Sputtering mechanisms near the threshold energy

Threshold energies for sputtering cannot be calculated directly but have to be evaluated from the energy dependence of the sputtering yields. This paper investigates trajectories of projectile and recoils near the threshold energy for sputtering, where the collision cascade becomes increasingly simple. Statistics of the different collision events show which processes dominate the sputtering close to the threshold energy for selfbombardment of different light and heavy targets. The differential cross-sections for scattering and recoil production explain qualitatively the probability for the various processes.     

Hilfsmittel zum Auffinden einer ersten Gestalt beim methodischen Konstruieren: Gestaltbeeinflussung durch die Verwendung physikalischer Effekte

Zusammenfassung Ziel des Teilvorhabens, über das hier berichtet wird, was es, für eine Auswahl von physikalischen Effekten eine Zuordnung von gestaltbeeinflussenden Merkmalen auf sehr abstrakter Ebene zu erreichen und damit eine n?here Charakterisierung der Wirkfl?chen und Wirkr?ume zu erreichen die zur Umsetzung eines physikalischen Effektes notwendig sind. Die hieraus resultierenden Ergebnisse sind dem Abschlu?bericht zu entnehmen [1]. Weiterführende Themen, die basierend auf den vorliegenden Erkenntnissen bearbeitet werden, haben zum Ziel, die wesentlichen und entscheidenden Parameter einer Konstruktionsaufgabe zu erkennen und zukünftig zielgerichtet L?sungsvarianten zu erstellen, um somit für eine Neukonstruktion sinnvolle L?sungsfelder sehr frühzeitig abzugrenzen.     

Transmission Electron Microscopy and Electron Energy-Loss Spectroscopy Characterization of Glass Phase in Sol-Gel-Derived Mullite

Sol-gel-derived mullite ceramics were processed by pressureless sintering at 1600°, 1650°, and 1700°C for 4 h. Microstructural and microchemical characterization of the mullite materials was performed using transmission electron microscopy, in conjunction with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS). Apart from mullite grain diameter and triplepocket size, no major microstructural changes were observed with increasing sintering temperature. Residual glass was present at triple pockets and along two-grain junctions. Not all grain boundaries revealed the presence of a continuous amorphous intergranular film. Clean interfaces were observed only at boundaries with one grain parallel to the [001] orientation (low-energy configuration). Quantitative EELS analysis of mullite grains and glass pockets revealed only small changes in composition with increasing sintering temperature; i.e., the alumina:silica ratio slightly increased for mullite and glass. The analysis implied that mullite with this relatively high aluminum content would not be stable adjacent to residual glass. However, a stable glass-mullite system has been proposed, because impurity cations were detected within glass pockets, which suggested a slight shift of the subsolidus line (glass-mullite/ mullite) to a higher amount of alumina. Energy-loss nearedge structure studies of the Si- L _2,3 edge revealed a similar near-edge structure for the mullite, residual glass, and quartz. Thus, SiO₄ tetrahedra were thought to be the main building units of the glass contained in sintered mullite.     

Online Coloring of Bipartite Graphs with and without Advice

In the online version of the well-known graph coloring problem, the vertices appear one after the other together with the edges to the already known vertices and have to be irrevocably colored immediately after their appearance. We consider this problem on bipartite, i.e., two-colorable graphs. We prove that at least ?1.13746?log₂(n)?0.49887? colors are necessary for any deterministic online algorithm to be able to color any given bipartite graph on n vertices, thus improving on the previously known lower bound of ?log₂ n?+1 for sufficiently large n. Recently, the advice complexity was introduced as a method for a fine-grained analysis of the hardness of online problems. We apply this method to the online coloring problem and prove (almost) tight linear upper and lower bounds on the advice complexity of coloring a bipartite graph online optimally or using 3 colors. Moreover, we prove that \(O(\sqrt{n})\) advice bits are sufficient for coloring any bipartite graph on n vertices with at most ?log₂ n? colors.     

