Ultrasonic evaluation of creep damage of Cr-Mo-V steel by acoustic microscopy

The evaluation of creep damages of Cr-Mo-V steel used in the gas turbine of power plant has been carried out using the line-focus-beam (LFB) acoustic microscopy. The velocity of leaky surface acoustic wave (LSAW) propagated near the specimen surface was used for the quantitative evaluations, which was measured by LFB acoustic microscopy using the v(z) curve analysis method. It has been shown that with the increase of creep damage fraction of metal material the LSAW velocity decreases obviously, which suggests the possibility of nondestructive and quantitative evaluations of creed damages in metal materials by acoustic microscopy.     

Studies of imaging experiment for photon scanning tunneling microscopy

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Quantitative Lorentz transmission electron microscopy of structured thin permalloy films

The defocusing of images of ferromagnetic particles in the transmission electron microscope gives rise to magnetic contrast (Lorentz microscopy). We have developed a theory which allows from this contrast to determine quantitatively the distribution of the magnetic fields of the specimen. The measurements were performed on permalloy particles of disc (diameter 50 nm), and rectangular (25×50 nm² and 50×50 nm²) shapes, thickness of 21 nm. These particles had a vortex and Landau–Lifshitz structure, respectively. The determined value of the magnetic induction in the material amounted to 1.1±0.1 T. The stray fields in angular sectors of the rectangular particles reached 0.35±0.05 T. The width of the 90° Néel wall between domains turned out to be equal to 4.5±0.5 nm.     

Field—ion microscopy observation of single—walled carbon nanotubes

Field-ion microscopy(FIM),a tool for surface analysis with atomic resolution,has been employed to observe the end structure of single-walled carbon nanotubes(SWCNTs).FIM images revealed the existence of open SWCNT ends,Amorphous carbon atoms were also observed to occur around SWCNTs and traditional field evaporation failed to remove them.Heat treatment was found to be efficacious in altering the end structures of SWCNT bundles.Carbon and oxygen atoms released from heated tungsten filament are believed to be responsible for the decoration imposed on the SWCNT ends.     

Nonlinear optical characterization of single β-barium-borate nanocrystals using second-harmonic confocal microscopy

The confocal microscopy technique was applied for nonlinear optical characterization of single β-barium-borate(β-BBO) nanocrystals. The experimental setup allows measurements of the laser polarization-selective secondharmonic(SH) generation, and the results can be used to determine the nanocrystals' c-axis orientation, as well as to obtain information about their second-order susceptibility χ~(2). The dependence of the SH signal on the laser polarization allowed the discrimination of individual particles from aggregates. The data were fitted using a model that takes into account the BBO properties and the experimental setup characteristics considering(i) the electrostatic approximation,(ii) the effects of the microscope objective used to focus the light on the sample in an epi-geometry configuration, and(iii) the symmetry of χ~(2) for the β-BBO nanocrystals. A signal at the third-harmonic frequency was also detected, but it was too weak to be studied in detail.     

First-principles modelling of scanning tunneling microscopy using non-equilibrium Green’s functions

The investigation of electron transport processes in nano-scale architectures plays a crucial role in the development of surface chemistry and nano-technology. Experimentally, an important driving force within this research area has been the concurrent refinements of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) techniques. The theoretical treatment of the STM operation has traditionally been based on the Bardeen and Tersoff-Hamann methods which take as input the single-particle wave functions and eigenvalues obtained from finite cluster or slabs models of the surface-tip interface. Here, we present a novel STM simulation scheme based on non-equilibrium Green’s functions (NEGF) and Wannier functions which is both accurate and very efficient. The main novelty of the scheme compared to the Bardeen and Tersoff-Hamann approaches is that the coupling to the infinite (macroscopic) electrodes is taken into account. As an illustrating example we apply the NEGF-STM method to the Si(001)-(2×1):H surface with sub-surface P doping and discuss the results in comparison to the Bardeen and Tersoff-Hamann methods.     

