (preserving the symmetry) is used to investigate the stability of static solutions. We conclude that stable static solutions exist both for uncharged and charged black string thin-shell wormholes for particular values of the parameters. (orig.)

Charged thin-shell gravastars in noncommutative geometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oevguen, Ali [Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso, Instituto de Fisica, Valparaiso (Chile); Eastern Mediterranean University, Physics Department, Famagusta, Northern Cyprus (Turkey); Banerjee, Ayan [Jadavpur University, Department of Mathematics, Kolkata, West Bengal (India); Jusufi, Kimet [State University of Tetovo, Physics Department, Tetovo (Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of); Institute of Physics, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Skopje (Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of)

2017-08-15

In this paper we construct a charged thin-shell gravastar model within the context of noncommutative geometry. To do so, we choose the interior of the nonsingular de Sitter spacetime with an exterior charged noncommutative solution by cut-and-paste technique and apply the generalized junction conditions. We then investigate the stability of a charged thin-shell gravastar under linear perturbations around the static equilibrium solutions as well as the thermodynamical stability of the charged gravastar. We find the stability regions, by choosing appropriate parameter values, located sufficiently close to the event horizon. (orig.)

Fluxons in thin-film superconductor-insulator superlattices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sakai, S.; Bodin, P.; Pedersen, Niels Falsig

1993-01-01

In a system of thin alternating layers of superconductors and insulators the equations describing static and dynamic fluxon solutions are derived. The approach, represented by a useful compact matrix form, is intended to describe systems fabricated for example of niobium or niobium-nitride thin...... films; in the limit of ultrathin superconductor films it may give a model for describing fluxon motion in layered high-Tc superconductors. Numerical examples of current versus voltage curves to be expected in such an experiment are presented. Journal of Applied Physics is copyrighted by The American...

Thinness in young schoolchildren in Serbia: another case of the double burden of malnutrition?

Science.gov (United States)

Djordjic, Visnja; Jorga, Jagoda; Radisavljevic, Snezana; Milanovic, Ivana; Bozic, Predrag; Ostojic, Sergej M

2018-04-01

Thinness is rarely highlighted or regularly monitored among children in developed countries although it may be rather frequent and pose a significant risk to children's health. We aimed to describe the prevalence of mild, moderate and severe thinness among young Serbian schoolchildren. Cross-sectional study of schoolchildren aged 6-9 years. Children were assessed for weight, height and BMI as part of the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative in Serbia. Thinness grades were defined as gender- and age-specific cut-offs for BMI according to the International Obesity Task Force criteria. Serbia, September to November 2015. Students (n 4861) in grades 2 and 3 (6-9 years, 2397 girls). Overall prevalence of thinness in Serbian schoolchildren was 9·6 %. Mild thinness was clearly the largest category with a prevalence of 7·6 %, moderate thinness was present in 1·7 % of children and severe thinness was found in 0·3 % of children. OR indicated a significant risk of being thin for girls (1·44 times higher compared with boys) and children attending schools with no health-focused educational programme (1·57 times more likely to be thin than peers enrolled in schools with such programmes). In addition, OR for thinness tended to be 1·23 times higher in children living in an economically disadvantaged region of Serbia (P=0·06). A rather high prevalence of thinness highlights this malnutrition disorder as an emerging health issue that should trigger public health policies to tackle thinness, especially in girls of young age and children living in economically disadvantaged areas.

Thin-shell wormhole solutions in Einstein-Hoffmann-Born-Infeld theory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mazharimousavi, S. Habib, E-mail: habib.mazhari@emu.edu.tr [Department of Physics, Eastern Mediterranean University, G. Magusa, North Cyprus, Mersin 10 (Turkey); Halilsoy, M., E-mail: mustafa.halilsoy@emu.edu.tr [Department of Physics, Eastern Mediterranean University, G. Magusa, North Cyprus, Mersin 10 (Turkey); Amirabi, Z., E-mail: zahra.amirabi@emu.edu.tr [Department of Physics, Eastern Mediterranean University, G. Magusa, North Cyprus, Mersin 10 (Turkey)

