Metallic nanowire-graphene hybrid nanostructures for highly flexible field emission devices

We report a simple but efficient method to prepare metallic nanowire-graphene (MN-G) hybrid nanostructures at a low temperature and show its application to the fabrication of flexible field emission devices. In this method, a graphene layer was transferred onto an anodic alumina oxide template, and vertically aligned Au nanowires were grown on the graphene surface via electrodeposition method. As a proof of concept, we demonstrated the fabrication of flexible field emission devices, where the MN-G hybrid nanostructures and another graphene layer on PDMS substrates were utilized as a cathode and an anode for highly flexible devices, respectively. Our field emission device exhibited stable and high field emission currents even when bent down to the radius of curvature of 25 mm. This MN-G hybrid nanostructure should prove tremendous flexibility for various applications such as bio-chemical sensors, field emission devices, pressure sensors and battery electrodes.     

Host-guest chemistry in the gas phase: selected fragmentations of CB[6]-peptide complexes at lysine residues and its utility to probe the structures of small proteins

The gas phase host-guest chemistry between cucurbit[6]uril (CB[6]) and peptide is investigated using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). CB[6] exhibits a high preference to interacting with a Lys residue in a peptide forming a CB[6]-peptide complex. Collisionally activated CB[6] complexes of peptides yield a common highly selective fragment product at m/z 549.2, corresponding to the doubly charged CB[6] complex of 5-iminiopentylammonium (5IPA). The process involves the formation of an internal iminium ion, which results from further fragments to an a-type ion from a y-type ion, and the resulting 5IPA ion threads through CB[6]. Numerous peptides are investigated to test the generality of the observed unique host-guest chemistry of CB[6]. Its potential utility in probing protein structures is demonstrated using CB[6] complexes of ubiquitin. Low-energy collision induced dissociation yields CB[6] complex fragments, and further MS(n) spectra reveal details of the CB[6] binding sites, which allow us to deduce the protein structure in the solution phase. The mechanisms and energetics of the observed reactions are evaluated using density functional theory calculations.     

Enhanced absorptive characteristics of metal nanoparticle-coated silicon nanowires for solar cell applications

The optical properties of metal nanoparticle (NP)-coated silicon nanowires (Si NWs) are theoretically investigated using COMSOL Multiphysics commercial software. A geometrical array of periodic Si NWs coated with metal NPs is proposed. The simulation demonstrates that light absorption could be enhanced significantly in a long wavelength region of the solar spectrum, based upon the localized surface plasmons generated around metal NPs. Various metal NPs, such as Au, Ag, and Al, are all found to increase their light absorption while in contact with Si NWs, in which the Au NPs show the best result in light enhancement. This theoretical work might prove useful in providing a fundamental understanding toward improving further the efficiency of Si wired solar cells.     

Fast release process of metal structure using chemical dry etching of sacrificial Si layer

An ultra-fast removal process of a silicon sacrificial layer for the selective release of a metal structure on a Si substrate was studied, which uses a chemical dry etching method. The chemical dry etching of a Si layer was performed in an NF₃ remote plasma with the direct injection of additive nitric oxide (NO) gas. When the NO gas was injected into the chamber into which F radicals were supplied from a remote plasma source using NF₃ input gas, the silicon layer was removed selectively and the metal structure could be released easily. It was found that the etch rate on the sidewall (up to ≅ 18.7 μm/min for an opening width of 100 μm) and the bottom (up to ≅ 24.5 μm/min for an opening width of 100 μm) depends on the NO/(NO + Ar) gas flow ratio, time duration, and opening width. The developed dry etching process could be used to release a Ni structure with near infinite selectivity in a very short time. The process is well suited for fabricating various devices which require a suspended structure, such as in radio-frequency microelectromechanical system switches, tunable capacitors, high-Q suspended inductors and suspended-gate metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors.     

Optimization of a roller levelling process for Al7001T9 pipes with finite element analysis and Taguchi method

This paper is concerned with the optimization of process parameters for a roller leveller that is an indispensable piece of equipment to eliminate the undesirable curvature of a thin-walled aluminum pipe. Optimization of process parameters has been carried out for a multi-staggered-type 14-roller leveller. A finite element model of a multi-staggered 14-roller leveller was constructed for numerical analysis. The analysis is carried out with the fractional model and the Taguchi method for evaluation of the effect of process parameters such as the intermesh and the slanted angle of rollers. The response variable is set to the plastic strain along the pipe length. The optimum combination of process parameters is determined from the numerical result and confirmed by experiments. The comparison of the numerical result with the experimental one shows good coincidence for its validity and reliability.     

