Electron impact ionization and excitation rate coefficients in the negative glow region of a glow discharge

Some easy to use reasonable approximations for electron impact rate coefficients have been considered. The most important rate coefficients for electron collisions in noble gases are electron-neutral ionization and electron impact excitation. Electron-neutral ionization besides electron impact excitation of some states of the argon and helium atom in direct current (dc) glow discharge plasma has been calculated. The plasma parameters of electron are significant factors for computing the rate coefficients. We present first results of probe diagnostic that includes the double probe measurements of the plasma parameters, namely, electron temperature (T_e) and electron density (n_e). Electron properties obtained from the double probe characteristic curves including T_e and n_e as well as the calculated rate coefficients (ionization and excitation) were studied as a function of the axial distance from the cathode while the discharge operating parameters of voltage and pressure were varied. Two regions of the glow discharge were investigated: cathode fall region and negative glow. Particular emphasis was placed on the negative glow region.     

A Report on H mode in Magnetic Pole Enhanced Inductively Coupled Nitrogen Plasmas

The properties of low pressure magnetic pole enhanced, inductively coupled nitrogen plasma were studied by using electrical probe (Langmuir probe) under the conditions of RF powers in the range of 50‐220 W and pressures of 15‐75 mTorr. The electron energy probability function (EEPF) and electron density (n_e) obtained from the RF compensated Langmuir probe was compared with the theoretical results. The theoretical fits of the EEPF shows that the shapes of EEPF are evolved from generalised distribution to Maxwellian distribution function. It was also observed that at a low power (50 W) the discharge remains in inductive (H‐mode) mode for all the pressures (15‐75 mTorr). At a higher pressure and relatively low RF power, the measured EEPF show a hole near 3eV of energy. The intensities of the emission lines at 337.1nm (Second Positive System) and 391.4 nm (First Negative System) due to C³Π_u → B³Π_g and B²$\textstyle \sum_u^+$ → X² $\textstyle \sum_g^+$ transitions respectively, closely follows the variation of n_e with RF power and filling gas pressure. The stability of the H mode was also investigated using skin depth. Electron temperature and plasma potential indicate that the discharge at higher power (above 50 W) almost remain in H mode. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

悬浮型微波共振探针在电负性容性耦合等离子体中电子密度的测量

本文首先利用悬浮型微波共振探针测量了Ar等离子体的电子密度,并与朗缪尔双探针的测量结果进行了比较,表明了微波共振探针在低密度等离子体测量的可行性.对40.68 MHz单射频容性耦合Ar/SF₆和SF₆/O₂等离子体的测量结果表明:电负性气体SF₆掺入Ar等离子体显著降低了等离子体电子密度,但随着增加SF₆的流量,电子密度表现为缓慢下降;而O₂掺入SF₆等离子体中,电子密度则随着O₂流量的增加表现为持续的下降.另外,40.68 MHz/13.56 MHz双频激发的SF₆/O₂容性耦合离子体的电子密度并不随低频功率的变化而变化.本文对上述的实验现象进行了初步的解释.     

Quantitative analysis of graded Cu(In1−x,Gax)Se2 thin films by AES, ICP-OES, and EPMA

The overall composition and the compositional profile of the quaternary semiconductor Cu(In_1−x,Ga_x)Se₂ (CIGS) have strong effects on the performance of photovoltaic devices based on it. Recent work that has yielded ∼20% efficient solar cells based on CIGS has forced extra attention on quantitative analysis of the absorber layers. In this paper we present details of the procedures used to generate detailed compositional profiles of graded Cu(In_1−x,Ga_x)Se₂ thin films by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) that when integrated, agree quantitatively with inductively-coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) data on the same films. The effects of sample rotation during sputter depth profiling on the quantification results are described. Details of the procedures used for the ICP-OES and wavelength-dispersed electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) analyses are also presented. Finally, we show why X-ray microanalysis techniques alone should not be used to argue that specific windows of copper and gallium concentrations can yield high performance devices.     

超高速碰撞2024-T4铝靶产生等离子体的朗缪尔双探针诊断

 有些等离子体,本身并不存在电极和参考点,而该电极或参考点是提供偏压朗缪尔探针所必需的。为了获得超高速碰撞所产生等离子体的特征参量,建立了一种新的静电探针诊断技术,该技术不需要扫描频率,其探针可用于测量与时间相关的电子温度、电子密度。该诊断系统基于双通道电路,电流和电压谱通过数字示波器同步输出。研究的主要目的是,应用双朗缪尔探针诊断2024-T4铝弹丸超高速碰撞2024-T4铝靶时产生的瞬态等离子体。     

基于微球透镜的任选区高分辨光学显微成像新方法研究

提出和发展了基于毛细管-微球组合探针的任选区、 高分辨显微成像新方法. 建立了微球显微成像的物理模型, 利用成像理论,推导出微球成像的放大倍率; 采用3.0, 4.4, 5.6, 7.5, 10.0 μm等不同直径的SiO₂微球, 对未经刻录的DVD光盘进行了微球显微成像实验, 可以观察到DVD光盘的微纳米结构被明显放大且对比度显著提高, 与理论计算结果相符合; 采用毛细管微探针操纵微球的方法, 实现了基于微球透镜阵列的样品微纳米结构的高分辨显微成像; 在此基础上, 进一步将毛细管微探针与微球组合, 制备出毛细管-微球组合型探针, 首次实现了基于微球透镜的样品任意区域高分辨显微成像.     

Diagnosis of a low pressure capacitively coupled argon plasma by using a simple collisional-radiative model

This paper proposes a simple collisional-radiative model to characterise capacitively coupled argon plasmas driven by conventional radio frequency in combination with optical emission spectroscopy and Langmuir probe measurements. Two major processes are considered in this model, electron-impact excitation and the spontaneous radiative decay. The diffusion loss term, which is found to be important for the two metastable states (4s[3/2]₂, 4s'[1/2]₀), is also taken into account. Behaviours of representative metastable and radiative states are discussed. Two emission lines (located at 696.5 nm and 750.4 nm) are selected and intensities are measured to obtain populated densities of the corresponding radiative states in the argon plasma. The calculated results agree well with that measured by Langmuir probe, indicating that the current model combined with optical emission spectroscopy is a candidate tool for electron density and temperature measurement in radio frequency capacitively coupled discharges.     

Kinetics of nanoscale probe-based contact electrification between metal and polymethyl methacrylate under bias

Contact electrification (CE) has the potential to be a renewable energy resource, because it converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. The kinetics of probe-based CE between metal and polymeric slab was studied by scanning probe microscopy. The CE static charges were produced on polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) films by a Pt-coated probe under a bias (V_B) and characterized by electrostatic force microscopy. The metal/PMMA CE was attributed to the charge transfer between the Fermi level of the metal (E_f) and the neutral level of the surface states of PMMA (E_n). The kinetics of the probe-based metal/PMMA CE was described by a saturating exponential function and the saturated charge Q_S was proportional to the net bias, V_B − V_null, where the nulling bias V_null = −(E_n − E_f)/e. The kinetics was regarded as the charging to a conductor–capacitor series circuit. Q_S established a potential to cancel the net bias and ceased the CE. CE was a reversible process, and its transmission coefficient was asymmetric with the polarity of bias because of the heterogeneous nature of the metal/polymer contact.     

Relationship between surface potential and d33 constant in cellular piezoelectric polymers

The development of cellular piezoelectric polymers has shown very promising results thanks to their high d₃₃ piezoelectric constants which make them candidates for many applications. Cellular piezoelectric polymers, known as ferroelectrets, are obtained by means of an activation process which consists in generating an internal dipole with electrostatic charges produced by internal electric discharges. The most common system for this activation process is the application of a corona discharge on the surface of the sample in order to produce a high internal electric field. The theoretical electrostatic model of the process which is widely used is the Sessler model which relates the internal surface charge density, the air and polymer layers thickness, the dielectric permittivity of the polymer and the Young's Modulus of the cellular material to the d₃₃ piezoelectric constant. In our work, we relate the internal charges of the material with the d₃₃ piezoelectric constant by means of a surface potential scanning of cellular polypropylene biaxially stretched samples. Samples were charged by a corona discharge controlled with a triode electrode. Surface potentials were high enough to generate internal discharges and obtain measurable d₃₃ piezoelectric constants but low enough to be measured with spatial resolution by means of a 3 kV electrostatic probe. Surface potential profiles showed some deviations from the expected bell-shape profile due to the internal electric field generated by the internal static charge. These deviations can be numerically related to the measured d₃₃ piezoelectric constant with the electrostatic Sessler model.     

Luminescence-based molecular scale logic circuits

We show how a half-adder logic circuit can be implemented on one molecule for a molecule exhibiting both S₁→S₀ and S₂→S₀ fluorescence. This is achieved by using both one photon S₀→S₁ excitation and consecutive S₁→S₂ excitation and establishing logic thresholds by utilizing the laser-induced photoquenching process. We present results pertaining to rhodamine and azulene molecules, in which, for the first time, an all optical half-adder logic circuit is implemented.     

Calculation of Irreducible Water Saturation (S wirr) from NMR Logs in Tight Gas Sands

It is difficult to calculate irreducible water saturation (S _wirr) from nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) logs in tight gas sands due to the effect of diffusion relaxation on the NMR T ₂ spectrum at present. By combining with classical Timur and Schlumberger—Doll Research (SDR) models, a novel model of calculating S _wirr is derived. The advantage of this novel model is that S _wirr can be calculated without a T ₂ cutoff, and all input information can be acquired from NMR logs accurately. With the calibration of 36 core samples, which were drilled from Xujiahe Formation in Bao-jie region of Triassic, Sichuan basin, southwest China, the values of these statistic model parameters are defined. Field examples of tight gas sands show that the proposed model is reliable. The S _wirr calculated with the proposed model match well with core analyzed results both in tight gas formations and water-saturated layers, the absolute error is in the range of ±4%. The calculated results by using 20.75 ms as the T ₂ cutoff are accurate in water-saturated layers but are overestimated in gas-bearing intervals. Defining 33 ms as the T ₂ cutoff is unusable both in gas-bearing and water layers.     

The investigation of dielectric properties and ac conductivity of new ceramic diphosphate Ag0.6Na0.4FeP2O7 using impedance spectroscopy method

In this paper, Ag_0.6Na_0.4FeP₂O₇ has been synthesized by solid state reaction method. The ceramic compound was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), vibrational spectroscopy and impedance measurements. In fact, the investigated sample has shown single phase type monoclinic structure with P21_/C space group. The frequency-dependent electrical data are analyzed in the frame-work of conductivity and electric modulus formalisms. The real and imaginary parts of complex impedance are well fitted to equivalent circuit model based on the Z-View-software. Besides, the observed frequency dependence of conductivity is found to obey Jonscher's universal law. The temperature dependence of both ac conductivity and the parameter s is reasonably well interpreted by the correlated barrier hopping (CBH). The theoretical fitting between the proposed model and the experimental data showed good agreement. The contribution of single polaron and bipolaron hopping to a.c. conductivity in present compound is also studied. The ionic conductivity is discussed on the basis of the structural characteristics of the sample.     

Size dependent electron momentum density distribution in ZnS

In this paper, we present size dependent electron momentum density distribution in ZnS. ZnS nanoparticles of size 3.8 nm and 2.4 nm are synthesized using the chemical route and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The Compton profile measurements are performed on both the nano-sized as well as bulk ZnS samples employing 59.54 keV gamma-rays from ²⁴¹Am source. The results reveal that the valence electron density in momentum space becomes narrower with reduction of particle size. To evaluate the charge transfer on compound formation, the ionic model based calculations for a number of configurations of Zn^+xS^−x (0.0≤x≤2) are also performed utilizing free atom Compton profiles. These results suggest different amounts of charge transfer in these materials varying from 1.2 to 2.0 electron from Zn to S atom.     

Linearity improvement of Cy5 fluorescence concentration detection using series photodetector frequency circuit system with ITO–PolySi–metal–semiconductor–metal photodetector and its application for DNA detection and bacterial identification

In this study, the 48 MHz series photodetector frequency circuit system with ITO–PolySi–metal–semiconductor–metal photodetector was developed for Cy5 fluorescence detection of DNA probe ET996. The theory analysis of series photodetector frequency circuit system showed that the circuit parameters such as C_p and A (tan θ) can be applied to improve the frequency sensitivity. In this research, the lower capacitance of ITO–PolySi–metal–semiconductor–metal photodetector (C_p) was made and selected to improve the frequency sensitivity. According to derived theory of A adjustment, the capacitance match C_m and bias of ITO–PolySi–metal–semiconductor–metal photodetector were adjusted to improve the frequency sensitivity for detection of fluorescence dye concentration. On the basis of optimal conditions of capacitance match C_m and bias of photodetector, the detection limit of ET996-Cy5 fluorescence dye concentration 2 pmol/L can be measured by 48 MHz sensor system. Moreover, the detection linearity of 48 MHz sensor system was improved and the frequency shift ΔF was linearly related to the logarithm of fluorescence dye concentration in the range 2 pmol/L–20 μmol/L; meanwhile, through the feature of probe uniqueness, Edwardsiella BCRC 10670 DNA and fluorescence probe ET996-Cy5 can be successfully judged for hybridization reaction.     

Effects of various solar indices on accuracy of Earth’s thermospheric neutral density models

Four kinds of solar indices F10.7, E10.7, S10, Mg10 and four thermospheric neutral density models, i.e., CIRA72, DTM94, NRLMSISE00 and JB2006, are discussed. The CHAMP accelerometer data are used to calculate thermospheric total mass density. Based on the comparison of the model densities with CHAMP observations, the effects of various indices on the model accuracy are detected. It is found that under quiet and moderate solar conditions (F10.7<160), all of the models’ errors are reduced about 15% by using E...     

