Beta tricalcium phosphate ceramics with controlled crystal orientation fabricated by application of external magnetic field during the slip casting process

Beta tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) is a resorbable bioceramic that has hitherto been utilized in the medical field. Since it crystallizes in the anisotropic hexagonal system, properties such as chemical and physical ones are expected to depend on its crystal axis direction and/or on its crystal plane (anisotropy). Control of crystal orientation is thus important when used in polycrystalline form. Meanwhile, application of a strong magnetic field has been found to be a promising technique to control crystal orientation of anisotropic shape or structured crystals. In this work, we attempted to fabricate β-TCP ceramics with controlled crystal orientation by applying an external magnetic field during the slip casting process and subsequently sintering them at 1050 °C, below the β–α transition temperature. Application of a vertical magnetic field increased intensities of planes perpendicular to c-plane on the top surface, while a horizontal one with simultaneous mechanical mold rotation decreased it. These results indicated that crystal orientation of β-TCP ceramics were successfully controlled by the external magnetic field and together that the magnetic susceptibility of β-TCP is χ_c⊥ > χ_c//.     

1H NMR,thermal, and conductivity studies on PVAc based gel polymer electrolytes

The lithium‐ion conducting gel polymer electrolytes (GPE), PVAc‐DMF‐LiClO₄ of various compositions have been prepared by solution casting technique. ¹H NMR results reveal the existence of DMF in the gel polymer electrolytes at ambient temperature. Structure and surface morphology characterization have been studied by X‐ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements. Thermal and conductivity behavior of polymer‐ and plasticizer‐salt complexes have been studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), TG/DTA, and impedance spectroscopy results. XRD and SEM analyses indicate the amorphous nature of the gel polymer‐salt complex. DSC measurements show a decrease in T_g with the increase in DMF concentrations. The thermal stability of the PVAc : DMF : LiClO₄ gel polymer electrolytes has been found to be in the range of (30–60°C). The dc conductivity of gel polymer electrolytes, obtained from impedance spectra, has been found to vary between 7.6 × 10^?7 and 4.1 × 10^?4 S cm^?1 at 303 K depending on the concentration of DMF (10–20 wt %) in the polymer electrolytes. The temperature dependence of conductivity of the polymer electrolyte complexes appears to obey the VTF behavior. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Photocurrent generation properties of Histag-photosystem II immobilized on nanostructured gold electrode

It is well known that photosystem II (PSII) can produce electrons, oxygen, and protons simultaneously via a water-splitting photoreaction. These photochemical properties are expected to exhibit photoconductive function for PSII. In the present study, we have first observed a stable photocurrent due to the photoexcitation of PSII and the subsequent water-splitting reaction, by successfully immobilizing PSII on the self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of a nickel-nitrilotriacetic acid complex (Ni-NTA) prepared on a gold surface via a polyhistidine tag (Histag) as a linker molecule. We have further succeeded in the fabrication of PSII-gold nanoparticle multistructures on the surface of gold electrode, and significant enhancement of photocurrents was achieved due to increased number of immobilized PSII.     

Influence of multi-finger layout on the subthreshold behavior of nanometer MOS transistors

This work studies the effects of number of gate finger on the DC subthreshold characteristics of multi-finger nanoscale MOS transistors. We found in not optimally-tempered nanoscale (gate length = 90 nm) MOS transistors that the significantly deteriorated subthreshold characteristics can be effectively improved by increasing the number of gate finger. This observation was explained with a modified subthreshold slope model based on voltage-doping transformation theory. Hence, the multi-finger structure does not only enhance the operation frequency, it also improves the subthreshold DC characteristics of the nanoscale MOS transistors.     

Compensation of oxygen defects in La-silicate gate dielectrics for improving effective mobility in high-k/metal gate MOSFET using oxygen annealing process

Oxygen incorporation for compensation of oxygen defects is investigated with La-silicate dielectrics in directly contacted with the Si substrate. The amount of oxygen is controlled by the temperature of annealing in oxygen atmosphere (oxygen annealing) and the thickness of the gate electrode. The positive shift in flatband voltage (V_FB) by oxygen incorporation is an experimental evidence for defects compensation in La-silicate dielectrics. Optimum oxygen annealing provides the V_FB shift toward positive direction without increasing equivalent oxide thickness (EOT). Although the oxygen annealing degrades the interfacial property at La-silicate/Si interface, subsequent forming gas annealing (FGA) can recover the interfacial property. It is experimentally revealed that the positive V_FB shift of La-silicate dielectrics is stable even after subsequent FGA. The supplied oxygen in La-silicate is expected to maintain even after reducing process. Movement of Fermi level toward the Si valence band edge caused by oxygen incorporation is successfully observed by XPS. Moreover, no chemical reaction between La-silicate and Si substrate by oxygen annealing are confirmed from TEM observation and analyses of X-ray photoelectron spectra. It is experimentally demonstrated that effective hole mobility can be improved without increase in EOT by combination of oxygen annealing and FGA.     

