Super-resolution with a nonlinear thin film: Beam reshaping via internal multi-interference

In laser applications, the size of the focus spot can be reduced beyond the diffraction limit with a thin film of strong nonlinear optical Kerr effect. We present a concise theoretical simulation of the device. The origin of the super-resolution is found to be mainly from the reshaping effect due to the strongly nonlinear refraction mediated multi-interference inside the thin film. In addition, both diffraction and self-focusing effects have been explored and found negligible for highly refractive and ultrathin films in comparison with the reshaping effect. Finally, the theoretic model has been verified in experiments with single Ge2Sb2Te5 film and SiN/Si/SiN/Ge2Sb2Te2 multilayer structures. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.

The origin of the super-resolution via a nonlinear thin film

In laser applications, resolutions beyond the diffraction limit can be obtained with a thin film of strong optical nonlinear effect. The optical index of the silicon thin film is modified with the incident laser beam as a function of the local field intensity n(r) similar to E-2(r). For ultrathin films of thickness d << lambda the transmitted light through the film forms a profile of annular rings. Therefore, the device can be related to the realization of super-resolution with annular pupils. Theoretical analysis shows that the focused light spot appears significantly reduced in comparison with the diffraction limit that is determined by the laser wavelength and the numerical aperture of the converging lens. Analysis on the additional optical transfer function due to the thin film confirms that the resolving power is improved in the high spatial frequency region. (C) 2007 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Distribution of rDNA in the nucleus of Giardia lamblia - Detection by Ag-I silver stain

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether rDNA of Giardia lamblia forms a nucleolus organizer region (NOR)-like structure and is in a very primitive state. STUDY DESIGN: G lamblia was used as the experimental animal, with Euglena gracilis as the control. The distribution was demonstrated indirectly by the modified Ag-I silver technique, which can specifically indicate the NOR under both light and electron microscopes. RESULTS: In the ultrathin sections of silver-stained Euglena cells, all the silver grains were concentrated in the fibrosa of the nucleolus, while no grains found in the cytoplasm, nucleoplasm, condensed chromosomes or pars granulosa of the nucleus. In the silver-stained Giardia cells, no nucleolus was found; a few silver grains were scattered in the nucleus but were not concentrated in any specific region. CONCLUSION: The distribution of silver grains in G lamblia showed that the transcription of rDNA occurs inside the nucleus, though no nucleolus is present. It is possible that chromosomes are in a very primitive state in diplomonad cells; as each chromosome has few prRNA genes, the transcription is independent of a nucleolus. These results imply that the rDNA of Giardia does not form a NOR-like structure and seems to represent a very primitive state in the evolution of the nucleolus.

Measurement of the elastic constants of nanometric films

Carbon coatings of thickness down to 2 nanometers are needed to increase the storage density in magnetic hard disks and reach the 100 Gbit/in2 target. Methods to measure the properties of these ultrathin hard films still have to be developed. We show that combining Surface Brillouin Scattering (SBS) andX-ray reflectivity measurements the elastic constants of such films are accessible. Tetrahedral amorphous carbofilms of thickness down to about 2 nm were deposited on Si by an S bend filtered cathodic vacuum arc, achieving a continuous coverage on large areas free of macroparticles. Film thickness and mass density are measured by X-ray reflectivity: densities above 3 g/cm3 are found, indicating a significant sp3 content. The dispersion relations of surface acoustic waves are measured by SBS. We show that for thicknesses above ∼4 nm these waves can be described by a continuum elastic model based on a single homogeneous equivalent film. The elastic constants can then be obtained by fitting the dispersion relations, computed for given film properties, to the measured dispersion relations. For thicknesses of 3 nm or less qualitative differences among films are well measurable, but quantitative results are less reliable. We have thus shown that we can grow and characterise nanometer size tetrahedral amorphous carbon film, which maintain their high density and peculiar mechanical properties down to around 4 nm thickness, satisfying the requirements set for the hard disk coating material.

