Infrared thermography of masonry structures

The attention of the present paper was devoted to nondestructive evaluation of masonry structures with a Focal Plane Array infrared camera. Tests were carried out in laboratory on specimens, which simulated one- and two-layer structures, with defects of different geometry and nature and located at different depths. The defects detection was analysed through a cause/effect relationship between the characteristics of defects and hosting material and the observed defect thermal signature, or contrast, on the hosting material.     

Temperature dependent magnetic spin and orbital moments of mass-filtered cobalt clusters on Au(111)

Mass-filtered cobalt clusters with a size of 8 nm have been deposited in-situ under soft-landing conditions onto Au(111). The spin and orbital moments of the Co nanoparticles on a Au (111) single crystal have been investigated as a function of the temperature using the element-specific method of X-ray magnetic circular dichroism in photoabsorption. The results hint at an temperature-dependent spin-reorientation transition which is discussed with respect to different contribution to the magnetic anisotropy. Furthermore, by means of an in-situ oxidation experiment, the influence of an exposure to oxygen on the properties of the cobalt clusters has been investigated.     

Conformal Klein-Gordon Equations and Quasinormal Modes

Using conformal coordinates associated with conformal relativity—associated with de Sitter spacetime homeomorphic projection into Minkowski spacetime—we obtain a conformal Klein-Gordon partial differential equation, which is intimately related to the production of quasi-normal modes (QNMs) oscillations, in the context of electromagnetic and/or gravitational perturbations around, e.g., black holes. While QNMs arise as the solution of a wave-like equation with a Pöschl-Teller potential, here we deduce and analytically solve a conformal ‘radial’ d’Alembert-like equation, from which we derive QNMs formal solutions, in a proposed alternative to more completely describe QNMs. As a by-product we show that this ‘radial’ equation can be identified with a Schrödinger-like equation in which the potential is exactly the second Pöschl-Teller potential, and it can shed some new light on the investigations concerning QNMs.     

Progress in triboluminescence-based smart optical sensor system

Extensive research work has been done in recent times to apply the triboluminescence (TL) phenomenon for damage detection in engineering structures. Of particular note are the various attempts to apply it in the detection of impact damages in composites and aerospace structures. This is because TL-based sensor systems have a great potential for wireless, in-situ and distributed (WID) structural health monitoring when fully developed. This review article highlights development and the current state-of-the-art in the application of TL-based sensor systems. The underlying mechanisms believed to be responsible for triboluminescence, particularly in zinc sulfide manganese, a highly triboluminescent material, are discussed. The challenges militating against the full exploitation and field application of TL sensor systems are also identified. Finally, viable solutions and approaches to address these challenges are enumerated.     

Mesoscopic and macroscopic dipole clusters: Structure and phase transitions

A two dimensional (2D) classical system of dipole particles confined by a quadratic potential is studied. This system can be used as a model for rare electrons in semiconductor structures near a metal electrode, indirect excitons in coupled quantum dots etc. For clusters of N ≤ 80 particles ground state configurations and appropriate eigenfrequencies and eigenvectors for the normal modes are found. Monte-Carlo and molecular dynamic methods are used to study the order-disorder transition (the “melting” of clusters). In mesoscopic clusters (N < 37) there is a hierarchy of transitions: at lower temperatures an intershell orientational disordering of pairs of shells takes place; at higher temperatures the intershell diffusion sets in and the shell structure disappears. In “macroscopic” clusters (N > 37) an orientational “melting” of only the outer shell is possible. The most stable clusters (having both maximal lowest nonzero eigenfrequencies and maximal temperatures of total melting) are those of completed crystal shells which are concentric groups of nodes of 2D hexagonal lattice with a number of nodes placed in the center of them. The picture of disordering in clusters is compared with that in an infinite 2D dipole system. The study of the radial diffusion constant, the structure factor, the local minima distribution and other quantities shows that the melting temperature is a nonmonotonic function of the number of particles in the system. The dynamical equilibrium between “solid-like” and “orientationally disordered” forms of clusters is considered.     

