Synthesis of ordered ZnO nanowire arrays from aqueous solution using AAO template

In this paper we report a simple method that enables the easy fabrication of ordered ZnO nanowire arrays using Anodic Aluminium Oxide (AAO) template. We have used a vacuum injection technique to fill solution into the pores of an AAO template. The AAO template has been fabricated by a two-step anodization process using 0.3 M oxalic acid (H₂C₂O₄) solution under a constant voltage of 40 V. The AAO template formed through this process has been detached from Al substrate via an anodic voltage pulse using perchloric acid (HClO₄) solution (70%). The nanowires of ZnO have been synthesized by injecting the saturated Zn(NO₃)₂ solution into the pores of the detached AAO template using a vacuum pump. The ZnO nanowires synthesized by this technique have been found dense & continuous with uniform diameter throughout the length of the wire. The structural characteristics of AAO template and ZnO nanowires have been studied by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM), Atomic force microscope (AFM) and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM).     

Structural and optical properties of RF magnetron sputtered aluminum nitride films without external substrate heating

We report structural and optical properties of aluminum nitride (AlN) thin films prepared by RF magnetron sputtering. A ceramic AlN target was used to sputter deposit AlN films without external substrate heating in Ar-N₂ (1:1) ambient. The X-ray diffraction and high resolution transmission electron microscopy results revealed that the films were preferentially oriented along c-axis. Cross-sectional imaging revealed columnar growth perpendicular to the substrate. The secondary ion mass spectroscopy analysis confirmed that aluminum and nitrogen distribution was uniform within the thickness of the film. The optical band gap of 5.3 eV was evaluated by UV-vis spectroscopy. Photo-luminescence broad band was observed in the range of 420-600 nm with two maxima, centered at 433 nm and 466 nm wavelengths related to the energy states originated during the film growth. A structural property correlation has been carried out to explore the possible application of such important well oriented nano-structured two-dimensional semiconducting objects.     

White organic light emitting diodes based on DCM dye sandwiched in 2-methyl-8-hydroxyquinolinolatolithium

Stable white electroluminescence (EL) has been achieved from organic LED, in which an ultrathin 4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-methyl-6-(p-dimethyl-aminostyryl)-4H-pyran (DCM) dye layer has been inserted in between two 2-methyl-8-hydroxyquinolinolatolithium [LiMeq] emitter layer and by optimizing the position of the DCM dye layer from the α-NPD/LiMeq interface. Electroluminescence spectra, current-voltage-luminescence (I-V-L) characteristics of the devices have been studied by changing the position of the dye layer. As the distance of DCM layer from α-NPD/LiMeq interface is increased, the intensity of host emission enhances rapidly. Introduction of thin layer of DCM in emissive layer increases the turn on voltage. The best Commission International de L’ Eclairage (CIE) coordinates i.e. (0.32, 0.33) were obtained with device structure ITO/α-NPD(30 nm) /LiMeq(10 nm)/DCM(1 nm)/LiMeq(25 nm)/BCP(6 nm)/Alq₃(28 nm)/LiF(1 nm)/Al(100 nm). The EL spectrum covers the whole visible spectra range 400-700 nm. The color rendering index (CRI) for our best white light (Device 4) is 47.4. The device shows very good color stability in terms of CIE coordinates with voltages. The maximum luminescence 1240 cd/m⁻² has been achieved at 19 V.     

Fractal differential equations and fractal-time dynamical systems

Differential equations and maps are the most frequently studied examples of dynamical systems and may be considered as continuous and discrete time-evolution processes respectively. The processes in which time evolution takes place on Cantor-like fractal subsets of the real line may be termed as fractal-time dynamical systems. Formulation of these systems requires an appropriate framework. A new calculus calledF ^α-calculus, is a natural calculus on subsetsF⊂ R of dimension α,0 < α ≤ 1. It involves integral and derivative of order α, calledF ^α-integral andF ^α-derivative respectively. TheF ^α-integral is suitable for integrating functions with fractal support of dimension α, while theF ^α-derivative enables us to differentiate functions like the Cantor staircase. The functions like the Cantor staircase function occur naturally as solutions ofF ^α-differential equations. Hence the latter can be used to model fractal-time processes or sublinear dynamical systems. We discuss construction and solutions of some fractal differential equations of the form

