Control of thickness and orientation of solution-grown silicon nanowires

Bulk quantities of defect-free silicon (Si) nanowires with nearly uniform diameters ranging from 40 to 50 angstroms were grown to a length of several micrometers with a supercritical fluid solution-phase approach. Alkanethiol-coated gold nanocrystals (25 angstroms in diameter) were used as uniform seeds to direct one-dimensional Si crystallization in a solvent heated and pressurized above its critical point. The orientation of the Si nanowires produced with this method could be controlled with reaction pressure. Visible photoluminescence due to quantum confinement effects was observed, as were discrete optical transitions in the ultraviolet-visible absorbance spectra.     

Ferroelectric Bi3.25La0.75Ti3O12 films of uniform a-axis orientation on silicon substrates

The use of bismuth-layered perovskite films for planar-type nonvolatile ferroelectric random-access memories requires films with spontaneous polarization normal to the plane of growth. Epitaxially twinned a axis-oriented La-substituted Bi4Ti3O12 (BLT) thin films whose spontaneous polarization is entirely along the film normal were grown by pulsed laser deposition on yttria-stabilized zirconia-buffered Si(100) substrates using SrRuO3 as bottom electrodes. Even though the (118) orientation competes with the (100) orientation, epitaxial films with almost pure (100) orientation were grown using very thin, strained SrRuO3 electrode layers and kinetic growth conditions, including high growth rates and high oxygen background pressures to facilitate oxygen incorporation into the growing film. Films with the a-axis orientation and having their polarization entirely along the direction normal to the film plane can achieve a remanent polarization of 32 microcoulombs per square centimeter.     

Elastic torque and the levitation of metal wires by a nematic liquid crystal

Anisotropic particles suspended in a nematic liquid crystal disturb the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules and experience small forces that depend on the particles' orientation. We have measured these forces using magnetic nanowires. The torque on a wire and its orientation-dependent repulsion from a flat surface are quantitatively consistent with theoretical predictions based on the elastic properties of the liquid crystal. These forces can also be used to manipulate submicrometer-scale particles. We show that controlled spatial variations in the liquid crystal's alignment convert the torque on a wire to a translational force that levitates the wire to a specified height.     

Van der Waals Epitaxial Growth of agr-Alumina Nanocrystals on Mica

Lattice mismatch stresses, which severely restrict heteroepitaxial growth, are greatly minimized when thin alumina films are grown by means of van der Waals forces on inert mica substrates. A 10-nanometer-thick epitaxial film exhibits crystallographic sixfold symmetry, a lattice constant close to that of the basal plane [0001] of alpha-alumina (sapphire), and an aluminum: oxygen atomic ratio of 1:1.51 +/- 0.02 (measured by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy), again the same as for bulk sapphire. The film is free of steps and grain boundaries over large areas and appears to be an ideal model system for studying adhesion, tribology, and other surface phenomena at atomic scales.     

Epitaxial and Smooth Films of a-Axis YBa2Cu3O7

YBa(2)Cu(3)O(7) films have been grown epitaxially on SrTiO(3) (100) and LaAlO(3) (100) substrates with nearly pure a-axis orientation and with transition temperature T(c) (R = 0) of 85 K. A unique feature of these films is their smooth surface. These smooth surfaces enable the growth of short-period superlattices with well-defined modulations. The films are untwinned and the grains grow with their c-axis along one of two perpendicular directions on the substrate ([100] or [010]). The fabrication of sandwich-type Josephson junctions with good characteristics may now be possible because unlike c-axis-oriented films, the superconducting coherence length of these smooth films is appreciably large perpendicular to their surfaces.     

Observations of intergranular stress corrosion cracking in a grain-mapped polycrystal

Nondestructive three-dimensional mapping of grain shape, crystallographic orientation, and grain boundary geometry by diffraction contrast tomography (DCT) provides opportunities for the study of the interaction between intergranular stress corrosion cracking and microstructure. A stress corrosion crack was grown through a volume of sensitized austenitic stainless steel mapped with DCT and observed in situ by synchrotron tomography. Several sensitization-resistant crack-bridging boundaries were identified, and although they have special geometric properties, they are not the twin variant boundaries usually maximized during grain boundary engineering.     

Dissolution of pyroxenes and amphiboles during weathering

Augite, hypersthene, diopside, and hornblende all undergo dissolution during weathering by means of the formation, growth, and coalescence of distinctive, parallel, lens-shaped etch pits. Similar etch features can be produced if these minerals are treated in the laboratory with concentrated hydrofluoric acid plus hydrochloric acid. These pits most likely form at dislocation outcrops, and their shape and orientation are controlled primarily by the crystallography of the underlying mineral. The results are similar to those found for soil feldspars and suggest that silicate weathering, in general, takes place by selective etching and not by general attack of the surface with consequent rounding as necessiated by bulk diffusion-type weathering theories.     

Atomic force microscopy of the electrochemical nucleation and growth of molecular crystals

In situ atomic force microscopy reveals the morphology, surface topography, and growth and dissolution characteristics of microscopic single crystals of the low-dimensional organic conductor (tetrathiafulvalene)Br(0.76)' which are grown by electrocrystallization on a highly oriented pyrolytic graphite electrode in an atomic force microscope liquid cell. The growth modes and the distribution and orientation of topographic features on specific crystal faces, whose identity was determined by "atomic force microscope goniometry," can be correlated with the strength and direction of anisotropic solid-state intermolecular bonding. Growth on the (011) face of (tetrathiafulvalene)Br(0.76) crystals involves the formation of oriented self-similar triangular islands ranging in size from 200 to 5000 angstroms along a side. These nuclei eventually transform into rectangular rafts at larger length scales, where bulk intermolecular bonding interactions and surface energies dominate over nuclei-substrate interactions.     

Multifunctional nanomechanical systems via tunably coupled piezoelectric actuation

Efficient actuation is crucial to obtaining optimal performance from nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS). We employed epitaxial piezoelectric semiconductors to obtain efficient and fully integrated NEMS actuation, which is based on exploitation of the interaction between piezoelectric strain and built-in charge depletion. The underlying actuation mechanism in these depletion-mediated NEMS becomes important only for devices with dimensions approaching semiconductor depletion lengths. The induced actuation forces are controlled electrically, and resonant excitation approaching single-electron efficiency is demonstrated. The fundamental electromechanical coupling itself can be programmed by heterostructure band engineering, externally controllable charge depletion, and crystallographic orientation. These attributes are combined to realize a prototype, mechanically based, exclusive-or logic element.     

Room-temperature ultraviolet nanowire nanolasers

Room-temperature ultraviolet lasing in semiconductor nanowire arrays has been demonstrated. The self-organized, <0001> oriented zinc oxide nanowires grown on sapphire substrates were synthesized with a simple vapor transport and condensation process. These wide band-gap semiconductor nanowires form natural laser cavities with diameters varying from 20 to 150 nanometers and lengths up to 10 micrometers. Under optical excitation, surface-emitting lasing action was observed at 385 nanometers, with an emission linewidth less than 0.3 nanometer. The chemical flexibility and the one-dimensionality of the nanowires make them ideal miniaturized laser light sources. These short-wavelength nanolasers could have myriad applications, including optical computing, information storage, and microanalysis.     

Direct fabrication of large micropatterned single crystals

Micropatterning of single crystals for technological applications is a complex, multistep process. Nature provides alternative fabrication strategies, when crystals with exquisite micro-ornamentation directly develop within preorganized frameworks. We report a bio-inspired approach to growing large micropatterned single crystals. Micropatterned templates organically modified to induce the formation of metastable amorphous calcium carbonate were imprinted with calcite nucleation sites. The template-directed deposition and crystallization of the amorphous phase resulted in the fabrication of millimeter-sized single calcite crystals with sub-10-micron patterns and controlled crystallographic orientation. We suggest that in addition to regulating the shape, micropatterned frameworks act as sites for stress and impurity release during the amorphous-to-crystalline transition. The proposed mechanisms may have direct biological relevance and broad implications in materials synthesis.     

Spontaneous organization of single CdTe nanoparticles into luminescent nanowires

Nanoparticles of CdTe were found to spontaneously reorganize into crystalline nanowires upon controlled removal of the protective shell of organic stabilizer. The intermediate step in the nanowire formation was found to be pearl-necklace aggregates. Strong dipole-dipole interaction is believed to be the driving force of nanoparticle self-organization. The linear aggregates subsequently recrystallized into nanowires whose diameter was determined by the diameter of the nanoparticles. The produced nanowires have high aspect ratio, uniformity, and optical activity. These findings demonstrate the collective behavior of nanoparticles as well as a convenient, simple technique for production of one-dimensional semiconductor colloids suitable for subsequent processing into quantum-confined superstructures, materials, and devices.     

Ultrahigh-density nanowire lattices and circuits

We describe a general method for producing ultrahigh-density arrays of aligned metal and semiconductor nanowires and nanowire circuits. The technique is based on translating thin film growth thickness control into planar wire arrays. Nanowires were fabricated with diameters and pitches (center-to-center distances) as small as 8 nanometers and 16 nanometers, respectively. The nanowires have high aspect ratios (up to 10(6)), and the process can be carried out multiple times to produce simple circuits of crossed nanowires with a nanowire junction density in excess of 10(11) per square centimeter. The nanowires can also be used in nanomechanical devices; a high-frequency nanomechanical resonator is demonstrated.     

