Modulation spectroscopy of GaAs covered by InAs quantum dots

Contactless: electroreflectance has been employed at room temperature to study the Fermi level pinning at undoped-n(+) GaAs surfaces covered by 1.6 and 1.8 monolayer (ML) InAs quantum dots (QDs). It is shown that the 1.8 ML InAs QD moves the Fermi level at GaAs surface to the valence band maximum by about 70 meV compared to bare GaAs, whereas 1.6 ML InAs on GaAs does not modify the Fermi level, It is confirmed that the modification of the 1.8 ML InAs deposition on the Fermi level at GaAs surface is due to the QDs, which are surrounded by some oxidized InAs facets, rather than the wetting layer.

Modification of emission wavelength of self-assembled In(Ga)As/GaAs quantum dots covered by InxGa1-xAs(0 <= x <= 0.3) layer

Red shifts of emission wavelength of self-organized In(Cla)As/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) covered by 3 nm thick InxGa1-xAs layer with three different In mole fractions (x = 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3, respectively) have been observed. Transmission electron microscopy images demonstrate that the stress along growth direction in the InAs dots was reduced due to introducing the InxGa1-xAs (x = 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3) covering layer instead of GaAs layer. Atomic force microscopy pictures show a smoother surface of InAs islands covered by an In0.2Ga0.8As layer. It is explained by the calculations that the redshifts of the photoluminescence (PL) spectra from the QDs covered by the InxGa1-xAs (x greater than or equal to 0.1) layers were mainly due to the reducing of the strain other than the InAs/GaAs intermixing in the InAs QDs. The temperature dependent PL spectra further confirm that the InGaAs covering layer can effectively suppress the temperature sensitivity of PL emissions. 1.3 mum emission wavelength with a very narrow linewidth of 19.2 mcV at room temperature has been obtained successfully from In,In0.5Ga0.5As/GaAs self-assembled QDs covered by a 3-nm In0.2Ga0.2As strain reducing layer. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Modification of emission wavelength of self-assembled In(Ga)As/GaAs quantum dots covered by InxGa1-xAs(0 <= x <= 0.3) layer

Red shifts of emission wavelength of self-organized In(Cla)As/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) covered by 3 nm thick InxGa1-xAs layer with three different In mole fractions (x = 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3, respectively) have been observed. Transmission electron microscopy images demonstrate that the stress along growth direction in the InAs dots was reduced due to introducing the InxGa1-xAs (x = 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3) covering layer instead of GaAs layer. Atomic force microscopy pictures show a smoother surface of InAs islands covered by an In0.2Ga0.8As layer. It is explained by the calculations that the redshifts of the photoluminescence (PL) spectra from the QDs covered by the InxGa1-xAs (x greater than or equal to 0.1) layers were mainly due to the reducing of the strain other than the InAs/GaAs intermixing in the InAs QDs. The temperature dependent PL spectra further confirm that the InGaAs covering layer can effectively suppress the temperature sensitivity of PL emissions. 1.3 mum emission wavelength with a very narrow linewidth of 19.2 mcV at room temperature has been obtained successfully from In,In0.5Ga0.5As/GaAs self-assembled QDs covered by a 3-nm In0.2Ga0.2As strain reducing layer. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Fabrication of Novel Superhydrophobic Surfaces and Water Droplet Bouncing Behavior - Part 1: Stable ZnO-PDMS Superhydrophobic Surface with Low Hysteresis Constructed Using ZnO Nanoparticles

A superhydrophobic surface has many advantages in micro/nanomechanical applications, such as low adhesion, low friction and high restitution coefficient, etc. In this paper, we introduce a novel and simple route to fabricate superhydrophobic surfaces using ZnO nanocrystals. First, tetrapod-like ZnO nanocrystals were prepared via a one-step, direct chemical vapor deposition (CVD) approach. The nanostructured ZnO material was characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the surface functionalized by aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APS) was found to be hydrophobic. Then the superhydrophobic surface was constructed by depositing uniformly ZnO hydrophobic nanoparticles (HNPs) on the Poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) film substrate. Water wettability study revealed a contact angle of 155.4 +/- 2 degrees for the superhydrophobic surface while about 110 degrees for pure smooth PDMS films. The hysteresis was quite low, only 3.1 +/- 0.3 degrees. Microscopic observations showed that the surface was covered by micro- and nano-scale ZnO particles. Compared to other approaches, this method is rather convenient and can be used to obtain a large area superhydrophobic surface. The high contact angle and low hysteresis could be attributed to the micro/nano structures of ZnO material; besides, the superhydrophobic property of the as-constructed ZnO-PDMS surface could be maintained for at least 6 months. (C) Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2010

