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Abstract Background Clostridium perfringens sepsis associated with massive intravascular hemolysis has an extremely poor prognosis. We here report a case of C. perfringens sepsis associated with massive intravascular hemolysis that developed secondary to a post-pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) hepatic abscess. Case presentation A 70-year-old man with Type 2 diabetes underwent PD for an ampulla of Vater carcinoma. His postoperative course was uneventful. He was discharged on the 16th post-operative day (POD 16) after confirming no major abnormalities on abdominal contrast computed tomography (CT) on POD 14 or laboratory results on POD 16. Two days after discharge, he was readmitted because of fever and chills. Laboratory tests showed only a mild inflammatory reaction (white blood cell count, 11,980/mm3; C-reactive protein, 2.07 mg/dL). Abdominal CT showed an irregular, approximately 20-mm diameter, low-density area in the liver S6 region that had not been seen on a recent previous scan. We initially suspected postoperative cholangitis associated with biliary reconstruction and started empirical treatment with sulbactam/ampicillin after drawing blood for culture. Eight hours after admission, he developed septic shock with body temperature 40.0 ℃ and blood pressure 70/40 mm Hg. Laboratory findings showed a severe inflammatory reaction, severe anemia, and massive hemolysis (white blood cell count, 37,400/mm3; hemoglobin, 7.7 g/dL; total bilirubin, 8.05 mg/dL; direct bilirubin, 2.66 mg/dL; and lactate dehydrogenase, 1686 U/L). Hemoglobinuria was noted in the urinary catheter output. Repeat CT 9 h after admission showed the low-density area in S6 had become a gas-forming abscess. C. perfringens sepsis was strongly suspected on the basis of these findings and the abscess was drained percutaneously immediately after its diagnosis. His vital signs improved dramatically and he recovered within 24 h. Blood and abscess cultures grew C. perfringens 4 days after admission, leading to a definitive diagnosis of C. perfringens sepsis associated with massive intravascular hemolysis. He was discharged 18 days after admission. His sepsis has not recurred. Conclusions Clostridium perfringens infection should be considered in patients who have undergone PD and present with gas-forming hepatic abscesses and/or sepsis associated with intravascular hemolysis. Prompt aggressive treatment is crucial, because C. perfringens infections can cause death within hours.

PEDOT:PSS/Si hybrid photovoltaic cells have been attracting attention as a potential way to simplify the manufacturing process and democratize solar energy production. Control of the PEDOT/Si interface is also one of the primary ways to ensure the improved performance and lifetimes of multijunction devices, such as perovskite/Si tandem solar cells. In this work, the effects of the interfacial silicon oxide layer were investigated by creating a novel and controllable neutral beam oxide interlayer with different thicknesses. A novel self-doped PEDOT (S-PEDOT) was used to improve interfacial contact and avoid the secondary doping of PEDOT:PSS. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showed that the saturation of interfacial silicon atoms in SiOx-Si bonds as well as a very thin, (~1 nm) damage-free oxide interlayer were the keys to maintaining good passivation with a high tunneling current. Lifetime measurements also showed that the interlayers with the most SiO2 content degraded the least. The degradation of the devices was due to the continued growth of the oxide layer through reactions with silicon sub-oxides and the degradation of S-PEDOT.

We investigated a high electron mobility Ge FinFET fabricated by defect-free and roughness-free atomic layer neutral beam etching (NBE) compared with one fabricated by conventional plasma etching (PE). The etching interface roughness and defect were estimated by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In the case of using atomic layer defect-free NBE, the root-mean-square roughness of the Ge Fin sidewall surface is 1/3 times smaller than that using PE. Then, the electron mobility of Ge FinFET was improved by 1.65 times compared with that of a PE etched FinFET sample. For the subthreshold swing, the defect density of the interface between the Ge and gate dielectric film was improved by NBE. Ioff average currents of NBE and PE were around 18.1 and 57.6 nA/μm, respectively. As a result, NBE reduces the off-leakage current to 1/3 times less than PE. This corresponded to the differences in surface roughness and defect generation between NBE and PE. Therefore, we found that NBE could achieve a good performance by defect-free and atomically-flat etching the surface.