First-principles modelling of scanning tunneling microscopy using non-equilibrium Green’s functions

The investigation of electron transport processes in nano-scale architectures plays a crucial role in the development of surface chemistry and nano-technology. Experimentally, an important driving force within this research area has been the concurrent refinements of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) techniques. The theoretical treatment of the STM operation has traditionally been based on the Bardeen and Tersoff–Hamann methods which take as input the single-particle wave functions and eigenvalues obtained from finite cluster or slabs models of the surface-tip interface. Here, we present a novel STM simulation scheme based on non-equilibrium Green’s functions (NEGF) and Wannier functions which is both accurate and very efficient. The main novelty of the scheme compared to the Bardeen and Tersoff–Hamann approaches is that the coupling to the infinite (macroscopic) electrodes is taken into account. As an illustrating example we apply the NEGF-STM method to the Si(001)-(2×1):H surface with sub-surface P doping and discuss the results in comparison to the Bardeen and Tersoff–Hamann methods.     

Transmission electron microscopy investigation of the atomic structure of interfaces in nanoscale Cu–Nb multilayers

Multilayers of Cu–Nb have been grown on a Nb seed layer on a Si (100) substrate using a magnetron sputtering technique. The bilayer period (Λ) was varied from 10 to 2.4 nm. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (XTEM) and high-resolution TEM (HRTEM) were used to study the detailed structure as a function of the bilayer period. Although the majority of the structures conformed to a Kurdjumov–Sachs (K–S) orientation relationship between the Cu and Nb layers, the structures exhibit considerable spatial variation. In some local regions, a Nishiyama–Wasserman (N–W) orientation relationship was found. In addition, considerable distortions were observed in both the Cu and Nb regions close to the interface. Using both HRTEM imaging and fast Fourier transform (FFT) of HRTEM images, early stage of the fcc to bcc transition in Cu was detected. The results suggest that, in multilayer structures, the detailed structure of the interface and large local distortions may play an important role in interface-controlled plasticity.     

Scanning tunneling microscopy study of molecular growth structures of Gd@C82 on Cu（111）

The coverage and temperature-dependent nucleation behaviors of the Gd@C82 metallofullerenes on Cu(111) have been studied by low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy (LT-STM) in detail. Upon molecular deposition at low temperature, Gd@C82 molecules preferentially decorate the steps and nucleate into single layer islands with increasing coverage. Further annealing treatment leads some of the Gd@C82 molecules to assemble into bright and dim patches, which are correlated to the adsorption induced substrate reconstruction. Upon sufficient thermal activation, Gd@C82 molecules sink into the Cu(111) surface one-copper-layer-deep, forming hexagonal close-packed molecular islands with intra-molecular details observed as striped patterns. By considering the commensurability between the Gd@C82 nearest-neighbor distance and the lattice of the underlying Cu(111), we clearly identified two kinds of in-plane molecular arrangements as (19(1/2)×19(1/2))R23.4°and (19(1/2)×19(1/2))R36.6°with respect to Cu(111). Within the assembled Gd@C82 molecular, island molecules with dim-bright contrast are spatially distributed, which may be modulated by the preexisted species on Cu(111).     

A study of nanostructure magnetosolid Nd–Ho–Fe–Co–B materials via atomic force microscopy and magnetic force microscopy

Nanostructure Nd–Ho–Fe–Co–B alloys have been probed via atomic force microscopy and magnetic force microscopy (AFM and MFM, respectively). The ribbon samples with a thickness of ~30 μm are prepared via the rapid solidification on a rotating copper barrel. A part of samples has been subjected to hydration, whereas another one has undergone severe plastic deformation. AFM was mainly used to study the contact and free surface of ribbon samples. This has enabled us to establish the topography, structure, defects of both sides, morphology of magnetic inclusions of the initial quenched samples and the materials subjected to the subsequent external effects. The AFM and MFM data allowed the magnetic hysteresis properties of the bulk samples with the identical composition to be interpreted.     

Investigation of the magnetic domain structure of （PtCoPt）／Si multilayers by magnetic force microscopy

The domain structure of (PtCoPt)/Si multilayers in the dc demagnetized state has been investigated by magnetic force microscopy.The domain structure is found to change dramatically as the thickness of the non-magnetic Si sublayer (tsi) increases.Together with the analysis of magnetic properties,the variation of the domain period indicates that the domain wall energy decreases.Using the model developed by Draaisma and de Jonge,the domain wall energy is obtained.     

