Capped semiconductor nanocrystals for device applications

For device purpose, our main aim is to synthesise material which is chemically and thermally stable, as well as enhancement in luminescence properties followed with matching lattice parameters. This can be achieved by precisely controlling the size of semiconductor nanocrystals which can create an opportunity for producing functional materials with new properties. Here we showed advantages of using both organic and inorganic capping agents. We reported two synthesis routes, one will lead to nanocomposites and other to Core/Shell nanostructures. Our mechanism consists of two stages: core nanoparticle formation and shell growth. Gibbs free energy of hydration of Zn+2 gives more clarity for shell growth over core rather than ion displacement from core. Colloidal films comprising of nanocrystalline CdS/ZnS were fabricated by the dip coating method. A blue shift in energy level at the nanoscale is demonstrated by optical absorption. Electron microscopy studies with an SEM and TEM show a particle size of 10 nm and diffraction patterns show a crystalline nature. Absence of lattice mismatching is one of the important parameter for device fabrication, which is confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. Overall reduction in optical absorption due to blue shift is expected to result in higher performance, especially in short-circuit currents in CdS/CdTe solar cells.     

Effect of thermal annealing on the formation of silicon nanoclusters in SiOX films grown by PLD

Silicon nanoclusters formation in pulsed laser deposited (PLD) silicon suboxide (SiO_X) films by thermal annealing is reported. The SiO_X films are prepared by ablation of silicon target at different oxygen partial pressures. The different deposition conditions are employed to study the effect of oxygen concentration on the size of the nanoclusters. Post deposition thermal annealing of the films leads to the phase separation in silicon suboxide films. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, micro-Raman spectroscopy and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy studies were carried out to characterize the formation of silicon nanoclusters in SiO_X films.     

Asynchronous neural activity recorded from the round window

Voltage recorded from an electrode on the round window (RW) of guinea pig has characteristics that reflect the activity of auditory-nerve fibers in the absence of acoustic stimulation. Fast Fourier transformation (FFT) of the noise recorded from the RW electrode shows a broad spectral peak from 0.8-1.0 kHz. The magnitude of the biological noise is increased by high-frequency, bandlimited acoustic noise stimulation. Pure tones can suppress or enhance the spectral components around 0.8-1.0 kHz depending on frequency and intensity. Kainic acid applied to the intact RW membrane eliminates the biological noise (and the evoked cochlear whole-nerve responses) without alteration of the cochlear microphonic or the summating potential. The spectral characteristics of the biological noise seem to be related to the elemental waveform contributed by the individual auditory-nerve fibers to the voltage recorded at the RW electrode [Kiang et al., Electrocochleography, edited by R. J. Ruben, C. Elbering, and G. Solomon (University Park, Baltimore, 1976)].     

Controlled growth of flower-like,rod-like,and snowflake-like ZnO nanostructures using agarose as biotemplate and its photoluminescence property

Different nanostructures such as flower-like, rod-like, and snowflake-like of ZnO have been synthesized by varying the amount of agarose using sonochemical method. It is found that morphology is governed by amount of agarose as well as ultrasonic treatment. Three amounts of agarose 0.01, 0.1, and 1.00 g are used to investigate its effect on ZnO. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed the formation of single phase with hexagonal structure. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed flower-like, rod-like, and snowflake-like morphology for 1.00, 0.1, and 0.01 g agarose, respectively. UV/Visible absorption study showed blue shift at band-edge absorption in comparison to bulk ZnO. Photoluminescence spectra showed band-edge emission at 399 nm for lowest amount of agarose which quenched on increasing the agarose amount. These findings show a better and more environment friendly procedure for production of ZnO of readily adjustable morphology.     

Influence of power-law index on transitional Reynolds numbers for flow over a semi-circular cylinder

In this work, the governing partial differential equations (continuity and Cauchy’s momentum equations) describing the flow of power-law type non-Newtonian fluids across a semi-circular cylinder (oriented with its curved surface in the upstream direction) have been solved numerically. In particular, consideration has been given to the delineation of the critical Reynolds numbers denoting the onset of flow separation from the surface of the cylinder and the onset of the laminar vortex shedding regime. This information is germane to establish the scaling of the macroscopic characteristics like drag coefficient and Strouhal number on the governing parameters, namely, Reynolds number and power-law index. The present results clearly suggest that the transitional Reynolds numbers show a strong dependence on the type (shear-thinning and shear-thickening) of fluid behavior as well as on the severity of the shear-dependence of the viscosity. With reference to the behavior seen in Newtonian fluids, the flow remains not only attached to the surface up to higher Reynolds numbers, but shear-thinning behavior also delays the onset of the laminar vortex shedding regime. As expected, shear-thickening fluids, of course, display the opposite characteristics.     

Synthesis, spectroscopic, and in vitro photosensitizing efficacy of ketobacteriochlorins derived from ring-B and ring-D reduced chlorins via pinacol-pinacolone rearrangement

In this report, we present a regioselective oxidation of a series bacteriochlorins, which on reacting with either ferric chloride (FeCl(3)) or 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyanobenzoquinone (DDQ) yielded the corresponding ring-B or ring-D reduced chlorins. The effect of the number of electron-withdrawing groups present at the peripheral position, with or without a fused isocyclic ring (ring-E), did not make any significant difference in regioselective oxidation of the pyrrole rings. However, depending on the nature of substituents, the intermediate bis-dihydroxy bacteriochlorins on subjecting to pinacol-pinacolone reaction conditions gave various ketochlorins. The introduction of the keto-group at a particular position in the molecule possibly depends on the stability of the intermediate carbocation species. The newly synthesized bacteriochlorins show strong long-wavelength absorption and produced significant in vitro (Colon26 cells) photosensitizing ability. Among the compounds tested, the bacteriochlorins containing a keto-group at position 7 of ring-B with cleaved five-member isocyclic ring showed the best efficacy.     

Forward–Backward–Half Forward Dynamical Systems for Monotone Inclusion Problems with Application to v-GNE

Journal of Optimization Theory and Applications - In this paper, the first-order forward–backward–half forward dynamical systems associated with the inclusion problem consisting of...     

Low-temperature magnetization relaxation in magnetic molecular solids

The low temperature relaxation of the magnetization in molecular magnetic solids such as Fe₈ is studied using Monte Carlo simulations. A set of rate equations is then developed to understand the simulations, and the results are compared. The simulations show that the magnetization of an initially saturated sample deviates as a square-root in time at short times, as observed experimentally, and this law is derived from the rate equations analytically.     

Peak effect at microwave frequencies in swift heavy ion irradiated YBa2Cu3O7-δ thin films

The vortex dynamics at microwave frequencies in YBa₂Cu₃O_7-δ (YBCO) films have been studied. We observe a peak in the microwave (4.88 and 9.55 GHz) surface resistance in some films in magnetic fields up to 0.8 T. This is associated with the ‘peak-effect’ phenomenon and reflects the order-disorder transformation of the flux line lattice near the transition temperature. Introduction of artificial pinning centers like columnar defects created as a result of irradiation with 200 MeV Ag ion (at a fluence of 4×10¹⁰ ions/cm²) leads to the suppression of the peak in films previously exhibiting ‘peak effect’.