On the variable-charge Coulomb-projected Born approximation

Total cross-sections for electron impact excitation of 1¹ S – 2³ S transition in helium have been calculated using variable-charge Coulomb-projected Born approximation and also using a distorted wave model in which the prior form of theT-matrix is used. The comparison of the two sets of results enables us to make certain observations about the suitability of the variable-charge Coulomb-projected Born approximation.     

Infrared spectra of BeSO4.4H2O and its deuterated analogue in 4000–1200 cm−1 region

IR spectra of BeSO₄.4H₂O and its deuterated analogue at ∼300 K and ∼110 K are reported in the region 4000–1200 cm⁻¹ using thin film and nujol mull techniques. The observed bands have been assigned as the internal modes of the water and the overtones and combinations of various modes using the recently revised assignments of SO₄ ²⁻ and Be(aq)₄ fundamentals in the region 1200–250 cm⁻¹ (Srivastavaet al 1976). The splitting of the internal modes of water has been discussed in the light of the effects of deuteration and cooling and it is shown that all the water molecules in a unit cell are asymmetric but crystallographically equivalent.     

Ferromagnetic resonance in Sr doped rare earth orthocobaltites, Ln1−xSrxCoO3†

FMR measurements have been carried out on several members of the Ln_1−xSrxCoO₃ (Ln = Rare earth) system. The results show that g_eff in these systems is around 1.25 independent of x as well as the rare earth ion. It is suggested that this unusual value of g_eff is due to the localized intermediate-spin Co³⁺ ions (t⁵_2g e¹_g) located at the top of the π^* band.     

On the summation of the Brillouin-Wigner type perturbation series

It is shown that if the ‘mean excitation energy’ assumption is introduced in the Brillouin-Wigner perturbation series, then the resulting series can be exactly summed. The implications of the result for calculating energy shift and for constructing trial functions are examined with special reference to the ground state of the helium atom.     

Electron-sodium elastic scattering in the presence of strong non-resonant laser field

The elastic differential cross-section forē-Na scattering in the presence of non-resonant laser field is studied for the exchange ofℓ=0, 1, 2 photons. The undressed contribution is evaluated within the framework of the eikonal Born series approximation and the effect of exchange is taken into account via the Ochkur approximation. The sodium atom has been treated in the frozen core approximation with special attention to the effect of the dressing of the target by the laser field. The ‘dressing’ of the target leads to quite an increase in the cross-section over the ‘undressed’ value near the forward direction for the exchange of one or two photons.     

Organic superalkalis with closed-shell structure and aromaticity

Benzene (C₆H₆) and polycyclic hydrocarbons such as naphthalene (C₁₀H₈), anthracene (C₁₄H₁₀) and coronene (C₂₄H₁₂) are well known aromatic organic compounds. We study the substitution of Li replacing all H-atoms in these hydrocarbons using density functional method. The vertical ionisation energy of such lithiated species, i.e. C₆Li₆, C₁₀Li₈, C₁₄Li₁₀ and C₂₄Li₁₂ ranges 4.24–4.50 eV, which is lower than the ionisation energy (IE) of Li atom. Thus, these species may behave as superalkalis due to their lower IE than alkali metal. However, these lithiated species possess planar and closed-shell structure, unlike typical superalkalis. Furthermore, all Li-substituted species are aromatic although their degree of aromaticity is reduced as compared to corresponding hydrocarbon analogues. We have further explored the structure of C₆Li₆ as star-like, unlike its inorganic analogue B₃N₃Li₆, which appears as fan-like structure. We have also demonstrated that the interaction of C₆Li₆ with a superhalogen (such as BF₄) is similar to that of a typical superalkali (such as OLi₃). This may further suggest that the proposed lithiated species may form a new class of closed-shell organic superalkalis with aromaticity.