The work presents the model for the ionic thermoelectric phenomenons, which is based on the consideration of Grotthuss, hopping mechanism for the proton conductivity. The Seebeck coefficient and figure of merit are estimated in good agreement with experimental data.

We have investigated a correlation between electronic deep levels and current collapses in AlGaN/GaN hetero-structures by capacitance-voltage and photo-capacitance spectroscopy techniques, using Schottky barrier diodes. Three specific deep levels located at ~2.07, ~2.80, ~3.23eV below the conduction band were found to be significantly enhanced for the severe current collapse. These levels probably originate in Ga vacancies and residual C impurities and are probably responsible for the current collapses of the AlGaN/GaN hetero-structures.

The origin of sub-diffraction-limit apertures in Sb-based thin films is discussed. Electromagnetic energy can be channeled by these apertures thus allowing near-field focussing- the Super-RENS effect. The aperture formation within Sb, Sb2Te3, Sb2Te, SbTe and Ge2Sb2Te5 is investigated by time resolved optical pump-probe techniques and found to occur without melting. Density functional calculations have shown that these materials exhibit a thresholdlike change in their optical properties below their melting temperatures. The threshold is shown to be a consequence of thermally induced misalignment of p-orbital bonds. It is the non-linearity of this process that leads to the formation of the sub-diffraction-limit apertures.

Intermetallic TiAl-alloys can replace the heavier Ni-based superalloys in several high temperature applications with regards to their mechanical properties, however they can not be used at temperatures above 800°C in oxidizing environments for longer times because of insufficient oxidation resistance. Despite an Al-content of about 45 at.% in technical alloys, no protective alumina layer is formed because the thermodynamic stabilities of titanium oxide and aluminum oxide are of the same order of magnitude. Therefore a mixed TiO2/Al2O3-scale is formed which is fast growing so that the metal consumption rate is quite high. On the other hand the formation of a slow growing alumina layer is promoted by a fluorine treatment. This so called fluorine effect leads to the preferential intermediate formation of gaseous aluminum fluorides at elevated temperatures if the fluorine content at the surface stays within a defined concentration range. These fluorides are converted into solid Al2O3 due to the high oxygen partial pressure of the high temperature service environment forming a protective pure Al2O3 surface scale. In this paper results of high temperature oxidations tests of several technical TiAl-alloys will be presented. Different F-treatments e.g. dipping or spaying which are easy to apply have been used and their results will be compared. The mass change data of the F-treated specimens are always lower than those of the untreated ones. Post experimental investigations such as light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis reveal the formation of a thin alumina layer on the F-treated samples after optimization of the process while a thick mixed scale is found on the untreated samples. The results will be discussed in view of an optimized procedure and the future use of TiAl-components in high temperature environments.

We report white light emission from ZnO nanostructures in powder form, prepared by microwave irradiation-assisted chemical synthesis, in the presence of a structure directing agent. Determination of their crystallinity, actual shape, and orientation was made using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and optical properties have been studied through photoluminescence (PL), measured using He-Cd laser (325 nm) as the excitation source. There is a noticeable variation in the luminescence correlated with variation of process parameters, such as microwave power, duration of irradiation, and the type/concentration of surfactants. The CIE (Commission Internationale l’Eclairage) diagram shows that the luminescence lies in yellow region of the color space. As the luminescence from the powder of ZnO lies in the yellow region, it is possible to produce white light from the powder of ZnO by using a blue laser as the excitation source.

Inorganic/organic hybrid light-emitting diodes (LEDs) (IO-HyLEDs) composedof p-type GaN/n-type Tris-(8-hydoroxyquinoline) aluminum (Alq3)were fabricated with and without thin MgO electron-blocking layer (EBL) atthe inorganic/organic interface. These LEDs showed clear and stable currentrectifying diode characteristics and electroluminescence (EL) peaked at UVregion at room temperature. For the sample with MgO-EBL, obvious enhancementof green emission from Alq3 layer was observed. This resultsuggests that due to effective suppression of electron transport from Alq3 to p-GaN by MgO-EBL, radiative recombination of electronsand holes in Alq3 layer was enhanced. It was indicated that theband engineering technique can be applied to control the emission propertyof inorganic/organic hybrid LED.

The surface modification of carbon nanotubes（CNTs）has been recently observed to influence the distribution of CNTs in epoxy resin and the mechanical properties and electrical conductivities of these CNTs. Accordingly, the treatment of CNTs with organic acids to oxidize them generates functional groups on the surface of CNTs. This investigation studies the consequent enhancement of the mechanical properties and electrical conductivities of CNTs. The influence of adding various proportions of CNTs to the epoxy resin on the mechanical properties and electrical conductivities of the composites thus formed is investigated, and the strength of the material is tested at different temperatures. Moreover, the creep behavior of carbon fiber （CF）/epoxy resin thermosetting composites was tested and analyzed at different temperatures and stresses. The creep exhibits only two stages- primary creep and steady-state creep. The effects of creep stress, creep time, and humidity on the creep of composites that contain various proportion of CNTs were investigated at various temperatures.

Creep strain is believed to increase with applied stress, creep time, humidity, and temperature. It also increases as hardness decrease. The test results also indicate that mechanical strength and electrical conductivity increase with the amount of CNTs added to the composites. Different coefficients of expansion of the matrix, fiber and CNTs, are such that overexpansion of the matrix at high temperature results in cracking in it. An SEM image of the fracture surface reveals debonding and the pulling out of longitudinal fibers because of poor interfacial bonding between fiber and matrix, which reduce overall strength.

In this study, the AC magnetic permeability of polycrystalline Fe81Ga19 alloy (Galfenol), without crystal orientation under both the bias applied fields and frequencies, was investigated by the method of measuring inductance of ring specimens. The results showed that the AC permeability of the alloy can reach more than 160 Gs/Oe under the conditions of low frequencies or quasi-static state. The permeability decreased with the increase of frequency. When the frequency was higher than 6 kHz, the permeability decreased slowly, and gradually stabilized with the increase of frequency. When applying a little of parallel bias magnetic field, the permeability decreases obviously with the increase of frequency. But applying a perpendicular bias magnetic fields, the permeability of the only initial point of the measuring frequency decreases a little compared to the permeability without bias field.

We present analytical models for organic thin film transistors (OTFTs) and Schottky diodes based on polycrystalline semiconductors. The OTFT model is developed using a well-established approach previously developed for polysilicon, with slight modification for organics. The model predicts voltage and temperature dependencies on the various device and circuit parameters. A good agreement is obtained with experimental data of TIPS-based OTFTs. Essential parameters such as the characteristic temperature and Meyer-Neldel Energy extracted using the model with TIPS OTFTs data were in agreement with those obtained from Schottky diode measurements.

Swift heavy ion induced modifications on graphene were investigated by means of atomic force microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. For the experiment graphene was exfoliated onto different substrates (SrTiO3 (100), TiO2(100), Al2O3(1102) and 90 nm SiO2/Si) by the standard technique. After irradiation with heavy ions of 93 MeV kinetic energy and under glancing angles of incidence, characteristic folding structures are observed. The folding patterns on crystalline substrates are generally larger and are created with a higher efficiency than on the amorphous SiO2. This difference is attributed to the relatively large distance between graphene and SiO2 of d ≈ 1 nm.

We investigated the effects of tensile direction and periodic boundary condition (PBC) on the mechanical properties of single crystal diamond (SCD) under tensile loading, using MD simulations with the second-generation reactive empirical bond order (REBO) potential. We found that when the Poisson’s ratio is assumed to be constant under the canonical (NVT) ensemble and the PBC is applied to all directions of X, Y, and Z, each qualitative relation between a mechanical property such as tensile strength or Young’s modulus and the tensile direction is in agreement with both the results calculated by the first principle and by the cleavage energy method. In addition, we found that when the PBC is applied only to the Y direction under the NVT ensemble, each qualitative relation between a mechanical property and the tensile directions is in agreement with the MD results using the Tersoff potential.

Our results indicate that the second-generation REBO potential is also useful for MD simulations on the tension of diamond.

Adsorption and desorption kinetics of thin film formation on metal surfaces has been directly monitored in real-time by optically measuring the deflection of activated atomic force microscope microcantilevers. Microcantilever deflection is caused by stress generated during the formation of an adsorbate layer on one side of the microcantilever. In this work, rapid adsorption of carboxylic acid in hydrocarbon solvent onto a gold surface was directly observed as a compressive stress developed on the microcantilever substrate. Upon exposure to alkylthiol, acid desorbed and was displaced by alkylthiol; this process was continuously monitored in real-time. Experiments suggest that some film organization and intermolecular interaction are required before substantial surface stress can be detected.

