Microarray Analyses of Gene Expression during the Tetrahymena thermophila Life Cycle

Background: The model eukaryote, Tetrahymena thermophila, is the first ciliated protozoan whose genome has been sequenced, enabling genome-wide analysis of gene expression. Methodology/Principal Findings: A genome-wide microarray platform containing the predicted coding sequences (putative genes) for T. thermophila is described, validated and used to study gene expression during the three major stages of the organism's life cycle: growth, starvation and conjugation. Conclusions/Significance: Of the,27,000 predicted open reading frames, transcripts homologous to only,5900 are not detectable in any of these life cycle stages, indicating that this single-celled organism does indeed contain a large number of functional genes. Transcripts from over 5000 predicted genes are expressed at levels >5x corrected background and 95 genes are expressed at >250x corrected background in all stages. Transcripts homologous to 91 predicted genes are specifically expressed and 155 more are highly up-regulated in growing cells, while 90 are specifically expressed and 616 are up-regulated during starvation. Strikingly, transcripts homologous to 1068 predicted genes are specifically expressed and 1753 are significantly up-regulated during conjugation. The patterns of gene expression during conjugation correlate well with the developmental stages of meiosis, nuclear differentiation and DNA elimination. The relationship between gene expression and chromosome fragmentation is analyzed. Genes encoding proteins known to interact or to function in complexes show similar expression patterns, indicating that co-ordinate expression with putative genes of known function can identify genes with related functions. New candidate genes associated with the RNAi-like process of DNA elimination and with meiosis are identified and the late stages of conjugation are shown to be characterized by specific expression of an unexpectedly large and diverse number of genes not involved in nuclear functions.

INVESTIGATION OF BURIED ALN LAYERS FORMED BY NITROGEN IMPLANTATION INTO AL

The composition and microstructure of buried layers of AlN formed by high energy N+ ion implantation into polycrystalline Al have been determined. Both bulk and evaporated thin films of Al have been implanted with 100 and 200 keV N+ ions to doses of up to 1.8 x 10(18)/cm2. The layers have been characterised using SIMS, XTEM, X-ray diffraction, FTIR, RBS and in terms of their microhardness. It is found that, for doses greater than the critical dose, buried, polycrystalline AlN layers are formed with preferred (100) or (002) orientations, which are sample specific. With increasing dose the nitrogen concentration saturates at the value for stoichiometric AlN although the synthesised compound is found to be rich in oxygen.

MBE of GaN with DC-plasma source for nitrogen activation

In this paper we report on the first results of epitaxial growth of GaN layers on GaAs (100) substrates using a modified MBE system, equipped with a DC-plasma source for nitrogen activation in configuration of reverse magnetron at ultra-low pressures.

Dislocation movement in nitrogen-doped Czochralski silicon

Dislocation movement in N-doped Czochralski silicon (Cz-Si) was surveyed by four point bend method. Dislocation movement velocities in Cz-Si doped with nitrogen, with both nitrogen and antimony, and with only antimony were investigated. The order of measured dislocation movement velocities, at 700 degrees C less than or equal to T less than or equal to 800 degrees C and under resolved stress sigma=4.1 kg/mm(2), was V-Sb.O > V-n.Sb.O>V-N.O. The experiments showed that nigtrogen doping could retard the movement of dislocations.

Sensitivity of Total-Dose Radiation Hardness of SIMOX Buried Oxides to Doses of Nitrogen Implantation into Buried Oxides