有机小分子发光材料与聚合物发光材料在大气存放条件下的稳定性对比研究

分别采用紫外光电子能谱（UPS）、X光电子能谱（XPS）、原子力显微镜（AFM）、以及光致发光光谱（PL）等方法对在大气存放条件下的8－羟基喹啉铝（Alq)薄膜和聚（9,9－二辛烷基芴）（PFO）薄膜的电子结构、表面形 及发光特性进行了对比。研究结果表明,PFO的电子结构、表面形貌以及发光特性受外界气氛影响极小,是一种非常稳定的聚合物发光材料。这为聚合物发光器件的稳定性提供了有利的条件。     

Effects of ultrasound treatment on the morphological characteristics,structures and emulsifying properties of genipin cross-linked myofibrillar protein

Genipin is a natural crosslinker that improves the functional properties of proteins by modifying its structures. This study aimed to investigate the effects of sonication on the emulsifying properties of different genipin concentration-induced myofibrillar protein (MP) cross-linking. The structural characteristics, solubility, emulsifying properties, and rheological properties of genipin-induced MP crosslinking without sonication (Native), sonication before crosslinking (UMP), and sonication after crosslinking (MPU) treatments were determined, and the interaction between genipin and MP were estimated by molecular docking. The results demonstrated that hydrogen bond might be the main forces for genipin binding to the MP, and 0.5 μM/mg genipin was a desirable concentration for protein cross-linking to improve MP emulsion stability. Ultrasound treatment before and after crosslinking were better than Native treatment to improve the emulsifying stability index (ESI) of MP. Among the three treatment groups at the 0.5 μM/mg genipin treatment, the MPU treatment group showed the smallest size, most uniform protein particle distribution, and the highest ESI (59.89%). Additionally, the highest α-helix (41.96%) in the MPU + G5 group may be conducive to the formation of a stable and multilayer oil–water interface. Furthermore, the free groups, solubility, and protein exposure extent of the MPU groups were higher than those of UMP and Native groups. Therefore, this work suggests that the treatment of cross-linking followed by ultrasound (MPU) could be a desirable approach for improving the emulsifying stability of MP.     

利用核壳结构实现纳米颗粒的多色上转换发光

将多色荧光标记技术应用于生物信息检测可实现快速、实时、同步大规模检测目标生物分子的目的,利用上转换纳米粒子作为多色荧光探针可有效地避免生物组织自荧光对检测信号的影响。本文制备了具有核-壳结构的稀土氟化物纳米粒子,并通过在核与壳不同位置共掺杂不同浓度的敏化离子和发光离子来改变发光离子各发射峰之间的相对强度。利用不同颜色和强度的发射光谱实现了纳米粒子的多色上转换发光。利用透射电子显微镜成像、X射线衍射分析、发光光谱等测量手段对多色上转换发光纳米粒子进行了形貌、结构和上转换发光性质的表征。实验结果表明,具有核-壳结构的纳米粒子尺寸小于30 nm,呈球形。在980 nm红外光激发下,纳米粒子呈现从红色到蓝紫色的颜色可变的上转换发光。     

Atomic and Electronic Structures of Traps in Silicon Oxide and Silicon Oxynitride

Silicon oxide (SiO₂) and silicon oxynitride (SiO_xN_y) are two key dielectrics used in silicon devices. The excellent interface properties of these dielectrics with silicon have enabled the tremendous advancement of metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) technology. However, these dielectrics are still found to have pronounced amount of localized states which act as electron or hole traps and lead to the performance and reliability degradations of the MOS integrated circuits. A better understanding of the nature of these states will help to understand the constraints and lifetime performance of the MOS devices. Recently, due to the available of ab initio quantum-mechanical calculations and some synchrotron radiation experiments, substantial progress has been achieved in understanding the atomic and electronic nature of the defects in these dielectrics. In this review, the properties, formation and removal mechanisms of various defects in silicon oxide and silicon oxynitride films will be critically discussed. Some remarks on the thermal ionization energies in connection with the optical ionization energies of electron and hole traps, as well as some of the unsolved issues in these materials will be highlighted.