Processing and electromechanical properties of high-coercive field ZnO-doped PIN-PZN-PT ceramics

This study explores sintering and piezoelectricity of ZnO-doped perovskite Pb(In_1/2Nb_1/2)O₃-Pb(Zn_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃-PbTiO₃ (PIN-PZN-PT) ceramics. The enhanced densification of ZnO-doped PIN-PZN-PT is attributed to the formation of oxygen vacancies by the incorporation of Zn²⁺ into the perovskite B-site and increased rate of bulk diffusion relative to undoped PIN-PZN-PT. Incorporation of Zn²⁺ into the perovskite lattice increased the tetragonal character of PIN-PZN-PT as demonstrated by tetragonal peak splitting and increased Curie temperature. Sintering in flowing oxygen reduced the solubility of Zn²⁺ in the perovskite lattice and resulted in rhombohedral PIN-PZN-PT. Sintering in oxygen prevented secondary phase formation which resulted in a high-piezoelectric coefficient (d₃₃ – 550 pC/N), high-coercive field (E_c – 13 kV/cm), and high-rhombohedral to tetragonal phase transition temperature (T_r-t – 165°C). We conclude that ZnO-doped PIN-PZN-PT ceramics are excellent candidates for high-power transducer applications.     

Concept for a Hydrometallurgical Processing of a Copper-Cobalt-Nickel Alloy Made from Manganese Nodules

The processing of manganese nodules for the production of raw materials has been a subject of research for many decades. The nodules contain many valuable metals like copper, cobalt and nickel. In recent years, the German Federal Institute for Geoscience and Natural Resources developed a process for the processing of manganese nodules based on a combined pyro- and a hydrometallurgical route. Clausthal University of Technology was assigned to develop the hydrometallurgical process for the treatment of a FeNiCuCo alloy. The developed process consists of pressurized sulfuric acid leaching with the suppression of hydrogen gas formation, precipitation and solvent extraction.     

Cryogenic ultra-low-noise SiGe transistor amplifier

An ultra-low-noise one-stage SiGe heterojunction bipolar transistor amplifier was designed for cryogenic temperatures and a frequency range of 10 kHz-100 MHz. A noise temperature T(N) ≈ 1.4 K was measured at an ambient temperature of 4.2 K at frequencies between 100 kHz and 100 MHz for a source resistance of ~50 Ω. The voltage gain of the amplifier was 25 dB at a power consumption of 720 μW. The input voltage noise spectral density of the amplifier is about 35 pV/√Hz. The low noise resistance and power consumption makes the amplifier suitable for readout of resistively shunted DC SQUID magnetometers and amplifiers.     

Optimum HRTEM image contrast at 20 kV and 80 kV--exemplified by graphene

The dependence of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) image contrast of graphene on the adjustable parameters of an aberration-corrected microscope operated at 80 and 20 kV has been calculated and, for 80 kV, compared with measurements. We used density functional theory to determine the projected atom potential and obtained the image intensity by averaging over the energy distribution of the imaging electrons, as derived from the electron energy loss spectroscopy measurements. Optimum image contrast has been determined as a function of energy spread of the imaging electrons and chromatic aberration coefficient, showing that significant improvement of contrast can be achieved at 80 kV with the help of a monochromator, however at 20 kV only with chromatic aberration correction and bright atom contrast conditions.     

Friction and wear on the atomic scale

Friction force microscopy experiments have been performed under ultrahigh vacuum conditions. Within a small force regime (below 1 nN), friction without wear is observed as a function of velocity on ionic crystals and metals. The results are discussed in the framework of a refined version of the Tomlinson model, which includes thermal activation. Higher normal forces lead to abrasive wear. The debris extracted from ionic crystals can be characterized with high lateral resolution. The dependence of wear rate on velocity and normal force is investigated.     

Interferometric measurement of fluorescence excitation spectra

A Michelson interferometer has been adapted as an excitation source for fluorescence spectroscopy. A moving fringe pattern was generated by linear displacement of the movable mirror of the Michelson interferometer coupled to a xenon-arc lamp. This spectrally modulated source was monitored by a reference photomultiplier and used for exciting a Rhodamine B solution. The fluorescence emission at >645 nm was detected by a second photomultiplier. The two interferograms were acquired by a dual-channel digital oscilloscope, and their discrete Fourier transforms and corresponding power spectra were generated in a computer. The power spectrum of the emission signal represented the excitation spectrum, as was confirmed by comparison with the absorption spectrum of Rhodamine B. Thisoptical arrangement is well suited for acquiring fluorescence excitation spectra in the optical microscopy of biological specimens.     

Photon correlation and scattering: introduction to the feature issue

This feature issue of Applied Optics contains 25 research papers on photon correlation and scattering. Many of the papers in this volume were presented at an OSA Topical Meeting that was held 21-24 August 1996 in Capri, Italy. The focus of these papers is research in dynamic light scattering, surface light scattering, photon correlation, laser velocimetry, and their applications to biological, chemical, and physical processes.     

Hybrid reflection-transmission surface light-scattering instrument with reduced sensitivity to surface sloshing

A hybrid reflection-transmission surface light-scattering instrumental design is presented, examined theoretically, and tested experimentally. The purpose of the design is to reduce the sensitivity of the instrument to vibration in general and surface sloshing in particular while sacrificing little performance. Traditional optical arrangements and two new optical configurations with varying trade-offs between slosh resistance and instrumental simplicity and accuracy are examined by use of Fourier optics methods. The most promising design was constructed and tested with acetone, ethanol, and water as subject fluids. The test involved backcalculation of the wave number of the capillary wave examined with the known physical parameters for the test fluids. The agreement of the computed wave number was +/-1.4%.