Functional Groups Assisted Tunable Dielectric Permittivity of Guest-Free Zn-Based Coordination Polymers for Gate Dielectrics

The dielectric properties of coordination polymers has been a topic of recent interest, but the role of different functional groups on the dielectric properties of these polymers has not yet been fully addressed. Herein, the effects of electron-donating (R=NH₂) and electron-withdrawing (R=NO₂) groups on the dielectric behavior of such materials were investigated for two thermally stable and guest-free Zn-based coordination polymers, [Zn(L₁)(L₂)]_n ( 1 ) and [Zn(L₁)(L₃)]_n ( 2 ) [L₁=2-(2-pyridyl) benzimidazole (Pbim), L₂=5-aminoisophthalate (Aip), and L₃=5-nitroisophthalate (Nip)]. The results of dielectric studies of 1 revealed that it possesses a high dielectric constant (κ=65.5 at 1 kHz), while compound 2 displayed an even higher dielectric constant (κ=110.3 at 1 kHz). The electron donating and withdrawing effects of the NH₂ and NO₂ substituents induce changes in the polarity of the polymers, which is due to the inductive effect from the aryl ring for both NO₂ and NH₂. Theoretical results from density functional theory (DFT) calculations, which also support the experimental findings, show that both compounds have a distinct electronic behavior with diverse wide bandgaps. The significance of the current work is to provide information about the structure-dielectric property relationships. So, this study promises to pave the way for further research on the effects of different functional groups on coordination polymers on their dielectric properties.     

Modification of the physical properties of chemical vapor-deposited nanostructure diamond by argon-hydrogen plasma surface treatment

Nanostructure diamond (NSD) film with a hardness as high as 70 GPa and an average surface roughness of 10 nm has been synthesized by the two-step negative substrate bias method combined with post-growth Ar-H₂ plasma irradiation. The Ar-H₂ plasma irradiation has been confirmed to improve the uniformity of grain size and shape and increase the hardness of the NSD film.     

Covering vertices of a graph by k disjoint cycles

Let d, k and n be three integers with k3, d4k−1 and n3k. We show that if d(x)+d(y)d for each pair of nonadjacent vertices x and y of a graph G of order n, then G contains k vertex-disjoint cycles converting at least min{d,n} vertices of G.     

Photoinduced intramolecular electron-transfer reactions in carbazole-fullerene and phenothiazine-fullerene linked compounds in benzene and benzonitrile as studied by fluorescence, transient absorption, time-resolved EPR, and magnetic field effects

Photoinduced intramolecular electron-transfer reactions in carbazole (Cz)-fullerene (C₆₀) (Cz(8)C₆₀) and phenothiazine (Ph)-C₆₀ (Ph(n)C₆₀ (n=8, 10, 12)) linked compounds have been investigated in benzene and benzonitrile by fluorescence, transient absorption, and time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance measurements, and by magnetic field effects on the decay rate constants of the photogenerated biradicals. In benzonitrile, photoinduced intramolecular electron transfer from Cz to the singlet excited state of C₆₀ (¹C₆₀ ^*) occurred in Cz(8)C₆₀, but not to the triplet excited state (³C₆₀ ^*), while the intramolecular electron-transfer to both¹C₆₀ ^* and³C₆₀ ^* occurred in Ph(n)C₆₀ (n=8, 10, 12). In benzene, on the other hand, no electron transfer to both¹C₆₀ ^* and³C₆₀ ^* took place in all linked compounds. These results were interpreted in terms of the different Gibbs free energy changes in the two solvents.     

Phase rotation scheme of laser-produced ions for reduction of the energy spread

In order to widely spread out particle beams utilized in cancer therapy, laser-produced ions are developed as the injection beam for an ion synchrotron dedicated for cancer therapy. Such a laser ion source is expected to contribute largely to the realization of compactness of the size and low cost of the cancer therapy accelerator. The energy spectrum of the laser-produced ions, however, has no peak, but their intensities decrease exponentially according to the increase of the energy. For the purpose of modifying such a situation, we have proposed a scheme to rotate the beam in the longitudinal phase space with the use of the RF electric field, which is phase-adjusted with the pulse laser. We aim for a reduction of the energy spread of ± 5% selected by an energy analyzer and slits to ±1% by such phase rotation. For this purpose, a quarter wavelength resonator with two gaps with the same resonant frequency as the source laser has already been fabricated, together with its RF power source. The above phase rotation system and its recent experimental realization are presented.     

Infraglottic aspect of canine vocal fold vibration: Effect of increase of mean airflow rate and lengthening of vocal fold

The mucosal upheaval (MU), where the mucosal wave starts and propagates upward, appears only when the vocal fold vibrates. The location of the MU histologically and the effect of changes in mean air flow rate (MFR) and vocal fold length on occurrence of the MU were studied in twelve excised canine larynges. The lower surface of the vocal fold was marked to serve as a landmark for subsequent study. Cricothyroid approximation was performed to lengthen the vocal fold. After taking high-speed pictures or recording stroboscopic images from the tracheal side, a small cut wound was made at the mark. This wound served to compare the position of the MU with the histologically identified location of the mark. The larynx was then sectioned in the frontal plane. Before lengthening the vocal fold, the MU occurred on the area where the lamina propria became thinner and where the muscular layer neared the epithelial layer. After lengthening the vocal fold, the MU actually shifted medially compared with its original position. The subglottic area surrounded by the bilateral MUs became longer and thinner. Whether or not complete glottal closure during a vibratory cycle was achieved did not alter these findings. In contrast, with a fixed vocal fold length the MU appeared more laterally as MFR increased, but, based on the relation with the mark, its location on the vocal fold did not change from its original position before increase of MFR.