Laser-sintered mesoporous TiO2 electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells

Low-temperature laser sintering has been successfully demonstrated to improve the overall conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells. Mesoporous TiO₂ electrodes were prepared from a colloidal solution of TiO₂ nanopowders by a laser direct-write technique and then sintered by a quasi-continuous-wave UV laser (λ=355 nm) for the fabrication of dye-sensitized solar cells. The overall conversion efficiency of the cells based on the laser-sintered TiO₂ electrodes was double that of the devices with non-laser-treated TiO₂ electrodes. This enhancement is attributed to both the removal of organic additives and the improved inter-nanoparticle electrical contacts induced by the laser-sintering process, which led to an increase in porosity and dye-absorption sites in the TiO₂ electrodes. PACS 61.80.Ba; 61.46.+w; 73.22.-f; 84.60.Jt     

Energy of formation for and liquid binary alloys

We have investigated the free energy of formation for Ag_xIn_1-x and Ag_xSn_1-x liquid binary alloys at temperatures 1173 and 1250 K, respectively. A microscopic theory based on the first order perturbation has been applied. The interionic interaction and a reference liquid are the fundamental components of the theory. The interionic interaction is described by a local pseudopotential. A liquid of hard spheres (HS) of two different effective diametres and charges is used to describe the reference system. The results of the calculations for energy of formation agree very well with the available experimental data. Our calculations also reveal that a simple perturbative approach along with appropriate effective pair potentials can produce nearly quantitative results for the concerned alloys.     

Magnetic and electrical transport properties of delta-doped amorphous Ge:Mn magnetic semiconductors

We report on the growth and characterization of delta-doped amorphous Ge:Mn diluted magnetic semiconductor thin films on GaAs (0 0 1) substrates. The fabricated samples exhibit different magnetic behaviors, depending on the Mn doping concentration. The Curie temperature was found to be dependent on both the Mn doping concentration and spacing between the doping layers. A sharp drop in magnetization and rise in resistivity are observed at low temperature in samples with high Mn doping concentrations, which is also accompanied by a negative thermal remanent magnetization (TRM) in the higher temperature range. The temperature at which the magnetization starts to drop and the negative TRM appears show a correlation with the Mn doping concentration. The experimental results are discussed based on the formation of ferromagnetic regions at high temperature and antiferromagnetic coupling between these regions at low temperature.     

Exceptional set of a representation with fractional powers

We prove that for any given c, 1 < c < 17/11, almost all natural numbers are representable in the form [x ^c] + [p ^c], where x is a natural number and p is a prime.     

On Some “Tame” and “Wild” Aspects of the Problem of Semiscalar Equivalence of Polynomial Matrices

The problem of reducing polynomial matrices to canonical form by using semiscalar equivalent transformations is studied. This problem is wild as a whole. However, it is tame in some special cases. In the paper, classes of polynomial matrices are singled out for which canonical forms with respect to semiscalar equivalence are indicated. We use this tool to construct a canonical form for the families of coefficients corresponding to the polynomial matrices. This form enables one to solve the classification problem for families of numerical matrices up to similarity.     

Variety of LaSrMnO structures induced by growth conditions and laser irradiation

Crystallographic phase transitions in perovskite-like LaSrMnO metallic oxides are studied. The transitions are induced when internal stresses generated during film synthesis (at temperatures between 450 and 730°C) vary (decrease or increase) upon subsequent irradiation by a KrF laser emitting in the UV range. As the synthesis temperature T _s grows, the rhombohedral-to-orthorhombic phase transition occurs at 650–670°C. The resistivity is shown to be either temperature-independent, ρ(T)=const, at T<T _crit, or varies and reaches a maximum, ρ(T)=ρ_max, at the Curie temperature T _c. Optical transmission spectra taken at photon energies ℏω=0.5–2.5 eV exhibit both a high (0.8–0.9) and low (0.1–0.3) transmission coefficient t, depending on the synthesis temperature. As follows from X-ray diffraction data, the laser irradiation causes a phase transition only in LaSrMnO films grown at T _s<650°C. Phases of different size scales appear: the long-range-order orthorhombic matrix and mesoscopic-range-order rhombohedral clusters are observed in the films grown at T _s=450–550°C and the rhombohedral matrix with orthorhombic clusters, in the films grown at T _s=550–650°C.     

Axially Symmetric Boundary Value Problem Describing the Distribution of Charges in Semiconductors

We prove that bifurcation solutions to the stationary problem exist and can be extended with respect to parameter. The problem under consideration has a solution with the so-called interior transition layer phenomenon. In the nonstationary case, we establish the existence and uniqueness of a solution for any t > 0. Under certain assumptions, the nonstationary problem determines a dynamical system in some compact set. Bibliography: 9 titles.     

Fourier transform spectroscopy of CH3OH: rotation-torsion-vibration structure for the CH3-rocking and OH-bending modes

High-resolution Fourier transform spectra of CH₃OH have been investigated in the infrared region from 930 to 1450 cm⁻¹ in order to map the torsion-rotation energy manifolds associated with the ν₇ in-plane CH₃ rock, the ν₁₁ out-of-plane CH₃ rock, and the ν₆ OH bend. Upper-state term values have been determined from the assigned spectral subbands, and have been fitted to power-series expansions to obtain substate origins and effective B-values for the three modes. The substate origins have been grouped into related families according to systematic trends observed in the torsion-vibration energy map, but there are substantial differences from the traditional torsional patterns. There appears to be significant torsion-mediated spectral mixing, and a variety of “forbidden” torsional combination subbands with |Δυ_t|>1 have been observed, where υ_t denotes the torsional quantum number (equivalent to υ₁₂). For example, coupling of the (υ₆,υ_t)=(1,0) OH bend to nearby torsionally excited (υ₇,υ_t)=(1,1) CH₃-rock and (υ₈,υ_t)=(1,1) CO-stretch states introduces (υ₆,υ_t)=(1,0)←(0,1) subbands into the spectrum and makes the ν₇+ν₁₂−ν₁₂ torsional hot band stronger than the ν₇ fundamental. The results suggest a picture of strong coupling among the OH-bending, CH₃-rocking, and CO-stretching modes that significantly modifies the traditional energy structure and raises interesting and provocative questions about the torsion-vibration identity of a number of the observed states.     

Escape Through a Small Opening: Receptor Trafficking in a Synaptic Membrane

We model the motion of a receptor on the membrane surface of a synapse as free Brownian motion in a planar domain with intermittent trappings in and escapes out of corrals with narrow openings. We compute the mean confinement time of the Brownian particle in the asymptotic limit of a narrow opening and calculate the probability to exit through a given small opening, when the boundary contains more than one. Using this approach, it is possible to describe the Brownian motion of a random particle in an environment containing domains with small openings by a coarse grained diffusion process. We use the results to estimate the confinement time as a function of the parameters and also the time it takes for a diffusing receptor to be anchored at its final destination on the postsynaptic membrane, after it is inserted in the membrane. This approach provides a framework for the theoretical study of receptor trafficking on membranes. This process underlies synaptic plasticity, which relates to learning and memory. In particular, it is believed that the memory state in the brain is stored primarily in the pattern of synaptic weight values, which are controlled by neuronal activity. At a molecular level, the synaptic weight is determined by the number and properties of protein channels (receptors) on the synapse. The synaptic receptors are trafficked in and out of synapses by a diffusion process. Following their synthesis in the endoplasmic reticulum, receptors are trafficked to their postsynaptic sites on dendrites and axons. In this model the receptors are first inserted into the extrasynaptic plasma membrane and then random walk in and out of corrals through narrow openings on their way to their final destination.