Structural and Optical Performance of GaN Thick Film Grown by HVPE

Thick GaN films were grown on GaN/sapphire template in a vertical HVPE reactor. Various material characterization techniques,including AFM, SEM, XRD, RBS/Channeling, CL, PL, and XPS, were used to characterize these GaN epitaxial films. It was found that stepped/terraced structures appeared on the film surface,which were indicative of a nearly step-flow mode of growth for the HVPE GaN despite the high growth rate. A few hexagonal pits appeared on the surface, which have strong light emission. After being etched in molten KOH, the wavy steps disappeared and hexagonal pits with {1010} facets appeared on the surface. An EPD of only 8 ×10~6cm~(-2) shows that the GaN film has few dislocations. Both XRD and RBS channeling indicate the high quality of the GaN thick films. Sharp band-edge emission with a full width at half maximum（FWHM）of 67meV was observed, while the yellow and infrared emissions were also found. These emissions are likely caused by native defects and C and O impurities.

Homoepitaxial Growth and Characterization of 4H-SiC Epilayers by Low-Pressure Hot-Wall Chemical Vapor Deposition

Horizontal air-cooled low-pressure hot-wall CVD (LP-HWCVD) system is developed to get highly qualitical 4H-SiC epilayers.Homoepitaxial growth of 4H-SiC on off-oriented Si-face (0001) 4H-SiC substrates is performed at 1500℃ with a pressure of 1.3×103Pa by using the step-controlled epitaxy.The growth rate is controlled to be about 1.0μm/h.The surface morphologies and structural and optical properties of 4H-SiC epilayers are characterized with Nomarski optical microscope,atomic force microscopy (AFM),X-ray diffraction,Raman scattering,and low temperature photoluminescence (LTPL).N-type 4H-SiC epilayers are obtained by in-situ doping of NH3 with the flow rate ranging from 0.1 to 3sccm.SiC p-n junctions are obtained on these epitaxial layers and their electrical and optical characteristics are presented.The obtained p-n junction diodes can be operated at the temperature up to 400℃,which provides a potential for high-temperature applications.

Metal-organic Vapor Phase Epitaxy Growth and Characterization of InAlGaN Epilayers

In order to improve crystal quality for growth of quaternary InAlGaN, a series of InAlGaN films were grown on GaN buffer layer under different growth temperatures and carrier gases by low-pressure metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy. Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) was employed to measure the chemical composition of the quaternary, high resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD) and photoluminescence (PL) technique were used to characterize structural and optical properties of the epilayers, respectively. The PL spectra of InAlGaN show with and without the broad-deep level emission when only N2 and a N2+H2 mixture were used as carrier gas, respectively. At pressure of 1.01×104 Pa and with mixed gases of nitrogen and hydrogen as carrier gas, different alloy compositions of the films were obtained by changing the growth temperature while keeping the fluxes of precursors of indium (In), aluminum (Al), gallium (Ga) and nitrogen (N2) constant. A combination of HRXRD and PL measurements enable us to explore the relative optimum growth parameters-growth temperature between 850℃ and 870℃,using mixed gas of N2+H2 as carrier gas.

Magnetic characterization of Co1-xNixFe2O4 (0 <= x <= 1) nanoparticles prepared by co-precipitation route

Magnetic nanoparticles of Ni-doped cobalt ferrite [Co1-xNixFe2O4(0 <= x <= 1)] synthesized by coprecipitation route have been studied as a function of doping concentration (x) and particle size. The size of the particles as determined by X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) analyses was found in the range 12-48 nm. The coercivity (H-C) and saturation magnetization (M-S) showed a decreasing behavior with increasing Ni concentration. M-S of all the samples annealed at 600 degrees C lies in the range 65.8-13.7 emu/gm. Field-cooled (FC) studies of the samples showed horizontal shift (exchange bias) and vertical shift in the magnetization loop. Strong decrease in exchange bias (H-b) and vertical shift (delta M) was found for low Ni concentrations while negligible decrease was found at higher concentrations. The presence of exchange bias in the low Ni-concentration region has been explained with reference to the interface spins interaction between a surface region (with structural and spin disorder) and a ferrimagnetic core region. M(T) graphs of the samples showed a decreasing trend of blocking temperature (T-b) with increasing Ni concentration. The decrease of T-b with increasing Ni concentration has been attributed to the lower anisotropy energy of Ni+2 ions as compared to Co+2 that increases the probability of the jump across the anisotropy barrier which in turn decreases the blocking temperature of the system.

