Infrared spectroscopic characterization of the buried interface and surfaces of bonded silicon wafers

Basic investigations have been carried out on the characterization of different processing steps in bond preparation using etched <111> faces of silicon wafers for the incidence of the infrared beam to a multiple internal reflection geometry. The method is very sensitive to the surface coverage and interface. Surface activation by RCA cleaning yields an increase of water coverage and a decrease of SiH and CH groups. The detection limit for an oxide layer between silicon wafers has been found to be about 3 nm. Received: 18 July 1997 / Revised: 15 August 1997 / Accepted: 19 August 1997     

A METHOD FOR MEASURING PHYTOCHROME IN PLANTS GROWN IN WHITE LIGHT

Abstract— Quantitative spectrophotometric measurement of phytochrome in plants grown for relatively long periods of time in white light is not possible due to the presence of chlorophyll. A method is described that prevents the accumulation of chlorophyll permitting such direct spectrophotometric measurement in light-grown tissue. Oat seedlings grown in the presence of the herbicide San 9789† (Norflurazon) for 6 days in constant light have considerably less chlorophyll than etiolated seedlings exposed to 1 min of light. Phytochrome concentrations measured in vivo and in vitro in these herbicide-treated plants were found to be about 2% of the level in etiolated tissue.     

Polymer blends—I. Mechanical and morphological behaviour of polyethylene/polyvinyl chloride blends

As part of a fundamental study of the behaviour of mixed plastics during reprocessing and in service, blends of low density polyethylene (LDPE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) have been investigated. It was found that Young's modulus increased steadily from pure LDPE to pure PVC whereas both tensile strength at break and elongation at break passed through a minimum at about 5% PVC. Optical and scanning electron microscope studies have related this mechanical behaviour to morphological changes in the two phase system under stress.     

Kraftfeldrechnungen an linearen Oligopyrrolen: 2,2′-Bipyrrol, 2,2′-Furylpyrrol und Prodigiosen

Using a specific force field model, relative stabilities of 2,2-bipyrrole and 2,2-furylpyrrole conformers as well as of prodigiosene tautomers, configurations, and conformations, are studied. 2,2-Bipyrrole adopts anantiperiplanar conformation in accord with other theoretical calculations and experimental findings. Its rotational barrier calculated by this method compares favourably to the one derived by other means. For the parent prodigiosene the (Z)sp,sp arrangement is found to be the most stable one. The two possible tautomers within its dipyrrin fragment do not show a significant energy difference.

     

Observation of the ND4 Schüler band in a neutralized ion beam experiment

The emission of the ND₄ Schüler band was observed after neutralization of a mass-selected ND ₄ ⁺ ion beam. Thus the assignment of this band to the ammonium radical was confirmed. The lifetime of the upper state (3p ² F ₂) was determined to be 4.2 ns, which is much shorter than ab initio values of the radiative lifetime, showing that this state decays predominantly by predissociation. The Schuster band was not observed, neither after neutralization of ND ₄ ⁺ , nor of ND ₃ ⁺ .     

Esters of 5-carboxyl-5-methyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide: a family of spin traps for superoxide

Apparent rate constants, at acidic pH and neutral pH for the reaction of a family of ester-containing 5-carboxyl-5-methyl-1-pyrroline N-oxides with superoxide (O2*-) were estimated, using ferricytochrome c as a competitive inhibitor. It was of interest to note that the rate constants were similar among the different nitrones and not that significantly different from that found for 5-(diethoxyphosphoryl)-5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide. At acidic pH, the rate constant for spin trapping O2*- was 3-fold greater than that at physiological pH. Subsequent experiments determined the half-life of aminoxyls, derived from the reaction of these nitrones with O2*-. The EPR spectra were modeled by using a global analysis method. The results clearly demonstrated that EPR spectra of all the aminoxyls were inconsistent with a model that included a single gamma-hydrogen splitting. A better interpretation modeled them as two diastereomers with identical nitrogen splittings and slightly different beta-hydrogen splittings. Detailed line width analyses slightly favored an equal line width-unequal population ratio for the two diastereomers.     

Relativistic all electron configuration interaction calculation of ground and excited states of the gold hydride molecule

We present relativistic configuration interaction calculations with the spin-free no-pair hamiltonian on the gold hydride molecule, treating the ground state as well as the eleven lowest excited states. The calculations provide a picture of the bonding in theX ¹Σ⁺ ground state consistent with previous work on this species using four-component spinors: compared to non-relativistic calculations, the dipole moment is reduced by a factor of two, hybridization (and thus participation ofd orbitals at the bonding) is greatly enhanced, the bond length is shortened by 20 pm, and the dissociation energy is increased by 50%. Comparison of the spin-averaged potential curves of the excited states with experiment suggests a reinterpretation of theC ¹Σ⁺ as the 0⁺ fine structure component of 2³Π and the prediction of a weakly bound³Σ⁺ state with weak transitions to the ground state in the range of 2.9–3.1 eV.     

Mechanisms of antioxidant action: Stabilisation of nitrile rubber by interpenetrating networks based on thiol adducts

Nitrile rubbers containing three thiol antioxidants ((I) to (III)) in bound form have been evaluated as masterbatch concentrates by dilution in unstabilised nitrile rubber both at the latex stage and in the polymer melt. Both procedures give effective substantive systems in the case of the hindered phenol (I) and the aromatic thiol amide (II). Both show a high level of antioxidant retention under very severe technological conditions (oil/air oven cyclical test at 150°C). Antioxidant (III), which has only a minor structural difference from (II), is very much less effective as a substantive antioxidant.     

THE EFFECTS OF AGGREGATION ON THE FLUORESCENCE and THE TRIPLET STATE YIELD OF HEMATOPORPHYRIN

Abstract— The fluorescence and triplet state yields of hematoporphyrin have been measured in wuter/methanol mixtures. There is a closely linked response of these yields to aggregation of the hematoporphyrin molecule. The monomer, which is the principal species present at high methanol content, has a triplet state yield of 0.91 and a fluorescence yield of 0.09. By contrast, hematoporphyrin solutions with a high water content containing aggregates have lower fluorescence and triplet state yields, e.g. 0.018 and 0.56, respectively, in water. Static, singlet state quenching in some of the aggregates is responsible for the reduced fluorescence yield. The results also show that in addition to these aggregates there are other types of aggregates where there is an increased singlet to ground state radiative transition probability, resulting from the interaction between transition dipoles in adjacent molecules.