Spectroscopic studies on the rare-earth vanadites

The nature of the V/1bO/1bV interaction of the perovskite type rare-earth vanadites were studied by spectroscopic methods. Infrared and ultraviolet analyses revealed that the V/1bO bond length became shorter and that the V/1bO bond strength increased, as a function of the atomic number of lanthanide elements in LnVO₃. Judging from the x-ray fluorescent spectra of oxygen-K_α, the energy level of O^2? (p_π) orbitals of the heavier rare-earth vanadites was lower than that of the lighter rare-earth vanadites.     

Polymerization of ethylene and propylene initiated by milled alumina powder

Generation of free radicals (mechano-radicals) by the milling of alumina powder at 77 K was demonstrated by ESR. After milling of alumina in the presence of ethylene (simultaneous milling) at 77 K, polyethylene-propagating radicals instead of the alumina mechano-radicals were detected by ESR. Also the contact of ethylene with the milled alumina converted alumina mechano-radicals into polyethylene propagating radicals at a temperature above the melting point of ethylene. The products extracted by hot toluene from the simultaneous milling were identified by IR to be polyethylene, and their molecular weights were roughly 10,000. The residues after the extraction were bonded with the alumina. Polypropylene was also produced by a similar method of milling of alumina in the presence of propylene. The obtained polyproylene was atactic, and its molecular weight was about 400.     

Electrical properties of ferromagnetic Gd3−xS4 near its Curie temperature

Nonstoichiometric $\text{Gd}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>3?</mtext><mtext>x</mtext>}}\text{S}{}_4\text{(0 <}\text{x}\text{<}\text{1}\text{3}\text{)}$, which exhibits a metallic behavior, was obtained by heating an insulating Gd₂S₃ at various temperatures under a vacuum. Electrical and magnetic properties of the samples obtained have been investigated from 4.2 K to 300 K. A maximum in resistivity was observed in the curve of resistivity vs. temperature. The temperature T_P, at which the maximum emerged, was very close to the Curie temperature T_C for the sample. An increase in resistivity at T_P, Δ_?, is proportional to ?_P exp ($\text{E}\text{k}{}_{\mathrm{B}}\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{P}}$), where ?_P is the resistivity obtained by the extrapolation from the linear portion to T_P in the ? vs. T curve. Using the relationship obtained, a model based on the formation of magnetic polaron was proposed for this system.     

In-Plane Anisotropy of the Upper Critical Field of La2−x Sr x CuO4 in the Underdoped and Overdoped Regimes

For La_2–x Sr _x CuO₄ single-crystals in the underdoped and overdoped regimes, we have measured the electrical resistivity along the c-axis, _c , under constant magnetic fields, changing the field direction in the ab-plane. At x=0.08, 0.12 and 0.16 in the underdoped and almost optimally-doped regimes, clear anisotropy of _c with the fourfold symmetry in the ab-plane has been observed. This symmetry is regarded as the fourfold symmetry of the upper critical field, H _c2, and explained as being mainly due to the anisotropy of the superconducting energy gap owing to the d_x ^{2-y 2} pairing. The magnitude of the fourfold component of H _c2, H _c2/H _c2, is largest in x=0.08 among the three crystals. At x=0.20 in the overdoped regime, no clear fourfold symmetry has been observed. It appears that the fourfold symmetry is easy to observe in the underdoped regime rather than in the overdoped regime.     

Synthesis of the Bi-2222 Compounds of Bi–Sr–Ln(Zr)–Cu–O (Ln = Sm,Eu, Gd,and Dy)

Bi-based superconducting compounds with the 2222 structure has been already synthesized in the Bi₂Sr₂- (Ln_1−x Ce _x )₂Cu₂O_10+y (Ln = Sm, Eu, and Gd) systems. One of the characteristics of these compounds is the existence of the fluorite-like (Ln_1−x Ce _x )₂O₂ block between two CuO₅ pyramids in the crystal structure. The tetravalent ions of Ce⁴⁺ are reported to be necessary to stabilize the 2222 structure. Recently, we have discovered that the Bi-2222 phase could be composed in the Bi₂Sr₂(Ln_2−x Zr _x )Cu₂O _z (Ln = Sm, Eu, Gd, and Dy) systems, where Zr⁴⁺ is used as a new tetravalent ion stabilizing the 2222 structure in stead of Ce⁴⁺. In the new system, nearly single 2222 phase samples have been obtained at the nominal composition of x=0.5 (Ln = Sm, Eu, and Gd) and in the range of 0.1≤x≤0.3 (Ln = Dy). Among them, the sample with Ln = Gd has the smallest resistivity at 273 K. But it is a semiconductor, and the conduction process at low temperatures is assumed to be followed by a two-dimensional VRH. The experimental results for the Gd samples with a partial substitution of Pb for Bi in the Bi₂Sr₂(Gd_2−x Zr _x )Cu₂O _z system are also reported.     

Delay-time=code division multi-access in frequency-selective channel

A new hybrid multi-access technique, called delay-time/code division multi-access (DT/CDMA), is proposed. Multiplexing is accomplished in both the delay-time domain and code domain. Delay-time division multiplexing is achieved by assigning different cyclic time delays to the same spreading sequence. At a receiver, frequency-domain equalisation, despreading, and demultiplexing are performed simultaneously in the frequency domain. The bit error rate performance when using the proposed DT/CDMA in a frequency-selective Rayleigh fading channel is evaluated by computer simulation.     

Influence of heat treatment on indium-tin-oxide anodes and copper phthalocyanine hole injection layers in organic light-emitting diodes

Modifications of indium-tin-oxide (ITO) and copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) layers by heat treatment aimed at lowering driving voltage in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are examined. Significant changes were observed in the surface morphology and carrier injection properties of ITO and CuPc layers after annealing at T = 250 °C for 0-60 min in a glove box. In the case of ITO annealing, although the ITO work function gradually decreased and the surface of the ITO layer became smoother than that of an unannealed ITO layer, we observed an appreciable decrease in the driving voltage with an increase in annealing time. In the case of CuPc annealing, on the other hand, we observed deterioration of the OLED's characteristics. All devices demonstrated an increase in driving voltage due to the pronounced crystallization of the CuPc layer.     

Formation of high-purity organic thin films by gas flow deposition and the effect of impurities on device characteristics

A gas flow deposition (GFD) system was developed to manufacture large-scale organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). A N,N′-di(1-naphthyl)-N,N′-diphenylbenzidine (α-NPD) thin film with a high purity of 99.97% was obtained using the GFD system. The film properties such as morphology, and electrical and optical characteristics were almost the same as those of films made by conventional vacuum thermal evaporation.     

Highly photostable distributed-feedback polymer waveguide blue laser using spirobifluorene derivatives

In this study, we synthesized the new spirobifluorene derivatives; hexylbiphenyl-spirobifluorene (HBP-Spiro) and triphenylamine-spirobifluorene (TPA-Spiro) and demonstrated the operation of a distributed-feedback polymer waveguide blue laser. In addition, we investigated the optical and lasing properties of spirobifluorene derivatives including photostability. The experimental slope efficiency and the energy threshold of a HBP-Spiro-doped waveguide laser were 3.6% and 1.9 μJ, respectively. An operation lifetime of 27,000 shots was obtained for a pump-pulse duration of 1.2 ns and energy of 3.0 μJ at a wavelength of 355 nm.