The phonon transport in the lateral direction for gap-controlled Si nanopillar (NP) /SiGe interlayer composite materials was investigated to eliminate heat generation in the channel area for advanced MOS transistors. The gap-controlled Si NP/SiGe composite layer showed 1/250 times lower thermal conductivity than Si bulk. Then, the phonon transport behavior in lateral direction could be predicted by the combination between the 3-omega measurement method for thermal conductivity and the Landauer approach for phonon transport in Si NP/Si0.7Ge0.3 interlayer composite structure. We found that the NP structure could regulate the phonon transport in the lateral direction by changing the NP gaps by preventing the phonon transportation from the drain region and the potential heat generation. As such, this structure achieves the first step toward phonon transport management in the same electron transportation direction of planar-type MOSFETs and represents a promising solution to heat generation for advanced CMOS devices.

We fabricated a highly water-repellent quartz nanopillar (NP) structure to investigate the effect of varying the contact angle (CA) by using 10-nm-order gaps and 10-nm-diameter NPs. Gaps from 15 to 30 nm led to CAs of more than 100°, showing hydrophobicity, to a maximum of 105°. The mechanism of repelling water on quartz could be explained by the Cassie-Baxter model with a filling factor. A gap of more than 30 nm fills with water due to capillarity, but a gap of less than 30 nm causes water to be repelled by air. We were able to repeatedly fabricate a quartz NP structure with a controllable gap by using a combination of a bio-template and neutral-beam etching and found this structure to be highly water-repellent. The structure has high durability and optical transparency. As a result, we conclude that it can be used in sensors and lenses on various devices such as cameras and radars.

This report presents a case of Schloffer tumour at the small intestinal mesentery, mimicking a malignant tumour, treated laparoscopically. Six years prior, a 57-year-old woman underwent laparoscopic salpingo-oophorectomy for a benign, cystic, ovarian tumour, but she had no history of malignancy. She was treated at an outpatient clinic for gastrointestinal complaints and was relieved of these symptoms. Abdominal computed tomography showed an incidental mesenteric tumour of the small intestine, tending toward growth. Due to the tumour's malignant potential, laparoscopic examination was performed. A spherical tumour with a base in the jejunum mesentery was observed. It was removed without damage. The post-operative course was uneventful, and the patient was discharged 3 days after the operation without complications. Histological diagnosis showed this to be a Schloffer tumour, but no malignancy was observed. Unidentified intraperitoneal tumours in patients with surgical histories may be Schloffer tumours, and this should be kept in mind.

Abstract Background Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) of the gallbladder are rare and generally considered low-grade malignancies. We herein describe a case of a patient with a 0.8-cm clear cell NET G1 of the gallbladder with nodal involvement. Case presentation A 65-year-old man with no medical history indicative of von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy for cholecystolithiasis. There was a 0.8-cm tumor in the neck of the gallbladder. Histologic examination revealed nests or trabecular growth of clear cells with small round-to-oval nuclei. Immunohistochemically, tumor cells showed positivity for chromogranin A and synaptophysin; Ki-67 index was

Studies examining the effect of operator experience on the accuracy of static guided implant surgery have used postoperative computed tomography (CT) images to measure the error, with inconsistent results. The purpose of this study was to try to clarify this issue by using a measurement method based on the postoperative optical scan. Thirty dentists were divided into an experienced group and an inexperienced group. On a partially edentulous mandibular model in the manikin head, each dentist placed three implants via the stereolithographic (SLA) surgical guide. The implant positions were identified by a desktop scanner and compared with the planned positions using a metrology software program. No statistically significant differences were observed for any of the measured positional and angular deviations of the three implant sites between experienced and inexperienced operators (p > 0.01). All the mean values of deviations of the inexperienced group, except the depth deviation, were less than the experienced group. Implants inserted by dentists under 40 years old had significantly better accuracy than senior doctors in the global deviation at implant apex (p = 0.006). Within the limits of this study, we concluded that operator experience is not a critical factor in achieving the accuracy of guided implant surgery via the tooth-supported SLA surgical guide. Large deviations could occur even with the aid of the SLA surgical guide, and care must be taken to avoid errors for both experienced and inexperienced operators.

