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In this paper, investigation has been made on the electrical properties of graphene/Al contact, ZnO/Al contact and Al/graphene/ZnO contacts in detail. Al metallization is considered, and it is performed via thermal vacuum coating technique under strict monitoring of the rate of thickness of the metal. Spin coating method and shadow masking are done for depositing fabricated graphene and ZnO on the thin film. Comparative analysis has been made on the parameters like saturation current, Barrier height and ideality factors which are calculated using Schottky barrier height (SBH) method. I–V characteristics are analyzed using the key‐sight B2029A semiconductor parameter analyzer. It is seen that the ZnO/Al contact has more ideality factor nearly 0.059 and exhibits Schottky behavior. Meanwhile, maximum saturation current is obtained for Graphene/Al contact whereas maximum barrier height is for ZnO/Al contact. © 2023 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review introduces the technique of helium ion microscopy along with some unique applications of this technology in the fields of electronics and biology, as performed at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Japan, over the last several years. Observations of large-scale integrated circuits, analyses of low-dielectric-constant films with minimal damage, and assessments of copper metal in insulating films are discussed. The special characteristics of this technique are explained, including low-energy input to the material and minimal secondary electron energy resulting from helium ion irradiation. Applications to electronic materials, such as tuning the electrical conductivity of graphene films by helium ion beam irradiation and the formation of nanopore arrays on graphene films with nanometer-scale control, are presented. The use of helium ion microscopy to examine cellular tissues based on the low damage imparted by the ion beam is also evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cesium is a radioactive fission product generated in nuclear power plants and is disposed of as liquid waste. The recent catastrophe at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in Japan has increased the 137Cs and 134Cs concentrations in air, soil and water to lethal levels. 137Cs has a half-life of 30.4 years, while the half-life of 134Cs is around two years, therefore the formers' detrimental effects linger for a longer period. In addition, cesium is easily transported through water bodies making water contamination an urgent issue to address. Presently, efficient water remediation methods towards the extraction of 137Cs are being studied. Prussian blue (PB) and its analogs have shown very high efficiencies in the capture of 137Cs+ ions. In addition, combining them with magnetic nanoparticles such as Fe3O4 allows their recovery via magnetic extraction once exhausted. Graphene and carbon nanotubes (CNT) are the new generation carbon allotropes that possess high specific surface areas. Moreover, the possibility to functionalize them with organic or inorganic materials opens new avenues in water treatment. The combination of PB-CNT/Graphene has shown enhanced 137Cs+ extraction and their possible applications as membranes can be envisaged. This review will survey these nanocomposites, their efficiency in 137Cs+ extraction, their possible toxicity, and prospects in large-scale water remediation and succinctly survey other new developments in 137Cs+ extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]