Application of laser cladding technology to improve the interface of thermal barrier coatings

The present study is focused on improvement of the adhesion properties of the interface between plasma-sprayed coatings and substrates by laser cladding technology (LCT), Within the laser-clad layer there is a gradient distribution in chemical composition and mechanical properties that has been confirmed by SEM observation and microhardness measurement. The residual stress due to mismatches in thermal and mechanical properties between coatings and substrates can be markedly reduced and smoothed out. To examine the changes of microstructure and crack propagation in the coating and interface during loading, the three-point bending test has been carried out in SEM with a loading device. Analysis of the distribution of shear stress near the interface under loading has been made using the FEM code ANSYS, The experimental results show clearly that the interface adhesion can be improved with LCT pretreatment, and the capability of the interface to withstand the shear stress as well as to resist microcracking has been enhanced.

Relativistic channel-coupling focusing enhanced nonlinear guiding of an intense laser beam in a plasma channel

We employ the variational method to study the optical guiding of an intense laser beam in a preformed plasma channel without using the weakly relativistic approximation. Apart from the dependence on the laser power and the nonlinear channel strength parameter, the beam focusing properties is shown also to be governed by the laser intensity. Relativistic channel-coupling focusing, arising from the coupling between relativistic self-focusing and linear channel focusing, can enhance relativistic self-focusing but its strength is weaker than that of linear channel focusing. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Enhanced grass carp reovirus resistance of Mx-transgenic rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus)

In the interferon-induced antiviral mechanisms, the Mx pathway is one of the most powerful. Mx proteins have direct antiviral activity and inhibit a wide range of viruses by blocking an early stage of the viral genome replication cycle. However, antiviral activity of piscine Mx remains unclear in vivo. In the present study, an Mx-like gene was cloned, characterized and gene-transferred in rare minnow Gobiocypris rarus, and its antiviral activity was confirmed in vivo. The full length of the rare minnow Mx-like cDNA is 2241 bp in length and encodes a polypeptide of 625 amino acids with an estimated molecular mass of 70.928 kDa and a predicted isoelectric point of 7.33. Analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence indicated that the mature peptide contains an amino-terminal tripartite GTP-binding motif, a dynamin family signature sequence, a GTPase effector domain and two carboxy-terminal leucine zipper motifs, and is the most similar to the crucian carp (Carassius auratus) Mx3 sequence with an identity of 89%. Both P0 and F1 generations of Mx-transgenic rare minnow demonstrated very significantly high survival rate to GCRV infection (P < 0.01). The mRNA expression of Mx gene was consistent with survival rate in F1 generation. The virus yield was also concurrent with survival time using electron microscope technology. Rare minnow has Mx gene(s) of its own but introducing more Mx gene improves their resistance to GCRV. Mx-transgenic rare minnow might contribute to control the GCRV diseases. (C) 2008 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Body loadings and health risk assessment of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans at an intensive electronic waste recycling site in China

This study is one of the very few investigating the dioxin body burden of a group of child-bearing-aged women at an electronic waste (e-waste) recycling site (Taizhou, Zhejiang Province) (24 +/- 2.83 years of age, 40% were primiparae) and a reference site (Lin'an city, Zhejiang Province, about 245 km away from Taizhou) (24 +/- 2.35 years of age, 100% were primiparae) in China. Five sets of samples (each set consisted of human milk, placenta, and hair) were collected from each site. Body burdens of people from the e-waste processing site (human milk, 21.02 +/- 13.81 pg WHO-TEQ(1998/g) fat (World Health Organization toxic equivalency 1998); placenta, 31.15 +/- 15.67 pg WHO-TEQ(1998/g) fat; hair, 33.82 +/- 17.74 pg WHO-TEQ(1998/g) dry wt) showed significantly higher levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurnas (PCDD/Fs) than those from the reference site (human milk, 9.35 +/- 7.39 pg WHO-TEQ(1998/g) fat, placenta, 11.91 +/- 7.05 pg WHO-TEQ(1998/g) fat; hair, 5.59 +/- 4.36 pg WHO-TEQ(1998/g) dry wt) and were comparatively higher than other studies. The difference between the two sites was due to e-waste recycling operations, for example, open burning, which led to high background levels. Moreover, mothers from the e-waste recycling site consumed more foods of animal origin. The estimated daily intake of PCDD/Fs within 6 months by breast-fed infants from the e-waste processing site was 2 times higher than that from the reference site. Both values exceeded the WHO tolerable daily intake for adults by at least 25 and 11 times, respectively. Our results implicated that e-waste recycling operations cause prominent PCDD/F levels in the environment and in humans. The elevated body burden may have health implications for the next generation.

