Biocompatibility of polypropylene non-woven fabric membrane via UV-induced graft polymerization of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid

This work described the graft polymerization of a sulfonic acid terminated monomer, 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS), onto the surface of polypropylene non-woven (NWF PP) membrane by O₂ plasma pretreatment and UV-induced photografting method. The chemical structure and composition of the modified surfaces were analyzed by FTIR-ATR and XPS, respectively. The wettability was investigated by water contact angle and equilibrium water adsorption. And the biocompatibility of the modified NWF PP membranes was evaluated by protein adsorption and platelet adhesion. It was found that the graft density increased with prolonging UV irradiation time and increasing AMPS concentration; the water contact angles of the membranes decreased from 124° to 26° with the increasing grafting density of poly(AMPS) from 0 to 884.2 μg cm⁻², while the equilibrium water adsorption raised from 5 wt% to 75 wt%; the protein absorption was effectively suppressed with the introduction of poly(AMPS) even at the low grafting density (132.4 μg cm⁻²); the number of platelets adhering to the modified membrane was dramatically reduced when compared with that on its virgin surface. These results indicated that surface modification of NWF PP membrane with AMPS was a facile approach to construct biocompatible surface.     

Silicon donor and Stokes terahertz lasers

Two types of lasers based on hydrogen-like impurity-related transitions in bulk silicon operate at frequencies between 1 and 7 THz (wavelength range of 50-230 μm). These lasers operate under mid-infrared optical pumping of n-doped silicon crystals at low temperatures (<30 K). Dipole-allowed optical transitions between particular excited states of group-V substitutional donors are utilized in the first type of terahertz silicon lasers. These lasers have a gain ∼1-3 cm⁻¹ above the laser thresholds (>1 kW cm⁻²) and provide 10 ps-1 μs pulses with a few mW output power on discrete lines. Raman-type Stokes stimulated emission in the range 4.6-5.8 THz has been observed from silicon crystals doped by antimony and phosphorus donors when optically excited by radiation from a tunable infrared free electron laser. The scattering occurs on the 1s(E)→1s(A₁) donor electronic transition accompanied by an emission of the intervalley transverse acoustic g-phonon. The Stokes lasing has a peak power of a few tenths of a mW and a pulse width of a few ns. The Raman optical gain is about 7.4 cm GW⁻¹ and the optical threshold intensity is ∼100 kW cm⁻².     

Investigation of 2.0 μm emission in Tm and Ho co-doped oxyfluoride tellurite glass

This paper reports 2.0 μm emission properties of Tm³⁺/Ho³⁺ co-doped oxyfluoride tellurite glass exited by 808 nm laser diode (LD). Mid-infrared transmittance property of glass was investigated by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer. The real chemical composition of investigated glass was identified by X-ray photoelectric spectroscopy (XPS). Thermal stability of the glass was determined by differential thermal analysis (DTA) measurement. The Judd-Ofelt parameters, spontaneous radiative transition probabilities, branching ratios and radiative lifetime of Ho³⁺ were calculated based on the absorption spectra by using Judd-Ofelt theory. Results indicate that the maximum 2.0 μm emission intensity attributed to the ⁵I₇→⁵I₈ transition of Ho³⁺ was achieved at 1.5 mol% Tm₂O₃ and 1 mol% Ho₂O₃ concentrations in oxyfluoride tellurite glass. OH⁻ absorption at 3000 cm⁻¹ was greatly depressed by introduction of 10 mol% F⁻. The maximum absorption and stimulated emission cross-section of Ho³⁺ near 2.0 μm are 7.0×10⁻²¹ cm² at 1950 nm and 8.8×10⁻²¹ cm² at 2048 nm, respectively. The calculated radiative lifetime of 4.4 ms for ⁵I₇→⁵I₈ transition and large stimulated emission cross-section of the Tm³⁺/Ho³⁺ co-doped oxyfluoride tellurite glass indicate that the glass has a potential application in efficient 2.0 μm laser.     

