AlGaN photodetectors grown on Si(1 1 1) by molecular beam epitaxy

The fabrication and characterisation of Al_xGa_1−xN (0x0.35) photodetectors grown on Si(1 1 1) by molecular beam epitaxy are described. For low Al contents (<10%), photoconductors show high responsivities (10A/W), a non-linear dependence on optical power and persistent photoconductivity (PPC). For higher Al contents the PPC decreases and the photocurrent becomes linear with optical power. Schottky photodiodes present zero-bias responsivities from 12 to 5 mA/W (x=0−0.35), a UV/visible contrast higher than 10³, and a time response of 20 ns, in the same order of magnitude as for devices on sapphire substrate. GaN-based p–n ultraviolet photodiodes on Si(1 1 1) are reported for the first time.     

Active membrane viscoelasticity by the bacterial FtsZ-division protein

At the early stages of the division process in Escherichia coli, the protein FtsZ forms a septal ring at the midcell. This Z-ring causes membrane constriction during bacterial division. The Z-ring associates to the lipid membrane through several membrane proteins, ZipA among them. Here, a simplified FtsZ-ZipA model was reconstituted onto Langmuir monolayers based in E. coli polar lipid extract. Brewster angle and atomic force microscopy have revealed membrane FtsZ-polymerization upon GTP hydrolysis. The compression viscoelasticity of these monolayers has been also investigated. The presence of protein induced softening and fluidization with respect to the bare lipid membrane. An active mechanism, based on the internal forces stressed by FtsZ filaments and transduced to the lipid membrane by ZipA, was suggested to underlie the observed behavior.     

Banzhaf index for multiple voting systems. An application to the European Union

Multi-criteria simple games constitute an extension of the basic framework of voting systems and collective decision-making. The study of power index plays an important role in the theory of multi-criteria simple games. Thus, in this paper, we propose the extended Banzhaf index for these games, as the natural generalization of this index in conventional simple games. This approach allows us to compare various criteria simultaneously. An axiomatic characterization of this power index is established. The Banzhaf index is computed by taking into account the minimal winning coalitions of each class. Since this index depends on the number of ways in which each player can effect a swing, one of the main difficulties for finding this index is that it involves a large number of computations. We propose a combinatorial procedure, based on generating functions, to obtain the Banzhaf index more efficiently for weighted multi-criteria simple games. As an application, the distribution of voting power in the European Union is calculated.     

Optical properties of hydrogenated amorphous silicon films doped with fluorinated gases

Doped amorphous silicon films were prepared by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition of silane and hydrogen mixtures, using phosphorus pentafluoride (PF₅) and boron trifluoride (BF₃) as dopant precursors. The films were studied by UV-vis spectroscopy and their photo and dark conductivity were measured, the latter as a function of temperature. The optical gap of the n-type samples, doped with PF₅, diminished as the concentration of this gas in the plasma was increased. However, the optical gap of p-type samples, doped with BF₃, did not show any appreciable optical gap decrease as the concentration of BF₃ was varied from 0.04% to 4.7%. The dark conductivity of the p-type films at these extremes of the doping range were 7.6 × 10⁻¹⁰ and 3.5 × 10⁻¹ Ω⁻¹ cm⁻¹, respectively.     

Acetamide degradation by a continuous-fed batch culture ofBacillus sphaericus

Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology - The methanogenesis of acetamide occurs through a two-step reaction in methanogenic sludges. First, acetamide is hydrolyzed to acetate and ammonia by a...     

Crosslinking effects on hybrid organic–inorganic proton conducting membranes based on sulfonated polystyrene and polysiloxane

New hybrid semi‐interpenetrating proton‐conducting membranes were obtained using sulfonated polystyrene (SPS) and inorganic–organic polysiloxane phases with the aim of improving the mechanical and thermal characteristics of the pristine polymer and to study the effects of crosslinking in the latter phase in several of their properties, mainly proton conductivity. Siloxane phases were prepared using poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) and PDMS with tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) or phenyltrimethoxysilane (PTMS) as crosslinking agents. To study the crosslinking effect, membranes were prepared with different TEOS:PDMS and PTMS:PDMS mole ratios. The films obtained were characterized by FTIR, ²⁹Si‐HPDEC MAS‐NMR, ¹³C‐CP‐MAS NMR, elemental and thermal analyses. Certain properties, such as water uptake (WU), ion exchange capacity (IEC) and the state of the water, were determined. The proton conductivity was measured at different temperatures (30°C and 80°C) and relative humidities (50–95%). The water content of the hybrid membranes declined significantly, compared with the SPS membranes, depending on the nature and amount of siloxane phase added. Nonetheless, the conductivity values remained relatively high (>100 mS cm^?1 at 80°C and 95% RH) when compared to Nafion®117 presumably because of the formation of well developed proton channels, which makes them potentially promising as proton exchange membranes for fuel cells. These membranes proved to be thermally stable up to 350°C. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) were used to characterize the hybrid membranes microstructures; the latter provided contrast for the conductive domains. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fiber transmission and generation of ultrawideband pulses by direct current modulation of semiconductor lasers and chirp-to-intensity conversion

Optical pulses generated by current modulation of semiconductor lasers are strongly frequency chirped. This effect has been considered pernicious for optical communications. We take advantage of this effect for the generation of ultrawideband microwave signals by using an optical filter to achieve chirp-to-intensity conversion. We also experimentally achieve propagation through a 20 km nonzero dispersion shifted fiber with no degradation of the signal at the receiver. Our method constitutes a prospective low-cost solution and offers integration capabilities with fiber-to-the-customer-premise systems.     

Design of Multi-core Fiber Patch Panel for Space Division Multiplexing Implementations

A multi-core fiber (MCF) patch panel was designed, allowing easy coupling of individual signals to and from a 7-core MCF. The device was characterized, measuring insertion loss and cross talk, finding highest insertion loss and lowest crosstalk at 1300 nm with values of 9.7 dB and -36.5 dB respectively, while at 1600 nm insertion loss drops to 4.8 dB and crosstalk increases to -24.1 dB. Two MCF splices between the fan-in module, the MCF, and the fan-out module are included in the characterization, and splicing parameters are discussed.     

Marangoni stresses and surface compression rheology of surfactant solutions. Achievements and problems

In the presence of soluble surfactants, the motion of liquid surfaces involves Marangoni effects. As a consequence, the surfaces exhibit elastic responses, even frequently behaving as rigid surfaces, especially at low surfactant concentration. The Marangoni effects can be conveniently quantified introducing surface viscoelastic compression parameters that characterize the mechanical response of the surface near equilibrium. Many experimental techniques allow measuring the viscoelastic parameters. However, many difficulties are encountered during the interpretation of the surface response in the various types of hydrodynamic velocity fields involved in the different techniques. The role of adsorption and desorption energy barriers appears crucial, despite the fact that little is known yet about their values. In this short review, we will present examples illustrating the different problems.