Photo-carrier transport in microcrystalline silicon films prepared by hot-wire CVD

Electronic transport properties of hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon films prepared by hot-wire CVD have been discussed. Near room temperature, the photo-transport occurs by thermionic emission of electrons over potential barriers between grain boundaries. The potential barrier height, which dominates the carrier mobility, decreases with increasing illumination intensity. The mobility-lifetime product (10^− 7-10^− 8 cm² V^− 1) at 300 K obtained experimentally is comparable with those obtained in films prepared by plasma enhanced CVD.     

Wide tuning range and low operating power AWG-based thermo-opticwavelength tunable filter using polymer waveguides

Two types of polymer thermo-optic wavelength tunable filter (TOWTF) have been developed, each with a pair of triangular phase shifters. One filter is designed for a large-scale WDM system (32 channels, 0.8 nm spacing), the other for a small-scale WDM system (10 channels, 0.8 nm spacing). The arrayed waveguide number is optimised thus reducing the operating power required by the filters. Moreover, both filters operated with a low crosstalk of <-25 dB     

Crystal quality and optical properties for Nd:GdVO4 single crystals by a floating zone method

Single crystals of neodymium-doped gadolinium orthovanadate (Nd:GdVO₄) were successfully grown by the floating zone method (FZ) with an infrared convergence type heater. These crystal quality and optical properties are sufficient for application to a laser host. Distribution of (Nd/Nd + Gd) concentration by 50 mm in the growth direction was 0.20 ± 0.02 against a target concentration of 0.20. Distribution of extinction ratio at 633 nm by 50 mm in the growth direction was 51 ± 2 dB. Laser performance for these crystals with a-cut were measured. The maximum slope efficiency was 65% and the maximum output power was 3.4 W with continuous wave at 808 nm.     

Optimal configuration of pyrene excimer induced by the excimer-forming two-probe nucleic acid hybridization method

Excimer-forming two-probe nucleic acid hybridization (ETPH) method with pyrene as a fluorophore enables homogeneous hybridization assays. We examined the effect of linker length between a pyrene residue and a terminal sugar moiety on Tm of hybrids in the presence of 20% dimethylformamide (DMF). The results including those of CD measurements indicated no interaction of pyrene residues with the duplex formed between a target 32-mer and a pyrenemethyliodoacetamide-introduced 16-mer probe (PMIA-P5)/a pyrenebutanoic acid-introduced 16-mer probe (PBuA-P3), which is the best pair of probes for intense excimer emission. This was also supported by a computer-assisted molecular modeling using Insight II and Discover software.     

Photocontrol of the refractive index of poly(methyl methacrylate) with a nitrone additive

Hydroxy‐substituted aromatic nitrone derivatives were used for the photochemical control of the refractive index of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) films. Upon irradiation with 366‐nm light in solution, these derivatives underwent rearrangement reactions, which eventually produced N,N‐diarylformamide derivatives in quantitative yields. Similar photoreactions of the aromatic nitrones in the PMMA films lowered the refractive index of the films by as much as 0.014. The magnitude of the observed refractive‐index change was enough for hydroxy‐substituted nitrones to be used as additives for the fabrication of graded‐index‐type polymer optical fibers. In addition, the refractive index of the PMMA films remained almost constant at any conversion of the starting nitrone derivatives for at least 70 days at room temperature. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 93: 2517–2520, 2004     

Oxidation-Induced Toughening and Strengthening of Y2O3/SiC Nanocomposites

Effects of oxidation on mechanical properties have been investigated for Y₂O₃/5 vol% SiC nanocomposite. The roomtemperature fracture strength and toughness substantially increased after oxidation around 900–1000°C for 5 h. On the other hand, little improvement was identified for specimens treated in an inert atmosphere under the same conditions. A TEM study of the oxidized specimen surfaces revealed formation of extensive residual strain contours around SiC nanoparticles. The improved strength and toughness could be caused by compressive surface stress, which was generated by volume expansion of the nanoparticles due to oxidation.     

Involvement of MAP kinase-independent protein kinase C signaling pathway in the EGF-induced p21(WAF1/Cip1) expression and growth inhibition of A431 cells

Previous studies have revealed that the growth inhibition of A431 cells overexpressing epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptors by a high concentration of EGF is mainly due to the expression of cycline dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor p21(WAF1/Cip1). However, the signal transduction mechanism from the activated EGF receptor to the induction of p21(WAF1/Cip1) gene is still poorly understood. We investigated which signaling pathway plays an important role in p21(WAF1/Cip1) expression and growth inhibition by using specific inhibitors of the signaling molecules. A broad PKC inhibitor, PKC delta inhibitor, but not the conventional PKC inhibitor suppressed the EGF-induced p21(WAF1/Cip1) expression and the growth inhibition of A431 cells. These inhibitors did not alter either the activation of EGF receptor or the stimulation of MAP kinase at detectable levels. Furthermore, we found that the induction of p21(WAF1/Cip1) at the early phase (within 12 hr after stimulation) by a high concentration of EGF was independent of the MAP kinase activation by using dominant negative Ras. These results suggest that PKC, especially PKC delta plays a crucial role in the EGF-induced p21(WAF1/Cip1) expression, resulting in the growth inhibition of A431 cells.     

Effects of magnetic field on the carrier density distribution of semiconductor power device operated in pulsed power conditions

Turn‐on characteristics of semiconductor power devices are evaluated under external magnetic field to study the effects of external magnetic field generated in a pulsed power circuit. Two pin diodes that have a basic structure of power devices are connected in parallel and driven by a pulsed voltage source. It was found the magnetic field applied to one diode in the perpendicular direction of current‐flow changed the current balance between the diodes. Besides the on‐resistance of a diode was increased under external magnetic field. The carrier‐density distribution inside of the diodes was measured by using a free carrier absorption method. The data show that the carrier‐density distribution changes from nearly the uniform one to the one‐sided one. It can be concluded that the effects of magnetic‐field have to be considered for the evaluation of switching characteristic in pulsed power operations. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 147(1): 10–16, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.10271     

Shock-induced carbonization of phenanthrene at pressures of 7.9-32 GPa

The chemical behavior of phenanthrene during a reaction triggered by shock waves, and its influence on the physical property of phenanthrene were studied over the pressure range of 7.9-32.0 GPa. Chemical analyses showed that shocked phenanthrene included insoluble carbonaceous material containing amorphous carbon, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with molecular weights ranging from 128 to 356, and unreacted phenanthrene. No diamond and fullerenes were detected in the shocked phenanthrene. The results indicate that reactions triggered by shock wave are dehydrogenation, which causes carbonization and radical addition reactions, and ring cross-linking. Carbonization is the most dominant and rapidly proceeded above 20.0 GPa. Thus, an abrupt increase of compressibility of phenanthrene above 20.1 GPa previously reported is caused by the drastic carbonization.