Direct characterization of bitter acids in a crude hop extract by liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry

The applicability of on-line coupling of reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography to atmospheric pressure ionization tandem mass spectrometry for the separation and characterization of hop acids mixture from the crude extract of Humulus lupulus was investigated. The solvent system consisting of acetonitrile-aqueous formic acid was used to give proper separation of the six main hop bitter acids within 30 min. Further structural information about the components was acquired by collision-induced dissociation (CID). On the basis of analyses of the fragmentation patterns of the major alpha- and beta-bitter acids respectively, identification of the minor ones was performed using selected reaction monitoring (SRM) with a group of qualitatively relevant selected precursor-product ion transitions for each bitter acid in a single high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) run. Using this technique, six minor hop acids, including "adprelupulone" observed for the first time in natural resources, were detected along with the six major acids. This hyphenated techniques provides potency for rapid qualitative determination of analogs and homologs in mixtures. (C) 2004 American Society for Mass Spectrometry.

Preparation and characterization of multiwalled carbon nanotube-supported platinum for cathode catalysts of direct methanol fuel cells

Multiwalled carbon nanotube-supported Pt (Pt/MWNT) nanocomposites were prepared by both the aqueous solution reduction of a Pt salt (HCHO reduction) and the reduction of a Pt ion salt in ethylene glycol solution. For comparison, a Pt/XC-72 nanocomposite was also prepared by the EG method. The Pt/MWNT catalyst prepared by the EG method has a high and homogeneous dispersion of spherical Pt metal particles with a narrow particle-size distribution. TEM images show that the Pt particle size is in the range of 2-5 nm with a peak at 2.6 nm, which is consistent with 2.5 nm obtained from the XRD broadening calculation. Surface chemical modifications of MWNTs and water content in EG solvent are found to be the key factors in depositing Pt particles on MWNTs. In the case of the direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) test, the Pt/MWNT catalyst prepared by EG reduction is slightly superior to the catalyst prepared by aqueous reduction and displays significantly higher performance than the Pt/XC-72 catalyst. These differences in catalytic performance between the MWNT-supported or the carbon black XC-72-supported catalysts are attributed to a greater dispersion of the supported Pt particles when the EG method is used, in contrast to aqueous HCHO reduction and to possible unique structural and higher electrical properties when contrasting MWNTs to carbon black XC-72 as a support.

Methods for physical separation and characterization of soil organic matter fractions

Turnover of soil organic matter (SOM) is coupled to the cycling of nutrients in soil through the activity of soil microorganisms. Biological availability of organic substrate in soil is related to the chemical quality of the organic material and to its degree of physical protection. SOM fractions can provide information on the turnover of organic matter (OM), provided the fractions can be related to functional or structural components in soil. Ultrasonication is commonly used to disrupt the soil structure prior to physical fractionation according to particle size, but may cause redistribution of OM among size fractions. The presence of mineral particles in size fractions can complicate estimations of OM turnover time within the fractions. Densiometric separation allows one to physically separate OM found within a specific size class from the heavier-density mineral particles. Nutrient contents and mineralization potential were determined for discrete size/density OM fractions isolated from within the macroaggregate structure of cultivated grassland soils. Eighteen percent of the total soil C and 25% of the total soil N in no-till soil was associated with fine-silt size particles having a density of 2.07-2.21 g/cm3 isolated from inside macroaggregates (enriched labile fraction or ELF). The amount of C and N sequestered in the ELF fraction decreased as the intensity of tillage increased. The specific rate of mineralization (mug net mineral N/mug total N in the fraction) for macroaggregate-derived ELF was not different for the three tillage treatments but was greater than for intact macroaggregates. The methods described here have improved our ability to quantitatively estimate SOM fractions, which in turn has increased our understanding of SOM dynamics in cultivated grassland systems.

Expression, purification and spectral characterization of p21(Waf1/Cip1)

p21(Waf1/Cip1), best known as a broad-specificity inhibitor of cyclin/cyclin-dependent kinase complexes, can interact with various target proteins, and this ability relies on its structural plasticity. Therefore, studies on the structural properties of p(21) are very important to understand its structure-function relationship. However, detailed studies on its secondary structure and biophysical properties have been comparatively sparse. A human p(21) gene was cloned into the temperature expression vector pBV220 and transformed into Escherichia coli strain JM109.

Two-phase synthesis of shape-controlled colloidal zirconia nanocrystals and their characterization

We have developed a two-phase approach for the synthesis of shape-controlled colloidal zirconia nanocrystals, including spherical-, teardrop-, rod-, and rice grain-shaped particles. We found that the key factors for controlling the shape were the reaction time, the nature of the capping agent, and the monomer concentration. We have analyzed the morphologies, crystallinity, optical properties, and structural features of the as-prepared ZrO2 nanoparticles by using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution TEM, X-ray powder diffraction, and UV-vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. The possible nucleation and growth process is also discussed.