2011-10-03

We adopt the Hoffmann-Born-Infeld's (HBI) double Lagrangian approach in general relativity to find black holes and investigate the possibility of viable thin-shell wormholes. By virtue of the non-linear electromagnetic parameter, the matching hypersurfaces of the two regions with two Lagrangians provide a natural, lower-bound radius for the thin-shell wormholes which provides the main motivation to the present study. In particular, the stability of thin-shell wormholes supported by normal matter in higher-dimensional Einstein-HBI-Gauss-Bonnet (EHBIGB) gravity is highlighted. -- Highlights: → We extend the Hoffmann-Born-Infeld Lagrangian to higher dimensions. → We found higher-dimensional black hole solutions for Einstein-Hoffmann-Born-Infeld-Gauss-Bonnet (EHBIGB) gravity. → We obtained thin-shell wormholes in the EHBIGB gravity which are supported by ordinary matter and stable.

Raman spectroscopy of optical properties in CdS thin films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Trajić J.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Properties of CdS thin films were investigated applying atomic force microscopy (AFM and Raman spectroscopy. CdS thin films were prepared by using thermal evaporation technique under base pressure 2 x 10-5 torr. The quality of these films was investigated by AFM spectroscopy. We apply Raman scattering to investigate optical properties of CdS thin films, and reveal existence of surface optical phonon (SOP mode at 297 cm-1. Effective permittivity of mixture were modeled by Maxwell - Garnet approximation. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 45003

PVD processes of thin films deposition using Hall-current discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Svadkovskij, I.V.

2007-01-01

Results of research and developments in the field of PVD processes of thin films deposition using Hall-current discharge have been summarized. Effects of interaction of ions with surface during deposition have been considered. Also features of application and prospects of devices based on ion beam and magnetron sputtering systems in thin films technologies have been analyzed. The aspects in the field plasma physics, technology and equipment plasma PVD processes of thin films deposition have been systematized, on the base of investigations made by author and other scientists. (authors)

Room temperature deposition of magnetite thin films on organic substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arisi, E.; Bergenti, I.; Cavallini, M.; Murgia, M.; Riminucci, A.; Ruani, G.; Dediu, V.

2007-01-01

We report on the growth of magnetite films directly on thin layers of organic semiconductors by means of an electron beam ablation method. The deposition was performed at room temperature in a reactive plasma atmosphere. Thin films show ferromagnetic (FM) hysteresis loops and coercive fields of hundreds of Oersted. Micro Raman analysis indicates no presence of spurious phases. The morphology of the magnetite film is strongly influenced by the morphology of the underlayer of the organic semiconductor. These results open the way for the application of magnetite thin films in the field of organic spintronics

Thin film solar cells from earth abundant materials growth and characterization of Cu2(ZnSn)(SSe)4 thin films and their solar cells

CERN Document Server

Kodigala, Subba Ramaiah

2013-01-01

The fundamental concept of the book is to explain how to make thin film solar cells from the abundant solar energy materials by low cost. The proper and optimized growth conditions are very essential while sandwiching thin films to make solar cell otherwise secondary phases play a role to undermine the working function of solar cells. The book illustrates growth and characterization of Cu2ZnSn(S1-xSex)4 thin film absorbers and their solar cells. The fabrication process of absorber layers by either vacuum or non-vacuum process is readily elaborated in the book, which helps for further developm

Tunable thin-film optical filters for hyperspectral microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Favreau, Peter F.; Rich, Thomas C.; Prabhat, Prashant; Leavesley, Silas J.

2013-02-01

Hyperspectral imaging was originally developed for use in remote sensing applications. More recently, it has been applied to biological imaging systems, such as fluorescence microscopes. The ability to distinguish molecules based on spectral differences has been especially advantageous for identifying fluorophores in highly autofluorescent tissues. A key component of hyperspectral imaging systems is wavelength filtering. Each filtering technology used for hyperspectral imaging has corresponding advantages and disadvantages. Recently, a new optical filtering technology has been developed that uses multi-layered thin-film optical filters that can be rotated, with respect to incident light, to control the center wavelength of the pass-band. Compared to the majority of tunable filter technologies, these filters have superior optical performance including greater than 90% transmission, steep spectral edges and high out-of-band blocking. Hence, tunable thin-film optical filters present optical characteristics that may make them well-suited for many biological spectral imaging applications. An array of tunable thin-film filters was implemented on an inverted fluorescence microscope (TE 2000, Nikon Instruments) to cover the full visible wavelength range. Images of a previously published model, GFP-expressing endothelial cells in the lung, were acquired using a charge-coupled device camera (Rolera EM-C2, Q-Imaging). This model sample presents fluorescently-labeled cells in a highly autofluorescent environment. Linear unmixing of hyperspectral images indicates that thin-film tunable filters provide equivalent spectral discrimination to our previous acousto-optic tunable filter-based approach, with increased signal-to-noise characteristics. Hence, tunable multi-layered thin film optical filters may provide greatly improved spectral filtering characteristics and therefore enable wider acceptance of hyperspectral widefield microscopy.

