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At least 1,495 records · Page 83

Magnetoelastic Waves in Submicron Yttrium–Iron Garnet Films Manufactured by Means of Ion-Beam Sputtering onto Gadolinium–Gallium Garnet Substrates

A series of equidistant oscillations have been revealed in the transmission spectrum and dispersion law of Damon–Eshbach surface magnetostatic waves (SMSWs) propagating in submicron (200-nm) yttrium–iron garnet (YIG) films manufactured by means of ion-beam sputtering onto gadolinium–gallium garnet (GGG) substrates. These oscillations correspond to the excitation of magnetoelastic waves in the YIG–GGG structure at frequencies of resonant interaction between the surface magnetostatic waves and the elastic shear modes of the wave-guiding YIG–GGG structure. The obtained results show that the studied YIG films are characterized by an efficient magnetoelastic coupling between their spin and elastic subsystems and the matching of acoustic impedances at the YIG–GGG interface, thus providing the possibility to consider the ion-beam sputtering of YIG films onto GGG substrates as a promising technology for the creation of magnonic and straintronic devices.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Acoustic vibrations in integrated electro-optic modulators on substrates of lithium niobate

The processes of the excitation of acoustic vibrations and their influence on the optical signals in integrated electro-optic modulators on substrates of lithium niobate have been investigated. The resonant frequencies of the excitation of substrate vibrational modes have been determined. It has been shown that acoustic vibrations can make a significant contribution to the modulator transfer characteristic at frequencies up to several hundred megahertz, which should be taken into account when using the modulators at low frequencies, for example, as a part of fiber-optic sensors.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Studying the Surface Conductivity of a Thallium Bilayer on Si(111) Substrate after Adsorption of Lithium and Rubidium

Changes in the state of a thallium bilayer on Si(111) substrate, Si(111)6 × 6–Tl, after adsorption of lithium and rubidium were studied using low-energy electron-diffraction and four-point probe-conductivity measurements. New surface reconstructions 5 × 1 and 5√3×5√3 were observed after the adsorption of lithium, and 2 × 2 and √3×√3 reconstructions appeared after the adsorption of rubidium. The surface conductivity of silicon substrates was studied as a function of the dose of deposited adsorbate. It is established that the formation of both 5 × 1 and 2 × 2 reconstructions retains the conducting properties of a two-dimensional channel constituted by the thallium bilayer.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Semipolar GaN Layers Grown on Nanostructured Si(100) Substrate

We propose a new method for growing semipolar GaN films on a Si(100) substrate with an array of sub-100-nm-sized V-grooves formed on the surface. It is shown that, using such a nanostructured substrate for metalorganic hydride vapor-phase epitaxy, it is possible to obtain GaN (101̅1̇) epilayers deviating by an angle of about 62° from the polar direction and having an X-ray rocking curve with a minimum FWHM value of ω{sub θ} ~ 60 arcmin.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗

Generation of a Photoacoustic Signal in Two-Layer Transparent Samples on an Absorbing Substrate

A theory of generation of a photoacoustic signal in a two-layer transparent sample on an absorbing substrate to a buffer gas of a photoacoustic cell has been developed. We have shown that the frequency dependence of the photoacoustic signal amplitude excited in the absorbing substrate obeys the law ∝ ω{sup –1}, when a free path of photons is less than the thermal diffusion length, and is proportional to ω{sup –3/2} in the opposite case.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Epitaxy of GaN(0001) and GaN(10 1-bar 1) Layers on Si(100) Substrate

Two different approaches to epitaxy of 4-μm-thick layers of polar GaN(0001) and semipolar GaN(10 1-bar 1) on a V-shaped nanostructured Si(100) substrate with nanometer-thick SiC and AlN buffer layers have been experimentally demonstrated. The GaN(0001) layers were synthesized by hydride vapor-phase epitaxy, and GaN(10 1-bar 1) layers, by metal-organic vapor-phase epitaxy, with the growth completed by hydride vapor-phase epitaxy. It was shown that layers of the polar GaN(0002) have a longitudinal elastic stress of –0.45 GPa and the minimum full width at half-maximum of the X-ray diffraction rocking curve ω{sub θ} ~ 45 arcmin, whereas for the semipolar GaN(10 1-bar 1), these values are –0.29 GPa and ω{sub θ} ~ 22 arcmin, respectively. A conclusion is drawn that the combined technology of semipolar gallium nitride on a silicon (100) substrate is promising.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Growing III–V Semiconductor Heterostructures on SiC/Si Substrates

A three-layer heterostructure consisting of AlN (∼0.72 μm thick), AlGaN (∼ 1.82 μm thick), and GaN (∼2.2 μm thick) layers has been grown by hydride–chloride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) method on a Si substrate with a SiC buffer nanolayer. The heterostructure was studied using scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and other techniques. The results showed that SiC/Si substrates can be used for growing films of III–V semiconductor compounds by HVPE at a high rate (~66 μm/h) free of cracks and with small residual elastic stresses (~160 MPa).

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Structural insights into the mechanism defining substrate affinity in Arabidopsis thaliana dUTPase: the role of tryptophan 93 in ligand orientation

Deoxyuridine triphosphate nucleotidohydrolase (dUTPase) hydrolyzes dUTP to dUMP and pyrophosphate to maintain the cellular thymine-uracil ratio. dUTPase is also a target for cancer chemotherapy. However, the mechanism defining its substrate affinity remains unclear. Sequence comparisons of various dUTPases revealed that Arabidopsis thaliana dUTPase has a unique tryptophan at position 93, which potentially contributes to its degree of substrate affinity. To better understand the roles of tryptophan 93, A. thaliana dUTPase was studied. Enzyme assays showed that A. thaliana dUTPase belongs to a high-affinity group of isozymes, which also includes the enzymes from Escherichia coli and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Enzymes from Homo sapiens and Saccharomyces cerevisiae are grouped as low-affinity dUTPases. The structure of the homo-trimeric A. thaliana dUTPase showed three active sites, each with a different set of ligand interactions between the amino acids and water molecules. On an α-helix, tryptophan 93 appears to keep serine 89 in place via a water molecule and to specifically direct the ligand. Upon being oriented in the active site, the C-terminal residues close the active site to promote the reaction. In the high-affinity group, the prefixed direction of the serine residues was oriented by a positively charged residue located four amino acids away, while low-affinity enzymes possess small hydrophobic residues at the corresponding sites.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Comparison of Minority Carrier Lifetime Measurements in Superstrate and Substrate CdTe PV Devices: Preprint

We discuss typical and alternative procedures to analyze time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) measurements of minority carrier lifetime (MCL) with the hope of enhancing our understanding of how this technique may be used to better analyze CdTe photovoltaic (PV) device functionality. Historically, TRPL measurements of the fast recombination rate (t1) have provided insightful correlation with broad device functionality. However, we have more recently found that t1 does not correlate as well with smaller changes in device performance, nor does it correlate well with performance differences observed between superstrate and substrate CdTe PV devices. This study presents TRPL data for both superstrate and substrate CdTe devices where both t1 and the slower TRPL decay (t2) are analyzed. The study shows that changes in performance expected from small changes in device processing may correlate better with t2. Numerical modeling further suggests that, for devices that are expected to have similar drift field in the depletion region, effects of changes in bulk MCL and interface recombination should be more pronounced in t2. Although this technique may provide future guidance to improving CdS/CdTe device performance, it is often difficult to extract statistically precise values for t2, and therefore t2 data may demonstrate significant scatter when correlated with performance parameters.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Flexible Magnetic Polymer Composite Substrate with Ba 1.5 Sr 1.5 Z Hexaferrite Particles of VHF/Low UHF Patch Antennas for UAVs and Medical Implant Devices

Our goal is to fabricate flexible magnetic polymer composites as antenna substrates for very high frequency (VHF)/low ultra high frequency (UHF) antennas for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and medical devices. Magnetodielectric materials, which have permeability (μ) similar to permittivity (ε), have attracted great attention, because they facilitate miniaturization of microwave devices while keeping or enhancing electromagnetic characteristics. Mechanically millled Ba 1.5 Sr 1.5 Co 2 Fe 24 O 41 (Ba 1.5 Sr 1.5 Z) hexaferrite particles were used to increase permeability in the interesting frequency band. The microwave properties of Ba 1.5 Sr 1.5 Z composites were predicted and measured. Hansen’s zero-order analysis of antenna bandwidth and electromagnetic field simulation showed that the hexaferrite-based flexible composite could enhance a bandwidth and achieve the miniaturization of antennas as well. The magnetic antenna substrates can be a good solution to integrate antennas into the UAVs whose dimensions are comparable to or larger than communication wavelength.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Optical and Structural Properties of Microcrystalline GaN on an Amorphous Substrate Prepared by a Combination of Molecular Beam Epitaxy and Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition

Microscale platelet-shaped GaN grains were grown on amorphous substrates by a combined epitaxial growth method of molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). First, MBE GaN was grown on an amorphous substrate as a pre-orienting layer and its structural properties were investigated. Second, MOCVD grown GaN samples using the different growth techniques of planar and selective area growth (SAG) were comparatively investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), cathodoluminescence (CL), and photoluminescence (PL). In MOCVD planar GaN, strong bound exciton peaks dominated despite the high density of the threading dislocations (TDs). In MOCVD SAG GaN, on the other hand, TDs were clearly reduced with bending, but basal stacking fault (BSF) PL peaks were observed at 3.42 eV. The combined epitaxial method not only provides a deep understanding of the growth behavior but also suggests an alternative approach for the growth of GaN on amorphous substances.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Effects of substrates and phosphate on INT (2-(4-iodophenyl)-3-(4-nitrophenyl)-5-phenyl tetrazolium chloride) and CTC (5-cyano-2,3-ditolyl tetrazolium chloride) reduction in Escherichia coli

