Synthesis and characterization of immobilized activated carbon doped TiO2 thin films

Immobilized activated carbon doped TiO₂ thin films were prepared by sol–gel dip coating method by using Titanium IV isopropoxide as a precursor. Aim of our work is to synthesize and investigate the structural, surface morphology and optical properties of the synthesized thin film. X-ray diffraction pattern reveals that the crystallinity of the film increases with increase in temperature. Also, the structural parameters such as particle size, microstrain and dislocation density have been calculated. The formation of nanosphere of diameter ranging from 300 nm to 500 nm has been confirmed by Scanning electron microscope. Photocatalytic active large optical band gap at 3.75 eV was found by using UV–visible sspectrum.     

All- optical phase encoded 4-to-1 phase multiplexer using four wave mixing in semiconductor optical amplifier

Optics has already showed its potency over its electronic complements in case of superfast computing and communication systems. Semiconductor optical amplifier, (SOA) with its several nonlinear properties, plays a very crucial role in the development of high-speed all-optical processor. Multiplexer and demultiplexer are the extremely important element of the processor which takes part in utilizing different actions like encoding, decoding, routing, and the different process of data conversion and generation, etc. In this paper, the authors have proposed a scheme of phase encoded all-optical phase multiplexer using four wave mixing (FWM) property of semiconductor optical amplifier. Thus, the improved tolerance against fiber-nonlinearity and higher receiver sensitivity of phase encoding method with the fast occurring processes like FWM in SOA offers higher speed in this proposed scheme of multiplexing.     

A Quasi-3D Threshold Voltage Model for Dual-Metal Quadruple-Gate MOSFETs

Due to challenges with relentless scaling of conventional bulk complementary metal-oxide- semiconductor （CMOS） devices, non-conventional CMOS devices have been of great interest to scale metaboxide-semiconductor field effect transistors （MOSFETs） to the 32nm gate length and below effectively. Among non-conventional CMOS devices, quadruple-gate （QG） MOSFETs have been gaining interest because they are sup- posed to provide excellent electrostatic controllability for ultra-large-scale integration （ULSI） applications. A number of attempts have been made to analyze QG MOSFETs analytically with a great amount of success. Sharma et al. have presented an an- alytical threshold voltage model for QG MOSFETs using an isomorphic polynomial function for solv- ing the 3D Poisson equation. Chiang has presented a number of models of scaling length,threshold voltage and subthreshold current for QG MOS- FETs adopting a concept of the so-called equivalent number of gates （ENGs）.     

Bio-energetic impairment in human calf muscle in thyroid disorders: a P MRS study

Mitochondrial metabolism particularly oxidative phosphorylation is greatly influenced by thyroid hormones. Earlier studies have described neuromuscular symptoms as well as impaired muscle metabolism in hypothyroid and hyperthyroid patients. In this study, we intend to look in to the muscle bioenergetics including phosphocreatine recovery kinetics based oxidative metabolism in thyroid dysfunction using in vivo ³¹P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). ³¹P MRS was carried out at resting state on 32 hypothyroid, 10 hyperthyroid patients and 25 control subjects. Nine out of 32 hypothyroid patients and 17 out of 25 control subjects under went exercise protocol for oxidative metabolism study and performed plantar flexion exercise while lying supine in 1.5 T magnetic resonance scanner using custom built exercise device. MRS measurements of inorganic phosphate (Pi), phosphocreatine (PCr), phosphodiesters (PDE) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) of the calf muscle were acquired during rest, exercise and recovery phase. PCr recovery rate constant (k_PCr) and oxidative capacity were calculated by monoexponential fit of PCr versus time (t) at the beginning of recovery. During resting condition in hypothyroid patients, PCr/Pi ratio was reduced whereas PDE/ATP and Pi/ATP were increased. However, in case of hyperthyroidism, an increased PCr/Pi ratio and reduced PDE/ATP and Pi/ATP were observed. The results confirmed differential energy status of the muscle due to increased or decreased levels of thyroid hormone. Our results also demonstrate reduced oxidative metabolism in hypothyroid patients based on PCr recovery kinetics. PCr recovery kinetics study after exercise revealed decreased PCr recovery rate constant (k_PCr) in hypothyroid patients compared to controls that resulted in decrease in oxidative capacity of muscle by 50% in hypothyroids. These findings are consistent with a defect of high energy phosphate mitochondrial metabolism in thyroid dysfunction.     

Dielectric, thermal and optical study of an unusually shaped liquid crystal

Dielectric measurements have been carried out for the determination of real and imaginary parts of the permittivity of a newly synthesized, unusually shaped liquid crystal. The sample has been investigated in the frequency range from 100 Hz to 10 MHz within a temperature range 80-130 °C. The dielectric measurements in the smectic A phase indicate a Cole-Cole type of dispersion, and the activation energy was found to be 5.5 meV by using the Arrhenius plot of relaxation time. In addition to this, thermal and optical transmittance studies have also been conducted in the above mentioned temperature range, and the temperature dependence of these parameters has been discussed in detail. The phase transition temperature obtained from a differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) study matches within 2 °C that was obtained from an optical transmittance study. The dielectric and optical behavior of the unusually shaped liquid crystal has been explained on the basis of a proposed theoretical model in which a sample possesses two different conformers having induced polarizations in opposite directions.     

