Kondo effect in magnetic tunnel junctions

Tunneling magnetoresistance was found to be suppressed with decreasing temperature for magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) oxidized under high plasma power. A strong temperature dependence of the junction resistance was observed, along with zero-bias anomalies of dynamic resistance at low temperatures. Resistance shows a logarithmic dependence on temperature, and resistance versus temperature exhibits a scaling behavior. Our experimental data can be explained in a consistent way by the Kondo effect in the MTJs with the Kondo temperature TK=20-30 K.     

Unprecedented coloration of rutile titanium dioxide nanocrystalline thin films

In this communication, TiO2 nanocrystalline thin films synthesized by a room temperature (27 degrees C) chemical dip process. To our knowledge, this is first report of the preparation of nanoscale rutile TiO2 particles from common inorganic salt at such low temperature. Interestingly, unprecedented dynamic color change accompanies with titanium dioxide grain size, which can be seen with the naked eye that generated curiosity in our mind to check UV-vis absorption, where significant changes were observed. The room temperature synthesized thin films of rutile titanium dioxide make it a potential candidate for high-compatibility material, which can be used in artificial heart valves.     

Luminescence enhancement of Eu-doped calcium magnesium silicate blue phosphor for UV-LED application

(Ca_1−x,Eu_x)MgSi_2yO_6+δ blue phosphor was prepared by spray pyrolysis and the photoluminescence properties were optimized by controlling concentration of Si element and the activator content. At y=1.0, the concentration quenching in the luminescent intensity appeared when the Eu²⁺ content (x) was 0.01 (1 at%). Such quenching concentration was changed with the concentration of silicon (y), which was increased with an increase in the quantity of excess Si (y>1.0). The highest luminescent intensity was achieved when the Eu²⁺ content (x) and the Si concentration (y) were 0.04 and 1.3, respectively. According to X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, the tetragonal SiO₂ phase was formed as a minor phase when the y value was larger than 1.3. The formation of SiO₂ phase, however, did not reduce but increased the luminescent intensity when the Eu²⁺ content was optimized again. As a result, the luminescent intensity of the phosphor particles optimized in the content of both Si and Eu²⁺ was about 150% improved compared with that of the CaMgSi₂O₆:Eu sample (x=0.01, y=1.0).     

Coevolutionary extremal dynamics on gasket fractal

We considered a Bak-Sneppen model on a Sierpinski gasket fractal. We calculated the avalanche size distribution and the distribution of distances between subsequent minimal sites. To observe the temporal correlations of the avalanche, we estimated the return time distribution, the first-return time, and the all-return time distribution. The avalanche size distribution follows the power law, P(s)∼s−τ, with the exponent τ=1.004(7). The distribution of jumping sites also follows the power law, P(r)∼r−π, with the critical exponent π=4.12(4). We observe the periodic oscillation of the distribution of the jumping distances which originated from the jumps of the level when the minimal site crosses the stage of the fractal. The first-return time distribution shows the power law, Pf(t)∼t−τf, with the critical exponent τf=1.418(7). The all-return time distribution is also characterized by the power law, Pa(t)∼t−τa, with the exponent τa=0.522(4). The exponents of the return time satisfy the scaling relation τf+τa=2 for τf?2.     

Q2 Dependence of quadrupole strength in the gamma*p --> Delta(+)(1232) --> p pi(0) transition

Models of baryon structure predict a small quadrupole deformation of the nucleon due to residual tensor forces between quarks or distortions from the pion cloud. Sensitivity to quark versus pion degrees of freedom occurs through the Q2 dependence of the magnetic (M1+), electric (E1+), and scalar (S1+) multipoles in the gamma*p-->Delta(+)-->p pi(0) transition. We report new experimental values for the ratios E(1+)/M(1+) and S(1+)/M(1+) over the range Q2 = 0.4-1.8 GeV2, extracted from precision p(e,e(')p)pi(0) data using a truncated multipole expansion. Results are best described by recent unitary models in which the pion cloud plays a dominant role.     

