Curie Temperatures of III–V Diluted Magnetic Semiconductors Calculated from First-Principles in Mean Field Approximation

Electronic structure and ferromagnetism in III–V compound-based diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMS) are investigated based on first-principles calculations by using the Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker method combined with the coherent-potential-approximation. The stability of the ferromagnetic phase in GaN-, GaAs-, GaP-, GaSb-based DMS is investigated systematically. The calculations show that 3d-impurities from the first-half of the transition metal series favor the ferromagnetic state, while impurities from the latter-half of the series exhibit spin-glass behavior. This chemical trend in the magnetism is explained by the double exchange mechanism taking the local symmetry at the impurity gap states into account. Curie temperatures of GaAs- and GaN-based DMS are estimated by using the Heisenberg model in a mean field approximation with the parameters calculated from first-principles. It is suggested that room-temperature ferromagnetism can be realized in these systems.     

High resistivity measurement of SiC wafers using different techniques

To establish fast, nondestructive, and inexpensive methods for resistivity measurements of SiC wafers, different resistivity-measurement techniques were tested for characterization of semi-insulating SiC wafers, namely, the four-point probe method with removable graphite contacts, the van der Pauw method with annealed metal and diffused contacts, the current-voltage (I-V) technique, and the contactless resistivity-measurement method. Comparison of different techniques is presented. The resistivity values of the semi-insulating SiC wafer measured using different techniques agree fairly well. As a result, application of removable graphite contacts is proposed for fast and nondestructive resistivity measurement of SiC wafers using the four-point probe method. High-temperature van der Pauw and room-temperature Hall characterization for the tested semi-insulating SiC wafer was also obtained and reported in this work.     

X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering in SbSI nanocrystals

Lattice structure and rod-like shaped SbSI nanocrystals obtained by ball milling with rod thickness down to 70 nm, as estimated from X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electron microscopy, is similar to that of the bulk crystals. The dependence of the grain size on the milling duration is discussed in view of the chain-like crystalline structure of SbSI. Possible factors, responsible for the observed Raman line broadening, are discussed, scattering by surface phonons being considered the predominant one.     

Gamma-irradiation-induced Ag/SiO2 composite films and their optical absorption properties

Small Ag particles or clusters dispersed mesoporous SiO₂ composite films were prepared by a new method: First the matrix SiO₂ films were prepared by sol-gel process combined with the dip-coating technique, then they were soaked in AgNO₃ solutions followed by irradiation of γ-ray at room temperature and in ambient pressure. The structures of these films were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM), and optical absorption spectroscopy. It has been shown that the Ag particles grown within the porous SiO₂ films are very small, and they are isolated and dispersed from each other with very narrow size distributions. With increasing the soaking concentration and an additional annealing, an opposite peakshift effect of the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) was observed in the optical absorption measurements.     

An evaluation of biological and abiotic controls for grapevine powdery mildew. 2. Vineyard trials

Grapevine powdery mildew ( Erysiphe necator) affects grape yield and fruit quality worldwide. Managers of conventional vineyards rely mainly on synthetic fungicides and sulfur to control powdery mildew, while in organic vineyards sulfur is the main control agent, often in rotation with canola-based oils, bicarbonates and biological control agents. The efficacy of those materials has not been evaluated critically under field conditions in Australia. Accordingly, a range of materials showing most promise in previous greenhouse trials (Crisp et al. 2006 Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research 12 , pp. 192–202) were assessed via field trials in commercial vineyards. Applications of either milk or whey (alone, or mixed with a canola oil-based product), as well as applications of potassium bicarbonate (commercial formulation), all reduced the severity of powdery mildew compared with untreated vines. Eight applications of a 1:10 dilution of milk, 45 g/L whey powder or programs comprising rotations of potassium bicarbonate plus oil and whey, applied at 10–14 day intervals, reduced the severity of powdery mildew to levels not significantly different from that on vines sprayed with sulfur (wettable powder, 3–6 g/L). However, the relative control of powdery mildew by the test materials in field trials was dependent on the susceptibility of the grapevine cultivar and the extent of spray coverage achieved. In vineyards where highly susceptible cultivars were planted, and spray coverage was compromised, the resultant control of powdery mildew was reduced; and sometimes to commercially unacceptable levels.     

Some Insights into MIMO Mutual Information: The High SNR Case

We consider mutual information of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless channels with complex isotropic Gaussian input in the case where the receiver has perfect channel, knowledge. For arbitrary fading statistics, a mutual information lower bound is decomposed in a sum of three terms involving: a) average SNR; b) channel fading; and c) a term characterizing the "effective rank", or eigenvalue dispersion, of the channel matrix. The decomposition suggests that spatial multiplexing efficiency of a MIMO channel can be characterized by the so-called ellipticity statistic. Distribution functions, means and variances of the random terms in the decomposition for the case of Rayleigh fading are also derived     

Development of crumb rubber reinforced bituminous binder under laboratory conditions

Bituminous binders are widely used in the construction of flexible pavements. However, in some applications, the performance of conventional binders is not considered to be satisfactory. Reinforcing these binders with selected polymers prevents premature failure of a pavement by improving the properties of the binder. Another source of reinforcement comes from crumb (ground) rubber produced from waste tyres. After they have been worn-out during their limited service life, millions of used tyres are discarded every year and are hauled to a dump. The fatigue resistance at temperatures below normal service temperatures (25°C), one of the key engineering properties of crumb rubber reinforced binders, has been found to be lower than that of neat binders. This paper is concerned with the development of a rubber reinforced binder. It was shown that the binder has the potential to be used as an all-weather wearing course in flexible roads, whilst at the same time recycling a considerable amount of waste rubber.     

Solutions to a combined problem of excessive hydrogen sulfide in biogas and struvite scaling.

The Woodman Point Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) in Western Australia has experienced two separate problems causing avoidable maintenance costs: the build-up of massive struvite (MgNH4PO4. 6H2O) scaling downstream of the anaerobic digester and the formation of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) levels in the digester gas to levels that compromised gas engine operation and caused high operating costs on the gas scrubber. As both problems hang together with a chemical imbalance in the anaerobic digester, we decided to investigate whether both problems could be (feasibly and economically) addressed by a common solution (such as dosing of iron solutions to precipitate both sulfide and phosphate), or by using separate approaches. Laboratory results showed that, the hydrogen sulfide emission in digesters could be effectively and economically controlled by the addition of iron dosing. Slightly higher than the theoretical value of 1.5 mol of FeCl3 was required to precipitate 1 mol of dissolved sulfide inside the digester. Due to the high concentration of PO4(3-) in the digested sludge liquor, significantly higher iron is required for struvite precipitation. Iron dosing did not appear an economic solution for struvite control via iron phosphate formation. By taking advantage of the natural tendency of struvite formation in the digester liquid, it is possible to reduce the risk of struvite precipitation in and around the sludge-dewatering centrifuge by increasing the pH to precipitate struvite out before passing through the centrifuge. However, as the Mg2+/PO4(3-) molar ratio in digested sludge was low, by increasing the pH alone (using NaOH) the precipitation of PO4(3-) was limited by the amount of cations (Ca2+ and Mg2+) available in the sludge. Although this would reduce struvite precipitation in the centrifuge, it could not significantly reduce PO4(3-) recycling back to the plant. For long-term operation, maximum PO4(3-) reduction should be the ultimate aim to minimise PO4(3-) accumulation in the plant. Magnesium hydroxide liquid (MHL) was found to be the most cost-effective chemical to achieve this goal. It enhanced struvite precipitation from both, digested sludge and centrate to the point where more than 95% PO4(3-) reduction in the digested sludge was achieved.