Electro-luminescence and photo-luminescence from strained SiGe/Si quantum well

Photo-luminescence and electro-luminescence from step-graded index SiGe/Si quantum well grown by molecular beam epitaxy is reported. The SiGe/Si step-graded index quantum well structure is beneficial to the enhancing of electro-luminescence. The optical and electrical properties of this structure are discussed.

Transient photocurrent investigation of photo-processes of lattice-matched MQW GaAs/AlxGa1-xAs electrode

Transient photocurrents induced by short light pulses at lattice-matched GaAs/AlxGa1-xAs multiple quantum well (MQW) electrodes were studied as a function of electrode potential. Dual exponential photocurrent decay transients were observed at various potentials. By analysis of the dual exponential decay transients, information on steady state photocurrents (I-s), surface collection of photoexcited minority carriers (G(0)) and lifetimes of surface states (T-s) was obtained. The kinetic behaviors of photoprocesses at illuminated MQW/electrolyte interface were discussed.

Two-stage photo-biological production of hydrogen by marine green alga Platymonas subcordiformis

A marine green alga, Platymonas subcordiformis, was demonstrated to photobiologically evolve hydrogen (H-2) after the first stage of photosynthesis, when subjected to a two-phase incubation protocol in a second stage of H2 production: anaerobic incubation in the dark followed by the exposure to light illumination. The anaerobic incubation induced hydrogenase activity to catalyse H? evolution in the following phase of light illumination. H,) evolution strongly depended upon the duration of anaerobic incubation, deprivation of sulphur (S) from the medium and the medium pH. An optimal anaerobic incubation period of 32 h gave the maximum H2 evolution in the second phase in the absence of sulphur. Evolution of H,) was greatly enhanced by 13 times when S was deprived from the medium. This result suggests that S plays a critical role in the mediation of H-2 evolution from R subcordiformis. A 14-fold increase in H-2 production was obtained when the medium pH increased from 5 to 8; with a sharp decline at pH above eight. H-2 evolution was enhanced by 30-50% when supplementing the optimal concentrations of 25 mM acetate and 37.5 mM glucose. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Kinetic study on the photo-catalytic degradation of pyridine in TiO2 suspension systems

It has been generally agreed that pyridine can be effectively mineralized in aerated TiO2 slurries using near-UV irradiation. The knowledge on the kinetics of the system possesses both practical and theoretical values. The present study, on the base of Langmuir-Hinshewood mechanism, illustrates a pseudo first-order kinetic model of the degradation with the limiting rate constant of 3.004 mg l(-1) min(-1) and equilibrium adsorption constant 2.763 x 10(-2) l mg(-1), respectively. The degradation efficiency in alkali is a little higher than that in acid with a minimum at about pH = 5, which is explained by the formation of acid-pyridine in acidic surrounding together with the amphoteric nature of the TiO2 surface. The promotion of H2O2 on the photo-degradation ties in its supplying proper amount of (OH)-O-. radicals for the inducement stage before surface redox reactions. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Photo-induced reactions in the ion-molecule complex Mg+-OCNC2H5

Ion - molecule complexes of magnesium cation with ethyl isocyanate were produced in a laser- ablation supersonic expansion nozzle source. Photo- induced reactions in the 1: 1 complexes have been studied in the spectral range of 230 - 410 nm. Photodissociation mass spectrometry revealed the persistent product Mg+ from nonreactive quenching throughout the entire wavelength range. As for the reactive channels, the photoproducts, Mg+OCN and C2H5+, were produced only in the blue absorption band of the complex with low yields. The action spectrum of Mg+(OCNC2H5) consists of two pronounced peaks on the red and blue sides of the Mg+ 3(2)P <-- 3(2)S atomic transition. The ground state geometry of Mg+ - OCNC2H5 was fully optimized at B3LYP/6- 31 - G** level by using GAUSSIAN 98 package. The calculated absorption spectrum of the complex using the optimized structure of its ground state agrees well with the observed action spectrum. Photofragment branching fractions of the products are almost independent of the photolysis photon energy for the 3P(x,y,z) excitations. The very low branching ratio of reactive products to nonreactive fragment suggests that evaporation is the main relaxation pathway in the photo- induced reactions of Mg+ (OCNC2H5). (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.

Photo-sensitized oxidation in natural water via .OH radicals

A method is presented for determining production and consumption rates of .OH radicals produced photochemically in natural surface waters. It is based on the determination of the kinetics by which the concentration of a specified trace compound decreases during irradiation. In samples from Lake Greifensee (Switzerland) low production rates for .OH limit its possible effects. In addition, fast consumptions by the natural dissolved organic solutes and by the bicarbonate protect organic micropollutants from oxidation by .OH. Neither direct nor indirect H2O2 photolysis was a significant source of .OH in the lakewater studied lacking iron, whereas nitrate photolysis could have been a source. Comparison with reaction kinetic formulations allows generalizations for other types of waters.