Bioactivity of SiO2-CaO-P2O5-Na2O glasses containing zinc-iron oxide

Glasses with composition x(ZnO,Fe₂O₃)(65 − x)SiO₂20(CaO,P₂O₅)15Na₂O (6 ≤ x ≤ 21 mol%) were prepared by melt-quenching technique. Bioactivity of the glasses was investigated in vitro by examining apatite formation on the surface of glasses treated in acellular simulated body fluid (SBF) with ion concentrations nearly equal to those in human blood plasma. Formation of bioactive apatite layer on the samples treated in SBF was confirmed by using Fourier transform infrared reflection (FTIR) spectroscopy, grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GI-XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer. Development of an apatite structure on the surface of the SBF treated glass samples as functions of composition and time could be established using the GI-XRD data. FTIR spectra of the glasses treated in SBF show features at characteristic vibration frequencies of apatite after 1-day of immersion in SBF. SEM observations revealed that the spherical particles formed on the glass surface were made of calcium and phosphorus with the Ca/P molar ratio being close to 1.67, corresponding to the value in crystalline apatite. Increase in bioactivity with increasing zinc-iron oxide content was observed. The results have been used to understand the evolution of the apatite surface layer as a function of glass composition and immersion time in SBF.     

Direct visualization of Young’s boundary diffraction wave

Experimental investigations on Young’s boundary diffraction wave are presented where a wavefront division interferometric scheme is used on diffracted wavefront to generate two-beam interference fringes in the geometrically shadow region. These fringes have good visibility and are observable in the whole space, strongly advocating the physical existence of Young’s boundary diffraction wave as a separate entity. Analysis of these fringes may provide vital information about the structure and nature of boundary diffraction wave e.g. existence in whole space, dependence of amplitude on obliquity factor etc.     

Preparation of MgB<Subscript>2</Subscript>/Fe superconductor wire by electrical self-heating

MgB₂/Fe wires were prepared by electrical self-heating of in situ powder-in-tube wires for the first time at ambient conditions. Characterization of the wires processed at 750 °C, 800 °C and 850 °C for 15 min by XRD, SEM, ϱ–T, susceptibility and J_C measurements shows that the MgB₂ formed is of high quality particularly with respect to phase purity and transport J_C. The method considerably reduces the overall energy consumption vis-à-vis the production cost, simplifies the complexity of the fabrication procedure and is promising for manufacture of high-quality MgB₂ superconducting wires. PACS 74.70.Ad; 74.62.Bf; 74.25.Fy; 74.25.Ha; 81.20.Hy     

The nonlinear optical properties of a magneto-exciton in a strained Ga0.2In0.sAs/GaAs quantum dot

The magnetic field-dependent heavy hole excitonic states in a strained Gao.2Ino.sAs/GaAs quantum dot are investi- gated by taking into account the anisotropy, non-parabolicity of the conduction band, and the geometrical confinement. The strained quantum dot is considered as a parabolic dot of InAs embedded in a GaAs barrier material. The dependence of the effective excitonic g-factor as a function of dot radius and the magnetic field strength is numerically measured. The interband optical transition energy as a function of geometrical confinement is computed in the presence of a mag- netic field. The magnetic field-dependent oscillator strength of interband transition under the geometrical confinement is studied. The exchange enhancements as a function of dot radius are observed for various magnetic field strengths in a strained Gao.2Ino.sAs/GaAs quantum dot. Heavy hole excitonic absorption spectra, the changes in refractive index, and the third-order susceptibility of third-order harmonic generation are investigated in the Gao.2Ino.8As/GaAs quantum dot. The result shows that the effect of magnetic field strength is more strongly dependent on the nonlinear optical property in a low-dimensional semiconductor system.     

Combustion wave propagation in mixtures of JSC-1A lunar regolith simulant with magnesium

Combustion of lunar regolith mixed with energetic additives is a potential method for production of construction materials in future moon missions. Recently, self-sustained combustion in the mixtures of JSC-1A lunar regolith and magnesium has been demonstrated. However, the concentration of magnesium in those mixtures was as high as 26 wt%. Note that magnesium must be either transported from Earth or recovered from lunar minerals or used structures. The present paper focuses on the minimization of magnesium content in JSC-1A/Mg mixtures. The mixtures were compacted into pellets and ignited in argon environment. Initial attempts to decrease magnesium concentration resulted in the observations of a spinning combustion wave at 23 wt% Mg. The observed spin combustion involved periodical motion of two counterpropagating hot spots along a helical path on the sample surface. These observations, including features such as formation of a faster hot spot after collision of the counterpropagating spots, confirm theoretical predictions for spin combustion in solid–solid mixtures. High-energy mechanical milling of JSC-1A in a planetary ball mill significantly increased its reactivity and improved combustion of its mixtures with magnesium. Mixtures of the obtained powder (the median diameter of about 3 μm) with 26 wt% Mg exhibit easy ignition and vigorous combustion. The minimum concentration of magnesium required for self-sustained propagation of a planar combustion front is as low as 13 wt%.