The evaporation and carburization behavior of coated systems of niobium on molybdenum and niobium on titanium

The evaporation, carburization and diffusion behavior of Nb-coated Mo and of Nb-coated Ti were investigated in order to estimate the surface characteristics of the coated systems. Nb layers were formed on Mo by both chemical and physical vapor deposition and on Ti by just physical vapor deposition. From the diffusion behavior, interdiffusion coefficients were obtained at 1860°C, 1980°C and 2080°C for the chemically vapor-deposited Nb/Mo system. From evaporation experiments it was found that simultaneous evaporation of Nb and Mo occured at about 2300°C for thick films of Nb on Mo. For thin films of Nb on Mo, the evaporation of both Nb and Mo was confirmed at 1900°C by ion microprobe analysis of the condensate. For Nb/Ti, rapid diffusion of Nb into Ti and evaporation of Ti similar to the case of Nb-Ti alloys were observed. From the carburization study, it was found that an Nb coating appreciably retards the carburization of Ti and Mo.     

An improved procedure of electron microscopic in situ hybridization for detecting adenovirus DNA

Electron microscopic in situ hybridization (EM-ISH) is a useful method in determining the localization of a specific nucleic acid at the ultrastructural level. Since the EM-ISH protocol includes many steps, no standard protocol for EM-ISH is available yet. In this study, we optimized quantitatively the critical conditions with respect to embedding resin, nucleic acid labeling and hybridization reaction time, by using adenovirus-infected cells as the indicator cells. The optimal detection of an adenovirus-specific nucleic acid was obtained by overnight hybridization reaction on sections embedded in Lowicryl K4M resin. Random-primed-labeled probes improved the reactivity. At least 60% of virus particles in paracrystalline arrays was found to contain viral DNA. These arrays in adenovirus-infected cells are useful in evaluating quantitatively the efficiency of protocols of EM-ISH.     

A new desk-top encounter-type haptic device with an actively driven pen-tablet LCD panel

In conventional haptic devices for virtual reality (VR) systems, a user interacts with a scene by handling a tool (such as a pen) using a mechanical device (i.e. an end-effector-type haptic device). In the case that the device can ‘mimic’ a VR object, the user can interact directly with the VR object without the mechanical constraint of a device (i.e. an encounter-type haptic device). A new challenge of an encounter-type haptic device is displaying the visuals and haptic information simultaneously on a single device. We are proposing a new desk-top encounter-type haptic device with an actively driven pen-tablet LCD panel. The proposed device is capable of providing pseudo-3D visuals and haptic information on a single device. As the result, the system provides to the user a sense of interaction with a real object. To develop a proof-of-concept prototype, a compact parallel mechanism was developed and implemented. The aim of this research is to propose a new concept in haptic research. In this paper, the concept, the prototype, and some preliminary evaluation tests with the proposed system are presented.     

Residual mode filters and H ∞ control for a class of infinite-dimensional discrete-time systems

An H _∞, control problem with measurement feedback.for infinite-dimensional discrete-time (IDDT) systems whose homogeneous parts are described by Riesz-spectra operators is considered. The aim is to construct a finite-dimensional stabilizing controller for the IDDT system that makes the H _∞ norm of the closed-loop transfer function less than a given positive number δ. For that purpose, we first formulate the IDDT system as an IDDT system in l² and derive a finite-dimensional reduced-order system for the IDDT system in l². A stabilizing controller that makes the H _∞ norm of the closed-loop transfer function less than another positive number is then constructed for the reduced-order model. The finite-dimensional controller together with a residual mode Jilter plays a role of a finite-dimensional stabilizing controller that makes the H _∞ norm of the closed-loop transfer function less than δ for the original IDDT system, if the order of the residual mode filter is chosen suficiently large.     

Impact of the Coulomb interaction on nano-scale silicon device characteristics

Monte Carlo simulations coupled self-consistently with the three-dimensional Poisson equation are carried out under the double-gate MOSFET structures. The Coulomb force experienced by an electron inside the device is directly evaluated by performing the Monte Carlo simulations with or without the full Coulomb interaction and the Coulomb force on the channel electron corresponding to plasmon excitations is clarified. It is pointed out that the consistency of the boundary condition is achieved only if the long-range Coulomb interaction is properly taken into account, and this is crucial for predicting reliable device characteristics in ultra-small devices. The drain current and transconductance are greatly reduced if the self-consistent potential fluctuations are taken into account.     

A 4-wavelength optical multi/demultiplexer for WDM subscriber loop systems using analog baseband video transmission

This paper describes the design principles and performance of optical multi/demultiplexers (MUX/DEMUX's) in wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) subscriber-loop systems over a 50- μm core diameter, graded-index (GI), multimode fiber, which employ analog baseband video transmission using laser diodes (LD's). In this WDM arrangement, requirements for MUX/DEMUX's are: 1) low insertion loss; 2) no signal degradation caused by optical interchannel crosstalk; 3) only a small amount of analog baseband signal degradation caused by the use of MUX/DEMUX; 4) a small size and simple structure capable of multiplexing three or four wavelengths; and 5) good stability. The newly developed 4-wavelength MUX/DEMUX satisfies the preceding requirements and is suitable for application to WDM subscriber-loop systems using analog baseband signals along with digital signals.     

Estimation of forest area near deserts — production of Global Bio-Methanol from solar energy

This paper proposes a new synthesis method for methanol as a future alternative fuel, by the combination of carbon supplied from wood and hydrogen supplied from the electrolysis of water using a solar power generation system in the desert. In the developed countries, more than half of the potential forest area has already been converted into other land uses, while existing forests are well organized and available for wood production. In the developing countries, potential forest sites are expected to be available for wood production, even though they are presently grasslands or secondary forests, while natural tropical forests will not be allowed to be converted into artificial forests. The area available for plantations within 500 km distant from deserts was estimated to be 65 Mha in the world, except for the mountain areas. Biomass production from these sites will be converted annually into 980 Mt methanol with hydrogen from the deserts. This amount is equal to 34% of the world's fuel consumption by vehicles.     

Single-step synthesis and characterization of single-walled carbon nanohorns hybridized with Pd nanoparticles using N2 gas-injected arc-in-water method

Single-walled carbon nanohorns (SWCNHs) hybridized with palladium (Pd) nanoparticles were synthesized by a single-step gas-injected arc-in-water method (GI-AIW) with a Pd wire inserted inside the anode hole. In the arc zone, carbon and Pd were vaporized simultaneously, leading to the formation of hybrid material of SWCNHs and Pd nanoparticles due to effective quenching. Based on TEM and CO chemisorption analyses, Pd nanoparticles were found to be embedded inside SWCNH aggregates. The size of Pd nanoparticles, determined by X-ray diffraction, was in the range of 3–6 nm when Pd wires with diameters of 0.1 and 0.3 mm were used. Using a Pd wire with a diameter larger than 0.5 mm results in larger Pd nanoparticles which tend to be exposed to the outer surface of the hybrid material. According to thermogravimetric analyses, the weight fraction of Pd nanoparticles is increased by increasing the Pd wire diameter although the yield of Pd nanoparticles decreased. SWCNHs hybridized with dispersed Pd nanoparticles, synthesized with 0.1 mm Pd wire, exhibited strong anti-oxidation resistance with a highly graphitic structure.