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The temperature dependencies of hole density and hole mobility of p-type 4H-SiC obtained by Hall effect measurement were theoretically analyzed taking account of its anisotropic valence band structure. The experimental Hall factor, which was derived from the ratio of theoretical hole density to experimental Hall hole density, was reproduced by theoretical Hall factor computed using the valence band structure and relaxation times of scattering mechanisms. The product of the theoretical Hall factor and drift mobility computed by the same transport model agreed well with the experimental Hall mobility. Based on analyses of the results, it was revealed that the temperature dependence of Hall factor can be explained by considering the anisotropic valence band structure along with consideration of anisotropic relaxation times. The contribution of each scattering mechanism was also discussed, and empirical formulas for Hall and drift mobilities are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quasi-ballistic hole transport in germanium and silicon nanowires was theoretically investigated by solving the Boltzmann transport equation taking account of phonon scattering in an atomistic framework. Comparison of quasi-ballistic hole transport capabilities between germanium and silicon nanowires showed that the transmission coefficients for the two materials are similar. Then, the behavior of forward and backward current fluxes was analyzed focusing on the impact of energy relaxation process. The slower energy relaxation of holes in germanium nanowires leads to a longer distance where backscattering enables holes to return to the source. This cancels the benefit of the longer mean free path of holes in germanium nanowires, resulting in similar transmission coefficients in germanium and silicon nanowires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article studies 4H-SiC {0001} p-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) with deposited Si[O.sub.2] followed by [N.sub.2]O annealing. Findings suggest that the deposited oxides annealed in [N.sub.2]O are efficient in improving the performance of 4H-SiC p-channel MOSFETs.

We calculated the phonon-limited hole mobility in rectangular cross-sectional [001], [110], [111], and [112]-oriented germanium nanowires, and the hole transport characteristics were investigated. A tight-binding approximation was used for holes, and phonons were described by a valence force field model. Then, scattering probability of holes by phonons was calculated taking account of hole-phonon interaction atomistically, and the linearized Boltzmann's transport equation was solved to calculate the hole mobility at low longitudinal field. The dependence of the hole mobility on nanowire geometry was analyzed in terms of the valence band structure of germanium nanowires, and it was found that the dependence was qualitatively reproduced by considering an average effective mass and the density of states of holes. The calculation revealed that [110] germanium nanowires with large height along the [001] direction show high hole mobility. Germanium nanowires with this geometry are also expected to exhibit high electron mobility in our previous work, and thus they are promising for complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conduction band structure and electron effective mass of GaAs nanowires with various cross-sectional shapes and orientations were calculated by two methods, a tight-binding method and an effective mass equation taking the bulk full-band structure into account. The effective mass of nanowires increases as the cross-sectional size decreases, and this increase in effective mass depends on the orientations and substrate faces of nanowires. Among [001], [110], and [111]-oriented rectangular cross-sectional GaAs nanowires, [110]-oriented nanowires with wider width along the [001] direction showed the lightest effective mass. This dependence originates from the anisotropy of the C valley of bulk GaAs. The relationship between effective mass and bulk band structure is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Precisely localizing the seizure onset zone remains a challenging task in drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) patients especially given its critical role in successful surgery and effective management. This study aimed to investigate the kinetic parameters of regional 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in DRE patients, aiming to identify the kinetic parameters best enabling the identification of the epileptogenic region.Methods: Consecutive DRE patients with clinically mandated interictal 18F-FDG PET/CT were recruited from October 2019 to September 2020 for pre-surgical evaluation. Immediately after injecting 18F-FDG of 112–179 MBq, dynamic data were acquired for 90 min. The motion correction and resampling to the Montreal atlas was performed in order to generate a transformation matrix. 116 volume of interests (VOIs) and regional time-activity curves (TACs) were generated by employing the automated anatomical labeling (AAL) template using PMOD software. Kinetic parameters of FDG unidirectional blood-brain clearance (K1), efflux (k2), phosphorylation (k3), and net metabolic flux (Ki) were derived using irreversible 2-tissue-compartment model with an image-derived input function (IDIF). The kinetic parameters values obtained from all regions were ranked and compared with the presumed epileptogenic zone (EZ).Results: Eleven DRE patients (5 males, 6 females, mean age 35.1 ± 10.2 years) were analyzed. We found that the region with the lowest values of Ki provided correct lateralization in 7/7 (100%) of patient with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and the region with the lowest Ki and k3 parameters showed concordance with the EZ in 100% and 71.4% of patients, respectively.Conclusion: The present parametric approach to the evaluation of FDG-PET may be more sensitive than semi-quantitative approaches for the detection of pathophysiology in the EZ of patients with medically unresponsive TLE in addition to the routine clinical investigations.

