Java multimedia telecollaboration

Using Java-based tools in multimedia collaborative environments accessed over the Internet can increase an application's client base. Most operating systems support Java, and its "compile once-run everywhere" architecture is easy to maintain and update. The Java-based tools presented here let users share Internet resources, including resources originally designed for single use.     

Metalorganic chemical vapor deposition of silver thin films for future interconnects by direct liquid injection system

Deposition of Ag films by direct liquid injection-metal organic chemical vapor deposition (DLI-MOCVD) was chosen because this preparation method allows precise control of precursor flow and prevents early decomposition of the precursor as compared to the bubbler-delivery. Silver(I)-2,2-dimethyl-6,6,7,7,8,8,8-heptafluoro-3,5-octanedionato-triethylphosphine [Ag(fod)(PEt₃)] as the precursor for Ag CVD was studied, which is liquid at 30 °C. Ag films were grown on different substrates of SiO₂/Si and TiN/Si. Argon and nitrogen/hydrogen carrier gas was used in a cold wall reactor at a pressure of 50–500 Pa with deposition temperature ranging between 220 °C and 350 °C. Ag films deposited on a TiN/Si diffusion barrier layer have favorable properties over films deposited on SiO₂/Si substrate. At lower temperature (220 °C), film growth is essentially reaction-limited on SiO₂ substrate. Significant dependence of the surface morphology on the deposition conditions exists in our experiments. According to XPS analysis pure Ag films are deposited by DLI-MOCVD at 250 °C by using argon as carrier gas.     

The anisotropic effect of a weak magnetic field on the photoconductivity of C<Subscript>60</Subscript> single crystals

The effect of crystal orientation on the photogeneration of free charge carriers was studied for C₆₀ single crystals in a weak magnetic field. The photoconductivity sharply depends on the orientation of magnetic field with respect to the crystallographic directions, showing a 5–8% increase for seven axes of the C₆₀ crystal.     

State of polarization changes: Classification and measurement

We propose a standardization procedure that provides a convenient, quantitative and reproducible laboratory-based method for measuring the state of polarization (SOP) fluctuations produced by polarization varying devices. This method is based on the SOP distributions generated by commercial polarization scramblers. We show that these devices generate distributions of the maximum change of the SOP (in a given sample time) that follow Rayleigh statistics, which scale linearly with scrambling frequency and the sample time. We use this procedure to measure the SOP fluctuations in a short length of coiled fiber subject to mechanical perturbations.     

Oligo(ethylene oxide) side‐chain steric screening effects on conductimetric properties of grafted poly(4‐vinylpyridinium) salts in aqueous solutions

A set of poly[N‐oligo(ethylene oxide)yl 4‐vinylpyridinium tosylate] (P4VOEOOTs) has been prepared by spontaneous polymerization of 4‐vinylpyridine. This method gives a grafted polyelectrolyte having a positive charge on every backbone pyridinic moiety. The P4VP15Ts, P4VP164Ts, P4VP350Ts and P4VP750Ts aqueous solution conductivities were determined in the concentration range from 6 × 10^?4 to 10^?2 M at 25 °C. The variation of the conductivity versus concentration of the investigated system exhibits typical polyelectrolyte behaviour. The polyelectrolyte mobility was found to be dependent on the oligo(ethylene oxide) (OEO) side‐chain length. Manning's rod‐like model fails to describe these results. A simple steric effect is proposed to explain the influence of the OEO length. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effects of surface charge, micro-bubble size and particle size on removal efficiency of electro-flotation.

Flotation is a water treatment alternative to sedimentation, and uses small bubbles to remove low-density particles from potable water and wastewater. The effect of zeta potential, bubble size and particle size on removal efficiency of the electro-flotation process was investigated because previous model-simulations indicated that these attributes are critical for high collision efficiency between micro-bubbles and particles. Solutions containing Al3+ as the metal ion were subjected to various conditions. The zeta potentials of bubbles and particles were similar under identical conditions, and their charges were influenced by metal ion concentration and pH. Maximum removal efficiency was 98 and 12% in the presence and absence of flocculation, respectively. Removal efficiency was higher when particle size was similar to bubble size. These results agree with modelling simulations and indicate that collision efficiency is greater when the zeta potential of one is negative and that of the other is positive and when their sizes are similar.     

Synthesis and characterization of biocompatible hydroxyapatite coated ferrite

Ferrite particles coated with biocompatible phases can be used for hyperthermia treatment of cancer. We have synthesized substituted calcium hexaferrite, which is not stable on its own but is stabilized with small substitution of La. Hexaferrite of chemical composition (CaO)_0.75(La₂0₃)_0.20(Fe₂O₃)₆ was prepared using citrate gel method. Hydroxyapatite was prepared by precipitating it from aqueous solution of Ca(NO₃)₂ and (NH₄)₂HPO₄ maintaining pH above 11. Four different methods were used for coating of hydroxyapatite on ferrite particles. SEM with EDX and X-ray diffraction analysis shows clear evidence of coating of hydroxyapatite on ferrite particles. These coated ferrite particles exhibited coercive field up to 2 kOe, which could be made useful for hysteresis heating in hyperthermia. Studies by culturing BHK-21 cells and WBC over the samples show evidence of biocompatibility. SEM micrographs and cell counts give clear indication of cell growth on the surface of the sample. Finally coated ferrite particle was implanted in Kasaulli mouse to test its biocompatibility. The magnetic properties and biocompatibility studies show that these hydroxyapatite coated ferrites could be useful for hyperthermia.     

A 1.5-V 45-mW direct-conversion WCDMA receiver IC in 0.13-/spl mu/m CMOS

A 2-GHz direct-conversion receiver for wide-band code division multiple access (WCDMA) is presented. It includes two low-noise amplifiers (LNAs), an I/Q demodulator, and two sixth-order baseband channel select filters with programmable gain. Quadrature local oscillator (LO) signals are generated on chip in a frequency divider flip-flop. An external interstage filter between the LNAs rejects transmitter leakage to relax demodulator linearity requirements. A low-voltage demodulator topology improves linearity as well as demodulator output pole accuracy. The active-RC baseband filter uses a programmable servo loop for offset compensation and provides an adjacent channel rejection of 39 dB. Programmable gain over 71-dB range in 1-dB steps is merged with the filter to maximize dynamic range. An automatic on-chip frequency calibration scheme provides better than 1.5% corner frequency accuracy. The receiver is integrated in a 0.13-/spl mu/m CMOS process with metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors. Measured receiver performance includes a 6.5-dB noise figure, IIP2 of +27 dBm, and IIP3 of -8.6 dBm. Power consumption is 45 mW.     

On the linear correlation between microhardness and mechanical properties in polar polymers and blends

The tensile elastic modulus (E), yield stress (σ_Y) and microhardness (MH) of neat and binary and ternary blends of glassy semicrystalline ethylene–vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH), a glassy amorphous polyamide and a semicrystalline nylon‐containing ionomer covering a broad range of properties were examined. The tests were carried out on dry and water‐equilibrated samples to produce stiffer and softer materials, respectively. From the results, more accurate linear correlations were found to describe adequately the microhardness, modulus and yield stress of these strongly self‐associated polymers through hydrogen bonding. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry