Enhancement of near-band-edge photoluminescence of ZnO thin films in sandwich configuration at room temperature

ZnO/ITO/ZnO sandwich structure films were fabricated. The effects of buffer layer on the structure and optical properties of ZnO films were investigated by x-ray diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence, optical transmittance, and absorption measurements. XRD spectra indicate that a buffer layer has the effects of lowering the grain orientation of ZnO films and increasing the residual stresses in the films. The near-band-edge emissions of ZnO films deposited on both single indium tin oxide (ITO) buffer and ITO/ZnO double buffers are significantly enhanced compared with that deposited on a bare substrate due to the quantum confinement effect. (C) 2006 American Institute of Physics.

Differential amplitude modulation of auditory evoked cortical potentials associated with brain state in the freely moving rhesus monkey

We simultaneously recorded auditory evoked potentials (AEP) from the temporal cortex (TCx), the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dPFCx) and the parietal cortex (PCx) in the freely moving rhesus monkey to investigate state-dependent changes of the AEP. AEPs obtained during passive wakefulness, active wakefulness (AW), slow wave sleep and rapid-eye-movement sleep (REM) were compared. Results showed that AEP from all three cerebral areas were modulated by brain states. However, the amplitude of AEP from dPFCx and PCx significantly appeared greater attenuation than that from the TCx during AW and REM. These results indicate that the modulation of brain state on AEP from all three cerebral areas investigated is not uniform, which suggests that different cerebral areas have differential functional contributions during sleep-wake cycle. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

A microelectrode drive for long term recording of neurons in freely moving and chaired monkeys

An electrode drive is described for recordings of neurons in freely moving and chaired monkeys during the performance of behavioural tasks. The electrode drives are implanted for periods of up to 6 months, and can advance up to 42 electrodes using 14 independent drive mechanisms. The drive samples 288 points within a 12 mm x 12 min region, with 15 min of electrode travel. Major advantages are that recordings are made in freely moving monkeys, and these recordings can be compared with those in chaired experiments; waveforms of single neurons are stable, enabling prolonged recordings of the same neurons across periods of days; recordings can be made throughout the brain, including the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and hippocampus; the drive accommodates both sharp microelectrodes and fine wire assemblies such as tetrodes. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V; All rights reserved.

Spatially directed movement and neuronal activity in freely moving monkey

The abilities to plan a series of movements and to navigate within the environment require the functions of the frontal and ventromedial temporal lobes, respectively. Neuropsychological studies posit the existence of egocentric (prefrontal) and allocentri

Neurophysiological recordings in freely moving monkeys

Recordings of neuronal activity in freely moving rats are common in experiments where electrical signals are transmitted using cables. Such techniques are not common in monkeys because their prehensile abilities are thought to preclude such techniques. Ho

Maze model to study spatial learning and memory in freely moving monkeys

Many types of mazes have been used in cognitive brain research and data obtained from those experiments, especially those from rodents' studies, support the idea that the hippocampus is related to spatial learning and memory. But the results from non-huma

Using the moving window incorporated neural network to forecast the population behavior of Nostocales spp. in the River Darling, Australia

The paper demonstrates the nonstationarity of algal population behaviors by analyzing the historical populations of Nostocales spp. in the River Darling, Australia. Freshwater ecosystems are more likely to be nonstationary, instead of stationary. Nonstationarity implies that only the near past behaviors could forecast the near future for the system. However, nonstionarity was not considered seriously in previous research efforts for modeling and predicting algal population behaviors. Therefore the moving window technique was incorporated with radial basis function neural network (RBFNN) approach to deal with nonstationarity when modeling and forecasting the population behaviors of Nostocales spp. in the River Darling. The results showed that the RBFNN model could predict the timing and magnitude of algal blooms of Nostocales spp. with high accuracy. Moreover, a combined model based on individual RBFNN models was implemented, which showed superiority over the individual RBFNN models. Hence, the combined model was recommended for the modeling and forecasting of the phytoplankton populations, especially for the forecasting.

Anomalous photogalvanic effect of circularly polarized light incident on the two-dimensional electron gas in AlxGa1-xN/GaN heterostructures at room temperature

Under normal incidence of circularly polarized light at room temperature, a charge current with swirly distribution has been observed in the two-dimensional electron gas in Al0.25Ga0.75N/GaN heterostructures. We believe that this anomalous charge current is produced by a radial spin current via the reciprocal spin Hall effect. It suggests a new way to research the reciprocal spin Hall effect and spin current on the macroscopic scale and at room temperature.

Carrier spin relaxation in (Ga, Mn) As at room temperature

In this paper, the excitation energy density dependence of carrier spin relaxation is studied at room temperature for the as-grown and annealed (Ga, Mn) As samples using femtosecond time-resolved pump-probe Kerr spectroscopy. It is found that spin relaxation lifetime of electrons lengthens with increasing excitation energy density for both samples, and the annealed ( Ga, Mn) As has shorter carrier recombination and electron spin relaxation lifetimes as well as larger Kerr rotation angle than the as-grown ( Ga. Mn) As under the same excitation condition. which shows that DP mechanism is dominant in the spin relaxation process for ( Ga, Mn)As at room temperature. The enhanced ultrafast Kerr effect in the annealed (Ga,Mn)As shows the potential application of the annealed ( Ga, Mn) As in ultrafast all-optical spin switches, and also provides a further evidence for the p-d exchange mechanism of the ferromagnetic origin of (Ga, Mn) As.

Continuous-wave operation of GaN based multi-quantum-well laser diode at room temperature

Room-temperature operation of cw GaN based multi-quantum-well laser diodes (LDs) is demonstrated. The LD structure is grown on a sapphire (0001) substrate by metalorganic chemical vapour deposition. A 2.5 mu m x 800 mu m ridge waveguide structure is fabricated. The electrical and optical characteristics of the laser diode under direct current injection at room temperature are investigated. The threshold current and voltage of the LD under cw operation are 110mA and 10.5V, respectively. Thermal induced series resistance decrease and emission wavelength red-shift are observed as the injection current is increased. The full width at half maximum for the parallel and perpendicular far field pattern (FFP) are 12 degrees and 32 degrees, respectively.

Room-temperature photonic crystal laser in H3 cavity on InGaAsP/InP slab

We fabricate and investigate two-dimensional photonic crystal H3 microcavities in an InGaAsP slab. The lasing action at room temperature is observed. The lasering threshold is 7mW under the pulsed pump of 0.75% duty cycle. The Q factor and the lasing mode characteristics are simulated by three-dimensional finite difference time domain method. The simulation result matches well with the experiment.