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Abstract: Porous conducting carbon paper acts as an electrode backing material in a fuel cell. It not only assists in the flow of electrons and gases but also provides mechanical support to the MEA. The electrically conducting carbon paper (porosity ∼70%) was prepared using laminated assembly of chopped carbon fiber porous preforms and applying combined paper making and composite making technique. The green paper was subjected to different heat treatment temperatures (HTT), which was found to influence the characteristics of the paper significantly. The processing of the paper was carried out at a very fast carbonization rates, 900°C/h as compared to 10–20°C/h used conventionally, making the complete process highly cost efficient. The paper when used in the unit fuel cell assembly showed I–V performance comparable to that of the commercially available Toray carbon paper. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The mono-energetic conversion electrons from the decay of Kr represent a unique tool for energy calibration and systematic studies of the tritium beta spectrum measured in neutrino mass determination experiments. For this reason, the corresponding parent isotope was produced in reactions Kr(p,xn)Rb. The behaviour of Rb () and its daughter product Kr () was examined, when the Rb was trapped in a cation-exchanger chromatographic paper or in zeolite. Using gamma spectroscopy measurements, recommendations for the production of a Rb/Kr radionuclide generator based on these cation-exchangers and suitable for the neutrino mass determination experiment KATRIN were deduced. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The discovery over 100 years ago that cathode rays were composed of negatively charged corpuscles-subsequently named electrons-was an historic event in the development of science, demonstrating for the first time that particles smaller than atoms existed and initiating other investigations into the nature of matter, as well as marking the beginning of the electronics industry. The research investigations of J. J. Thomson, leading up to the crucial experiments identifying the particle and determining its charge-to-mass ratio as reported in the Philosophical Magazine, are here described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We show that the numerical code used in the above mentioned paper does not take into account the multiple scattering effects of electromagnetic fields properly and is, therefore, incorrect. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Just over 100 years ago, Henry Moseley carried out a systematic series of experiments which showed that the frequencies of the X-rays emitted from an elemental target under bombardment by cathode rays were characteristic of that element and could be used to identify the charge on its atomic nucleus. This led to a reorganization of the periodic table, with chemical elements now arranged on the basis of atomic number Z rather than atomic weight A, as had been the case in previous tables, including those developed by Mendeleev. Moseley also showed that there were four 'missing elements' before gold. With further measurements up to uranium Z=92, the Swedish physicist Manne Siegbahn identified two more missing elements. This paper provides an introduction to Moseley and his experiments and then traces attempts to 'discover' missing elements by X-ray spectroscopy. There were two successes with hafnium (Z=72) and rhenium (Z=75), but many blind alleys and episodes of self-deception when dealing with elements 43, 61, 85 and 87. These all turned out to be radioactive, with extremely small natural abundances: all required synthesis by a nuclear reaction, with radiological characterization in the first instance. Finally, the paper moves on to consider the role of X-ray spectroscopy in exploring the periodic table beyond uranium. Although the discovery of artificial radioactive elements with Z>92 again depended on nucleosynthesis and radiological characterization, measurement of the frequencies or energies of characteristic X-rays remains the ultimate goal in proving the existence of an element. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In charged particle beams, one of the roles played by space charge is to couple the transverse and longitudinal dynamics of the beam. This can lead to very complex phenomena which are generally studied using computer simulations. However, in some cases models based on phenomenological or analytic approximations can provide valuable insight into the system behavior. In this paper, we employ such approximations to investigate the conditions under which all the slices of a space charge dominated electron beam with slowly varying current could be focused to a waist with the same radius and at the same location, independent of slice current, and show that this can be accomplished approximately if the initial transverse-longitudinal correlation introduced onto the beam by the electron gun is chosen to compensate for the transverse-longitudinal correlation introduced onto the beam in the drift section. The validity of our approximations is assessed by use of progressively more realistic calculations. We also consider several design elements of electron guns that affect the initial correlations in the beams they generate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insertion of ultra-thin polymeric interlayers (ILs) between the poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): polystyrene sulphonate hole injection and poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene-alt-benzothiadiazole) (F8BT) light emission layers of polymer light emitting diodes (PLEDs) can significantly increase their efficiency. In this paper, we investigate experimentally a broad range of probable causes of this enhancement with an eye to determining which IL parameters have the most significant effects. The importance of hole injection and electron blocking was studied through varying the IL material (and consequently its electronic energy levels) for both PLED and hole-only diode structures. The role of IL conductivity was examined by introducing a varying level of charge-transfer doping through blending the IL materials with a strong electron-accepting small molecule in concentrations from 1% to 7% by weight. Depositing ILs with thicknesses below the exciton diffusion length of 15nm allowed the role of the IL as a physical barrier to exciton quenching to be probed. IL containing PLEDs was also fabricated with Lumation Green Series 1300 (LG 1300) light emission layers. On the other hand, the PLEDs were modeled using a 3D multi-particle Kinetic Monte Carlo simulation coupled with an optical model describing how light is extracted from the PLED. The model describes charge carrier transport and interactions between electrons, holes, singlets, and triplets, with the current density, luminance, and recombination zone (RZ) locations calculated for each PLED. The model shows F8BT PLEDs have a narrow charge RZ adjacent to the anode, while LG 1300 PLEDs have a wide charge RZ that is evenly distributed across the light emitting layer. Varying the light emitting layer from F8BT to Lumation Green Series 1300, we therefore experimentally examine the dependence of the IL function, specifically in regard to anode-side exciton quenching, on the location of the RZ. We found an exponential dependence of F8BT PLED luminance on the difference, δ, in the highest occupied to lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy gap between the light emitting