Fabrication of hydrophobic surface of titanium dioxide films by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method

Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) films were fabricated on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass substrate using successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method. The X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, optical absorption and contact angle measurement were applied to study the structural, surface morphological, optical and surface wettability properties of the as-deposited and annealed TiO₂ films. The X-ray diffraction studies revealed both as-deposited and annealed TiO₂ films are amorphous. Irregular shaped spherical grains of random size and well covered to the fluorine doped tin oxide coated glass substrates were observed from SEM studies with some cracks after annealing. The optical band gap values of virgin TiO_2, annealed, methyl violet and rose bengal sensitized TiO₂ were found to be 3.6, 3.5, 2.87 and 2.95 eV, respectively. Surface wettability studied in contact with liquid interface, showed hydrophobic nature as water contact angles were greater than 90°. The adsorption of dyes, as confirmed by the photographs, is one of the prime requirements for dye sensitized solar cells (DSSC).     

Integrated electro-optic platform using ferroelectric crystals with the point symmetry of orthorhombic mm2

We theoretically and numerically investigate the modulation efficiencies of integrated electro-optic (EO) modulators based on ferroelectric crystals with the point symmetry of orthorhombic mm2. An analytical expression describing the index-ellipsoid under the EO effect is derived, where all 5 non-zero linear EO coefficients of mm2-crystals are considered. As practical candidates for integrated EO platform, three mm2-crystals (KNbO₃, KTiOPO₄, and Ba₂NaNb₅O₁₅) that are well-established and commercially available are chosen for numerical simulations. The refractive-index (RI) changes caused by an external electric field applied to each crystal with an arbitrary direction are analyzed in detail for the given optical polarization states of input light wave. For each crystal, the modulation efficiency is evaluated in terms of the half-wave voltage required for a π-phase shift of input wave, which is compared with the established counterpart based on LiNbO₃. The results indicate that higher modulation efficiencies are achievable in the two schemes using KNbO₃ and Ba₂NaNb₅O₁₅ than those for other cases, meaning that either lower power-consuming or larger beam-window integrated EO devices are feasible.     

Anilinolysis of O‐butyl phenyl phosphonochloridothioate in acetonitrile: Synthesis,characterization, kinetic study,and reaction mechanism

This paper describes a simple optimized method for the synthesis of O‐butyl phenyl phosphonochloridothioate ( 4 ) under mild conditions. The target compounds were characterized by ¹H‐nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), ¹³C‐NMR, and ³¹P‐NMR spectroscopy, as well as mass spectroscopy. The apparent structure of 4 was confirmed by optimization using the B3LYP/6‐311 + G(d,p) level in the Gaussian 09 program in acetonitrile. The nucleophilic substitution reactions of 4 with X‐anilines (XC₆H₄NH₂) and deuterated X‐anilines (XC₆H₄ND₂) were investigated kinetically in acetonitrile at 55.0°C. The free energy relationship with X in the anilines looked biphasic concave upwards with a break region between X = H and X = 3‐MeO, giving large negative ρ_X and small positive β_X values. The deuterium kinetic isotope effects were secondary inverse (k_H/k_D < 1: 0.789‐0.995) and the magnitudes, (k_H/k_D), increased when the nucleophiles were changed from weakly basic to strongly basic anilines. A concerted S_N2 mechanism is proposed on the basis of the selectivity parameters and the variation trend of the deuterium kinetic isotope effects with X.     

Effects of co-substitution on the electrical properties of BiFeO3 thin films prepared by chemical solution deposition

Ferroelectric BiFeO₃ thin films with Nd-Cr (or Sm-Cr) co-substitution (denoted by BNdFCr and BSmFCr, respectively) were deposited on the Pt(2 0 0)/TiO₂/SiO₂/Si(1 0 0) substrates by a chemical solution deposition method. X-ray diffraction patterns revealed the formation of BNdFCr and BSmFCr thin films without any secondary phases. The co-substituted BNdFCr (or BSmFCr) thin films, which were annealed at 550 °C for 30 min in N₂ atmosphere, exhibited enhanced electrical properties compared to BFO thin films with the remanent polarization (2P_r) and coercive electric field (2E_c) of 196, 188 μC/cm² and 600, 570 kV/cm with the electric field of 800 kV/cm, respectively. The leakage current densities of BNdFCr and BSmFCr thin films measured at room temperature were approximately three orders of magnitude lower than that of BFO thin film, and the leakage current at room temperature of the thin films exhibited three distinctive conduction behaviors. Furthermore, the values of pulse polarizations [i.e., +(P*-P^{^}) or −(P*-P^{^})] of BNdFCr and BSmFCr thin films were reasonably unchanged up to 1.4 × 10¹⁰ switching cycles.