Synthesis and field emission of diamond-like carbon nanorods on TiO2/Ti nanotube arrays

Highly ordered TiO₂/Ti nanotube arrays were fabricated by anodic oxidation method in 0.5 wt% HF. Using prepared TiO₂/Ti nanotube arrays deposited Ni nanoparticles as substrate, high quality diamond-like carbon nanorods (DLCNRs) were synthesized by a conventional method of chemical vapor deposition at 750 °C in nitrogen atmosphere. DLCNRs were analyzed by filed emission scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectrometer. It is very interesting that DLCNRs possess pagoda shape with the length of 3–10 μm. Raman spectra show two strong peaks about 1332 cm⁻¹ and 1598 cm⁻¹, indicating the formation of diamond-like carbon. The field emission measurements suggest that DLCNRs/TiO₂/Ti has excellent field emission properties, a low turn-on field about 3.0 V/μm, no evident decay at 3.4 mA/cm² in 480 min.     

Preparation and Raman scattering study of pore arrays on an InP (1 0 0) surface

Straight nanometer-sized pore arrays are formed on an n-InP (1 0 0) surface by electrochemical anodization in HCl-based electrolytes. Raman scattering spectra are measured and compared to those of the bulk InP. Two new peaks around 299 and 304 cm⁻¹ are observed for porous InP. The peak at 299 cm⁻¹ is attributed to a TO phonon mode observable due to a breakdown of polarization selection rule in the case of nanometer-sized crystallites. The peak at 304 cm⁻¹ is suggested to be a surface-related vibration mode. In addition, the Raman signals of the porous InP are intensified up to 20–25 times than that of the bulk InP. The reason for such strong enhancement is not clear and is under further investigation.     

Monitoring of spectroscopic changes of a single trapped fission yeast cell by using a Raman tweezers set-up

We demonstrate an improvement of the sensitivity of a Raman tweezers set-up, which combines optical tweezers with Raman spectroscopy. The system was tested by taking the Raman spectrum of a 4.6 μm diameter polystyrene sphere trapped in an aqueous solution. The improvement of sensitivity of the set-up was achieved by adjusting the trap depth for maximum signal to noise ratio (SNR). The maximum SNR was obtained by investigating the Raman peak of a trapped polystyrene sphere at 1001 cm⁻¹ according to trap depth. With this system, a single trapped living Schizosaccharomyces Pombe yeast cell was sensitively monitored by taking the kinetic Raman spectra for more than 2 h. The relative intensity decrease in amide I and amide III bands, frequency increase in amide I band together with alterations in tyrosine marker band around 850 cm⁻¹ was observed, which indicates alterations in the hydration state of protein by time progressing.     

The rotational-vibrational spectra of HNCS and DNCS : An analysis of the high resolution spectra

Ro-vibrational spectra of HNCS and DNCS have been obtained in the spectral range 300–4000 cm⁻¹ with a practical resolution limit of 0.06 cm⁻¹ in the region 350–1200 cm⁻¹ and 0.15 cm⁻¹ in the region 1200–4000 cm⁻¹. The observed fine structure permitted definitive assignments for some of the ^PQ_K, ^QQ_K, and ^RQ_K branches in both molecules, and yielded sets of rotational constants in substantial agreement with those obtained from recent microwave and far-infrared studies. Precise estimates of the band origins have been obtained and there is evidence of second-order Coriolis coupling between the three bending modes in each molecule. The isolation of the out-of-plane bending modes has lead to a re-assignment of ν₃, ν₄, ν₅, and ν₆ for each molecule. The band origins, uncorrected for Coriolis interaction, are for HNCS and DNCS, respectively. v₁:3538.6 ±0.3, 2644.5±0.5cm⁻¹;v₂:1989.0 ±0.3, 1944.3±0.5cm⁻¹;v₃:857.0 ±0.6, 851.0±0.1cm⁻¹;v₄:615.0 ±0.5, 549.1±0.2cm⁻¹;v₅:469.2 ±0.1, 365.8 ±0.2cm⁻¹;v₆:539.2 ±0.5, 481.0±0.1cm⁻¹;     

High-resolution synchrotron far-infrared spectroscopy of acrolein: The vibrational levels below 700 cm

The far-infrared spectrum of acrolein, CH₂CHCHO, is studied in the 100–360 cm⁻¹ region using continuum radiation from a synchrotron source. The combination of a very high resolution spectrometer, a long absorption path, and a low sample pressure, yields observed line widths of less than 0.0008 cm⁻¹. Observation of the ν₁₈ (157.9 cm⁻¹), and ν₁₃ (323.8 cm⁻¹) fundamental bands, together with six hot bands in the same regions, gives information on eight low-lying vibrational states of the molecule, including the Fermi and Coriolis interactions among them. Combining the present assignments with previous data on the ν₁₂ (564.34 cm⁻¹) and ν₁₇ (593.08 cm⁻¹) fundamental bands, all ten excited vibrational levels below 700 cm⁻¹ are analyzed in terms of one 1-state fit, two 2-state fits, and one 5-state fit.     

