Correlative light and electron microscopic observations on ectopic neurons in the cerebellum of dreher mutant mouse

The structure of ectopic neurons in the cerebellum of dreher mutant mouse was investigated by correlative light and electron microscopic observations. Tissue blocks were fixed in buffered aldehyde and embedded in a mixture of 2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate, Quetol 523, and methyl methacrylate. Sections at 0.4-0.5 microns in thickness were examined by electron microscopy after observation under a light microscope. By comparing the electron images with those of light microscopy in the same sites, the structures of ectopic cells were confirmed. Ectopic Purkinje cells were arranged with cell bodies that contained an oval, spherical or wrinkled nucleus without deep invagination and the thin layers of endoplasmic reticulum at the perinuclear regions. Granule cells were ectopically matured in the external granular layer and within the cluster at the cortical region. This method provides a useful procedure for understanding structures of the cerebellar neurons of the mutant.     

薄膜迭层四端电池试验

四端电池利用上，下层电池材料的禁带宽度不同，可以分别吸收不同波长的光，以达到提高电池效率的目的，本文对四端迭层电池的工艺及试验结果作了初步的探讨。     

Electromigration behavior of dual-damascene Cu interconnects––Structure, width, and length dependences

Experiments were performed to study the effect of line width and length, and the results revealed interesting differences in electromigration behavior of via-fed upper and lower layer dual-damascene test structures. The observed location of electromigration induced void in upper and lower layer test structures cannot be completely explained by the theory of current gradient induced vacancy diffusion. The electromigration median time to failure (MTF) were found to be dependent upon the line width for the lower layer test structures while it remained unaffected in the case of upper layer test structure. Cu/dielectric cap interface acting as the dominant electromigration path and the current crowding location being near the Cu/dielectric cap interface for lower layer structures due to structural differences, explain this behavior. Similarly, short length upper and lower layer test structures exhibited completely different characteristics. The back stress effect on short lines was evident on both upper and lower layer structures, however, only the upper layer showed two distinct via and line failure mechanisms. These observed effects are specific to Cu dual-damascene structures and can have major technological implications for electromigration reliability assessment.     

High voltage electron microscopic studies on mitral, tufted, and granule cells in the mouse olfactory bulb

High-voltage electron microscopic observations have been performed on intraglomerular dendritic branches of mitral and tufted cells and spines of granule cells in the Golgi-impregnated mouse olfactory bulb. The observations revealed that intraglomerular tufts of mitral and tufted cells have a very similar structure consisting of four morphologically distinct parts: (i) thick, smoothly outlined proximal parts; (ii) relatively thick varicose parts; (iii) very thin varicose parts, which form terminal branches; and (iv) spine-like small appendages. Granule cell spines in the external plexiform and mitral body layer have terminal swellings of various shapes and sizes, whose width is between 0.4 and 1.5 microns. Spines in the granule cell layer usually have swellings smaller than 0.4 micron in width. In addition, the density of spines per proximal 10 microns length of a deep dendritic trunk was estimated in 10 granule cells and proved to vary greatly from cell to cell--from 7 to 28 spines.     

The digital pads of rhacophorid tree-frogs

The digital pads of rhacophorid tree-frogs were studied by light and electron microscopy using a tannic acid-containing fixative. The digital pads are concave mucous epithelial structures surrounded by a soft raised epithelial border. The cells in the first epithelial layer are separated by deep intercellular fissures and the epithelial cell surface is densely covered with thousands of setaceous keratinized microvilli. These are estimated to be 0.1-0.5 microm in width and have flattened tips. A longitudinal section view of the pad's first epithelial cell layer shows a rugose pattern. Deep intercellular fissures in between the cells are formed by the enzymatic activity of invading mononuclear leukocytes in the interepithelial cell junctions. The 'rugose' surface epithelial cell layer is peeled off from the underlying second epithelial layer by the epithelial metabolism that occurs when the leukocytes invade the second interepithelial cell spaces. Thus, the second epithelial cell layer becomes the new 'rugose' epithelial cell layer. The ultrastructures of the frog digital pads are compared with those of other biological suction cups, such as those of octopuses and geckos. Further discussed are their interatomic or intermolecular mechanofunctional aspects, such as hanging upside down and moving easily over smooth surfaces with the aid of interatomic or intermolecular forces, the so-called 'van der Waals forces', without any energy expenditure.     