Interactions in compatible polymer systems

Summary Dynamic mechanical measurements on polystyrene — poly(vinylmethylether) blends are demonstrating that the relaxation processes in the blends are mainly connected with the motions of the poly(vinylmethylether) chain.Concerning the effect of mixing on topological properties of the blends, an increase of the polydispersity of the relaxation processes is detected in blends with high molecular weight polystyrene while low molecular weight polystyrene exerts an effect of dilution upon the relaxation of the high molecular poly(vinylmethylether) chains.From these measurements as well as from thermoanalytical data it results that the energetic interaction is more pronounced in the blends with oligomeric than with high molecular weight polystyrene. The glass transition temperature shows a larger deviation from additivity for blends with high molecular polystyrene than for those with oligomeric polystyrene.Herrn Prof. Dr. M. Kryszewski zum 60. Geburtstag herzlichst gewidmet     

Grain-Boundary Wetting-Dewetting in z= 1 SiAlON Ceramic

The grain-boundary structure of a model SiAlON polycrystal with nominal composition Si₅AlON₇ was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) both in an equilibrium (as-processed) state at room temperature and after quenching from elevated temperature. In addition, low-frequency (1–13 Hz) internal friction data were recorded as a function of temperature, showing a pronounced grain-boundary sliding peak positioned at 1030°C. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) of the equilibrated low-temperature microstructure revealed residual glass only at multigrain junctions, but no amorphous intergranular films were observed. The detection of clean interfaces in the as-processed sample contradicts the internal friction data, which instead suggests the presence of a low-viscosity grain boundary phase, sliding at elevated temperatures. Therefore, a thin section of the as-sintered material was heated to 1380°C and rapidly quenched. HRTEM analysis of this sample showed, apart from residual glass pockets, wetted grain boundaries, which is in line with the internal friction experiment. This wetting-dewetting phenomenon observed in z = 1 SiAlON is expected to have a strong impact not only on high-temperature engineering ceramics but also on geological, temperature-activated processes such as volcanic eruptions.     

Role of Amines in Adhesion of Polybutadiene to Glass Substrates. II. Reactions of Amines with Trimethoxysilanol and/or Fumed Silica

This paper is part of a larger investigation of the role of amines in the adhesion of polybutadiene to glass substrates. It describes near infrared, infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies of the interaction of amines with silanol groups usually under ambient conditions but sometimes when heated in air. Additional supporting evidence was obtained from gas liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry and elemental analyses. In order to assure a sufficiently high concentration of silanol groups, triethylsilanol and fused silica were used as models for the glass surface. The mechanism of interaction of aliphatic amines and of the aminosilane was different from that of aromatic amines. Most notably, reaction of aliphatic amines with carbon dioxide in the air and/or dissolved/adsorbed in/on the silanol occurred almost instantaneously, whereas the corresponding reaction of the aromatic amines with carbon dioxide was not observed under the experimental conditions used. The carbamates formed underwent further reactions much more rapidly than either the simple aromatic amines or the unmodified aliphatic amines.     

Depletion of Grain-Boundary Phase and Elastic Creep Deformation Upon Ultra-Long Flexural Stress Rupture Experiments of NC-132 Silicon Nitride

A unique grain-boundary structure evolution was observed in two MgO-doped silicon nitride specimens (Norton, NC-132) that were tested in ultra-long flexure stress rupture experiments with an applied stress of 266 MPa and fractured at 14 941 and 17 376 h. Transmission electron microscopy showed that, although the starting material had a secondary glass phase both at multi-grain junctions and along grain boundaries, the tested specimens contained no residual glass phase. Concurrent with the elimination of the secondary glass phase, a continuous network of cracked grain boundaries was observed after long-term flexure testing consistent with the concept of elastic creep. It is, therefore, concluded that at ultra-long annealing times, this material is affected by creep deformation via microcrack nucleation and growth due to the depletion of the amorphous siliceous grain-boundary phase, which is seen as a truly transient, fugitive secondary phase.     

Statistical Analysis of the Intergranular Film Thickness in Silicon Nitride Ceramics

Silicon nitride materials typically reveal thin amorphous intergranular films along grain boundaries, with only the exception of special boundaries. It is known that such grainboundary films strongly affect the high-temperature properties of the bulk material. High-resolution electron microscopy (HREM) was used to study these amorphous films in different Si₃N₄ ceramics. The observed film thicknesses at grain boundaries in these materials varied between 5and 15 Å. It was shown that the grain-boundary film thickness strongly depends on film chemistry. Careful inspections of film-thickness measurements across grain boundaries in a given material suggest that the film widths vary on the order of 1 Å. Therefore, a quantitative evaluation should allow for the determination of the standard deviation of the film thickness. The amorphous film widths along grain boundaries in four materials were measured over the entire length (up to 1 μm) of the grain boundary between two triple points. Forty to fifty data points were evaluated for each boundary, giving a Gaussian-like distribution of the film thickness around a median value, which corresponded well with the film width measured from single HREM micrographs. The accuracy achieved by the statistical method was better than ± 1 Å.