The effects of substrates of primary aerobic dehydrogenases, and inorganic phosphate on aerobic INT and CTC reduction in Escherichia coli were examined. In general, INT produced less formazan than CTC, but INT (+) cell counts remained near values of CTC (+) cells. INT and CTC (+) cell numbers were higher than plate counts on R2A medium using succinate, formate, lactate, casamino acids, glucose, glycerol (INT only) and no substrate. Formate resulted in the greatest amount of INT and CTC formazan. Reduction of both INT and CTC was inhibited above 10 mmol l-1 phosphate, and this appeared to be related to decreased rates of O2 consumption. Formation of fluorescent CTC (+), but not INT (+) cells was also inhibited in a concentration dependent manner by phosphate above 10 mmol l-1. From light microscopic observations it appeared CTC formed increasing amounts of poorly or non-fluorescent formazan with increasing phosphate. Therefore, use of phosphate buffer in excess of 10 mmol l-1 may not be appropriate in CTC and INT reduction assays.

NASA Program Environmental Health↗

Substrate Matters: Ionic Silver Alters Lettuce Growth, Nutrient Uptake, and Root Microbiome in a Hydroponics System

Ionic silver (Ag+) is being investigated as a residual biocide for use in NASA spacecraft potable water systems on future crewed missions. This water will be used to irrigate future spaceflight crop production systems. We have evaluated the impact of three concentrations (31 ppb, 125 ppb, and 500 ppb) of ionic silver biocide solutions on lettuce in an arcillite (calcinated clay particle substrate) and hydroponic (substrate-less) growth setup after 28 days. Lettuce plant growth was reduced in the hydroponic samples treated with 31 ppb silver and severely stunted for samples treated at 125 ppb and 500 ppb silver. No growth defects were observed in arcillite-grown lettuce. Silver was detectable in the hydroponic-grown lettuce leaves at each concentration but was not detected in the arcillite-grown lettuce leaves. Specifically, when 125 ppb silver water was applied to a hydroponics tray, Ag+ was detected at an average amount of 7 μg/g (dry weight) in lettuce leaves. The increase in Ag+ corresponded with a decrease in several essential elements in the lettuce tissue (Ca, K, P, S). In the arcillite growth setup, silver did not impact the plant root zone microbiome in terms of alpha diversity and relative abundance between treatments and control. However, with increasing silver concentration, the alpha diversity increased in lettuce root samples and in the water from the hydroponics tray samples. The genera in the hydroponic root and water samples were similar across the silver concentrations but displayed different relative abundances. This suggests that ionic silver was acting as a selective pressure for the microbes that colonize the hydroponic water. The surviving microbes likely utilized exudates from the stunted plant roots as a carbon source. Analysis of the root-associated microbiomes in response to silver showed enrichment of metagenomic pathways associated with alternate carbon source utilization, fatty-acid synthesis, and the ppGpp (guanosine 3′-diphosphate 5′-diphosphate) stringent response global regulatory system that operates under conditions of environmental stress. Nutrient solutions containing Ag+ in concentrations greater than 31 ppb in hydroponic systems lacking cation-exchange capacity can severely impact crop production due to stunting of plant growth.

lettuce↗

Sintered Silver Joint Strength Dependence on Substrate Topography and Attachment Pad Geometry

The sum of chemical and mechanical bonding limits the adhesive strength of die-attach and substrate-attach layers. This is also true for sintered silver joints whose development and employment are underway in the electronic packaging community. Chemical bonding is dictated by numerous parameters associated with the compatibility of the metallurgical bond of the two mating surfaces and the processing history that brings them together. However, the efficacy of mechanical bonding is likely affected by the topographies (e.g., roughness) of the two adjoined surfaces and also perhaps the shape of the attachment layer itself (e.g., circles, squares, and sizes thereof). In this study the mechanical bonding component is examined through the modification of the copper cladding surface on direct bonded copper (DBC) substrates, the shape of the silver pad attachment bonded to it, and the use of a joined 'DBC sandwich' that facilitates their study. It was found that simple employment of both surface topography control and printed pad geometry can affect and improve shear strength of silver sintered joints, and that there is logic to perhaps hybridize their effects. This is an important observation as more future attention is devoted to joining constituents with larger areas (> 100 mm2) in electronic packages.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

The hydrodynamics of the formation of microlayers beneath vapour bubbles growing on a heated substrate