Spectral imaging technology of epithelial tissue based on two-photon excited fluorescence and second-harmonic generation

The layer structures of the esophageal and oral tissues were investigated by using spectral imaging technology based on two-photon excited fluorescence (TPEF) and second-harmonic generation (SHG). Because spectral imaging technology allows a simultaneous record of both the spectra and image, it is capable of identifying the layered structures of the epithelial tissues, including the keratinizing layer, epithelial cell layer and stromal layer in the molecular level, which are strongly correlated to tissue pathology. All this work indicates that this technique has the potential to provide more accurate and comprehensive information for the early pathological diagnosis of tissues with the stratified squamous epithelia.     

Scanning capacitance microscopy and the role of localized charges in dielectric films: Infering or challenging?

Scanning capacitance microscopy (SCM) is considered a suitable technique to examine dopant profiles and to provide images of the charge carrier distribution in real device structures. A drawback of the application is the sensitivity of the method to different kinds of charges in the surface passivation layer. For a systematic study silicon structures with stripe patterns of different doping concentrations, covered either by a native oxide or by a thermally grown silicondioxide layer, were examined. The dependence of the dC/dV characteristic on the sweep rate of the tip bias and on the bias sweep direction was analyzed. Local charge trapping in the passivation layer was estimated from shifts of the peak position of the dC/dV versus V curves. It is demonstrated as to how features related to the charge trapping in the passivation layer and induced by a certain dc bias at the tip superimpose the dopant related features in the SCM image.     

人舌鳞癌组织超薄切片的AFM成像和切割

利用一种基于电镜超薄切片法改进的制样方法，将人舌鳞状细胞癌病理组织以环氧树脂包埋并切片后，将薄片平整地贴附在云母上，用原子力显微镜(AFM)对切片表面进行研究，可以得到高分辨率的细胞超微结构图像，局部的亚细胞水平的形态结构可以与电镜下得到的图像相比拟。在此基础上，利用AFM针尖对肿瘤细胞核内特定区域进行切割和操纵，形成生物分子的堆积，从而为拾取(pjck—up)和进一步用分子生物学手段在亚细胞基因水平研究人舌鳞癌的病理学奠定了基础。     

Metal aerosol jet printing for solar cell metallization

Metal aerosol jet printing is a new non‐contact direct‐write technique for the front side metallization of highly efficient industrial silicon solar cells. With this technique the first layer of a two‐layer contact structure is created. It features a low contact resistance and good mechanical adhesion to the silicon surface. The second layer is formed by light‐induced silver plating (LIP) to increase the line conductivity. To form the first layer a metal‐containing aerosol is created in the printer and focused via a second surrounding gas stream through a nozzle and deposited onto the substrate. The focussing gas avoids the contact between the aerosol and the nozzle tip. In addition, line widths significantly smaller than the outlet diameter of the nozzle tip can be reached. Fine and continuous lines with a width of 14 µm were printed using a metal organic ink. As the adhesion of these layers was not sufficient, a commercially available screen‐printing paste for solar cell metallization was modified and tested. Monocrystalline silicon solar cells of 12·5 cm × 12·5 cm with an aluminum back surface field were processed, achieving energy conversion efficiencies up to 17·8%. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Improvement of InGaN/GaN laser diodes by using a Si-doped In/sub 0.23/Ga/sub 0.77/N/GaN short-period superlattice tunneling contact layer

InGaN/GaN multiple-quantum-well laser diode (LD) structures, including an Si-doped n/sup +/-In/sub 0.23/Ga/sub 0.77/N/GaN short-period superlattice (SPS) tunneling contact layer, are grown on c-face sapphire substrates by metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxy. The In/sub 0.23/Ga/sub 0.77/N/GaN(n/sup +/)-GaN(p) tunneling junction, which uses a low-resistivity n/sup +/-In/sub 0.23/Ga/sub 0.77/N/GaN SPS instead of a high-resistivity p-type GaN as a top contact layer, allows the reverse-biased tunnel junction to form a "quasi-ohmic" contact. Experimental results indicate that LDs with n/sup +/-In/sub 0.23/Ga/sub 0.77/N/GaN SPS contacting layers can achieve a lower threshold current and longer lasing duration under pulsed operation. Moreover, when the input pulse width is lengthened from 300 ns to 2 /spl mu/s, the lasing duration of the LD with Pt ohmic contact is three times longer than that of the LD with Ni/Au ohmic contacts. Therefore, we conclude that nitride-based LDs with an SPS reversed-tunneling contact layer may significantly reduce the contact resistance of an anode electrode and thereby increase the thermal stability of the device reliability.     

