Investigation of droplet formation in pulsed Nd:YAG laser deposition of metals and silicon

In the process of pulsed laser deposition of nickel (Ni) and ruthenium (Ru) thin films, the occurrence of phase explosion in ablation was found to affect the deposition rate and enhance the optical emissions from the plasma plume. Faster thin-film growth rates coincide with the onset of phase explosion as a result of superheating and/or sub-surface boiling which also increased the particulates found on the thin-film surface. These particulates were predominantly droplets which may not be round but flattened and also debris for the case of silicon (Si) ablation. The droplets from Ni and Ru thin films were compared in terms of size distribution and number density for different laser fluences. The origins of these particulates were correlated to the bubble and ripple formations on the targets while the transfer to the thin film surface was attributed to the laser-induced ejection from the targets.     

Spectroscopy, crystal structure, valance molecular orbital energy level diagram and DFT study of cis-[Cr(2,2'-bipy)2Cl2](Cl)0.38(PF6)0.62

A new octahedral chromium(III) complex having 2,2'-bipyridine as ligand system was synthesized in methanol. Single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis shows that it possesses non-stoichiometry in its anionic primary covalency. It has also been studied by elemental analyses, optical spectroscopy (UV-vis, IR) and magnetic susceptibility data. DFT calculations (with B3LYP functional and double-xi quality LANLDZ(D95V) basis set) were carried out to interpret the electronic and infrared spectra of the complex. The DFT optimized geometric structure for the complex is compared with the X-ray crystallographic data; the theory-experiment agreement is satisfactory.     

Tris(mercaptoimidazolyl)borate complexes of the coinage metals: syntheses and molecular structures of the first gold compounds and related copper and silver derivatives

The first tris(mercaptoimidazolyl)borate complexes of gold, Au(Tm(tBu)) and (Tm(tBu))Au(PPh3), have been prepared and structurally characterized. Together with their copper and silver analogues M(Tm(tBu)) and (Tm(tBu))M(PPh3)(M = Cu, Ag), these compounds constitute the first two complete series of Tm(R) derivatives to be isolated for the coinage metals. In order to evaluate the steric and electronic effects of the bulky tert-butyl substituents in these species, comparative structural analyses with the known methyl-substituted analogue Ag(Tm(Me)) and various (Tm(Me))M(PR3) derivatives (M = Cu, Ag) are also presented.     

Synthesis and structural characterization of 2,6-dimesitylphenyl complexes of scandium, ytterbium, and yttrium

The molecular structures of a number of 2,6-dimesitylphenyl-based (2,6-dimesitylphenyl = Dmp) complexes of the group 3 elements scandium and yttrium as well as of the lanthanide element ytterbium are reported. Reaction of 1 equiv of DmpLi with 1 equiv of MCl(3) (M = Sc, Yb, Y) in tetrahydrofuran at room temperature followed by crystallization from toluene/hexanes at -30 degrees C produces DmpMCl(2)(THF)(2) (M = Sc: 1; M = Yb: 2) and DmpMCl(2)(THF)(3) (M = Y: 3), respectively. The one-pot reaction of DmpLi with 1 equiv of YbCl(3) in tetrahydrofuran at room temperature followed by addition of 1 equiv of KO(t)Bu produces the heterobimetallic monoalkoxide complex DmpYb(THF)(O(t)Bu)(mu-Cl)(2)Li(THF)(2) (4), which was crystallized from toluene/tetrahydrofuran (20:1) at -30 degrees C. Crystal data for 1: monoclinic, P2(1)/n; T = 203 K; a = 10.178(3) A; b = 15.468(3) A; c = 20.132(5) A; beta = 101.85(3) degrees; V = 3102.0(17) A(3); Z' = 4; D(calcd) = 1.228 g cm(-3); R(1) = 5.89%. Crystal data for 2: monoclinic, P2(1)/n; T = 173 K; a = 10.2447(7) A; b = 15.5683(12) A; c = 20.0979(14) A; beta = 101.749(4) degrees; V = 3238.3(5) A(3); Z' = 4; D(calcd) = 1.485 g cm(-3); R(1) = 4.32%. Crystal data for 3: monoclinic, P2(1)/n; T = 203 K; a = 15.950(3) A; b = 11.865(2) A; c = 18.254(3) A; beta = 92.323(3) degrees; V = 3451.9(10) A(3); Z' = 4; D(calcd) = 1.327 g cm(-)(3); R(1) = 4.43%. Crystal data for 4: triclinic, P1; T = 193 K; a = 10.2252(2) A; b = 11.3497(2) A; c = 18.5814(2) A; alpha = 98.7353(6) degrees; beta = 102.8964(6) degrees; gamma = 94.8058(5) degrees; V = 2062.09(5) A(3); Z' = 2; D(calcd) = 1.375 g cm(-3); R(1) = 4.56%. The molecular structures of 1-3 feature monomeric complexes with distorted trigonal-bipyramidal (1 and 2) or octahedral (3) coordination geometry about the metal atom, with the two chlorine atoms occupying the axial positions. 4 represents the first example of an alkoxide derivative of a terphenyl lanthanide complex. The molecular structure of the ate complex 4 exhibits a heavily distorted trigonal-bipyramidal coordination polyhedron about the ytterbium atom, with one of the mu-chlorine atoms and the oxygen atom of the tetrahydrofuran ligand representing the axial positions of the trigonal-bipyramidal arrangement. A terminal alkoxide ligand is another main feature of the molecular structure of complex 4.     