Two novel triphenylamine-substituted poly(p-phenylenevinylene) derivatives: synthesis, photo- and electroluminescent properties

Two novel triphenylamine-substituted poly(p-phenylenevinylene) derivatives, P1 and P2, have been successfully synthesized through the Witting-Horner reaction. The structures and properties of the monomers and the resulting polymers were characterized by using H-1 NMR, FT-IR, GPC, TGA, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electroluminescence (EL) spectroscopy

Photo- and Thermo-Chromic Study of the Ethylenediamine Trimolybdate

The ethylenediamine trimolybdate (ENTMo) can show unusually photochromic and thermochromic properties and there exists in the difference of chromic mechanisms, which has been proved in our previous work [I]. In this paper, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and laser Raman spectroscopy (LRS) of the colored samples are characterized and analyzed in detail. The crystal structure, the inorganic skeleton and the microenvironment of center ions of the colored samples do not substantively change except distortion. The color difference of the photochromic and the thermochromic samples is discussed and that the difference of reduction sites result in their different chromic mechanisms is suggested.

Cinnamate-Functionalized Poly(ester-carbonate): Synthesis and Its UV Irradiation-Induced Photo-Crosslinking

A functionalized. cyclic carbonate monomer containing a cinnamate moiety, 5-methyl-5-cinnamoyloxymethyl-1,3-dioxan-2-one (MC), was prepared for the first time with 1,1,1-tri(hydroxymethyl) ethane as a starting material. Subsequent polymerization of the new cyclic carbonate and its copolymerization with L-lactide (LA) were successfully performed with diethyl zinc (ZnEt2) as initiator/catalyst. NMR was used for microstructure identification of the obtained monomer and copolymers. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to characterize the functionalized poly(ester-carbonate). The results indicated that the copolymers displayed a single glass transition temperature (T-g) and the T, decreased with increasing carbonate content and followed the Fox equation, indicative of a random microstructure of the copolymer. The photo-crosslinking of the cinnamate-carrying copolymer was also demonstrated.

Dissolution, characterization and photo functionalization of carbon nanotubes

A simple method to disperse carbon nanotubes (CNTs) has been achieved, which gives two photofunctionalized CNTs, hydrazine nanotubes (h-CNTs) and 1,3,4-oxadiazole nanotubes (o-CNTs). Results from FTIR, H-1 NMR spectroscopy and TEM observations showed that the functionalization was successful. The modified nanombes can dissolve in most of the nonpolar organic solvents and no precipitate was observed in the solution of the nanombes even after 2 months. The functionalized nanotubes showed photo-electronic properties, which is due to the attachment of the function groups to them as proved by steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy. Both h-CNTs and o-CNTs showed good thermal stability below 300 C and might be used as functional materials.

Synthesis and characterization of photo-cross-linked hydrogels based on biodegradable polyphosphoesters and poly(ethylene glycol) copolymers

Novel biodegradable hydrogels by photo-cross-linking macromers based on polyphosphoesters and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) are reported. Photo-cross-linkable macromers were synthesized by ring-opening polymerization of the cyclic phosphoester monomer 2-(2-oxo-1,3,2-dioxaphospholoyloxy) ethyl methacrylate (OPEMA) using PEG as the initiator and stannous octoate as the catalyst. The macrorners were characterized by H-1 NMR, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and gel permeation chromatography measurements. The content of polyphosphoester in the macromer was controlled by varying the feed ratio of OPEMA to PEG. Hydrogels were fabricated by exposing aqueous solutions of macromers with 0.05% (w/w) photoinitiator to UV light irradiation, and their swelling kinetics as well as degradation behaviors were evaluated. The results demonstrated that cross-linking density and pH values strongly affected the degradation rates. The macromers was compatible to osteoblast cells, not exhibiting significant cytotoxicity up to 0.5 mg/mL. "Live/dead" cell staining assay also demonstrated that a large majority of the osteoblast cells remained viable after encapsulation into the hydrogel constructs, showing their potential as tissue engineering scaffolds.

Direct patterning of polymer-based photo luminescent structures with a mask

We report a simple method to directly pattern polymer-based photo luminescent material, i.e. a prepatterned mask is placed a close distance above it. The final structure is a positive replica of the lateral structures in the mask with submicrometer resolution. The comparison of luminescence efficiency before and after patterning indicates almost no degradation in optical property of the material during the experiments. The mechanism of pattern formation is also discussed.

Preparation, photo and electroluminescence properties of novel rare earth aromatic carboxylates

Novel soluble rare earth aromatic carboxylates were prepared. The triplet energy level of organic ligand was measured. The photoluminescence properties of the Tb3+ and EU3+ aromatic carboxylates and lifetimes were investigated, which indicated that these rare earth complexes have high quantum efficiency. Because of their excellent solubility, polymer-doping rare earth carboxylates were fabricated as thin Films by spin-coating method and their luminescence properties were studied. Some rare earth organic light-emitting diodes were successfully fabricated which performed high pure color. The maximum luminance of the device of ITO/PVK/PVK :Th (AS)(3)Phen: PBD/PBD/Al is 32 cd(.)m(-2) at 28 V.