This study developed a promising approach (low-temperature plasma polymerization with allylamine) to modify the titanium (Ti) surface, which helps the damaged tissue to heal faster. The Ti surface was first cleaned by argon (Ar) plasma, and then the functional amino-groups were coated on the Ti surface via plasma polymerization. The topography characteristics, wettability, and optimal plasma modification parameters were investigated through atomic force spectroscopy, secondary ion mass spectroscopy, and response surface methodology (RSM). Analytical results showed that the formation of a porous surface was found on the Ar plasma-modified Ti surfaces after Ar plasma modification with different parameters. The Ar plasma modification is an effective approach to remove surface contaminants and generate a porous topography on the Ti surface. As the Ti with Ar plasma modification was at 100 W and 190 m Torr for 12 min, the surface exhibited the maximum hydrophilic performance. In the allylamine plasma modifications, the contact angle values of the allylamine plasma-modified Ti surfaces varied between 70.15° and 88.26° in the designed parameters. The maximum concentration of amino-groups (31.58 nmole/cm2) can be obtained from the plasma-polymerized sample at 80 W and 150 mTorr for 22 min. Moreover, the cell response also demonstrated that the allylamine plasma-modified Ti sample with an optimal modification parameter (80 W, 22 min, and 150 mTorr) possessed great potential to increase cell adhesion ability. Thus, the optimal parameters of the low-temperature plasma polymerization with allylamine can be harvested using the RSM design. These data could provide new scientific information in the surface modification of Ti implant.

We propose a tunnel field-effect transistor (TFET) having a trimmed gate (TG) structure, which considerably improves the subthreshold swing (SS). The TG structure truncates the needless long band-to-band tunneling (BTBT) paths to a “channel”, which normally appear in a conventional TFET, and realize a sudden switching to the on-state arising from a short BTBT path. Our simulations demonstrate that the TG-TFET can achieve an extremely steep SS, less than 10 mV/decade, in the double-gated Si-channel configuration. The TG structure also improves the ratio ION/IOFF to a value higher than that of ideal MOSFETs in the operation voltage range up to 0.35 V. The mechanism of steep switching is based on a simple modification of the gate electrostatic control; therefore, in addition to the demonstrated TFETs, the TG structure is universally applicable to many types of TFETs.

The scaled charge trapping (CT) type silicon on insulator (SOI) FinFET flash memories with different blocking layer materials of Al2O3 and SiO2 have successfully been fabricated, and their electrical characteristics including short-channel effect (SCE) immunity, threshold voltage (Vt) variability, and the memory characteristics have been comparatively investigated. It was experimentally found that the better SCE immunity and a larger memory window are obtained by introducing a high-k Al2O3 blocking layer instead of a SiO2 blocking layer. It was also confirmed that the variability of Vt before and after one program/erase (P/E) cycle is almost independent of the blocking layer materials.

A threshold voltage (Vth) controllable multigate FinFET on a 10-nm-thick ultrathin BOX (UTB) SOI substrate have been investigated. It is revealed that the Vth of the FinFET on the UTB SOI substrate is effectively modulated thanks to the improved coupling between the Si channel and the back gate. We have also carried out analysis of the Vth controllability in terms of the size dependence such as the gate length (LG) and the fin width (TFin).

Resin–dentin bonding was first achieved through mechanical hybridization between resin and collagen fibrils using a functional monomer containing resin system. In the last decade, new adhesive resin systems were frequently released onto the market within a short-period of time. Before and after commercialization, the bond integrity has been tested by bond tests, and leakage evaluation by researchers, but it is very difficult for clinicians to obtain a comprehensive, up-to-date understanding of their nature and degradation. Although newly developed adhesive resins have attempted to improve the bond strength at least in the first 24 h after bonding, the long-term durability of the bonds has not yet been established analytically. However, numerous recent studies have shown micromorphological evidence of biodegradation of resin–dentin bonds, due to hydrolysis of the resin and collagen fibrils within the bonds. This review mainly summarizes the most recent work in biodegradation of resin–dentin bonds based on micromorphological analyses of data obtained by scanning and transmission electron microscopy.

