Creep deformation behavior of Sn–Zn solder alloys

Creep properties of three Sn–Zn solder alloys (Sn–9Zn, Sn–20Zn, and Sn–25Zn, wt%) were studied using the impression creep technique. Microstructural characteristics were examined using a scanning electron microscope. The alloys exhibited stress exponents of about 5.0. The activation energy for creep was calculated to be ~50–75 kJ/mol with a mean value of 66.3 kJ/mol. The likely creep mechanism was identified to be the low temperature viscous glide of dislocations.     

Influence of inertia and drag terms on the stability of mixed convection in a vertical porous-medium channel

In this paper, we report the influence of different terms appearing in the momentum equation on the stability of buoyancy-assisted mixed convection in a vertical channel filled with a porous medium. Four different models: (i) Darcy–Brinkman (DB), (ii) Darcy–Brinkman–Forchheimer (DBF), (iii) Darcy–Brinkman–Wooding (DBW), and (iv) Darcy–Brinkman–Forchheimer–Wooding (DBFW) are considered and a comparative study is made based on a linear stability analysis. We consider a Prandtl number range of Pr = 0.1–10, which corresponds to water and gases. Judged from the instability boundary curves, it is found that with reduction of Darcy number there exists an equivalence of DB with DBF model from one side, and an equivalence of DBW with DBFW model from the other side. When the medium is a gas, a significant difference between DB and DBW (or DBF and DBFW) is visible, which is not the case for water. Furthermore, it is found that in case of a gas, inertia force destabilizes the flow, whereas, form drag stabilizes it. In contrast to a fluid-filled channel (where inertia term always destabilizes the buoyancy-assisted flow), here this destabilizing property might turn into a stabilizing one when fluid viscosity and permeability of the medium are changed. In the case of water, for Da = 10^?2, the inertia term stabilizes the flow beyond Re = 25. When Da is reduced by one order of magnitude, the destabilizing effect continued up to Re = 220. The combined effect of form drag (Forchheimer term) and inertia (Wooding term) on the stability of the flow is more intensive than their individual effects provided the medium is highly permeable. In most cases studied here, the disturbance flow patterns are similar for DB and DBF from one side, and DBW and DBFW from the other side.     

Study of local environment of Ag in Ag/CeO2 catalyst by EXAFS

The combustion synthesized Ag/CeO₂ catalysts have been characterized by Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy at the Ag K-edge. It has been found that Ag⁺ like species is present in 1% Ag/CeO₂ catalyst, whereas mostly Ag metal clusters are found in 3% Ag/CeO₂. The analysis of EXAFS spectra indicates that about one oxygen atom is coordinated to Ag central atom at a distance of 2.19 Å in 1% Ag/CeO₂ catalyst along with eight coordinated AgAg bond at 2.86 Å. The AgO bond is absent in 3% Ag/CeO₂.     

Hole mobility enhancement in strained-Si p-MOSFETs under high vertical field

The growth of a high quality, step-graded lattice-relaxed SiGe buffer layer on a Si(100) substrate is investigated. p-MOSFETs were fabricated on strained-Si grown on top of the above layer. Carrier confinement at the type-II strained-Si/SiGe buffer interface is observed clearly from the device transconductance and C-V measurements. At high vertical field, compared to bulk silicon, the channel mobility of the strained-Si device with x=0.18 is found to be about 40% and 200% higher at 300 K and 77 K respectively. Measurements on transconductance enhancement are also reported. Data at 77 K provide evidence of two channels and a large enhancement of mobility at high transverse field.     

Three-dimensional finite element analysis of multi-stage hot forming of railway wheels

Three-dimensional finite element analyses has been carried out using DEFORM 3D software on multi-stage hot forming of railway wheels involving the processes of upsetting, forging, and punching of wheels. Thermal analysis related to heating the blank in furnace and all intermediate heat transfer stages between deforming operations have been conducted. Rigid viscoplastic finite element method has been utilized for coupled thermo-mechanical analysis of the processes. Modeling of punching the wheel bore has been carried out using Cockcroft and Latham fracture criterion. Evolution of thermo-mechanical parameters at selected points within the workpiece has been studied in detail. The method of simulating the effects of various process parameters has been explained using relevant mathematical relations. This study shows that design, optimization, and analysis of process perturbations for multi-stage railway wheel manufacturing process can be done efficiently in three-dimensional finite element simulations instead of conventional time and cost intensive trials. It might be necessary to use the results of finite element analysis in shop-floor to enhance productivity and reduce wheel rejection.     

Determination of interface state density of PtSi/strained-Si1-xGex/Si Schottky diodes

PtSi/p-strained-Si_1-xGe_x (x=0.19 and x=0.29) Schottky barrier diodes have been fabricated and characterized for the determination of barrier height, ideality factor and the interface state density distribution with energy. Diodes having an epitaxial layer thickness of 20 and 52 nm were modeled with emphasis on comparison with experiment. To achieve better agreement with experimental data, an interfacial layer and associated series resistance were included in the model. The capacitance–voltage (C–V) technique has been used for the determination of the energy distribution of interface state density. The interface state density distribution for the Si_0.81Ge_0.19 and Si_0.71Ge_0.29 diodes is found to decrease with increasing energy from the valence band edge.     

A lymphatic filarial survey revealing a focus of Brugia malayi in the coastal region of west Bengal

Random night blood samples were examined from 528 subjects in an endemic zone of lymphatic filariasis, in the coastal region of West Bengal. There were 136 cases out of 528 who were symptomatic, with or without recurrent episodes of fever, lymphangitis and lymphadenitis and with various degrees of lymphoedema. Examination of blood samples revealed microfilaria in 43 cases of which 42 were asymptomatic and only one was symptomatic with lymphoedema. All the microfilariae were of the species Brugia malayi.     

Characterization of electrochemically deposited Cu-Ni black coatings

Electrochemically deposited Cu-Ni black coatings on molybdenum substrate from ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) bath solution are shown to exhibit good optical properties (α=0.94, ε = 0.09). The deposit is characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Cu is present in metallic and +2 oxidation states in the as-prepared Cu-Ni black coating, whereas Ni²⁺ as well as Ni³⁺ species are observed in the same coating. Cu and Ni are observed in their metallic state after 10 and 20 min sputtering. X-ray initiated Auger electron spectroscopy (XAES) of Cu and Ni also agrees well with XPS investigations.     

Experiments on integrated gallium-arsenide f.e.t. oscillators at X band

Experimental results obtained with GaAs f.e.t. oscillators at X band are described. It is demonstrated that the output power of f.e.t. oscillators is sufficient to drive X band mixers. The noise measure of these oscillators is competitive with Gunn devices, and can be reduced further.