不同附着基质对苦草生长的影响

通过室内试验,将苦草（Vallisneria natans）种子播种在不同附着基质上,对其发芽情况和苦草的形态特征及生物量分配格局进行了研究。结果表明：（1） 在人工丝状棉上生长的苦草新生叶片数、最长根长、茎叶总长都要显著大于在薄层海绵和棕丝束上生长的苦草。而对照无附着基质组的苦草部分浮于水面,叶片枯黄,各项生长指标均低于其他3组;（2） 对照组中生长的苦草根数量最少,显著小于其他3个试验组上生长的苦草,但是该组苦草的根上生物量占有率及出现弯曲茎的数量大大高于其他3组;（3） 人工丝状棉基质上,苦草的存活率显著大于薄层海绵基质和棕丝束基质,也显著大于对照组（无基质）,四组的存活率分别为91%,88%,69%,21%。因此,基质条件对苦草的生长和形态有较大的影响,如果没有附着基质,苦草易于漂浮水面而死亡;在结构疏松的人工丝状棉基质上,苦草长势最好,但考虑到苦草在基质上的附着牢度和基质浸泡水中的理化变化,故本次试验中,薄层海绵为最好的附着基质。     

Growth and erosion of thin solid films

Thin films that are grown by the process of sputtering are, by and large, quite unlike the smooth, featureless structures that one might expect. In general, these films have a complicated surface morphology and an extended network of grooves and voids in their interiors. Such features can have a profound effect on the physical properties of a thin film. The surface irregularities and the bulk defects are the result of a growth instability due to competitive shadowing, an effect that also plays a role in geological processes such as erosion. For amorphous thin films, the shadow instability can be described by a remarkably simple model, which can be shown to reproduce many important observed characteristics of thin film morphology.     

不同成分和结构的CoCu纳米线阵列的沉积规律

利用直流电化学沉积法通过调节沉积参数在多孔阳极氧化铝模板中沉积制备出了一系列不同成分和结构的磁性CoCu纳米线阵列.XRD和TEM的结果显示,沉积溶液的pH值对纳米线的成分比例和相结构的影响表现出了明显的规律性.笔者认为pH值对纳米线成分比例和相结构的控制主要源于它对溶液中Co^2＋沉积速率的影响.基于此沉积规律,沉积出了立方结构与六角结构共存的复相结构的CoCu纳米线.由于复相结构的CoCu纳米线中包含较多的相边界,因此它们具有远好于单相结构CoCu纳米线的磁性,其矫顽力和剩磁比均是单相结构纳米线的3倍.     

Memory Glass: An Amorphous Material Formed from AlPO4

A glass exhibiting structural memory has been produced through the compression of a single crystal of AlPO(4) berlinite to 18 gigapascals at 300 kelvin. The unique and extraordinary characteristic of this glass is that upon decompression below 5 gigapascals it transforms back into a single crystal with the same orientation as the starting crystal. This glass has a "memory" of the previous crystallographic orientation of the crystal from which it forms.     

A laser ablation method for the synthesis of crystalline semiconductor nanowires

A method combining laser ablation cluster formation and vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth was developed for the synthesis of semiconductor nanowires. In this process, laser ablation was used to prepare nanometer-diameter catalyst clusters that define the size of wires produced by VLS growth. This approach was used to prepare bulk quantities of uniform single-crystal silicon and germanium nanowires with diameters of 6 to 20 and 3 to 9 nanometers, respectively, and lengths ranging from 1 to 30 micrometers. Studies carried out with different conditions and catalyst materials confirmed the central details of the growth mechanism and suggest that well-established phase diagrams can be used to predict rationally catalyst materials and growth conditions for the preparation of nanowires.     

Magnetic domain-wall racetrack memory

Recent developments in the controlled movement of domain walls in magnetic nanowires by short pulses of spin-polarized current give promise of a nonvolatile memory device with the high performance and reliability of conventional solid-state memory but at the low cost of conventional magnetic disk drive storage. The racetrack memory described in this review comprises an array of magnetic nanowires arranged horizontally or vertically on a silicon chip. Individual spintronic reading and writing nanodevices are used to modify or read a train of approximately 10 to 100 domain walls, which store a series of data bits in each nanowire. This racetrack memory is an example of the move toward innately three-dimensional microelectronic devices.     

Psedudomonas sp．A03对Rhiaoctonia solani的抗生现象

在ＰＤＡ、ＫＢ和含Ｆｅ（＋＋＋）的ＫＢ琼脂平板上，Ｐｓｅｕｄｏｍｏｎａｓｓｐ．Ａ０３和Ｒｈｉｚｏｃｔｏｎｉａｓｏｌａｌｎｉ之间出现抑菌带。ＰｓｅｕｄｏｍｏｎａｓｓｐＡ０３培养物的无菌滤液及其粗提物以及在ＫＢ平板上产生的挥发性抗生物质都能抑制Ｒｈｉｚｏｃｈｔｏｎｉａｓｌｏａｎｉ菌丝生长。电镜扫描发现Ａ０３在杉木和云杉幼苗根面定殖。