Thin layers of liquid are known to be 'left behind' beneath essentially the entire extent of the (approximately) hemispherical bubbles that grow rapidly at low pressures on heated substrates. The formation of these 'microlayers' has been well established by modern sophisticated experimental observations. Whilst the rapid evaporation of these layers can make a dominant contribution to the formation and growth of these bubbles, their effect is incorporated into CFD boiling analysis via semiempirical 'sub-grid scale' modelling, and the physics of the formation and the prediction of the characteristics of the microlayers have received little attention. We present here an investigation into their formation via the solution of the full Navier Stokes equations for viscous flow. This investigation has allowed us to demonstrate that the overall extent of the micro-layer is a function of the balance of inertial and surface tension forces that control the macroscopic expansion of the bubble. The inertial effects inhibit the growth of the bubble away from the wall, and force it to adopt a more hemispherical shape, with a larger 'contact' area with the substrate. Beneath this 'contact' area a micro-layer is formed by liquid being left behind as the bubble grows. The depth of the micro-layer left behind seems to depend largely upon the viscous forces at work in the flow near the wall. (authors)

42 ENGINEERING↗

Assessment of Cold Spraying Mild-Steel Powder onto Mild-Steel Substrate for Development of Waste Tank Repair System - 20515

Infrastructure for nuclear waste storage and processing (e.g., waste tanks, transfer pipelines, evaporators) at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Hanford Site has been in service well beyond its original design life. Past corrosion control methods at Hanford for waste tanks have not been fully successful, as evidenced by leaks forming in tank AY-102, the first double-shell tank (DST) constructed, and significant degradation detected in the primary tanks of AP-102 and AY-101. Failure of infrastructure components can pose a significant risk to the environment, worker safety, and project schedules. Therefore, remotely deployable methods for repairing and extending the service life of the existing tank waste infrastructure are needed. Cold spray has been identified as a potential technique for performing in situ repairs and material buildup for life extension of waste storage and processing infrastructure. Cold-spray repair methods and technology are well-established and are used extensively by industry and the military for making repairs using dissimilar materials. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is evaluating the process of making repairs using mild-steel powder applied to a mild-steel substrate to minimize the galvanic corrosion potential. This paper presents the initial results for a feasibility ('go/no-go') assessment as to whether low-density deposits with sound metallurgic bonds, to build-back steel plate material, can be achieved using existing commercial cold-spray equipment. An assessment of steel-on-steel deposit is necessary to determine if cold spray is a viable candidate for DST carbon steel plate restoration/repair and thus DST service life extension. Powder properties and preparation requirements have been investigated and operating conditions and parameters for depositing a cold-spray buildup of mild steel on a mild-steel substrate have been determined. Soundness of metallurgic bonding as a function of the operating parameters exercised and results from applying cold spray to lay a deposit over simulated small-diameter flaws in 1/2-inch mild-steel plate are presented. Application of in situ cold-spray repair to the DOE complex has the potential to reduce cost and schedule impacts associated with component failures and the need to procure and construct replacement infrastructure. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

The role of OleA His285 in orchestration of long-chain acyl-coenzyme A substrates

Renewable production of hydrocarbons is being pursued as a petroleum-independent source of commodity chemicals and replacement for biofuels. The bacterial biosynthesis of long-chain olefins represents one such platform. The process is initiated by OleA catalyzing the condensation of two fatty acyl-coenzyme A substrates to form a β-keto acid.In this work, the mechanistic role of the conserved His285 is investigated through mutagenesis, activity assays, and X-ray crystallography. Our data demonstrate that His285 is required for product formation, influences the thiolase nucleophile Cys143 and the acyl-enzyme intermediate before and after transesterification, and orchestrates substrate coordination as a defining component of an oxyanion hole. As a consequence, His285 plays a key role in enabling a mechanistic strategy in OleA that is distinct from other thiolases.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Engineered Elastomer Substrates for Guided Assembly of Complex 3D Mesostructures by Spatially Nonuniform Compressive Buckling

Approaches capable of creating 3D mesostructures in advanced materials (device-grade semiconductors, electroactive polymers, etc.) are of increasing interest in modern materials research. A versatile set of approaches exploits transformation of planar precursors into 3D architectures through the action of compressive forces associated with release of prestrain in a supporting elastomer substrate. Although a diverse set of 3D structures can be realized in nearly any class of material in this way, all previously reported demonstrations lack the ability to vary the degree of compression imparted to different regions of the 2D precursor, thus constraining the diversity of 3D geometries. This paper presents a set of ideas in materials and mechanics in which elastomeric substrates with engineered distributions of thickness yield desired strain distributions for targeted control over resultant 3D mesostructures geometries. This approach is compatible with a broad range of advanced functional materials from device-grade semiconductors to commercially available thin films, over length scales from tens of micrometers to several millimeters. A large range of 3D structures can be produced in this way, some of which have direct relevance to applications in tunable optics and stretchable electronics.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