Imaging theory of nonlinear second harmonic and third harmonic generations in confocal microscopy

ItisreportedrecentlythatnonlinearopticalphenomenonofSHGandTHGhasbeenobservedinmanybiologicaltissues[16].SHGandTHGhavebeenusedtoperformthethree-dimensionalimaginginlivingtissuesandhaveattractedmuchattentionrecently.TherearemanyadvantagesofusingSHGandTHGtoperformthethree-dimensionalimaginginlivingtissues,suchasnoninvasiveandnophotobleaching,inadditiontotheimagingpropertiesofmulti-photonfluorescenceimaging[7—9].Firstly,unlikeinthesingle-andmulti-photonfluorescenceprocesses,onlyvirtualstat…     

Evanescent wave scattering by aggregates of clusters – application to optical near-field microscopy

Extended Mie-theory is used to investigate scattering and extinction of evanescent waves by aggregates of clusters. In an application to apertureless near-field optical microscopy involving total internal reflection at the surface substrate–air, the variation of the scattered power is calculated when a silicon particle is scanned across single clusters or aggregates of clusters in the evanescent field. Metallic, dielectric, and semiconducting particles are taken into consideration, and the dependence on sizes, materials, and the wavelength is discussed. Received: 27 August 1999 / Revised version: 8 November 1999 / Published online: 1 March 2000     

Detection of internal cracks and ultrasound characterization of nanostructured Bi₂Te₃-based thermoelectrics via acoustic microscopy

The search for thermoelectric (TE) materials for highly efficient devices aims at improving the TE efficiency and broadening their areas of applications. We created nanostructured thermoelectric Bi-Sb-Te-family materials by high energy (ball milling) pre-treatment of the parent materials followed by high-pressure/high-temperature treatment. Bi_0.5Sb_1.5Te₃ compositions with the superfluous maintenance of tellurium was used for the synthesis of the samples with p-type electrical conductivity. Acoustic microscopy was used to study elastic properties and bulk irregularities and to detection of internal cracks both in the parent materials and in the created nanostructured samples. The data has been used for optimization of parameters of synthesis of nanostructured thermoelectrics.     

What is measured in the scanning gate microscopy of a quantum point contact?

The conductance change due to a local perturbation in a phase-coherent nanostructure is calculated. The general expressions to first and second order in the perturbation are applied to the scanning gate microscopy of a two-dimensional electron gas containing a quantum point contact. The first-order correction depends on two scattering states with electrons incoming from opposite leads and is suppressed on a conductance plateau; it is significant in the step regions. On the plateaus, the dominant second-order term likewise depends on scattering states incoming from both sides. It is always negative, exhibits fringes, and has a spatial decay consistent with experiments.     

In situ transmission electron microscopy observations of?the?crystallization of?amorphous?Ge?films

The crystallization of amorphous Ge films has been studied as a function of annealing temperature between 400 and 700°C by in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It is found that crystallization does not occur until the annealing temperature reaches 650°C, which is nearly 250°C higher than the crystallization temperature in previous reports. The high crystallization temperature and average crystal size obtained by in situ TEM are in agreement with those from Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction measurement. The kinetics analysis indicates that homogeneous nucleation is the dominant crystallization mode and the activation energy is up to about 3.1 eV.     

The multi-functional aspect microscopy： of scanning holographic a review（Invited Paper）

Recent developments in scanning holographic microscopy that offer the prospects of new quantitative tools and imaging modalities in bio, micro, and nano sciences are reviewed. The versatility of the method is emphasized. Scanning holography can operate in an incoherent mode for fluorescence imaging, in a coherent mode for quantitative phase imaging, or in a tomographic mode for axial sectioning and rejection of the out-of-focus haze. Possible applications are illustrated with examples, and future prospects are discussed.     

Atomic force microscopy of photochemistry and the Baeyer–Villiger reaction of 4,4′-dimethylbenzophenone in the solid state

Nanostructures are formed by photodimerization of crystalline 4,4^′-dimethylbenzophenone (1) through intermolecular hydrogen abstraction and Baeyer–Villiger reaction of 1 with m-chloroperoxybenzoic acid (MCPBA) (5) in the solid state. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) reveals that the crystal face (001) of 1 during photodimerization exhibits volcanoes, whereas the same face (001) of 1 yields both craters and volcanoes all over the surface from the contact edge of the crystals during the Baeyer–Villiger reaction. All the experimental results are correlated with the bulk crystal structure. Molecular interpretation of the AFM features of 1 is given. Received: 18 April 2000 / Revised version: 26 July 2000; accepted: 27 July 2000 / Published online: 30 November 2000