Quantitative analyses of topography and elasticity of living and fixed astrocytes

The topography and elasticity of living and fixed astrocytes cultured from the rat cerebra were studied quantitatively by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Ridge-like structures reflecting F-actin beneath the cell membrane were prominent in the contact-mode images of living astrocytes. Many of these ridges became unclear after fixation (2% glutaraldehyde). In addition, the ridge-like structures were invisible in the topography of living cells observed at zero-loading force in the force mapping mode, which is considered to show the real cell surface not pressed down by an AFM tip. The topography of fixed cells observed both in the contact mode and at zero-loading force in the force mapping mode was similar to that of living cells observed at zero-loading force in the force mapping mode, although some deformed areas were detected in the fixed cells. The elasticity map images of living astrocytes showed that the cell membrane above the nucleus was softer (2-3 kPa) than the surroundings, and that the cell membrane above F-actin was stiffer (10-20 kPa) than the surroundings. In the elasticity map images of fixed astrocytes, on the other hand, the elasticity of the cells was found to be relatively uniform (200-700 kPa) irrespective of the inner structures of cells. These results show that images observed by AFM should be carefully examined in consideration of the force introduced to specimens and the elasticity of specimens to find out the real surface topography.     

Characterization of laser carved micro channel polycrystalline silicon solar cell

In this study the efficiency of polycrystalline silicon solar cells was increased carving micro channel structures using a laser. In research to date, micro channel structures on the surface of polycrystalline silicon solar cells have been manufactured and studied. In an experiment polycrystalline silicon solar cell with micro channel structures on the surface demonstrated an increase in efficiency of 0.23-1.50%, as the radius of the micro channel structures varied from 15 μm to 35 μm. Micro channels also improved the Fill Factor of polycrystalline silicon solar cells. However, the efficiency started to decrease when the radius of the micro channel structures was greater than 40 μm. Detailed features of the variation in current voltage of polycrystalline silicon solar cells with micro channels are discussed.     

Study of organic solar cells with stacked bulk heterojunction structure

Organic solar cells with stacked bulk heterojutaction（BHJ） are investigated based on conjugated polymer. By using the solution spin-coating method, Poly[2-methoxy, 5-（2＇ -ethyl-hexyloxy） -1,4-phenylene vinylene] （MEH-PPV） and ZnO nanoparticles （50 nm） are mixed as the optical sense layer. Ag is used as inter-layer to connect the upper BHJ cell and the lower cell. The structures are ITO/PEDOT：PSS/MEH-PPV lAg / MEH-PPV：ZnO/Al. The open circuit voltage （Voc） of a stacked cell is about 3.7 times of that of an individual organic solar cell （ITO/PEDOT：PSS/MEH-PPV/Al）. The short circuit current （Jsc） of a stacked cell is increased by about 1.6 times of that of individual one.     

Sensitivity and selectivity of intraneural stimulation using a silicon electrode array

Artificial electrical stimulation of peripheral nerves needs the development of multielectrode devices which stimulate individual fibers or small groups in a selective and sensitive way. To this end, a multielectrode array in silicon technology has been developed, as well as experimental paradigms and model calculations for sensitivity and selectivity measures. The array consists of twelve platinum electrode sites (10 x 50 microns at 50 microns interdistance) on a 45 microns thick tip-shaped silicon substrate and a Si3N4 insulating glass cover layer. The tip is inserted in the peroneal nerve of the rat during acute experiments to stimulate alpha motor fibers of the extensor digitorum longus muscle. Sensitivity calculations and experiments show a cubic dependence of the number of stimulated motor units on current amplitude of the stimulatory pulse (recruitment curves), starting at single motor level. Selectivity was tested by a method based on the refractory properties of neurons. At the lowest stimulus levels (for one motor unit) selectivity is maximal when two electrodes are separated by 200-250 microns, which was estimated also on theoretical grounds. The study provides clues for future designs of two- and three-dimensional devices.     

Development of a new geometrical form of micropipette: electricalcharacteristics and an application as a potassium ion selectiveelectrode

Using a mix of thermal and anodic bonding together with microlithographic techniques, the safe transference of a Si3N4 film with a pore (diameter down to 1 micron) to a glass tube tip (external diameter 800 microns) was accomplished, yielding a new geometrical form of micropipette. Compared with conventional glass micropipettes the device has shown lower resistance, more stable capacitance (independent of the tip immersion depth), tip potential closer to that of a salt bridge, and a simplified filling process. Using this device as a potassium ion selective electrode (ISE), a faster response time ISE was achieved. These features indicate that the new device can advantageously substitute the conventional glass micropipettes when cell impalement is not required.     

