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At least 1,441 records · Page 80

Macroscale property assessment and indentation characteristics of thick section friction stir welded AA 5083

The spatial gradients in microstructure have been proven to be effective in optimizing the performance of components, and several techniques have been developed to achieve this microstructure. Nevertheless, the local microstructural modification methods inevitably result in the formation of gradient microstructure leading to a variation in the property. Herein this work systematically investigates the effect of gradient microstructure formed during thick section friction stir weld Al5083 alloy on its mechanical properties. A novel macro-indentation technique, profilometer-based indentation plastometry (PIP), is utilized to capture the variation in the mechanical properties in the feedstock (rolled plate) and weld region. The feedstock exhibited a gradient microstructure owing to different stress states during rolling. Additionally, the stirring of the tool resulted in a complex material flow pattern producing a microstructure gradient in the weld region. The aspect ratio of the grains was identified as the primary factor causing variation in indentation response in the feedstock. In contrast, variation in the grain size in the weld region resulted in property variation. Overall, the stir zone has a lower yield strength (158±4MPa) than the base material (173±3MPa). In addition, microstructure heterogeneity in the stir zone resulted in lower elongation than the base material.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Interaction between arsenic exposure from drinking water and genetic susceptibility in carotid intima–media thickness in Bangladesh

Epidemiologic studies that evaluated genetic susceptibility for the effects of arsenic exposure from drinking water on subclinical atherosclerosis are limited. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 1078 participants randomly selected from the Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study in Bangladesh to evaluate whether the association between arsenic exposure and carotid artery intima–media thickness (cIMT) differs by 207 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 18 genes related to arsenic metabolism, oxidative stress, inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction. Although not statistically significant after correcting for multiple testing, nine SNPs in APOE, AS3MT, PNP, and TNF genes had a nominally statistically significant interaction with well-water arsenic in cIMT. For instance, the joint presence of a higher level of well-water arsenic (≥ 40.4 μg/L) and the GG genotype of AS3MT rs3740392 was associated with a difference of 40.9 μm (95% CI = 14.4, 67.5) in cIMT, much greater than the difference of cIMT associated with the genotype alone (β = − 5.1 μm, 95% CI = − 31.6, 21.3) or arsenic exposure alone (β = 7.2 μm, 95% CI = − 3.1, 17.5). The pattern and magnitude of the interactions were similar when urinary arsenic was used as the exposure variable. Additionally, the at-risk genotypes of the AS3MT SNPs were positively related to the proportion of monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) in urine, which is indicative of arsenic methylation capacity. The findings provide novel evidence that genetic variants related to arsenic metabolism may play an important role in arsenic-induced subclinical atherosclerosis. Future replication studies in diverse populations are needed to confirm the findings. - Highlights: • Nine SNPs had a nominally significant interaction with well-water arsenic in cIMT. • Three SNPs in AS3MT showed nominally significant interactions with urinary arsenic. • cIMT was much higher among subjects with higher arsenic exposure and AS3MT SNPs. • The at-risk genotypes of AS3MT SNPs were positively related to urinary MMA%.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Aerosol Optical Thickness: Organic Composition, Associated Particle Water, and Aloft Extinction

Over the contiguous United States, the strongest remotely sensed aerosol optical thickness (AOT) is observed in the east, where aerosol liquid water (ALW) and extinction per unit PM 2.5 dry mass are highest. Positive associations between ALW due to sulfate and nitrate with remotely sensed AOT offer a contributing explanation for geospatial patterns in AOT seasonality. We seek here to further resolve patterns in ALW-AOT relationships by investigating organic mass (OM) fractionation, converted from organic carbon (OC) measurements using regionally specific OM:OC ratios, and the associated impacts on ALW. ALW is integrated from the surface through the boundary layer and estimated from measured particle chemical composition using ISORROPIAv2.1 and κ-Kohler theory at eight Interagency Monitoring of PROtected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) sites in areas of contrasting AOT seasonality. Two groups of four sites each, clustered by chemical climatology, are compared to AOT derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer and vertically resolved extinction retrieved from Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) from 2007 to 2016. Estimated ALW within the planetary boundary layer differs between the regions. Spatial patterns and vertical profiles are qualitatively similar to CALIPSO patterns. However, inclusion of volatility-based organic speciation from routine surface networks and the associated ALW do not improve correlation with satellite-derived AOT. CALIPSO-measured extinction is enhanced above the PBL and may partly explain discrepancies. This work is suggestive that the effects of intrinsic physicochemical properties are remotely sensed, but approaches to link AOT to current surface measurements are limited in detail and their ability to assess aloft phenomena.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Extension of thickness-dependent dielectric breakdown law on adiabatically compressed ferroelectric materials

It is experimentally found that the E{sub b}(d) = {gamma} {center_dot} d{sup -{xi}} law describing the thickness-dependent breakdown electric field for solid dielectrics at ambient conditions can be extended for dielectrics in other thermodynamic states. It follows from the experimental results reported herein that the breakdown field, E{sub b}(d), of Pb(Zr{sub 0.95}Ti{sub 0.05})O{sub 3} (PZT 95/5) and Pb(Zr{sub 0.52}Ti{sub 0.48})O{sub 3} (PZT 52/48) ferroelectrics subjected to explosive adiabatic compression obeys the above-mentioned law in a wide range of voltages, up to 150 kV.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Influence of film thickness and air exposure on the transport gap of manganese phthalocyanine

The interface formation between manganese phthalocyanine (MnPc) and cobalt was investigated combining ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy and inverse photoelectron spectroscopy. The transport band gap of the MnPc increases with the film thickness up to a value of (1.2 {+-} 0.3) eV while the optical band gap as determined from spectroscopic ellipsometry amounts to 0.5 eV. The gap values are smaller compared to other phthalocyanines due to metallic Mn 3d states close to the Fermi level. The transport band gap was found to open upon air exposure as a result of the disappearance of the occupied 3d electronic states.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Determination of thickness and composition of high-k dielectrics using high-energy electrons

We demonstrate the application of high-energy elastic electron backscattering to the analysis of thin (2–20 nm) HfO{sub 2} overlayers on oxidized Si substrates. The film composition and thickness are determined directly from elastic scattering peaks characteristic of each element. The stoichiometry of the films is determined with an accuracy of 5%–10%. The experimental results are corroborated by medium energy ions scattering and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry measurements, and clearly demonstrate the applicability of the technique for thin-film analysis. Significantly, the presented technique opens new possibilities for nm depth profiling with high spatial resolution in scanning electron microscopes.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Demonstrating 1 nm-oxide-equivalent-thickness HfO{sub 2}/InSb structure with unpinning Fermi level and low gate leakage current density

In this work, the band alignment, interface, and electrical characteristics of HfO{sub 2}/InSb metal-oxide-semiconductor structure have been investigated. By using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis, the conduction band offset of 1.78 ± 0.1 eV and valence band offset of 3.35 ± 0.1 eV have been extracted. The transmission electron microscopy analysis has shown that HfO{sub 2} layer would be a good diffusion barrier for InSb. As a result, 1 nm equivalent-oxide-thickness in the 4 nm HfO{sub 2}/InSb structure has been demonstrated with unpinning Fermi level and low leakage current of 10{sup −4} A/cm{sup −2}. The D{sub it} value of smaller than 10{sup 12} eV{sup −1}cm{sup −2} has been obtained using conduction method.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

AlGaN/GaN field effect transistors for power electronics—Effect of finite GaN layer thickness on thermal characteristics

AlGaN/GaN heterostructure field effect transistors with a 150 nm thick GaN channel within stacked Al{sub x}Ga{sub 1−x}N layers were investigated using Raman thermography. By fitting a thermal simulation to the measured temperatures, the thermal conductivity of the GaN channel was determined to be 60 W m{sup −1} K{sup −1}, over 50% less than typical GaN epilayers, causing an increased peak channel temperature. This agrees with a nanoscale model. A low thermal conductivity AlGaN buffer means the GaN spreads heat; its properties are important for device thermal characteristics. When designing power devices with thin GaN layers, as well as electrical considerations, the reduced channel thermal conductivity must be considered.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗

Surface barrier height for different Al compositions and barrier layer thicknesses in AlGaN/GaN heterostructure field effect transistors

In this paper, we present a physics based analytical model for the calculation of surface barrier height for given values of barrier layer thicknesses and Al mole fractions. An explicit expression for the two dimensional electron gas density is also developed incorporating the change in polarization charges for different Al mole fractions.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Quantum confinement effect in Bi anti-dot thin films with tailored pore wall widths and thicknesses

We investigated quantum confinement effects in Bi anti-dot thin films grown on anodized aluminium oxide templates. The pore wall widths (w{sub Bi}) and thickness (t) of the films were tailored to have values longer or shorter than Fermi wavelength of Bi (λ{sub F} = ∼40 nm). Magnetoresistance measurements revealed a well-defined weak antilocalization effect below 10 K. Coherence lengths (L{sub ϕ}) as functions of temperature were derived from the magnetoresistance vs field curves by assuming the Hikami-Larkin-Nagaoka model. The anti-dot thin film with w{sub Bi} and t smaller than λ{sub F} showed low dimensional electronic behavior at low temperatures where L{sub ϕ}(T) exceed w{sub Bi} or t.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Analyses of the plasma generated by laser irradiation on sputtered target for determination of the thickness used for plasma generation

In Brookhaven National Laboratory, laser ion source has been developed to provide heavy ion beams by using plasma generation with 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser irradiation onto solid targets. The laser energy is transferred to the target material and creates a crater on the surface. However, only the partial material can be turned into plasma state and the other portion is considered to be just vaporized. Since heat propagation in the target material requires more than typical laser irradiation period, which is typically several ns, only the certain depth of the layers may contribute to form the plasma. As a result, the depth is more than 500 nm because the base material Al ions were detected. On the other hand, the result of comparing each carbon thickness case suggests that the surface carbon layer is not contributed to generate plasma.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Thickness dependence of spin torque ferromagnetic resonance in Co{sub 75}Fe{sub 25}/Pt bilayer films

The spin Hall angle of Pt in Co{sub 75}Fe{sub 25}/Pt bilayer films was experimentally investigated by means of the spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance and the modulation of damping measurements. By comparing the present results with the Ni{sub 80}Fe{sub 20}/Pt system, we found that the ferromagnetic layer underneath the Pt one greatly affects the estimation of the spin Hall angle. We also discuss the spin diffusion length of Pt and the ferromagnetic thickness dependence of the Gilbert damping coefficient.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Textured Pr{sub 2}Fe{sub 14}B flakes with submicron or nanosize thickness prepared by surfactant-assisted ball milling

The textured Pr{sub 2}Fe{sub 14}B nanoflakes were produced by surfactant-assisted ball milling (SABM). Single phase tetragonal structure was characterized for the samples before and after SABM by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The thickness and length of the as-milled flakes are mainly in the range of 50–150 nm and 0.5–2 μm, respectively. For the field-aligned Pr{sub 2}Fe{sub 14}B nanoflakes, the out-of-plane texture (the easy magnetization direction (EMD) along the c-axis) is indicated from the increasing (00l) peaks in the XRD patterns. SEM image demonstrates that the EMD is parallel to flaky surface, which is different from the RCo{sub 5} (R = rare earth) system with EMD perpendicular to the surface. We propose a hypothesis that the easy glide planes are related with the area of crystal planes. In addition, a large coercivity H{sub c} = 3.9 kOe is observed in the Pr{sub 2}Fe{sub 14}B flakes with strong texture.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Effect of antiferromagnetic layer thickness on exchange bias, training effect, and magnetotransport properties in ferromagnetic/antiferromagnetic antidot arrays