Structural advantages of rectangular-like channel cross-section on electrical characteristics of silicon nanowire field-effect transistors

We have experimentally demonstrated structural advantages due to rounded corners of rectangular-like cross-section of silicon nanowire (SiNW) field-effect transistors (FETs) on on-current (I_ON), inversion charge density normalized by a peripheral length of channel cross-section (Q_inv) and effective carrier mobility (μ_eff). The I_ON was evaluated at the overdrive voltage (V_OV) of 1.0 V, which is the difference between gate voltage (V_g) and the threshold voltage (V_th), and at the drain voltage of 1.0 V. The SiNW nFETs have revealed high I_ON of 1600 μA/μm of the channel width (w_NW) of 19 nm and height (h_NW) of 12 nm with the gate length (L_g) of 65 nm. We have separated the amount of on-current per wire at V_OV = 1.0 V to a corner component and a flat surface component, and the contribution of the corners was nearly 60% of the total I_ON of the SiNW nFET with L_g of 65 nm. Higher Q_inv at V_OV = 1.0 V evaluated by advanced split-CV method was obtained with narrower SiNW FET, and it has been revealed the amount of inversion charge near corners occupied 50% of all the amount of inversion charge of the SiNW FET (w_NW = 19 nm and h_NW = 12 nm). We also obtained high μ_eff of the SiNW FETs compared with that of SOI planar nFETs. The μ_eff at the corners of SiNW FET has been calculated with the separated amount of inversion charge and drain conductance. Higher μ_eff around corners is obtained than the original μ_eff of the SiNW nFETs. The higher μ_eff and the large fractions of I_ON and Q_inv around the corners indicate that the rounded corners of rectangular-like cross-sections play important roles on the enhancement of the electrical performance of the SiNW nFETs.     

Effect of thin Si insertion at metal gate/high-k interface on electrical characteristics of MOS device with La2O3

The effect of a thin Si layer insertion at W/La₂O₃ interface on the electrical characteristics of MOS capacitors and transistors is investigated. A suppression in the EOT increase can be obtained with Si insertion, indicating the inhibition of diffusion of oxygen atoms into La₂O₃ layer by forming an amorphous La-silicate layer at the W/La₂O₃ interface. In addition, positive shifts in V_fb and V_th caused by Si insertion implies the formation of amorphous La-silicate layer at the top of La₂O₃ dielectrics reduces the positive fixed charges induced by the metal electrode. Consequently, a large improvement in mobility has been confirmed for both at peak value and at high E_eff of 1 MV/cm with Si inserted nFETs. Although a degradation trend on EOT scaling has been observed, the insertion of thin Si layer is effective in pushing the scaling limit.     

Glass capillary optics for producing nanometer sized beams and its applications

We have developed a method to produce micro/nano meter sized beams of keV energy highly charged ions (HCIs) and MeV energy protons/He ions with tapered glass capillary optics for application of surface modifications and a biological tool called “cell surgery”, respectively. The transmission through the tapered glass capillaries with inlet diameter of 0.8 mm?, outlet diameter from 900 nm? to several tens of microns and length of about 50 mm was performed using 8/64 keV Ar⁸⁺ beams. The transmitted beams had a density enhancement of about 10 and were guided through a capillary tilted by as large as ±100 mrad. The charge state of the beams was kept during the transmission. The combination of MeV proton/He ion beams and the capillary with a thin end window at its outlet can realize pinpoint energy deposition and three-dimensional selection of the bombarding point in an arbitrary position of a living cell or in any liquid object. We demonstrated that a real biological cell, HeLa cell with the nucleus labeled by green fluorescent protein (GFP), was irradiated with the microbeam, which was prepared by 4 MeV He²⁺ entering a capillary with an end window of 7.3 μm in thickness and outlet diameter of 9.6 μm?. The transmitted MeV ion beams had density enhancement up to 1000 according to the capillary outlet sizes, which are applicable to various material analyses employing microbeams.     

Low temperature decomposition of large molecules of TMA using catalyzers with resistance to oxidation in catalytic CVD

In order to obtain catalyzers to decompose tri-methyl aluminium (TMA) to Al and CH₃ at catalyzer temperatures lower than 500 °C, decomposition experiments using Ni-Chrome, Kanthal, Inconel 600, Chromel and SUS-304 catalyzers exhibiting resistance to oxidation have been carried out. The experiments have revealed that TMA can be decomposed to Al and CH₃ above 200 °C using Chromel or SUS-304 catalyzer, and that the CH₃ does not decompose further below 500 °C. The experiments have also revealed that it requires relatively small activation energy for decomposing TMA to Al and CH₃ using Chromel or SUS-304 as the catalyzer.     

Properties of novel diallyl phthalate resin modified with sulfur‐containing allyl ester compounds

Sulfur‐containing allyl ester, which reacts with diallyl phthalate (DAP) resin to have allyl groups, was synthesized by the reaction of allyl phthalic acid with bisphenol having sulfur atoms. The sulfur‐containing allyl ester compound was blended with DAP resin to improve the adhesive properties to copper. By modification with sulfur‐containing allyl ester compound, the T‐peel adhesive strength and the lap shear adhesive strength to copper was improved. In particular, the adhesive strength was greatly improved when the resin was modified with the allyl ester compound having a disulfide bond (?S?S?) (DADS). It is concluded that this result is due to the improvement of the interfacial adhesive strength because the sulfur atom was found to be located in the surface of the copper by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. The glass transition temperature (T_g) and the thermal decomposition temperature (T_d) of the cured DAP resin modified with DADS slightly decreased with increasing concentration of DADS. The lowering of T_g is because the crosslinking density of the DAP resin modified with DADS is smaller than that of DAP resin. Moreover, from thermogravimetric analysis, the lowering of Td of the DAP resin modified with DADS is because DADS is likely to pyrolyze. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry