Co-assembly of ferrocene-terminated and alkylthiophene thiols on gold and its redox chemistry modulated by surfactant adsorption

Coadsorption of ferrocene-terminated alkanethiols (FcCO(2)(CH2)(8)SH, Fc=(mu(5)-C5H5)Fe(mu(5)-C5H4)) with alkylthiophene thiols (2-mercapto-3-n-octylthiophene) yields stable, electroactive self-assembled monolayers on gold. The resulting mixed monolayer provides an energetically favorable hydrophobic surface for the adsorption of the surfactant aggregates in aqueous solution. The adsorptions have been characterized via their effect on the redox properties of ferrocenyl alkanethiols immobilized as minority components in the monolayers and on the interfacial capacitance of the electrode. Surfactant adsorption causes a decrease in the overall capacitance at the electrode and dramatically shifts the redox potential for ferrocene oxidation in a positive or negative direction depending on the identity of the surfactant employed. A structural model is proposed in which the alkane chains of the adsorbed surfactants interdigitate with those of the underlying self-assembled monolayer, leading to the formation of a hybrid bilayer membrane.

STUDIES ON INTERFACIAL PHENOMENA OF POLYCRYSTALLINE HG1-XCDXTE THIN-FILM ELECTRODE POLYSULFIDE REDOX SOLUTION

Electrode capacitance and photocurrent spectra of electrodeposited polycrystalline Hg1-xCdxTe thin films of varying (1-x) were measured in polysulfide redox solution, hence the flatband potentional PHI(fb) and the bandgap E(g) of Hg1-xCdxTe thin films obtained. It was of interest to find out that only the location of conduction band E(c) shifts negatively with increasing (1-x) while the valence band E(v), is almost constant. The experimental open circuit photovoltage V0 is smaller than theoretical value V(max) calculated through flatband potential PHI(fb), therefore there is a possibility of promoting the experimental open circuit photovoltage.

Carrier concentration profiling in magnetic GaMnSb/GaSb investigated by electrochemistry capacitance-voltage profiler

Depth profiles of carrier concentrations in GaMnSb/GaSb are investigated by electrochemistry capacitance-voltage profiler and electrolyte of Tiron. The carrier concentration in GaMnSb/GaSb measured by this method is coincident with the results of Hall and X-ray diffraction measurements. It is indicated that most of the Mn atoms in GaMnSb take the site of Ga, play a role of acceptors, and provide shallow acceptor level(s).

Frog skins keep redox homeostasis by antioxidant peptides with rapid radical scavenging ability

The question of how amphibians can protect themselves from reactive oxygen species when exposed to the sun in an oxygen-rich atmosphere is important and interesting, not only from an evolutionary viewpoint, but also as a primer for researchers interested in mammalian skin biology, in which such peptide systems for antioxidant defense are not well studied. The identification of an antioxidant peptide named antioxidin-RL from frog (Odorrana livida) skin in this report supports the idea that a peptide antioxidant system may be a widespread antioxidant strategy among amphibian skins. Its ability to eliminate most of the 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical tested within 2 s, which is much faster than the commercial antioxidant factor butylated hydroxytoluene, suggests that it has a potentially large impact on redox homeostasis in amphibian skins. Cys10 is proven to be responsible for its rapid radical scavenging function and tyrosines take part in the binding of antioxidin-RL to radicals according to our nuclear magnetic resonance assay. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Phosphorus in interstitial water induced by redox potential in sediment of Dianchi Lake, China

The sediment redox potential was raised in the laboratory to estimate reduction of internal available phosphorus loads, such as soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) and total phosphorus (TP), as well as the main elements of sediment extracts in Dianchi Lake. Several strongly reducing substances in sediments, which mainly originated from anaerobic decomposition of primary producer residues, were responsible for the lower redox potential. In a range of -400 to 200 mV raising the redox potential of sediments decreased TP and SRP in interstitial water. Redox potentials exceeding 320 mV caused increases in TP, whereas SRP maintained a relatively constant minimum level. The concentrations of Al, Fe, Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, Na+ and S in interstitial water were also related to the redox potential of sediments, suggesting that the mechanism for redox potential to regulate the concentration of phosphorus in interstitial water was complex.

Frequency dependence of junction capacitance of GaN p-i-n UV detectors

In this paper frequency dependence of small-signal capacitance of p-i-n UV detectors, which were fabricated on GaN grown on sapphire substrate by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition, has been studied. The Schibli-Milnes model was used to analyze the capacitance-frequency characteristics. According to high frequency C-V measurements, the deep level mean concentration is about 2.98 x 10(20) cm(-3). The deep level is caused by the un-ionised Mg dopant. The calculated Mg activation energy is 260 meV and the hole thermal capture cross section of the deep level is about 2.73 x 10(-22) cm(2). The applicability of the Schibli-Milnes model is also discussed when the concentration of deep levels exceeds that of the heavily doped n-side. It is concluded that the analytic expression of the Schibli-Milnes model can still be used to describe the capacitance-frequency characteristics of GaN p-i-n UV detectors in good agreement with experiment. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Photo-capacitance response of internal tunnelling coupling in quantum-dot-imbedded heterostructures under selective photo-excitation

Under selective photo-excitation, the capacitance response of internal tunnelling coupling in quantum-dots-imbedded heterostructures is studied to clarify the electronic states and the number densities of electrons filling in the quantum dots (QDs). The random nature for both optical transitions and the filling in a QD assembly makes highly resolved capacitance peaks appear in the C-V characteristic after turning off the photo-excitation.

Probing deep level centers in GaN epilayers with variable-frequency capacitance-voltage characteristics of Au/GaN Schottky contacts

Under identical preparation conditions, Au/GaN Schottky contacts were prepared on two kinds of GaN epilayers with significantly different background electron concentrations and mobility as well as yellow emission intensities. Current-voltage (I-V) and variable-frequency capacitance-voltage (C-V) characteristics show that the Schottky contacts on the GaN epilayer with a higher background carrier concentration and strong yellow emission exhibit anomalous reverse-bias I-V and C-V characteristics. This is attributed to the presence of deep level centers. Theoretical simulation of the low-frequency C-V curves leads to a determination of the density and energy level position of the deep centers. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.

Capacitance-voltage spectroscopy of In0.5Ga0.5As self-assembled quantum dots in double quantum wells under selective photo-excitation

Selectively photo-excited C-V spectroscopy has been measured in an In0.5Ga0.5As quantum dots (QDs)-embedded, three barrier-two well heterostructure. By comparing with a theoretical capacitance model, the pure capacitive contribution from In0.5Ga0.5As QDs, due to tunnelling coupling between In0.5Ga0.5As QDs and In0.18Ga0.82As quantum well, has been used to obtain the density of charges from photo-excited In0.5Ga0.5As QDs in a very straightforward manner.

Study on variable capacitance diode of (p)nc-Si : H/(n)c-Si heterojunction

Hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H) layers of boron-doped increasing step by step was deposited on n-type crystalline silicon substrate using Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) system. After evaporating Ohm contact electrode on the side of substrate and on the side of nc-Si:H film, a structure of electrode/ (p)nc-Si:H/(n)c-Si/electrode was obtained. It is confirmed by electrical measurement such as I-V curve, C-V curve and DLTS that this is a variable capacitance diode. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Carrier concentration profiling in magnetic GaMnSb/GaSb investigated by electrochemistry capacitance-voltage profiler

Depth profiles of carrier concentrations in GaMnSb/GaSb are investigated by electrochemistry capacitance-voltage profiler and electrolyte of Tiron. The carrier concentration in GaMnSb/GaSb measured by this method is coincident with the results of Hall and X-ray diffraction measurements. It is indicated that most of the Mn atoms in GaMnSb take the site of Ga, play a role of acceptors, and provide shallow acceptor level(s).

Photoluminescence and capacitance transients in highly Mg-doped GaN

Behaviors of the photoluminescence blue-band and near-bandgap peak and the relevant thermal ionization energies of the shallow and deep Mg-related acceptors have been studied, respectively. The 2.989 eV blue-band is attributed to the deep donor-acceptor-pair transitions involving a deep Mg-related acceptor at E-v+0.427 eV. The blueshift with increasing excitation power is explained by variation in the contribution of close and distant donor-acceptor-pairs to the luminescence. The redshift with increasing temperature results from thermal release of carriers from close donor-acceptor-pairs. The 3.26 eV near-bandgap peak is attributed to the shallow donor-acceptor-pair transitions involving a shallow Mg-related acceptor at E-v+0.223 eV. The relevant thermal ionization energies of the shallow and deep Mg-related acceptors, being about E-v+0.16 and E-v+0.50eV, are determined from deep-level transient Fourier spectroscopy measurements.