Analysis of Vicinal Water in Soft Contact Lenses Using a Combination of Infrared Absorption Spectroscopy and Multivariate Curve Resolution

In this paper, we propose a new spectroscopic method to explore the behavior of molecules near polymeric molecular networks of water-containing soft materials such as hydrogels. We demonstrate the analysis of hydrogen bonding states of water in the vicinity of hydrogels (soft contact lenses). In this method, we apply force to hydrated contact lenses to deform them and to modulate the ratio between the signals from bulk and vicinal regions. We then collect spectra at different forces. Finally, we extracted the spectra of the vicinal region using the multivariate curve resolution-alternating least square (MCR-ALS) method. We report the hydration states depending on the chemical structures of hydrogels constituting the contact lenses.     

Digital image analysis of polymer blends morphology

Application of digital image analysis (DIA) to polymer blends morphology is discussed with examples. Various operations in DIA including two-dimensional Fourier transformation (2DFT), intensity distribution, recursive region extraction, etc. are applied to morphology of polymer blends due to spinodal decomposition (SD), nucleation 6 growth (NG), and eutectic solidification (ES). Merits and drawbacks of DIA to study polymer blends morphology are discussed and the possibility of future development is presented.     

Multibubble sonoluminescence enhancement by fluid flow

Forced fluid flow can cause the enhancement of multibubble sonoluminescence (SL) under suitable conditions. The effect of directional flow with a circulator is similar to that of rotating flow with a stirrer. The mechanism of the enhancement is that both flows prevent cavitation bubbles from coalescing and clustering, which are responsible for the quenching of SL. The intensity of sonochemiluminescence (SCL) in an aqueous luminol solution increases with flow speed at higher ultrasonic powers more significantly than that of SL in distilled water. However, in the range of low ultrasonic power, the intensities of SL and SCL decrease with flow speed. Therefore, an optimum flow speed exists in relation to ultrasonic power and frequency.     

Bounds on multipartite entangled orthogonal state discrimination using local operations and classical communication

We show that entanglement guarantees difficulty in the discrimination of orthogonal multipartite states locally. The number of pure states that can be discriminated by local operations and classical communication is bounded by the total dimension over the average entanglement. A similar, general condition is also shown for pure and mixed states. These results offer a rare operational interpretation for three abstractly defined distancelike measures of multipartite entanglement.     

Anomalous behavior of linear resistivity arising in intergrain ordering process of weak-sintered ceramic system YBa2Cu4O8

Faint electric resistivity behavior is searched experimentally near and below intergrain ordering temperature of weakly sintered ceramic YBa₂Cu₄O₈ (Y124). For this purpose, a new method to detect linear and nonlinear resistivity sensitively by combination of pulse delta method and numerical Fourier-transformation has been designed. Making use of the experimental system for several weak sintered Y124 samples, it is revealed that linear resistivity just above the intergrain ordering point first drops toward zero steeply with decreasing temperature, and then turns abruptly upward to forms faint maximum at lower temperature. Such a novel behavior of ‘revival of resistivity’ is confirmed to be reproducible, and considered to be an essential frustration effect for d-wave type grain system with irregular or inhomogeneous ceramic structure.     

Observation of field quenching of photo-induced effects in hydrogenated amorphous silicon

Field quenching phenomena were observed in the photo-induced changes in dark current—voltage and dark low frequency capacitance-voltage characteristics of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) diodes. The photo-induced changes in photoconductivity of undoped a-Si:H measured in coplanar type samples also depended on the externally applied electric field. The mechanisms of the field quenching were discussed referring to trapping and/or recombination of photogenerated carriers in a-Si:H.     

4f-electric quadrupolar effects on the lattice constants and magnetism of RCu2Ge2 (R=rare-earths)

The temperature dependence of the lattice constants of the alloys, RCu₂Ge₂ (R=Nd, Tb, Dy, Ho and Tm) shows the existence of a lattice strain due to the alignment of the 4f-electric quadrupole at low temperatures. This strain could be related to the deviation of the Néel temperatures (T _N ) from that predicted by de Gennes scaling, thereby indicating the role of the quadrupole on the magnetism. On the other hand, in PrCu₂Ge₂, for which the enhancement ofT _N is the largest in thisR series, the lattice constants interestingly behave as if the 4f-quadrupole moment is almost quenched and the anomalous magnetism in this case is attributed to some degree of 4f-delocalisation.     

Synthesis of Organosilyl-Functionalized Cage-Type Germanoxanes Containing Fluoride Ions

Eight corners of a double-four ring cage-type germanoxane, containing a fluoride ion, were successfully silylated by the combination of chlorosilanes and silazanes. Three different silyl groups, trimethylsilyl, dimethylsilyl, and dimethylvinylsilyl, were attached on the corners of germanoxane cage. The solubility and reactivity of the cage modified with dimethylvinylsilyl groups were significantly increased, allowing for further reaction. Hydrosilylation reaction between dimethylvinylsilylated cage geramanoxanes and dimethylsilylated cage siloxanes afforded porous solids. Functionalization of the corners of germanoxanes with silyl groups should provide valuable building blocks in various functional materials.     

Glow discharge cleaning of vacuum switch tubes

To clean the surfaces of parts inside a vacuum-switch tube (VST) the authors propose a technique which generates a glow discharge between the inner electrodes and the copper grid surrounding it. Photographic observation reveals that the glow discharge spreads out and cleans the whole surface inside the VST. A breakdown test between the inner electrodes shows the effect of the cleaning with this technique. Higher breakdown voltage between the inner electrodes is attained by performing this glow discharge cleaning in argon rather than hydrogen gas. The difference of the cleaning effect seems to be attributed to that of the energy transfer from ion species to the adsorbed molecules and microprotrusions on the surfaces     

Theoretical analysis on the limitations of the open-circuit voltage of a hydrogenated amorphous silicon p-i-n solar cell

We have made theoretical studies on the limitation of the open-circuit voltageV _oc of a hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) p-i-n type solar cell. The effects of the tail states in the a-Si:H i layer and of the interface recombination are discussed in detail. The opencircuit voltage increases when the distribution of the tail states is sharp and/or the capture cross sections of these states are small. This is because the recombination rate of photogenerated carriers and/or the density of space charge due to trapped carriers in these states become low in these conditions. These effects of the tail states on the value ofV _oc become pronounced when the built-in potential of the p-i-n junction is high. The decrease in the effective recombination velocity of carriers at the p/i and n/i interfaces results in an increase ofV _oc. This increase becomes remarkable when the effects of the tail states on the value ofV _oc are small. Both the sharp distribution of tail states and the small value of the interface recombination velocity are necessary to increase considerably the value ofV _oc. We show the conditions of the material parameters necessary to obtain an open-circuit voltage of 1.0 V.