Gyroid‐Structured 3D ZnO Networks Made by Atomic Layer Deposition

3D continuous ZnO morphologies with characteristic feature sizes on the 10 nm length scale are attractive for electronic device manufacture. However, their synthesis remains a challenge because of the low crystallization temperature of ZnO. Here, we report a method for the robust and reliable synthesis of fully crystalline 3D mesoporous ZnO networks by means of atomic layer deposition (ALD) of ZnO into a self‐assembled block copolymer template. By carefully optimizing the processing conditions we are able to synthesize several‐micrometer‐thick layers of mesoporous ZnO networks with a strut width of 30 nm. Two 3D mesoporous morphologies are manufactured: a periodic gyroid structure and a random worm‐like morphology. Exploiting the ALD property to conformally coat complex surfaces of high aspect ratio, the channel network of a 3D continuous channel network of a self‐assembled block copolymer is replicated into ZnO. X‐ray photoemission spectroscopy and x‐ray diffraction measurements reveal that the chemical composition of the mesoporous structures is uniform and consists of wurtzite‐ZnO throughout the film. Scanning electron microscopy reveals an average pore dimension of 30 nm. The potential of this material for a hybrid photovoltaic application is demonstrated by the manufacture of a poly(3‐hexylthiophene)/ZnO solar cell.     

Photoemission valence band spectra and electronic density of states in copper oxides and copper based ceramic super-conductors

Photoemission valence band spectra with three different photon energies (21.2 eV, 40.8 eV, 1253.6 eV) for Cu₂O and CuO and a number of copper oxide based superconducting ceramics are investigated, namely La₂CuO₄ (LCO), Y₁Ba₂Cu₃O₇ (YBCO), Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O₈ (BSCCO) and Tl₂Ba₂Ca₂Cu₃O₁₀ (TBCCO). From the Cu₂O data it can be infered, that the He-II (40.8 eV) spectra give a fair representation of the density of states (DOS). In addition the agreement between the calculated density of states (DOS) and the He-II photoemission spectrum is almost perfect for Cu₂O. This agreement is worse for CuO and the other materials which all have a Cu groundstate close to a 3d ⁹ configuration indicating a large contribution of thed-d correlation energy to the excitation spectra which is absent in Cu₂O because of the filled 3d-shell. In all cases the experimental DOS atE _F is very small and only the spectra of BSCCO show a well defined Fermi edge. The relevance of these findings with respect to the theoretical local functional density DOS calculations is discussed.     

The electronic structure of KMnO4 investigated by resonant photoemission

The valence band of potassium permanganate (KMnO₄) was investigated by means of resonant photoemission spectroscopy (ResPES) at the Mn2p, Mn3p and O1s edge. These data confirm the previous conclusions of a strong deviation from a purely ionic charge distribution in this compound. The ResPES data are in agreement with previous results about the character of the individual valence band states. A simple cluster model is used to explain qualitatively the different structures seen in the valence band spectra and their dependence on the photon energy.     

Spectroscopic and structural evidence for the hydrogen bond nature of CC---H…C=C contacts in ethynyl steroids

Structural and IR-spectroscopic evidence is given that directed contacts from terminal alkynes to C=C double bonds possess the essential characteristics of weak hydrogen bonds. The contacts are directed at the center of the π-bond rather than at one of the individual C-atoms. The contact distances from H to the center of the C=C bond are typically 2.8 Å, with the shortest distances being 2.5 Å. The interaction is of pronounced long-range nature and can be detected in the infrared spectrum even with a long H…π distance of almost 3.0 Å. The sample used is mainly composed of ethynyl steroids belonging to the progestine family.     

High density matter at RHIC

QCD predicts a phase transition between hadronic matter and a quark-gluon plasma at high energy density. The relativistic heavy ion collider (RHIC) at Brookhaven National Laboratory is a new facility dedicated to the experimental study of matter under extreme conditions. Already the first round of experimental results at RHIC indicated that the conditions to create a new state of matter are indeed reached in the collisions of heavy nuclei. Studies of particle spectra and their correlations at low transverse momenta provide evidence of strong pressure gradients in the highly interacting dense medium and hint that we observe a system in thermal equilibrium. Recent runs with high statistics allow us to explore the regime of hard-scattering processes where the suppression of hadrons at large transverse momentum, and quenching of di-jets are observed thus providing further evidence for extreme high density matter created in collisions at RHIC.