The application of STEM and in situ controlled dehydration to bacterial systems using ESEM

Transmission imaging with an environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) (Wet STEM) is a recent development in the field of electron microscopy, combining the simple preparation inherent to ESEM work with an alternate form of contrast available through a STEM detector. Because the technique is relatively new, there is little information available on how best to apply this technique and which samples it is best suited for. This work is a description of the sample preparation and microscopy employed by the authors for imaging bacteria with Wet STEM (scanning transmission electron microscopy). Three different bacterial samples will be presented in this study: first, used as a model system, is Escherichia coli for which the contrast mechanisms of STEM are demonstrated along with the visual effects of a dehydration-induced collapse. This collapse, although clearly in some sense artifactual, is thought to lead to structurally meaningful morphological information. Second, Wet STEM is applied to two distinct bacterial systems to demonstrate the novel types of information accessible by this approach: the plastic-producing Cupriavidus necator along with wild-type and δmreC knockout mutants of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. Cupriavidus necator is shown to exhibit clear internal differences between bacteria with and without plastic granules, while the δmreC mutant of S. Typhimurium has an internal morphology distinct from that of the wild type. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Mode Analysis for Equilateral-Triangle-Resonator Microlasers with Metal Confinement Layers

Mode characteristics are analyzed for electrically injected equilateral-triangle-resonator (ETR) semiconductor microlasers, which are laterally confined by insulating barrier SiO2 and electrode metals Ti-Au. For the ETR without metal layers, the totally confined mode field patterns are derived based on the reflection phase shifts, and the Q-factors are calculated from the far-field emission of the analytical near field distribution, which are agreement very well with the numerical results of the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation. The polarization dependence reflections for light rays incident on semiconductor-SiO2 -Ti-Au multi-layer structures are accounted in considering the confinement of TE and TM modes in the ETR with the metal layers. The reflectivity will greatly reduce with a Ti layer between SiO2 and Au for light rays with incident angle less than 30 especially for the TE mode, even the thickness of the Ti layer is only 10 nm. If the ETR is laterally confined by SiO2-Au layers without the Ti layer, the Fabry-Perot type modes with an incident angle of zero on one side of the ETR can also have high Q-factor. The FDTD simulation for the ETR confined by metal layers verifies the above analysis based on multi-layer reflections. The output spectra with mode intervals of whispering-gallery modes and Fabry-Perot type modes are observed from different ETR lasers with side length of 10 m, respectively.

Optical properties of highly ordered AlN nanowire arrays grown on sapphire substrate

Highly ordered AlN nanowire arrays were synthesized via a simple physical vapor deposition method on sapphire substrate. The nanowires have an extremely sharp tip < 10 nm, with the average length around 3 mu m. Raman spectroscopy analysis on the AlN nanowire arrays revealed that the lifetime of the phonons is shorter than that in bulk AlN. The transmission spectra of the AlN nanowires showed a blueshift similar to 0.27 eV at the absorption edge with that of the bulk AlN, which is closely related to the small size of the nanowires. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.

Mode analysis and Q-factor enhancement due to mode coupling in rectangular resonators

Modes in rectangular resonators are analyzed and classified according to symmetry properties, and quality factor (Q-factor) enhancement due to mode coupling is observed. In the analysis, mode numbers p and q are used to denote the number of wave nodes in the direction of two orthogonal sides. The even and odd mode numbers correspond to symmetric and antisymmetric field distribution relative to the midlines of sides, respectively. Thus, the modes in a rectangle resonator can be divided into four classes according to the parity of p and q. Mode coupling between modes of different classes is forbidden; however, anti-crossing mode coupling between the modes in the same class exists and results in new modes due to the combination of the coupled modes. One of the combined modes has very low power loss and high Q-factor based on far-field emission of the analytical field distribution, which agrees well with the numerical results of the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation. Both the analytical and FDTD results show that the Q-factors of the high Q-factor combined modes are over one order larger than those of the original modes. Furthermore, the general condition required to achieve high-Q modes in the rectangular resonator is given based on the analytical solution.

