40 GHz Vertical Transition with a Dual‐Mode Cavity for a Low‐Temperature Co‐fired Ceramic Transceiver Module

A new vertical transition between a substrate integrated waveguide in a low‐temperature co‐fired ceramic substrate and an air‐filled standard waveguide is proposed in this paper. A rectangular cavity resonator with closely spaced metallic vias is designed to connect the substrate integrated waveguide to the standard air‐filled waveguide. Physical characteristics of an air‐filled WR‐22 to WR‐22 transition are compared with those of the proposed transition. Simulation and experiment demonstrate that the proposed transition shows a ?1.3 dB insertion loss and 6.2 GHz bandwidth with a 10 dB return loss for the back‐to‐back module. A 40 GHz low‐temperature co‐fired ceramic module with the proposed vertical transition is also implemented. The implemented module is very compact, measuring 57 mm × 28 mm × 3.3 mm.     

Nanoparticle formation in H2O/N2 and H2O/Ar mixtures under irradiation by 20 MeV protons and positive corona discharge

To investigate the contribution of ions to gas nucleation, we have performed experiments on the formation of water droplets in H₂O/N₂ and H₂O/Ar gas mixtures by irradiation with a 20 MeV proton beam and by positive corona discharge. The size of the formed nanoparticles was measured using a differential mobility analyzer equipped with a Faraday cup electrometer. Using the proton beam, droplets around 10 nm in diameter were observed for both positively and negatively charged particles, but none were found when the corona discharge was used. This implies the importance of the presence of both positive and negative ions for the formation of nanosize droplets, which attract each other by Coulomb interactions, enhancing the collision frequency and leading to the formation of the 10 nm droplets.     

An integrated 8-12 GHz fractional-N frequency synthesizer in SiGe BiCMOS for satellite communications

We present an integrated fractional-N low-noise frequency synthesizer for satellite applications. By using two integrated VCOs and combining digital and analog tuning techniques, a PLL lock range from 8 to 12 GHz is achieved. Due to a small VCO fine tuning gain and optimized charge pump output biasing, the phase noise is low and almost constant over the tuning range. All 16 sub-bands show a tuning range above 900 MHz each, allowing temperature compensation without sub-band switching. This makes the synthesizer robust against variations of the device parameters with process, supply voltage, temperature and aging. The measured phase noise is ?87 dBc/Hz and ?106 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz and 1 MHz offset, respectively. In integer-N mode, phase noise values down to ?98 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz and ?111 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset, respectively, were measured.     

Ecological and biological determinants of trace elements accumulation in liver and kidney of Pontoporia blainvillei

The present work tested whether ecological and biological variables have an influence on the assimilation of trace elements by the tissues of a cetacean from the Western South Atlantic Ocean. No significant differences were observed in the concentrations for both sexes. As individuals from the two sampling areas belong to distinct genetic and morphological populations, animals of similar body length were older on the southeastern than on the southern coast. The liver showed the highest concentrations of mercury, whereas the highest levels of cadmium were found in the kidney. Hepatic mercury, cadmium and selenium in individuals from the south coast were about four times as high as those from the southeast coast. However, arsenic in the liver and kidney were similar in both coastal areas. Hepatic mercury, cadmium and selenium concentrations increased with body length in individuals from the southeastern coast, although no significant correlations (P>0.05) were observed between body length from either area and the renal and hepatic As concentrations. A significant positive linear relationship was observed between molar concentrations of Hg and Se in the liver of all individuals from both areas (r2=0.93; P<0.001), presenting Se:Hg ratios close to 4. Differences found among the concentrations of Hg, Cd and Se in dolphins from both areas were probably due to the preferred prey, bioavailability of elements in each marine environment, and environment variables (water temperature, net primary production). As a consequence, concentrations of trace elements in the tissues of this species can be considered to be a result of the surrounding environment.     

Synergy of combining sonolysis and photocatalysis in the degradation and mineralization of chlorinated aromatic compounds

Merits of using advanced oxidation processes such as sonolysis and photocatalysis as well as a combination of the two have been explored using model herbicides such as 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid and 2,4-dichlorophenoxypropionic acid and the chlorinated phenols 2,4-dichlorophenol and 2,4,6-trichlorophenol. Whereas sonolysis is quite effective in the initial degradation of chlorinated aromatic molecules, complete mineralization is difficult to achieve. Photocatalysis is selective toward the degradation of polar compounds but causes the build up of undesirable chemical intermediates. In contrast to sonolytic degradation, photocatalysis is very effective toward achieving complete mineralization. By simultaneously carrying out high-frequency sonolysis and photocatalysis we have succeeded in achieving faster and complete mineralization with no build up of toxic intermediates even at very low catalyst loadings. The synergy of combining the two advanced oxidation processes is discussed.     

