INTERFACIAL FORMATION PROCESS AND REACTIONS BETWEEN AU AND HYDROGENATED AMORPHOUS SI STUDIED BY XPS AND AES

Interfacial formation processes and reactions between Au and hydrogenated amorphous Si have been studied by photoemission spectroscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy. A three-dimensional growth of Au metal cluster occurs at initial formation of the Au/a-Si:H interface. When Au deposition exceeds a critical time, Au and Si begin interdiffusing and react to create an Au-Si alloy region. Annealing enhances interdiffusion and a Si-rich region exists on the topmost surface of Au films on a-Si:H.

Laser pulse induced bumps in chalcogenide phase change films

Formation of bumps in chalcogenide phase change thin films during the laser writing process is theoretically and experimentally investigated. The process involves basically fast heating and quenching stages. Circular bumps are formed after cooling, and the shape and size of the bumps depend on various parameters such as temperatures, laser power, beam size, laser pulse duration, etc. In extreme cases, holes are formed at the apex of the bumps. To understand the bumps and their formation is of great interest for data storage. In the present work, a theoretical model is established for the formation process, and the geometric characters of the formed bumps can be analytically and quantitatively evaluated from various parameters involved in the formation. Simulations based on the analytic solution are carried out taking Ag8In14Sb55Te23 as an example. The results are verified with experimental observations of the bumps. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.

Simulation demonstration and experimental fabrication of a multiple-slot waveguide

A multiple-slot waveguide is presented and demonstrated through theoretical simulation. Taking a double-slot waveguide as an example, the results show a nearly 30% enhancement of optical intensity compared with the traditional single-slot waveguide with the same slot gap width. Therefore, the E-field intensity of the slot can be increased by adding another smaller slot. A double-slot waveguide with oxide and air as low index slot materials is realized experimentally and the formation processes of the slots are analyzed.

Characterization of organic-inorganic multilayer films by cyclic voltammetry, UV-Vis spectrometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, small-angle X-ray diffraction and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

We have employed several techniques, including cyclic voltammetry, UV-Vis spectrometry, small-angle X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, to characterize the formation processes and interfacial features of ultrathin multilayer films of silicotungstate and a cationic redox polymer on cysteamine-coated Au electrodes self-assembled monolayers. All of these techniques confirm that the multilayer films are built up stepwise as well as uniformly in a layer-by-layer fashion. In particular, the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy is successfully used to monitor the multilayer deposition processes. It has been proved that the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy is a very useful technique in characterization of multilayer films because it provides valuable information about the interfacial impedance features.

Matrixassisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectral study of saccharides

Matrixassisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectra of saccharides with three common matrixes were studied here. It is shown that Na+ and K+ play important roles in the determination of oligasaccharide molecule weight and the molecular weights (MW) of glucans(dextran) with MW more than 10 000 is determined successfully with the help of column chromatography, By comparing the effects of three matrixes in saccharide analysis and comparing positive-ion and negative-ion matrixassisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectra of oligo- and polysaccharides, the most suitable matrix for saccharide analysis, 2,5-dihydroxylbezonic acid (DHB), is selected and the ion formation processes of saccharides under matrix-assisted laser adsorption/ionization condition are clarified.