Osteoporosis is considered a risk factor for osseointegration during implant treatment. Photofunctionalization of titanium has been shown to improve bone-based cell adhesion, proliferation, and functional expression, increasing the bone-implant contact rate and bone-implant integration strength. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that photofunctionalization is effective for implant fixation using an osteoporosis rat model. In the biomechanical push-in test, the bone-implant integration strength of the photofunctionalization treatment group was 1.53 times that of the control group (p<0.05). These values implied that photofunctionalization restored the ovariectomy-induced low bone-implant integration strength to normal states. In the micro-CT analysis, the BV/TV of the photofunctionalization treatment group was 1.32 times that of the control group (p<0.05). These values implied that photofunctionalization restored the ovariectomy-induced low peri-implant bone formation to normal states. These results indicate that photofunctionalization treatment increased peri-implant bone formation and bone-implant integration strength in ovariectomized rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peri-implantitis is one of the most common complications after dental implant placement. Researchers have demonstrated that the peri-implantitis tends to occur around dental implants with a rough surface rather than those with a smooth surface. We aimed to investigate the ability of a smooth titanium (Ti) surface containing strontium (Sr) to enhance bone formation as a result of strontium’s capacity to support osteoblast proliferation and differentiation. A thin titanium oxide film was formed on an as-mirror polished Ti surface by dipping in 5% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) solution for 24 h, followed by thermal treatment at 350°C. The Ti surface was then treated with 1% strontium nitrate (Sr(NO3)2) solution and turned in spin coater. The surface morphology, chemical composition, and release of strontium ions (Sr2+) were evaluated. The results demonstrate that strontium in the form of Sr2+ was successfully doped into the titanium dioxide (TiO2) film by this simple chemical treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is used to analyze 4-META resin and enamel that are debonded at an adhesive interface. The XPS spectra showed two chemical states for Ca: one resulted from Ca of hydroxyapatite and the other, an unknown chemical state, suggested that Ca was chemically bonded with 4-META. We postulate that for a chemical reaction of 4-META and hydroxyapatite, the chemical structure of carboxyl groups will resemble that of calcium phthalate. Hence, calcium phthalate was used as a reference material. Additionally, the spectra obtained from the adhesive interface and the mixture of calcium phthalate with hydroxyapatite particles were compared using peak deconvolution analysis. XPS analysis revealed that the chemical bond of 4-META with enamel resembled the chemical state of Ca in calcium phthalate. Consequently, we suggest that Ca of the enamel and the carboxyl group of 4-META were chelate-bonded at the interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the surface modification of orthodontic stainless steel wire using electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of bioactive glass (BG). BG coatings were characterized by spectrophotometry, three-dimensional (3D) focal laser scanning microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The mechanical properties of the BG-coated wires were estimated nanoindentation, three-point bending and drawing friction tests. BG-coated specimens prepared at higher voltage showed higher values for both reflectance and L* compared to those prepared at lower voltage. Specimens coated at higher voltage had significantly lower surface roughness than those coated at lower voltage, and their BG layers had higher hardness and elastic modulus values. In the three-point bending test, BG-coated wires produced significantly lower elastic modulus than non-coated wires. Most BG-coated specimens produced similar frictional forces to those produced by non-coated specimens. The surface modification technique applying EPD and BG coating to orthodontic stainless steel wire could be used to develop new esthetical orthodontic wire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to improve the cytocompatibility and differentiation of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells on the surface of titanium implants by immobilizing biofunctional molecules on their surface. Gly-Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser (GRGDS) peptides, human plasma fibronectin (pFN), or type I collagen from calf skin (Col) was covalently immobilized on the titanium surfaces. Twice as many cells attached to the Col- and pFN-immobilized titanium surfaces than attached to the as-polished surface control. The ALP activity of the cells, as well as the mineralized nodule formation, was significantly higher on the Col- and pFN-immobilized titanium surfaces than on the as-polished surfaces. These results indicate