Physical properties and characterization of Ag doped CdS thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shah, N.A.; Nazir, A.; Mahmood, W.; Syed, W.A.A.; Butt, S.; Ali, Z.; Maqsood, A.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► CdS thin films were grown. ► By ion exchange, Ag was doped. ► Physical properties were investigated. - Abstract: Thin films of cadmium sulfide with very well defined preferential orientation and relatively high absorption coefficient were fabricated by thermal evaporation technique. The research is focused to the fabrication and characterization of the compositional data of CdS thin films obtained by using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope along with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The optical properties were studied by using a UV-VIS-NIR spectrophotometer. The effects of silver-doping by ion exchange process on the properties of as-deposited CdS thin films have been investigated.

Critical heat flux correlation for thin rectangular channels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, Futoshi; Mishima, Kaichiro; Hibiki, Takashi

2007-01-01

The effect of heated length on Critical heat flux (CHF) in thin rectangular channels was studied based on CHF data obtained under atmospheric pressure. CHF in small channels has been widely studied in the past decades but most of the studies are related to CHF in round tubes. Although basic mechanisms of burnout in thin rectangular channels are similar to tubes, applicability of CHF correlations for tubes to rectangular channels are questionable since CHF in rectangular channels are affected by the existence of non-heated walls and the non-circular geometry of channel circumference. Several studies of CHF in thin rectangular channels have been reported in relation to thermal hydraulic design of research reactors and neutron source targets and CHF correlations have been proposed, but the studies mostly focus on CHFs under geometrical conditions of the application of interest. In his study, existing CHF data obtained in thin rectangular channels were collected and the effect of heated length on CHF was examined. Existing CHF correlations were verified with positive quality flow CHF data but none of the correlations successfully reproduced the CHF for a wide range of heated length. A new CHF correlation for qualify region applicable to a wide range of heated length was developed based on the collected data. (author)

Controlled Topological Transitions in Thin-Film Phase Separation

KAUST Repository

Hennessy, Matthew G.; Burlakov, Victor M.; Goriely, Alain; Wagner, Barbara; Mü nch, Andreas

2015-01-01

© 2015 Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics. In this paper the evolution of a binary mixture in a thin-film geometry with a wall at the top and bottom is considered. By bringing the mixture into its miscibility gap so that no spinodal decomposition occurs in the bulk, a slight energetic bias of the walls toward each one of the constituents ensures the nucleation of thin boundary layers that grow until the constituents have moved into one of the two layers. These layers are separated by an interfacial region where the composition changes rapidly. Conditions that ensure the separation into two layers with a thin interfacial region are investigated based on a phase-field model. Using matched asymptotic expansions a corresponding sharp-interface problem for the location of the interface is established. It is then argued that this newly created two-layer system is not at its energetic minimum but destabilizes into a controlled self-replicating pattern of trapezoidal vertical stripes by minimizing the interfacial energy between the phases while conserving their area. A quantitative analysis of this mechanism is carried out via a thin-film model for the free interfaces, which is derived asymptotically from the sharp-interface model.

