Pt coated Cr2O3 thin films for resistive gas sensors

The resistive response of atomic layer deposited thin epitaxial α-Cr₂O₃(0 0 1) films, to H₂ and CO in air, was studied. The films were covered with Pt nanoislands formed by electron-beam evaporation of a sub-monolayer amount of the material. The gas measurements were performed at 250°C and 450°C. These temperatures led to different proportion of chemical states, Pt²⁺ and Pt⁴⁺, to which the Pt oxidized. The modification was ascertained by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy method. As a result of the modification, the response was fast at 250°C, but slowed at 450°C. A disadvantageous abundance of Pt⁴⁺ arising at 450°C in air could be diminished by high-vacuum annealing thus restoring the response properties of the system at 250°C.      

Experimental investigation of various turbulator inserts in gas-heated channels

This experimental research was focused on the investigation of the heat transfer augmentation by various turbulator inserts in gas-heated channels. The work was conducted directly in a convective part of a two fire-tube boiler. The flue ducts were positioned vertically and horizontally for various design applications. Twisted-tape insert (with the twist ratio y=4.12), the straight-tape insert, and the combined turbulator insert (the internal twisted tape with the twist ratio of 180° y=2.16 and an external tape, which spirally winded on an internal tape, with longitudinal pitch H_360°=110 mm and the relative height of a tape (rib) e/D₀=0.098;0.2) were investigated. The working fluids were the combustion products of light oil fuel and wood pellets. In addition, the experiments were conducted in the two fire-tube boiler without any inserts. Despite of relatively large data scattering obtained in these experiments some qualitative and quantitative conclusions were drawn.     

The behavior of copper impurity in CdSnAs2

Single crystals of n-type CdSnAs₂ with a carrier concentration of 2 ·10¹⁷–4 ·10¹⁸ cm^–3 and mobility (3 to 6) · 10³ cm²/V ·sec were copper doped by diffusion saturation at temperatures from 400 to 570C. As a result of the study of the electrical properties of the doped crystals it was established that the copper in CdSnAs₂ is a fast-diffusing acceptor impurity. The solubility of Cu depends primarily on the donor-center concentration and has clearly a retrograde character. Low-temperature heat treatment (over the 200–400C range) of the Cu-doped specimens results in an increase in the acceptor concentration. The form of the log R(10³/T) curve indicates the existence of acceptor centers with an ionization energy of 0.05 eV in the Cu-doped CdSnAs₂ specimens.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, Vol. 16, No. 7, pp. 39–44, July, 1973.     

Study of Thin Oxide Films by Electron, Ion and Synchrotron Radiation Beams

 Titanium oxide and zirconium oxide thin films deposited on silicon substrates were characterised using electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS), time-of-flight elastic recoil detection analysis (TOF-ERDA) and scanning photoelectron microscopy (SPEM). The composition and mass thickness of the films were determined and the results of different methods compared. It was revealed that the synchrotron radiation used for SPEM studies caused considerable modification of zirconia films grown at low temperatures.     

Effects of precursors on nucleation in atomic layer deposition of HfO2

Atomic layer deposition of hafnium dioxide (HfO₂) on silicon substrates was studied. It was revealed that due to low adsorption probability of HfCl₄ on silicon substrates at higher temperatures (450–600 °C) the growth was non-uniform and markedly hindered in the initial stage of the HfCl₄–H₂O process. In the HfI₄–H₂O and HfI₄–O₂ processes, uniform growth with acceptable rate was obtained from the beginning of deposition. As a result, the HfI₄–H₂O and HfI₄–O₂ processes allowed deposition of smoother, more homogeneous and denser films than the HfCl₄–H₂O process did. The crystal structure developed, however, faster at the beginning of the HfCl₄–H₂O process.     

OSL and TSL interrelations in SrSO4:Eu

Thermoluminescence (TL), dose-dependence of TL, optically stimulated luminescence (OSL), and EPR of Eu-doped strontium sulphate are studied. Eu enters the host lattice in 2+ charge state and does not change the charge state during energy storage and release. OSL disappears during pulse-step annealing of excited luminophor at the temperatures corresponding to dosimetric TL peak. Dosimetric TL peak can be destroyed by a continuous optical stimulation of excited sample. Ionizing radiation creates radiation defects in the host lattice, with the ionized sulphate anions being stable hole centres well above room temperature. Optical stimulation in the blue band (460–470 nm) causes the captured holes to be transported to the luminescence centres, similarly acts the heating of luminophor. The model of energy storage and release is discussed.     

Probing scalar particle and unparticle couplings in e^{+}e^{-}\to t\bar{t} with transversely polarized beams

In searching for indications of new-physics scalar particle and unparticle couplings in $e^{+}e^{-}\to t\bar{t}$ , we consider the role of transversely polarized initial beams at e ⁺ e ^? colliders. By using a general relativistic spin density matrix formalism for describing the particles spin states, we find analytical expressions for the differential cross section of the process with t or $\bar{t}$ polarization measured, including the anomalous coupling contributions. Thanks to the transversely polarized initial beams these contributions are first order anomalous coupling corrections to the Standard Model (SM) contributions. We present and analyze the main features of the SM and anomalous coupling contributions. We show how differences between SM and anomalous coupling contributions provide means to search for anomalous coupling manifestations at future e ⁺ e ^? linear colliders.