Detection efficiency and spatial resolution of the SIRAD ion electron emission microscope

An axial ion electron emission microscope (IEEM) has been built at the SIRAD irradiation facility at the 15 MV Tandem accelerator of INFN Legnaro National Laboratory (Padova, Italy) to obtain a micrometric sensitivity map to single event effects (SEE) of electronic devices. In this contribution we report on two experiments performed with the IEEM. Si₃N₄ ultra-thin membranes with a gold deposition were placed on the device under test (DUT) to ensure a uniform and abundant secondary electron emission In the first experiment we measured an IEEM ion detection efficiency of 83% with a ⁵⁸Ni (220 MeV) beam, in good agreement with the expected value. The second experiment allowed us to estimate the lateral resolution of the IEEM. The positions of ion induced single event upsets (SEU) in a synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), used as a reference target, were compared with the corresponding ion impact points reconstructed by the IEEM. The result (FWHM ～4.4 μm with a ⁷⁹Br beam of 214 MeV) is encouraging because of the residual presence of distortions of the image and mechanical vibrations.     

甘蔗栽培地沉积物中分离出的腐殖质的光谱表征

腐殖质有很重要的环境属性,它通过和金属物质的相互作用而影响其运输、积累和吸收。在本项研究中,用于表征的沉积物中的腐殖质来自圣保罗的第三大甘蔗栽培区,这个地区生产的甘蔗约占巴西全国甘蔗总产量的60%。根据国际腐植酸学会提出的碱抽提方法可以将腐殖质提取出来,然后通过红外光谱、紫外可见光谱和分子荧光光谱对其进行表征。从红外光谱中获得的腐殖质的特征带以及从紫外可见光谱中分析所得的E4/E65的结果均表明腐殖质分子结构的聚合度很高。在分子荧光发射光谱中显示的主要是芳香结构的特征带。分子荧光光谱的同步检测图则显示腐殖质在400 nm处的荧光强度最大,而在此处含有五个芳香环的多环芳烃的荧光强度恰好也是最大。因此,实验结果表明腐殖质分子有很高的聚合度,并且其芳香性大于脂肪性。     

Fabrication and characterization of microwell array chemical sensors

Microwell arrays have been fabricated on the distal face of coherent fiber-optic bundles. A typical microwell array comprises approximately 3,000 individual optical fibers that were etched chemically. Individual microwells were 1 to 14-microm deep with approximately 22-microm widths and were filled partially with a chemical sensing (polymer + dye) layer to produce a microwell array sensor (MWAS). MWASs were fabricated using a technically expedient, photoinitiated polymerization reaction whereby a approximately 2 to 10-microm thick pH-sensitive or O2-sensitive sensing layer was immobilized inside each microwell. The pH-sensing layer comprised fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran conjugate immobilized in a photopolymerizable poly(vinyl alcohol) membrane. The O2-sensing layer comprised a ruthenium metal complex entrapped in a gas-permeable photopolymerizable siloxane membrane. pH and PO2 were quantitated by acquiring luminescence images using an epifluorescence microscope/charge-coupled device imaging system. The pH-sensitive MWAS displayed a pKa of approximately 6.4 and a response time of approximately 2.5 s. The O2-sensitive MWAS behaved according to a nonlinear Stern-Volmer model with a maximum I0/I of approximately 4 and a response time of approximately 2.5 s. MWASs are advantageous in that suitably sized samples such as single biological cells can be co-localized with the sensing matrix in individual microwells.     