Surface modifications of crystalline silicon created by high intensity 1064 nm picosecond Nd:YAG laser pulses

A study of silicon modification induced by a high intensity picosecond Nd:YAG laser, emitting at 1064 nm, is presented. It is shown that laser intensities in the range of 5 × 10¹⁰-0.7 × 10¹² W cm⁻² drastically modified the silicon surface. The main modifications and effects can be considered as the appearance of a crater, hydrodynamic/deposition features, plasma, etc. The highest intensity of ∼0.7 × 10¹² W cm⁻² leads to the burning through a 500 μm thick sample. At these intensities, the surface morphology exhibits the transpiring of the explosive boiling/phase explosion (EB) in the interaction area. The picosecond Nd:YAG laser-silicon interaction was typically accompanied by massive ejection of target material in the surrounding environment. The threshold for the explosive boiling/phase explosion (TEB) was estimated to be in the interval 1.0 × 10¹⁰ W cm⁻² < TEB ≤ 3.8 × 10¹⁰ W cm⁻².     

Diffusion of ions in supercritical water: Dependence on ion size and solvent density and roles of voids and necks

We have performed molecular dynamics simulations of alkali metal (Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Rb⁺, Cs⁺) and halide (F⁻, Cl⁻, Br⁻, I⁻) ions in supercritical water at 673 K. The calculations were done for water at three different densities of 1.0, 0.7 and 0.35 g cm⁻³ to investigate the effects of solute size on the diffusion of ions in supercritical water. On increase of ion size, we observe a maximum for diffusion of ions in supercritical water of higher densities (1.0 and 0.7 g cm⁻³). However, no such maximum is found for ion diffusion in the supercritical water of low density (0.35 g cm⁻³) or for diffusion of neutral solutes at all densities. These results are analyzed in terms of passage through voids and necks present in supercritical water. Correlations of the observed diffusion behavior with the sizes of ions and voids present in the systems are discussed.     

Annealing ambient on the evolution of He-induced voids in silicon

The effects of annealing ambient on the He-induced voids in silicon were investigated using the combination of the Doppler broadening spectroscopy using a variable-energy positron beam and cross-section transmission electron microscopy (XTEM). A 〈1 0 0〉-oriented silicon wafer was implanted with He ions at an energy of 15 keV to a dose of 2 × 10¹⁶ cm⁻² at room temperature. Post-implantation, the samples were annealed at a temperature of 1000 °C in the ambient of vacuum, argon, nitrogen, air and oxygen. Positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS) spectra varied with the annealing ambient. XTEM micrographs demonstrated that the density of He-induced voids could be influenced by the annealing ambient.     

Empirical line parameters of methane from 1.1 to 2.1 μm

To provide line parameters for the near-infrared methane spectrum, 35,306 line positions and intensities at room temperature were retrieved between 6180 and 9200 cm⁻¹, along with 4936 lines between 4800 and 5500 cm⁻¹. For this, laboratory absorption spectra were recorded at 0.010-0.022 cm⁻¹ resolution using the McMath-Pierce Fourier Transform Spectrometer located on Kitt Peak in Arizona. Positions were calibrated using CO transitions at 2.3 and 1.6 μm and H₂O lines at 1.9 and 1.3 μm. The minimum line intensity included was 3.7×10⁻²⁶ cm⁻¹/(molecule cm⁻²), and the combined sum of the intensities in these two intervals was 7.085×10⁻²⁰ cm⁻¹/(molecule cm⁻²) at 296 (±4) K. Quantum assignments from the literature were matched for 1% of the features, and a new methane database was compiled for the near-infrared.     

Periodic patterning of silicon by direct nanosecond laser interference ablation

The production of periodic structures in silicon wafers by four-beam is presented. Because laser interference ablation is a single-step and cost-effective process, there is a great technological interest in the fabrication of these structures for their use as antireflection surfaces. Three different laser fluences are used to modify the silicon surface (0.8 J cm⁻², 1.3 J cm⁻², 2.0 J cm⁻²) creating bumps in the rim of the irradiated area. Laser induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS), in particular micro and nano-ripples, are also observed. Measurements of the reflectivity show a decrease in the reflectance for the samples processed with a laser fluence of 2.0 J cm⁻², probably caused by the appearance of the nano-ripples in the structured area, while bumps start to deteriorate.     