岩溶上覆风化壳的粒度分布特征及其对物源和形成过程的指示意义

以贵州为中心的中国西南岩溶区是世界上连片分布面积最大的岩溶区，其上分布着厚度不一的红色土层。由于碳酸盐岩易溶蚀、酸不溶物含量极低（一般＜5％）、成土慢，同时在风化过程中伴随着巨大的体积缩小变化，原岩结构和半风化带无法保留，岩-土界面呈突变接触关系，缺失过渡层，宏观上缺乏直接的野外地质证据支持二者之间存在着明确的继承关系，因此对于岩溶上覆风化壳的物质来源，长期以来一直存在着争议。对岩溶区风化壳成因存在的不同认识，成为利用风化壳进行一系列科学研究的障碍，因此正确理解岩溶上覆风化壳的物质来源和成因显得十分紧迫和重要。本文在已有成果的基础上，选择灰岩、白云岩与碎屑岩呈镶嵌产出的贵州岩溶台地（包括湘西吉首的一个剖面）作为研究区域，尝试利用粒度分析这一反映沉积若（物）的结构组成的研究手段，通过对20条剖面的精细采样分析．系统地探讨了不同基岩与仁覆风化壳的粒度分布特征，并以此为主线，结合磁化率、pH值、地球化学和矿物学资料，对贵州岩溶上覆风化壳的物质来源和剖面演化过程进行了探讨，取得了以下几点认识：第一，在碳酸盐岩上覆风化壳的成因研究中，粒度分析是一个有效而直观的物源示踪方法。不同沉积背景下形成的沉积岩其粒度分布特征是不同的，而在此基础上发育的风化壳就继承了母岩的粒度分布特征，粒度频率分布曲线表现出和母岩的一致性和渐变过渡性，在风化程度不是特别强烈的条件下（排除如铝土矿化的红土化阶段），风化壳仍保留了“源”的信息。而由碳酸盐岩发育的风化壳就继承了基岩酸不溶物的粒度分布特征。由不同粒度组成的沉积岩发育的风化壳，其粒度组成也存在着明显的浪异。第二，通过对贵州岩溶区不同基岩（包括碎屑岩）及其上覆风化壳的粒度分析表明，各风化剖面的粒度分布特征与下伏基岩有明显的继承性，而各剖面之间的粒度分布存在着明显的差异，说明岩溶区上覆风化壳没有共同的物质来源，碳酸盐岩上覆风化壳是碳酸盐矿物溶蚀、残余酸不溶物长期积累的结果。第三，在非等体积风化过程中，风化前锋即“岩一土界，”是一个重要的地球化学作用场所，在这一狭窄的界面上，不仅碳酸盐矿物充分淋失，而且残余酸不溶物也开始了分解，同时岩一土界面的风化梯度明显强于已成风化剖而后期的演化强度。即从基岩酸不溶物到风化壳底部，风化强度突变性增大，而风化壳的后期演化则是一个缓慢的过程。第四，由于充沛的水热条件，风化壳的淋溶淀积作用普遍存在，粘粒含量在剖面七部由下向上表现为逐渐降低的“倒置”现象。在风化壳发育浅薄的石灰土剖面，淀积层甚至可以直接淀积在剖面底部。第五，石灰土尽管发育程度较低，可以看作碳酸盐岩风化壳演化的早期阶段，但是在形成石灰土的过程中，各风化指标已表现出显著的变化，具有了红色风化壳的发育特征。因此从严格意义上讲，石灰土已不具有从基岩到红色风化壳的“过渡层”身份。第六，石灰土剖面普遍具有典型残积风化的特征，粒度和地球化学指标表现为单调变化的趋势。而红色风化壳的粒度参数在整体上具有风化壳正向演化特征的基础上，在剖面上表现为强烈的波动，地球化学指标及矿物学组成在剖面上也呈现相应的波动。造成这种现象的原因可解释为：一是风化前锋向下拓展过程中风化条件的变化，二是后期古地下水位的波动对风化剖面的改造。石灰土剖面形成时间短，在浅薄的风化壳发育过程中，风化条件和水文状况稳定，风化壳的发育完全是在气下由大气降水形成的风化溶液对一剖面由浅入深的风化作用形成的，未受到后期地下水的改造。而厚层红色风化壳，形成时间长，在其长期的地质演化过程中，风化条件的变化和古地下水位的波动将会频繁的发生。尤其岩一土界面是一个重要的地球化学风化界面，在风化前锋向下拓展过程中，风化条件的变化必然影响到相应层位风化程度的差异性，因此造成剖面上风化指标的波动性。在风化前锋，由风化条件的差异性导致粒度及地球化学指标的波动性，在这一过程中，粒度及地球化学指标的变化是可预测的，即强烈的风化条件可以导致粒度变细，粘粒含量增加，CIA增大，反之亦然，风化过程表现为活动元素的净带出。然而，由古地下水位的波动对风化剖面的改造作用是可变的，不可预测的，既可使剖面的物质被带出，也可以带入一些活动元素，如K、 Na等的交代。同时，地下水对剖面粒度组成的影响也很复杂，物质的带入不一定就会使粒度变粗，粘粒含量降低，而物质的带出也不一定就导致粒度变细，粘粒含量增加。在两种机理的相互叠加影响下，使风化壳的演化趋势更趋复杂化。风化剖面中，粘粒含量和CIA之间既有同步变化的层段，也有呈强烈反相关的层段，还存在没有明显相关肋层段。作为等体积变化的典型剖面-吉首剖面，其风化过程具有碎屑岩的发育特征，“粘粒含量从下向上表现为顺次增大的趋势，如果也存在古地下水对剖面的改造作用，那么说明对粒度的影响是微弱的。第七，对于红色风化壳，不管是碳酸盐岩风化过程中由于风化条件的差异造成的风化指标波动还是受后期地下水的改造作用引起的，剖面整体上仍具有向上风化程度增强的趋势。PH向上逐渐降低、磁化率的增大均表明了风化强度的增强，“这与剖面愈向上经历的风化时间愈长所对应的。第八，碳酸盐岩风化壳和结晶岩风化壳的形成过程相比，前者母岩的风化起点高，即母岩的成熟度高。由于碳酸盐岩风化壳的风化母质是基岩酸不溶物，而酸不溶物本身就是表生风化条件下的产物，因此可以说风化母岩就是风化壳，基本上不含易风化的斜长石类矿物。在A-CN-K风化趋势三角图解上，已表现为风化壳发育的第二演化阶段，即沿着A-K端线向A点逼近。第九，在结晶岩及碎屑岩类风化过程中所证实的守恒元素，在碳酸盐岩非等体积风化过程中其比值发生了显著变化，这是碳酸盐岩风化成土作用过程中的一个特点，可能会引起某些所谓的守恒元素的地球化学分异，但其成因尚不清楚。在风化剖面中守恒元素的比值保持稳定，具有其它岩类风化的特点。

Effects of heat-treatment processes on the electroless Ni-B coating and its natural aging mechanism

A Ni-B coating was prepared with EN using potassium borohydride reducing agent. The as-plated micro-structure of the coating was confirmed from XRD to be a mixture of amorphous and supersaturated solid solution. Three kinds of phase transformation were observed from the DSC curve. Different from the previous works, the formation of Ni4B3 and Ni2B was found during some transformation processes. The key factors which influence the variation of micro-hardness and micro-structure in deposits are the formation, the size and amount of Ni3B, Ni4B3 and Ni2B. Aging of the deposits treated under some heat treatment conditions occurred at room temperature. Changes of the micro-hardness indicated aging phenomena evidently. the natural aging phenomena are concerned with various kinds of decomposition of borides, especially with Ni4B3 phase. The extent of natural aging depends on the formation and the quantity of Ni(4)B3 and Ni2B.

Predictions for Partial-Dislocation-Mediated Processes in Nanocrystalline Ni by Generalized Planar Fault Energy Curves: An Experimental Evaluation

Generalized planar fault energy (GPFE) curves have been used to predict partial-dislocation-mediated processes in nanocrystalline materials, but their validity has not been evaluated experimentally. We report experimental observations of a large quantity of both stacking faults and twins in nc Ni deformed at relatively low stresses in a tensile test. The experimental findings indicate that the GPFE curves can reasonably explain the formation of stacking faults, but they alone were not able to adequately predict the propensity of deformation twinning.

Formation Of Dendritic Nanostructures In Pyrex Glass Anodically Bonded To Silicon Coated With An Aluminum Thin Film

Anodic bonding with thin films of metal or alloy as an intermediate layer, finds increasing applications in micro/nanoelectromechanical systems. At the bonding temperature of 350 degrees C, voltage of 400 V, and 30 min duration, the anodic bonding is completed between Pyrex glass and crystalline silicon coated with an aluminum thin film with a thickness comprised between 50 and 230 nm. Sodium-depleted layers and dendritic nanostructures were observed in Pyrex 7740 glass adjacent to the bonding interface. The sodium depletion width does not increase remarkably with the thickness of aluminum film. The dendritic nanostructures result from aluminum diffusion into the Pyrex glass. This experimental research is expected to enhance the understanding of how the depletion layer and dendritic nanostructures affect the quality of anodic bonding. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fractal Pattern Formation In Anodic Bonding Of Pyrex Glass/Al/Si

Anodic bonding of Pyrex glass/Al/Si is an important bonding technique in micro/nanoelectromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS) industry. The anodic bonding of Pyrex 7740 glass/Aluminum film/Silicon is completed at the temperature from 300 degrees C to 375 degrees C with a bonding voltage between 150 V and 450 V. The fractal patterns are formed in the intermediate Al thin film. This pattern has the fractal dimension of the typical two-dimensional diffusion-limited aggregation (2D DLA) process, and the fractal dimension is around 1.7. The fractal patterns consist of Al and Si crystalline grains, and their occurrences are due to the limited diffusion, aggregation, and crystallization of Si and Al atoms in the intermediate Al layers. The formation of the fractal pattern is helpful to enhance the bonding strength between the Pyrex 7740 glass and the aluminum thin film coated on the crystal silicon substrates.

On the formation of well-aligned ZnO nanowall networks by catalyst-free thermal evaporation method

Two-dimensional ZnO nanowall networks were grown on ZnO-coated silicon by thermal evaporation at low temperature without catalysts or additives. All of the results from scanning electronic spectroscope, X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering confirmed that the ZnO nanowalls were vertically aligned and c-axis oriented. The room-temperature photoluminescence spectra showed a dominated UV peak at 378 nm, and a much suppressed orange emission centered at similar to 590 nm. This demonstrates fairly good crystal quality and optical properties of the product. A possible three-step, zinc vapor-controlled process was proposed to explain the growth of well-aligned ZnO nanowall networks. The pre-coated ZnO template layer plays a key role during the synthesis process, which guides the growth direction of the synthesized products. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

On post-instability processes in adiabatic shear in hot rolled steel

EXPERIMENTS carried out using a split Hopkinson torsional bar have shown that only one shear band develops in specimens of hot rolled steel which break during testing. We observed, however, that in specimens which were not deformed to failure, several fine shear bands appeared. We believe that these formed during the loading cycle before the appearance of the final shear band and were not due to the effect of unloading. So we developed a numerical model to study the evolution of shear banding from several finite amplitude disturbances (FADs) in both temperature and strain rate. This numerical model reveals the detailed processes by which the FADs evolve into a fully developed shear band and suggests that beyond instability, the so-called shear banding process consists of two stages: inhomogeneous shearing and true shear-banding. The latter is characterized by the collapse of the stress and an abrupt increase of the local shear strain rate.

Formation of dendritic nanostructures in Pyrex glass anodically bonded to silicon coated with an aluminum thin film

Anodic bonding with thin films of metal or alloy as an intermediate layer, finds increasing applications in micro/nanoelectromechanical systems. At the bonding temperature of 350 degrees C, voltage of 400 V, and 30 min duration, the anodic bonding is completed between Pyrex glass and crystalline silicon coated with an aluminum thin film with a thickness comprised between 50 and 230 nm. Sodium-depleted layers and dendritic nanostructures were observed in Pyrex 7740 glass adjacent to the bonding interface. The sodium depletion width does not increase remarkably with the thickness of aluminum film. The dendritic nanostructures result from aluminum diffusion into the Pyrex glass. This experimental research is expected to enhance the understanding of how the depletion layer and dendritic nanostructures affect the quality of anodic bonding. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.