Atomic force microscopic study on DNA-wrapping for different diameter single-wall carbon nanotubes

DNA-wrapped single-wall carbon nanotubes (DNA-SWNT hybrids) prepared from different diameter HiPco- and Arc-SWNTs were investigated by atomic force microscopy. The mean diameter of DNA-HiPco-SWNT hybrids is 1.94 nm that is consistent with one HiPco-SWNT (~ 0.9 nm) wrapped by DNA (~ 1 nm). On the other hand, the mean diameter of DNA-Arc-SWNT hybrids is 3.74 nm that can correspond to one Arc-SWNT (~ 1.4 nm) wrapped by several layers of DNA. It is suggested that the DNA-wrapping mechanism for large diameter Arc-SWNTs is different from that for small diameter HiPco-SWNTs.     

Collective Shape Oscillation and Domain Formation of Two-Component Bose–Einstein Condensates

In this paper, we describe two kinds of characteristic nonlinear dynamics in two-component Bose–Einstein condensates. For two overlapping components, we analyzed the collective modes and a variety of nonlinear mode couplings, which were then confirmed by numerical simulation of the time-dependent Gross–Pitaevskii equations. Next, we consider the nonlinear dynamics of two condensates after abruptly turning on the intercomponent coupling strength. For strong intercomponent interactions the out-of-phase density wave of the condensates became unstable, leading to mugtiple domain formation.     

Suppression of photo-induced dilation in cyanide treated hydrogenated amorphous silicon films

Effects of cyanide (CN) treatment with hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) films have been investigated. The decrease of ΔV/V was observed in cyanide treated a-Si:H films and the successive thermal annealing at 200°C after CN treatment induced the further reduction of the ΔV/V. XPS spectra show the indirect evidence that the cyanide species is present within 10 nm from the hydrogenated amorphous silicon surface. The results of CN treatment with a-Si:H solar cells are demonstrated.     

Evaluation of static and dynamic fracture toughness in ductile cast iron

Crack extension behavior and fracture toughness of ductile cast iron were examined by three-point bend tests, where various detection methods of crack initiation under static and dynamic loading conditions were adopted. Loading on the specimens was interrupted at various displacement points, and the final fracture surfaces of the specimen were observed via scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Crack-tip opening displacement (CTOD) obtained under the dynamic loading condition was smaller than that under the static loading condition in ferritic ductile cast iron, and CTOD additionally decreased with increasing pearlite content in the matrix. The relationship between J (ΔC) obtained by the compliance changing rate method and J(R) established by the intersection of the crack extension resistance curve and the theoretical blunting line varied with pearlite content. The average value of .J(ΔC) and J(R), that is J (mid), was proposed to define the fracture toughness of ductile cast iron; J (mid) was considered to be a reasonable measure for the fracture toughness of ductile cast iron, irrespective of loading condition and the pearlite content in the matrix.     

Oxidation of methane to formaldehyde over Fe/SiO2 and Sn---W mixed oxides

In an attempt to develop new catalysts for the formation of formaldehyde from methane, the promotion effect of Fe on SiO₂ and that of Sn on WO₃ have been studied. The formation of formaldehyde on silica can be appreciably enhanced by the impregnation of Fe, as far as iron loadings are kept below 0.1 atom.% (Fe/Si × 100). In the case of Sn---W---Ox catalysts, both the addition of Sn to WO₃, and that of W on SnO₂ were effective to the selective formaldehyde formation. Absorption spectra (UV-Vis) and ESR measurements revealed that tetrahedrally coordinated Fe³⁺ in the silica network plays an important role in the formation of formaldehyde. A thin surface layer consisting of W and Sn oxides can account for the selective formaldehyde formation on the Sn---W---Ox catalysts.     

Elimination of fictitious penetrating rays from PO and hybridization with AFIM

Physical optics (PO) is an approximation method for high‐frequency scattering and diffraction problems. But PO fields are inaccurate in the shadow region where the source is screened by the scatter. Two key factors of the error for PO are (i) edge diffraction coefficients and (ii) existence of fictitious penetrating rays. The correction with respect to the former has been extensively investigated by many authors using various ray techniques such as GTD, UTD, and UAT. On the other hand, the latter was identified recently by the authors. This paper proposes novel PO‐based calculation procedures termed PO‐AF and PTD‐AF, where PO and Aperture Field Integration Method (AFIM) are merged with the help of special elementary diffraction coefficients. These can uniformly cover the whole angular region and only the error factor (ii) is removed in PO‐AF while both (i) and (ii) are removed in PTD‐AF. The theoretical backgrounds of PO currents are discussed in terms of field equivalence theorem and visualization of EM waves. Next, new methods are proposed and their validity is numerically demonstrated for 2D scattering problems of a strip, a corner reflector, and a cylinder of circular arc. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 150(2): 1–10, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20037     

Monolithic rat-race mixers for millimeter waves

In this paper, we report on fully monolithic millimeter-wave Schottky-barrier diode (SBD) down-converters with an IF amplifier using heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBT's). A rat-race circuit is used for the mixer, and is analyzed using a harmonic-balance simulator. The measured conversion gain and the isolation are 7.1 and 29 dB in the V-band design, and 8.0 and 25 dB in the W-band design, respectively. The conversion gains are matched well with the circuit simulation     

DX centers in AlxGa1-xAs bulk alloy,AlAs/GaAs ordered,and disordered superlattices

Properties of theDX centers in Al_0.5Ga_0.5As bulk alloy (b-AL), (AlAs)₂ (GaSa)₂ ordered superlattice (o-SL) and (AlAs) _m (GaAs) _n disordered superlattice (d-SL) (m = 1, 2, 3,n = 1, 2, 3) with the same macroscopic composition were measured and compared. By deconvolution of deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) spectrum due to theDX center, we have found a decrease in the number of separate peaks in DLTS spectrum in an intentionally atomic ordered arrangement. Visiting Scholar of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. On leave from Department of Electrical Engineering, San Jose State University, San Jose, California 95192-0084, USA.     

Comparison of the effect of a proteolytic enzyme dispase and a chelator for the preparation of epidermal sheet from nude mice.

Histochemical studies of epidermal Langerhans cells require well-preserved epidermal sheets. We studied the conditions for the preparation of the epidermal sheets from the skin of the ear, hind limb and trunk of nude mice. Two types of commercial dispase, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), were used at several concentrations and the effects were compared. Dermo-epidermal separation was evaluated by the preservation of ATPase activity of Langerhans cells in the epidermal sheet and by the ultrastructure of epidermal cells (Langerhans cells and keratinocytes) as well as epidermal-dermal junction. Good separation depended on the combination of the concentration of the reagent and site of the skin. The concentrations of both dispase and EDTA effective for separation of the epidermis in the nude mouse were lower than those in other mouse strains reported.