polymer and a semiconducting polymeric IL, with δ consequently the most important parameter determining efficiency. Understanding the exponential effect that wider energy gap IL materials have on exciton quenching may allow δ to be used to better guide PLED structure design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new contribution of this paper is to develop a cylindrical representation of an already known multiphysics model for embedded nanowire superlattices (NWSLs) of wurtzite structure that includes a coupled, strain dependent 8-band k·p Hamiltonian in cylindrical coordinates and investigate the influence of coupled piezo-electromechanical effects on the barrier localization and critical radius in such NWSLs. The coupled piezo-electromechanical model for semiconductor materials takes into account the strain, piezoelectric effects, and spontaneous polarization. Based on the developed 3D model, the band structures of electrons (holes) obtained from results of modeling in Cartesian coordinates are in good agreement with those values obtained from our earlier developed 2D model in cylindrical coordinates. Several parameters such as lattice mismatch, piezo-electric fields, valence, and conduction band offsets at the heterojunction of AlxGa1-xN/GaN superlattice can be varied as a function of the Al mole fraction. When the band offsets at the heterojunction of AlxGa1-xN/GaN are very small and the influence of the piezo-electromechanical effects can be minimized, then the barrier material can no longer be treated as an infinite potential well. In this situation, it is possible to visualize the penetration of the Bloch wave function into the barrier material that provides an estimation of critical radii of NWSLs. In this case, the NWSLs can act as inversion layers. Finally, we investigate the influence of symmetry of the square and cylindrical NWSLs on the band structures of electrons in the conduction band. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the effect of optical pulses on the electron emission properties of metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) cathodes based on nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si). The emission current is enhanced by about two orders of magnitude by the irradiation of 405 nm laser light. The increase of the emission current under irradiation was proportional to incident laser power. The differential quantum efficiency of the nc-Si based MOS diode itself was estimated to be 3 × 10-2. However, the value of the photoemission current was only 3 × 10-7 due to the short mean free path of hot electron for Pt used as the gate electrode. We obtained a pulsed electron beam from the cathode device by a pulsed laser. The result shows that MOS type cathodes have a suitable structure for optically generating a train of short electron bunches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of physically based distributions used in studies concerning gas electrical breakdowns is introduced in this paper. The non-stationary exponential distribution of the breakdown voltages and time delays with time dependent distribution parameter is theoretically derived based on physical grounds starting from a binomial distribution for electron occurrence in the interelectrode gap. The experimental distributions of breakdown voltages Ub and time delays td are obtained by applying linearly rising (ramp) voltage pulses to the discharge tube with a hard galvanic layer of gold on the cathode and modeled by multi-component non-stationary exponential distribution, as well as by a Weibull distribution for the sake of comparison. In order to fit the experimental data, the multi-component voltage/time dependent distribution parameter YP is introduced, where Y is electron yield (number of generated electrons in the interelectrode gap per second), and P is breakdown probability (the probability of one electron to cause a breakdown). It is shown that multi-component non-stationary exponential distribution is suitable for modeling of the experimental data when time varying voltage pulses are applied to the discharge tube. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper Mie scattering of light by dust particles having Mathis, Rumpl, and Nordsieek power law distribution of size has been incorporated in the formulation of the kinetics of an illuminated complex plasma which takes into account the ionization of neutral atoms by an external agency, ion-electron recombination, photoemission of electrons by the dust particles, and accretion of electrons and ions on the surface of the particles; the number and energy balance of the constituent species has also been taken into account. An interesting conclusion is that unlike the usual case (when Mie scattering is neglected) the charge on a particle is not proportional to the radius and that for certain sets of parameters the smaller particles are negatively charged while the larger particles, carry positive charge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with aging phenomena in polymers under electric stress. In particular, we focus our efforts on the development of a novel theoretical method accounting for the discharge process (partial discharge) in well known defects present in polymers, which are essentially tiny air gaps embedded in a polymeric matrix. Such defects are believed to act as trigger points for the partial discharges and their induced aging process. The model accounts for the amplitude as well as the energy distribution of the electrons during their motion, particularly at the time in which they impact on the polymer surface. The knowledge of the number of generated electrons and of their energy distributions is fundamental to evaluate the amount of damage caused by an avalanche on the polymer-void interface and get novel insights of the basic phenomena underlying the relevant aging processes. The calculation of such quantities would require generally the combined solution of the Boltzmann equation in the energy and space/time domains. The proposed method simplifies the problem, taking into account only the main phenomena involved in the process and provides a partial discharge (PD) model virtually free of adjustable parameters. This model is validated by an accurate experimental procedure aimed at reproducing the same conditions of the simulations and regarding air gaps embedded in polymeric dielectrics. The experimental results confirm the validity and accuracy of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the interaction between electrons and molecular vibrations in the context of electronic transport in nanoscale devices. We present a method based on nonequilibrium Green’s functions to calculate both equilibrium and nonequilibrium electronic properties of a single-molecule junction in the presence of electron-vibron interactions. We apply our method to a model system consisting of a single electronic level coupled to a single vibration mode in the molecule, which is in contact with two electron reservoirs. Higher-order diagrams beyond the usual self-consistent Born approximation (SCBA) are included in the calculations. In this paper we consider the effects of the double-exchange diagram and the diagram in which the vibron propagator is renormalized by one electron-hole bubble. We study in detail the effects of the first- and second-order diagrams on the spectral functions for a large set of parameters and for different transport regimes (resonant and off-resonant cases), both at equilibrium and in the presence of a finite applied bias. We also study the linear response (linear