Comparison of structural and photoluminescence properties of ZnO thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition and ultrasonic spray pyrolysis

ZnO thin films have been deposited by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) and ultrasonic spray pyrolysis (USP) method, respectively. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy characterizations indicate that ZnO film grown by PLD exhibits better crystallinity than that grown by USP. Photoluminescence spectra show that the near-band edge ultraviolet emission of film grown by PLD is narrower and shifts to higher energy, compared with that of film grown by USP. In the visible range, ZnO film grown by PLD exhibits four local level emission centered at 470 nm, 486 nm, 544 nm, and 613 nm, respectively, while the film grown by USP only presents a weak broad band emission centered at 502 nm. Hall measurement shows higher carrier density and lower hall mobility in ZnO film grown by PLD than that in film grown by USP. The higher density of intrinsic defects as well as higher crystallintiy is considered to account for the difference of photoluminescence in ZnO film grown by PLD with that in film grown by USP.     

Nanoluminograph — A New Generation of Measuring Instruments

A nanoluminescent device, or nanoluminograph, has been developed, created, and patented. By means of the device, unique information about the physicochemical properties of surface and near-surface layers of solids and ultrathin coatings of thickness less than 0.4 μm may be obtained. There is also the hope of decreasing the thickness of the subject layer with further development of the detecting component of the device. __________ Translated from Izmeritel'naya Tekhnika, No. 8, pp. 28–31, August, 2005.     

Electron Acoustic Solitons

Electron acoustic solitons in collisionless and weakly relativistic plasmas are studied. The Krylov–Bogoliubov–Mitropolsky perturbative technique is employed to obtain the nonlinear Schrodinger wave equation. We have numerically investigated modulational instability for different values of the streaming velocity. Graphs have been plotted to see the change in amplitude and inverse width by varying different plasma parameters.     

双束强辐照对氧化物弥散强化铁素体型合金强化相稳定性影响

采用双束复合辐照装置,研究了He存在条件下,强辐照对长期时效后的ODS合金中强化相(Y2O3)的稳定性和辐照损伤特征的影响。实验结果表明:双束强辐照下,ODS合金中强化相不稳定,发生聚集长大并造成附近基体中Ti、Y浓度增高,导致空洞尺寸和空洞肿胀增加,并对这一结果从理论上进行解释。     

Correlations between the Optical Properties and the Microstructure of TiO_2 Thin Films Prepared by Reactive Electron-beam Evaporation

1　IntroductionInrecentyears ,theoreticalandexperimentalinvesti gationsonthetitaniumoxidefilmsareconductedonac countoftheirremarkableproperties .Titaniumdioxidefilmshaveattractedconsiderableattentiontoapplytomi croelectronicdevices ,opticalthin filmdevice…     

An electron beam lithography and digital image acquisition system for scanning electron microscopes

A low‐cost microcontroller based control and data acquisition unit for digital image recording of scanning electron microscope (SEM) images and scanning electron microscope based electron beam lithography (EBL) is described. The developed microcontroller low‐level embedded software incorporates major time critical functions for image acquisition and electron beam lithography and makes the unit an intelligent module which communicates via USB with the main computer. The system allows recording of images with up to 4096 × 4096 pixel size, different scan modes, controllable dwell time, synchronization with main power frequency, and other user controllable functions. The electron beam can be arbitrary positioned with 12‐bit precision in both dimensions and this is used to extend the scanning electron microscope capabilities for electron beam lithography. Hardware and software details of the system are given to allow its easy duplication. Performance of the system is discussed and exemplary results are presented.     

Backscattered electron imaging of the undersurface of resin-embedded cells by field-emission scanning electron microscopy

In this study backscattered electron (BSE) imaging was used to display cellular structures stained with heavy metals within an unstained resin by atomic number contrast in successively deeper layers. Balb/c 3T3 fibroblasts were cultured on either 13-mm discs of plastic Thermanox, commercially pure titanium or steel. The cells were fixed, stained and embedded in resin and the disc removed. The resin block containing the cells was sputter coated and examined in a field-emission scanning electron microscope. The technique allowed for the direct visualization of the cell undersurface and immediately overlying areas of cytoplasm through the surrounding embedding resin, with good resolution and contrast to a significant depth of about 2 μm, without the requirement for cutting sections. The fixation protocol was optimized in order to increase heavy metal staining for maximal backscattered electron production. The operation of the microscope was optimized to maximize the number of backscattered electrons produced and to minimize the spot size. BSE images were collected over a wide range of accelerating voltages (keV), from low values to high values to give ‘sections' of information from increasing depths within the sample. At 3–4 keV only structures a very short distance into the material were observed, essentially the areas of cell attachment to the removed substrate. At higher accelerating voltages information on cell morphology, including in particular stress fibres and cell nuclei, where heavy metals were intensely bound became more evident. The technique allowed stepwise ‘sectional’ information to be acquired. The technique should be useful for studies on cell morphology, cycle and adhesion with greater resolution than can be obtained with any light-microscope-based system.     

The effect of some instrument operating conditions on the x-ray microanalysis of particles in the environmental scanning electron microscope

The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the practical effects of electron beam broadening in the environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) on particle x-ray microanalysis and to determine some of the optimum operating conditions for this type of analysis. Four sets of experiments were conducted using a Faraday cage and particles of copper, glass, cassiterite, andrutile. The accelerating voltage and chamber pressure varied from 20 to 10 kV and from 665–66 Pa (5.0 to 0.5 torr), respectively. The standard gaseous secondary electron detectors (GSED) and the long environmental secondary dectectors (ESD) for the ESEM were evaluated at different working distances. The effect of these parameters on the presence of artifact peaks was evaluated. The particles were mounted on carbon tape on an aluminum specimen mount and were analyzed individually and as a mixture. Substrate peaks were present in almost all of the spectra. The presence of neighboring particle peaks and the number of counts in these depended upon the operating conditions. In general, few of these peaks were observed with the long ESD detector at 19 mm working distance and at low chamber pressures. More peaks and counts were observed with a deviation from these conditions. The most neighboring peaks and counts were obtained with the GSED detector at 21.5 mm working distance, 10 kV accelerating voltage, and 665 Pa (5.0 torr) chamber pressure. The results of these experiments support the idea that the optimum instrumental operating conditions for EDS analysis in the ESEM occur by minimizing the gas path length and the chamber water vapor pressure, and by maximizing the accelerating voltage. The results suggest that the analyst can expect x-ray counts from the mounting materials. These tests strongly support the recommendation of the manufacturer to use the long ESD detector and a 19 mm working distance for EDS analysis. The results of these experiments indicate that neighboring particles millimeters from the target may contribute x-ray counts to the spectrum.     

Vertical sections of cultivated anchorage-dependent cells for electron microscopy

A method is described for electron microscopic preparation of cultivated cells for vertical sections using the test chamber system TCSC-1. The cells are cultivated on a special foil. They can be fixed and embedded directly in the chamber. After polymerization of the resin, the foil can be easily taken off and a second resin layer is poured upon the embedded cells. Then distinct cells can be marked under an inverted light microscope. The bilayer of the resin allows optimal conditions for vertical sections of anchorage-dependent cells.