东南极格罗夫山地区的土壤特征及其环境研究

The Grove Mountains, including 64 nunataks, is situated on an area about 3200km2 in the inland ice cap of east Antarctica in Princess Elizabeth land (72o20'-73°101S, 73°50'-75o40'E), between Zhongshan station and Dome A, about 450km away from Zhongshan station (69°22'S, 76°22'E). Many workers thought there was no pedogenesis in the areas because of the less precipitation and extreme lower temperature. However, during the austral summer in 1999-2000, the Chinaer 16 Antarctic expedition teams entered the inland East Antarctica and found three soil spots in the Southern Mount Harding, Grove Mountains, East Antarctica. It is the first case that soils are discovered in the inland in East Antarctica. Interestingly, the soils in this area show clay fraction migration, which is different from other cold desert soils. In addition, several moraine banks are discovered around the Mount Harding. The soil properties are discussed as below. Desert pavement commonly occurs on the three soil site surfaces, which is composed of pebbles and fragments formed slowly in typical desert zone. Many pebbles are subround and variegated. These pebbles are formed by abrasion caused by not only wind and wind selective transportation, but also salt weathering and thaw-freezing action on rocks. The wind blows the boulders and bedrocks with snow grains and small sands. This results in rock disintegration, paved on the soil surface, forming desert pavement, which protects the underground soil from wind-blow. The desert pavement is the typical feature in ice free zone in Antarctica. There developed desert varnish and ventifacts in this area. Rubification is a dominant process in cold desert Antarctic soils. In cold desert soils, rubification results in relatively high concentrations of Fed in soil profile. Stained depth increases progressively with time. The content of Fed is increasing up to surface in each profile. The reddish thin film is observed around the margin of mafic minerals such as biotite, hornblende, and magnetite in parent materials with the microscope analyzing on some soil profiles. So the Fed originates from the weathering of mafic minerals in soils. Accumulations of water-soluble salts, either as discrete horizons or dispersed within the soil, occur in the soil profiles, and the salt encrustations accumulate just beneath surface stones in this area. The results of X-ray diffraction analyses show that the crystalline salts consist of pentahydrite (MgSO4-5H2O), hexahydrite (MgSO4-6H2O), hurlbutite (CaBe2(PO4)2), bloedite (Na2Mg(S04)2-4H2O), et al., being mainly sulfate. The dominant cations in 1:5 soil-water extracts are Mg2+ and Na+, as well as Ca2+ and K+, while the dominant anion is SO42-, then NO3-, Cl- and HCO3-. There are white and yellowish sponge materials covered the stone underside surface, of which the main compounds are quartz (SiO2, 40.75%), rozenite (FeSOKkO, 37.39%), guyanaite (Cr2O3-1.5H2O, 9.30%), and starkeyite (MgSO4-4H2O, 12.56%). 4) The distribution of the clay fraction is related to the maximum content of moisture and salts. Clay fraction migration occurs in the soils, which is different from that of other cold desert soils. X-ray diffraction analyses show that the main clay minerals are illite, smectite, then illite-smectite, little kaolinite and veirniculite. Mica was changed to illite, even to vermiculite by hydration. Illite formed in the initial stage of weathering. The appearance of smectite suggests that it enriched in magnesium, but no strong eluviation, which belongs to cold and arid acid environment. 5) Three soil sites have different moisture. The effect moisture is in the form of little ice in site 1. There is no ice in site 2, and ice-cement horizon is 12 cm below the soil surface in site 3. Salt horizon is 5-10 cm up to the surface in Site 1 and Site 2, while about 26cm in site 3. The differentiation of the active layer and the permafrost are not distinct because of arid climate. The depth of active layer is about 10 cm in this area. Soils and Environment: On the basis of the characteristics of surface rocks, soil colors, horizon differentiation, salt in soils and soil depth, the soils age of the Grove Mountains is 0.5-3.5Ma. No remnants of glaciations are found on the soil sites of Mount Harding, which suggests that the Antarctic glaciations have not reached the soil sites since at least 0.5Ma, and the ice cap was not much higher than present, even during the Last Glacial Maximum. The average altitude of the contact line of level of blue ice and outcrop is 2050m, and the altitude of soil area is 2160m. The relative height deviation is about 110m, so the soils have developed and preserved until today. The parental material of the soils originated from alluvial sedimentary of baserocks nearby. Sporepollen were extracted from the soils, arbor pollen grains are dominant by Pinus and Betula, as well as a small amount Quercus, Juglans, Tilia and Artemisia etc. Judging from the shape and colour, the sporepollen group is likely attributed to Neogene or Pliocene in age. This indicates that there had been a warm period during the Neogene in the Grove Mountains, East Antarctica.