Enhancement and control of carrier lifetimes in p-type 4H-SiC have been investigated. In this study, thermal oxidation and carbon ion implantation methods, both of which are effective for lifetime enhancement in n-type SiC, were attempted on 147-μm thick p-type 4H-SiC epilayers. Effects of surface passivation on carrier lifetimes were also investigated. The carrier lifetimes in p-type SiC could be enhanced from 0.9 μs (as-grown) to 2.6 μs by either thermal oxidation or carbon implantation and subsequent Ar annealing, although the improvement effect for the p-type epilayers was smaller than that for the n-type epilayers. After the lifetime enhancement, electron irradiation was performed to control the carrier lifetime. The distribution of carrier lifetimes in each irradiated region was rather uniform, along with successful lifetime control in the p-type epilayer in the range from 0.1 to 1.6 μs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lattice parameters of high-dose ion-implanted 4H-SiC were investigated with reciprocal space mapping (RSM). N, P, Al, or (C+Si) ions were implanted into lightly doped epilayers to form a (330-520) nm-deep box profile with concentrations of 1019-1020atoms/cm3. After activation annealing at 1800 °C, RSM measurements were conducted. The RSM images for (0008) reflection revealed that high-dose ion implantation causes c-lattice expansion in implanted layers, irrespective of ion species. In addition, crystallographic tilt was observed after high-dose ion implantation. The tilt direction is the same for all the samples investigated; the c-axis of the implanted layers is inclined toward the ascending direction of the off-cut. The c-lattice mismatch and the tilt angle increased as the implantation dose increases, indicating that the implantation damage is responsible for the lattice parameter change. From these results and transmission electron microscopy observation, the authors conclude that the c-lattice mismatch and the crystallographic tilt are mainly caused by secondary defects formed after the ion-implantation and activation-annealing process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impacts of reduction of deep levels and surface passivation on carrier lifetimes in p-type 4H-SiC epilayers are investigated. The authors reported that the carrier lifetime in n-type epilayers increased by reduction of deep levels through thermal oxidation and thermal annealing. However, the carrier lifetimes in p-type epilayers were not significantly enhanced. In this study, in order to investigate the influence of surface passivation on the carrier lifetimes, the epilayer surface was passivated by different oxidation techniques. While the improvement of the carrier lifetime in n-type epilayers was small, the carrier lifetime in p-type epilayers were remarkably improved by appropriate surface passivation. For instance, the carrier lifetime was improved from 1.4 μs to 2.6 μs by passivation with deposited SiO2 annealed in NO. From these results, it was revealed that surface recombination is a limiting factor of carrier lifetimes in p-type 4H-SiC epilayers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dependencies of temperature and injection level on carrier lifetimes in 50 μm thick p-type and n-type 4H-SiC epilayers have been investigated. The carrier lifetimes have been measured by differential microwave photoconductance decay measurements at various injection levels and temperatures. In both p-type and n-type epilayers, the carrier lifetimes gradually increased with increasing the injection level, which were naturally expected from the Shockley-Read-Hall (SRH) model, and after taking a maximum, the lifetimes dropped at the very high-injection level. In contrast, the carrier lifetimes exhibited continuous increase with elevating the temperature for both epilayers. In addition, the impact of thermal oxidation process on the carrier lifetimes has been also investigated. The thermal oxidation process, by which the Z1/2 and EH6/7 centers were remarkably reduced that had been observed in n-type 4H-SiC in our previous work, led to the improvement of the carrier lifetimes especially for n-type epilayers. The carrier lifetime reached 4.1 μs in p-type and 6.1 μs in n-type epilayers at 250 °C with an injection level of 1.8×1016 cm-3 through the thermal oxidation processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SiN passivation on AlGaN/GaN heterostructures was carried out using catalytic or plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (Cat-CVD or PECVD), which has been found to increase two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) density. The 2DEG density can be closely related to AlGaN surface properties via polarization effects. AlGaN potential barrier heights of AlGaN/GaN heterostructures with and without SiN passivation were systematically investigated using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements. The results for the XPS and C-V measurements were consistent and demonstrated that a reduction in the AlGaN potential barrier height was actually induced by SiN passivation. Furthermore, Cat-CVD SiN passivation lowered the AlGaN potential barrier height more significantly than PECVD SiN passivation did, suggesting that the passivation method can influence the AlGaN potential barrier height. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of m-plane GaN layers with the Ga beam-equivalent pressure (BEP) as the only varied parameter was grown by rf-plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy on m-plane 4H-SiC substrates using AlN buffer layers. The smoothest growth surfaces and most complete film coalescence were found for the highest Ga BEP corresponding to the Ga droplet accumulation regime. However, better structural quality as assessed by x-ray rocking curves was observed for growth at a lower Ga BEP value below the droplet limit. The variation of rocking curve widths for planes inclined with respect to the epilayer c axis followed a different trend with Ga BEP than those of reflections parallel to the c axis. The GaN layers were found to exhibit a large residual compressive strain along the a axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-efficiency visible light emission in N-and-B-doped 6H-SiC epilayers was observed in photoluminescence measurements at room temperature. The orange-yellow light emission due to the recombination of donor-acceptor pairs (DAPs) has a broad spectrum with a peak wavelength of 576 nm and a full width at half maximum of 110 nm at 250 K. The high B concentration of more than 1018 cm-3 improves the emission efficiency of the DAP recombination at a high temperature. Compared with the photoluminescence spectrum of GaN at 10 K, a high quantum efficiency of 95% was estimated for the highly B-doped sample. From time-resolved photoluminescence measurements, a DAP recombination time of 5.0 ms was obtained, which is in good agreement with the calculated value by the rate equation with the assumption of a 95% internal quantum efficiency. This is quite promising as a light-emitting medium by optical pumping, as well as monolithic light sources combined with nitride-based light-emitting diodes grown on the DA-doped SiC epilayer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise of research. Plant diversification can be a result of many different factors, such as environment or genome size variation. Further, the presence of phenotypic or genomic variation could highlight the presence of a cryptic lineage. Here, we tested whether phenotypic and genomic differences support the presence of a cryptic lineage in the South African populations of Helichrysum odoratissimum (L.) Sweet. Methodology. We used estimates of genetic structure from microsatellite data and cytogenetic data from 17 sampled populations, paired with morphological measurements from representative populations, to test for the presence of cryptic lineages. Pivotal results. Ploidy level estimates for the populations that span the species' South African distribution indicated that 15 of the 17 populations contain either putative DNA-diploid or DNA-hexaploid individuals and that two populations contain both putative DNA-diploids and DNA-hexaploids. Population genetic analyses of seven microsatellite loci showed reduced admixture (gene flow) between populations of different ploidies, as well as across three geographic regions (Mpumalanga, the Drakensberg, and the Western Cape). We found leaf size differences between plants of different ploidy; plants with larger genome sizes exhibit longer and wider leaves than plants with smaller genome sizes. Conclusions. While the role of polyploidy in global floral diversification is well accepted, the extent to which polyploidy contributes to specific diverse regions, such as South Africa, is less well known. Our results suggest that morphologically variable populations of H. odoratissimum are distributed across distinct geographic regions in South Africa that coincide with different genome sizes. The Knsyna area of the Western Cape harbors a center of genomic diversity, as well as a cryptic hexaploid subspecies, possibly due to the variability in rainfall patterns, as summer rainfall changes over to winter rainfall in this region. This study contributes to the emerging work surrounding the microhabitat differences of ploidies within the context of establishment and subsequent divergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AlN/GaN short-period superlattices (SPSLs) were grown on 4H-SiC(11̅20) substrates with a 4H-AlN template layer. The thickness of the GaN layers was controlled to be less than 1 nm to suppress the generation of extended defects. The stacking fault and threading dislocation density were found to be 3 x 105 cm-1 and 6 x 107 cm-2, respectively, which were as low as those for a 4H-AlN single layer. The superlattice replicated the polytype of the underlying 4H-AlN layer (4H-SiC substrate), meaning that a 4H-AlN/4H-GaN SPSL was grown. Room-temperature cathodoluminescence measurements revealed that the 4H-AlN/4H-GaN SPSLs exhibited intense luminescence in the deep ultraviolet region of 4.4-5.0 eV, depending on the GaN layer thickness. The emission wavelengths of the SPSLs fairly agreed with the estimation based on the Kronig-Penney model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phonon frequencies of a high-quality AlN layer coherently grown on a 6H-SiC (0001) substrate are investigated by Raman scattering. Owing to the largest strain in our