Investigation of the quantum dot infrared photodetectors dark current

Quantum dot infrared photodetectors (QDIPs) are more efficient than other types of semiconductor based photodetectors; so it has become an actively developed field of research. In this paper quantum dot infrared photodetector dark current is evaluated theoretically. This evaluation is based on the model that was developed by Ryzhii et al. Here it is assumed that both thermionic emission and field-assisted tunneling mechanisms determine the dark current of QDIPs; moreover we have considered Richardson effect, which has not been taken into account in previous research. Then a new formula for estimating average number of electrons in a quantum dot infrared photodetector is derived. Considering the Richardson effect and field-assisted tunneling mechanisms in the dark current improves the accuracy of algorithm and causes the theoretical data to fit better in the experiment. The QDIPs dark current temperature and biasing voltage dependency, contribution of thermionic emission and field-assisted tunneling at various temperatures and biasing voltage in the QDIPs dark current are investigated. Moreover, the other parameter effects like quantum dot (QD) density and QD size effect on the QDIPs dark current are investigated.     

Synthesis of coprecipitated strontium hexaferrite nanoparticles in the presence of polyvinyl alcohol

Strontium hexaferrite (SrFe₁₂O₁₉) nanoparticles were synthesized by the chemical coprecipitation method and using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a protective agent. The synthesized samples were characterized by differential thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, particle size analyzer, sedimentation test and vibrating sample magnetometer. In the presence of PVA, the single-phase SrFe₁₂O₁₉ nanoparticles were obtained at low temperature of 650 °C. The average particle size of SrFe₁₂O₁₉ precursor was 15 nm, which increased to 61 nm after calcination at 650 °C. The magnetic measurements indicated that PVA decreased coercivity from 4711 to 3216 Oe with particle size reduction. The results showed that PVA as a protective agent could be effective in decreasing the particle size, calcination temperature and coercivity of SrFe₁₂O₁₉ nanoparticles.     

Electrodeposition of Cobalt Oxide Nanostructure on the Glassy Carbon Electrode for Electrocatalytic Determination of para‐Nitrophenol

Cobalt oxide nanostructure (CoO_xNS) deposited on the glassy carbon (GC) electrode surface is proposed as a novel electrocatalytic system for the reduction of para‐Nitrophenol. Cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used for characterization of deposited CoO_xNS. CoO_xNS deposited by cycling at positive potentials (0 to +1.3 V) show less charge‐transfer resistance (Rct) and more catalytic activity for the electroreduction of p‐nitrophenol compared to those CoO_xNS obtained by scanning the applied potential throughout a negative V range. The GC/CoO_xNS electrode showed good electrocatalytic activity toward the reduction of p‐nitrophenol at different pH values.     

Polythiophene/hexagonally ordered silica nanocomposite coating as a solid‐phase microextraction fiber for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water

A highly porous fiber coated with polythiophene/hexagonally ordered silica nanocomposite was prepared for solid‐phase microextraction (SPME). The prepared nanomaterial was immobilized onto a stainless‐steel wire for the fabrication of the SPME fiber. Polythiophene/hexagonally ordered silica nanocomposite fibers were used for the extraction of some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from water samples. The extracted analytes were transferred to the injection port of a gas chromatograph using a laboratory‐designed SPME device. The results obtained prove the ability of the polythiophene/hexagonally ordered silica material as a new fiber for the sampling of organic compounds from water samples. This behavior is due most probably to the increased surface area of the polythiophene/hexagonally ordered silica nanocomposite. A one‐at‐a‐time optimization strategy was applied for optimizing the important extraction parameters such as extraction temperature, extraction time, ionic strength, stirring rate, and desorption temperature and time. Under the optimum conditions, the LOD of the proposed method is 0.1–3 pg/mL for analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from aqueous samples, and the calibration graphs were linear in a concentration range of 0.001–20 ng/mL (R² > 0.990) for most of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The single fiber repeatability and fiber‐to‐fiber reproducibility were less than 8.6 and 19.1% (n = 5), respectively.     

Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reactions in water using in situ generated palladium(II)–phosphazane complexes

The phosphazane derivatives(L1–3) were readily obtained by reaction of different ratios of PCl3 and PhNH2. The L1–3 derivatives were found to be efficient ligands in the palladium-catalyzed Suzuki C–C coupling reactions in water. It was determined that with the use of L1–3 /Pd(OAc)2 system as a catalyst, aryl halides undergo Suzuki cross-couplings with arylboronic acids to give the desired products in moderate to excellent yields.     

Synthesis,characterization, anticancer activity,thermal and electrochemical studies of some novel uranyl Schiff base complexes

Some tetradentate N₂O₂ Schiff base ligands, such as N,N′-bis(naphtalidene)-1,2-phenylenediamine, N,N′-bis(naphtalidene)-4-methyl-1,2-phenylenediamine, N,N′-bis(naphtalidene)-4-chloro-1,2-phenylenediamine, N,N′-bis(naphtalidene)-4-nitro-1,2-phenylenediamine, N,N′-bis(naphtalidene)-4-carboxyl-1,2-phenylenediamine, and their uranyl complexes were synthesized and characterized by ¹H NMR, IR, UV–Vis spectroscopy, TG (thermogravimetry), and elemental analysis (C.H.N.). Thermogravimetric analysis shows that uranyl complexes have very different thermal stabilities. This method is used also to establish that only one solvent molecule is coordinated to the central uranium ion and this solvent molecule does not coordinate strongly and is removed easier than the tetradentate ligand and also trans oxides. The electrochemical properties of the uranyl complexes were investigated by cyclic voltammetry. Electrochemistry of these complexes showed a quasireversible redox reaction without any successive reactions. Also, the kinetic parameters of thermal decomposition were calculated using Coats–Redfern equation. According to Coats–Redfern plots the kinetics of thermal decomposition of the studied complexes is first-order in all stages. Anticancer activity of the uranyl Schiff base complexes against cancer cell lines (Jurkat) was studied and determined by MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromide) assay.     