that the immobilization of biofunctional molecules such as Col and pFN on titanium surfaces enhances the attachment, spreading, proliferation, and differentiation of human bone marrowderived mesenchymal stem cells, which may lead to a more rapid bone-titanium integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the inhibitory effect of a surface pre-reacted glass-ionomer (S-PRG) filler-containing tooth-coating material on enamel demineralization. The outer surface of the S-PRG filler is in a state in which ions are readily released. Methods: Human enamel blocks were incubated in lactic acid solution (pH 4.0) with and without a disk (n=6) made of the cured tooth-coating material. Test solutions were changed every 24 hours and incubation was continued for 4 days. The pH and amount of fluoride released were measured with an electrode and ion meter, respectively. The concentrations of ions (aluminum, boron, calcium, phosphorus, silicon, sodium, and strontium) were measured by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. The surface of the enamel block was observed with a scanning electron microscope. Results: Enamel demineralization was not observed in an enamel block incubated with a disk of the tooth-coating material. Ions released from S-PRG filler had an acid buffering action in the low pH lactic acid solution. However, in the enamel block-only solution showing high levels of calcium ion release, the degree of demineralization was correlated with morphological changes of the enamel surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the surface modification of orthodontic stainless steel using electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of bioactive glass (BG). The BG coatings were characterized by spectrophotometry, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry, and X-ray diffraction. The frictional properties were investigated using a progressive load scratch test. The remineralization ability of the etched dental enamel was studied according to the time-dependent mechanical properties of the enamel using a nano-indentation test. The EPD process using alternating current produced higher values in both reflectance and lightness. Additionally, the BG coating was thinner than that prepared using direct current, and was completely amorphous. All of the BG coatings displayed good interfacial adhesion, and Si and O were the major components. Most BG-coated specimens produced slightly higher frictional forces compared with non-coated specimens. The hardness and elastic modulus of etched enamel specimens immersed with most BG-coated specimens recovered significantly with increasing immersion time compared with the non-coated specimen, and significant acid-neutralization was observed for the BG-coated specimens. The surface modification technique using EPD and BG coating on orthodontic stainless steel may assist the development of new non-cytotoxic orthodontic metallic appliances having satisfactory appearance and remineralization ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antimicrobial cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) has low miscibility with acrylic resin monomer but can be homogeneously mixed using ethanol as a cosolvent. This study investigated the effects of ethanol addition on the properties of a cold-cure acrylic resin. Ethanol was an excellent cosolvent for CPC and methyl methacrylate monomer (MMA), but the cured resin exhibited a strong change in coloration to yellow (ΔE*ab>8) and a drastically reduced bending strength (from 97 to 25 MPa) and elastic modulus (from 2.7 to 0.6 GPa) when equal volumes of ethanol and monomer were used together, possibly due to the solvation and deactivation of radicals by ethanol. However, these unfavorable effects diminished when the ethanol/MMA ratio was reduced to 0.25, and became smaller when each specimen was depressurized and excess ethanol was removed. Thus, it may be possible to develop a molecularly uniform antibacterial acrylic resin with acceptable color and strength using this simple technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of NaOCl pretreatment on the biomechanical fixation of implant at the early healing stage of a rat model. Polished titanium cylindrical implants and disks were prepared, and one-half of these samples were dual acidetched. Then, one-half of both surfaces were chemically-cleaned by pretreatment with 5% NaOCl solution for 24 h. Morphological analyses showed that there was no significant difference between before and after NaOCl treatment. The wettability measurement demonstrated that NaOCl treatment secondarily converted both titanium surfaces from hydrophobic to superhydrophilic, accompanied by the removal of hydrocarbons from the titanium surfaces. Biomechanical push-in test indicated that the bone-titanium integration strength of the NaOCl-treated implants were significantly greater than that of the untreated implants (p<0.05). These results showed that NaOCl pretreatment enhanced the osseointegration capability of titanium, indicating its potential for a simple chemical chair-side pretreatment method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the