Multiple recurrence and infinite measure preserving odometers

A family of infinite measure preserving odometers is presented which exhibit examples ofp-recurrent but notp+1-recurrent ergodic transformations for everyp>1.     

A possibility of parallel and anti-parallel diffraction measurements on neutron diffractometer employing bent perfect crystal monochromator at the monochromatic focusing condition

In a conventional diffractometer having single monochromator, only one position, parallel position, is used for the diffraction experiment (i.e. detection) because the resolution property of the other one, anti-parallel position, is very poor. However, a bent perfect crystal (BPC) monochromator at monochromatic focusing condition can provide a quite flat and equal resolution property at both parallel and anti-parallel positions and thus one can have a chance to use both sides for the diffraction experiment. From the data of the FWHM and the Δd/d measured on three diffraction geometries (symmetric, asymmetric compression and asymmetric expansion), we can conclude that the simultaneous diffraction measurement in both parallel and anti-parallel positions can be achieved.     

Validation of the catalytic properties of Cu-Os/13X using single fixed bed reactor in selective catalytic reduction of NO

Catalytic decomposition of NO over Cu-Os/13X has been carried out in a tubular fixed bed reactor at atmospheric pressure and the results were compared with literature data performed by high-throughput screening (HTS). The activity and durability of Cu-Os/13X prepared by conventional ion-exchange method have been investigated in the presence of H₂O and SO₂. It was found that Cu-Os/13X prepared by ion-exchange shows a high activity in a wide temperature range in selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO with C₃H₆ compared to Cu/13X, proving the existence of more NO adsorption site on Cu-Os/13X. However, Cu-Os/13X exhibited low activity in the presence of water, and was quite different from the result reported in literature. SO₂ resistance is also low and does not recover its original activity when the SO₂ was blocked in the feed gas stream. This result suggested that catalytic activity between combinatorial screening and conventional testing should be compared to confirm the validity of high-throughput screening.     

Modeling of radiative heat transfer in an axisymmetric cylindrical enclosure with participating medium

Radiative heat transfer in an axisymmetric enclosure with absorbing, emitting, and scattering medium is studied here by using the different methods such as MDOM, FVM, and MFVM with emphasis on the treatment of angular derivative term, which appears in curvilinear coordinates due to angular redistribution. After final discretization equation for MFVM is introduced by using the step scheme and directional weights, the present approach is validated by applying it to three different benchmarking problems with absorbing, emitting, and scattering medium. All of the results presented here support its accuracy as well as moderate efficiency. Finally, the present approaches are applied to a truncated cone-shaped enclosure as a body-fitted geometry case.     

Optimization of in-vacuo template-stripped Pt surfaces via UHV STM

A recently demonstrated [1] in-vacuo template-stripping process is applied to the study of platinum films stripped from ultra-flat silicon-oxide surfaces. Template-stripped (TS) Pt surfaces, prepared with a range of post-deposition annealing times prior to being stripped from the templating surface in an ultra-high vacuum (UHV) environment, are examined by UHV scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). These studies reveal that without post-deposition annealing, TS Pt surfaces are largely made up of poorly-ordered, granular nanostructures undesirable for many applications. The post-deposition annealing treatments explored in the study result in the emergence and continuous growth of large smooth crystallites. Issues with crystallite orientation relative to the TS surface and artefacts arising as a result of the epoxy used in the template-stripping process are presented and discussed in relation to optimizing the template-stripping procedure for specific applications such as self-assembled monolayer (SAM) formation for molecular electronics. PACS 68.37.Ef; 68.47.De; 68.55.Jk; 81.05.Bx; 81.15.Ef     

Photoswitching of holographic polymer-dispersed liquid crystals doped with chiral dopant

Chiral dopants were added to the formulation of holographic polymer-dispersed liquid crystals and the effects studied in terms of grating formation dynamics, morphology, diffraction efficiency, contrast ratio and electro-optical properties of the films. A gradual increase of real-time diffraction efficiency, decrease of droplet size and increase of diffraction efficiency of the composite film were obtained with the addition and increasing content of chiral dopant, due to the increased viscosity of the liquid crystal (LC) doped with the chiral dopant leading to decreased droplet coalescence. The contrast ratio decreased with increasing content of chiral dopant due to the difficult orientation of LC molecules caused by the formation of a helical structure. Addition of a small amount of the chiral dopant increased the driving voltage slightly, whereas the decay time is decreased significantly as a result of the high twisting of the helical structure.     