Origination of misfit dislocations at the surface during the growth of GeSi/Si(001) films by low-temperature (300–400°C) molecular-beam epitaxy

The method of the molecular-beam epitaxy, at comparatively low temperatures (300–400°C), was used to grow Ge_xSi_{1 ? x} /Si(001) films with a constant composition (x = 0.19–0.32) across a film and as well as two-layer heterostructures with the Ge content at the upper layer no lower than 0.41. Using transmission electron microscopy, it is shown that the main cause of an increase in the density of threading dislocations with increasing Ge fraction in the plastically relaxed films is the origination of the dislocation half-loops at the film surface; in turn, these dislocation half-loops are generated owing to the formation of a three-dimensional profile at the surface of the growing or annealed film.     

Influence of the layer parameters on the performance of the CdTe solar cells

Influence of the layer parameters on the performances of the CdTe solar cells is analyzed by SCAPS-1D. The ZnO:Al film shows a high efficiency than SnO2:F. Moreover, the thinner window layer and lower defect density of CdS films are the factor in the enhancement of the short-circuit current density. As well, to increase the open-circuit voltage, the responsible factors are low defect density of the absorbing layer CdTe and high metal work function. For the low cost of cell production, ultrathin film CdTe cells are used with a back surface field (BSF) between CdTe and back contact, such as PbTe. Further, the simulation results show that the conversion efficiency of 19.28% can be obtained for the cell with 1-μm-thick CdTe, 0.1-μm-thick PbTe and 30-nm-thick CdS.     

A method for the measurement of the parameters of a two-layer stratified earth

A two-layer stratified model is assumed for the earth. The distances involved are assumed to be sufficiently short that the earth can be considered flat. The measurement of the parameters of the top layer can easily be made from the surface, but the parameters of the lower layer are somewhat more difficult. A method is given for the evaluation of these quantifies in terms of measurements of propagation between two antennas located at the surface of the earth. The theoretical solution for the field of an antenna located at the surface of a flat stratified earth has been given by J. R. Wait. This solution is taken as the starting point; it is put into a form which explicitly shows the influence of the parameters of the lower layer. The method of least squares is then used to evaluate the unknown parameters in terms of the measurements. This process allows the use of a large number of measurements which are essentially subjected to an averaging procedure. This prevents localized irregularities in the earth's surface from unduly affecting the results.     

Theoretical and practical investigation of the thermal generation in gate controlled diodes

The different components of thermal generation in a gate controlled diode are studied theoretically and experimentally. Expressions for the generation current in the space charge layer, the diffusion current from the quasi-neutral bulk and the surface generation current are derived for a gated-diode. The width of the generation zone within the space charge layer is calculated as a function of the energy level of the trap and the diode reverse voltage. This leads to a characteristic of the leakage current as a function of the space charge layer width. It is pointed out that the diffusion current can influence the leakage current and cannot be neglected in structures with a low dark current. In the second part the gate controlled diode is used to characterize the thermal generation in structures with a homogeneous and low dark current. A generation lifetime of 5.5 msec and a surface generation velocity at a depleted surface of 1.5 cm/sec is derived. The generation lifetime is found to be constant as a function of depth into the substrate. A considerable diffusion current is measured which is comparable to the generation current in the space charge layer.     

Regenerating axons and their growth cones observed by scanning electron microscopy

A predenervated sciatic nerve segment, which had been treated by repeated freezing and thawing to kill Schwann cells, was grafted to the original sciatic nerve in the rat. Three to five days later, the graft was chemically fixed and treated by KOH-collagenase digestion, a treatment which selectively removes almost all non-cellular elements including the collagen fibrils and basal laminae from the tissue, thus making it possible to observe regenerating axons by scanning electron microscopy. Debris of degraded Schwann cells and myelin sheaths remained in the form of "columns", and several thick (2-3 microns in diameter) and thin (less than 1 micron in diameter) axons ran singly or in bundles on such "cell debris columns." Thick axons have an almost straight contour, while there were various swellings at intervals along the thin axons. In most cases, the growing tips of regenerating axons were swollen as growth cones ranging from 2 microns to 5 microns in diameter. Growth cones exhibited fusiform to polygonal variations in structure and had only a few filopodial processes on the surface.