Vegetation and Topographic Control of Wind-blown Snow Distributions in Distributed and Aggregated Simulations for an Arctic Tundra Basin

Essery, RLH & JW, Pomeroy, (2004). Vegetation and topographic control of wind-blown snow distributions in distributed and aggregated simulations. Journal of Hydrometeorology, 5, 735-744.

A microscopic study of structural and electronic properties of functionalized silicon surfaces based on first-principles

Surface modification of silicon with organic monolayers tethered to the surface by different linkers is an important process in realizing future (opto-)electronic devices. Understanding the role played by the nature of the linking group and the chain length on the adsorption structures and electronic properties of these assemblies is vital to advance this technology. This Thesis is a study of such properties and contributes in particular to a microscopic understanding of induced changes in the work function of experimentally studied functionalized silicon surfaces. Using first-principles density functional theory (DFT), at the first step, we provide predictions for chemical trends in the work function of hydrogenated silicon (111) surfaces modified with various terminations. For nonpolar terminating atomic species such as F, Cl, Br, and I, the change in the work function is directly proportional to the amount of charge transferred from the surface, thus relating to the difference in electronegativity of the adsorbate and silicon atoms. The change is a monotonic function of coverage in this case, and the work function increases with increasing electronegativity. Polar species such as −TeH, −SeH, −SH, −OH, −NH2, −CH3, and −BH2 do not follow this trend due to the interaction of their dipole with the induced electric field at the surface. In this case, the magnitude and sign of the surface dipole moment need to be considered in addition to the bond dipole to generally describe the change in work function. Compared to hydrogenated surfaces, there is slight increase in the work function of H:Si(111)-XH, where X = Te, Se, and S, whereas reduction is observed for surfaces covered with −OH, −CH3, and −NH2. Next, we study the hydrogen passivated Si(111) surface modified with alkyl chains of the general formula H:Si–(CH2)n–CH2 and H:Si–X–(CH2)n–CH3, where X = NH, O, S and n = (0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11), at half coverage. For (X)–Hexyl and (X)–Dodecyl functionalization, we also examined various coverages up to full monolayer grafting in order to validate the result of half covered surface and the linker effect on the coverage. We find that it is necessary to take into account the van der Waals interaction between the alkyl chains. The strongest binding is for the oxygen linker, followed by S, N, and C, irrespective of chain length. The result revealed that the sequence of the stability is independent of coverage; however, linkers other than carbon can shift the optimum coverage considerably and allow further packing density. For all linkers apart from sulfur, structural properties, in particular, surface-linker-chain angles, saturate to a single value once n > 3. For sulfur, we identify three regimes, namely, n = 0–3, n = 5–7, and n = 9–11, each with its own characteristic adsorption structures. Where possible, our computational results are shown to be consistent with the available experimental data and show how the fundamental structural properties of modified Si surfaces can be controlled by the choice of linking group and chain length. Later we continue by examining the work function tuning of H:Si(111) over a range of 1.73 eV through adsorption of alkyl monolayers with general formula -[Xhead-group]-(CnH2n)-[Xtail-group], X = O(H), S(H), NH(2). The work function is practically converged at 4 carbons (8 for oxygen), for head-group functionalization. For tail-group functionalization and with both head- and tail-groups, there is an odd-even effect in the behavior of the work function, with peak-to-peak amplitudes of up to 1.7 eV in the oscillations. This behavior is explained through the orientation of the terminal-group's dipole. The shift in the work function is largest for NH2-linked and smallest for SH-linked chains and is rationalized in terms of interface dipoles. Our study reveals that the choice of the head- and/or tail-groups effectively changes the impact of the alkyl chain length on the work function tuning using self-assembled monolayers and this is an important advance in utilizing hybrid functionalized Si surfaces. Bringing together the understanding gained from studying single type functionalization of H:Si(111) with different alkyl chains and bearing in mind how to utilize head-group, tail-group or both as well as monolayer coverage, in the final part of this Thesis we study functionalized H:Si(111) with binary SAMs. Aiming at enhancing work function adjustment together with SAM stability and coverage we choose a range of terminations and linker-chains denoted as –X–(Alkyl) with X = CH3, O(H), S(H), NH(2) and investigate the stability and work function of various binary components grafted onto H:Si(111) surface. Using binary functionalization with -[NH(2)/O(H)/S(H)]-[Hexyl/Dodecyl] we show that work function can be tuned within the interval of 3.65-4.94 eV and furthermore, enhance the SAM’s stability. Although direct Si-C grafted SAMs are less favourable compared to their counterparts with O, N or S linkage, regardless of the ratio, binary functionalized alkyl monolayers with X-alkyl (X = NH, O) is always more stable than single type alkyl functionalization with the same coverage. Our results indicate that it is possible to go beyond the optimum coverage of pure alkyl functionalized SAMs (50%) by adding a linker with the correct choice of the linker. This is very important since dense packed monolayers have fewer defects and deliver higher efficiency. Our results indicate that binary anchoring can modify the charge injection and therefore bond stability while preserving the interface electronic structure.