Isolation and characterization of Scophthalmus maximus rhabdovirus

A rhabdovirus associated with a lethal hemorrhagic disease in cultured turbot Scophthalm us maximus Linnaeus was isolated. The virus induced typical cytopathogenic effects (CPE) in 9 of 15 fish cell lines examined and was then propagated and isolated from infected carp leucocyte cells (CLC). Electron microscopy observations revealed that the negatively stained virions had a typical bullet-shaped morphology with one rounded end and one flat base end. The bullet-shaped morphology was more obvious and clear in ultrathin sections of infected cells. Experimental infections also indicated that the S. maximus rhabdovirus (SMRV) was not only a viral pathogen for cultured turbot, but also had the ability to infect other fish species, such as freshwater grass carp. A partial nucleotide sequence of the SMRV polymerase gene was determined by RT-PCR using 2 pairs of degenerate primers designed according to the conserved sequences of rhabdovirus polymerase genes. Homology analysis, amino acid sequence alignment, and phylogenetic relationship analysis of the partial SMRV polymerase sequence indicated that SMRV was genetically distinct from other rhabdoviruses. Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis of the purified SMRV revealed 5 major structural proteins, and their molecular masses were estimated to be about 250, 58, 47, 42, and 28 kDa. Significant serological reactivity differences were also observed between SMRV and its nearest neighbor, spring viremia of carp virus (SVCV). The data suggest that SMRV is likely a novel fish rhabdovirus, although it is closely related to rhabdoviruses in the genus Vesiculovirus.

Isolation of a lethal rhabdovirus from the cultured Chinese sucker Myxocyprinus asiaticus

A rhabdovirus was found to be associated with a lethal hemorrhagic disease in the cultured Chinese sucker Myxocyprinus asiaticus Bleeker. The rhabdovirus was amplified and isolated from the infected GCO, (grass carp ovary) cells. In ultrathin sections of liver cells from the diseased fish, the virus particles exhibited the characteristic bacilliform morphology, and budded through vesicle membranes of the infected cells. The isolated rhabdovirus particles were found to have a bacilliform morphology with 2 rounded ends rather than a typical flat base. The virus particles were measured and ranged in size from 150 to 200 nm in length and 50 to 60 nm in diameter. Most other characteristics, including their size, extensive virus infectivity to fish cell Lines, strong cytopathogenic effects, stability at high temperatures, vesicle formation in infected cells, structure protein electrophoretic patterns and the presence of an RNA genome, very closely resembled those of other fish rhabdoviruses. At present it is not known if this is a novel virus species or if it is an isolate of a known fish rhabdovirus. Until a confirmed identification can be made, we will temporarily refer to this virus as Chinese sucker rhabdovirus (CSRV).

Optical anisotropy and strain evolution of GaAs surfaces at the onset of the formation of InAs quantum dots

By using reflectance difference spectroscopy we have studied the in-plane optical anisotropy of GaAs surfaces covered by ultrathin InAs layers. The strain evolution of the GaAs surface with the InAs deposition thickness can be obtained. It is found that the optical anisotropy and the surface tensile strain attain maximum values at the onset of the formation of InAs quantum dots (QDs) and then decrease rapidly as more InAs QDs are formed with the increase of InAs deposition. The origin of the optical anisotropy has been discussed.

X-ray double-crystal characterization of the strain relaxation in GaAs/GaNxAs1-x/GaAs(001) sandwiched structures

