Synthesis of diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP)-based small molecule donors containing thiophene or furan for photovoltaic applications

Two π-conjugated small molecules based on diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP), DPP4T and DPP2F2T, were synthesized using the Suzuki coupling reaction. DPP4T and DPP2F2T contained furan and thiophene, respectively, next to a DPP core. Organic photovoltaic cells (OPVs) were fabricated using two DPP-based oligothiophenes as donors. DPP4T showed higher power conversion efficiency (PCE) (1.44%) than DPP2F2T (0.85%). The short-circuit current (J_SC) of DPP4T (4.38 mA cm⁻²) was nearly twice that of DPP2F2T (2.49 mA cm⁻²). The improved photovoltaic properties of DPP4T could be explained by the optical properties and the film morphology.     

“Multipoint Force Feedback” Leveling of Massively Parallel Tip Arrays in Scanning Probe Lithography

Nanoscale patterning with massively parallel 2D array tips is of significant interest in scanning probe lithography. A challenging task for tip‐based large area nanolithography is maintaining parallel tip arrays at the same contact point with a sample substrate in order to pattern a uniform array. Here, polymer pen lithography is demonstrated with a novel leveling method to account for the magnitude and direction of the total applied force of tip arrays by a multipoint force sensing structure integrated into the tip holder. This high‐precision approach results in a 0.001° slope of feature edge length variation over 1 cm wide tip arrays. The position sensitive leveling operates in a fully automated manner and is applicable to recently developed scanning probe lithography techniques of various kinds which can enable “desktop nanofabrication.”     

Numerical analysis of geometry effects for target re-deposition during low pressure hollow cathode magnetron sputtering

During low pressure ionized metal physical vapor deposition (PVD) of Cu seed layer for microprocessor interconnects, the re-deposited Cu film on the hollow cathode magnetron (HCM) target may fall off and damage the Cu film on the wafer. An analytical view factor model based on the analogy between metal sputtering and diffuse thermal radiation was used to obtain re-deposition profiles for HCM targets in low pressure (below 0.1 Pa) Cu ionized PVD. The model predictions indicate that there is an inherent non-uniformity in the re-deposition profile even for uniform sputtering over the entire HCM target. The predicted re-deposition profile agrees with experimental observations. Subsequent target redesign studies found that the non-uniformity in the re-deposition profile could be mitigated by using a conical sidewall between the top disk and the cylindrical sidewall or reducing the length of the cylindrical sidewall.     

A study on the plasma polymer thin film surface modification for DNA alignment by using high energy electron beam irradiation

The plasma polymer thin films were deposited on Si(100) substrate by PECVD (plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition) method. Liquid cyclohexene was used as single organic precursor. It was heated up to 60 °C and bubbled up by hydrogen gas, which flow rate was 50 sccm (standard cubic centimeters per min). Deposition temperature was room temperature. Plasma was ignited by a radio frequency (RF; 13.56 MHz) of 10 W.As-deposited plasma polymer thin films were treated by e-beam of 300 keV with various adsorption radiation doses. The plasma polymer films, which were treated by high energy e-beam (HEEB), were investigated by FT-IR (Fourier Transform Infrared), XPS (X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy), AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy), and the water contact angles.From IR spectra, the intensity of OH functional group is increased by increasing electron dose rate. XPS results also show that the intensity of O_1s peak is increased by increasing electron dose rate. C_1s peak shows that oxygen bonded at carbon site. The water contact angles are decreased by increasing electron dose rate. From the AFM analysis, we observed the formation of λ-DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) array on plasma polymer film, which was treated by HEEB with 14 kGy of adsorption radiation dose.     

SnO2–Au nanocomposite synthesized by successive ionic layer deposition method: Characterization and application in gas sensors

A possibility of synthesizing the SnO₂–Au nanocomposite by the successive ionic layer deposition (SILD) method is demonstrated in this article. It is shown that as a result of successive treatments in solutions of Sn(OH)_xF_yCl_z and HAuCl₄ the SnO₂–Au nanocomposite with a Sn/Au ratio varying from 1:1 to 6:1 can be formed on the surface of substrates. It is found that the value of this ratio depends on the concentration of F ions in solution. The gold in the indicated composite is in the metallic state. The growth of the SnO₂–Au composite takes place through the formation of 3-D precipitates, which form a continuous film after 13 deposition cycles. As a result, a layer with averaged thickness of up to 20 nm is formed on the surface. Nanocomposite films, even after treatment at an annealing temperature T_an ∼ 600 °C, have finely dispersed structure. The size of the Au clusters incorporated in the SnO₂ matrix is in the range from 3 to 15 nm. Gas sensing characteristics of SnO₂ films modified by SnO₂–Au nanocomposites are discussed as well. It is shown that surface modification by SnO₂–Au nanocomposites can be used for improving operating characteristics of conductometric SnO₂-based gas sensors.     

The development of a robust design methodology for time‐oriented dynamic quality characteristics with a target profile

Innovative engineering techniques are often sought within the manufacturing environment to improve product quality and promote more cost‐effective strategies. Robust design methods are frequently used to serve this purpose, with the objective of minimizing the variability inherent within a particular process or system. A review of the literature suggests that most robust design research involves the study of static quality characteristics, given a pre‐defined specification interval or region and target value. In addition to proposing a methodology for working with dynamic quality characteristics where the specifications and target value may change over time, this paper offers two other distinct contributions. First, those researchers who have examined dynamic systems traditionally consider the effects of a signal factor on a response variable on the identification of optimal factor settings. In contrast, this paper will consider the effects of a quality characteristic changing over time, thus removing the need to confine the problem to signal–response systems. Furthermore, most researchers consider the optimization of the process mean according to the costs of non‐conforming to an established specification interval or region. This paper, however, utilizes a methodology involving the simultaneous optimization of the process mean and variance while expanding the problem to consider a loss in quality attributed to deviation from a target value over time. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.