Quantitative evaluation about property of thin-film formation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen Huawei [Department of Mechanical Sciences and Engineering, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1, O-okayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo (Japan) and School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University (China)]. E-mail: chen_hua_wei@yahoo.com; Hagiwara, Ichiro [Department of Mechanical Sciences and Engineering, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1, O-okayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo (Japan); Huang Tian [Department of Engineering, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL (United Kingdom); School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University (China); Zhang Dawei [School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University (China)

2006-03-15

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is gradually emphasized as one promising method for nanomaterial formation. Such growth mechanism has been mainly investigated on basis of experiment. Due to large cost of the equipment of experiment and low level of current measurement, the comprehension about authentic effect of formation condition on properties of nanomaterial is limited in qualitative manner. Three quantitative items: flatness of primary deposition, adhesion between cluster and substrate, and degree of epitaxial growth were proposed to evaluate the property of thin film. In this simulation, three different cluster sizes of 203, 653, 1563 atoms with different velocities (0, 10, 100, 1000, 3000 m/s) were deposited on a Cu(0 0 1) substrate whose temperatures were set between 300 and 1000 K. Within one velocity range, not only the speed of epitaxial growth and adhesion between thin film and substrate were enhanced, but also the degree of epitaxy increased and the shape of thin film became more flat with velocity increasing. Moreover, the epitaxial growth became well as the temperature of substrate was raised within a certain range, and the degree of epitaxy of small cluster was larger than larger cluster. The results indicated that the property of thin film could be controlled if the effect of situations of process was made clear.

Quantitative evaluation about property of thin-film formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Huawei; Hagiwara, Ichiro; Huang Tian; Zhang Dawei

2006-01-01

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is gradually emphasized as one promising method for nanomaterial formation. Such growth mechanism has been mainly investigated on basis of experiment. Due to large cost of the equipment of experiment and low level of current measurement, the comprehension about authentic effect of formation condition on properties of nanomaterial is limited in qualitative manner. Three quantitative items: flatness of primary deposition, adhesion between cluster and substrate, and degree of epitaxial growth were proposed to evaluate the property of thin film. In this simulation, three different cluster sizes of 203, 653, 1563 atoms with different velocities (0, 10, 100, 1000, 3000 m/s) were deposited on a Cu(0 0 1) substrate whose temperatures were set between 300 and 1000 K. Within one velocity range, not only the speed of epitaxial growth and adhesion between thin film and substrate were enhanced, but also the degree of epitaxy increased and the shape of thin film became more flat with velocity increasing. Moreover, the epitaxial growth became well as the temperature of substrate was raised within a certain range, and the degree of epitaxy of small cluster was larger than larger cluster. The results indicated that the property of thin film could be controlled if the effect of situations of process was made clear

Method for applying a thin film barrier stack to a device with microstructures, and device provided with such a thin film barrier stack

NARCIS (Netherlands)

2005-01-01

A method for applying a thin film barrier stack to a device with microstructures, such as, for instance, an OLED, wherein the thin film barrier stack forms a barrier to at least moisture and oxygen, wherein the stack is built up from a combination of org. and inorg. layers, characterized in that a

Fabrication and Performance Study of Uniform Thin Film Integrated ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The transmission line model of a uniform rectangular thin film R-C-KR structure consisting of a dielectric layer of constant per unit shunt capacitance C sandwiched between two resistive thin films of constant per unit length resistances R and KR has been analysed using the concept of matrix parameter functions. The above ...

Dynamics of a spreading thin film with gravitational counterflow ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

film climbing up on a vertical substrate against gravity shows interesting dynamics ... For the spreading of a thin film several theoretical studies have shown quantitative agree- ..... The two critical values of this param- ... Davis J M, Fischer B J and Troian S M 2003 A general approach to the linear stability of thin spreading.

Nanoporous MnO{sub x} thin-film electrodes synthesized by electrochemical lithiation/delithiation for supercapacitors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xia, Hui; Lai, Man On; Lu, Li [Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 9 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117576 (Singapore)

2011-02-15

Nanoporous MnO{sub x} thin-film electrodes are synthesized using a combination of pulsed laser deposition (PLD) and electrochemical lithiation/delithiation methods. A dense Mn{sub 3}O{sub 4} thin-film deposited by PLD can transform into a nanoporous MnO{sub x} thin-film after electrochemical lithiation/delithiation. A nanoporous MnO{sub x} thin-film electrode exhibits significantly improved supercapacitive performance compared with an as-deposited Mn{sub 3}O{sub 4} thin-film electrode. A MnO{sub x} thin-film finally transforms into a MnO{sub 2} thin-film through an electrochemical oxidation process during continuous cyclic voltammetry scanning. (author)

