Surface bound states in the continuum

We introduce a novel concept of surface bound states in the continuum, i.e., surface modes embedded into the linear spectral band of a discrete lattice. We suggest an efficient method for creating such surface modes and the local bounded potential necessary to support the embedded modes. We demonstrate that the surface embedded modes are structurally stable, and the position of their eigenvalues inside the spectral band can be tuned continuously by adding weak nonlinearity.     

Thermalization of the flow of sputtered target atoms during ion-plasma deposition of films

The boundary of the zone in which sputtered atoms are thermalized in the substrate–target drift space during the ion-plasma magnetron deposition of films is determined theoretically and experimentally. A comparison of the thicknesses of films deposited on the front and back sides of substrates situated at different distances from the target makes it possible to divide the flow of atoms sputtered toward substrates into direct and diffusion flows and to determine the dimensions of the spatial zone in which sputtered atoms are thermalized. The experimental data are in quantitative agreement with the results of a statistical simulation of the thermalization process of atomic particles during the ion-plasma deposition. This simulation enables optimization of the technology of defect-free growth of films with uniform thickness on substrates with complex 3D configuration.     

Scalable bottom‐up assembly of suspended carbon nanotube and graphene devices by dielectrophoresis

Bottom‐up assembly by dielectrophoresis (DEP) has emerged in recent years as a viable alternative to conventional top–down fabrication of electronic devices from nanomaterials, particularly carbon nanotubes and graphene. Here, we demonstrate how this technique can be extended to fabricate devices containing carbon nanotubes and graphene suspended between two electrodes over a back‐gate electrode. The suspended device geometry is critical for the development of nano‐electromechanical devices and to extract maximum performance out of electronic and optoelectronic devices. This technique allows for parallel assembly of devices over large scale. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Pulse EPR, ENDOR, and ELDOR Study of Anionic Flavin Radicals in Na+-Translocating NADH:Quinone Oxidoreductase

The Na⁺-translocating nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH):quinine oxidoreductase (Na⁺–NQR) is a component of respiratory chain of various bacteria and it generates a redox-driven transmembrane electrochemical Na⁺ potential. It contains four different flavin prosthetic groups, including two flavin mononucleotide (FMN) residues covalently bound to the subunits NqrB and NqrC. Na⁺–NQR from Vibrio harveyi was poised at different redox potentials to prepare two samples, containing either both FMN_NqrB and FMN_NqrC or only FMN_NqrB in a paramagnetic state. These two samples were comparatively studied using pulse electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), electron-nuclear double resonance (ENDOR), and electron-electron double resonance (ELDOR) spectroscopy. The echo-detected EPR spectra and electron spin relaxation properties were very similar for flavin radicals in both samples. The splitting of the outer peaks in the proton ENDOR spectra, assigned to the C(8α) methyl protons, allows to identify both radicals as anionic flavosemiquinones. The mean interspin distance of 20.7 Å between these radicals was determined by pulse ELDOR experiment, which allows to estimate the edge-to-edge distance (r _e) between these flavin centers as: 11.7 Å < r _e < 20.7 Å. The direct electron transfer between FMN_NqrB and FMN_NqrC during the physiological turnover of the Na⁺–NQR complex is suggested.     

Spherical particle Brownian motion in viscous medium as non-Markovian random process

The Brownian motion of a spherical particle in an infinite medium is described by the conventional methods and integral transforms considering the entrainment of surrounding particles of the medium by the Brownian particle. It is demonstrated that fluctuations of the Brownian particle velocity represent a non-Markovian random process. The features of Brownian motion in short time intervals and in small displacements are considered.     

Unveiling the correlation between non‐diffracting tractor beam and its singularity in Poynting vector

This paper investigates the singular optics of nonparaxial light beams in the near field when the light behaves as a tractor beam. New insights into the optical pulling force, which is usually represented by integrating the stress tensor at a black box enclosing the object, are interpreted by the optical singularity of the Poynting vector. The negative nonconservative pulling force originates from the transfer of the azimuthal Poynting vector to the longitudinal component partly owing to the presence of a scatterer. The separatrice pattern and singularity shifts of the Poynting vector unanimously exhibit a differentiable near‐field distribution in the presence of optical pulling force. A new method is established to calculate the near‐field optical force using the differential Poynting vector in the far field. The results obtained provide a clear physical interpretation of the light–matter interaction and manifest the significance of singular optics in manipulating objects.

     

Synthesis of tungsten carbide nanopowder via submerged discharge method

Tungsten carbide nanopowder was prepared via pulsed discharge of bulk tungsten and graphite rods immersed in pure ethanol. The effect of discharge parameters on the characteristics of final products was investigated. Structural and morphological characterization of nanopowder was performed by means of X-ray diffraction analysis and transmission electron microscopy. In order to determine the feasibility of using synthesized material as an electrocatalyst, tungsten carbide nanopowder was tested for hydrogen evolution. A correlation was found between morphology of nanoparticles, their phase composition and electrocatalytic activity.     

Interpretation of transport measurements in ZnO-thin films

In order to interpret results of temperature dependent Hall measurements in heteroepitaxial ZnO-thin films, we adopted a multilayer conductivity model considering carrier-transport through the interfacial layer with degenerate electron gas as well as the upper part of ZnO layers with lower conductivity. This model was applied to the temperature dependence of the carrier concentration and mobility measured by Hall effect in a ZnO-layer grown on c-sapphire with conventional high-temperature MgO and low-temperature ZnO buffer. We also compared our results with the results of maximum entropy mobility-spectrum analysis (MEMSA). The formation of the highly conductive interfacial layer was explained by analysis of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images taken from similar layers.     

Self‐Assembled Silver–Gold Nanoisland Films on Glass for SERS Applications

We present a study of resonant optical properties of gold‐protected silver nanoisland films. Silver nanoislands were grown on a glass substrate using out‐diffusion technique, the growth was followed by the deposition of nanometer‐thick gold coatings. Scanning electron microscopy and optical spectroscopy were used to characterize morphology and extinction spectra of the grown combined silver–gold nanostructures. Micro Raman spectroscopy of the combined nanoislands has demonstrated their signal enhancement factor exceeding that one of the initial silver nanoislands.