Sonochemical synthesis and characterization of nano-sized zirconium(IV) complex: new precursor for the preparation of pure monoclinic and tetragonal zirconia nanoparticles

In this study, synthesis and characterization of two polymorphs of a new nano-sized zirconium(IV) complex, [ZrO(dmph)I₂] (1), {dmph = 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (neocuproine)}, have been investigated in two different solvents. The reaction between zirconyl nitrate pentahydrate and potassium iodide with dmph as a ligand under ultrasonic irradiation in methanol and mono-ethylene glycol (MEG) leads to the formation of the nano-sized Zr(IV) complex. Characterization of the Zr(IV) complex has been performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The thermal stability of the compound 1 has been studied by thermal gravimetric and differential thermal analyses. Particle sizes of the compound 1 have been decreased after thermal treatments in an autoclave. Pure monoclinic (m) and tetragonal (t) zirconia (ZrO₂) nanoparticles were readily synthesized from thermal decomposition of the Zr(IV) complex as a new precursor in presence of methanol and MEG as solvents, respectively. Zirconium oxide was characterized by FT-IR, XRD, and SEM to depict the phase and morphology. The results showed that, pure zirconia was produced with particle size about 59 nm and crystal system was monoclinic when methanol was used as a solvent during complexation process. On the other hand, particle sizes of zirconia with tetragonal structure were significantly reduced to about 39 nm, when MEG was used as solvent.     

Conformational changes and phase transformation mechanisms in PVDF solution‐cast films

The supramolecular crystal structure in poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) solution‐cast films is studied through changing crystallization conditions in two solvents of different structures and polarities. The crystalline‐state chain conformations of isothermally solution‐crystallized PVDF in N, N‐dimethylacetamide (DMAc), and cyclohexanone are studied through the specific FTIR absorption bands of α, β, and γ phase crystals. There are no changes in the FTIR spectra of cyclohexanone solution‐crystallized films in the temperature range of 50–120 °C. In the case of DMAc solution‐crystallized films, low temperature crystallization mainly results in formation of trans states (β and γ phases), whereas at higher temperatures gauche states become more populated (α phase). This is due to the variations in solvent polarity and ability to induce a specific conformation in PVDF chains, through the changes in chain coil dimensions. This indicates that in spite of cyclohexanone solutions, the intermolecular interactions between PVDF and DMAc are temperature‐sensitive and more important in stabilizing conformations of PVDF in crystalline phase than temperature dependence of PVDF chain end‐to‐end distance <r²>. The high‐resolution ¹⁹F NMR spectroscopy also showed little displacement in PVDF characteristic chemical shifts probably due to changes in PVDF chain conformation resulting from temperature variations. Upon uniaxial stretching of the prepared films under certain conditions, contribution of trans state becomes more prominent, especially for the originally higher α phase‐containing films. Due to formation of some kink bands during film stretching and phase transformation, α phase absorption bands are still present in infrared spectra. Besides, uniaxial stretching greatly enhances piezoelectric properties of the films, maybe due to formation of oriented β phase crystals, which are of more uniform distribution of dipole moments. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 3487–3495, 2004     

Preparation, structural analysis and dielectric properties of Bi x La1−x FeO3 perovskite

Rare earth element substituted bismuth ferrites (BiFeO₃) are of enormous importance as magnetoelectric materials. The polycrystalline samples of Bi _x La_1−x FeO₃ (x=0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8) were prepared by solid-state reaction using standard ceramic method. The single-phase formation of these compounds was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies. The samples with x=0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6 are found to be orthorhombic while the sample with x=0.8 is triclinic. The dielectric constant (ε′) and dissipation factor (tan δ) were measured in the frequency range 100 Hz to 1 MHz at room temperature and as a function of temperature at certain fixed frequencies (1 kHz, 10 kHz, 100 kHz, 1 MHz). All the samples showed dielectric dispersion. The dielectric constant with temperature shows a broad peak; the peak temperature shifts with frequency which reflects the relaxor-type behavior. The peak above 600 K in the measured temperature range corresponds to antiferromagnetic ordering temperature (Néel temperature). The broadness of the peak changes with composition. The ac conductivity as well as ε′ are found to be maximum for the sample x=0.2 at room temperature.     

Magnetoelectric effect in cobalt ferrite-barium titanate composites and their electrical properties

CoFe₂O₄-BaTiO₃ composites were prepared using conventional ceramic double sintering process with various compositions. Presence of two phases in the composites was confirmed using X-ray diffraction. The dc resistivity and thermoemf as a function of temperature in the temperature range 300 K to 600 K were measured. Variation of dielectric constant (ɛ′) with frequency in the range 100 Hz to 1 MHz and also with temperature at a fixed frequency of 1 kHz was studied. The ac conductivity was derived from dielectric constant (ɛ′) and loss tangent (tan δ). The nature of conduction is discussed on the basis of small polaron hopping model. The static value of magnetoelectric conversion factor has been studied as a function of magnetic field.