We describe the biosynthesis and characterization of protein materialscomprised of two distinct self-assembling domains (SADs): elastin (E) foundin tissue for its elastic properties and cartilage oligomeric matrix proteincoiled-coil (COMPcc, C) predominantly locatedin joint and in bones. Based onearlier studies on protein block polymers comprised these two SADs,orientation and number of blocks play a crucial role in the overallstimuli-responsive supramolecular assembly behavior. Here we fabricate arange of EnC and CEn block polymers in which the Edomain is systematically truncated to explore the effects of the E domain onthe overall physicochemical behavior.

This paper presents a systematic investigation of AlN nanowire synthesis by chemical vapor deposition using Al and NH3 on SiO2/Si substrate and direct nitridation of mixture of Al-Al2O3 by NH3. A wide variety of catalyst materials, in both discrete nanoparticle and thin film forms, have been used (Co, Au, Ni, and Fe). The growth runs have been carried out at temperatures between 800 and 1100oC mainly under H2 as carrier gas. It was found that the most efficient catalyst in terms of nanowire formation yield was 20-nm Ni film. The AlN nanowire diameters are about 20-30 nm, about the same thickness as the Ni-film. Further studies of direct nitridation of mixture of Al-Al2O3 by NH3 have resulted in high density one-dimensional nanostructure networks at 1100oC. It was observed that catalyst-free nanostructures resulted from the direct nitridation were significantly longer than that with catalysts. The analysis of the grown nanowires has been carried out by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and x-ray diffraction.

This study describes a low-energy atom scattering system that was combined with a time-of-flight spectrometer for insulator surface structural analysis. We show one example. MgO(001) crystal was used to study the surface analysis technique and is illustrated here. Insulator surface structure is difficult to study because of the charging effects during electron or ion-beam bombardment. Nevertheless, structural analysis of insulator surfaces is very important in fundamental research as well as in technology fields.

Macro/meso/microporous carbon monoliths doped with sulfur have been prepared from sulfonated polydivinylbenzene networks followed by the activation with CO2 resulted in the activated carbon monoliths with high surface area of 2400 m2 g−1. The monolithic electrode of the activated carbon shows remarkably high specific capacitance (175 F g−1 at 5 mV s−1 and 206 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1).

The fabrication and characterization of released cantilevers in new multilayer thin films architectures is reported. In contrast to previous works, the cantilevers are produced without etching of the substrate and are based on lead free piezoelectric materials. The three architectures are: SrRuO3/BaTiO3/MgO/SrTiO3/YBa2Cu3O7, SrRuO3/BaTiO3/SrRuO3/YBa2Cu3O7 and SrRuO3/BaTiO3/SrRuO3/SrTiO3/YBa2Cu3O7. It is shown that the different architectures allow a choice of the orientation of the polar axis in piezoelectric layers, in plane (d33 mode) or out of plane (d31 mode). Both configurations may be utilized in piezoelectric energy harvesting devices. Released cantilevers with the above layer sequences have been produced with lengths ranging from, 100 μm to 250 μm. The residual stress after the release of the cantilevers produces an upward bending, the distance between the cantilever tips and the substrate varies between 20 μm and 45 μm. This distance would allow the sufficient vibration amplitude to enable the cantilevers to be used as micro-generators. Measurements of Young Modulus of the cantilevers and of polarization hysteresis loop are reported.

We report Fe-42%Ni as a novel high-performance substrate for a-IGZO TFT fabrication after evaluating 8 different metals for chemical compatibility, mechanical flexing and dimensional stability. Excellent flexibility and rollability indicates that Fe-42%Ni would be a good choice as flexible substrate for R2R process. Pre-annealing process for stabilizing the substrate is studied and applied to the Fe-42%Ni foil before TFT fabrication. Staggered bottom gate a-IGZO TFTs which were fabricated on this substrate have field effect mobility of 12 cm2/V.s, threshold voltage of 2V, sub-threshold swing of 0.6V/decade and on/off current ratio exceeding 107.