conductance) of the nanojunction for all the different regimes. We find that it is indeed necessary to go beyond the SCBA in order to obtain correct results for a wide range of parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrafast melting and resolidification of a submicron gold particle subject to pico- to femtosecond laser pulse are studied in this paper. The nonequilibrium heat transfer in the electrons and lattice is described using a two-temperature model, and the locations of the solid-liquid interface are determined using an interfacial tracking method. The interfacial velocity, as well as elevated melting temperature and depressed solidification temperature, is obtained by considering the interfacial energy balance and nucleation dynamics. The results showed that the maximum melting depth, peak interfacial temperature, and velocity increase with the decreasing particle size and pulse width or with the increasing laser fluence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper a remote phonon scattering of channel electrons in a field-effect transistor (FET) with a high dielectric constant (κ) insulator in between the gate and the channel is studied theoretically. The spectrum of phonons confined in the high κ layer and its modification by the gate screening is investigated. Only two phonon modes of five participate in the remote electron-phonon scattering. The gate suppresses one of the modes but increases scattering by the other. Numerical results for the channel mobility limited only by remote phonon scattering were obtained for a Si FET with a HfO2 layer and a SiO2 layer in between the channel and metallic gate. A surprising result is the reduction of the mobility compared to the case when the gate screening is absent. The dependence of the mobility on the widths of HfO2 and interfacial SiO2 layers on channel concentration and temperature was studied. The accuracy of the calculations based on the Boltzmann equation is discussed. Finally, a comparison of our results with available experimental data leads to the conclusion that the remote phonon scattering is not the dominating scattering mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The generator coordinate (GC) method is a variational approach to the quantum many-body problem in which interacting many-body wave functions are constructed as superpositions of (generally nonorthogonal) eigenstates of auxiliary Hamiltonians containing a deformation parameter. This paper presents a time-dependent extension of the GC method as a new approach to improve existing approximations of the exchange-correlation (XC) potential in time-dependent density-functional theory (TDDFT). The time-dependent GC method is shown to be a conceptually and computationally simple tool to build memory effects into any existing adiabatic XC potential. As an illustration, the method is applied to driven parametric oscillations of two interacting electrons in a harmonic potential (Hooke’s atom). It is demonstrated that a proper choice of time-dependent generator coordinates in conjunction with the adiabatic local-density approximation reproduces the exact linear and nonlinear two-electron dynamics quite accurately, including features associated with double excitations that cannot be captured by TDDFT in the adiabatic approximation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper studies the role of electrons and holes mobility in determining the external quantum efficiency (EQE) in photodetectors based on a 1:1 in weight blend of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM). In order to fairly correlate the optoelectronic properties (efficiency and transient photocurrent) measured on photodetectors with the transport properties measured on field effect transistors, the photodetectors and the transistors have been produced with an identical planar geometry, where in both cases the charges flow occurs in the same direction with respect to the substrate. The measurements have been performed on devices based on pristine P3HT, on pristine PCBM, and on P3HT:PCBM 1:1 blend, before and after annealing, and have revealed the importance of a balanced carrier transport, showing that quantum efficiency increases as long as the mobility of electrons, which are the slowest carrier, increases. On the other end, the response time is mainly affected by the extension of the effective area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fundamental issues associated with the application of the nuclear-electronic orbital (NEO) approach to hydrogen transfer systems are addressed. In the NEO approach, specified nuclei are treated quantum mechanically on the same level as the electrons, and mixed nuclear-electronic wavefunctions are calculated with molecular orbital methods. The positions of the nuclear basis function centers are optimized variationally. In the application of the NEO approach to hydrogen transfer systems, the hydrogen nuclei and all electrons are treated quantum mechanically. Within the NEO framework, the transferring hydrogen atom can be represented by two basis function centers to allow delocalization of the proton vibrational wavefunction. In this paper, the NEO approach is applied to the [He-H-He]+ and [He-H-He]++ model systems. Analyses of technical issues pertaining to flexibility of the basis set to describe both single and double well proton potential energy surfaces, linear dependency of the hydrogen basis functions, multiple minima in the basis function center optimization, convergence of the number of hydrogen basis function centers, and basis set superposition error are presented. The accuracy of the NEO approach is tested by comparison to grid calculations for these model systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents results concerning measurements of the dissociative recombination (DR) of dihydrogen sulfide ions. In combination with the ion storage ring CRYRING an imaging technique was used to investigate the breakup dynamics of the three-body channel in the DR of 32SD2+. The two energetically available product channels S(3P)+2D(2S) and S(1D)+2D(2S) were both populated, with a branching fraction of the ground-state channel of 0.6(0.1). Information about the angle between the two deuterium atoms upon dissociation was obtained together with information about how the available kinetic energy was distributed between the two light fragments. The recombination cross sections as functions of energy in the interval of 1 meV to 0.3 eV in the center-of-mass frame are presented for 34SH2+. The thermal rate coefficient for the DR of 34SH2+ was determined to be (4.8±1.0)×10-7(T/300)-0.72±0.1 cm3 s-1 over this interval. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a series of previous papers we proved an accurate connection between quantum and classical equations in the case of electrodynamic systems. We have used this connection to elaborate simplified models for systems composed of very intense laser beams and electrons or atoms. These models are in good agreement with numerous experimental data from literature. In this paper we develop the above approach for the new field of interactions between ultraintense laser beams, having intensities in the range 10 − 10 W/cm, and electron plasmas. We show that in this case new effects take place, such as the fact that the variation of the phase of the field at the point where the electron is situated, decreases when the intensity of the field increases, due to a strong relativistic behavior. This effect leads to an aperiodic behavior of the radiations generated by above interactions, and to a possible new method for solitary waves generation. Graphical abstract: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Secondary electrons produced by Compton scattering and photoelectric effect contribute to the photon field through conversion mechanisms like bremsstrahlung and inner-shell impact ionization (ISII). Because electrons interact continuously, the solution of the coupled transport problem is complex and time consuming. For this reason, photon transport codes frequently neglect the effects due to secondary electrons. Both of these contributions have been computed by means of the ad hoc code KERNEL that uses the Monte Carlo code PENELOPE specific for coupled transport. The correction on the intensity of the characteristic lines due to ISII was treated in a recent paper of our group. This paper adds the continuous contribution to the radiation field due to bremsstrahlung by secondary electrons. The bremsstrahlung emission is studied in terms of angle, space, and energy. The continuous contribution is stored in a data library for selected photon source energies in the interval 1-150 keV and for all the elements Z = 1-92. For intermediate source energies, the single element contribution is obtained by interpolating the data library. An example is presented on how to use the data library to include bremsstrahlung in the simulation of a synchrotron experiment. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, low energy electron beam (5-20 keV, 0-500 μAs/cm2) induced damage on a GaN/InGaN/GaN near-surface quantum well structure is studied. Exposure to low energy electron beam is shown to significantly reduce the optical quality of the structure. It is also observed that reducing the electron beam energy causes larger PL intensity reduction. This can be explained by considering the beam penetration depth, which is shown to be smaller with lower e-beam energies. The damage is believed to be attributed to enhanced dislocation mobility upon low energy electron beam irradiation. However, further studies are needed to confirm the mechanism. These results should be taken into consideration in low energy electron beam related sample characterization and preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Vanadium (III) oxide (V 2 O 3) can be widely used in the fields of metal ceramics, catalysts, temperature sensors, and cathode materials. In this paper, V 2 O 3 powders are prepared via a gas-based reduction by the mixed gases of CO and CO 2 in the temperature range of 783–963 K. The effects of the CO percentage and reaction temperature on the phase transition and morphology evolution of the final products are investigated. The results reveal that the reduction mechanism are different at low and high temperatures. At a temperature lower than the melting point of V 2 O 5 (943 K), the phase transformation sequence can be described as follows: V 2 O 5 →V 6 O 13 →VO 2 →V 2 O 3. The reduction process is dominated by a pseudomorphic transformation mechanism, under which the morphology of the produced V 2 O 3 particles roughly keeps the original morphology of V 2 O 5 particles. As the temperature is higher than the melting point of V 2 O 5 , the reduction process becomes a gas-liquid reaction, and the reaction rate obviously decreases. Compared with the V 2 O 3 prepared at low temperatures, the morphology becomes much more irregular and compact. It is also found from the experiments that the introduction of CO 2 can restrain the carbon deposition reaction and assist in increasing the purity of the V 2 O 3 powders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports gas breakdown characteristics in microgaps with multiple concentric protrusions on the cathode in the transition from the Townsend to the subnormal glow discharge regime, using a two-dimensional hydrodynamic model. The effects of the protrusion aspect ratio, height, and protrusion spacing on the breakdown voltage are investigated. The results show that when the protrusion spacing is small, the shielding effect can play a more important role in the breakdown voltage rather than the protrusion aspect ratio; the breakdown voltage is more sensitive to the protrusion height and can be assessed by the shortest gap distance. Increasing the protrusion spacing decreases the shielding effect, which lowers the breakdown voltage in both low- and high-pressure regimes. It is found that the breakdown scaling law still holds in geometrically similar microgaps with multiple cathode protrusions despite the electric field distortion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the source of submicrosecond electron beam with an explosive emission cathode, where the main voltage pulse is preceded by an additional pulse (prepulse). Prepulse with an amplitude of 60 kV and duration of 100 ns is formed by a separate capacitive storage unit, the energy storage of which constitutes 4% of energy storage of the capacitive storage unit of the main discharge circuit. Prepulse allowed reducing the diode resistance on the pulse front to single Ohm units, improving diode matching with the generator and increasing the efficiency of energy output from the low-resistance capacitive storage unit to electron beam by 17%. When amplitude of accelerating voltage pulse is 100 kV, around 65% of energy is inserted into the diode at voltage of over 50 kV. For comparison, when working without a prepulse the share of inserted energy at voltage of over 50 kV does not exceed 35% of the full energy dissipated in the diode. A distinctive feature of the source circuit is absence of the system of additional auxiliary discharge electrodes that is typical for most circuits of diodes with preliminary plasma filling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper determines the optimal settings in the deposition parameters for (AlCrNbSiTiV)N high-entropy alloy (HEAs) nitride films that are deposited on CBN cutting tools and glass substrates. We use direct current magnetron sputtering (DCMS) and high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS), with Ar plasma and N 2 reactive gases. Experiments with the grey-Taguchi method are conducted to determine the effect of deposition parameters (deposition time, substrate DC bias, DC power and substrate temperature) on interrupted turning 50CrMo4 steel machining and the films’ structural properties. Experimental result shows that the multiple performance characteristics for these (AlCrNbSiTiV)N HEAs film coatings can be improved using the grey-Taguchi method. As can be seen, the coated film is homogeneous, very compact and exhibits perfect adherence to the substrate. The distribution of elements is homogeneous through the depth of the (AlCrNbSiTiV)N film, as measured by an auger electron nanoscope. After interrupted turning with an (AlCrNbSiTiV)N film coated tool, we obtain much longer tool life than when using uncoated tools. The correlation of these results with microstructure analysis and tool life indicates that HIPIMS discharge induced a higher (AlCrNbSiTiV)N film density, a smoother surface structure and a higher hardness surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper proposes a new model of ion confinement in ECRIS, which can be easily generalized to any magnetic configuration characterized by closed magnetic surfaces. Traditionally, ion confinement in B-min configurations is ascribed to a negative potential dip due to superhot electrons, adiabatically confined by the magneto-static field. However, kinetic simulations including RF heating affected by cavity modes structures indicate that high energy