Anisotropic Quantum Transport through a Single Spin Channel in the Magnetic Semiconductor EuTiO3

Magnetic semiconductors are a vital component in the understanding of quantum transport phenomena. To explore such delicate, yet fundamentally important, effects, it is crucial to maintain a high carrier mobility in the presence of magnetic moments. In practice, however, magnetization often diminishes the carrier mobility. Here, it is shown that EuTiO₃ is a rare example of a magnetic semiconductor that can be desirably grown using the molecular beam epitaxy to possess a high carrier mobility exceeding 3000 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹ at 2 K, while intrinsically hosting a large magnetization value, 7 μ_B per formula unit. This is demonstrated by measuring the Shubnikov–de Haas (SdH) oscillations in the ferromagnetic state of EuTiO₃ films with various carrier densities. Using first-principles calculations, it is shown that the observed SdH oscillations originate genuinely from Ti 3d-t_2g states which are fully spin-polarized due to their energetical proximity to the in-gap Eu 4f bands. Such an exchange coupling is further shown to have a profound effect on the effective mass and fermiology of the Ti 3d-t_2g electrons, manifested by a directional anisotropy in the SdH oscillations. These findings suggest that EuTiO₃ film is an ideal magnetic semiconductor, offering a fertile field to explore quantum phenomena suitable for spintronic applications.     

Optical injection locking of a 38-GHz-band InP-based HEMToscillator using a 1.55-μm DSB-SC modulated lightwave

Optical injection locking was experimentally performed using a 38-GHz-band InP-based HEMT MMIC oscillator and a 1.55-μm lightwave. Two optical modulation schemes were compared for optical injection locking, and no difference was found except for the optical modulation frequency. With suppressed carrier modulation of the lightwave, phase noise of less than -73.2 dBc/Hz at a 10-kHz frequency offset and a 14-MHz locking range were achieved     

Enhancement of unconfined compressive strength of sand test pieces cemented with calcium phosphate compound by addition of various powders

To improve the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of a novel chemical grout composed of a calcium phosphate compound (CPC-Chem), we performed UCS tests and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations on sand test pieces cemented with CPC-Chem and four kinds of powders (tricalcium phosphate, TCP; magnesium phosphate, MgP; calcium carbonate, CC and magnesium carbonate, MgC) as seed crystals. The UCS of the CPC-Chem test pieces cemented with TCP and CC was significantly greater than that of the test pieces with no added powders. The UCS of the test pieces with TCP and CC additives exceeded the targeted value of 100 kPa and increased to a maximum of 261.4 kPa and 209.7 kPa for the test pieces with TCP and CC additives, respectively. Furthermore, the UCS of test pieces with 1 wt% or 5 wt% TCP and 1 wt% CC additives was maintained at a level exceeding 200 kPa for 168 days. SEM observations revealed net-like and three-dimensional structures in segments of test pieces cemented with 1 wt% or 5 wt% TCP and 1 wt% CC in CPC-Chem, which could have been the reason of the long-term stability of UCS (over 200 kPa for 168 days) observed in this study. These results suggest that the addition of TCP and CC significantly enhances the ground improvement afforded by CPC-Chem.     

Efficacy of acidified sodium chlorite treatments in reducing Escherichia coli O157:H7 on Chinese cabbage

Efficacy of acidified sodium chlorite for reducing the population of Escherichia coli O157:H7 pathogens on Chinese cabbage leaves was evaluated. Washing leaves with distilled water could reduce the population of E. coli O157:H7 by approximately 1.0 log CFU/g, whereas treating with acidified chlorite solution could reduce the population by 3.0 log CFU/g without changing the leaf color. A similar level of reduction was achieved by washing with sodium chlorite solution containing various organic acids. However, acidified sodium chlorite in combination with a mild heat treatment reduced the population by approximately 4.0 log CFU/g without affecting the color, but it softened the leaves. Moreover, the efficacy of the washing treatment was similar at low (4 degrees C) and room (25 degrees C) temperatures, indicating that acidified sodium chloride solution could be useful as a sanitizer for surface washing of fresh produce.     

Improved sensitive determination method for bromate in bread

An effective clean-up procedure was developed to determine trace levels of bromate in bread by high-performance liquid chromatography with post-column flow reactor detection. Bromate was extracted from bread with deionized pure water. After centrifugation, the supernatant was filtered through a paper filter. The filtrate was filtered through a 0.2 micron nylon filter and chloride ion was removed by an IC-SP M Ag cartridge column or On-Guard Ag cartridge column. The eluate was applied to an Oasis MAX anion exchange cartridge column. The column was washed with 20% acetic acid and water. Bromate was then eluted with 0.5% sodium nitrate solution. The eluate was determined by HPLC with post column flow reactor detection. The method had a quantitation limit of 2 ng/g in bread products. Recoveries of bromate from bread ranged from 68 to 72% at a spiked bromate level of 2-10 ng/g.     

