Pt coated Cr2O3 thin films for resistive gas sensors

The resistive response of atomic layer deposited thin epitaxial α-Cr₂O₃(0 0 1) films, to H₂ and CO in air, was studied. The films were covered with Pt nanoislands formed by electron-beam evaporation of a sub-monolayer amount of the material. The gas measurements were performed at 250°C and 450°C. These temperatures led to different proportion of chemical states, Pt²⁺ and Pt⁴⁺, to which the Pt oxidized. The modification was ascertained by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy method. As a result of the modification, the response was fast at 250°C, but slowed at 450°C. A disadvantageous abundance of Pt⁴⁺ arising at 450°C in air could be diminished by high-vacuum annealing thus restoring the response properties of the system at 250°C.      

Sensitizing of Sm<Superscript>3+</Superscript> fluorescence by silver dopant in the TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> films

Composite material based on a TiO₂ matrix doped with Sm³⁺ ions and co-doped with silver was investigated. Samarium ions together with nano- and micro-aggregates of silver were incorporated into the titanium alkoxide during the sol-gel process. Samarium ions were excited either directly (λ _exc = 488 nm) or through the TiO₂ host (λ _exc = 355 nm). It was revealed that samarium fluorescence (λ _exc = 488 nm) in gelled TiO₂ films is enhanced by up to 20 times in the vicinity of silver inclusions. Sensitizing and plasmonic mechanisms of enhancement in Sm³⁺ fluorescence are discussed.     

Experimental investigation of various turbulator inserts in gas-heated channels

This experimental research was focused on the investigation of the heat transfer augmentation by various turbulator inserts in gas-heated channels. The work was conducted directly in a convective part of a two fire-tube boiler. The flue ducts were positioned vertically and horizontally for various design applications. Twisted-tape insert (with the twist ratio y=4.12), the straight-tape insert, and the combined turbulator insert (the internal twisted tape with the twist ratio of 180° y=2.16 and an external tape, which spirally winded on an internal tape, with longitudinal pitch H_360°=110 mm and the relative height of a tape (rib) e/D₀=0.098;0.2) were investigated. The working fluids were the combustion products of light oil fuel and wood pellets. In addition, the experiments were conducted in the two fire-tube boiler without any inserts. Despite of relatively large data scattering obtained in these experiments some qualitative and quantitative conclusions were drawn.     

Study of Thin Oxide Films by Electron, Ion and Synchrotron Radiation Beams

 Titanium oxide and zirconium oxide thin films deposited on silicon substrates were characterised using electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS), time-of-flight elastic recoil detection analysis (TOF-ERDA) and scanning photoelectron microscopy (SPEM). The composition and mass thickness of the films were determined and the results of different methods compared. It was revealed that the synchrotron radiation used for SPEM studies caused considerable modification of zirconia films grown at low temperatures.     

Effects of precursors on nucleation in atomic layer deposition of HfO2

Atomic layer deposition of hafnium dioxide (HfO₂) on silicon substrates was studied. It was revealed that due to low adsorption probability of HfCl₄ on silicon substrates at higher temperatures (450–600 °C) the growth was non-uniform and markedly hindered in the initial stage of the HfCl₄–H₂O process. In the HfI₄–H₂O and HfI₄–O₂ processes, uniform growth with acceptable rate was obtained from the beginning of deposition. As a result, the HfI₄–H₂O and HfI₄–O₂ processes allowed deposition of smoother, more homogeneous and denser films than the HfCl₄–H₂O process did. The crystal structure developed, however, faster at the beginning of the HfCl₄–H₂O process.     

Single-molecule linewidths of terrylene in incommensurate biphenyl: Thermocycling and time-resolved experiments

The purely electronic linewidth δ of terrylene impurity molecules in monocrystalline biphenyl is studied at temperatures T between 1.7 and 3.5 K using the technique of single-molecule spectroscopy (SMS). Based on the data obtained, individual molecules appear to have their own law of δ(T) dependence; further, hysteresis effects have been observed in thermocycling experiments. The single-molecule (SM) lines investigated quickly broaden and vanish at temperatures between 3 and 3.5 K and reappear after the sample is cooled down again. At T≈2 K, a slow process of spectral diffusion (SD) was observed on timescales longer than 10 s. To learn about the role of faster SD processes, the technique of intensity-time-frequency correlation (ITFC) SMS was applied to a stable SM line after it had been broadened by 75% as a result of a thermocycling experiment. At 2 and 2.3 K, no significant line broadening could be revealed on timescales between 0.16 ms and 10 s.     

Inhomogeneous broadening of local vibrations in spectra of organic molecules in solid matrices

The existence of the inhomogeneous distribution of local vibrational frequencies in addition to the inhomogeneous distribution of pure electronic frequencies in the spectra of impurity molecules is demonstrated by the hole-burning technique. The half-width of the inhomogeneous vibrational distribution is determined.     

Cataract diagnosis by measurement of backscattered light

We present a portable optical cataract assessment technology which measures with a circular photodetector the fraction of light scattered backwards by the human eye lens when illuminated by a laser diode. As our signal arises directly from the fundamental pathology-increased scattering in the lens-it directly assesses cataract extent and progression. Initial clinical results in undilated human eyes show device reading correlations in agreement with clinical examination and Scheimpflug photography.