Mode characteristics for equilateral triangle optical resonators

Mode characteristics of equilateral triangle resonators (ETRs) are analyzed based on the symmetry operation of the point group C-3v. The results show that doubly degenerate eigenstates can be reduced to the A(1) and A(2) representations of C-3v, if the longitudinal mode number is a multiple of 6; otherwise, they form the E irreducible representation Of C-3v. And the one-period length for the mode light ray is half of the perimeter of the ETR. Mode Q-factors are calculated by the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) technique and compared with those calculated from far-field emission based on the analytical near-field pattern for TE and TM modes. The results show that the far-field emission based on the analytical field distribution can be used to estimate the mode Q-factor, especially for TM modes. FDTD numerical results also show that Q-factor of TE modes reaches maximum value as the longitudinal mode number is a multiple of 7. In addition, photoluminescence spectra and measured Q-factors are presented for fabricated ETR with side lengths of 20 and 30 mu m, and the mode wavelength intervals are compared with the analytical results.

Study on the reverse characteristics of Ti/6H-SiC Schottky contacts

The reverse I(V) measurement and analytic calculation of the electron transport across a Ti/6H-SiC Schottky barrier are presented. Based on the consideration of the barrier fluctuations and the barrier height shift caused by image charge and the applied voltage drop across Ti/SiC interfical layer, a comprehensive analytical model for the reverse tunneling current is developed using a WKB calculation of the tunneling probability through a reverse biased Schottky barrier. This model takes into account the main reverse conduction mechanism, such as field emission, thermionic field emission and thermionic emission. The fact that the simulated results are in good agreement with the experimental data indicates that the barrier height shift and barrier fluctuation can lead to reverse current densities orders of magnitude higher than that obtained from a simple theory. It is shown that the field and thermionic field emission processes, in which carries can tunnel through the barrier but cannot surmount it with insufficient thermal energy, dominate the reverse characteristics of a SiC Schottky contacts in a normal working condition.

Influence of mode symmetry on quality factors of degenerate states in microlasers with an equilateral triangle resonator

Modes in equilateral triangle resonator (ETR) are analyzed and classified according to the irreducible representations of the point group C-3v., Both the analytical method based on the far field emission and the numerical method by FDTD technique are used to calculate the quality factors (Q-factors) of the doubly degenerate states in ETR. Results obtained from the two methods are in reasonable agreement. Considering the different symmetry properties of the doubly degenerate eigenstates, we also discuss the ETR joined with an output waveguide at one of the vertices by FDTD technique and the Pade approximation. The variation of Q-factors versus width of output waveguide is analyzed. The numerical results show that doubly degenerate eigenstates of TM0.36 and TM0.38 whose wavelengths are around 1.5 mu m in the resonator with side-length of 5 mu m have the Q-factors larger than 1000 when the width of the output waveguide is smaller than 0.4 mu m. When the width of the output waveguide is set to 0.3 mu m, the symmetrical states that are more efficiently coupled to output waveguide have Q-factors about 8000, which are over 3 times larger than those of asymmetric state.