effects of CO2 laser irradiation combined with acidulated phosphate fluoride (APF) application on the demineralization of enamel. APF gel was applied to the buccal enamel of human premolars and CO2 laser was applied. After the specimens were immersed in demineralization solution for 72 h, they were subjected to depth-dependent micro-CT and nanoindentation analyses. Micro-X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were performed to analyze the surfaces. Some surface regions of the enamel in specimens that were laser-irradiated with low output and APF-treated showed significantly higher values of MD and hardness than specimens treated with APF alone. A higher fluoride concentration in the enamel surface was observed in specimens treated with CO2 laser irradiation plus APF gel application. In conclusion, CO2 laser irradiation with low output is preferable to improve acid resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The residua] stress caused by polymerization shrinkage and thermal contraction of a heat-curing resin containing 4-META on a metal-resin structure was measured by a scanning acoustic microscope. The tensile residual stress in the resin occurred within 70 um of the adhesion interface with a flat plate specimen. The maximum tensile stress was about 58 MPa at. the interface. On a metal plate specimen with retention holes, ring-like cracks in the resin occurred around the retention holes with the adhesive specimen and many linear cracks occurred in the resin vertical to the longitudinal direction of the metal frame with the non-adhesive specimens. There was tensile residual stress on the resin surface at the center of the retention holes of the adhesion specimen, indicating that the stress in the specimen with surface treatment for adhesion was higher than in that without surface treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a bioactive glass was deposited on the alumina disk specimens by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering to study crystal formation ability in artificial saliva. Bioactive glass-coated specimens were immersed in artificial saliva for 1 week and 6 months. The specimens were observed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the composition was determined by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The crystals that formed on the specimens were analyzed by Raman spectroscopic analysis and Micro-X-ray diffraction. SEM photomicrographs showed the formation of needle-like structures after immersion for 1 week, and tabular structures formed on the surface of the specimen for 6 months. EDS showed that both the needle-like and tabular structures were enriched with Ca and P. Raman and Micro-XRD spectra for the tabular structure showed peaks that may correspond to calcium phosphate. Thus, when immersed in artificial saliva, bioactive glass-coated alumina produced a crystal which might be calcium phosphate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the continuous progress in nanomaterial development for biomedicine, the potential cytotoxicity of nanoparticles is drawing more attention and concern for clinical applications. The purpose of this study was to evaluate biological responses of new water-dispersible silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) stabilized by Ag-C o-bonds in cultured murine macrophages (RAW264.7) and osteoblast-like cells (MC3T3-E1) using cell viability and morphological analyses. For RAW264.7, Ag-NPs seemed to induce cytotoxicity that was dependent on the Ag-NP concentration. However, no cytotoxic effects were observed in the MC3T3-E1 cell line. In microscopic analysis, Ag-NPs were taken up by MC3T3-E1 cells with only minor cell morphological changes, in contrast to RAW264.7 cells, in which particles aggregated in the cytoplasm and vesicles. The ability of endocytosis of macrophages may induce harmful effects due to expansion of cell vesicles compared to osteoblast-like cells with their lower uptake of Ag-NPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The corrosion and tarnish behaviors of two Au-based casting alloys (ISO type 1 and type 4 Au alloys) and their constituent pure metals, Au, Ag, Cu, Pt, and Pd in a polyvinylpyrrolidone-iodine solution were examined. The two Au alloys actively corroded, and the main anodic reaction for both was dissolution of Au as Au12. The amount of Au released from the ISO type 1 Au alloy was significantly larger than that from the ISO type 4 Au alloy (P<0.05). Visible light spectrophotometry revealed that the type 1 alloy exhibited higher susceptibihty to tarmshing than the type 4 alloy. The corrosion forms of the two Au alloys were found to be completely different, i.e., the type 1 alloy exhibited the corrosion attack over the entire exposed surface with a little irregularity whereas the type 4 alloy exhibited typical intergranular corrosion, which was caused by local cells produced by segregation of Pd and Pt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anodic corrosion behavior of an experimental Ag–15Pd–18Cu–12Au alloy in 0.1% Na2S solution in relation to its microstructure