An X-ray diffraction method, estimating the strain relaxation in an ultrathin layer, has been discussed by using kinematic and dynamical X-ray diffraction (XRD) theory. The characteristic parameter Delta Omega, used as the criterion of the strain relaxation in ultrathin layers, is deduced theoretically. It reveals that Delta Omega should be independent of the layer thickness in a coherently strained layer. By this method, we characterized our ultrathin GaNxAs1-x samples with N contents up to 5%. XRD measurements show that our GaNxAs1-x layers are coherently strained on GaAs even for such a large amount of N. Furthermore, a series of GaNxAs1-x samples with same N contents but different layer thicknesses were also characterized. It was found that the critical thickness (L-c) of GaNAs in the GaAs/GaNAs/GaAs structures determined by XRD measurement was 10 times smaller than the theoretical predictions based on the Matthews and Blakeslee model. This result was also confirmed by in situ observation of reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) and photoluminescence (PL) measurements. RHEED observation showed that the growth mode of GaNAs layer changed from 2D- to 3D-mode as the layer thickness exceeded L-c. PL measurements showed that the optical properties of GaNAs layers deteriorated rapidly as the layer thickness exceeded L-c. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Analysis of the interfaces of [NiFe/Mo](30) and [Fe/Mo](30) multilayers

The interface states of [NiFe/Mo](30) and [Fe/Mo](30) multilayers have been investigated by x-ray small angle reflection and diffuse scattering. Significant interface roughness correlation was observed in both ultrathin [NiFe/Mo](30) and [Fe/Mo](30) multilayers. An uncorrelated roughness of about 27-3.1 Angstrom was revealed in the [NiPe/Mo](30) multilayers, which is explained as originating from a transition layer between the NiFe and the Mo layers. By the technique of diffuse scattering, it is clearly indicated that the interfacial roughness of NiFe/Mo is much smaller than that of Fe/Mo although the lattice mismatch is the same in both multilayers.

Optical anisotropy of InAs submonolayer quantum wells in a (311) GaAs matrix

The steplike density of states obtained from reflectance-difference spectroscopy demonstrates that ultrathin InAs layers should be regarded as two-dimensional quantum wells rather than isolated clusters, even for the sample with only 1/3 monolayer InAs in (311)-oriented GaAs. The degree of anisotropy is within the intrinsic anisotropy of (311)-oriented ultrathin quantum wells, indicating that there is little structural or strain anisotropy in the InAs islands. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.

AlGaN/GaN/InGaN/GaN DH-HEMTs structure with an AlN interlayer grown by MOCVD

A novel AlGaN/GaN/GaN/GaN double heterojunction high electron mobility transistors (DH-HEMTS) structure with an AlN interlayer on sapphire substrate has been grown by MOCVD. The structure featured a 6-10 nm In0.1Ga0.9N layer inserted between the GaN channel and GaN buffer. And wer also inserted one ultrathin. AlN interlayer into the Al/GaN/GaN interface, which significantly enhanced the mobility of two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) existed in the GaN channel. AFM result of this structure shows a good surface morphology and a low dislocation density, with the root-mean-square roughness (RMS) of 0.196 nm for a scan area of 5 mu m x 5 mu m. Temperature dependent Hall measurement was performed on this sample, and a mobility as high as 1950 cm(2)/Vs at room temperature (RT) was obtained. The sheet carrier density was 9.89 x10(12) cm(2), and average sheet resistance of 327 Omega/sq was achieved. The mobility obtained in this paper is about 50% higher than other results of similar structures which have been reported. (c) 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