场发射(FED)用荧光粉的研制与改性

场发射平板显示器（Field Emission Displays, FED）是一种新发展起来的平板显示器，由于其在亮度、视角、响应时间、工作温度范围、能耗等方面具有优良的特性，成为近年新型显示器研究的热点之一。为实现高效的FED红、绿、蓝全色显示，荧光粉在其中起着十分重要的作用。制备性能优良的场发射用彩色荧光粉是决定将来FED技术成功与否的关键因素之一。 本论文研究的内容包括场发射(FED)用荧光粉的研制和改性工作。在场发射(FED)用荧光粉研制方面，采用溶胶-凝胶方法，制备了一系列新型场发射(FED)用荧光粉，包括稀土离子激活的镓酸镧 [(LaGaO3: Re3+ (Re = Eu, Tb, Dy, Tm, Sm)]体系、铟酸钙[(CaIn2O4: Re3+ (Re = Eu, Pr, Tb, Dy,)]体系、铟酸锶[(SrIn2O4: Re3+ (Re = Pr, Tb, Dy)]体系、镓酸镥[Lu3Ga5O12:Re3+ (Re = Eu, Tb，Pr)]体系，并研究了Pr, Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, Tm等稀土离子在这些基质中的光致发光、低压阴极射线发光性质和能量传递等性质。在荧光粉的改性方面，采用喷雾热解法制备了Sr2CeO4球形场发射用荧光粉，研究了喷雾前驱体溶液中，聚乙二醇浓度、金属离子浓度、烧结温度对形貌及发光性能的影响；采用溶胶－凝胶方法成功将SiO2表明包覆一层CaTiO3:Pr3+, Y3Al5O12:Ce3+/Tb3+荧光粉，得到单分散，球形形貌，分布均匀，具有核/壳结构的球形荧光粉；另外研究了不同的制备方法对Ga2O3:Dy3+荧光粉的发光性能的影响。所得样品用XRD、FTIR、SEM、TEM、漫反射光谱、光致发光(PL)光谱、荧光寿命曲线、低压阴极射线(CL)光谱等进行表征。 在紫外光激发下，稀土离子激活的镓酸镧彩色荧光粉有基质(LaGaO3)的发射和稀土离子(Eu3+, Tb3+, Dy3+, Tm3+, Sm3+)的特征发射，研究表明在基质和稀土离子之间存在能量传递，其能量传递效率因离子而异。在阴极射线激发下，样品仅有稀土离子(Eu3+, Tb3+, Dy3+, Tm3+, Sm3+)的特征发射。如：LaGaO3: Eu3+发红光，LaGaO3: Dy3+发白光，LaGaO3: Tm3+发蓝光，LaGaO3: Sm3+发黄光，LaGaO3: Sm3+,Tb3+发白光。LaGaO3: Tb3+的发光颜色可通过不同Tb3+的掺杂浓度从蓝光到绿光进行调控。在相同的激发条件下，所制备的蓝光发射的LaGaO3: Tb3+和LaGaO3: Tm3+荧光粉与商业FED用蓝粉(Y2SiO5: Ce3+，日亚化学工业株式会社，NP-1047)相比具有更好的色纯度和更高的发光效率；所制备的黄光发射的LaGaO3: Sm3+荧光粉与商业低压黄色荧光粉((Zn,Cd)S: Ag，日亚化学工业株式会社，NP-1020)相比，色纯度接近，但具有更高的发光效率。