Direct observation of defect-mediated cluster nucleation

Ion implantation is widely used to introduce electrically or optically active dopant atoms into semiconductor devices. At high concentrations, the dopants can cluster and ultimately form deactivating precipitates, but deliberate nanocrystal formation offers an approach to self-assembled device fabrication. However, there is very little understanding of the early stages of how these precipitates nucleate and grow, in no small part because it requires imaging an inhomogenous distribution of defects and dopant atoms buried inside the host material. Here we demonstrate this, and address the long-standing question of whether the cluster nucleation is defect-mediated or spontaneous. Atomic-resolution illustrations are given for the chemically dissimilar cases of erbium and germanium implanted into silicon carbide. Whereas interstitial loops act as nucleation sites in both cases, the evolution of nanocrystals is strikingly different: Erbium is found to gather in lines, planes and finally three-dimensional precipitates, whereas germanium favours compact, three-dimensional structures.     

Structure of skin layer in injection-molded polypropylene

The structure of skin layer in injection-molded polypropylen which displayed a clear two-phase structure of skin and core has been studied by means of wide-angle x-ray diffraction, small-angle x-ray scattering, melting behavior, density, dynamic viscoelasticity, and tensile test. In skin layer, the c-axis and a^*-axis were highly oriented to the machine direction (MD), and the plane of the lamellar structure of about 160 Å in thickness was in normal to MD. The density was about 0.907 g/cm³, which was nearly the same as that of core layer. Although the majority of crystallites melted in the same temperature range as in that of the core layer, there was about 5.3% higher temperature melting structure (T_m = 182°C). The dynamic tensile modulus E′ in MD decreased more slowly with increasing temperature than that of the core layer and held high modulus in the range of ca. 30°C, just above the temperature at which E′ of the core layer suddenly dropped. E′ in MD was higher than that in TD in the temperature range below 33°C, which was slightly higher than the primary absorption temperature, and the order reversed above 33°C. The tensile yield stress in MD was 1.5 times higher than that of the core layer. The skin layer in MD ruptured just after yielding and did not show necking. The tensile yield stress in TD was about half of that in MD about 0.7 times that of the core layer. The necking stress in TD was about 0.6 times that of the core layer. In general, a polypropylene melt crystallizes under a high shear stress in injection molding. From these facts, it was concluded that the skin layer is composed of so-called “shishkebab”-like main skeleton structures, whose axis is parallel to MD, piled epitaxially with a^*-axis-oriented imperfect lamellar substructure.     

Mechanical properties of polymers filled with alkyl dihydrogen phosphate treated calcium carbonate

Poly(ethylene) (PE) or poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (EVA) and alkyl dihydrogen phosphate ester (APEn, C_nH_2n+1OPO(OH)₂, n = 1, 4, 10, 12, 16) treated calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) were mixed on a two roll mill. In order to improve the affinity of polymer-CaCO₃ interface, the CaCO₃ surface was treated through chemical reaction with various APEn types. The effect of carbon number of APEn on the tensile elongation and the adhesion properties between CaCO₃ particles and polymer matrix was investigated. In the case of PE/CaCO₃ series, tensile elongation, modulus of oriented samples and adhesion of polymer-CaCO₃ interface increased with carbon number of APEn (n ≦ 12). In the EVA/CaCO₃ series, the dependence of the tensile elongation on the carbon number of APEn was not clearly recognized; the adhesion at the phase interface was improved with the decrease of carbon number of APEn (n ≦ 12).     

Ammonium hexafluorosilicate increased acid resistance of bovine enamel and dentine

Although diamine silver fluoride (AgF: (NH₃)₂AgF) stains teeth black, it is known as a very effective agent to prevent the dental caries progress. In order to find another fluoride that has a similar anticariogenic effect without changing tooth color, we prepared ammonium hexafluorosilicate (SiF: (NH₄)₂SiF₆), in which the silver of AgF is replaced with silicon. In this study, the anticariogenic effect of SiF was evaluated using bovine teeth. Fluoride solutions, SiF, AgF, acidulated phosphate fluoride (APF), and sodium fluoride (NaF), were applied to bovine enamel and dentine blocks, and the depth of demineralization was measured after exposure to a demineralizing solution for 24 h. Also, fluoride was applied to a simulated dentine caries specimen to evaluate the caries progress-preventing ability. For the dentine specimens, mineral loss ( Z) was also measured with microradiography. We found that SiF treated enamel showed better acid resistance than specimens treated with NaF or APF. AgF treated enamel also showed similar acid resistance, but was stained black. SiF and AgF treated caries-affected dentine showed reduced demineralization when exposed to a demineralization solution for 24 h. Mineral loss ( Z) was reduced to 85% and 75%, respectively. Although the acid resistance of the SiF treated teeth was inferior to that of the AgF treated teeth, we consider that SiF has good potential as anticariogenic agent, since it increased acid resistance without changing tooth color.