High-density plasma etching of indium-zinc oxide films in Ar/Cl2 and Ar/CH4/H2 chemistries

The dry etching characteristics of transparent and conductive indium-zinc oxide (IZO) films have been investigated using an inductively coupled high-density plasma. While the Cl₂-based plasma mixture showed little enhancement over physical sputtering in a pure argon atmosphere, the CH₄/H₂/Ar chemistry produced an increase of the IZO etch rate. On the other hand, the surface morphology of IZO films after etching in Ar and Ar/Cl₂ discharges is smooth, whereas that after etching in CH₄/H₂/Ar presents particle-like features resulting from the preferential desorption of In- and O-containing products. Etching in CH₄/H₂/Ar also produces formation of a Zn-rich surface layer, whose thickness (∼40 nm) is well-above the expected range of incident ions in the material (∼1 nm). Such alteration of the IZO layer after etching in CH₄/H₂/Ar plasmas is expected to have a significant impact on the transparent electrode properties in optoelectronic device fabrication.     

Temperature effect on deposition rate of silicon nitride films

Temperature effects on deposition rate of silicon nitride films were characterized by building a neural network prediction model. The silicon nitride films were deposited by using a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition system and process parameter effects were systematically characterized by 2⁶⁻¹ fractional factorial experiment. The process parameters involved include a radio frequency power, pressure, temperature, SiH₄, N₂, and NH₃ flow rates. The prediction performance of generalized regression neural network was drastically improved by optimizing multi-valued training factors using a genetic algorithm. Several 3D plots were generated to investigate parameter effects at various temperatures. Predicted variations were experimentally validated. The temperature effect on the deposition rate was a complex function of parameters but N₂ flow rate. Larger decreases in the deposition rate with the temperature were only noticed at lower SiH₄ (or higher NH₃) flow rates. Typical effects of SiH₄ or NH₃ flow rate were only observed at higher or lower temperatures. A comparison with the refractive index model facilitated a selective choice of either SiH₄ or NH₃ for process optimization.     

An efficient construction of period-2 bulbs in the cubic Mandelbrot set with parametric boundaries

A parametric boundary equation is established for the principal period-2 bulb in the cubic Mandelbrot set. Using its geometry, an efficient escape-time algorithm which reduces the construction time for the period-2 bulbs in the cubic Mandelbrot set is introduced and the implementation graphic results display the fascinating fractal beauty     

Effects of in situ thermal annealing on the structural, optical, and electrical properties in Hg0.7Cd0.3Te epilayers grown on CdTe buffer layers

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) transmission, and Hall effect measurements were performed to investigate the structural, optical, and electrical properties of as-grown and in situ-annealed Hg_0.7Cd_0.3Te epilayers grown on CdTe buffer layers by using molecular beam epitaxy. After the Hg_0.7Cd_0.3Te epilayers had been annealed in a Hg-cell flux atmosphere, the SEM images showed that the surface morphologies of the Hg_0.7Cd_0.3Te thin films were mirror-like with no indication of pinholes or defects, and the FTIR spectra showed that the transmission intensities had increased in comparison to that of the as-grown Hg_0.7Cd_0.3Te epilayer. Hall-effect measurements showed that n-Hg_0.7Cd_0.3Te epilayers were converted to p-Hg_0.7Cd_0.3Te epilayers. These results indicate that the surface, optical, and electrical properties of the Hg_1 − xCd_xTe epilayers are improved by annealing and that as-grown n-Hg_1 − xCd_xTe epilayers can be converted to p-Hg_1 − xCd_xTe epilayers by in situ annealing.