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At least 1,225 records · Page 68

Charge trapping characteristics of Au nanocrystals embedded in remote plasma atomic layer-deposited Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} film as the tunnel and blocking oxides for nonvolatile memory applications

Remote plasma atomic layer deposited (RPALD) Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} films were investigated to apply as tunnel and blocking layers in the metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitor memory utilizing Au nanocrystals (NCs) for nonvolatile memory applications. The interface stability of an Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} film deposited by RPALD was studied to observe the effects of remote plasma on the interface. The interface formed during RPALD process has high oxidation states such as Si{sup +3} and Si{sup +4}, indicating that RPALD process can grow more stable interface which has a small amount of fixed oxide trap charge. The significant memory characteristics were also observed in this memory device through the electrical measurement. The memory device exhibited a relatively large memory window of 5.6 V under a 10/-10 V program/erase voltage and also showed the relatively fast programming/erasing speed and a competitive retention characteristic after 10{sup 4} s. These results indicate that Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} films deposited via RPALD can be applied as the tunnel and blocking oxides for next-generation flash memory devices.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Enhanced piezoresistive sensing of fiber-reinforced composites via embedded nanoparticles

Carbon fiber composites offer outstanding structural performance with high specific strength and are experiencing significant commercial adoption as the fiber price continues to decrease. Composite research efforts now need to focus on creating multifunctional composites, which can offer sensing capabilities in addition to structural attributes. This work focuses on creating multifunctional carbon fiber composites with structural health monitoring capabilities through the integration of piezoresistive nanoparticles on the surface of carbon fiber. Prior research introduced the development of coating silicon carbide nanoparticles on the surface of carbon fiber in a continuous feed-through process to achieve increased SHM sensitivity with enhanced interlaminar strength and tunable mechanical damping properties. One benefit of that coating process is the compatibility with various nanomaterials. This research capitalizes on that benefit by coating different nanoparticles, such as titanium dioxide, on carbon fiber to further enhance the sensing capabilities. A modification to the prior coating process is made in this research to enable significantly higher nanoparticle loading to be achieved. The resulting composites more accurately measure an applied force by responding with a more profound electrical resistance change. This research lays the foundation for efficiently integrating nanoparticles onto fibers leading to homogenously dispersed nanoparticles throughout a fiber reinforced composite for multifunctional performance.

Bowland, Christopher↗

Tuning the Electronic Absorption of Protein-Embedded All-trans-Retinal

Protein-chromophore interactions are a central component of a wide variety of critical biological processes such as color vision and photosynthesis. To understand the fundamental elements that contribute to spectral tuning of a chromophore inside the protein cavity, we redesigned human cellular retinol binding protein II (hCRBPII) to fully encapsulate all-trans-retinal and form a covalent bond as a protonated Schiff base. The system, using rational mutagenesis designed to alter the electrostatic environment within the binding pocket of the host protein, enabled regulation of the absorption maximum of the pigment in the range of 425 to 644 nanometers. Moreover, with only nine point mutations, the hCRBPII mutants induced a systematic shift in the absorption profile of all-trans-retinal of more than 200 nanometers across the visible spectrum.

Wang, Wenjing↗

A long-lived relativistic electron storage ring embedded in Earth's Outer Van Allen belt

Since their discovery over 50 years ago, the Earth’s Van Allen radiation belts are thought to consist of two distinct zones of trapped, highly energetic charged particles. The outer zone is comprised predominantly of mega-electron volt (MeV) electrons that wax and wane in intensity on time scales ranging from hours to days depending primarily on external forcing by the solar wind. Thus, the spatially separated inner zone is comprised of commingled high-energy electrons and very energetic positive ions (mostly protons), the latter being stable in intensity levels over years to decades. In situ energy-specific and temporally resolved spacecraft observations reveal an isolated third ring, or torus, of high-energy (E > 2 MeV) electrons that formed on 2 September 2012 and persisted largely unchanged in the geocentric radial range of 3.0 to ~3.5 Earth radii for over four weeks before being disrupted (and virtually annihilated) by a powerful interplanetary shock wave passage.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Melting of nanocrystals embedded in a crystal matrix heated by nanosecond laser pulses

The kinetics of phase transformations of nanocrystals in a crystal matrix is considered upon non-stationary heating by laser pulses. The melting and crystallization kinetics of nanocrystals is described taking into account their size, shape, elemental composition, and elastic deformations appearing due to the mismatch of the lattice constants for nanocrystals and the matrix. The possibility of decreasing the dispersion of nanocrystals over their size in heterostructures with quantum dots is predicted. As an example, melting of Ge nanocrystals in a Si matrix is considered.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗

Infrared photoluminescence from GeSi nanocrystals embedded in a germanium–silicate matrix