was investigated using potentiodynamic and potentiostatic polarization techniques with analyses of corrosion products by X-ray diffractometry, Auger electron spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The role of Pd in improvement of the corrosion resistance was also investigated. In the potential/current density curve, three distinct current peaks, at −520 mV (peak I), −425 mV (peak II) and −175 mV (peak III), were observed. The Ag-rich α2 matrix with coarse Cu and Pd-rich lamellae was the most corrosion-susceptible region, and this region was preferentially corroded at peak I with the formation of granular deposits of Ag2S. A small amount of Ag–Cu mixed sulfide deposited on the Cu and Pd-rich coarse particles and dissolution of Ag as AgO− might have occurred in parallel with Ag2S formation at peak II. Enrichment of Pd on the alloy surface occurred at peak III due to preferential dissolution of Ag and Cu. A high level of corrosion resistance was attained with the formation of a thin Pd-rich sulfide film, which enhanced the passivity of the alloy in an alkaline sulfide solution. It was found that passivity is an important phenomenon not only for base metal alloys but also for noble metal alloys to maintain high levels of resistance to corrosion and tarnishing in sulfide environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study a novel trimmed-gate (TG) structure, which substantially decreases the subthreshold swing (SS) of a tunnel field-effect transistor (TFET). Our technology computer-aided simulations demonstrate that the TG structure strongly suppresses the off leak component of the band-to-band tunneling current. As a result, an extremely steep SS of less than 15 mV dec−1 can be realized in a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) TFET. We also demonstrate that the improvement of SS is enhanced by a high source doping thanks to the TG structure. The mechanism of the steep switching by the TG structure does not depend on any specific material or process technology. Therefore, the SS improvement as a result of the TG structure is applicable to various types of TFETs as well as the SOI TFET. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of a drain offset structure on the operation speed of a tunnel field-effect transistor (TFET) ring oscillator is investigated by technology computer-aided design (TCAD) simulation. We demonstrate that the reduction of gate–drain capacitance by the drain offset structure dramatically increases the operation speed of the ring oscillators. Interestingly, we find that this capacitance benefit to operation speed is enhanced by the increase in band-to-band tunneling probability. The “synergistic” speed enhancement by the drain offset structure and the tunneling rate increase will have promising application to the significant improvement of the operation speed of TFET circuits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The drain bias dependence of tunnel field-effect transistors (TFETs) is examined on the basis of the measured characteristics and device simulation to understand the electrical behavior of TFETs. Our analyses focus on the long-channel silicon-on-insulator (SOI)-based TFETs as a good basis for further studies of short-channel effects, scaling issues, and more complicated device structures, such as multigate or nanowire TFETs. By device simulation, it is revealed that the drain bias dependence of the transfer characteristics of the measured TFETs is governed by two physical mechanisms: the density of states (DOS) occupancy factor, which depends on drain-to-source bias voltage, and channel electrostatic potential, which is limited by the drain bias through strong carrier accumulation. These mechanisms differ from the drain-induced barrier lowering (DIBL) of metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect-transistors (MOSFETs), and cause a significant impact even in long-channel SOIs. Finally, the obtained insights are successfully implemented in a TFET compact model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have demonstrated the operation of a CMOS inverter consisting of Si tunnel FinFETs. Both p- and n-type tunnel FinFETs are successfully fabricated and operated on the same SOI wafer. The current mismatch between p- and n-type tunnel FETs is compensated by tuning the number of fin channels. Very low short-circuit current and clear voltage input–output characteristics are obtained. The thin epitaxial channel in the tunnel FinFETs effectively increases the drain current and accordingly reduces the drain capacitance, which could help high-performance tunnel FET CMOS inverter operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We systematically investigated the bias temperature instability (BTI) of tunnel field-effect transistors (TFETs). The positive BTI and negative BTI mechanisms in TFETs are the same as those in metal–oxide–semiconductor FETs (MOSFETs). In TFETs, although traps are generated in high-k gate dielectrics by the bias stress and/or the interface state is degraded at the interfacial layer/channel interface, the threshold voltage (Vth) shift due to BTI