并首次实现了单一基质中白光发射(LaGaO3: Sm3+,Tb3+), 所制备的稀土离子激活的镓酸镧彩色荧光粉[(LaGaO3: Re3+ (Re = Eu, Tb, Dy, Tm, Sm )]在场发射器件有潜在的应用。 在稀土离子掺杂的Sr/CaIn2O4荧光粉体系中，在基质Sr/CaIn2O4和掺杂离子Pr3+/Tb3+/Dy3+存在高效能量传递。基质Sr/CaIn2O4吸收能量向激活离子Pr3+/ Tb3+/Dy3+传递，发射为稀土离子Pr3+/Tb3+/Dy3+的特征发射，发光强度、荧光寿命等符合应用要求，在低压电子束激发下，Sr/CaIn2O4: Pr3+/Tb3+/Dy3+荧光粉为稀土离子的特征发射，其低压阴极射线发光(CL)光谱与光致发光(PL)发射光谱一致，CL强度随激发电压，电流密度增加而增强。 对于CaIn2O4:Eu3+荧光粉，进一步研究表明CaIn2O4:Eu3+荧光粉的光致发光和阴极射线发光颜色可以通过掺杂不同浓度的Eu3+从白光，黄光，到红光进行调控。低浓度掺杂发白光，高浓度掺杂发红光，适当的浓度发黄光。 在Lu3Ga5O12:Re3+ (Re = Eu, Tb，Pr)荧光粉体系中，在紫外（UV）和低压阴极射线激发下，所制备的荧光粉Lu3Ga5O12: Eu3+, Lu3Ga5O12: Pr3+为稀土离子Eu3+, Pr3+的特征发射，分别发黄光和绿光。Lu3Ga5O12:Tb3+的发光颜色因Tb3+掺杂浓度不同而不同，低浓度掺杂发蓝光，高浓度发绿光。 Sr2CeO4荧光粉在UV及低压阴极射线激发下发出强烈蓝光，源于配体到金属离子电荷迁移带跃迁(Ce4+-O2-)。其阴极射线发光强度与电压及灯丝电流呈良好的线性关系。 采用溶胶－凝胶方法的核壳结构的SiO2@CaTiO3:Pr3+和SiO2@Y3Al5O12: Ce3+/Tb3+荧光粉, FESEM和TEM结果表明这种核壳结构的发光材料表面致密，厚度均匀，保持了单分散SiO2微球的形貌特征。在UV及低压阴极射线激发下，SiO2@CaTiO3:Pr3+呈强红色发射，源于Pr3+ 的1D2—3H4 (612 nm)跃迁；SiO2@Y3Al5O12:Ce3+和SiO2@Y3Al5O12:Tb3+ 分别发黄绿光和绿光，源于Ce3+的5d-4f和Tb3+的5D4-7FJ (J = 6, 5, 4, 3)跃迁。PL强度可以通过包覆次数调控，CL强度随激发电压及灯丝电流增加而增强。 在Ga2O3:Dy3+荧光粉体系中，采用了溶胶-凝胶，氨水共沉淀，和高温固相法制备了Ga2O3:Dy3+荧光粉并比较了他们的结晶行为，形貌，光致发光和低压阴极射线发光性能。溶胶-凝胶法制备由于原料在分子层次上混合，可以得到纯相，氨水共沉淀和高温固相法原料不如溶胶凝胶法混合均匀，很难得到纯相。溶胶-凝胶和氨水共沉淀所得荧光粉为纳米级别大小，分别呈球形和玉米棒形状；高温固相法微米级别且呈不规则形状。Ga2O3向Dy3+传递能量效率依次按溶胶-凝胶，氨水共沉淀，和高温固相法逐渐降低。在紫外光激发下，分别发白光，蓝白光，蓝光。其低压阴极射线发光与光致发光类似。相比之下，溶胶-凝胶法制备Ga2O3:Dy3+荧光粉比氨水共沉淀和高温固相法制备要好。