TCNQ电荷转移配合物薄膜的制备和表征

TCNQ电荷转移配合物作为一种新型有机材料具有很多特殊的物理、化学性质，由于它在材料研究方面的特殊贡献而成为研究热点。本论文在此领域的主要研究内容如下： 1. C18TCNQ和TMB电荷转移配合物LB膜的制备和表征 利用LB技术制备了TMB•C18TCNQ LB膜，与LB-Doping法相比省略了电子给体的液相掺杂步骤，简单、易行。研究结果表明，与TMB•C18TCNQ LB-Doping膜比较，LB膜的结构和表面形貌都发生了很大变化，LB膜中TMB和C18TCNQ的环面分别垂直于基底表面，脂肪烃链有向垂直于基底表面方向变化的趋势，5层LB膜的表面形貌是由许多堆积在一起的六边形片状微晶组成。所以，通过选择制备方法获得具有不同结构的配合物薄膜是可能的。 2. TMB•TCNQ和硬脂酸混合LB膜的制备和表征 利用LB技术组装了TMB•TCNQ和硬脂酸的混合LB膜。研究发现：本身没有两亲性的TMB•TCNQ可以通过硬脂酸的夹带作用转移到基底上。混合LB膜中硬脂酸与TMB•TCNQ是物理混合，很容易被除去，而且，可以根据实际应用需要来决定混合LB膜中硬脂酸的比例。 3. TMB•TCNQ和硬脂酸混合LB膜的热稳定性研究 利用变温红外光谱研究TMB•TCNQ和硬脂酸的混合LB膜的热稳定性。结果显示，混合LB膜中硬脂酸相变发生70-72 oC，TMB•TCNQ在142-144 oC发生反掺杂（分解）。 4. TCNQ和TMB电荷转移配合物自组装膜的制备和表征 利用layer-by-layer法制备了TMB•TCNQ自组装膜。结果表明，通过三氯锗丙酸的中介作用成功地将TMB和TCNQ组装到基底上并形成电荷转移配合物，电荷转移度约为0.48。 5. 利用红外光谱研究硬脂酸镉LB膜的亚晶胞堆积类型 利用红外光谱研究了沉积在CaF2基底上的1，3，5，7-层硬脂酸镉（CdSt）LB膜的亚晶胞堆积形式，以及交替沉积LB膜中氘代硬脂酸镉（d-CdSt）LB膜对1，2，3-层硬脂酸镉LB膜的亚晶胞堆积的影响。结果表明：1-层CdSt LB膜的亚晶胞是六方堆积，而厚度超过3层的CdSt LB膜的亚晶胞是正交堆积。只有相同种类的CdSt LB膜层与层之间的相互作用才会影响碳氢长链的堆积形式，而不同种类的CdSt LB膜和d-CdSt LB膜之间的相互作用不会影响碳氢长链的堆积形式，不论这种作用是亲水头基之间的还是疏水长链之间的。 6. 近红外光谱分辨率对定量分析的影响 利用近红外光谱分析方法建立了多组分混合物中对乙酰氨基苯酚和乙水杨胺的定量分析模型。研究发现，光谱分辨率对定量分析模型有重要影响，针对具体样品的特定组分，需要选择合适的光谱分辨率，进而获得最佳的定量分析结果。

