Photothermal determination of vertical crack lengths in silicon nitride

In this paper we describe the use of thermal microscopes in measuring the lengths of vertical cracks in silicon nitride. Results of theoretical calculations for temperature profiles in samples near the end of the cracks are demonstrated. These calculations showed that the effect of the crack decreases to a non-measurable level at distances of about 10 m from the end of the crack. Experimental measurements showed that thermally obtained crack lengths were at least 34% longer than those that were optically measured. The obtained crack length was independent of the heat modulation frequency used.     

Relative rates of nucleophilic reactions of benzyl carbocation formed in photolysis of benzyl chloride and benzyl acetate in aqueous solution

Benzyl chloride and benzyl acetate were photolyzed in 30% methanol–water mixtures (V/V) at 0°C. The photolysis produces benzyl carbocations that react with nucleophiles. The reaction products were analyzed by gas chromatography or liquid chromatography. From the amounts of products the relative values of rate constants of reactions of benzyl carbocation with nucleophiles N and water k(N)/k(H₂O) were calculated. Benzyl carbocation reacts with I^?, Br^?, Cl^?, and Ac^? ions with approximately diffusion-controlled rate. A value of 2.4 × 10⁷ dm³ mol^?1 s^?1 for the rate constant k(H₂O) and a lifetime of 0.7 ns were estimated for benzyl carbocation in the aqueous solution.     

The effects of experimental parameters in the thermal diffusivity measurements of oriented polymer films using mirage effect: Computer simulation

Computer simulations have been carried out to study the effects of the experimental parameters when the mirage method has been applied to thermal diffusivity measurements of oriented polymer films. The parameters under study are the thermal diffusivity of the fluid surrounding the sample, the modulation frequency and the radius of the heating beam, the height and the radius of the probe beam, and the sample thickness and thermal diffusivity. Proposals for the optimum parameter values to maximize the measurement sensitivity for the sample diffusivity are made and the difficulties arising from the low diffusivity of the samples are described. It is also concluded that because the thermal properties of the fluid surrounding the sample have a strong contribution to the mirage signals, the signals do not include any simple feature corresponding to the sample diffusivity. Therefore it should be determined from the entire measurement data using regression methods.