Dinuclear and octanuclear Mn(II) complexes with mu2-C, mu2-N(pyrrolide), and mu-eta1:eta5-(pyrrolide) bridges: a structural and magnetic study

Reaction of the dinuclear [(CH2SiMe3)(mu-CH2SiMe3)Mn(THF)]2 (1) with an equivalent amount of 1,1-dipyrrolylcyclohexane afforded two compounds depending on the solvent employed. Reaction carried out in THF afforded the dinuclear ([1,1-(mu-C4H3N)(C4H3N)C6H10]Mn(THF)2)2.2(THF) (2) while reaction in toluene yielded the octanuclear and cyclic cluster ([1,1-(mu,eta1:eta5-C4H3N)2C6H10]Mn)8.4(toluene) (3). The magnetism in all three cases is dominated by intramolecular antiferromagnetic exchange with strong coupling in 1 (J=-85 cm(-1)), and in 2 (J=-23.2 cm(-1)), whereas substantially weaker coupling through the sigma/pi-bonded dipyrrolide bridges (J=-3.3 cm(-1)) was observed within the cyclic and octameric 3.     

Interference effect in scattering loss of high-index-contrast planar waveguides caused by boundary reflections

We present theoretical and experimental results on an interference effect caused by boundary reflections on the optical scattering loss in high-index-contrast planar waveguides. Analytical expressions for the polarization-dependent scattering loss are derived using a surface Green's function. For high-index-contrast waveguides of submicrometer dimensions a significant deviation from accepted theory arises, including scattering loss suppression owing to a thin-film interference effect. Our theoretical predictions are confirmed by loss measurements on silicon-on-insulator channel waveguides.     

Chemical vapour deposition of In2O3 thin films from a tris-guanidinate indium precursor

A new homoleptic sublimable indium(III) guanidinate, (In[(N(i)Pr)(2)CNMe(2)](3) (1), was synthesized from a facile high-yield procedure. Compound 1 crystallized is a P1 space group; a = 10.5989(14) ?, b = 11.0030(15) ?, c = 16.273(2) ?, α = 91.190(2)°, β = 96.561(2)°, γ = 115.555(2)°; R = 3.50%. Thermogravimetric analysis showed 1 to produce elemental indium as a residual mass. Thermolysis in a sealed NMR tube showed carbodiimide and protonated dimethyl amine by (1)H NMR. Chemical vapour deposition experiments above 275 °C with air as the reactant gas showed 1 to readily deposit cubic indium oxide with good transparency.     

Mechanistic Study of a Switch in the Regioselectivity of Hydroheteroarylation of Styrene Catalyzed by Bimetallic Ni–Al through CH Activation

We previously reported a highly efficient protocol for bimetallic Ni–Al‐catalyzed hydroheteroarylation of styrene with benzimidazole based on C?H bond activation. We have now delineated the mechanism of this process, providing a rationale for an observed switch in regioselectivity in the presence of the Lewis acid, AlMe₃. The present mechanistic study gives insights for the rational development of catalysts that exhibit required linear/branched selectivity.     

Target-plane deposition of diamond-like carbon in pulsed laser ablation of graphite

In pulsed Nd:YAG laser ablation of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) at 10⁻⁶ Torr, diamond-like carbon (DLC) are deposited at laser wavelengths of 1064, 532, and 355 nm on substrates placed in the target-plane. These target-plane samples are found to contain varying sp³ content and composed of nanostructures of 40-200 nm in size depending on the laser wavelength and laser fluence. The material and origin of sp³ in the target-plane samples is closely correlated to that in the laser-modified HOPG surface layer, and hardly from the backward deposition of ablated carbon plume. The surface morphology of the target-plane samples shows the columnar growth and with a tendency for agglomeration between nanograins, in particular for long laser wavelength at 1064 nm. It is also proposed that DLC formation mechanism at the laser-ablated HOPG is possibly via the laser-induced subsurface melting and resolidification.