A novel natural surface-enhanced fluorescence system based on reed leaf as substrate for crystal violet trace detection

The preparation of surface-enhanced fluorescence (SEF) substrates is often influenced by experimental strategies and factors such as the morphology and size of the nanostructures. In this study, using the natural reed leaves (RLs) without any special pretreatment as the substrate, metal silver is modified by magnetron sputtering technology to prepare a stable and efficient SEF system. The abundant “hedgehog-like”protrusions on the RL substrate surface can generate high-density “hot spots”, thus enhancement factor (EF) is enhanced up to 3345 times. The stability and reproducibility are verified in many measurements. The contribution of the intervention of silver nanostructure to the radiation attenuation process of fluorescent molecules is analyzed with the aid of Jablonski diagrams. Three-dimensional (3D) finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulates the spatial electric field and “hot spots”distribution of the substrate. The “hedgehog-like”protrusion structure generates multiple “hot spots”, which produce an excellent local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect and provide higher fluorescence signal. Finally, RL/Ag-35 substrate is used to detect crystal violet (CV), and the detection limit is as low as 10^-13 M. This “hedgehog-like”SEF substrate provides a new strategy for the trace detection of CV, which has a good practical application value.     

Fabrication of grid type dye sensitized solar modules with 7% conversion efficiency by utilizing commercially available materials

A process to fabricate a parallel connection dye‐sensitized solar cell (DSSC) module has been developed using commercially available materials and screen printed silver grid. The process is not only simple but also easy to manipulate and therefore facilitates researchers in evaluating new materials in a module platform. By changing the design of the silver grid pattern, it was found that the performance of DSSC modules can be controlled. With the silver grid, DSSC modules have shown that a 7% conversion efficiency can be reached. Modules fabricated by this process, but with a non‐volatile electrolyte system, passed a 60 °C, 1000 h thermal aging test. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effects of the dielectric discontinuity on the photodetachment of H− ion

Using the closed orbit theory, we studied the effects of dielectric discontinuity on the photodetachment of H^? ions. The photodetachment cross-section of H^? in a medium with dielectric discontinuity was derived and calculated. The results have shown that the relative dielectric constants of the medium have a significant influence on the photodetachment of H^?. If H^? is kept in a medium with a relative small dielectric constant, the photodetachment cross-section of H^? becomes oscillating only in a small region above the ionization threshold. However, if H^? is kept in a medium with a relative large dielectric constant, the oscillation in the photodetachment cross-section becomes much stronger. Besides, the distance between H^? and the dielectric dividing interface also influences the photodetachment of H^?. For a given dielectric medium, the oscillation in the cross-section decreased with increasing distance between H^? and the dielectric dividing interface. Therefore, we can control the photodetachment of a negative ion by changing the dielectric constant and the ion–interface distance. This study provides a new understanding of the photodetachment process of negative ions in the presence of a dielectric medium.     

Transport,magnetic, and thermal properties of non-centrosymmetric Yb2Co12P7

We report magnetization and specific heat measurements down to 2?K and electrical resistivity down to millikelvin temperatures on polycrystalline samples of the non-centrosymmetric compound Yb₂Co₁₂P₇. In addition to the previously reported ferromagnetic ordering of the cobalt sub-lattice at T _C ?=?136?K we find a magnetic transition below T _M ?=?5?K that is likely associated with ordering of the Yb ions. The broad nature of the specific heat anomaly suggests disordered magnetism and possible short-range correlations well above T_M .     

Annealing behaviour of ultrafine-grained aluminium

Ultrafine-grained (UFG) aluminium, processed under fast cooling rate conditions (12?K?s^?1) following hot rolling (water quenched) exhibits enhanced thermal stability due to an increase in concentration of solid solution atoms, relative to the furnace cooled material. The influence of fraction recrystallized on yield stress and uniform elongation is reported to exhibit a slight deviation from the linear behaviour that is anticipated on the basis of the rule-of-mixtures. This result was rationalized on the basis of differences in the spatial distributions of the UFG and coarse grains and/or dislocation recovery mechanisms.     

Effect of emitter layer doping concentration on the performance of a silicon thin film heterojunction solar cell

A novel type of n/i/i/p heterojunction solar cell with a-Si:H(15nm)/a-Si:H(10nm)/ epitaxial c-Si(47μm)/epitaxial c-Si(3μm) structure is fabricated by using the layer transfer technique, and the emitter layer is deposited by hot wire chemical vapour deposition. The effect of the doping concentration of the emitter layer S d (Sd =PH3 /(PH3 +SiH4 +H2 )) on the performance of the solar cell is studied by means of current density-voltage and external quantum efficiency. The results show that the conversion efficiency of the solar cell first increases to a maximum value and then decreases with S d increasing from 0.1% to 0.4%. The best performance of the solar cell is obtained at S d = 0.2% with an open circuit voltage of 534 mV, a short circuit current density of 23.35mA/cm2 , a fill factor of 63.3%, and a conversion efficiency of 7.9%.     

