Effects of nitrogen composition on the resistivity of reactively sputtered TaN thin films

Nanocrystalline tantalum nitride (TaN) thin films have been deposited by reactive direct current magnetron sputtering technique on Si/SiO₂ (100) substrate with nitrogen flow rate ranging from 0, 3, 5, 7, 9 to 11 standard cubic centimeter per minute (sccm). Structural properties, surface morphology, chemical composition and and resistivity of the TaN films were investigated by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) and four‐point probe measurements, respectively. In the XRD spectra, a classical formation sequence of tantalum nitride phases in the order of Ta‐Ta₂N‐TaN‐Ta₄N₅ and decreasing amount of metallic Ta were observed with increasing nitrogen flow. The electrical resistivity of the TaN film was found to increase with increasing N/Ta ratio as a result of the increased electron scattering from interstitial N atoms. In the XPS analysis, two groups of Ta4f doublets relating to different TaN phases were observed in the core level spectra of TaN films. No strong coupling was observed between the Ta4f doublets and the Ta4p and the N1s groups. The appropriate nitrogen flow was believed to be helpful in the bonding and formation of stoichiometric TaN. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Clarifying and illustrating the electronic energy transfer pathways in trimeric and hexameric aggregation state of cyanobacteria allophycocyanin within the framework of Förster theory

Within the framework of the Förster theory, the electronic excitation energy transfer pathways in the cyanobacteria allophycocyanin (APC) trimer and hexamer were studied. The associated physical quantities (i.e., excitation energy, oscillator strength, and transition dipole moments) of the phycocyanobilins (PCBs) located in APC were calculated at time‐dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) level of theory. To estimate the influence of protein environment on the preceding calculated physical quantities, the long‐range interactions were approximately considered with the polarizable continuum model at the TDDFT level of theory, and the short‐range interaction caused by surrounding aspartate residue of PCBs were taken into account as well. The shortest energy transfer time calculated in the framework of the Förster model at TDDFT/B3LYP/6–31+G* level of theory are about 0.10 ps in the APC trimer and about 170 ps in the APC monomer, which are in qualitative agreement with the experimental finding that a very fast lifetime of 0.43–0.44 ps in APC trimers, whereas its monomers lacked any corresponding lifetime. These results suggest that the lifetime of 0.43–0.44 ps in the APC trimers determined by Sharkov et al. was most likely attributed to the energy transfer of α¹‐84 ? β³‐84 (0.23 ps), β¹‐84 ? α²‐84 (0.11 ps) or β²‐84 ? α³‐84 (0.10 ps). So far, no experimental or theoretical energy transfer rates between two APC trimmers were reported, our calculations predict that the predominate energy transfer pathway between APC trimers is likely to occur from α³‐84 in one trimer to α⁵‐84 in an adjacent trimer with a rate of 32.51 ps. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

纸质包装材料中甲醛、乙醛向食品模拟物改性聚苯醚的迁移行为

为了解纸质包装材料中甲醛、乙醛向食品模拟物改性聚苯醚( Tenax)中的迁移行为,建立了一步提取衍生化、超高效液相色谱测定纸质包装材料和Tenax中的甲醛和乙醛的方法。本方法在甲醛和乙醛的测定范围内,线性相关系数R2>0.9999,甲醛检出限为0.03 mg/m2,乙醛检出限为0.04 mg/m2,测定纸样和Tenax的加标回收率为90.1%~108.6%。采用本方法研究不同温度和时间下两种纸质包装材料中甲醛、乙醛向Tenax中的迁移规律。研究表明,甲醛、乙醛迁移行为随时间变化趋势大致相同,均呈现迁移率随迁移时间延长先迅速增大,后又减小达到一个常数;甲醛和乙醛迁移率受温度的影响不同,达到平衡后,甲醛在30℃下迁移率最高,乙醛在70℃和50℃下迁移率高;甲醛和乙醛向Tenax中的迁移率差异较大,达到平衡后,乙醛的迁移率远高于甲醛。     

Structural,Electronic and Optical Properties of the Monoclinic α-CoV_2O_6

First-principles calculations based on density functional theory are performed to investigate the structural,electronic and optical properties of monoclinic α-Co V2O6.Firstly,the geometry structures obtained by geometry optimization are consistent with the experimental values.Then,the energy band structure is studied using both GGA and GGA+U methods.It is found that the on-site Coulomb repulsion of the Co 3d orbital plays a key role in describing the electronic properties of α-Co V2O6,and is necessary to open the energy band gap.According to the partial density of states(PDOS),significant Co–O and V–O hybridizations are observed in the valence and conduction bands,respectively.Furthermore,the Co–O and V–O bonds are found to have significant covalent characters.Below the absorption threshold ~1.9 e V,no absorption can be detected.However,there exists a strong and wide absorption band in the energy range from 1.9 to 11 e V.Such novel optical properties imply that the α-Co V2O6 may have some potential optical applications.     