degradation is caused by the traps and/or the degradation of the interface state locating the band-to-band tunneling (BTBT) region near the source/gate edge. The BTI lifetime in n- and p-type TFETs is improved by applying a drain bias corresponding to the operation conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the impacts of plasma-induced damage due to UV light irradiation during etching on Ge fin fabrication and the device performance of Ge fin field-effect transistors (Ge FinFETs). UV light irradiation during etching affected the shape of the Ge fin and the surface roughness of the Ge fin sidewall. A vertical and smooth Ge fin could be fabricated by neutral beam etching without UV light irradiation. The performances of Ge FinFETs fabricated by neutral beam etching were markedly improved as compared to those of Ge FinFETs fabricated by inductively coupled plasma etching, in which the UV light has an impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel tunnel FinFET equipped with a SiGe/Si heterojunction and a multilayer fin-channel has been experimentally demonstrated. A high-quality SiGe layer is epitaxially grown on a heavily doped Si source as a tunnel junction. A FinFET-like hetero-multilayer channel with a trigate configuration significantly increases the drain current compared with conventional SiGe/Si heterojunction parallel-plate tunnel FETs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A nanodisk array connected with a fin field-effect transistor is fabricated and analyzed for spiking neural network applications. This nanodevice performs weighted sums in the time domain using rising slopes of responses triggered by input spike pulses. The nanodisk arrays, which act as a resistance of several giga-ohms, are fabricated using a self-assembly bio-nano-template technique. Weighted sums are achieved with an energy dissipation on the order of 1 fJ, where the number of inputs can be more than one hundred. This amount of energy is several orders of magnitude lower than that of conventional digital processors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floating-gate (FG)-type three-dimensional (3D) fin channel flash memories with triangular fin (TF) and rectangular fin (RF) channels and different interpoly dielectric (IPD) materials have been successfully fabricated using (100)- and (110)-oriented silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers and orientation-dependent wet etching. The electrical characteristics of the fabricated FG-type 3D fin channel flash memories including threshold voltage (Vt) variability, program/erase (P/E) speed, memory window, endurance, and data retention at room temperature and 85 °C have been comparatively investigated. A higher P/E speed, a larger memory window, and a lower-voltage operation are experimentally obtained in the TF channel flash memories with an Al2O3–nitride–oxide (ANO) IPD layer (TF-ANO) than in the RF channel ones with the same ANO IPD layer (RF-ANO) and the TF channel ones with an oxide–nitride–oxide (ONO) IPD layer (TF-ONO). The larger memory window and lower-voltage operation of TF-ANO flash memories are due to the high-k effect of the Al2O3 layer and the electric field enhancement at the sharp foot edges of the TF channels. It was also found that data retention for all fabricated FG-type 3D fin channel flash memories shows a weak dependence on temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have investigated the impact of heated ion implantation (I/I) on the performance and reliability of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) complementary metal–oxide–silicon (CMOS) fin field-effect transistors (FinFETs). An implantation temperature equal to and higher than 400 °C is needed to maintain the crystallinity of the Si substrate during I/I within the experimental conditions of ion species, implantation energy, and ion dose in this study. By heated I/I at 500 °C, the 11-nm-thick SOI layer perfectly maintains the crystallinity even after I/I, and a defect-free crystal is obtained by activation annealing. It was clarified that the cap layer is essential for the suppression of the out-diffusion during heated I/I. Heated I/I on the source and drain improves the on-current–off-current (Ion–Ioff), threshold voltage (Vth) variability, and bias temperature instability (BTI) characteristics of nMOS and pMOS FinFETs as compared with those after room-temperature I/I. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of work function variation (WFV) in a metal gate (MG) electrode on low-frequency noise (LFN) is revealed for fin field-effect transistors (FinFETs). The LFN level is compared between the FinFETs having polycrystalline TiN and amorphous TaSiN MGs. The amorphous TaSiN MG exhibits a marked suppression of flicker noise in comparison with the TiN MG. The difference in the LFN level is correlated with the threshold voltage variability reflecting the WFV of the MG. By modeling the WFV of the TiN MG in the FinFET structure by three-dimensional device simulation, we clearly reveal the mechanism of the LFN increase by the WFV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]