Martensitic stabilization and defects induced by deformation in TiNi shape memory alloys

Martensitic stabilization caused by deformation in a TiNi shape memory alloy was studied.Special attention was paid to the deformed microstructures to identify the cause of martensitic stabilization.Martensitic stabilization was demonstrated by differential scanning calorimetry for the tensioned TiNi shape memory alloy.Transmission electron microscopy revealed that antiphase boundaries were formed because of the fourfold dissociation of[110]B19'super lattice dislocations and were preserved after reverse transformation due to the lattice correspondence.Martensitic stabilization was attributed to dislocations induced by deformation,which reduced the ordering degree of the microstructure,spoiled the reverse path from martensite to parent phase compared with thermoelastic transformation,and imposed resistance on phase transformation through the stress field.     

The fluorescence behavior from SAM of dendron with rhodamine B as a center

We studied energy transfer between rhodamine B molecules centered in each corn-shaped dendrons that forms self-assembled monolayer (SAM) film on an Au substrate. A SAM film using dendron moiety as a spacer can change the distance between rhodamines depending on the size, so that the energy transfer from an initially photo-excited rhodamine to its surrounding molecules can be controlled. The absorption spectrum of a SAM film for each generation of dendron was measured to ascertain a linear correlation between the generation and the distance. Picosecond time-resolved fluorescence spectra showed clear differences in the fluorescence decay dynamics between third-generation (G3) and fourth-generation (G4) dendron SAM films. In addition, we found that “dry” or “wet” dendron SAM considerably influenced fluorescence behavior. As a result, the use of “wet” G4 SAM is suitable in preserving photo-excitation energy. This is because it gave almost equal dynamics to G4 dendron in the dilute solution and prevented deactivation by energy dissipation.     

Psychological Stress Exacerbates Inflammation of the Ileum via the Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone-Mast Cell Axis in a Mouse Model of Eosinophilic Enteritis

The effects of psychological stress on eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders have not been elucidated. This study investigated the effects of psychological stress in a mouse model of eosinophilic enteritis (EoN). BALB/c mice were treated with ovalbumin (OVA) to create an EoN model and subjected to either water avoidance stress (WAS) or sham stress (SS). Microscopic inflammation, eosinophil and mast cell counts, mRNA expression, and protein levels of type 2 helper T cell (Th2) cytokines in the ileum were compared between groups. We evaluated ex vivo intestinal permeability using an Ussing chamber. A corticotropin-releasing hormone type 1 receptor (CRH-R1) antagonist was administered before WAS, and its effects were analyzed. WAS significantly increased diarrhea occurrence and, eosinophil and mast cell counts, and decreased the villus/crypt ratio compared to those in the SS group. The mRNA expression of CRH, interleukin IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, eotaxin-1, and mast cell tryptase β2 significantly increased, and the protein levels of IL-5, IL-13, and OVA-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) also significantly increased in the WAS group. Moreover, WAS significantly increased the intestinal permeability. The CRH-R1 antagonist significantly inhibited all changes induced by WAS. Psychological stress exacerbated ileal inflammation via the CRH-mast cell axis in an EoN mouse model.     

An analysis of young people’s use of and attitudes toward cell phones

Cell phones are a pervasive new communication technology, especially among college students. This paper examines college students’ cell phone usage from a behavioral and psychological perspective. Utilizing both qualitative (focus groups) and quantitative (survey) approaches, the study suggests these individuals use the devices for a variety of purposes: to help them feel safe, for financial benefits, to manage time efficiently, to keep in touch with friends and family members, et al. The degree to which the individuals are dependent on the cell phones and what they view as the negatives of their utilization are also examined. The findings suggest people have various feelings and attitudes toward cell phone usage. This study serves as a foundation on which future studies will be built.     

Far-infrared detector based on HgTe/HgCdTe superlattices

HgTe/Hg_0.05Cd_0.95Te superlattices (SLs) were grown on (112)B oriented Cd_0.96Zn_0.04 Te substrates using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The SLs, consisting of 100 periods of 80-Å-thick HgTe wells alternating with 77-Å-thick Hg_0.05Cd_0.95Te barriers, were designed to operate as detectors in the far-infrared (FIR) region. Infrared absorption spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Hall effect measurements, and x-ray diffraction were used to characterize the superlattice layers. A series of annealing experiments were initiated to quantify the temperature-dependent interdiffusion of the HgTe wells and Hg_0.05Cd_0.95Te barriers and consequently their degradation, which shifts the absorption edges of the SLs to higher energies, since a high-temperature ex situ anneal is normally required in order to produce the p-type material required for a photovoltaic detector. Results from infrared absorption spectroscopy, TEM, and Hall effect measurements for the annealed samples are presented. A FIR SLs single-element photoconductive (PC) device was designed and fabricated. Both material characterization and device testing have established the applicability of the HgTe/Hg_0.05Cd_0.95Te SLs for the FIR region.     

High-frequency characteristics of low-temperaturepseudo-heterojunction bipolar transistors

The high-frequency characteristics of a pseudojunction bipolar transistor (pseudo-HBT), which operates like an HBT despite a metallurgical homojunction utilizing a bandgap narrowing effect, are analyzed both theoretically and experimentally. Several design features used to achieve a high cutoff frequency at low temperatures are discussed. They include (1) a low-impurity-concentration graft base, (2) an abrupt base profile to obtain a large effective-bandgap difference between the base and the emitter, and (3) an inversely graded base profile, in which the impurity concentration increases from the emitter side to the collector side, to effectively reduce the base transit time. The pseudo-HBT with a low-concentration graft base shows a higher cutoff frequency below 100 K than at room temperature. These features are also appropriate for conventional bipolar transistors operating at low temperatures     

Monolithic rat-race mixers for millimeter waves

In this paper, we report on fully monolithic millimeter-wave Schottky-barrier diode (SBD) down-converters with an IF amplifier using heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBT's). A rat-race circuit is used for the mixer, and is analyzed using a harmonic-balance simulator. The measured conversion gain and the isolation are 7.1 and 29 dB in the V-band design, and 8.0 and 25 dB in the W-band design, respectively. The conversion gains are matched well with the circuit simulation     

Analysis of antireflection coatings using the FD-TD method with the PML absorbing boundary condition

A step-index optical waveguide with an antireflection coating is analyzed using the finite-difference time-domain (FD-TD) method combined with the perfectly matched layer absorbing boundary condition (PML-ABC). It is demonstrated that the numerical simulations having a dynamic range over that for the Mur absorbing boundary condition can be obtained for a single-layer coating. The analysis of a double-layer coating reveals the transient behavior of reflected fields.     

Overview on Technical Issues for Future Mobile Network and a Proposal of DLC Scheme in Wireless Link

This paper gives an overview on technical issues for future mobile networks. the QoS control for multimedia services, security function, expansion of network capacity, expansion of address space, multicast function, radio link quality and mobility control of terminals are taken up as technical issues.Then, a novel DLC scheme in wireless link named EREP-ARQ (Estimation and Report of Error Pattern ARQ) which can reduce the retransmission ratio is proposed. In this scheme, error pattern generated in the radio link is estimated at the receiver side and the estimated error pattern is returned to the transmission side. If the estimation is correct, no retransmission is needed. Compared to conventional SR-ARQ, throughput can be improved by17% and Cell Loss Ratio (or Packet Loss Rate) can be reduced to less than 1/10 by the proposed EREP-ARQ.