Comment on “Role of the velocity frame of reference in thermodiffusion in liquid mixtures” by M. Eslamian,C.G. Jiang and M.Z. Saghir

We analyze the material transport equations (MTE) derived by Eslamian and co-authors and address the criticism expressed regarding the approach formulated in our previous work. In doing so, we show that the MTE formulated by Eslamian and co-authors are valid only in closed stationary non-isothermal systems in combination with the restrictions on the Onsager coefficients formulated in our work which is criticized, and that for non-stationary systems the approach we took can be used.     

Molecular scale electronic devices using single molecules and molecular monolayers

Molecular electronic devices that utilize single molecules or molecular monolayers as active electronic components represent a promising approach in the ongoing miniaturization and integration of electronic devices. Rapid advances in technology have enabled us to engineer molecular electronic devices with diverse functionalities. Significant progress has been made in understanding charge transport in molecular systems at the single-molecule level, and concomitantly, new device concepts have emerged. This review article focuses on experimental aspects of electronic devices made with single molecules or molecular monolayers, with a primary focus on the characterization and manipulation of charge transport.     

Oxide magnetic semiconductors： Materials, properties, and devices

We give a brief introduction to the oxide （ZnO, TiO2, In2O3, SnO2, etc.）-based magnetic semiconductors from fundamental material aspects through fascinating magnetic, transport, and optical properties, particularly at room temperature, to promising device applications. The origin of the observed ferromagnetism is also discussed, with a special focus on first-principles investigations of the exchange interactions between transition metal dopants in oxide-based magnetic semiconductors.     

Spin Chern numbers and time-reversal-symmetry-broken quantum spin Hall effect

The quantum spin Hall （QSH） effect is considered to be unstable to perturbations violating the time-reversal （TR） symmetry. We review some recent developments in the search of the QSH effect in the absence of the TR symmetry. The possibility to realize a robust QSH effect by artificial removal of the TR symmetry of the edge states is explored. As a useful tool to characterize topological phases without the TR symmetry, the spin-Chern number theory is introduced.     

Spin gapless armchair graphene nanoribbons under magnetic field and uniaxial strain

Using Green＇s function method, we investigate the spin transport properties of armchair graphene nanoribbons （AG- NRs） under magnetic field and uniaxial strain. Our results show that it is very difficult to transform narrow AGNRs directly from semiconductor to spin gapless semiconductors （SGS） by applying magnetic fields. However, as a uniaxial strain is exerted on the nanoribbons, the AGNRs can transform to SGS by a small magnetic field. The combination mode be- tween magnetic field and uniaxial strain displays a nonmonotonic arch-pattern relationship. In addition, we find that the combination mode is associated with the widths of nanoribbons, which exhibits group behaviors.     

Thermal recrystallization of physical vapor deposition based germanium thin films on bulk silicon (100)

We demonstrate a simple, low‐cost, and scalable process for obtaining uniform, smooth surfaced, high quality mono‐crystalline germanium (100) thin films on silicon (100). The germanium thin films were deposited on a silicon substrate using plasma‐assisted sputtering based physical vapor deposition. They were crystallized by annealing at various temperatures ranging from 700 °C to 1100 °C. We report that the best quality germanium thin films are obtained above the melting point of germanium (937 °C), thus offering a method for in‐situ Czochralski process. We show well‐behaved high‐κ /metal gate metal–oxide–semiconductor capacitors (MOSCAPs) using this film. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Combustion mechanism of ultralean rotating counterflow twin premixed flame

In our previous numerical studies [Nishioka Makihito, Zhenyu Shen, and Akane Uemichi. “Ultra-lean combustion through the backflow of burned gas in rotating counterflow twin premixed flames.” Combustion and Flame 158.11 (2011): 2188–2198. Uemichi Akane, and Makihito Nishioka. “Numerical study on ultra-lean rotating counterflow twin premixed flame of hydrogen–air.” Proceedings of the Combustion Institute 34.1 (2013): 1135–1142]. we found that methane– and hydrogen–air rotating counterflow twin flames (RCTF) can achieve ultralean combustion when backward flow of burned gas occurs due to the centrifugal force created by rotation. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms of ultralean combustion in these flames by the detailed numerical analyses of the convective and diffusive transport of the main species. We found that, under ultralean conditions, the diffusive transport of fuel exceeds its backward convective transport in the flame zone, which is located on the burned-gas side of the stagnation point. In contrast, the relative magnitudes of diffusive and convective transport for oxygen are reversed compared to those for the fuel. The resulting flows for fuel and oxygen lead to what we call a ‘net flux imbalance’. This net flux imbalance increases the flame temperature and concentrations of active radicals. For hydrogen–air RCTF, a very large diffusivity of hydrogen enhances the net flux imbalance, significantly increasing the flame temperature. This behaviour is intrinsic to a very lean premixed flame in which the reaction zone is located in the backflow of its own burned gas.     

Space-charge-limited currents and photoconductive properties of Tl2InGaSe4 layered crystals

The extrinsic electronic parameters of Tl₂InGaSe₄ layered crystals were investigated through measurement of the temperature-dependent dark conductivity, space-charge-limited currents and photoconductivity. Analysis of the dark conductivity reveals the existence of two extrinsic energy levels at 0.40 and 0.51 eV below the conduction band edge, which are dominant above and below 260 K, respectively. Current–voltage characteristics show that the one at 0.51 eV is a trapping energy level with a concentration of (4.8–7.7) × 10¹⁰ cm^?3. Photoconductivity measurements reveal the existence of another energy level located at 0.16 eV. In the studied temperature range, the photocurrent increases with increasing temperature. The dependence of the photoconductivity on the incident light intensity exhibits a linear recombination character near room temperature and a supralinear character as the temperature decreases. The change in recombination mechanism is attributed to an exchange in the behavior of sensitizing and recombination centres.     

Cost-Effective Migration from Sub-Lambda to Wavelength-Based Metro Networks

This article will discuss the importance of hybrid coexistence of sub-lambda grooming with wavelength-based services for driving down costs and maximizing the use of metro bandwidth, as well as enabling next-generation lambda-based services. The article will also address migration to all optical metro networks.     

Mesoscopic transport equations and contemporary thermodynamics: an introduction

The local equilibrium hypothesis is a very successful basis for non-equilibrium thermodynamics over a wide range of phenomena and physical situations. However, the increasing interest in small systems in nanotechnology, in rarefied gases in high-altitude aeronautics, in high-frequency behaviour in information processing, or the search for new materials with sophisticated internal microstructures and tailored thermal properties have led one to ask about the limits of validity of this hypothesis, and to go beyond it. Here we do so in a constructive way, i.e. not only pointing out at these limits, but also embedding the local-equilibrium theory in a more general framework which explicitly exhibits these limits and suggests how to go beyond them, in search for a wider range of applications and a deeper understanding of the foundations.