高合金化Al-Zn-Mg-Cu系7049A合金的连续冷却析出图

研究了所有有技术价值的冷却速率范围内7049A铝合金的析出行为。冷却速率从接近平衡冷却时的慢速条件变化到形成完全超饱和固溶体的高速率,跨越了7个数量级（0．0005到5000K／s）。7049A铝合金连续冷却析出行为采用差热分析（DSC）、扫描电镜（SEM）和维氏硬度测量相结合的方法记录。冷却速率在0．0005到4K／s时,对高合金化、高强度和高淬火敏感性的变形铝合金7049A从固溶温度下的淬火析出行为采用传统的DSC方法研究。在此冷却速率范围内,至少观察到了两个放热反应：一个是在很窄的温度区间430～450℃内的高温反应;另外一个是最低到200℃且范围很宽的低温反应。这两个反应的强度随着冷却速率的增高而降低。采用快速差热分析（DFSC）和差分再加热方法（DRM）对合金淬火冷却速率从慢速到数千K／s时的析出行为进行了研究。该合金不析出沉淀相时的临界淬火速率为100～300K／s。     

铸态Al-7Si-0．3Mg合金的连续冷却析出图

采用冷却速率为0．01～3K／s的差示扫描量热法（DSC）和冷却速率更高的淬火膨胀法研究铸态Al-7Si-0．3Mg合金淬火的析出行为。在合金冷却的过程中发生了两种析出反应,高温反应开始于淬火起始温度540℃,低温反应始于400℃左右。3K／s的淬火冷却速率已经显著抑制淬火过程中相的析出。合金T6态的硬度随着淬火速率的增快而增加,这是由合金过饱和固溶度增加而导致的。通过膨胀实验和硬度实验的结果可以估计临界冷却速率大约为60K／s。通过光学显微镜观察淬火态的铸态Al-7Si-0．3Mg合金的显微组织。结果表明：根据淬火冷却速率的不同合金的显微组织由铝一硅共晶组织、铝固溶体枝晶及枝晶间的析出相组成。     

50 years of electron beam lithography: Contributions from Jena (Germany)

It is the aim of this paper to present an overview of 50 years of dedicated work on electron beam lithography and to highlight the contributions from Jena/Germany starting in the 1960’s. Already in 1958, the forming of contamination layers was a well known, although unwanted in most cases, side effect in electron microscopy. Buck (D.A. Buck et al., in: Proc. Eastern Joint Computer Conf., 1959, pp. 55–59.) from MIT intended to utilize this effect to create an etching mask for his vapor deposition layers. In the 1960’s there was a huge interest in investigating and utilizing the advantages of electron beam lithography. This was the situation when the Jena group entered the community. A decade later, at the spring trade fair in Leipzig/Germany, the group presented a Gaussian beam lithography system (1977) as well as a variable-shaped beam system (1978) to the world. Until now more than 100 tools have been manufactured and sold. A persistent analysis of and interaction with the customers’ needs delivers a good feedback and ensures the permanent high quality of the state of the art lithography products. The group pioneered and shaped the development of e-beam systems with respect to specific aspects.     

Drag reduction by DNA-grafting for single microspheres in a dilute λ-DNA solution

The fluid resistance of single micrometre-sized blank and DNA-grafted polystyrene microspheres under shear flow is compared in purified water and dilute λ-DNA solutions by means of optical tweezers experiments with a high spatial (±4 nm) and temporal (±0.2 ms) resolution. The measurement results show that the drag experienced by a colloid in a dilute λ-DNA solution (molecular weight of 48,502 bp per molecule, radius of gyration of 0.5 μm) is significantly decreased if the microsphere bears a grafted DNA brush. This newly discovered drag reduction effect is studied for different parameters, comprising the molecular weight of the grafted DNA molecules (250 bp, 1000 bp and 4000 bp), the concentration of the λ-DNA solution (11, 17 and 23 μg ml^?1, all being significantly smaller than the critical entanglement concentration c¹), the microsphere core diameter (2 μm, 3 μm and 6 μm) as well as the flow speed of the medium (10–50 μm s^?1). The maximum extent of the drag reduction is found to amount to (60 ± 20)% compared to the λ-DNA-induced contribution on the drag acting on blank colloids. We propose a theoretical explanation of this effect based on the combination of the dynamic density functional theory of Rauscher and co-workers [Rauscher M. J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 2010;22:364109] and the stagnation length theory of polymer brushes, as it was established by Kim, Lobaskin et al. [Kim et al. Macromolecules 2008;42(10):3650–3655]. In particular, the solution of the Stokes equation (i.e., the Navier–Stokes equation for creeping flow) for the studied system yields a numerical prediction that is found to be in full accord with our experimental results within measurement uncertainty.