Enhanced electroluminescence intensity of InGaN/GaN multi-quantum-wells based on Mg-doped GaN annealed in O-2

InGaN/GaN multi-quantum-well blue (461 +/- 4 nm) light emitting diodes with higher electroluminescence intensity are obtained by postgrowth thermal annealing at 720 C in O-2-ambient. Based on our first-principle total-energy calculations, we conclude that besides dissociating the Mg-H complex by forming H2O, annealing in O-2 has another positive effect on the activation of acceptor Mg in GaN. Mg can be further activated by the formation of an impurity band above the valence band maximum of host GaN from the passivated Mg-Ga-O-N complex. Our calculated ionization energy for acceptor Mg in the passivated system is about 30 meV shallower than that in pure GaN, in good agreement with previous experimental measurement. Our model can explain that the enhanced electroluminescence intensity of InGaN/GaN MQWs based on Mg-doped p-type GaN is due to a decrease in the ionization energy of Mg acceptor with the presence of oxygen. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.

Application of fast Pade approximation in simulating photonic crystal nanocavities by FDTD technology

The exact calculation of mode quality factor Q is a key problem in the design of high-Q photonic crystal nanocavity. On the basis of further investigation on conventional Pade approximation, FDM and DFT, Pade approximation with Baker's algorithm is enhanced through introducing multiple frequency search and parabola interpolation. Though Pade approximation is a nonlinear signal processing method and only short time sequence is needed, we find the different length of sequence requirements for 2D and 3D FDTD, which is very important to obtain convergent and accurate results. By using the modified Pade approximation method and 3D FDTD, the 2D slab photonic crystal nanocavity is analyzed and high-Q multimode can be solved quickly instead of large range high-resolution scanning. Monitor position has also been investigated. These results are very helpful to the design of photonic crystal nanocavity devices. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Enhanced charge storage characteristics of silicon nanocrystals fabricated by electron-beam coevaporation of Si and SiOx(x=1 or 2)

In this article, a simple and flexible electron-beam coevaporation (EBCE) technique has been reported of fabrication of the silicon nanocrystals (Si NCs) and their application to the nonvolatile memory. For EBCE, the Si and SiOx(x=1 or 2) were used as source materials. Transmission electron microscopy images and Raman spectra measurement verified the formation of the Si NCs. The average size and area density of the Si NCs can be adjusted by increasing the Si:O weight ratio in source material, which has a great impact on the crystalline volume fraction of the deposited film and on the charge storage characteristics of the Si NCs. A memory window as large as 6.6 V under +/- 8 V sweep voltage was observed for the metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitor structure with the embedded Si NCs.

Fabrication of 1.55-mu m Si-based resonant cavity enhanced photodetectors using sol-gel bonding

In this work, a novel bonding method using silicate gel as the bonding medium was developed to fabricate an InGaAs narrow-band response resonant cavity enhanced photodetector on a silicon substrate. The bonding was performed at a low temperature of 350 degreesC without any special treatment on bonding surfaces and a Si-based narrow-band response InGaAs photodetector was successfully fabricated, with a quantum efficiency of 34.4% at the resonance wavelength of 1.54 mum, and a full-width at half-maximum of about 27 nm. The photodetector has a linear photoresponse up to 4-mW optical power under 1.5 V or higher reverse bias. The low temperature wafer bonding process demonstrates a great potential in device fabrication.

Long-wavelength SiGe/Si MQW resonant-cavity-enhanced photodiodes (RCE-PD)

Si1-xGex/Si optoelectronic devices are promising for the monolithic integration with silicon-based microelectronics. SiGe/Si MQW RCE-PD (Resonant-Cavity-Enhanced photodiodes) with different structures were investigated in this work. Design and fabrication of top- and bottom-incident RCE-PD, such as growth of SiGe MQW (Multiple Quantum Wells) on Si and SOI (Si on insulator) wafers, bonding between SiGe epitaxial wafer and SOR (Surface Optical Reflector) consisting Of SiO2/Si DBR (Distributed Bragg Reflector) films on Si, and performances of RCE-PD, were presented. The responsivity of 44mA/W at 1.314 mum and the FWHM of 6nm were obtained at bias of 10V. The highest external quantum efficiency measured in the investigation is 4.2%.

Ultrathin FBG pressure sensor with enhanced responsivity

An ultrathin fiber Bragg grating pressure sensor with enhanced sensitivity is demonstrated. A novel piston-like diaphragm with a hard core in the center is used as the sensing element to enhance the responsivity. Both the theoretical analysis and the experimental results show that the Young's modulus of the diaphragm and the radius of the hard core have significant effect on the pressure responsivity. By optimizing these two parameters, a pressure responsivity of 7 nm/MPa has been achieved.

Simulation research of nonlinear behavior induced by the charge-carrier effect in resonant-cavity-enhanced photodetectors

In this paper, we have calculated and discussed in detail the nonlinear effect induced by three carrier effects: free-carrier absorption, bandgap filling, and bandgap shrinkage. The central wavelength of response of resonant-cavity-enhanced (RCE) photodetectors shifts according to the change of the refractive index, and the response of a given optical wavelength simultaneously changes.With an increasing As composition of ln(1-x)Ga(x)As(y)P(1-y) and the spacer thickness, the nonlinear effect increases, but the -1-dB input saturation optical power and the -1-dB saturation photocurrent decrease. Bistable-state operation occurs when the input optical power is in the proper bistable region.

Enhanced infrared absorption of spatially ordered quantum dot arrays

We have investigated the intersubband absorption for spatially ordered and non-ordered quantum dots (QDs). It is found that the intersubband absorption of spatially ordered QDs is much stronger than that of non-ordered QDs. The enhanced absorption is attributed to the improved size uniformity concurrent with the spatial ordering for the growth condition employed. For the FTIR measurement under normal incidence geometry, using a undoped sample as reference can remove the interference effect due to multiple reflections. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Angular dependent characteristics of a 1.3-mu m GaInNAs/GaAs quantum-well resonant cavity enhanced photodetect

Characteristics of a 1.3-mum GaInNAs RCE PD with respect to the incident light angle were analyzed both in theoretical simulation and experiments. The results show the influence can be neglected when the light incidence angle is less than 3degrees. This is a requirement for the PD to be applied in WDM networks. (C) 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Photoluminescence assessment of undoped semi-insulating InP wafers obtained by annealing in iron phosphide vapour

We have investigated the photoluminescence mapping characteristics of semi-insulating (SI) InP wafers obtained by annealing in iron phosphide ambience (FeP2-annealed). Compared with as-grown Fe-doped and undoped SI InP wafers prepared by annealing in pure phosphorus vapour (P-annealed), the FeP2-annealed ST InP wafer has been found to exhibit a better photoluminescence uniformity. Radial Hall measurements also show that there is a better resistivity uniformity on the FeP2-annealed Sl InP wafer. When comparing the distribution of deep levels between the annealed wafers measured by optical transient Current spectroscopy, we find that the incorporation of iron atoms into the Sl InP Suppresses the formation of a few defects. The correlation observed in this study implies that annealing in iron phosphorus ambience makes Fe atoms diffuse uniformly and occupy the indium site in the Sl InP lattice. As it stands, we believe that annealing undoped conductive InP in iron phosphide vapour is an effective means to obtain semi-insulating InP wafers with superior uniformity.