Mid-IR biosensor: detection and fingerprinting of pathogens on gold island functionalized chalcogenide films

Antibody (human IgG, anti-E. coli O157:H7, and anti-Salmonella) complexes on the surface of IR-transparent Ge-containing chalcogenide glass films were formed via thiol chemistry on 20-nm-thick gold islands. As a first step, the protocol was validated by monitoring fluorescently tagged targets to validate binding. FT-IR spectroscopy confirmed that the coating of the films with 20-nm gold did not have a significant effect on the propagation and penetration of IR evanescent waves through the film. The films functionalized with anti-E. coli O157:H7 and anti-Salmonella antibodies were used to detect E. coli O157:H7 and S. enteriditis through label-free IR fingerprinting. Highly selective detection of bacterial targets was achieved at both the species (E. coli vs. S. enteriditis) and strain level (E. coli O157:H7 vs E. coli K12). A mid-infrared approach could thus be used as a biosensor as well as a molecular fingerprinting tool.     

Multiwalled carbon nanotube reinforced polymer composites

Due to their high stiffness and strength, as well as their electrical conductivity, carbon nanotubes are under intense investigation as fillers in polymer matrix composites. The nature of the carbon nanotube/polymer bonding and the curvature of the carbon nanotubes within the polymer have arisen as particular factors in the efficacy of the carbon nanotubes to actually provide any enhanced stiffness or strength to the composite. Here the effects of carbon nanotube curvature and interface interaction with the matrix on the composite stiffness are investigated using micromechanical analysis. In particular, the effects of poor bonding and thus poor shear lag load transfer to the carbon nanotubes are studied. In the case of poor bonding, carbon nanotubes waviness is shown to enhance the composite stiffness.     

Benign schwannoma of the hand. Considerations on a clinical case

We compared general anesthesia and intravenous sedation-analgesia for SWL on a Dornier HM3 lithotripter with respect to treatment and anesthesia time, X-ray exposure, shockwaves administered, and efficacy. The case records of 49 patients receiving general anesthesia and 118 patients who underwent intravenous sedation-analgesia were examined. Follow-up plain abdominal radiographs were evaluated for residual stones. Treatments accomplished under intravenous sedation-analgesia required less anesthesia time and less SWL time. The amount of fluoroscopy time was increased. The success rate in treating patients with these two types of anesthesia was not significantly different. Intravenous sedation-analgesia is safe and effective for shockwave lithotripsy in the HM3 lithotripter. This technique facilitates more rapid outpatient treatment and has excellent patient tolerance.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Silicon Oxycarbide Glasses

It has been found that X-ray amorphous silica glasses containing up to 18% carbon can be synthesized using a sol/gel process. In this study, the sols were prepared using four different organometallic precursors—methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, and phenyltrimethoxysilanes. ¹H NMR,¹³C NMR, and TGA revealed that the methoxy groups are hydrolyzed in the solutions and, therefore, are absent in the gels. But the alkyl groups are retained in the dry gels. The ²⁹Si NMR data verified that the Si—C bonds associated with these alkyl groups are intact in the dry gels. Most importantly, however, Si—C bonds are found in the glasses obtained after heat-treating the gels at high temperature in an inert atmosphere; i.e., the synthesis does, in fact, create an oxycarbide network structure. TGA showed that the dense oxycarbide glasses are stable to 1000°C in argon and in air.     

Properties and microstructure of Ni-alumina composite materials prepared by the sol/gel method

Sol-gel techniques have been used to make mm-size pieces of Ni-alumina gels for abrasive use. The microstructure was studied extensively by electron microscopy methods and by electron and x-ray diffraction. The hardness, stiffness, and toughness were measured by indentation methods. Seeding of the gel with small additions of nm-size α-Al₂O₃ grains resulted in enhanced α-Al₂O₃ crystallization, a denser structure and better mechanical properties. The best Ni-alumina gel specimens had hardnesses and stiffnesses comparable to successful abrasive products and even better fracture toughnesses.     

A Compression-Loaded Double Cantilever Beam Specimen

In crack propagation studies, double cantilever beam specimens are typically loaded in tension or by an applied moment. A method of compression loading is described in which the stress intensity K _I decreases with crack length. This new arrangement offers added crack stability over other techniques, as well as a convenient method of loading.