Grundlagen der absoluten Energiedosismessung von Quanten- und Elektronenstrahlung bis 50 MeV

Die Energiedosis wird heute als die wichtigste dosimetrische Große angesehen. Für sehr viele Anwendungszwecke ionisierender Strahlung gibt es einen einfachen Zusammenhang zwischen dieserGröße und der beobachteten Strahlenwirkung. Ausgehend von der Definition wird die Messung der Energiedosis bei Sekundärelektronengleichgewicht und bei Fehlen dieser Voraussetzung behandelt. Zur Absolutbestimmung der Energiedosis – wobei zugleich auch noch die für ein Standardverfahren erforderliche Genauigkeit erreicht wird – kommen gegenwärtig vor allem Kalorimeter, Ionisationskammern sowie chemische Dosimeter in Frage. Die genannten Verfahren werden kurz behandelt, die Anforderungen an ihre Realisierbarkeit erläutert. Auf Übergangslosungen, die für Elektronen- bzw. Quantenenergien größer ca. 3 MeV anwendbar sind, wird verwicsen.     

Ion bombardment induced phase transformations and inert gas mobility in the semiconductors Ge,Si, and GaAs

Abstract

The present study contributes some new aspects to the general understanding of the ion implantation behaviour of 3 common semiconductor materials, and of diffusion processes in these materials. Single crystals of Si, Ge, and GaAs were bombarded with Kr- or Xe-ions at energies of 40 or 500 keV and doses between 10¹¹ and 2 × 10¹⁶ ions/cm². Gas release measurements and Rutherford scattering of 1 MeV He⁺-ions combined with channeling were used to study bombardment damage (amorphization) and inert gas diffusion. At low bombardment doses (10¹¹ ions/cm²) and energy (40 keV), no damage was observed and the gas release was compatible with volume diffusion resembling Group I and VIII behaviour. Hence, the pre-exponential terms, D ₀, were low (range 10-^5±1 cm² sec^?1) and the activation enthalpies, Δ H, were much lower than those of self-diffusion or of diffusion of Group III and V elements. The Δ H's for gas diffusion followed the relation Δ H = (1.05±0.1) × 10^?3 T_m eV with the melting point, T_m , in °K. The mechanism of gas mobility might be the Turnbull dissociative mechanism. Rutherford scattering and channeling data indicated that part of the gas occupied lattice sites.

At higher doses, the bombarded layers turned amorphous. Channeling experiments showed a coincidence in temperatures for a gas release process different from the above one of volume diffusion, and recrystallization of the disordered layer to the single crystalline state. Both processes occurred in the temperature range 0.60 to 0.65 T_m . The gas release indicated a (partial) single jump character with implied Δ H's following the relation Δ H = (2.1±0.1) × 10^?3 T_m eV. Contrary to previous results on oxides, this new gas release occurred at temperatures near to those or even above those of volume diffusion of the gas.

Due to the easy formation of an amorphous layer it was difficult to observe the retarded release (trapping of gas) that has been found in many materials at high gas and damage concentrations. However, in a separate series of experiments with 500 keV Kr-ions, a release retarded with respect to volume diffusion of the gas was observed in Si and Ge.     

Electrostatic double layers in a warm negative ion plasma with nonextensive electrons

The electrostatic double layer (DL) structures are studied in negative ion plasma with nonextensive electrons q-distribution. The extended Korteweg–de Vries (EKdV) equation is derived using a reductive perturbation method. It is found that both fast (compressive) and slow (rarefactive) ion acoustic (IA) DLs can propagate in such type of plasmas. The effects of various plasma physical parameters; such as nonextensivity of electrons, presence of negative ions, temperature of both positive and negative ions and different mass ratios of positive to negative ions on the formation of DL structures are discussed in detail with numerical illustrations.     

SPRAY COOLING OF HIGH TEMPERATURE METALS USING HIGH MASS FLUX INDUSTRIAL NOZZLES

Systematic experiments were conducted for the spray cooling of high-temperature stainless steel using three different types of industrial sprays: full cone and flat hydraulic nozzles and a flat air-mist nozzle. In the present study, a wide range of mass flux (1.5–30 kg/m²sec) is covered, which has never been thoroughly investigated before. Orientations with respect to gravity and spray angle were also explored.

The data have been analyzed and correlated. The results of this study will be important to the product quality control in industries by providing a good estimation of heat flux at different mass flux, spray types, and surface temperatures, especially for spray cooling of stainless steel and other metals with similar thermal properties.