Polycarbonate nanoparticles spray coated on silicon substrate using micro-electromechanical-systems-based high-frequency ultrasonic nozzle

Mono-disperse polycarbonate (PC) nanoparticles 20 nm in diameter was spray coated on silicon substrate using a novel high-frequency ultrasonic nozzle. Specifically, Bisphenol-A polycarbonate with a molecular weight (M_w) of approximately 6.4 × 10⁴ g/mol was first dissolved in pyridine. The resulting solution was sprayed into surfactant-containing de-ionized (DI) water using a 300 kHz silicon-based multiple-Fourier horn nozzle (MFHN). As pyridine was extracted into the water, PC nanoparticles formed but remained dispersed. This suspension of PC nanoparticles was then sprayed onto a silicon substrate using a 500 kHz 3-Fourier horn nozzle. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the dried substrate revealed that PC nanoparticles were spread uniformly with no aggregation.     

Software lens compensation applied to athermalization of infrared imaging systems

A different approach, aiming to achieve the constant blur status of point-spread function (PSF) at a certain defocused plane, is described. The correlation between the two PSF is used to control the PSF blur similarity, and simultaneously the Strehl ratio is also used to control the PSF blur minimization. By designing the PSF so that it is significantly insensitive to defocus or related defocus quantity, for example, due to temperature change, all the constantly blurred images can be accurately de-blurred by a simple inverse restoration filter for an adequate range of defocus. We refer to that as “software lens compensation” and apply a design method to solve the athermalization of middle wavelength infrared (MWIR) imaging systems. The resultant PSF is almost invariant in the temperature range from −10 to 50°C at the same focal plane. Consequently, the constant blur spot can be removed by a simple digital signal processing. Thus, clear and sharp de-blurred images at different temperatures are obtained.     

Dose verification of volumetric modulation arc therapy by using a NIPAM gel dosimeter combined with a parallel-beam optical computed tomography scanner

Volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) was developed to shorten treatment time and increase target conformance. However, a true three-dimensional (3D) gel dosimeter is needed for dose verification. In this study, two clinic cases were adopted: a simple case of lung cancer and a complex case of larynx cancer. For each clinic case, two treatment plans were generated for the same planning target volume using VMAT and intensity modulated radiation therapy calculation software packages. An N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) polymer gel dosimeter was used for 3D dose verification. In addition, the dose characteristics of the NIPAM gel dosimeter were investigated for the two clinic cases.

     

Effects of losses on the transmission and reflection in the single-negative materials

In this work, we investigate the angular dependence of transmission and reflection in the single-negative (SNG) materials. We consider a model structure of a SNG bilayer which consists of the epsilon-negative (ENG) and mu-negative (MNG) layers. The wave transmission and reflection properties due to the losses from the ENG and MNG materials are specifically investigated. With the presence of losses in the ENG and MNG materials, some unusual wave properties will be explored and numerically demonstrated.     

Role of the UV absorber as a matrix in matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometric analysis of a mixture of a UV absorber and a stabilizer

A mixture of a UV absorber (Tinuvin 234 or Tinuvin 329) and a UV stabilizer (Tinuvin 770) was analyzed using matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI‐MS) without any matrix. Fragmentation patterns of the UV absorbers and stabilizer were also investigated. The mass spectra showed the [M+H]⁺ ions and some fragment ions. Tinuvin 234, Tinuvin 329, and Tinuvin 770 generated three (m/z 119, 370, 432), one (m/z 252), and two (m/z 124 and 140) fragment ions, repectively. These fragment ions can be used to identify the chemical structures of the UV absorbers and stabilizer. Since the UV absorber performed a role as the matrix, the ion abundance of the UV stabilizer was enhanced by mixing with the UV absorber. When organic materials extracted from polypropylene (PP) containing the UV absorber and stabilizer were directly analyzed using MALDI‐MS without any matrix, the protonated molecule of the UV stabilizer was detected in abundance but the product ions of the UV absorber were not observed. When 2,5‐dihydroxybenzoic acid was used as a matrix, the protonated molecule of the UV absorber was observed. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.