Improvement of resistive switching fluctuations by using one step lift‐off process

Bipolar resistive switching characteristics are investigated in ZrO₂ containing Cu thin layer devices, particularly for the self‐isolated‐structure device fabricated by one step lift‐off process. Compared with the traditional‐structure device, the self‐isolated‐structure device shows more uniform resistive switching characteristics. This is because the isolation of each device cell has negligible influence on each other and thus mitigates possible crosstalk between each cell. These results suggest that the feasibility of good stabilization of the resistive switching parameters can be obtained through one step lift‐off process. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Phase transitions in a holographic s $$$$ p model with back-reaction

In a previous paper (Nie et al. in JHEP 1311:087, arXiv:1309.2204 [hep-th], 2013), we presented a holographic s \(+\) p superconductor model with a scalar triplet charged under an SU(2) gauge field in the bulk. We also study the competition and coexistence of the s-wave and p-wave orders in the probe limit. In this work we continue to study the model by considering the full back-reaction. The model shows a rich phase structure and various condensate behaviors such as the “n-type” and “u-type” ones, which are also known as reentrant phase transitions in condensed matter physics. The phase transitions to the p-wave phase or s \(+\) p coexisting phase become first order in strong back-reaction cases. In these first order phase transitions, the free energy curve always forms a swallow tail shape, in which the unstable s \(+\) p solution can also play an important role. The phase diagrams of this model are given in terms of the dimension of the scalar order and the temperature in the cases of eight different values of the back-reaction parameter, which show that the region for the s \(+\) p coexisting phase is enlarged with a small or medium back-reaction parameter but is reduced in the strong back-reaction cases.     

Ultrafast solvation dynamics at internal sites of staphylococcal nuclease investigated by site-directed mutagenesis

Internal solvation of protein was studied by site-directed mutagenesis,with which an intrinsically fluorescent probe,tryptophan,is inserted into the desired position inside a protein molecule for ultrafast spectroscopic study.Here we review this unique method for protein dynamics research.We first introduce the frontiers of protein solvation,site-directed mutagenesis,protein stability and characteristics,and the spectroscopic methods.Then we present time-resolved spectroscopic dynamics of solvation dynamics inside cavities of active sites.The studies are carried out on a globular protein,staphylococcal nuclease.The solvation at sites inside the protein molecule’s cavities clearly reveals characteristics of the local environment.These solvation behaviors are directly correlated to enzyme activity.     

Measurement of micro weld joint position based on magneto-optical imaging

In a laser butt joint welding process,it is required that the laser beam focus should be controlled to follow the weld joint path accurately.Small focus wandering off the weld joint may result in insufficient penetration or unacceptable welds.Recognition of joint position offset,which describes the deviation between the laser beam focus and the weld joint,is important for adjusting the laser beam focus and obtaining high quality welds.A new method based on the magneto-optical(MO)imaging is applied to measure the micro weld joint whose gap is less than 0.2 mm.The weldments are excited by an external magnetic field,and an MO sensor based on principle of Faraday magneto effect is used to capture the weld joint images.A sequence of MO images which are tested under different magnetic field intensities and different weld joint widths are acquired.By analyzing the MO image characteristics and extracting the weld joint features,the influence of magnetic field intensity and weld joint width on the MO images and detection of weld joint position is observed and summarized.     

Effects of carbon contents on morphology and electrical properties of Li2MnSiO4/C prepared by a vacuum solid-state method

To improve the electrochemical performance of Li₂MnSiO₄ with low electric conductivity, the Li₂MnSiO₄/C composite are synthesized by a vacuum solid-state reaction of a mixture of SiO₂, LiCH₃COO, Mn(CH₃COO)₂ and designed mass of C₆H₁₂O₆ · H₂O as carbon sources. The crystalline structure and morphology of products are analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and laser scattering technology (LS) respectively. The tested results show that carbon doping decrease the crystallite sizes of products, but keep the aggregation of the particles and made the impurity increased instead. The results of constant current charge-discharge prove that the mixed carbon improve Li⁺ transmission performance and decrease inner polatization resistance of Li₂MnSiO₄ materials, but can not prevent the collapse of Li₂MnSiO₄ crystal structure. While the galvanostatic intermittent titration technique (GITT) results demonstrate that the primary reason for the improved electrochemical performance can be attributed to increased Li-ion diffusion coefficient $(D_{Li^ + } )$ as a result from carbon doping.     

The Photo‐Nazarov Reaction: Scope and Application

The reaction conditions and scope of the photo‐Nazarov reaction of aryl vinyl ketones were investigated. In contrast to the conventional acid‐catalyzed methods, this photolytic electrocyclization proceeds in the neutral or basic conditions. Irradiating substrates bearing various aromatic rings, acid‐sensitive groups, cyclohexenyl, cycloheptenyl, and unsaturated pyran with UV‐light (254 nm) smoothly yielded hexahydrofluorenones and related structures. This photo‐Nazarov reaction could also be applicable to the substrates carrying β‐alkyl groups on the enone, which gave corresponding polycyclic rings containing quaternary centers. These photo‐electrocyclized products may prove useful for synthesizing a variety of natural products and their derivatives. Further application of this mild photo‐Nazarov reaction in the synthesis of taiwaniaquinol B was achieved.     

A Protic Ionic Liquid Catalyzes CO2 Conversion at Atmospheric Pressure and Room Temperature: Synthesis of Quinazoline‐2,4(1H,3H)‐diones

The chemical fixation of CO₂ under mild reaction conditions is of significance from a sustainable chemistry viewpoint. Herein a CO₂‐reactive protic ionic liquid (PIL), [HDBU⁺][TFE^?], was designed by neutralization of the superbase 1,8‐diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec‐7‐ene (DBU) with a weak proton donor trifluoroethanol (TFE). As a bifunctional catalyst for simultaneously activating CO₂ and the substrate, this PIL displayed excellent performance in catalyzing the reactions of CO₂ with 2‐aminobenzonitriles at atmospheric pressure and room temperature, thus producing a series of quinazoline‐2,4(1H,3H)‐diones in excellent yields.