Synthesis and characterizations of AgSCN nanospheres using AgCl as the precursor

Nanospheres of AgSCN with an average radius of 30–80 nm have been prepared by a simple reaction between AgCl suspension and KSCN in the presence of gelatin. Gelatin played a decisive role as an inhibitor of the direct attack of SCN⁻ ions to AgCl surfaces and coagulation of the growing AgSCN in producing the spherical AgSCN nanoparticles. The products were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectra techniques. The electrical conductivity of thin films of as-prepared AgSCN nanoparticles and polyethylene oxide (PEO) at room temperature was measured. The maximum value of electrical conductivity of as-prepared AgSCN–PEO was 1.53 × 10⁻⁵ S cm⁻¹.     

Spectral Properties of Single Crystals of Synthetic Diamond

The half-width of the spectrum of Raman scattering (RS) of the first order of a diamond single crystal grown in a nickel-free system containing nitrogen getters is identical to all growth sectors (1.69 ± 0.02 cm^–1). The sectorial inhomogeneity is not reflected in the transmission spectra and birefringence of this crystal. The nitrogen concentration is 4·10¹⁷ cm^–3. For different growth sectors of the diamond crystal grown in the Ni–Fe–C system, the half-width of the Raman line varies from 1.74 to 2.08 cm^–1, differences in the transmission spectra and birefringence are observed, and photoluminescence is revealed. The concentration of nitrogen in the growth sectors {001} is 1.6·10¹⁹ cm^–3, the content of nickel is estimated to be at a level of 10¹⁹ cm^–3, and the content of nitrogen in the {¯111} sectors is 4·10¹⁹ cm^–3.     

FTIR and Raman spectroscopic study of Fenugreek (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Trigonella foenum graecum L.</Emphasis>) seeds

The composition of Fenugreek seeds in the form of powder, ash, and oil is investigated through FTIR and FT Raman spectra measurements. The results indicate that Fenugreek seeds (powder) are rich in proteins. Fats (lipids) and starch are present in small amounts in the seeds. The FTIR absorption bands of seed powder appeared at: 3365 cm^–1 assigned as N-H stretching vibrations (amide A of protein), 1657 cm^–1 (C=O, amide I), 1540 cm^–1 (N-H bending vibration, amide II), and 1240 cm^–1 (N-H bending, amide III). In the FT Raman spectra the band at 1661 cm^–1 is ascribed to amide I (C=O) of proteins while the band at 1080 cm^–1 indicates the starch. The fenugreek oil Fourier transform infrared absorbance ratios A(3009 cm^–1)/A(2924 cm^–1), A(3009 cm^–1)/A(2854 cm^–1), and A(3009 cm^–1)/A(1740 cm^–1) were considered for measuring the iodine values. These ratios (0.3609, 0.4916, and 0.4129) revealed that the iodine value of fenugreek oil is higher than that of other oils. On the other hand, the ash of fenugreek is very rich in phosphate compounds. The spectra showed absorption bands at frequencies 1082, 1000, 618, and 566 cm^–1, and the FT Raman spectrum showed a strong absorbance band at 793 cm^–1, which is due to phosphate compounds. It could be concluded that the inorganic part of fenugreek consists mainly of phosphate compounds. The Fenugreek seed contains proteins, fat, fiber, and ash, which is in complete harmony with AACC, 1980.__________Published in Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 72, No. 1, pp. 106–110, January–February, 2005.     

Infrared absorption and far-infrared diffuse reflection spectra in Pb-doped Bi?Sr?Ca?Cu?O high-temperature superconductor

In this paper we study the room-temperature infrared transmission spectra (400–1600cm^–1) and far-infrared diffuse reflection spectra (50–450cm^–1) in Pb-doped Bi–Sr–Ca–Cu–O (2223) single phase (Tc=107k, sp1), multiphase (Tc=110k, sp2) and nonsuperconducting samples (sp3). The spectral features in superconductor are totally different from those in nonsuperconductor, which show the different crystal structure. The correlation existing between a factor group analysis of the phonons in (2223) and (2212) compounds affords a tentative assignment of ir-active modes in Pb-doped (2223) single phase by comparison with reported data in (2212) materials. The Cu–O stretching E_u vibration (605cm^–1) of CuO₂ layers is the characteristic vibrational mode related perovskitelike crystal structures. Two phonon coupling effect emerges in the infrared transmission spectra in Pb-doped superconductor. The Ca–O vibration A_2u (254cm^–1) might be related to superconductivity of Bi-based family.     