electrons populate just a thin slab overlapping the ECR layer, while their density drops down of more than one order of magnitude outside. Ions, instead, diffuse across the electron layer due to their high collisionality. This is the proper physical condition to establish a double-layer (DL) configuration which self-consistently originates a potential barrier; this "barrier" confines the ions inside the plasma core surrounded by the ECR surface. The paper will describe a simplified ion confinement model based on plasma density non-homogeneity and DL formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The acceleration of a beam of electrons has been observed in a dielectric laser-driven accelerator with a gradient of 300 MV/m. It opens the way to building a particle accelerator "on a chip" much more cheaply than a conventional one. This paper investigates numerically an efficient dielectric laser-driven accelerating structure, based on dual-gratings with a Bragg reflector. The design of the structure boosts the accelerating field in the channel, thereby increasing the accelerating gradient by more than 70% compared to bare dual-gratings, from analytical calculations. This is supported by two-dimensional (2D) particle-in-cell simulations, where a 50MeV electron bunch is loaded into an optimized 100-period structure to interact with a 100 fs pulsed laser having a peak field of 2 GV/m. It demonstrates a loaded accelerating gradient of 1.48 ± 0.10 GV/m, which is (85±2±)% higher than that of bare dual-gratings. In addition, studies of the diffraction effect show that the optimized structure should be fabricated with a vertical size of J/wx ⩾0.20 in order to generate an acceptable accelerating performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a novel approach for the design of a virtual cathode oscillator. As a new concept, we suggest a microwave system containing an annular relativistic electron beam travelling through the drift space with dielectric inserts characterized by different values of permittivity. In this case, a virtual cathode which is the source of powerful electromagnetic oscillations forms at the junction of different dielectric materials. According to the mechanism of virtual cathode formation, we have called this device as a virpertron. We have carried out a detailed numerical investigation of virtual cathode formation features in this system via 3D electromagnetic PICsimulation using CST Particle Studio. We have also studied the spectral properties of the microwave radiation generated by the virpertron. Published by AIP Publishing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The generation of Terahertz (THz) radiation by a density modulated relativistic electron beam (REB) using rippled density plasma, oriented at a suitable angle along the direction of radiation wave, is being investigated in this paper. The non-linear interaction of density modulated REB with ripple density plasma modifies the dispersion relation of the radiation wave co-propagating with the beam wave. Using fluid equations model, it is found that the requisite ripple wavelength decreases as the ripple angle increases and becomes steeper for resonant THz radiation emission. Thus, the radiation wavelength in terahertz range can be tuned by varying the ripple wavelength and beam energy. In addition, it is investigated that the growth rate of THz radiation emission scales as the one-third power of beam current, two-third power of ripple plasma density and onethird power of modulation index. The output power and efficiency of THz radiation emission depend on the modulation index and reach the largest value when modulated beam velocity is comparable with the phase velocity of the wave as the modulation index approaches unity. Published by AIP Publishing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

X-ray screening systems have been used to safeguard environments in which access control is of paramount importance. Security checkpoints have been placed at the entrances to many public places to detect prohibited items, such as handguns and explosives. Generally, human operators are in charge of these tasks as automated recognition in baggage inspection is still far from perfect. Research and development on X-ray testing is, however, exploring new approaches based on computer vision that can be used to aid human operators. This paper attempts to make a contribution to the field of object recognition in X-ray testing by evaluating different computer vision strategies that have been proposed in the last years. We tested ten approaches. They are based on bag of words, sparse representations, deep learning, and classic pattern recognition schemes among others. For each method, we: 1) present a brief explanation; 2) show experimental results on the same database; and 3) provide concluding remarks discussing pros and cons of each method. In order to make fair comparisons, we define a common experimental protocol based on training, validation, and testing data (selected from the public \mathbb GDX ray database). The effectiveness of each method was tested in the recognition of three different threat objects: 1) handguns; 2) shuriken (ninja stars); and 3) razor blades. In our experiments, the highest recognition rate was achieved by methods based on visual vocabularies and deep features with more than 95% of accuracy. We strongly believe that it is possible to design an automated aid for the human inspection task using these computer vision algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a recent paper, we combined the technique of bosonization with the concept of a Rayleigh dissipation function to develop a model for resistances in one-dimensional systems of interacting spinless electrons [Europhys. Lett. 93 57007 (2011)]. We also studied the conductance of a system of three wires by using a current splitting matrix M at the junction. In this paper, we extend our earlier work in several ways. The power dissipated in a three-wire system is calculated as a function of M and the voltages applied in the leads. By combining two junctions of three wires, we examine a system consisting of two parallel resistances. We study the conductance of this system as a function of the M matrices and the two resistances; we find that the total resistance is generally quite different from what one expects for a classical system of parallel resistances. We do a sum over paths to compute the conductance of this system when one of the two resistances is taken to be infinitely large. We study the conductance of a three-wire system of interacting spin-1/2 electrons, and show that the charge and spin conductances can generally be different from each other. Finally, we consider a system of two wires that are coupled by a dissipation function, and we show that this leads to a current in one wire when a voltage bias is applied across the other wire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is the second part of a continuing study of straight-channel microchannel plate (MCP)-based x-ray detectors. Such detectors are a useful diagnostic tool for two-dimensional, time-resolved imaging and time-resolved x-ray spectroscopy. To interpret the data from such detectors, it is critical to develop a better understanding of the behavior of MCPs biased with subnanosecond voltage pulses. The subject of this paper is a Monte Carlo computer code that simulates the electron cascade in a MCP channel under an arbitrary pulsed voltage, particularly those pulses with widths comparable to the transit time of the electron cascade in the MCP under DC