Immobilization of RuS2 Nanoparticles Prepared in Reverse Micellar System onto Thiol-Modified Polystyrene Particles and their Photocatalytic Properties

RuS₂ nanoparticles, smaller than 3 nm in diameter, were prepared by H₂S gas injection into the AOT/isooctane reverse micellar solution containing RuCl₃ aqueous solution. The nanoparticle size was found to be independent of the W_o (water content) value of the reverse micellar system, as shown by TEM observation. The recovery and immobilization of the RuS₂ nanoparticles from reverse micelles onto thiol-modified polystyrene particles (PSt-SH) were successfully carried out, by the addition of PSt-SH into the reverse micellar solution under conditions of mild stirring. The resulting composites, PSt-RuS₂, showed photocatalytic activity for H₂ generation form aqueous solution containing 2-propanol and Na₂SO₃ as sacrificial electron donors.     

Superthermostability of nanoscale TIC-reinforced copper alloys manufactured by a two-step ball-milling process

A Cu-TiC alloy, with nanoscale TiC particles highly dispersed in the submicron-grained Cu matrix, was manufactured by a self-developed two-step ball-milling process on Cu, Ti and C powders. The thermostability of the composite was evaluated by high-temperature isothermal annealing treatments, with temperatures ranging from 727 to 1273 K. The semicoherent nanoscale TiC particles with Cu matrix, mainly located along the grain boundaries, were found to exhibit the promising trait of blocking grain boundary migrations, which leads to a super-stabilized microstructures up to approximately the melting point of copper (1223 K). Furthermore, the Cu-TiC alloys after annealing at 1323 K showed a slight decrease in Vickers hardness as well as the duplex microstructure due to selective grain growth, which were discussed in terms of hardness contributions from various mechanisms.     

Rotational Spectra of XeH and Its Isotopic Species

Frequencies of rotational transitions of XeH⁺ and its isotopic species were measured in the 1–5 THz region with a highprecision far-infrared spectrometer using a tunable radiation source. Measured frequencies were analyzed together with previous microwave and infrared measurements to refine mass-independent Dunham parameters.     

Nature of magnetic coupling between Mn ions in As-grown Ga1-xMnxAs studied by X-ray magnetic circular dichroism

The magnetic properties of as-grown Ga1-xMnxAs have been investigated by the systematic measurements of temperature and magnetic field dependent soft x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD). The intrinsic XMCD intensity at high temperatures obeys the Curie-Weiss law, but a residual spin magnetic moment appears already around 100 K, significantly above the Curie temperature (T_{C}), suggesting that short-range ferromagnetic correlations are developed above T_{C}. The present results also suggest that the antiferromagnetic interaction between the substitutional and interstitial Mn (Mn_{int}) ions exists and that the amount of the Mn_{int} affects T_{C}.     

Effects of hyperons in binary neutron star mergers

Numerical simulations for the merger of binary neutron stars are performed in full general relativity incorporating both nucleonic and hyperonic finite-temperature equations of state (EOS) and neutrino cooling. It is found that even for the hyperonic EOS, a hypermassive neutron star is first formed after the merger for the typical total mass ≈2.7M(⊙), and subsequently collapses to a black hole (BH). It is shown that hyperons play a substantial role in the postmerger dynamics, torus formation around the BH, and emission of gravitational waves (GWs). In particular, the existence of hyperons is imprinted in GWs. Therefore, GW observations will provide a potential opportunity to explore the composition of neutron star matter.     

Low temperature deposited Zr-B film applicable to extremely thin barrier for copper interconnect

We have prepared thin Zr-B films at low temperatures as a new material applicable to an extremely thin barrier against Cu diffusion in Si-ULSI metallization. The obtained Zr-B films mainly consist of the ZrB₂ phase with a nanocrystalline texture on SiO₂ and a fiber texture on Cu. The resistivity of the Zr-B films depends on the substrate of SiO₂ or Cu. The constituent ratio of B/Zr is almost 2, though the contaminants of oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon are incorporated in the film. The nanocrystalline structure of the Zr-B film on SiO₂ is stable due to annealing at temperatures up to 500 °C for 30 min. We applied the 3-nm thick Zr-B film to a diffusion barrier between Cu and SiO₂, and the stable barrier properties were confirmed. We can demonstrate that the thin Zr-B film is a promising candidate for thin film application to a metallization material in Si-ULSIs.     

Direct observation of dispersive Kondo resonance peaks in a heavy-fermion system

Ce 4d-4f resonant angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy was carried out to study the electronic structure of strongly correlated Ce 4f electrons in a quasi-two-dimensional nonmagnetic heavy-fermion system CeCoGe1.2Si0.8. For the first time, dispersive coherent peaks of an f state crossing the Fermi level, the so-called Kondo resonance, are directly observed together with the hybridized conduction band. Moreover, the experimental band dispersion is quantitatively in good agreement with a simple hybridization-band picture based on the periodic Anderson model. The obtained physical quantities, i.e., coherent temperature, Kondo temperature, and mass enhancement, are comparable to the results of thermodynamic measurements. These results manifest an itinerant nature of Ce 4f electrons in heavy-fermion systems and clarify their microscopic hybridization mechanism.     

Stereoselective synthesis and absolute configuration of the C33-C42 fragment of symbiodinolide

Cross-metathesis of methyl ester which was prepared from symbiodinolide with ethylene was performed to give the C33-C42 degraded fragment. This fragment was estimated to be (36S,40S)-diol by the modified Mosher method. Stereoselective synthesis of the (36S,40S)-diol and its diastereomer (36R,40S)-diol was achieved from l-aspartic acid. Synthetic bis-(S)- and (R)-MTPA esters which were derivatized from the (36S,40S)-diol exhibited spectroscopic data identical with those of bis-(S)- and (R)-MTPA esters derived from the degraded product. Thus, the absolute stereochemistry of the C33-C42 fragment was elucidated to be (36S,40S).