The influence of compliant surfaces on bypass transition', Experiments in Fluids

The objective of the work was to investigate the effect of compliant surfaces on the receptivity and bypass transition of a boundary layer. Hot wire measurements in the pre-transitional and transitional boundary layers on nine different compliant and one rigid surface with identical geometries were made. The experiments were conducted in air and the compliant surfaces were manufactured from gelatine covered by a 10 lm protective PVC film. The laminar boundary layer profiles and growth rate results were the same for all the surfaces. However, the receptivity of the laminar boundary layer to freestream disturbances increased close to the leading edge of each compliant surface. Further downstream the majority of the compliant surfaces were successful in reducing the receptivity to a value below that for the rigid surface. The transition onset position on the compliant surfaces ranged from 3% downstream to 20% upstream of the rigid surface position. It was concluded that compliant surfaces with optimum properties can reduce receptivity and delay transition.

Effect of the incorporation of hydroxy-terminated liquid silicones on the cure characteristics, morphology, and release of a model protein from silicone elastomer-covered rods

Silicone elastomer systems have previously been shown to offer potential for the sustained release of protein therapeutics. However, the general requirement for the incorporation of large amounts of release enhancing solid excipients to achieve therapeutically effective release rates from these otherwise hydrophobic polymer systems can detrimentally affect the viscosity of the precure silicone elastomer mixture and its curing characteristics. The increase in viscosity necessitates the use of higher operating pressures in manufacture, resulting in higher shear stresses that are often detrimental to the structural integrity of the incorporated protein. The addition of liquid silicones increases the initial tan delta value and the tan delta values in the early stages of curing by increasing the liquid character (G '') of the silicone elastomer system and reducing its elastic character (G'), thereby reducing the shear stress placed on the formulation during manufacture and minimizing the potential for protein degradation. However, SEM analysis has demonstrated that if the liquid character of the silicone elastomer is too high, the formulation will be unable to fill the mold during manufacture. This study demonstrates that incorporation of liquid hydroxy-terminated polydimethylsiloxanes into addition-cure silicone elastomer-covered rod formulations can both effectively lower the viscosity of the precured silicone elastomer and enhance the release rate of the model therapeutic protein bovine serum albumin. (C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011

Photosensitisers - the progression from photodynamic therapy to anti-infective surfaces

Introduction: The application of light as a stimulus in pharmaceutical systems and the associated ability to provide precise spatiotemporal control over location, wavelength and intensity, allowing ease of external control independent of environmental conditionals, has led to its increased use. Of particular note is the use of light with photosensitisers.

Areas covered: Photosensitisers are widely used in photodynamic therapy to cause a cidal effect towards cells on irradiation due to the generation of reactive oxygen species. These cidal effects have also been used to treat infectious diseases. The effects and benefits of photosensitisers in the treatment of such conditions are still being developed and further realised, with the design of novel delivery strategies. This review provides an overview of the realisation of the pharmaceutically relevant uses of photosensitisers, both in the context of current research and in terms of current clinical application, and looks to the future direction of research.

Expert opinion: Substantial advances have been and are being made in the use of photosensitisers. Of particular note are their antimicrobial applications, due to absence of resistance that is so frequently associated with conventional treatments. Their potency of action and the ability to immobilise to polymeric supports is opening a wide range of possibilities with great potential for use in healthcare infection prevention strategies.

High temperature thermal stability studies of ultrathin Al2O3 layers deposited on native oxide and sulphur passivated InGaAs surfaces

High resolution synchrotron radiation core level photoemission measurements have been used to undertake a comparative study of the high temperature stability of ultrathin Al2O3 layers deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) on both sulphur passivated and native oxide covered InGaAs. The residual interfacial oxides between sulphur passivated InGaAs and the ultrathin Al2O3 layer can be substantially removed at high temperature (up to 700 °C) without impacting on the InGaAs stoichiometry while significant loss of indium was recorded at this temperature on the native oxide InGaAs surface.

High-temperature stability study of 1 nm Al2O3 deposited on InAs surfaces investigated by synchrotron radiation based photoemission spectroscopy

High-resolution soft x-ray photoemission spectroscopy (SXPS) has been used to study the high-temperature thermal stability of ultra-thin atomic layer deposited (ALD) Al2O3 layers (~1 nm) on sulfur passivated and native oxide covered InAs surfaces. While the arsenic oxides were removed from both interfaces following a 600 °C anneal, a residual indium oxide signal remained. No significant differences were observed between the sulfur passivated and native oxide surfaces other than the thickness of the interfacial oxide layer while the Al2O3 stoichiometry remained unaffected by the anneals. The energy band offsets were determined for the Al2O3 on the sulfur passivated InAs surface using both valence band edge and shallow core-level photoemission measurements.

Weathering microenvironments on feldspar surfaces: implications for understanding fluid-mineral reactions in soils

The mechanisms by which coatings develop on weathered grain surfaces, and their potential impact on rates of fluid-mineral interaction, have been investigated by examining feldspars from a 1.1 ky old soil in the Glen Feshie chronosequence, Scottish highlands. Using the focused ion beam technique, electron-transparent, foils for characterization by transmission electron microscopy were cut from selected parts of grain surfaces. Some parts were bare whereas others had accumulations, a few micrometres thick, of Weathering products, often mixed with mineral and microbial debris. Feldspar exposed at bare grain surfaces is crystalline throughout and so there is no evidence for the presence of the amorphous 'leached layers' that typically form in acid-dissolution experiments and have been described from some natural Weathering contexts. The weathering products comprise sub-mu m thick crystallites of an Fe-K aluminosilicate, probably smectite, that have grown within an amorphous and probably organic-rich matrix. There is also evidence for crystallization of clays having been mediated by fungal hyphae. Coatings formed within Glen Feshie soils after similar to 1.1 ky are insufficiently continuous or impermeable to slow rates Of fluid-feldspar reactions, but provide valuable insights into the complex Weathering microenvironments oil debris and microbe-covered mineral surfaces.

Chemical composition and reactivity of water on hexagonal Pt-group metal surfaces

The dissociation behaviour and valence-electronic structure of water adsorbed on clean and oxygen-covered Ru{0001}, Rh{111}, Pd{111}, Ir{111} and Pt{111} surfaces has been studied by high-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy with the aim of identifying similarities and trends within the Pt-group metals. On average, we find higher reactivity for the 4d metals (Ru, Rh, Pd) as compared to 5d (Ir, Pt), which is correlated with characteristic shifts in the 1b(1) and 3a(1) molecular orbitals of water. Small amounts of oxygen (<0.2 ML) induce dissociation of water on all five surfaces, for higher coverages (>0.25 ML) only intact water is observed. Under UHV conditions these higher coverages can only be reached on the 4d metals, the 5d metals are, therefore, not passivated.

Sub-surface terahertz imaging through uneven surfaces: visualizing Neolithic wall paintings in Çatalhöyük

Pulsed terahertz imaging is being developed as a technique to image obscured mural paintings. Due to significant advances in terahertz technology, portable systems are now capable of operating in unregulated environments and this has prompted their use on archaeological excavations. August 2011 saw the first use of pulsed terahertz imaging at the archaeological site of Çatalhöyük, Turkey, where mural paintings dating from the Neolithic period are continuously being uncovered by archaeologists. In these particular paintings the paint is applied onto an uneven surface, and then covered by an equally uneven surface. Traditional terahertz data analysis has proven unsuccessful at sub-surface imaging of these paintings due to the effect of these uneven surfaces. For the first time, an image processing technique is presented, based around Gaussian beam-mode coupling, which enables the visualization of the obscured painting.