Photorefractive device using self-assembled monolayer coated indium-tin-oxide electrodes

Photorefractive (PR) performances of methyl-substituted poly(triarylamine) (PTAA)-based PR device were demonstrated using chemically modified electrodes (CMEs) of self-assembled monolayer (SAM) coated indium-tin-oxide (ITO) electrodes. The SAM-ITO electrodes successfully suppressed dark current which blocks the formation of space-charge field and also causes the dielectric breakdown. The PR device consisted of composite of PTAA, 4-azacycloheptylbenzylidenemalononitrile (7-DCST), N-ethylcarbazole (ECz), and [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) sandwiched between the SAM-ITO electrodes. The PR devices showed the PR performances: optical gain Γ, refractive index Δn, diffraction efficiency η, response time τ, sensitivity S, phase shift Φ, trap-limited field E_q, number density of traps N_T, and space-charge field E_SC. The remarkable response time of 11.3 ms was achieved at the low electric field of 20 V μm⁻¹, which was comparable to the response time of high-definition television (HDTV) quality of 16 ms. Our approach will widen the usage of higher mobility materials to photorefractive field and give us more favorable materials to achieve the best performance of photorefractivity in the future.     

Preparation of diamondlike carbon films using nanopulse generator employing SI thyristor

Diamondlike carbon (DLC) films show high hardness, high electric resistivity, and the self‐lubricant characteristic, and many applications and synthesis methods have been reported. Pulse plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is one of the synthesis methods suitable for DLC films on complicated form work, such as molding and extruding die. Ordinary, microsecond‐order pulse is used in this method. This paper describes the development of the synthesis method using nanosecond‐order pulse plasma CVD for DLC films. To realize this process, a static induction (SI) thyristor with an inductive energy storage (IES) circuit was used. Compared with microsecond, nanosecond‐order pulse plasma CVD method shows the characteristics of high electron temperature and exponential relationship between pulse frequency and growth rate. The characteristics of the thus‐obtained DLC films show two broad peaks of the disordered band at 1360 cm^?1 and the graphitic band at 1580 cm^?1 by Raman spectroscopy and hardness of 16.0 GPa and elastic modulus of 170 GPa. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 159(4): 1–7, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20341     

Effects of polyglycerol esters of fatty acids and ethylene‐vinyl acetate co‐polymer on crystallization behavior of biodiesel

Biodiesel fuels (BDF) have many problems in the cold due to their crystallization properties. In particular, precipitation of large crystals of high‐melting fractions in BDF at low temperatures remarkably changes cold flow property of BDF and, thereby, it increases the values of cold filter plugging point. In this study, we evaluated polyglycerol esters of fatty acids (PGE) and ethylene‐vinyl acetate co‐polymer (EVA) as chemical additives to improve the cold flow property of palm oil‐based FAME (PFME). The results of solid fat content measurement indicate that the simultaneous addition of PGE and EVA showed synergistic effects on suppression of crystallization of PFME, however such effect was not observed when EVA was used alone. DSC thermograms indicated that the PGE additives not only decreased the crystallization temperature but also kinetically suppressed the crystal growth. Polarized light microscopy showed that the simultaneous addition of PGE and EVA led to the formation of considerably small and fine‐dispersed crystals of PFME. These results indicate that combined effects of PGE and EVA caused the formation of fine‐dispersed PFME crystals, which could improve the viscous properties of palm oil‐based BDF at relatively cold temperatures.     

Photoluminescence of Rare-Earth-Doped Ca-α-SiAlON Phosphors: Composition and Concentration Dependence

Rare-earth-doped Ca-α-SiAlON phosphors, with the compositions of (Ca_{1−3/2 x} RE _x ) _{m /2}Si_{12− m − n} Al _m+n O _n N_{16− n} (RE=Ce, Sm, and Dy, 0.5≤ m =2 n ≤3.0), were prepared by sintering at 1700°C for 2 h under 10 atm N₂. The concentration of rare earths varied from 3 to 30 at.% with respect to Ca. The photoluminescence (PL) properties were investigated as functions of the composition of the host matrix (i.e., m ) and the concentration of rare earths (i.e., x ). The results show that the emission properties can be optimized by tailoring m and x . The Ce³⁺ luminescence originating from the 4 f –5 d interconfigurational transitions is greatly affected by the environment surrounding the Ce³⁺ ions, which differs from the Sm³⁺ or Dy³⁺ luminescence arising from the 4 f –4 f intraconfigurational transitions. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy were used to explain the composition and concentration dependence of PL properties.     

Optimal periodic maintenance strategy under an intermittently used environment

In this paper, the optimal periodic replacement-like strategy with minimal repairs is considered under an intermittently used environment. Suppose that transactions or jobs with exponential service times arrive at a system according to a homogeneous Poisson process and the system is alternatively in either a busy or an idle period subject to demand for use. We derive approximately the optimal preventive maintenance schedule which minimizes the relevant expected cost criterion for the system which behaves intermittently on an M/M/1 queueing process, and compare it with the usual maintenance schedule for the continuously used system.     

Highly Stable Au Nanoparticles with Tunable Spacing and Their Potential Application in Surface Plasmon Resonance Biosensors

Colloidal Au‐amplified surface plasmon resonance (SPR), like traditional SPR, is typically used to detect binding events on a thin noble metal film. The two major concerns in developing colloidal Au‐amplified SPR lie in 1) the instability, manifested as a change in morphology following immersion in organic solvents and aqueous solutions, and 2) the uncontrollable interparticle distance, determining probe spacing and inducing steric hindrance between neighboring probe molecules. This may introduce uncertainties into such detecting techniques, degrade the sensitivity, and become the barricade hampering colloidal Au‐based transducers from applications in sensing. In this paper, colloidal Au‐amplified SPR transducers are produced by using ultrathin Au/Al₂O₃ nanocomposite films via a radio frequency magnetron co‐sputtering method. Deposited Au/Al₂O₃ nanocomposite films exhibit superior stability, and average interparticle distances between Au nanoparticles with similar average sizes can be tuned by changing surface coverage. These characteristics are ascribed to the spacer function and rim confinement of dielectric Al₂O₃ and highlight their advantages for application in optimal nanoparticle‐amplified SPR, especially when the probe size is smaller than the target molecule size. This importance is demonstrated here for the binding of protein (streptavidin) targets to the probe (biotin) surface. In this case, the dielectric matrix Al₂O₃ is a main contributor, behaving as a spacer, tuning the concentration of Au nanoparticles, and manipulating the average interparticle distance, and thus guaranteeing an appropriate number of biotin molecules and expected near‐field coupling to obtain optimal sensing performance.