Thin film magnetoelectric composites near spin reorientation transition

We report the use of a magnetic instability of the spin reorientation transition type to enhance the magnetoelectric sensitivity in magnetostrictive-piezoelectric structures. We present the theoretical study of a clamped beam resonant actuator composed of a piezoelectric element on a passive substrate actuated by a magnetostrictive nanostructured layer. The experiments were made on a polished 150 μm thick 18×3 mm² lead zirconate titanate (PZT) plate glued to a 50 μm thick silicon plate and coated with a giant magnetostrictive nanostructured Nx(TbCo_{2 5nm}/FeCo_5nm) layer. A second set of experiments was done with magnetostrictive layer deposited on PZT plate. Finally, a film/film structure using magnetostrictive and aluminium nitride films on silicon substrate was realized, and showed ME amplitudes reaching 30 V Oe⁻¹ cm⁻¹. Results agree with analytical theory.     

Study on structural properties of epitaxial silicon films on annealed double layer porous silicon

In this paper, epitaxial silicon films were grown on annealed double layer porous silicon by LPCVD. The evolvement of the double layer porous silicon before and after thermal annealing was investigated by scanning electron microscope. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy were used to investigate the structural properties of the epitaxial silicon thin films grown at different temperature and different pressure. The results show that the surface of the low-porosity layer becomes smooth and there are just few silicon-bridges connecting the porous layer and the substrate wafer. The qualities of the epitaxial silicon thin films become better along with increasing deposition temperature. All of the Raman peaks of silicon films with different deposition pressure are situated at 521 cm⁻¹ under the deposition temperature of 1100 °C, and the Raman intensity of the silicon film deposited at 100 Pa is much closer to that of the monocrystalline silicon wafer. The epitaxial silicon films are all (4 0 0)-oriented and (4 0 0) peak of silicon film deposited at 100 Pa is more symmetric.     

Fabrication of high hole-carrier density p-type ZnO thin films by N-Al co-doping

In order to obtain p-type ZnO thin films, effect of atomic ratio of Zn:N:Al on the electronic and structural characteristic of ZnO thin films was investigated. Hall measurement indicated that with the increase of Al doping, conductive type of as-grown ZnO thin films changed from n-type to p-type and then to n-type again, reasons are discussed in details. Results of X-ray diffraction revealed that co-doped ZnO thin films have similar crystallization characteristic (0 0 2 preferential orientation) like that of un-doping. However, SEM measurement indicated that co-doped ZnO thin films have different surface morphology compared with un-doped ZnO thin films. p-type ZnO thin films with high hole concentration were obtained on glass (4.6 × 10¹⁸ cm⁻³) and n-type silicon (7.51 × 10¹⁹ cm⁻³), respectively.     

Field emission from patterned SnO2 nanostructures

A simple and reliable method has been developed for synthesizing finely patterned tin dioxide (SnO₂) nanostructure arrays on silicon substrates. A patterned Au catalyst film was prepared on the silicon wafer by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering and photolithographic patterning processes. The patterned SnO₂ nanostructures arrays, a unit area is of ∼500 μm × 200 μm, were synthesized via vapor phase transport method. The surface morphology and composition of the as-synthesized SnO₂ nanostructures were characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The mechanism of formation of SnO₂ nanostructures was also discussed. The measurement of field emission (FE) revealed that the as-synthesized SnO₂ nanorods, nanowires and nanoparticles arrays have a lower turn-on field of 2.6, 3.2 and 3.9 V/μm, respectively, at the current density of 0.1 μA/cm². This approach must have a wide variety of applications such as fabrications of micro-optical components and micropatterned oxide thin films used in FE-based flat panel displays, sensor arrays and so on.     

Formation mechanism of Si(1 0 0) surface morphology in alkaline fluoride solutions

Formation mechanism of Si(1 0 0) surface morphology in alkaline fluoride solutions was investigated both theoretically and experimentally. By analysis of Raman spectra of silicon wafer surfaces and three kinds of etching solutions (NaOH, NaOH/NH₄F, and NaOH/NH₄F/Na₂CO₃) with and without addition of Na₂SiO₃·9H₂O, no Si-F bond is formed, F⁻ and CO₃²⁻ ions accelerate the condensation of Si-OH groups. Based on experimental results, it is proposed that bare silicon and silicon oxide coexist at the wafer surface during etching process and silicon oxide of different structure, size, and site at the surface manufacture different surface morphology in alkaline fluoride solution.     