Adaptive Bit-Interleaved Coded OFDM With Reduced Feedback Information

If the channel is static and is perfectly known to both the transmitter and the receiver, the water-filling technique with adaptive modulation is known to be optimal (Gallager, 1968). However, for orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) systems, this requires intensive traffic overheads for reporting channel state information on all subcarriers to the transmitter. In this paper, we consider an adaptive modulation and coding scheme for bit-interleaved coded OFDM with reduced feedback information satisfying a specified quality of service level. We propose a rate adaptation scheme, which utilizes the estimated bit error rate for supportable transmission rates. In this scheme, a user equipment chooses a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) level, which can provide the maximum spectral efficiency based on one OFDM symbol rather than on all subchannels. Then the user needs to send back only the selected MCS level index. The proposed scheme does not require the water-filling procedure, and the amount of the feedback information reduces to a single integer value irrespective of the number of subcarriers. Simulation results show that the proposed scheme can significantly reduce the system complexity while minimizing the performance loss compared to the optimum water-filling scheme.     

A feasibility study on direct methanol fuel cells for laptop computers based on a cost comparison with lithium-ion batteries

This paper compares the total cost of direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) and lithium (Li)-ion battery systems when applied as the power supply for laptop computers in the Korean environment. The average power output and operational time of the laptop computers were assumed to be 20 W and 3000 h, respectively.     

Recrystallization and precipitation behavior of low-activation V-Cr-Ti alloys after cold rolling

Recrystallization and precipitation behavior after cold working were investigated for three V-4Cr-4Ti alloys, NIFS-HEAT-1, NIFS-HEAT-2 and US 832665, which contain different levels of impurities. The decrease in hardness and the initiation of recrystallization against test temperature do not depend on the oxygen level. However, the rate of grain growth decreased with the increase in the impurity levels. Bimodal distribution of the precipitates was observed after annealing at 1273 K. The large precipitates were Ti-rich precipitates, and the small ones were composed mainly of Ti, C and O (Ti-C-O precipitates). The impurities were dissolved from Ti-C-O precipitates above 1273 K, and the level of impurities in the matrix increased and resulted in the increase in the hardness. Based on the results, the annealing temperature for V-4Cr-4Ti alloys is recommended not to exceed 1273 K for the purpose of maintaining good mechanical properties such as tensile and impact properties.     

Direct extraction of an empirical temperature-dependent InGaP/GaAs HBT large-signal model

A new empirical InGaP/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) large-signal model including self-heating effects is presented. The model accounts for the inherent temperature dependence of the device characteristics due to ambient-temperature variation as well as self-heating. The model is accompanied by a simple extraction process, which requires only dc current-voltage (I-V) and multibias-point small-signal S-parameter measurements. All the current-source model parameters, including the self-heating parameters, are directly extracted from measured forward I-V data at different ambient temperatures. The distributed base-collector capacitance and base resistance are extracted from measured S-parameters using a new technique. The extraction procedure is fast, accurate, and inherently minimizes the average squared-error between measured and modeled data, thereby eliminating the need for further optimization following parameter extraction. This modeling methodology is successfully applied to predict the dc, small-signal S-parameter, and output fundamental and harmonic power characteristics of an InGaP/GaAs HBT, over a wide range of temperatures.     

Changes in corneal epithelial barrier function after excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy

PURPOSE: To use fluorophotometry to measure corneal epithelial barrier function after excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). SETTING: Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea. METHODS: Twenty-five eyes of 21 patients (13 women, 8 men) had PRK to correct myopia. Corneal epithelial healing time was measured and corneal epithelial permeability to sodium fluorescein evaluated by fluorophotometry 1, 2, and 3 weeks after surgery. RESULTS: Epithelial permeability showed a statistically significant increase 1 week after surgery and returned to its preoperative level 1 week later. Comparative studies according to epithelial healing day and corrected diopter showed results that were not statistically significant (P > .05). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that PRK delays complete reconstruction of corneal epithelial barrier function. In humans, the corneal epithelium regained its normal barrier function 2 weeks after PRK. Thus, at least during these weeks, care should be taken to minimize further epithelial trauma.