The effect of antiferromagnetic (AFM) layer on exchange bias (EB), training effect, and magnetotransport properties in ferromagnetic (FM) /AFM nanoscale antidot arrays and sheet films Ag(10 nm)/Co(8 nm)/NiO(t{sub NiO})/Ag(5 nm) at 10 K is studied. The AFM layer thickness dependence of the EB field shows a peak at t{sub NiO} = 2 nm that is explained by using the random field model. The misalignment of magnetic moments in the three-dimensional antidot arrays causes smaller decrease of EB field compared with that in the sheet films for training effect. The anomalous magnetotransport properties, in particular positive magnetoresistance (MR) for antidot arrays but negative MR for sheet films are found. The training effect and magnetotransport properties are strongly affected by the three-dimensional spin-alignment effects in the antidot arrays.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Thickness and growth-condition dependence of in-situ mobility and carrier density of epitaxial thin-film Bi{sub 2}Se{sub 3}

Bismuth selenide Bi{sub 2}Se{sub 3} was grown by molecular beam epitaxy, while carrier density and mobility were measured directly in situ as a function of film thickness. Carrier density shows high interface n-doping (1.5 × 10{sup 13 }cm{sup −2}) at the onset of film conduction and bulk dopant density of ∼5 × 10{sup 11 }cm{sup −2} per quintuple-layer unit, roughly independent of growth temperature profile. Mobility depends more strongly on the growth temperature and is related to the crystalline quality of the samples quantified by ex-situ atomic force microscopy measurements. These results indicate that Bi{sub 2}Se{sub 3} as prepared by widely employed parameters is n-doped before exposure to atmosphere, the doping is largely interfacial in origin, and dopants are not the limiting disorder in present Bi{sub 2}Se{sub 3} films.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Layer thickness and period as design parameters to tailor pyroelectric properties in ferroelectric superlattices

We theoretically examine the pyroelectric properties of ferroelectric-paraelectric superlattices as a function of layer thickness and configuration using non-linear thermodynamics coupled with electrostatic and electromechanical interactions between layers. We specifically study PbZr{sub 0.3}Ti{sub 0.7}O{sub 3}/SrTiO{sub 3} superlattices. The pyroelectric properties of such constructs consisting of relatively thin repeating units are shown to exceed the pyroelectric response of monolithic PbZr{sub 0.3}Ti{sub 0.7}O{sub 3} films. This is related to periodic internal electric fields generated due to the polarization mismatch between layers that allows tailoring of the shift in the transition temperature. Our results indicate that higher and electric field sensitive pyroresponse can be achieved from layer-by-layer engineered ferroelectric heterostructures.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

O-band quantum-confined Stark effect optical modulator from Ge/Si{sub 0.15}Ge{sub 0.85} quantum wells by well thickness tuning

We report an O-band optical modulator from a Ge/Si{sub 0.15}Ge{sub 0.85} multiple quantum well (MQW). Strong O-band optical modulation in devices commonly operating within E-band wavelength range can be achieved by simply decreasing the quantum well thickness. Both spectral photocurrent and optical transmission studies are performed to evaluate material characteristics and device performance from a surface-illuminated diode and a waveguide modulator, respectively. These results demonstrate the potential of using Ge/Si{sub 0.15}Ge{sub 0.85} MQWs for the realization of future on-chip wavelength-division multiplexing systems with optical modulators operating at different wavelengths over a wide spectral range.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

High quality HfO{sub 2}/p-GaSb(001) metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors with 0.8 nm equivalent oxide thickness

We investigate in-situ cleaning of GaSb surfaces and its effect on the electrical performance of p-type GaSb metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitor (MOSCAP) using a remote hydrogen plasma. Ultrathin HfO{sub 2} films grown by atomic layer deposition were used as a high permittivity gate dielectric. Compared to conventional ex-situ chemical cleaning methods, the in-situ GaSb surface treatment resulted in a drastic improvement in the impedance characteristics of the MOSCAPs, directly evidencing a much lower interface trap density and enhanced Fermi level movement efficiency. We demonstrate that by using a combination of ex-situ and in-situ surface cleaning steps, aggressively scaled HfO{sub 2}/p-GaSb MOSCAP structures with a low equivalent oxide thickness of 0.8 nm and efficient gate modulation of the surface potential are achieved, allowing to push the Fermi level far away from the valence band edge high up into the band gap of GaSb.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