We investigate the structural and optical properties of GeO/SiO{sub 2} multilayers obtained by evaporation of GeO{sub 2} and SiO{sub 2} powders under ultrahigh vacuum conditions on Si(001) substrates. Both Raman and infrared absorption spectroscopy measurements indicate the formation of GeSi nanocrystals after postgrowth annealing at 800°C. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy characterizations show that the average size of the nanocrystals is about 5 nm. For samples containing GeSi nanocrystals, photoluminescence is observed at 14 K in the spectral range 1500–1600 nm. The temperature dependence of the photoluminescence is studied.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Experimental Study of Spontaneous Emission in the Bragg Multiple Quantum Wells Structure of InAs Monolayers Embedded in a GaAs Matrix

Time-resolved photoluminescence of a Bragg structure of InAs-monolayer quantum wells in GaAs matrix was experimentally studied with. Comparison of luminescence patterns from the side and from the surface of a sample showed that Bragg-type ordering of quantum wells leads to a substantial alteration of the photoluminescence spectra including appearance of additional radiative modes. The sample side spectrum contains a single line corresponding to a ground state of an exciton. The surface spectrum at high excitation levels a new radiation line appears whose frequency and propagation angle correspond to the Bragg condition for quantum wells. A numerical calculation of the modal Purcell factor explains why the radiative emission amplification occurs only at a set of specific angles and frequencies, as opposed to the whole range that satisfies the Bragg condition.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Optically Induced Charge Exchange in ZnO-Based Composite Structures with Embedded CsPbBr{sub 3} Nanocrystals

The introduction of CsPbBr{sub 3} nanocrystals into a porous ZnO matrix leads to the appearance of a photoconductivity response in the visible spectral range. Measurement of the spectral dependences of the absorption, photoluminescence (PL), and photoconductivity showed that the shape and position of the PL peak are associated with defects in CsPbBr{sub 3}. Analysis of the photoconductivity relaxation kinetics shows the possibility of accelerating the recombination of photoexcited charge carriers by more than an order of magnitude. The mechanisms responsible for this effect are discussed.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy of Stabilized Zirconia Films with Embedded Au Nanoparticles Formed under Irradiation with Gold Ions

Nanosized films of stabilized zirconia with Au nanoparticles formed by implanting Au ions are studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The effect of irradiation of films with Au ions and postimplantation annealing on the distribution of chemical elements and zirconium- containing ZrO{sub x} compounds over the depth of the films is studied. Based on the data on the dimensional shift of the Au 4 f photoelectron line, the average value of the nanoparticle size is determined.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗

Effect of Heat Treatment on the Dispersion of the Magnetic Anisotropy of MnSb Nanoinclusions Embedded in Thin GaMnSb Films

We observed a temperature-controlled increase in the magnetic anisotropy and its dispersion in thin GaMnSb films with MnSb nanoinclusions obtained by pulsed laser deposition. The data of transmission electron microscopy indicate that in the samples, a transition of the crystalline structure of magnetic MnSb nanoinclusions from hexagonal (spatial group (sp. gr.) P6{sub 3}/mmc) to cubic (sp. gr. F-43m) takes place. Analysis of the temperature dependences of the magnetic moment m(T), measured using a SQUID magnetometer, obtained for both unannealed and annealed samples cooled in a zero magnetic field and a magnetic field of 10 kOe, indicates that this mechanism is not unique. In unannealed samples, the distribution of the magnetic anisotropy of MnSb nanoinclusions, determined from the dependences of m(T), is unimodal. In the annealed samples, the same dependence becomes multimodal. This means that several thermally activated processes occur in the samples during annealing, resulting in several “populations” of nanoinclusions present in the annealed thin films. The contribution to the increase in the magnetic anisotropy during annealing can result in the structural phase transition, the mismatch of the crystal lattices between MnSb and GaSb, an increase in the average volume of MnSb nanoinclusions, and a change in their stoichiometry.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

FORK: fine grained occupancy estimatoR using kinect on ARM embedded platforms

Occupancy estimation is very useful for a wide range of smart building applications including energy efficiency, safety, and security. In this demonstration, we present a novel solution called FORK, which uses a Kinect depth sensor for estimating occupancy in real-time. Unlike other camera-based solutions, FORK is much less privacy invasive (even if the sensor is compromised) and it does not require a powerful machine like a Microsoft XBOX or an Intel® Core™ i7 processor to process the depth data. Our system performs the entire depth data processing on a cheaper and lower-power ARM processor, in real-time. In order to do that, FORK uses a novel lightweight human model by leveraging anthropometric properties of human bodies for detecting individuals. We will show how FORK detects, tracks, and counts occupants accurately in real-time.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Automatic Compartments for Embedded Systems

ACES is a modified version of LLVM for ARMv7-M micro controllers that enables automatic application of compartments to bare-metal system code. It breaks the single monolithic binary of these systems into multiple execution domains using a developer selected policy. This increases the difficulty of compromising the entire system, as the data, code, and peripherals accessible at any given point in execution limited to the subset identified by the policy.

Clements, Abraham↗