Microwave and low-frequency vibrational spectra of bullvalene

The microwave spectrum of bullvalene has been investigated in the region 18–40 GHz. In addition to transitions in the ground vibrational state, transitions arising from five excited vibrational states below 600 cm⁻¹ have also been observed. A combination of microwave intensity measurements and infrared and Raman data has been utilized to assign these vibrations. Three of the vibrations are E-type modes at 241, 355, and 588 cm⁻¹. One is an A₁-type mode at 445 cm⁻¹, and another is an A₂-type at 266 cm⁻¹. The microwave spectrum indicates the presence of a first-order Coriolis interaction for the E modes at 241 and 588 cm⁻¹. The first-order Coriolis coupling constant q = 0.557 MHz for the 241 cm⁻¹ vibration. The spectral results are consistent with C_3v symmetry for bullvalene.     

Characterization of hybrid organic and inorganic functionalised membranes for proton conduction

Titanium zirconium phosphate and organic polymer hybrid (poly-vinyl alcohol, (3-glycidoxypropyl)-trimethoxysilane and ethylene glycol) based membranes were investigated for their potential application as proton conductors. The hybrid materials were characterized by XRD, FTIR, SEM, TGA and impedance spectroscopy analysis. It was found that embedding of functionalised inorganic particles (TiZrP) into composite polymer matrix allowed for some crystallinity formation, and cross-linking of hydroxyl groups during annealing or reactions within the organic and inorganic phases during synthesis. A complex structure was formed, as many FTIR peaks were masked by more defined peaks assigned to P–O–R bonds. The high concentration of phosphorus in the TiZrP (1:1:9 molar ratio) samples resulted in more hydrophilic particles. This was further reflected in the hybrid membranes as the water losses increased from 13 to 25 wt.% as a function of the TiZrP content changing from 10 to 50 wt.% in the final hybrid membrane, respectively. As a result, proton conductivity increased by two to three orders of magnitude from blank (organic phase only) membranes (2.61 × 10^− 5 S cm^− 1) to TiZrP hybrid membrane (2.41 × 10^− 2 S cm^− 1) at 20 °C. Proton conduction changed as a function of temperature and the Ti1Zr1P9 particles content, mainly attributed to the membrane ability to retain water, thus complying with the Grotthus mechanism.     

Raman spectra of single-crystal C60

We have analysed the Raman spectra of C₆₀ single crystals between room temperature and 10K and studied the temperature-induced phase transition in this material. The spectra show crystal field splitting of the internal Raman modes but no evidence for a line shift near the phase transition. The photo-induced transformation of the crystals and its implication on the interpretation of the Raman spectra is discussed. In the low temperature phase we observed two lines at 30 cm^–1 and 41 cm^–1 which we assign to the librational modes of the crystal.     

Resonant Raman scattering by N-related local modes in AlGaAs/InGaAsN multiquantum wells

We report resonant Raman scattering and secondary ion mass spectrometry measurements on InGaAsN/AlGaAs multiquantum wells grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. The appearance of a strong TO band at resonance with nitrogen (N)-related electronic levels has been observed. The N-induced vibration mode at 470 cm⁻¹ changes in intensity and shape with increasing N and In content. A new vibration mode has been observed at 320 cm⁻¹, whose intensity scales with the N concentration. This mode is not present in InGaAsN films, so it is linked to the presence of Al. Its frequency is close to the B₁ silent mode of wurtzite GaN. It is attributed to the formation of GaN pairs, near the MQW interfaces as a consequence of the preferential Al–N bonding.     

Infrared and Raman spectra of M2Cu2O5 (M=Y,Ho)

We report both Raman and infrared reflectivity spectra of M₂Cu₂O₅ (M=Y, Ho) at room temperature in the spectral range of 30–1000 cm^–1.37 (31) ir and 18 (15) Raman active modes of Y₂Cu₂O₅ (Ho₂Cu₂O₅) are observed. A factor group analysis has been performed to identify the symmetries of the observed modes. Comparing the vibrational spectra of these compounds we conclude that the phonons above 300 cm^–1 originate from the Cu–O vibrations and those under 300 cm^–1 from M–O vibrations.Alexander von Humboldt Foundation fellow     

Fourier transform emission spectroscopy of some new bands of ReN

The emission spectrum of ReN has been reinvestigated in the visible region using a Fourier transform spectrometer. Two new bands have been identified with band origins near 22 110 and 22 224 cm⁻¹. These bands have a common lower state and have been assigned as the 0⁺–A1 and 0⁻–A1 transitions. After rotational analysis it was noted that the new 0⁺–A1 transition also has its upper state in common with the upper state of the [24.7]0⁺–X0⁺ transition reported previously [W.J. Balfour, J. Cao, C.X.W. Qian, S.J. Rixon, J. Mol. Spectrosc. 183 (1997) 113–118.]. This observation provides T₀₀ = 2616.26 cm⁻¹ for the A1 state. It is likely that the A1 and X0⁺ states are two spin components of the ³Σ⁻ ground state.     

Characterization of InN epilayers grown on Si(1 1 1) substrates at various temperatures by MBE

InN films have been grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy (PAMBE) and characterized by various technologies. It was found that the structural, optical and electrical properties can be drastically improved by raising growth temperature from 440 to 525 °C. Grainy morphology was found in the grain size was found in atomic force microscope images. The large grain size was about 360 nm for a film grown at 525 °C. These films exhibited Wurtzite structure with a c/a ratio ranging from 1.59 to 1.609. The dislocation densities estimated by X-ray diffraction techniques closely agreed with those analyzed by plan-view transmission electron microscopy. Photoluminescence (PL) studies confirmed near band-to-band transitions and the narrowest low-temperature PL peak width was found to be 24 meV at 0.666 eV. Carrier concentrations decreased from 1.44×10¹⁹ to 1.66×10¹⁸ cm⁻³ and Hall mobility increased from 226 to 946 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹ as the growth temperature is progressively increased from 440 to 525 °C. Raman spectra also indicated improved crystal quality as the growth temperature was raised.     

High sensitivity CW-cavity ring down spectroscopy of CO2 near 1.35 μm (I): line positions

The absorption spectrum of carbon dioxide in natural isotopic abundance has been investigated by CW-cavity ring down spectroscopy with a new setup based on fibred distributed feedback (DFB) laser diodes. By using a series of 25 DFB lasers, the CO₂ spectrum was recorded in the 7123–7793 cm⁻¹ region with a typical sensitivity of 3×10⁻¹⁰ cm⁻¹. A 2125 transitions with intensities as low as 1×10⁻²⁹ cm/molecule were detected and assigned to the ¹²C¹⁶O₂, ¹⁶O¹²C¹⁷O and ¹⁶O¹²C¹⁸O isotopologues. For comparison, only 357 of them were previously reported from Venus spectra and 344 transitions were included in the 2004 version of the HITRAN database. The band by band analysis has led to the determination of the rovibrational parameters of 28, 2 and 6 bands for the ¹²C¹⁶O₂, ¹⁶O¹²C¹⁷O and ¹⁶O¹²C¹⁸O isotopologue, respectively. While the uncertainty on the experimental line positions is on the order of 5×10⁻⁴ cm⁻¹, the average deviation from the ¹²C¹⁶O₂ calculated values provided by the most recent version of the carbon dioxide spectroscopic databank (CDSD) is −2.8×10⁻³ cm⁻¹ with an root mean square (rms) deviation of 3.5×10⁻³ cm⁻¹. Maximum deviations in the order of 0.02 and 0.12 cm⁻¹ were evidenced for some bands of the ¹⁶O¹²C¹⁷O and ¹⁶O¹²C¹⁸O minor isotopologues. The obtained results improve significantly the previous measurements from Venus spectra and will be valuable to refine the sets of effective Hamiltonian parameters used to generate the CDSD database.     

Bi-induced vibrational modes in GaAsBi

We have studied GaAs_1−xBi_x (up to x3%) using Raman scattering with two different polarization configurations. Two Bi-induced phonon modes are observed at 186 cm⁻¹ and 214 cm⁻¹ with increasing Raman intensity as the Bi concentration increases. By comparing Raman selection rules for the observed Bi-induced phonon modes with those for the substitutional N vibrational mode (GaN mode) in GaAsN, the phonon mode at 214 cm⁻¹ is identified as originating from substitutional Bi at the As site in GaAsBi.     