Crystallization of 21.25Gd2O3-63.75MoO3-15B2O3 glass induced by femtosecond laser at the repetition rate of 250 kHz

We report the formation of β′-Gd₂(MoO₄)₃ (GMO) crystal on the surface of the 21.25Gd₂O₃-63.75MoO₃-15B₂O₃ glass, induced by 250 kHz, 800 nm femtosecond laser irradiation. The morphology of the modified region in the glass was clearly examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). By micro-Raman spectra, the laser-induced crystals were confirmed to be GMO phases and it is found that these crystals have a strong dependence on the number and power of the femtosecond laser pulses. When the irradiation laser power was 900 mW, not only the Raman peaks of GMO crystals but also some new peaks at 214 cm⁻¹, 240 cm⁻¹, 466 cm⁻¹, 664 cm⁻¹ and 994 cm⁻¹which belong to the MoO₃ crystals were observed. The possible mechanisms are proposed to explain these phenomena.     

Observation of fast sound in metal-nonmetal transition in liquid Hg

Liquid Hg undergoes the metal-nonmetal (M-NM) transition when it is expanded from 13.6 g cm⁻³ at ambient conditions to 9 g cm⁻³ at high temperature and high pressure. To investigate collective and single particle motions in expanded fluid Hg, we have made inelastic X-ray scattering experiments and obtained the dynamic structure factor, S(Q,ω), of fluid Hg. We analyzed S(Q,ω) within the framework of generalized hydrodynamics and found that the excitation energies of collective modes disperse three times as fast as the hydrodynamic sound velocity in the M-NM transition region at 9 g cm⁻³. The results indicate the existence of fast sound in expanded fluid Hg accompanying the metal-non-metal transition and strongly hint that fluctuations intrinsic to the M-NM transition are induced on atomic length scale and sub-picosecond time scale.     

Preliminary analysis of CH3D from 3250 to 3700 cm

The infrared spectrum of CH₃D from 3250 to 3700 cm⁻¹ was studied for the first time to assign transitions involving the ν₂ + ν₃, ν₂ + ν₅, ν₂ + ν₆, ν₃ + 2ν₆ and 3ν₆ vibrational states. Line positions and intensities were measured at 0.011 cm⁻¹ resolution using Fourier transform spectra recorded at Kitt Peak with isotopically enriched samples. Some 2852 line positions (involving over 900 upper state levels) and 874 line intensities were reproduced with RMS values of 0.0009 cm⁻¹ and 4.6%, respectively. The strongest bands were found to be ν₂ + ν₃ at 3499.7 cm⁻¹ and ν₂ + ν₆ at 3342.5 cm⁻¹ with integrated strengths, respectively, of 8.17 × 10⁻²⁰ and 2.44 × 10⁻²⁰ (cm⁻¹/molecule · cm⁻²) at 296 K (for 100% CH₃D). The effective Hamiltonian was expressed in terms of irreducible tensor operators and adapted to symmetric top molecules. Its present configuration in the MIRS package permitted simultaneous consideration of the four lowest polyads of CH₃D: the Ground State (G.S.), the Triad from 6.3 to 9.5 μm, the Nonad from 3.1 to 4.8 μm and now the Enneadecad (19 bands) from 2.2 to 3.1 μm. The CH₃D line parameters for this interval were calculated to create a new database for the 3 μm region.     

Local chemical transformations in poly(dimethylsiloxane) by irradiation with 248 and 266 nm

Poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) has been irradiated with a frequency quadrupled Nd:YAG laser and a KrF^*-excimer laser at a repetition rate of 1 Hz. The analysis of ablation depth versus pulse number data reveals a pronounced incubation behavior. The thresholds of ablation (266 nm: 210 mJ cm⁻², 248 nm: 940 mJ cm⁻²) and the corresponding effective absorption coefficients α_eff (266 nm: 48900 cm⁻¹, 248 nm: 32700 cm⁻¹, α_lin = 2 cm⁻¹) were determined. The significant differences in the ablation thresholds for both irradiation wavelengths are probably due to the different pulse lengths of both lasers. Since the shorter pulse length yields a lower ablation threshold, the observed incubation can be due to a thermally induced and/or a multi-photon absorption processes of the material or impurities in the polymer.Incubation of polymers is normally related to changes of the chemical structure of the polymer. In the case of PDMS, incubation is associated with local chemical transformations up to several hundred micrometers below the polymer surface. It is possible to study these local chemical transformations by confocal Raman microscopy, because PDMS is transparent in the visible. The domains of transformation consist of carbon and silicon, as indicated by the appearance of the carbon D- and G-bands between 1310 and 1610 cm⁻¹, a band appearing between 502 and 520 cm⁻¹ can be assigned to mono- and/or polycrystalline silicon.The ablation products, which are detected in the surroundings of the ablation crater consist of carbon and amorphous SiO_x (x ≈ 1.5) as detected by infrared spectroscopy.     

