Study on Lubricant Depletion Induced by Laser Heating in Thermally Assisted Magnetic Recording Systems: Effect of Lubricant Thickness and Bonding Ratio

In this study, we have carried out fundamental research on lubricant depletion due to laser heating in thermally assisted magnetic recording. In particular, we investigated the effects of lubricant film thickness and lubricant bonding ratio on lubricant depletion. Conventional lubricants Zdol2000 and Ztetraol2000 were used. The lubricant depletion characteristics due to laser heating were found to depend largely on the lubricant film thickness and material. That is, for films thicker than one monolayer, the lubricant depletion depth increased with the laser-irradiation duration, whereas the thickness of the lubricant after laser irradiation on the diamond-like carbon (DLC) films tended to remain at a constant film thickness of one monolayer. The lubricant depletion width gradually increased as the laser irradiation duration increased. The increasing trends for the lubricant depletion width were quantitatively very similar and almost independent of the initial lubricant film thickness. However, for lubricant films with thicknesses less than one monolayer, the lubricant depletion depth was very small. The lubricant depletion width increased remarkably to several hundred micrometers as the laser irradiation duration increased. The lubricant depletion depth and width were much smaller for Ztetraol2000 than Zdol2000. In addition, the lubricant-bonding ratio was found to greatly affect the lubricant depletion characteristics due to laser heating. In other words, the lubricant depletion depth and width decreased as the bonding ratio increased. The lubricant depletion mechanism involves the evaporation of mobile lubricant molecules when the maximum attained temperature is less than 100 °C. Another suggested lubricant depletion mechanism involves the thermocapillary stress effect, which is induced by the disk surface temperature gradient resulting from the non-uniformity of the laser spot intensity distribution.     

Characterization of interfacial reaction and chemical bonding features of LaOx/HfO2 stack structure formed on thermally-grown SiO2/Si(1 0 0)

A stack structure consisting of ～1.5 nm-thick LaO_x and ～4.0 nm-thick HfO₂ was formed on thermally grown SiO₂ on Si(1 0 0) by MOCVD using dipivaloymethanato precursors, and the influence of N₂ annealing on interfacial reaction for this stack structure was examined by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared attenuated total reflection. We found that compositional mixing between LaO_x and HfO₂ becomes significant from 600 °C upwards and that interfacial reaction between HfLa_yO_z and SiO₂ proceeds consistently at 1000 °C in N₂ ambience.     

High-performance C60 and picene thin film field-effect transistors with conducting polymer electrodes in bottom contact structure

C₆₀ and picene thin film field-effect transistors (FETs) in bottom contact structure have been fabricated with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) electrodes for a realization of mechanical flexible organic FETs. The C₆₀ thin film FETs showed n-channel enhancement-type characteristics with the field-effect mobility μ value of 0.41 cm² V^?1 s^?1, while the picene thin film FET showed p-channel enhancement-type characteristics with the μ of 0.61 cm² V^?1 s^?1. The μ values recorded for C₆₀ and picene thin film FETs are comparable to those for C₆₀ and picene thin film FETs with Au electrodes.     

Production of Carbon Nanotube by Ethylene Decomposition over Silica-Coated Metal Catalysts

Formation of carbon nanofibers (CNFs) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) through the decomposition of ethylene at 973 K was achieved using various metal catalysts covered with silica layers. CNFs of various diameters were formed by ethylene decomposition over a Co metal catalyst supported on the outer surface of the silica. In contrast, silica-coated Co catalysts formed CNTs with uniform diameters by ethylene decomposition. Silica-coated Ni/SiO₂ and Pt/carbon black also formed CNTs with uniform diameters, while CNFs and CNTs with various diameters were formed over Ni/SiO₂ and Pt/carbon black without a silica coating. These results indicate that silica layers that envelop metal particles prevent sintering of the metal particles during ethylene decomposition. This results in the preferential formation of CNTs with a uniform diameter.     

Differences in Sterol Composition between Male and Female Gonads of Dominant Limpet Species

The present study demonstrated here for the first time that there are statistically significant differences in sterol composition between male and female gonads of the dominant limpets Cellana grata and Cellana toreuma, which are intertidal gastropods. Among 11 different sterols identified in this study, unusually high levels (11.2–19.8% of total sterols) of the Δ⁸-sterols 5α-cholest-8-en-3β-ol (zymostenol) and 5α-cholesta-8,24-dien-3β-ol (zymosterol), which have never been reported in aquatic invertebrate gonads, were present in only the male gonads.     

Water Vapor Adsorption and Desorption on Materials Hydrothermally Solidified from Clay Minerals

Water vapor isotherms were examined and ¹H-magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H-MAS NMR) analysis was conducted to determine the amount of water vapor adsorbed and desorbed on hydrothermally solidified materials derived from clay minerals. The amount of water vapor adsorbed and desorbed decreased with increasing mesopore volume of the materials, which disagreed with the estimation obtained using the Kelvin equation. Water vapor was physisorbed on alumina-like sites in the materials. An increase in the binding energy between water vapor and the materials led to an improvement in the water vapor adsorption–desorption properties of materials.     

