Al2O3/SiO2 films prepared by electron-beam evaporation as UV antireflection coatings on 4H-SiC

Al2O3/SiO2 films have been deposited as UV antireflection coatings on 4H-SiC by electron-beam evaporation and characterized by reflection spectrum, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The reflectance of the Al2O3/SiO2 films is 0.33% and 10 times lower than that of a thermally grown SiO2 single layer at 276 nm. The films are amorphous in microstructure and characterize good adhesion to 4H-SiC substrate. XPS results indicate an abrupt interface between evaporated SiO2 and 4H-SiC substrate free of Si-suboxides. These results make the possibility for 4H-SiC based high performance UV optoelectronic devices with Al2O3/SiO2 films as antireflection coatings. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Annealing effects on the optical and structural properties of Al2O3/SiO2 films as UV antireflection coatings on 4H-SiC substrates

Al2O3/SiO2 films have been prepared by electron-beam evaporation as ultraviolet (UV) antireflection coatings on 4H-SiC substrates and annealed at different temperatures. The films were characterized by reflection spectra, ellipsometer system, atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Xray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. As the annealing temperature increased, the minimum reflectance of the films moved to the shorter wavelength for the variation of refractive indices and the reduction of film thicknesses. The surface grains appeared to get larger in size and the root mean square (RMS) roughness of the annealed films increased with the annealing temperature but was less than that of the as-deposited. The Al2O3/SiO2 films maintained amorphous in microstructure with the increase of the temperature. Meanwhile, the transition and diffusion in film component were found in XPS measurement. These results provided the important references for Al2O3/SiO2 films annealed at reasonable temperatures and prepared as fine anti-reflection coatings on 4H-SiC-based UV optoelectronic devices. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influences of CO2 laser annealing on mechanical and laser-induced damage properties of ZrO2 thin films

Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) thin films were deposited on BK7 glass substrates by the electron beam evaporation method. A continuous wave CO2 laser was used to anneal the ZrO2 thin films to investigate whether beneficial changes could be produced. After annealing at different laser scanning speeds by CO2 laser, weak absorption of the coatings was measured by the surface thermal lensing (STL) technique, and then laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) was also determined. It was found that the weak absorption decreased first, while the laser scanning speed is below some value, then increased. The LIDT of the ZrO2 coatings decreased greatly when the laser scanning speeds were below some value. A Nomarski microscope was employed to map the damage morphology, and it was found that the damage behavior was defect-initiated both for annealed and as-deposited samples. The influences of post-deposition CO2 laser annealing on the structural and mechanical properties of the films have also been investigated by X-ray diffraction and ZYGO interferometer. It was found that the microstructure of the ZrO2 films did not change. The residual stress in ZrO2 films showed a tendency from tensile to compressive after CO, laser annealing, and the variation quantity of the residual stress increased with decreasing laser scanning speed. The residual stress may be mitigated to some extent at proper treatment parameters. (c) 2007 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Y2O3 stabilized ZrO2 thin films deposited by electron-beam evaporation: Optical properties, structure and residual stresses

This paper describes the preparation and the characterization Of Y2O3 stabilized ZrO2 thin films produced by electric-beam evaporation method. The optical properties, microstructure, surface morphology and the residual stress of the deposited films were investigated by optical spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning probe microscope and optical interferometer. It is shown that the optical transmission spectra of all the YSZ thin films are similar with those of ZrO2 thin film, possessing high transparency in the visible and near-infrared regions. The refractive index of the samples decreases with increasing of Y2O3 content. The crystalline structure of pure ZrO2 films is a mixture of tetragonal phase and monoclinic phase, however, Y2O3 stabilized ZrO2 thin films only exhibit the cubic phase independently of how much the added Y2O3 content is. The surface morphology spectrum indicates that all thin films present a crystalline columnar texture with columnar grains perpendicular to the substrate and with a predominantly open microporosity. The residual stress of films transforms tensile from compressive with the increasing Of Y2O3 molar content, which corresponds to the evolutions of the structure and packing densities. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High temperature annealing effect on structure, optical property and laser-induced damage threshold of Ta2O5 films

Ta2O5 films were deposited by conventional electron beam evaporation method and then annealed in air at different temperature from 873 to 1273 K. It was found that the film structure changed from amorphous phase to hexagonal phase when annealed at 1073 K, then transformed to orthorhombic phase after annealed at 1273 K. The transmittance was improved after annealed at 873 K, and it decreased as the annealing temperature increased further. The total integrated scattering (TIS) tests and AFM results showed that both scattering and root mean square (RMS) roughness of films increased with the annealing temperature increasing. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis showed that the film obtained better stoichiometry and the O/Ta ratio increased to 2.50 after annealing. It was found that the laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) increased to the maximum when annealed at 873 K, while it decreased when the annealing temperature increased further. Detailed damaged models dominated by different parameters during annealing were discussed. (C) 2008 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.

Influence of SiO2 additional layers on the laser induced damage threshold of Ta2O5 films

A series or Ta2O5 films with different SiO2 additional layers including overcoat, undercoat and interlayer was prepared by electron beam evaporation under the same deposition process. Absorption of samples was measured using the surface thermal lensing (STL) technique. The electric field distributions of the samples were theoretical predicted using thin film design software (TFCalc). The laser induced damage threshold (LIDT) was assessed using an Nd:YAG laser operating at 1064 nm with a pulse length of 12 ns. It was found that SiO2 additional layers resulted in a slight increase of the absorption, whereas they exerted little influence on the microdefects. The electric field distribution among the samples was unchanged by adding an SiO2 overcoat and undercoat, yet was changed by adding an interlayer. SiO2 undercoat. The interlayer improved the LIDT greatly, whereas the SiO2 overcoat had little effect on the LIDT. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of ZrO2 in HfO2 on reflectance of HfO2/SiO2 multilayer at 248 nm prepared by electron-beam evaporation

Influence of ZrO2 in HfO2 on the reflectance of HfO2/SiO2 multilayer at 248 nm was investigated. Two kinds of HfO2 with different ZrO2 content were chosen as high refractive index material and the same kind of SiO2 as low refractive index material to prepare the mirrors by electron-beam evaporation. The impurities in two kinds of HfO2 starting coating materials and in their corresponding single layer thin films were determined through glow discharge mass spectrum (GDMS) technology and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) equipment, respectively. It showed that between the two kinds of HfO2, either the bulk materials or their corresponding films, the difference of ZrO2 was much larger than that of the other impurities such as Ti and Fe. It is the Zr element that affects the property of thin films. Both in theoretical and in experimental, the mirror prepared with the HfO2 starting material containing more Zr content has a lower reflectance. Because the extinction coefficient of zirconia is relatively high in UV region, it can be treated as one kind of absorbing defects to influence the optical property of the mirrors. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structure and optical properties of Nb2O5 sculptured thin films by glancing angle deposition

Nb2O5 sculptured thin. films deposited by electron beam evaporation with glancing angle deposition were prepared. Nb2O5 sculptured thin. films with tilted columns are optical anisotropy. XRD, SEM, UV-vis-NIR spectra are employed to characterize the microstructure and optical properties. The maximum of birefringence (Delta n) is up to 0.045 at alpha = 70 degrees with packing density of 0.487. With increasing the deposition angle, refractive index and packing density of Nb2O5 STF are decreasing. The relationship among deposition parameter, microstructure and optical properties was investigated in detail. (C) 2008 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.

水稻OsMYB3R-2 基因对逆境响应的功能研究

低温威胁水稻的生产，其中苗期和生殖阶段对寒害是最敏感的时期。在苗期，阶段性冷害使水稻幼苗生长延迟，甚至造成烂秧现象；在生殖阶段，无法预测的突然降温会导致水稻花粉不育，并致使水稻大幅减产。因此，对水稻逆境胁迫调控的分子机制的深入研究在理论和实践上具有重要的意义。本研究从东乡野生稻、栽培稻及其杂交后代的低温芯片中筛选对低温响应基因的分析着手，对其中一个受低温诱导上调的基因OsMYB3R-2 作进一步研究。生物信息学的分析表明OsMYB3R-2 编码一个R1R2R3 MYB 蛋白，利用基因枪瞬时转化法、酵母GAL4 系统和电泳迁移率变动分析发现OsMYB3R-2 蛋白能够定位在细胞核中、具有转录激活和DNA 结合特性，表现为MYB 转录因子的典型特征。 超表达OsMYB3R-2 的转基因水稻呈现幼苗的矮化和生长相对滞后的表型，对低温胁迫具有耐受性。盐抑制水稻种子的萌发，与野生型和反义的株系相比，OsMYB3R-2 超表达株系的萌发对盐敏感，表现为萌发过程及萌发之后幼苗的生长更加滞后。而OsMYB3R-2 转基因株系对干旱处理敏感。为了进一步寻找OsMYB3R-2 蛋白的靶序列及其调控的靶基因，我们利用电泳迁移率变动分析发现OsMYB3R-2 能够与有丝分裂特异的激活子（mitosis-specific activator）元件特异结合。在低温条件下，OsMYB3R-2 超表达能够激活水稻G2/M 期特异基因的表达，主要包括OsCycB1;1、OsCycB2;1、OsCycB2;2 和OsCDC20.1 等。另一方面，OsMYB3R-2 超表达能够增加根尖细胞的有丝分裂指数，这进一步说明OsMYB3R-2 参与了水稻细胞周期调控。EMSA、RT-PCR 和流式细胞仪分析的结果表明OsMYB3R-2 通过激活其靶基因OsCycB1;1 的表达参与水稻对低温胁迫的调控，该过程由细胞周期介导。 为了研究OsMYB3R-2 与水稻DREB/CBF 途径的关系，我们分析了转基因水稻中DREB/CBF 类基因及其可能调控的下游基因与OsMYB3R-2 的关系，RT-PCR 的结果表明超表达转基因植物中DREB 表达未见明显变化，而其下游基因OsCPT1 在低温条件下被激活表达。同时，转基因植物在低温条件下脯氨酸水平显著提高。这说明OsMYB3R-2 可能在水稻DREB/CBF 途径的下游参与调控。 总之，OsMYB3R-2 基因的超表达赋予转基因水稻在苗期对低温胁迫具有耐受性，并呈现矮化和生长滞后的表型。OsMYB3R-2 蛋白行使R1R2R3 MYB 转录因子的功能，在体外能够结合OsCycB1;1 和OsKNOLLE2 基因启动子中有丝分裂特异的激活子元件，在低温条件下激活了G2/M 期特异基因的表达，这些基因包括OsCycB1;1、OsCycB2;1、OsCycB2;2 和OsCDC20.1。低温条件下，在OsMYB3R-2 转基因超表达株系中OsCPT1 基因的转录被激活，细胞的游离脯氨酸的含量也显著增高。这些结果都表明OsMYB3R-2 基因在水稻的冷胁迫信号途径中起重要的作用，该过程受细胞周期及DREB/CBF 途径介导。 我们的实验结果暗示水稻对低温的耐受是通过分生组织细胞周期调控完成的，这个过程由OsMYB3R-2 等关键基因控制。

Degradation of tropical forest in Hainan, China, 1991-2008: Conservation implications for Hainan Gibbon (Nomascus hainanus)

The Hainan gibbon (Nomascus hainanus) is one of the most endangered primates in the world, confined to mature natural forest in Hainan Island, China. We assessed changes in habitat condition on the island between 1991 and 2008, using vegetation maps generated by remote-sensing images. We defined forest suitable for gibbons based on composition, tree size and canopy cover. During the 17-year period, the area of suitable gibbon forest decreased by 540 km(2) (35%) across the whole island, and by 6.3 km(2) (7%) in the locality of the sole remaining gibbon population at Bawangling National Nature Reserve. The forest patches large enough (>1 km(2)) to support a gibbon group decreased from 754 km(2) to 316 km(2) in total area, and from 92 to 64 in number. Suitable natural forest was mainly replaced by plantations below 760 m, or degraded by logging, grazing and planting of pines above 760 m. Meanwhile, forests in former confirmed gibbon areas became more fragmented: mean area of patches decreased by 53%. We mapped the patches of natural forest in good condition which could potentially support gibbons. We recommend a freeze on further expansion of plantations between core patches at Bawangling, Jiaxi-Houmiling and Yinggeling Nature Reserves in accordance with forest protection regulations; establishment of nature reserves in currently unprotected natural forest patches elsewhere in line with the local government's nature reserve expansion policy; and active natural-forest restoration between remaining fragments at Bawangling. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Association of pro staglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2) polymorphisms and Alzheimer's disease in Chinese

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2, encoded by the gene prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2, PTGS2) is a key enzyme in the conversion of arachidonic acid to prostaglandins. The prostaglandins produced by COX-2 are involved in inflammation and pain response in diff