Gamma Radiation Dosimetry Using Tellurium Dioxide Thin Film Structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olga Korostynska

2002-08-01

Full Text Available Thin films of Tellurium dioxide (TeO2 were investigated for γ-radiation dosimetry purposes. Samples were fabricated using thin film vapour deposition technique. Thin films of TeO2 were exposed to a 60Co γ-radiation source at a dose rate of 6 Gy/min at room temperature. Absorption spectra for TeO2 films were recorded and the values of the optical band gap and energies of the localized states for as-deposited and γ-irradiated samples were calculated. It was found that the optical band gap values were decreased as the radiation dose was increased. Samples with electrical contacts having a planar structure showed a linear increase in current values with the increase in radiation dose up to a certain dose level. The observed changes in both the optical and the electrical properties suggest that TeO2 thin film may be considered as an effective material for room temperature real time γ-radiation dosimetry.

Ultrasonic Welding of Thin Alumina and Aluminum Using Inserts

Science.gov (United States)

Ishikuro, Tomoaki; Matsuoka, Shin-Ichi

This paper describes an experimental study of ultrasonic welding of thin ceramics and metals using inserts. Ultrasonic welding has enable the joining of various thick ceramics, such as Al2O3 and ZrO2, to aluminum at room temperature quickly and easily as compared to other welding methods. However, for thin ceramics, which are brittle, welding is difficult to perform without causing damage. In this study, aluminum anodized oxide with different anodizing time was used as thin alumina ceramic. Vapor deposition of aluminum alloys was used to create an effective binder layer for welding at a low pressure and within a short duration in order to prevent damage to the anodic oxide film formed with a short anodizing time. For example, ultrasonic welding of thin Al2O3/Al was accomplished under the following conditions: ultrasonic horn tip amplitude of 30µm, welding pressure of 5MPa, and required duration of 0.1s. However, since the vapor deposition film tends to exfoliate as observed in the anodic oxide film formed with a long anodizing time, welding was difficult.

Thin-film Rechargeable Lithium Batteries for Implantable Devices

Science.gov (United States)

Bates, J. B.; Dudney, N. J.

1997-05-01

Thin films of LiCoO{sub 2} have been synthesized in which the strongest x ray reflection is either weak or missing, indicating a high degree of preferred orientation. Thin film solid state batteries with these textured cathode films can deliver practical capacities at high current densities. For example, for one of the cells 70% of the maximum capacity between 4.2 V and 3 V ({approximately}0.2 mAh/cm{sup 2}) was delivered at a current of 2 mA/cm{sup 2}. When cycled at rates of 0.1 mA/cm{sup 2}, the capacity loss was 0.001%/cycle or less. The reliability and performance of Li LiCoO{sub 2} thin film batteries make them attractive for application in implantable devices such as neural stimulators, pacemakers, and defibrillators.

Nanoparticles inclusions in self assembly thin smectic films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamdoun, B.; Charara, J.; Zaiour, A.

2004-01-01

Full text. Processing of nanocomposites based on nanoparticles inclusion in thin smectic-A liquid crystal was reviewed. Thin smectic-A liquid crystal consists of a stack of regularly spaced membranes that are frequently formed in thin diblock copolymers. Particular attention was given to the scientific concepts that underpin the fabrication of special composite derived copolymer components. The complex interplay between suspension stability and its structural evolution during nanomaterials processing was highlighted. Inclusions, such as nanoparticles, coupled locally to the smectic may deform the membranes over a large length scale. We determined the distortion field due to one inclusion using the Landau-de Gennes description of smectic liquid crystals and by neglecting the interactions between nanoparticles. The equilibrium position of the particle was shown to depend on both the surface tension at the film boundary and the volume fraction of the nanoparticles

The thinning of viscous liquid threads.

Science.gov (United States)

Castrejon-Pita, J. Rafael; Castrejon-Pita, Alfonso A.; Hutchings, Ian M.