Near-infrared emissions and quantum efficiencies in Tm-doped heavy metal gallate glasses for S- and U-band amplifiers and 1.8 μm infrared laser

Intense 1.8 μm and efficient 1.48 μm infrared emissions have been recorded in Tm³⁺-doped alkali-barium-bismuth-gallate (LKBBG) glasses with low phonon energies under the excitation of 792 nm diode laser. The maximum emission cross-sections for 1.8 and 1.48 μm emission bands are derived to be 6.26×10⁻²¹ and 3.34×10⁻²¹ cm², respectively, and the peak values are much higher than those in Tm³⁺-doped ZBLAN glass. In low-concentration doping, the full-widths at half-maximum (FWHMs) of the two emission bands are 223 and 122 nm, and the quantum efficiencies of the ³F₄ and ³H₄ levels are proved to be ∼100% and 86%, respectively. When the doping concentration increases to 1 wt%, the quantum efficiency of the ³H₄ level is reduced to 60% due to the cross-relaxation processes in high-concentration doping. Efficient 1.8 μm infrared emission in Er³⁺/Tm³⁺-codoped LKBBG glass has also been achieved under the excitation of 970 nm diode laser, and the probability and the efficiency of non-radiative energy transfer from Er³⁺ to Tm³⁺ are as high as 354 s⁻¹ and 58.4%, respectively. Efficient and broad 1.8 and 1.48 μm infrared emission bands indicate that Tm³⁺-doped LKBBG glasses are suitable materials in developing S- and U-band amplifiers and 1.8 μm infrared laser.     

Generation of tunable infrared radiation in rubidium titanyl phosphate crystal for the optical measurement of number density, absorption cross-section of methane gas

Tunable near-infrared radiation has been generated in a rubidium titany1 phosphate (RTP) crystal by employing non-collinear difference-frequency mixing (DFM) technique. The input radiation sources are Nd:YAG laser radiation and its second harmonic pumped dye laser radiation. For the generation of 2.0 radiation, the maximum value of the conversion efficiency (quantum) obtained in the process is 49% from the dye (0.6945 μm) to the infrared (2.0 μm) radiation in the 7.9-mm-long crystal. The generated tunable mid-infrared radiation has been used to measure the number density, absorption cross-section and minimum detectable concentration of methane gas in its 2ν₃ band in a multi-pass cell at 30.075 Torr pressure. The number density and column density of the methane molecules are found to be 1.068×10¹⁸ cm⁻³ and 3.02×10²¹ cm⁻², respectively, whereas the minimum still-detectable concentration at 1.658 μm wavelength is estimated to be 4.523×10¹⁷/cm³.     

The application of Raman and anti-stokes Raman spectroscopy for in situ monitoring of structural changes in laser irradiated titanium dioxide materials

The use of Raman and anti-stokes Raman spectroscopy to investigate the effect of exposure to high power laser radiation on the crystalline phases of TiO₂ has been investigated. Measurement of the changes, over several time integrals, in the Raman and anti-stokes Raman of TiO₂ spectra with exposure to laser radiation is reported. Raman and anti-stokes Raman provide detail on both the structure and the kinetic process of changes in crystalline phases in the titania material. The effect of laser exposure resulted in the generation of increasing amounts of the rutile crystalline phase from the anatase crystalline phase during exposure. The Raman spectra displayed bands at 144 cm⁻¹ (A1g), 197 cm⁻¹ (Eg), 398 cm⁻¹ (B1g), 515 cm⁻¹ (A1g), and 640 cm⁻¹ (Eg) assigned to anatase which were replaced by bands at 143 cm⁻¹ (B1g), 235 cm⁻¹ (2 phonon process), 448 cm⁻¹ (Eg) and 612 cm⁻¹ (A1g) which were assigned to rutile. This indicated that laser irradiation of TiO₂ changes the crystalline phase from anatase to rutile. Raman and anti-stokes Raman are highly sensitive to the crystalline forms of TiO₂ and allow characterisation of the effect of laser irradiation upon TiO₂. This technique would also be applicable as an in situ method for monitoring changes during the laser irradiation process.