六联苯超薄膜与弱取向外延生长

有机半导体薄膜的形态结构对器件性能具有非常重要的影响，近年来高质量有机半导体薄膜的制备成为有机半导体薄膜器件研究的核心内容之一。弱取向外延生长能够获得类单晶迁移率的高质量有机半导体薄膜。而制备出高取向、大尺寸、低缺陷、连续的高质量外延生长基底是获得类单晶外延薄膜的前提条件，这样就需要深入了解它们的生长行为、生长机理及薄膜相态特性。因此，高质量外延基底生长和弱取向外延生长行为及机理的研究就具有十分重要的理论价值和实用价值，是选择和扩展弱取向外延生长材料体系的基础。由此，本论文中工作主要分为两部分，第一部分工作是对外延基底六联苯超薄膜生长的研究：一方面生长出大尺寸、高取向、连续的超薄膜为弱取向外延生长提供高质量的外延基底，另一方面丰富和发展了有机半导体薄膜生长理论。第二部分工作是对酞菁化合物在六联苯超薄膜上弱取向外延生长行为和机理的研究，为弱取向外延材料体系的选择与扩展提供实验依据和理论指导。 首先，研究了六联苯超薄膜生长行为。研究结果表明：(1) 六联苯超薄膜在高温(＞60 oC)和低温(≤60 oC)的二氧化硅(SiO2)基底上生长具有不同的生长机理：高温时薄膜生长符合扩散受限凝聚生长(DLA)机理，低温时薄膜生长是由低有序薄膜经过亚稳分解后重组向团状岛转变。(2) 六联苯超薄膜的生长行为和相结构表明单层和双层薄膜是两种不同的相态：单层薄膜是高取向的具有液晶特性的薄膜相态，双层薄膜是长程有序的近似体相β-phase结构的结晶相。(3) 通过优化基底温度和生长参数，可以制备出高取向、大尺寸、连续的六联苯超薄膜，即可以为酞菁化合物的弱取向外延生长提供高质量的外延基底。 然后，以平面型自由酞菁(H2Pc)及酞菁锌(ZnPc)和非平面型酞菁氧钒(VOPc)为例，深入研究了酞菁化合物在六联苯超薄膜上的弱取向外延生长行为及机理。研究结果表明：(1) 弱取向外延生长的酞菁分子在六联苯超薄膜上立着生长，p-p共轭的方向平行于基底，同时酞菁分子在薄膜平面内具有规则的取向织构。这种高取向的酞菁化合物薄膜有利于载流子在薄膜平面内的传输，其迁移率达到了相应的单晶水平。(2) 由于六联苯双层及单层薄膜结构和相态的差别，平面型酞菁化合物表现出不同的外延生长行为：在六联苯双层薄膜上生长的酞菁化合物薄膜在薄膜平面内只有一种取向，对应于有公度外延生长(Commensurate Epitaxy)；在六联苯单层薄膜上生长的酞菁化合物薄膜在薄膜平面内有三种取向，同时兼具有公度外延生长和无公度外延生长(Incommensurate Epitaxy)。但非平面型VOPc由于分子排列方式及三斜晶体结构的本质，在六联苯单层及双层薄膜上都只表现出无公度外延生长。(3) 六联苯(001)晶面上突起的氢原子所形成的[110]、[1-10]和[010]沟道对酞菁分子具有强烈的预取向作用，从而形成取向的单分子柱晶核。然后在晶格匹配效应和基底沟道效应下，分别形成有公度外延生长和无公度外延生长。即晶格匹配关系和基底沟道效应为寻找弱取向外延生长有机半导体材料体系提供了理论指导依据。

Fabrication of Silicon-Based Template-Assisted Nanoelectrode Arrays and Ohmic Contact Properties Investigation

A convenient fabrication technology for large-area, highly-ordered nanoelectrode arrays on silicon substrate has been described here, using porous anodic alumina (PAA) as a template. The ultrathin PAA membranes were anodic oxidized utilizing a two-step anodization method, from Al film evaporated on substrate. The purposes for the use of two-step anodization were, first, improving the regularity of the porous structures, and second reducing the thickness of the membranes to 100 similar to 200 nm we desired. Then the nanoelectrode arrays were obtained by electroless depositing Ni-W alloy into the through pores of PAA membranes, making the alloy isolated by the insulating pore walls and contacting with the silicon substrates at the bottoms of pores. The Ni-W alloy was also electroless deposited at the back surface of silicon to form back electrode. Then ohmic contact properties between silicon and Ni-W alloy were investigated after rapid thermal annealing. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations showed the structure characteristics, and the influence factors of fabrication effect were discussed. The current voltage (I-V) curves revealed the contact properties. After annealing in N-2 at 700 degrees C, good linear property was shown with contact resistance of 33 Omega, which confirmed ohmic contacts between silicon and electrodes. These results presented significant application potential of this technology in nanosize current-injection devices in optoelectronics, microelectronics and bio-medical fields.

Assessment of the structural properties of GaAs/Si epilayers using X-ray (004) and (220) reflections

We improved the method previously used to determine the lattice constants and misorientation of GaAs/Si by recording the patterns of X-ray (004) and (220) reflections. The (220) reflection was measured from the (110) cross section of a GaAs/Si epilayer. The structural properties of the GaAs/Si epilayers grown by metal-organic chemical-vapor deposition (MOCVD) using an ultrathin a-Si buffer layer were investigated. The rotation angle of GaAs/Si epilayers grown by MOCVD using an a-Si buffer layer is very small and the lattice constants of these GaAs/Si epilayers agree quite well with elastic theory.