Synthesis and characterization of Gd(OH)(3) nanobundles

Gd(OH)(3) nanobundles, which consisted of bundle-like nanorods, have been prepared through a simple and facile hydrothermal method. The crystal, purity, morphology and structural features of Gd(OH)(3) nanobundles are investigated by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). A possible formation mechanism of Gd(OH)(3) nanobundles is briefly discussed.

Synthesis, characterization, properties and crystal structure of heterometallic 1D coordination polymers {[CuLZn center dot CuLZn(H2O)]center dot H2O}(n)

Copper-zinc heterometallic 1D chain coordination polymer has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, and IR spectra etc. The crystal structure was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. The title complex is 1 D chain coordination polymer with the chemical formula {[CuLZn center dot CuLZn(H2O)]center dot H2O}(n), where H4L=N-(2-hydroxybenzamido)-N'-(3-carboxylsalicylidene)ethylenediamine. Its structural unit is comprosed of two tetranuclear cycles formed by two dissymmetrical tetranuclear units. These units polymerized each other to form 1 D chain coordination polymer.

Synthesis, characterization and crystal structure of a new layered heterometallic coordination polymer {[(CuL) Sr-2(H2O)center dot Sr-2(H2O)(7)]center dot 2H(2)O center dot 0.5CH(3)OH}(n)

A copper-strontium heterometallic coordination polymer was synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis and IR spectra. The crystal structure was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. The title complex is a 2 D coordination polymer with the chemical formula [[(CuL)(2)Sr (H2O) center dot Sr-2 ((HO)-O-2)(7)]center dot 2H(2)O center dot 0.5CH(3)OH](n), where H4L = N-(2-hydroxybenzamido)-N'-(3-carboxylsalicylidene) ethylenediamine. Its structural unit is comprised of two adjacent units, which polymerized with each other to form a new layered heterometallic coordination polymer.

Synthesis, characterization and fabrication on a glassy carbon electrode of a tetra-iron substituted sandwich-type pentadecatungstodiarsenate heteropolyanion

A novel sandwich-type compound, Na-12[Fe-4(H2O)(2)(As2W15O56)2].41H(2)O, has been synthesized. The compound was well-characterized by means of IR, UV-vis, W-183 NMR and elemental analyses. The compound crystallizes in the triclinic, P (1) over bar symmetry group. The structure of the compound is similar to that of Na-16[M-4(H2O)(2)(As2W15O56)(2)].nH(2)O (M = Cu, Zn, Co, Ni, Mn, Cd), and consists of an oxo-aqua tetranuclear iron core, [(Fe4O14)-O-III(H2O)(2)], sandwiched by two trivacant alpha-Wells-Dawson structural moieties, alpha-[As2W15O56]. Redoxelectrochemistry of the compound has been studied in buffer solutions at pH = 4.7 using polarography and cyclic voltammetry ( CV). The compound exhibited four one-electron couples associated with the Fe(III) center followed by three four-electron redox processes attributed to the tungsten-oxo framework. The compound-containing monolayer and multilayer films have been fabricated on a 4-aminobenzoic acid modified glassy carbon electrode surface by alternating deposition with a quaternized poly(4-vinylpyridine) partially complexed with [Os(bpy)(2)Cl](2+/-). CV, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV-vis spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM) have been used to characterize the multilayer films.

Photochemical synthesis, characterization and X-ray crystal structure of dodecamolybdophosphate tetrabutylammonium heteropoly blue (Bu4N)(4)[PMo12O40]center dot 2DMF center dot H2O

In this paper, we will report the preparation of a mixed-valence polyoxometalate compound (Bu4N)(4)[PMo12O40].2DMF.H2O (TBA = tetrabutylammonium; DMF = N,N-dimethyl formamide). The title compound has been photochemically synthesized and characterized by using elemental analysis, IR, solid diffusion reflectance electronic spectra, ESR spectra, XPS, CV and X-ray single-crystal analysis. The crystal lographic data are as follows: monoclinic, P2(1)/c, a = 14.124(3), b = 17.481(4), c = 22.744(5) Angstrom, beta = 101.66(3)degrees, V = 5500(2) Angstrom(3), C70H160Mo12N6O43P, M-r = 2956.29, Z = 2, D-c = 1.785 g/cm(3), F(000) = 2970 and mu(MoKalpha) = 1.412 mm(-1). The structure has been refined to R = 0.0638 and wR = 0.1975 by full-matrix least-squares methods. The title compound is composed of four tetrabutylammonium cations, one [(PMoMo11O40)-Mo-V](4-) heteropoly anion, two N,N-dimethyl formamide and one H2O molecule.