Formation of carbon nanotubes through ethylene decomposition over supported Pt catalysts and silica-coated Pt catalysts

Ethylene decomposition was performed over supported Pt catalysts to fabricate composites of Pt metal nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). All supported Pt catalysts (Pt/carbon black, Pt/CNT, Pt/MgO, Pt/Al₂O₃ and Pt/SiO₂) showed catalytic activity for ethylene decomposition at 973 K to form CNTs. Pt metal particles were found at tips of CNTs. These results indicate that Pt metal particles have catalytic activity for growth of CNTs through hydrocarbon decomposition. A broad range (5-50 nm) of CNT diameters were formed from the use of supported Pt metal catalysts although Pt metal particles in the catalysts before ethylene decomposition were relatively uniform in size (2-5 nm). These results imply that Pt metal particles in the catalysts aggregated during ethylene decomposition at 973 K. Aggregation of Pt metal particles in catalysts during ethylene decomposition could be suppressed by covering catalysts with silica layers that were a few nanometers thick. Silica-coated Pt catalysts showed high activity for ethylene decomposition to form CNTs with uniform diameters (8-10 nm) despite the uniform coverage of Pt metal particles with silica layers.     

Rapid and accurate determination of VFAs and ethanol in the effluent of an anaerobic H2-producing bioreactor using near-infrared spectroscopy

A rapid quantification method, based on Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy, was developed and validated to nondestructively quantify the concentrations of volatile fatty acids and ethanol in the effluent of an anaerobic H₂-producing bioreactor. The first-derivative spectra calculated by a simple numerical difference, combined with the orthogonal signal correction method, were used as spectral preprocessing options. A calibration model was established and validated using gas chromatography measurement results. The number of internal latent variables was optimized based on the lowest root-mean-square error of calibration. The calibration model established shows the satisfactory results for the lowest root-mean-square errors of prediction compared to other preprocess methods. The method developed in this work is demonstrated to be more flexible compared with other approaches to determine the concentrations of volatile fatty acids and ethanol in the anaerobic reactor effluents.     

Reconstruction of the thermal environment evolution in urban areas from underground temperature distribution

It is possible to estimate the ground surface temperature (GST) history of the past several hundred years from temperature profiles measured in boreholes because the temporal variation in GST propagates into the subsurface by thermal diffusion. This “geothermal method” of reconstructing GST histories can be applied to studies of thermal environment evolution in urban areas, including the development of “heat islands.” Temperatures in boreholes were logged at 102 sites in Bangkok, Jakarta, Taipei, Seoul and their surrounding areas in 2004 to 2007. The effects of recent surface warming can be recognized in the shapes of most of the obtained temperature profiles. The preliminary results of reconstruction of GST histories through inversion analysis show that GST increased significantly in the last century. Existing temperature profile data for the areas in and around Tokyo and Osaka can also be used to reconstruct GST histories. Because most of these cities are located on alluvial plains in relatively humid areas, it is necessary to use a model with groundwater flow and a layered subsurface structure for reconstruction analysis. Long-term records of subsurface temperatures at multiple depths may demonstrate how the GST variation propagates downward through formations. Time series data provide information on the mechanism of heat transfer (conduction or advection) and the thermal diffusivity. Long-term temperature monitoring has been carried out in a borehole located on the coast of Lake Biwa, Japan. Temperatures at 30 and 40 m below the ground surface were measured for 4 years and 2 years, respectively, with a resolution of 1 mK. The obtained records indicate steady increases at both depths with different rates, which is probably the result of some recent thermal event(s) near the surface. Borehole temperatures have also been monitored at selected sites in Bangkok, Jakarta, and Taiwan.     

Thermal characteristics of a double-glazed external wall system with roll screen in cooling season

A double-skin system (double-glazed external wall) is an effective passive system that can be used to decrease solar heat gain into buildings. Detailed information on the thermal distribution of double-skin facades is necessary to design better systems that can provide thermal comfort and conserve energy. In this study, the three-dimensional thermal characteristics of double-skin facades that had the ventilation opening installed partially and were screened partially by the adjacent buildings were investigated by field measurements. To that end, field measurements were carried out on the double-skin exterior wall (9.4 m high and 27.0 m wide) installed in an atrium located in the west of an existing building during cooling period for typical summer conditions. Maximum air change rate of natural ventilation through the bottom opening up to the top opening is about 20–25 [1/h], the reduction ratio of total solar heat gain compared with those of non-natural ventilation is about 25%. The exhaust solar heat gain is about 100 W/m² per inner glass surface area of the double-skin facades. Air temperature distribution of air space in the double skin was ranged from 30 °C to 44 °C, and heat gain difference ranged from 50 W/m² to 130 W/m². The influence of the ventilation openings and the shade conditions on temperature distribution of double skin is found to be significant and the double-skin system was verified to reduce the cooling loads effectively.