2012-11-01

The thinning neck of dripping droplets is studied experimentally for viscous Newtonian fluids. High speed imaging is used to measure the minimum neck diameter in terms of the time τ to breakup. Mixtures of water and glycerol with viscosities ranging from 20 to 363 mPa s are used to model the Newtonian behavior. The results show the transition from potential to inertial-viscous regimes occurs at the predicted values of ~Oh2. Before this transition the neck contraction rate follows the inviscid scaling law ~τ 2 / 3 . After the transition, the neck thinning tends towards the linear viscous scaling law ~ τ . Project supported by the EPSRC-UK (EP/G029458/1) and Cambridge-KACST.

Tin oxide transparent thin-film transistors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Presley, R E; Munsee, C L; Park, C-H; Hong, D; Wager, J F; Keszler, D A

2004-01-01

A SnO 2 transparent thin-film transistor (TTFT) is demonstrated. The SnO 2 channel layer is deposited by RF magnetron sputtering and then rapid thermal annealed in O 2 at 600 deg. C. The TTFT is highly transparent, and enhancement-mode behaviour is achieved by employing a very thin channel layer (10-20 nm). Maximum field-effect mobilities of 0.8 cm 2 V -1 s -1 and 2.0 cm 2 V -1 s -1 are obtained for enhancement- and depletion-mode devices, respectively. The transparent nature and the large drain current on-to-off ratio of 10 5 associated with the enhancement-mode behaviour of these devices may prove useful for novel gas-sensor applications

Properties of pulsed laser deposited NiO/MWCNT thin films

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Yalisi, B

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) is a thin-film deposition technique, which uses short and intensive laser pulses to evaporate target material. The technique has been used in this work to produce selective solar absorber (SSA) thin film composites...

Genetic influences on thinning of the cerebral cortex during development

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Soelen, I.L.C.; Brouwer, R.M.; van Baal, G.C.M.; Schnack, H.G.; Peper, J.S.; Collins, D.L.; Evans, A.C.; Kahn, R.S.; Boomsma, D.I.; Hulshoff Pol, H.E.

2012-01-01

During development from childhood to adulthood the human brain undergoes considerable thinning of the cerebral cortex. Whether developmental cortical thinning is influenced by genes and if independent genetic factors influence different parts of the cortex is not known. Magnetic resonance brain

Biocompatibility of GaSb thin films grown by RF magnetron sputtering

Science.gov (United States)

Nishimoto, Naoki; Fujihara, Junko; Yoshino, Katsumi

2017-07-01

GaSb may be suitable for biological applications, such as cellular sensors and bio-medical instrumentation because of its low toxicity compared with As (III) compounds and its band gap energy. Therefore, the biocompatibility and the film properties under physiological conditions were investigated for GaSb thin films with or without a surface coating. GaSb thin films were grown on quartz substrates by RF magnetron sputtering, and then coated with (3-mercaptopropyl) trimethoxysilane (MPT). The electrical properties, surface morphology, and crystal structure of the GaSb thin film were unaffected by the MPT coating. The cell viability assay suggested that MPT-coated GaSb thin films are biocompatible. Bare GaSb was particularly unstable in pH9 buffer. Ga elution was prevented by the MPT coating, although the Ga concentration in the pH 9 buffer was higher than that in the other solutions. The surface morphology and crystal structure were not changed by exposure to the solutions, except for the pH 9 buffer, and the thin film properties of MPT-coated GaSb exposed to distilled water and H2O2 in saline were maintained. These results indicate that MPT-coated GaSb thin films are biocompatible and could be used for temporary biomedical devices.

Combustion synthesized indium-tin-oxide (ITO) thin film for source/drain electrodes in all solution-processed oxide thin-film transistors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tue, Phan Trong; Inoue, Satoshi; Takamura, Yuzuru; Shimoda, Tatsuya

2016-01-01

We report combustion solution synthesized (SCS) indium-tin-oxide (ITO) thin film, which is a well-known transparent conductive oxide, for source/drain (S/D) electrodes in solution-processed amorphous zirconium-indium-zinc-oxide TFT. A redox-based combustion synthetic approach is applied to ITO thin film using acetylacetone as a fuel and metal nitrate as oxidizer. The structural and electrical properties of SCS-ITO precursor solution and thin films were systematically investigated with changes in tin concentration, indium metal precursors, and annealing conditions such as temperature, time, and ambient. It was found that at optimal conditions the SCS-ITO thin film exhibited high crystalline quality, atomically smooth surface (RMS ∝ 4.1 Aa), and low electrical resistivity (4.2 x 10 -4 Ω cm). The TFT using SCS-ITO film as the S/D electrodes showed excellent electrical properties with negligible hysteresis. The obtained ''on/off'' current ratio, subthreshold swing factor, subthreshold voltage, and field-effect mobility were 5 x 10 7 , 0.43 V/decade, 0.7 V, and 2.1 cm 2 /V s, respectively. The performance and stability of the SCS-ITO TFT are comparable to those of the sputtered-ITO TFT, emphasizing that the SCS-ITO film is a promising candidate for totally solution-processed oxide TFTs. (orig.)