In order to improve the total-dose radiation hardness of the buried oxides(BOX) in the structure of separa tion-by-implanted-oxygen(SIMOX) silicon-on-insulator(SOI), nitrogen ions are implanted into the buried oxides with two different doses,2 × 1015 and 3 × 1015 cm-2 , respectively. The experimental results show that the radiation hardness of the buried oxides is very sensitive to the doses of nitrogen implantation for a lower dose of irradiation with a Co-60 source. Despite the small difference between the doses of nitrogen implantation, the nitrogen-implanted 2 × 1015 cm-2 BOX has a much higher hardness than the control sample (i. e. the buried oxide without receiving nitrogen implantation) for a total-dose irradiation of 5 × 104rad(Si), whereas the nitrogen-implanted 3 × 1015 cm-2 BOX has a lower hardness than the control sample. However,this sensitivity of radiation hardness to the doses of nitrogen implantation reduces with the increasing total-dose of irradiation (from 5 × 104 to 5 × 105 rad (Si)). The radiation hardness of BOX is characterized by MOS high-frequency (HF) capacitance-voltage (C-V) technique after the top silicon layers are removed. In addition, the abnormal HF C-V curve of the metal-silicon-BOX-silicon(MSOS) structure is observed and explained.

Metalorganic Chemical Vapor Deposition of GaNAs Alloy Using Dimethylhydrazine as Nitrogen Precursor

GaNAs alloy is grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) using dimethylhydrazine (DMHy) as the nitrogen precursor. High-resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD) and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) are combined in determining the nitrogen contents in the samples. Room temperature photoluminescence (RTPL) measurement is also used in characterizing. The influence of different Ga precursors on GaNAs quality is investigated. Samples grown with triethylgallium (TEGa) have better qualities and less impurity contamination than those with trimethylgallium (TMGa). Nitrogen content of 5.688% is achieved with TEGa. The peak wavelength in RTPL measurement is measured to be 1278.5nm.

The influence of nitrogen clustering effect on optical transitions in GaInNAs/GaAs quantum wells

Photoluminescence (PL) spectra of GaInNAs/GaAs multiple quantum wells and GaInNAs epilayers grown on GaAs substrate show an apparent "S-shape" temperature-dependence of the of dominant luminescence peak. At low temperature and weak excitation conditions, a PL peak related to nitrogen cluster-induced bound states can be well resolved in the PL spectra. It displays a remarkable red shift of up to 60 meV and is thermally quenched below 100 K with increasing temperature, being attributed to N-cluster induced bound states. The indium incorporation exhibits significant effect on the cluster formation. The rapid thermal annealing treatment at 750 C can essentially remove the bound states-induced peak.

Effect of SiO2 encapsulation on the nitrogen reorganization in GaNAs/GaAs single quantum well

Effects of SiO2, encapsulation and rapid thermal annealing (RTA) on the optical properties of GaNAs/GaAs single quantum well (SQW) were studied by low temperature photoluminescence (PL). A blueshift of the PL peak energy for both the SiO2-capped region and the bare region was observed. The results were attributed to the nitrogen reorganization in the GaNAs/GaAs SQW. It was also shown that the nitrogen reorganization was obviously enhanced by SiO2 cap-layer. A simple model [1] was used to describe the SiO2-enhanced blueshift of the low temperature PL peak energy.

Influence of nitrogen implantation into the buried oxide on the radiation hardness of silicon-on-insulator wafers

摘要: In order to improve the total-dose radiation hardness of the buried oxide of separation by implanted oxygen silicon-on-insulator wafers, nitrogen ions were implanted into the buried oxide with a dose of 10(16)cm(-2), and subsequent annealing was performed at 1100 degrees C. The effect of annealing time on the radiation hardness of the nitrogen implanted wafers has been studied by the high frequency capacitance-voltage technique. The results suggest that the improvement of the radiation hardness of the wafers can be achieved through a shorter time annealing after nitrogen implantation. The nitrogen-implanted sample with the shortest annealing time 0.5 h shows the highest tolerance to total-dose radiation. In particular, for the 1.0 and 1.5 h annealing samples, both total dose responses were unusual. After 300-krad(Si) irradiation, both the shifts of capacitance-voltage curve reached a maximum, respectively, and then decreased with increasing total dose. In addition, the wafers were analysed by the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy technique, and some useful results have been obtained.