Double-resonance optical-pumping effect and ladder-type electromagnetically induced transparency signal without Doppler background in cesium atomic vapour cell

In a Doppler-broadened ladder-type cesium atomic system (6S_1/2-6P_3/2-8S_1/2), this paper characterizes electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) in two different experimental arrangements, and investigates the influence of the double-resonance optical-pumping (DROP) effect on EIT in both arrangements. When the probe laser is weak, DROP is explicitly suppressed. When the probe laser is moderate, population of the intermediate level (6P_3/2 F'=5) is remarkable, therefore DROP is mixed with EIT. An interesting bimodal spectrum with the broad component due to DROP and the narrow part due to EIT has been clearly observed in cesium 6S_1/2 F=4-6P_3/2 F'=5-8S_1/2 F"=4 transitions.     

The density of states in the mobility gap ofa-Si1−x Ge x films

Summary The density of states distribution (DOS) in the mobility gap of undoped glow-dischargea-Si_1-x Ge _x : H alloy films was determined by means of field effect tecnique. The specimens were grown at different percentages of Ge. The DOS of the films shows a behaviour related to the content of germanium and it is independent of the presence of additional hydrogen in discharge. The authors of this paper have agreed to not receive the proofs for correction.     

The Influence of Temperature on C153 Steady-State Absorption and Fluorescence Kinetics in Hydrogen Bonding Solvents

In a recent paper (J Fluoresc (2011) 21:1547–1557) a temperature induced modulation of Coumarin 153 (C153) fluorescence lifetime and quantum yield for the probe dissolved in the polar, nonspecifically interacting 1-chloropropane was reported. This modulation was also observed in temperature dependencies of the radiative and nonradiative rates. Here, we show that the modulation is also observed in another 1-chloroalkane—1-chlorohexane, as well as in hydrogen bonding propionitrile, ethanol and trifluoroethanol. Change in the equilibrium distance between S ₀ an S ₁ potential energies surfaces was identified as the source of this modulation. This change is driven by temperature changes. It leads to a modulation of the fluorescence transition dipole moment and it is the primary source of the experimental effects observed. Additionally, we have found that proticity of the solvent induces a rise in the fluorescence transition dipole moment, which leads to a shortening of the fluorescence lifetime. Hydrogen bonds are formed by C153 also with hydrogen accepting solvents like propionitrile. We show that while such bonds do not affect the transition probability, they do change the S₀ an S₁ energy gap which in turn implies a change in non-radiative transition rate in a similar way as in protic solvents, as well as in the fluorescence spectrum position. Finally, the influence of temperature on the energies of hydrogen bonds formed by C153 when acting as hydrogen donor or acceptor is reported.     

Electronic circular dichroism of some double-helical alkynyl cyclophanes with 1,1′-binaphthyl auxiliaries investigated using time-dependent density functional calculations

For several double-helical molecules, the dependence of electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra on the molecular and electronic structures is investigated on the basis of TDDFT computations with the B3LYP hybrid functional. The calculations of a model molecule reveal that an acute-angled rotational dihedral angle other than an obtuse-angled rotational dihedral angle between two naphthyls implies Davydov splitting of exciton coupling. For the R enantiomers, the acute-angled rotational dihedral angle implies a negative lowest-energy Cotton effect, which is induced by electron density transfer from binaphthyls to phenyethynyls in the S_0?→?S₄ excitations. Due to the large positive rotational strength of the S_0?→?S₁ transition, the lowest-energy Cotton effect of the simplest cyclophane R-1 is positive, where the electron density transfer from phenyethynyls to binaphthyls plays an important role.     

Sequence Dependent Ultrafast Electron Transfer of Nile Blue in Oligonucleotides

In this contribution we report studies on the nature of binding of nile blue (NB), a well known DNA intercalating drug, with three synthetic DNA oligonucleotides, (CGCAAATTTGCG)₂, (GCGCGCGCGCGC)₂ and (ATATATATATAT)₂. The nature of fluorescence quenching of the ligand upon complexation with the DNAs has been studied using steady state and picosecond-resolved optical spectroscopic techniques. The geometrical restriction on the probe in the DNA microenvironment is measured using picosecond-resolved rotational anisotropy measurements. Our experiments identify both non-specific electrostatic and intercalative modes of interaction of the probe with the DNAs at lower and higher DNA concentrations, respectively. This dual nature of binding is also confirmed through gel electrophoresis experiments. The nature of electron transfer (ET) reaction of GC base pairs with intercalated NB has also been explored. Competitive binding study reveals that binding affinity of the probe is higher with SDS micelles than with the DNAs within its structural integrity in presence of the micelles, as evidenced from circular dichroism (CD) measurements. The complex rigidity of NB with various DNAs and its fluorescence quenching with DNAs elucidate a strong recognition mechanism between NB and DNA.