Investigation on charge transfer bands of Ce4+ in Sr2CeO4 blue phosphor

Bulk and nano-materials Sr2CeO4 were prepared by solid-state reaction and sol-gel technique, respectively. Photoluminescence shows that luminescence has the characteristic of a ligand-to-metal charge transfer (CT) emission. Compared with bulk Sr2CeO4, the nano-material exhibits stronger emission intensity, longer decay time, and higher CT excitation energy. Three CT excitation peaks were observed in both bulk and nano samples.

Preparation of Hollow Carbon and Silicon Carbide Fibers with Different Cross-Sections by using Electrospun Fibers as Templates

Hollow carbon nanofibers with circular and rectangular opening were prepared by using electrospun silica fibers as templates. Silica fibers were synthesized by electrospinning, and they were coated with a carbon layer formed by thermal decomposition and carbonization of polystyrene under a nitrogen atmosphere. Hollow carbon nanofibers with circular and rectangular openings were then obtained after the silica core was etched by hydrofluoric acid. The carbon nanofibers with different morphologies also could be used as templates to fabricate silicon carbide fibers. The silicon carbide fibers with circular and rectangular openings could be obtained by using hollow carbon nanofibers and carbon belts as templates, respectively.

Magnetic Mesoporous Silica Spheres for Drug Targeting and Controlled Release

Magnetically functionalized mesoporous silica spheres with different size (average diameter, A.D.) from 150 nm to 2 mu m and pore size distribution were synthesized by generating magnetic FexOy nanoparticles onto the mesoporous silica hosts using the sol-gel method. The X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), N-2 adsorption/desorption results show that these composites conserved regular sphere morphology and ordered mesoporous structure after the formation of FexOy nanoparticles. XRD and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis confirmed that the FexOy generated in these mesoporous silica hosts is mainly composed of gamma-Fe2O3. Magnetic measurements reveal that these composites with different gamma-Fe2O3 loading amounts possess super-paramagnetic properties at 300 K, and the saturation magnetization increases with increasing Fe ratio loaded.

General and Facile Method To Prepare Uniform Y2O3:Eu Hollow Microspheres

Well-shaped Y2O3:Eu hollow microspheres have been successfully prepared on a large scale via a urea-based homogeneous precipitation technique in the presence of colloidal carbon spheres as hard templates followed by a subsequent heat treatment process. XRD results demonstrate that all the diffraction peaks of the samples can be well indexed to the pure cubic phase Of Y2O3. TEM and SEM images indicate that the shell of the uniform hollow spheres, whose diameters are about 250 nm, is composed of many uniform nanoparticles with diameters of about 20 nm, basically consistent with the estimation of XRD results. Furthermore, the main process in this method was carried out in aqueous condition, without the use of organic solvents or etching agents. The as-prepared hollow Y2O3:Eu microspheres show a strong red emission corresponding to the D-5(0)-F-7(2) transition of the Eu3+ ions under ultraviolet or low voltage excitation, which might find potential applications in fields such as light phosphor powders, advanced flat panel displays, field emission display devices, and biological labeling.

Synthesis and characterization of polyethylene chains grafted onto the sidewalls of single-walled carbon nanotubes via copolymerization

Polyethylene (PE) chains grafted onto the sidewalls of SWCNTs (SWCNT-g-PE) were successfully synthesized via ethylene copolymerization with functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes (f-SWCNTs) catalyzed by rac-(en)(THInd)(2)ZrCl2/ MAO. Here f-SWCNTs, in which alpha-alkene groups were chemically linked on the sidewalls of SWCNTs, were synthesized by Prato reaction. The composition and microstructure of SWCNT-g-PE were characterized by means of H-1 NMR, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analyses (TGA), field-emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), and transmission electron microscope (TEM). Nanosized cable-like structure was formed in the SWCNT-g-PE, in which the PE formed a tubular shell and several SWCNTs bundles existed as core. The formation of the above morphology in the SWCNT-g-PE resulted from successfully grafting of PE chains onto the surface of SWCNTs via copolymerization. The grown PE chains grafted onto the sidewall of the f-SWCNTs promoted the exfoliation of the mass nanotubes. Comparing with pure PE, the physical mixture of PE/f-SWCNTs and in situ PE/SWCNTs mixture, thermal stability, and mechanical properties of SWCNT-g-PE were higher because of the chemical bonding between the f-SWCNTs and PE chains.

Preparation of silica/polyacrylamide/polyethylene nanocomposite via in situ polymerization

SiO2/polyacrylamide (PAM) composite was prepared via the polymerization of acrylamide in the presence of silica sol in water/hexane emulsion, and pure SiO2 was also prepared without the use of acrylamide in the same way. Field emission scanning electron micrographs (FESEM) showed that PAM covered the silica nanoparticles to form SiO2/PAM nanospheres, which loosely agglomerated to form SiO2/PAM secondary particles, while SiO2 secondary particles were made up of tightly agglomerated silica nanoparticles. Metallocene catalyst was then immobilized over SiO2 and SiO2/PAM respectively to prepare supported metallocene catalyst for ethylene polymerization. Transmission electron micrographs (TEM) showed that support particles broke up to smaller particles and even nanoparticles in polyethylene (PE) matrix when the support particles were the fragile SiO2/PAM secondary particles, which shows a novel way to prepare silica/polyacrylamide/polyethylene nanocomposite.