Post-annealing effects on pulsed laser deposition-grown GaN thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, Yu-Wen; Wu, Hao-Yu; Lin, Yu-Zhong; Lee, Cheng-Che; Lin, Ching-Fuh

2015-01-01

In this work, the post-annealing effects on gallium nitride (GaN) thin films grown from pulsed laser deposition (PLD) are investigated. The as-deposited GaN thin films grown from PLD are annealed at different temperatures in nitrogen ambient. Significant changes of the GaN crystal properties are observed. Raman spectroscopy is used to observe the crystallinity, the change of residual stress, and the thermal decomposition of the annealed GaN thin films. X-ray diffraction is also applied to identify the crystal phase of GaN thin films, and the surface morphology of GaN thin films annealed at different temperatures is observed by scanning electron microscopy. Through the above analyses, the GaN thin films grown by PLD undergo three stages: phase transition, stress alteration, and thermal decomposition. At a low annealing temperature, the rock salt GaN in GaN films is transformed into wurtzite. The rock salt GaN diminishes with increasing annealing temperature. At a medium annealing temperature, the residual stress of the film changes significantly from compressive strain to tensile strain. As the annealing temperature further increases, the GaN undergoes thermal decomposition and the surface becomes granular. By investigating the annealing temperature effects and controlling the optimized annealing temperature of the GaN thin films, we are able to obtain highly crystalline and strain-free GaN thin films by PLD. - Highlights: • The GaN thin film is grown on sapphire by pulsed laser deposition. • The GaN film undergoes three stages with increasing annealing temperature. • In the first stage, the film transfers from rock salt to wurtzite phase. • In the second stage, the stress in film changes from compressive to tensile. • In the final stage, the film thermally decomposes and becomes granular

Effects of intensive thinning on rainfall partitioning in a Japanese cedar plantation

Science.gov (United States)

Shinohara, Y.; Komatsu, H.; Nogata, M.; Otsuki, K.

2013-12-01

In recent years, thinning has been conducted in coniferous plantations in Japan to reduce water shortage, flood, soil erosion, and landslide risks. Incident precipitation (Pr) in forests can be partitioned into throughfall (Tf), stemflow (Sf), and canopy interception loss (Ic). Evapotranspiration is tightly related to runoff regime, and Ic is a major component of evapotranspiration as well as transpiration. Furthermore, the ratio of Tf to Sf would be important for various hydrological aspects. Sf can preferentially divert rainwater in soil layer and cause preferential flow, which produces spatial variations in the soil water content and contributes ground water discharge. However, no studies have examined changes in Tf, Sf, and Ic due to thinning in Cryptomeria japonica forests, the most common type of plantation in Japan. We measured Tf, Sf, and Ic for one year both before and after thinning and investigated changes in Tf, Sf, and Ic due to thinning in a Cryptomeria japonica plantation. Thinning reduced stem density by 54% from 1300 to 600 stems ha-1 the basal area by 50% from 99.7 to 49.6 m2 ha-1. Tf/Pr, Sf /Pr, and Ic/Pr before thinning were 74%, 12%, and 14%, respectively. After thinning, those percentages changed to 86%, 6%, and 8%, respectively. The change in Tf/Pr was comparable to that in canopy cover. The change in Sf/Pr corresponded with change in the number of trees because Sf for each tree was not changed considerably between the periods before and after thinning. The change in Ic/Pr was greater than that predicted using the model commonly used in Japan to predict changes in Ic/Pr. This result suggests that the model might not be applicable after intensive thinning in Cryptomeria japonica forests.

Appraisal on Textured Grain Growth and Photoconductivity of ZnO Thin Film SILAR