钙钛矿型混合离子电子导体在能源转化中应用的研究进展

钙钛矿型离子电子导体具有良好的传导氧离子和电子性能,使其在能源转化过程中具有较好的应用前景,已成为人们研究的热点。本文综述了钙钛矿型离子电子导体的主要制备方法,并着重介绍了其在化学循环燃烧、氧气的分离、制氢、太阳能电池方面的应用。钙钛矿型混合离子电子导体可作为一种复合催化剂,应用于甲烷选择性氧化工艺,为钙钛矿离子电子导体应用新途径,同时为甲烷高效催化转化利用提供了理论支持。     

Mono‐ and Dinuclear Heteroleptic Cobalt Complexes with α‐Diimine and Polyarene Ligands

Reactions of the dimeric cobalt complex [(L^?Co)₂] ( 1 , L=[(2,6‐iPr₂C₆H₃)NC(Me)]₂) with polyarenes afforded a series of mononuclear and dinuclear complexes: [LCo(η⁴‐anthracene)] ( 2 ), [LCo(μ‐η⁴:η⁴‐naphthalene)CoL] ( 3 ), and [LCo(μ‐η⁴:η⁴‐phenanthrene)CoL] ( 4 ). The pyrene complexes [{Na₂(Et₂O)₂}{LCo(μ‐η³:η³‐pyrene)CoL}] ( 5 ) and [{Na₂(Et₂O)₃}{LCo(η³‐pyrene)}] ( 6 ) were obtained by treating precursor 1 with pyrene followed by reduction with Na metal. These complexes contain three potential redox active centers: the cobalt metal and both α‐diimine and polyarene ligands. Through a combination of X‐ray crystallography, EPR spectroscopy, magnetic susceptibility measurement, and DFT computations, the electronic configurations of these complexes were studied. It was determined that complexes 2 – 4 have a high‐spin Co^I center coupled with a radical α‐diimine ligand and a neutral polyarene ligand. Whereas, the ligand L in complexes 5 and 6 has been further reduced to the dianion, the cobalt remains in a formal (I) oxidation state, and the pyrene molecule is either neutral or monoanionic.     

扫描电镜中背散射电子成像功能的应用

简单介绍了扫描电镜背散射电子成像的工作原理及其应用.利用扫描电镜背散射电子成像结合X-射线能谱来研究样品的微区成分变化,从而快速的了解样品的组成和结构特征,为物相的鉴别提供了有效的分析手段.     

Probing Bis‐FeIV MauG: Experimental Evidence for the Long‐Range Charge‐Resonance Model

The biosynthesis of tryptophan tryptophylquinone, a protein‐derived cofactor, involves a long‐range reaction mediated by a bis‐Fe^IV intermediate of a diheme enzyme, MauG. Recently, a unique charge‐resonance (CR) phenomenon was discovered in this intermediate, and a biological, long‐distance CR model was proposed. This model suggests that the chemical nature of the bis‐Fe^IV species is not as simple as it appears; rather, it is composed of a collection of resonance structures in a dynamic equilibrium. Here, we experimentally evaluated the proposed CR model by introducing small molecules to, and measuring the temperature dependence of, bis‐Fe^IV MauG. Spectroscopic evidence was presented to demonstrate that the selected compounds increase the decay rate of the bis‐Fe^IV species by disrupting the equilibrium of the resonance structures that constitutes the proposed CR model. The results support this new CR model and bring a fresh concept to the classical CR theory.     

A Mixed Ionic and Electronic Conducting Dual‐Phase Membrane with High Oxygen Permeability

To combine good chemical stability and high oxygen permeability, a mixed ionic‐electronic conducting (MIEC) 75 wt % Ce_0.85Gd_0.1Cu_0.05O_2?δ‐25 wt % La_0.6Ca_0.4FeO_3?δ (CGCO‐LCF) dual‐phase membrane based on a MIEC–MIEC composite has been developed. Copper doping into Ce_0.9Gd_0.1O_2?δ (CGO) oxide enhances both ionic and electronic conductivity, which then leads to a change from ionic conduction to mixed conduction at elevated temperatures. For the first time we demonstrate that an intergranular film with 2–10 nm thickness containing Ce, Ca, Gd, La, and Fe has been formed between the CGCO grains in the CGCO‐LCF one‐pot dual‐phase membrane. A high oxygen permeation flux of 0.70 mL min^?1 cm^?2 is obtained by the CGCO‐LCF one‐pot dual‐phase membrane with 0.5 mm thickness at 950 °C using pure CO₂ as the sweep gas, and the membrane shows excellent stability in the presence of CO₂ even at lower temperatures (800 °C) during long‐term operation.     

Extraordinary Changes in the Electronic Structure and Properties of CdS and ZnS by Anionic Substitution: Cosubstitution of P and Cl in Place of S

Unlike cation substitution, anion substitution in inorganic materials such as metal oxides and sulfides would be expected to bring about major changes in the electronic structure and properties. In order to explore this important aspect, we have carried out first‐principles DFT calculations to determine the effects of substitution of P and Cl on the properties of CdS and ZnS in hexagonal and cubic structures and show that a sub‐band of the trivalent phosphorus with strong bonding with the cation appears in the gap just above the valence band, causing a reduction in the gap and enhancement of dielectric properties. Experimentally, it has been possible to substitute P and Cl in hexagonal CdS and ZnS. The doping reduces the band gap significantly as predicted by theory. A similar decrease in the band gap is observed in N and F co‐substituted in cubic ZnS. Such anionic substitution helps to improve hydrogen evolution from CdS semiconductor structures and may give rise to other applications as well.