Initiated Chemical Vapor Deposition: A Versatile Tool for Various Device Applications

Advances in device technology have been accompanied by the development of new types of materials and device fabrication methods. Considering device design, initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) inspires innovation as a platform technology that extends the application range of a material or device. iCVD serves as a versatile tool for surface modification using functional thin film. The building of polymeric thin films from vapor phase monomers is highly desirable for the surface modification of thermally sensitive substrates. The precise control of thin film thicknesses can be achieved using iCVD, creating a conformal coating on nano‐, and micro‐structured substrates such as membranes and microfluidics. iCVD allows for the deposition of polymer thin films of high chemical functionality, and thus, substrate surfaces can be functionalized directly from the iCVD polymer film or can selectively gain functionality through chemical reactions between functional groups on the substrate and other reactive molecules. These beneficial aspects of iCVD can spur breakthroughs in device fabrication based on the deposition of robust and functional polymer thin films. This review describes significant implications of and recent progress made in iCVD‐based technologies in three fields: electronic devices, surface engineering, and biomedical applications.

     

Altered responding to cholecystokinins and dopaminergic agonists following 6-hydroxydopamine treatment in rats.

In 5 experiments with 265 male Wistar albino rats, production of lesions in the brain dopamine (DA) system by intraventricular injection of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) resulted in increased responses to subcutaneous apomorphine (0.5 mg/kg) and reduced responses to methamphetamine (0.15 mg/kg). It also made Ss increase responding to intracerebroventricular (icv) cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8; 0.5–2 μg) and reduce responding to cholecystokinin tetrapeptide (CCK-4; 0.5–2 μg). Response changes were quantified by measuring the level of general activity. Results indicate that DA dysfunction not only affected DA receptor sensitivity but also the sensitivity of the CCK system. The response to CCK-8 was partially blocked by a selective CCK-8 antagonist, proglumide (5 μg, icv), a result suggesting the involvement of the CCK-8 receptor system. Results indicate that manipulation of 1 neuronal system could induce sensitivity changes in another closely related system. (32 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Production of -lyxose from -glucose by microbial and enzymatic reactions

-Arabitol was first prepared from -glucose using Candida famata R28. The reaction gave 5.0% -arabitol from 10.0% -glucose. -Arabitol was then almost completely converted to -xylulose using Acetobacter aceti IFO 3281. Finally, -lyxose was prepared from -xylulose enzymatically using -ribose isomerase from toluene-treated cells of Acinetobacter sp. strain DL-28. The isomerization reaction progressed steadily and the concentration of -xylulose increased from 1.0 to 10.0%. About 70% of -xylulose was converted to -lyxose in all cases. Separation of residual -xylulose from the reaction mixture is very difficult to achieve by column chromatography, but -xylulose could be selectively degraded easily using Saccharomyces cerevisiae IFO 0841. The product was crystallized and was confirmed to be -lyxose by HPLC, ¹³C-NMR spectra, IR spectra analysis, and optical rotation measurement.     

Systematic error in fluorescence correlation measurements identified by a simple saturation model of fluorescence

The distortion of the fluorescence correlation function of a dye solution becomes larger with the increase in the excitation power, and eventually the parameters, such as the number of molecules and the diffusion time, obtained by the fluorescence correlation function systematically change. The most fundamental reason for this change is thought to be the distortion of the Gaussian excitation-detection field due to the saturation of the photocycle of the chromophore. The deviation from linearity of the fluorescence intensity causes the distortion of the fluorescence correlation function. Consequently, a smaller excitation power reduces the distortion and ensures an accurate measurement of the absolute value of these parameters. At the same time, the measurements at a fixed excitation power can be used to quantitatively determine the relative value of concentration and of the diffusion time. The deviation in the linearity of the fluorescence intensity and the deviation of the parameters show a high degree of correlation, and a 10% deviation of the intensity results in a prediction of a approximately 10% deviation in the number of molecules and a approximately 5% in the diffusion time.     

Dead-time distortion in fluorescence correlation measurements

The dead time of the detector significantly distorts the fluorescence correlation function of fluorescent particles in solution. This distortion of the correlation function is similar to the saturation effect of the correlation function in a high-power excitation region. The correlation amplitude is significantly reduced by the dead time. The deviations in the number of molecules and the diffusion time are empirically given by the deviation of the fluorescence intensity linearity. The empirical curves of the deviations can be applied to the systematic error estimation of the parameters. The proportionality of the number of molecules to the concentration of fluorophores is no longer maintained with a large dead time, although almost all of the proportionality of the diffusion time to the inverse diffusion constant remains. This fact makes the dead-time effect different from the saturation effect, which is due to photokinetics. In practice, these distortions can be reduced by use of a smaller excitation power in which the proportionality of the fluorescence intensity is maintained.     

On the Controlling Factor of Catalyst Temperature in C_3H_8-Air Mixture

INTRODUCTIONCatalytic combushon is considered to be an effechvecombushon method for gas tUrbines to achieve lower NOxendssion levels. However, a Problem to be solved is theexcess increase of catalyst temp~ that easily causesdamage. Lindhng catalyst temperathe can be realized byallowing incomplete combushon in catalyst by combininga flame holder downstream that yields completecombushon afterWards. iiis is recognized as the mostadvantageous combushon method that meets the thermalresistance…