1.5 μm emission from InAs quantum dots with InGaAsSb strain-reducing layer grown on GaAs substrates

InGaAsSb strain-reducing layers (SRLs) are applied to cover InAs quantum dots (QDs) grown on GaAs substrates. The compressive strain induced in InAs QDs from the GaAs is reduced due to the tensile strain induced by the InGaAsSb SRL, because the lattice constant of InGaAsSb is closer to InAs lattice constant than that of GaAs, resulting in a significant red shift of photoluminescence peaks of the InAs QDs. The emission wavelength from InAs QDs can be controlled by changing the Sb composition of the InGaAsSb SRL. The 1.5 μm band emissions were achieved in the sample with an InGaAsSb SRL whose Sb compositions were above 0.3. The calculation of the electron and the hole wave functions using the transfer matrix method indicates that the electron and the hole were localized around InAs QDs and InGaAsSb SRL.     

Physical properties of nitrogenated RFe11Ti intermetallic compounds (R=Ce, Pr and Nd) with ThMn12-type structure

Iron-rich ternary intermetallics RFe₁₁Ti (R=Ce, Pr and Nd) with a ThMn₁₂-type structure and their nitrides RFe₁₁TiN_x (x≈1.5) were carefully prepared. After characterizing them by metallographic and microscopic analyses, we studied structural and magnetic properties of the mother compounds and their nitrides. The lattice expansion due to nitrogenation is mainly along the c-axis for the Pr and Nd systems, while that is mainly along the a-axis for the Y system. The lattice expansion of the Ce system is isotropic but the volume expansion is the largest, indicating that the Ce-4f electron state dramatically changes upon nitrogen uptake. The Curie temperature, T_C, increases by 200 K reaching T_C≈720 K for the Pr and Nd system. The saturation magnetization, M_S, increases ≈ 10% by nitrogenation and reaches 1.8–1.9 T at 4.2 K and 1.5 T at 300 K for Pr and Nd systems. The anisotropy field, υ₀H_A is estimated to be more than 20 T at 4.2 K and 7 T at 300 K. The improvement of magnetic properties upon nitrogenation is briefly discussed in terms of the calculated band structure. The results obtained at 300 K indicate that the Pr and Nd nitrides are promising as permanent magnetic application.     

Electron-lattice interaction and the CDW state of 1T-TiSe2

The electronic band structure in the CDW state (superlattice structure) of 1T-TiSe₂ is calculated on the basis of the band-type Jahn-Teller model by extending our theory of lattice instability in the normal phase. A strong coupling between the hole-band (Se p states) around the Λ point and the electron-bands (Ti d states) around the Λ points is caused by the electron-lattice interaction. Reflecting such a strong coupling remarkable changes appear in the dispersion curves near the Fermi energy and the largest CDW gap is obtained to be 0.2 eV. We have also calculated a change of the density of states near the Fermi energy due to the superlattice formation. The result is consistent with that observed by angle-integrated photoemmision by Margaritondo et al. It is also shown that the magnitude of the lattice distortion observed at low temperatures can be explained in a way consistent with the lattice dynamics in the normal phase.     

A new method for characterizing ultrafast resonant-tunnelling diodes with electrooptic sampling

A new electrooptic sampling technique for characterizing ultrafast resonant-tunnelling diodes (RTD) is presented, in which the RTD is driven by the output of the photodiode irradiated by the same laser pulse that probes the output of the RTD. This method features a high time resolution, moderate slew rate and low heat load, which are the keys to characterizing RTD switching time. From the investigation of several factors, such as laser pulse width, interaction time between the probe pulse and electrical signal, and triggering jitter, the overall time resolution was found to be less than 1 ps. The measured switching times for In_0.53Ga_0.47As/AIAs RTDs were compared with the resistance-capacitance time constant for each device, and this confirmed that this driving method accurately measured RTD switching time at the order of 1 ps.     

Elucidation of the formation of cation-π complexes and their conformational behavior in solution by CD spectroscopy

Circular dichroic exciton Cotton effects were observed for some pyridinium salts and a quinolinium salt having a benzyl or a naphthylmethyl group, which revealed the existence of an intramolecular cation-π interaction. The sign of the Cotton effects deduced the relative position of the two chromophores.     

Synthesis and electroluminescence properties of fluorene containing arylamine oligomer

We synthesized a blue fluorescent fluorene containing arylamine oligomer, bis(9,9,9′,9′‐tetra‐n‐octyl‐2,2′‐difluorenyl‐7‐yl)phenylamine (DFPA), and investigated its electroluminescence (EL) properties. Organic EL devices with a structure of glass/indium‐tin oxide/acid‐doped poly(thiophene) derivative/DFPA/aluminum complex (BAlq)/cesium‐doped macrocyclic compound/Al were fabricated. The device exhibited blue emission, peaking at 432 nm, from the DFPA layer. The maximum luminance of 1800 cd/m² and an external quantum efficiency of 1.5% were observed. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Selective determination of trace arsenic and antimony species in natural waters by gas chromatography with a photoionization detector

Traces amounts of arsenic and antimony in water samples were determined by gas chromatography with a photoionization detector after liquidnitrogen cold trapping of their hydrides. The sample solution was treated with sodium hydroborate (NaBH₄) under weak-acid conditions for arsenic(III) and antimony(III) determination, and under strong-acid conditions for arsenic(III+V) and antimony(III+V) determination. Large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water vapor obscured determination of arsine and stibine. Better separation from interference could be achieved by removing CO₂ and water vapor in two tubes containing sodium hydroxide pellets and calcium chloride, respectively. The detection limits of this method were 1.8 ng dm^?3 for arsenic and 9.4 ng dm^?3 for antimony in the case of 100-cm³ sample volumes. Therefore, it is suitable for determination of trace arsenic and antimony in natural waters.     

High performance liquid chromatography of biological polyamines using immobilized enzyme as post-column reactor followed by electrochemical detection

A novel analytical method for biological polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and spermine) was developed. Polyamines were separated by ion-pair reversed phase chromatography using a polymer-based octadecyl bonded column. A polyamine oxidase immobilized column worked effectively as a post-column reactor to convert polyamines to hydrogen peroxide which was eventually detected by electrochemical oxidation on platinum electrode. This method required neither tedious derivatization nor gradient elution, permitting us to perform simple and rapid analysis of polyamines. The detection limits were 0.3, 0.6, and 4 pmol injected for putrescine, spermidine, and spermine, respectively with a linear range of two to three orders of magnitude. Chromatograms obtained with samples from human urine and rat brain homogenates demonstrated the high sensitivity and selectivity of the method.     

β-delayed neutron decay of drip line nuclei 11Li and 14Be

Experimental studies of β-decay measurements of the neutron drip line nuclei ¹¹Li and ¹⁴Be are presented. β- decay schemes of these nuclei are determined by measuring β-rays, delayed neutrons and γ-rays in triple coincidence. The decay schemes of both ¹¹Li and ¹⁴Be associated with single neutron emission are unambiguously determined. New levels in their daughter nuclei, ¹¹Be and ¹⁴B, are found. In addition, the deduced level scheme of 14B indicates the lowering of 2s _1/2 single neutron orbital with respect to 1p _1/2 orbital in the N=9 isotones. Such behavior is known to exist in N=7.     

A pinhole-plate ultrasonic atomizer

A new pinhole-plate ultrasonic atomizer has been proposed and developed. A pinhole-plate having one or more pinholes is joined to a cavity filled with liquid and is vibrated by a circular ring piezoelectric element bonded onto it. The vibrating plate generates ultrasonic waves only in the vicinity of the pinholes to jet and atomize the liquid from them. The atomizer is very simple and compact, and extremely low in power consumption.