voltage bias. We use this code to study the gain as a function of time (also called the gate profile or optical gate) for various voltage pulse shapes, including pulses measured along the MCP. In addition, experimental data of MCP behavior in pulsed mode are obtained with a short-pulse UV laser. Comparisons between the simulations and experimental data show excellent agreement for both the gate profile and the peak relative sensitivity along the MCP strips. We report that the dependence of relative gain on peak voltage is larger in pulsed mode when the width of the high-voltage waveform is smaller than the transit time of cascading electrons in the MCP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electron imaging in space and time is achieved in microscopy with timed (near relativistic) electron packets of picometer wavelength coincident with light pulses of femtosecond duration. The photons (with an energy of a few electronvolts) are used to impulsively heat or excite the specimen so that the evolution of structures from their nonequilibrium state can be followed in real time. As such, and at relatively low fluences, there is no interaction between the electrons and the photons; certainly that is the case in vacuum because energy-momentum conservation is not possible. In the presence of nanostructures and at higher fluences, energy-momentum conservation is possible and the electron packet can either gain or lose light quanta. Recently, it was reported that, when only electrons with gained energy are filtered, near-field imaging enables the visualization of nanoscale particles and interfaces with enhanced contrast (Barwick et al 2009 Nature 462 902). To explore a variety of applications, it is important to express, through analytical formulation, the key parameters involved in this photon-induced near-field electron microscopy (PINEM) and to predict the associated phenomena of, e.g., forty-photon absorption by the electron packet. In this paper, we give an account of the theoretical and experimental results of PINEM. In particular, the time-dependent quantum solution for ultrafast electron packets in the nanostructure scattered electromagnetic (near) field is solved in the high kinetic energy limit to obtain the evolution of the incident electron packet into a superposition of discrete momentum wavelets. The characteristic length and time scales of the halo of electron-photon coupling are discussed in the framework of Rayleigh and Mie scatterings, providing the dependence of the PINEM effect on size, polarization, material and spatiotemporal localization. We also provide a simple classical description that is based on features of plasmonics. A major part of this paper is devoted to the comparisons between the theoretical results and the recently obtained experimental findings about the imaging of materials and biological systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Characteristics of polar wind fluxes at a height of ∼20000 km measured by the Hyperboloid mass-spectrometer installed onboard the Interball-2 satellite are presented in the paper. The characteristics are presented for the upwelling flows of ionospheric ions H+, He+, and O+ from the sunlit polar cap in the period of solar activity minimum. Orbit segments with minimal precipitation of magnetospheric ions and electrons were preliminarily selected, and the measurements where the fluxes of ions coming from the cusp/cleft were excluded as carefully as possible. Thus, the densities, field-aligned velocities, and temperatures of ions in the regions where fluxes of polar wind could be detected with the maximal probability degree are presented in the paper. It is found that cases when only H+ ions are reaching the detector are with high probability the polar wind outflows. Their characteristics agree well with the Tube-7 hydrodynamic model and are as follows: n ≈ 1.5 cm−3, V∥ ∼ 21 km/s; T∥ = 3500 K, and T⊥ = 2000 K. In cases when He+ and O+ ions are also detected, the temperatures are substantially higher than the model ones, and the measured field-aligned velocities of O+ fluxes are several times higher than the model ones. Moreover, it was revealed that the polar wind outflows are predominantly observed in the polar cap regions where the polar rain fluxes are very small. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  Fe(VI) batteries based on unusual ferrate cathodic charge storage have been studied for quite a few years. So far, a class of Fe(VI) compounds have been successfully synthesized and studied as the cathodic materials in both alkaline and nonaqueous battery systems. This paper provides a summary of the syntheses of a range of Fe(VI) cathodes including the alkali Fe(VI) salts Li2FeO4, K x Na(2−x)FeO4, K2FeO4, Rb2FeO4, Cs2FeO4, as well as alkali earth Fe(VI) salts CaFeO4, SrFeO4, BaFeO4, and a transition metal Fe(VI) salt Ag2FeO4. Two synthesis routes summarized in this paper are the solution phase synthesis and the solid-state synthesis. Preparation of coating-stabilized (coated with KMnO4, SiO2, TiO2, or ZrO2) Fe(VI) cathodes and preparation of thin-film reversible Fe(VI/III) cathodes are also presented. Fe(VI) analytical methodologies summarized in this paper include Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, titrimetric (chromite), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy, Mössbauer spectrometry, potentiometric, galvanostatic, and cyclic voltammetry. Cathodic charge transfer of Fe(VI) is also briefly presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the paper by Kliem, Karlický, and Benz ( Astron. Astrophys. 360, 715, ) it was suggested, that plasmoids formed during the bursty regime of solar flare reconnection can be “visualised” in the radio spectra as drifting pulsating structures via accelerated particles trapped inside the plasmoid. In the present paper we investigate this idea in detail. First, simple statistical analysis supporting this hypothesis is presented. Then, by using the 2.5-D MHD (including gravity) model solar flare reconnection in the inhomogeneous, stratified atmosphere is simulated and the formation and subsequent ejection of the plasmoid is demonstrated. The ejected plasmoid, which is considered to be a trap for accelerated electrons, is traced and its plasma parameters are computed. To estimate the associated plasma radio emission we need to know locations of accelerated electrons and corresponding plasma frequencies. General considerations predict that these electrons should be distributed mainly along the magnetic separatrix surfaces and this was confirmed by using a particle-in-cell simulation. Finally, under some simplifying assumptions the model dynamic radio spectrum is constructed. The relation between the global frequency drift and the plasmoid motion in the inhomogeneous ambient atmosphere is studied. The results are discussed with respect to the observed drifting pulsation structures and their possible utilisation for flare magnetic field diagnostics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper describes a new type of metal plasma source for metal plasma immersion ion implantation and deposition (MPIII and D). The source is termed as Metal Plasma Electron Evaporation Source (MPEES). In certain aspect, its operation resembles electron beam evaporation, but the difference is that the electrons in MPEES are generated from the metal vapor plasma. They, in turn, also ionize the metal vapor to obtain the plasma. The system starts with an Ar plasma to evaporate and ionize metal vapor. Once the system is stabilized, Ar is turned off and the metal plasma sustains on its own. Then by combining this metal plasma source with conventional Plasma Immersion Ion Implantation and Deposition (PIII and D), we obtained Metal Plasma Immersion Ion Implantation and Deposition (MPIII and D). Using this system, we have implanted and coated Cr and Ti on test Si samples. Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) have shown that Cr and Ti have been implanted into a large area of about 90 cm in diameter. The new technology can be applied to many areas such as in tribology to address wear, corrosion and fatigue issues, and in metallurgy for alloying materials that cannot be obtained using conventional methods. In this paper, we will describe the principle of the plasma source, source design considerations, and MPIII and D system set up and operation. Preliminary test data will also be presented. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In electron beam devices, the voltage applied to the cathode (w.r.t. grid voltage) provides the initial energy for the electrons. Based on the type of electron emission, the electron sources are (mainly) classified into thermionic cathodes and cold cathodes. The power consumption of a cold cathode is smaller than that of a thermionic cathode. The delay time of the electron emission from a cold cathode following the voltage rise is also smaller. In cathode ray tubes, field emission display (=FED) panels and other devices, the electron current emitted from the cathode needs to be modulated. Since the strong electric field, which is required to extract electrons from the cold cathode, accelerates the electrons to a high velocity near the gate electrode, the required voltage swing for the current modulation is also high. The design of the driving circuit becomes quite difficult and expensive for a high driving voltage. In this paper, an insulator plate with holes is placed in front of a cold cathode. When the primary electrons hit the surface of the insulator tunnels, secondary electrons are generated. In this paper, the characteristics of the secondary electrons emitted from the gate structure are studied. Because the energies of the secondary electrons are smaller than that of the primary electron, the driving voltage for the current modulation is decreased by the introduction of the insulator tunnels, resulting in an improved energy uniformity of the electron beam. Triode structures with inclined insulator tunnels and with double insulator plates are also fabricated and lead to further improvements in the energy uniformity. The improved energy uniformity predicted by the simulation calculations is demonstrated by the improved brightness uniformity in the screen display images. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper we have studied the chemistry of C, H, N, O, and S compounds corresponding to ions of masses ⩽40 amu in the inner coma of the Comet 1P/Halley. The production rates, loss rates, and ion mass densities are calculated using the Analytical Yield Spectrum approach and solving coupled continuity equation controlled by the steady state photochemical equilibrium condition. The primary ionization sources in the model are solar EUV photons, photoelectrons, and auroral electrons of the solar wind origin. The chemical model couples ion–neutral, electron–neutral, photon–neutral and electron–ion reactions among ions, neutrals, electrons, and photons through over 600 chemical reactions. Of the 46 ions considered in the model the chemistry of 24 important ions (viz., CH3OH+ 2, H3CO+, NH+ 4, H3S+, H2CN+, H2O+, NH+ 3, CO+, C3H+ 3, OH+, H3O+, CH3OH+, C3H+ 4, C2H+ 2, C2H+, HCO+, S+, CH+ 3, H2S+, O+, C+, CH+ 4, C+ 2, and O+ 2) are discussed in this paper. At radial distances <1000 km, the electron density is mainly controlled by 6 ions, viz., NH+ 4, H3O+, CH3OH+ 2, H3S+, H2CN+, and H2O+, in the decreasing order of their relative contribution. However, at distances >1000 km, the 6 major ions are H3O+, CH3OH+ 2, H2O+, H3CO+, C2H+ 2, and NH+ 4; along with ions CO+, OH+, and HCO+, whose importance increases with further increase in the radial distance. It is found that at radial distances greater than ∼1000 km (±500 km) the major chemical processes that govern the production and loss of several of the important ions in the inner coma are different from those that dominate at distances below this value. The importance of photoelectron impact ionization, and the relative contributions of solar EUV, and auroral and photoelectron ionization sources in the inner coma are clearly revealed by the present study. The calculated ion mass densities are compared with the Giotto Ion Mass Spectrometer (IMS) and Neutral Mass Spectrometer (NMS) data at radial distances 1500, 3500, and 6000 km. There is a reasonable agreement between the model calculation and the Giotto measurements. The nine major peaks in the IMS spectra between masses 10 and 40 amu are reproduced fairly well by the model within a factor of two inside the ionopause. We have presented simple formulae for calculating densities of the nine major ions, which contribute to the nine major peaks in the IMS spectra, throughout the inner coma that will be useful in estimating their densities without running the complex chemical models. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In an earlier paper, W. Kohn had qualitatively introduced the concept of "nearsightedness" of electrons in many-atom systems. It can be viewed as underlying such important ideas as Pauling's "chemical bond," "transferability," and Yang's computational principle of "divide and conquer." It describes the fact that, for fixed chemical potential, local electronic properties, such as the density n(r), depend significantly on the effective external potential only at nearby points. Changes of that potential, no matter how large, beyond a distance R have limited effects on local electronic properties, which rapidly tend to zero as a function of R. In the present paper, the concept is first sharpened for representative models of uncharged fermions moving in external potentials, and then the effects of electron-electron interactions and of perturbing external charges are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the normal gate CNT-FED, the gate electrode is used to modulate and address the electron beam. Some electrons may bombard on the gate electrode, thus the luminant efficiency of CNT-FED decreases. This paper proposes a new gate structure, which is the metal mesh with cone funnels. MgO film and MgF2 film are vaporized on the surface of the mesh and the funnels. When the primary electrons bombard on the gate electrode with initial energy, the secondary electrons and backscatters are generated. As results, more electrons can pass through the gate electrode and land on the anode. Consequently, the brightness of the novel triode structure CNT-FED can increase obviously. In the paper, we show the results of numerical simulation of the secondary electron emission process with Monte Carlo method. Some CNT-FED devices with the new type of gate structure are fabricated. The surface of the gate electrode is coated with MgO, MgF2 and SiO2 film, respectively. The results of emission experiments are also shown in this paper. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper describes an effort to develop long-life, multi-tap thermal battery technology with a minimal weight and volume. The effort has several challenging goals. Some of the development goals include an activated life of at least one hour, four voltage sections, and the ability to sustain significant pulse loads at the end of life. In order to meet these goals, advanced materials were chosen for development. The thermal battery chemistry developed consists of lithium–silicon anodes, low-melting eutectic electrolyte/separators, and cobalt disulfide cathodes. Besides evolving the electrochemistry for this battery, there are several other design challenges such as fine-tuning the heat balance so as to allow the battery to sustain the extended duration discharge. In addition, to minimize volume, the battery can is configured in a tapered shape and consequently requires a tapered Min-K™ sleeve for insulation. A new igniter design is also being used. Finally, extremely narrow voltage ranges for each of the four voltage taps have contributed to the challenges facing development engineers. This paper includes a summary of the battery design and presents test data from pre-prototype units. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Photon circuits are light conducting networks formed by joining several dielectric wave-guide channels for the transmission of light. Their production utilizes the most advanced surface technologies and represents one of the most important challenges for the next decade. These circuits are usually mono-mode when the lateral dimensions of the conducting wires are small as compared to the photon wavelength. Plasmon circuits are plasmon conducting networks, a plasmon being a collective excitation of an electron gas in a metal. Such circuits made out of nanometric metallic clusters and wires can also be tuned to work at light wavelength. Similarly, electron circuits can be designed with modern surface technologies in which the propagation of electrons is non-diffusive. Similar investigations also started recently for circuits in which the propagating excitations are phonons and magnons (spin waves). In this review paper, we deal with mono-mode circuits for propagating photons, non-diffusive ballistic electrons, magnons, phonons and plasmons. In all these circuits, the interfaces between the different wires out of which the circuits are made of, play a fundamental role. All such circuits exhibit a variety of interference effects in their transport properties. Emphasis in this review paper is placed on the network creations, which include barriers, stubs or resonators, closed loops, interconnecting branched networks and multiplexers. Results for the transmission and reflection properties of such circuits are discussed as a function of the wavelength of the excitations and the physical properties of the circuits. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Study on the sources of stress in HVPE-GaN layer crystallized on 1-in. ammonothermally grown GaN seed is presented in this paper. Characterization by means of X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy is performed. HVPE-GaN samples of high quality and those with visible quality deterioration are investigated on c-plane and m-plane cross-sections. Special attention is paid to HVPE material growing in semi-polar and non-polar directions on the edges of the seed and the growing layer. It is shown that this material generates significant stress leading to a structural deterioration of HVPE-GaN growing in the c -direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth of high quality GaN by the ammonothermal method is appealing due to the potential to scale and achieve very high crystal quality. Several applications could benefit from the supply of very high quality GaN such as high power light emitting diodes, laser diodes, and high power electronics. Despite steady advancement by the few groups developing ammonothermal growth technology, high quality ammonothermal GaN wafers have yet be manufactured in great quantities. This paper reviews the current progress of ammonothermal growth at SixPoint Materials. Growths were performed at T <600 °C and P <300 MPa on GaN seed crystals produced by hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE). For thin boules, <1 mm growth thickness, no cracking is observed. Historically however, SixPoint Materials’ ammonothermal growth on HVPE seeds eventually experiences a curvature flip giving extremely high radius of curvature at a critical thickness. As the growth continues the radius of curvature degrades and cracking is observed. Since IWBNSVIII, SixPoint Materials has improved the crack free area for 5 mm thick boules from 5 to 80 mm 2 to the complete seed area. This result is repeatable in multiple reactors. Careful selection of the HVPE seeds led to the greatest reduction in cracking. Seed selection combined with an additional technique has allowed boules to be grown crack free. X-ray diffraction was carried out on an ammonothermally grown boule at 90 points along a 44 mm line providing a mean (002) and (201) full width half max (FWHM) reflection of 29 and 35″ respectively using a beam spot of 0.3 mm x 0.3 mm and an open detector. The radius of curvature is typically between 3 and 20 m across the sample. Dislocation densities are routinely low 10 5 cm − 2 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a high-power Ka-band traveling-wave tube (TWT) driven by a sheet electron beam is proposed and demonstrated by means of the simulation and experimental methods. The single grating rectangular waveguide with large width-to-height ratio is used as the slow-wave structure (SWS). An $E$ -plane bend energy coupler is put forward to feed this wide SWS. An irregular transition structure between the input waveguide and the SWS is suggested and designed, which is beneficial to suppress the self-excited oscillation. For a practical electron beam (20 mm $\times \,\, 1$ mm, 150.1 kV, 850 A, and 20-ns), the output power of this single rectangular grating sheet beam TWT is larger than 750 kW from 34.5 to 35.4 GHz. The maximum power is 1.21 MW at 35 GHz, corresponding to a gain of 20.4 dB. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents the comparative results obtained from X-ray and neutron pair distribution function (PDF) analysis aimed at determining the variability in aluminosilicate glass chemistry in five types of class F fly ash (FA). Results have been discussed in light of the complementary information provided by the two methods in order to give a comprehensive overview of FA structure at the nanoscale. The analysis of short range correlations reveals that the bulk glassy structure of FA sources differing in chemical composition are relatively similar, but some specific distinctions in atomic structure are visible in those containing high levels of amorphous VI-coordinated aluminum (e.g., amorphous mullite/alumina), iron and/or carbon (with similar local bonding environment to graphite). The obtained experimental results fill a deficit in literature in the atomic structure and associated variability for class F FA, which is extensively used in several industrial applications including as raw material in alkali-activated cements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, hierarchical (BiO) 2 CO 3 nanosheets microspheres were synthesized with dry ice as carbon source, and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscope (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS). The photocatalytic results showed that (BiO) 2 CO 3 display much higher photocatalytic activity than BiOCl and TiO 2 for photocatalystic reduction of CO 2 under UV-visible light. The photocatalytic mechanism study revealled that (BiO) 2 CO 3 display better separation efficiency of photoinduced charge carriers due to the large interlayer spacing (1.3675 nm). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]