CW-Cavity Ring Down Spectroscopy of O3. Part 3: Analysis of the 6490–6900 cm region and overview comparison with the O3 main isotopologue

This paper is devoted to the third part of the analysis of the very weak absorption spectrum of the ¹⁸O₃ isotopologue of ozone recorded by CW-Cavity Ring Down Spectroscopy between 5930 and 6900 cm⁻¹. In the two first parts [A. Campargue, A. Liu, S. Kassi, D. Romanini, M.-R. De Backer-Barilly, A. Barbe, E. Starikova, S.A. Tashkun, Vl.G. Tyuterev, J. Mol. Spectrosc. (2009), doi: 10.1016/j.jms.2009.02.012 and E. Starikova, M.-R. De Backer-Barilly, A. Barbe, Vl.G. Tyuterev, A. Campargue, A.W.Liu, S. Kassi, J. Mol. Spectrosc. (2009) doi: 10.1016/j.jms.2009.03.013], the effective operators approach was used to model the spectrum in the 6200–6400 and 5930–6080 cm⁻¹ regions, respectively. The analysis of the whole investigated region is completed by the present investigation of the 6490–6900 cm⁻¹ upper range. Three sets of interacting states have been treated separately. The first one falls in the 6490–6700 cm⁻¹ region, where 1555 rovibrational transitions were assigned to three A-type bands: 3ν₂ + 5ν₃, 5ν₁ + ν₂ + ν₃ and 2ν₁ + 3ν₂ + 3ν₃ and one B-type band: ν₁ + 3ν₂ + 4ν₃. The corresponding line positions were reproduced with an rms deviation of 18.4 × 10⁻³ cm⁻¹ by using an effective Hamiltonian (EH) model involving eight vibrational states coupled by resonance interactions. In the highest spectral region – 6700–6900 cm⁻¹ – 389 and 183 transitions have been assigned to the ν₁ + 2ν₂ + 5ν₃ and 4ν₁ + 3ν₂ + ν₃ A-type bands, respectively. These very weak bands correspond to the most excited upper vibrational states observed so far in ozone. The line positions of the ν₁ + 2ν₂ + 5ν₃ band were reproduced with an rms deviation of 7.3 × 10⁻³ cm⁻¹ by using an EH involving the {(054), (026), (125)} interacting states. The coupling of the (431) upper state with the (502) dark state was needed to account for the observed line positions of the 4ν₁ + 3ν₂ + ν₃ band (rms = 5.7 × 10⁻³ cm⁻¹).The dipole transition moment parameters were determined for the different observed bands. The obtained set of parameters and the experimentally determined energy levels were used to generate a complete line list provided as Supplementary Materials.The results of the analyses of the whole 5930–6900 cm⁻¹ spectral region were gathered and used for a comparison of the band centres to their calculated values. The agreement achieved for both ¹⁸O₃ and ¹⁶O₃ (average difference on the order of 1 cm⁻¹) indicates that the used potential energy surface provides accurate predictions up to a vibrational excitation approaching 80% of the dissociation energy. The comparison of the ¹⁸O₃ and ¹⁶O₃ band intensities is also discussed, opening a field of questions concerning the variation of the dipole moments and resonance intensity borrowing by isotopic substitution.     

Rotational spectrum of the Ar–dimethyl sulfide complex

The rotational spectra of three isotopomers of the Ar–dimethyl sulfide (DMS) complex – normal, ³⁴S, and ¹³C species – were measured in the frequency region from 3.7 up to 24.1 GHz by Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy. The normal species yielded 43 a-type and 79 c-type transitions. No Ar tunneling splitting was observed, while many transitions were split by the internal rotation of the two methyl tops of the DMS unit. In cases where the K-type splitting was close to that due to methyl internal-rotation, several forbidden transitions were observed that followed b-type selection rules. All of the observed transition frequencies were analyzed simultaneously using a phenomenological Hamiltonian also used in previously published work describing the Ar–dimethyl ether (DME) and Ne–DME complexes. The rotational and centrifugal distortion constants and the potential barrier height to methyl-top internal rotation, V₃, were determined. The rotational constants were consistent with an Ar–DMS center of mass (cm) distance of 3.796 (3) Å and a S–cm–Ar angle of 104.8 (2)°. The V₃ potential barrier obtained, 736.17 (32) cm⁻¹, was 97.8% of the DMS monomer barrier. By assuming a Lennard–Jones-type potential, the dissociation energy was estimated to be 2.4 kJ mol⁻¹, which was close to the value for Ar–DME, 2.5 kJ mol⁻¹.