coherent AlN layer among heteroepitaxially grown AlN layers ever reported, phonon frequencies of the E2 (low), E2 (high), and A1 (LO) modes are considerably shifted to 244.5 (−3.3, compared with bulk AlN), 672.1 (+16.3), and 899 (+11)cm-1, respectively. Full widths at half maximum of the phonon modes in the coherent AlN are almost equal to those of high-quality bulk AlN, clearly indicating its high crystalline quality and uniform strain. We discuss accuracy of phonon deformation potentials reported by several other groups thorough comparing our experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In addition to bituminous binders (bituminous emulsion, foamed bitumen), hydraulic binders are applied in cold recycling technologies to increase the strength of a final structural layer as well as to increase its resistance to water and frost impacts. This paper deals with the use of energy by-products from fluidized bed coal combustion and mineral waste and their modification into reactive material with the potential of replacing commonly used hydraulic binders. The increase in the reactive potential takes place through a high-speed milling process where the mechanical-chemical activation of the material takes place. This process is associated with the refinement of the material, a higher proportion of micro and nanoparticles, an increased surface area, opening of particles, etc. The material treated exhibits binding properties, and it can be used as an active filler that allows for the partial or complete substitution of hydraulic binders. The experimental part is focused on the application of alternative binders to cold recycling mixtures and their assessment according to valid technical regulations, i.e., an assessment of their indirect tensile strength and water susceptibility as well as compressive strength and resistance to the effects of water and frost.

Morphological characters, AFLP markers and flow cytometry were used to investigate the morphological and genetic variability and differentiation of Viola reichenbachiana and V. riviniana in non-metallicolous ( NM) and metallicolous (M) populations. The aims were to clarify the taxonomic status of plants occurring in ore-bearing areas, to determine any relationship in V. reichenbachiana and V. riviniana from sites not polluted with heavy metals, and to examine the genetic variability and differentiation of M and NM populations of both species. Multivariate analyses based on morphological characters showed significant differences between V. reichenbachiana and V. riviniana from non-polluted sites, high levels of intra- and inter-population variability, and the occurrence of inter-specific hybrids. Plants from M populations showed hybrid characters but also fell within the range of V. riviniana or V. reichenbachiana. There were no significant differences in relative genome size between plants from polluted areas and V. riviniana from NM populations. Bayesian analysis of population genetic structure based on AFLP markers distinguished two main groups: V. reichenbachiana and V. riviniana together with the M populations. That analysis also revealed the occurrence of populations of inter-specific hybrids from non-polluted areas. Further Bayesian analysis of V. riviniana including NM and M populations separated all the studied M populations from NM populations. We conclude that plants forming the M populations are well adapted to a metal-polluted environment, and could be considered as stabilised introgressive forms resulting from unidirectional (asymmetric) introgression toward V. riviniana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most legislation pertaining to non-native organisms is implicitly focussed at the individual species level. However, in some cases interspecific hybrids can be more invasive than any of the parent species. This is problematic for policy makers, and for horticulturists developing or trading in new ornamental cultivars. We explore these issues in the context of the need to manage naturalized populations of Kangaroo Paws ( Anigozanthos species) in South Africa. Self-sustaining, dense populations of naturalized Kangaroo Paws occur at several localities and are highly attractive to local nectar-feeding birds. The populations show high levels of seed set with or without bird pollination. Given the known propensity of Kangaroo Paws to hybridise in their native range in Australia, and confusion about the species identity of naturalized populations in South Africa, it was essential to resolve some key taxonomic issues in the group. We constructed the first molecular phylogeny for all species of the Kangaroo Paw group (genera Anigozanthos and Macropidia; family Haemodoraceae). As previously determined by taxonomists working on herbarium specimens, naturalized populations were identified as A. flavidus. In addition, we also identified a second species, A. rufus. Relative genome size estimates for Anigozanthos species indicated that small inter-specific differences in genome sizes are positively correlated to hybrid fitness. Anigozanthos flavidus and A. rufus have relatively 'compatible' genomes and may produce fertile hybrids under field conditions. However, for species whose genome size differ more than ~30%, there is little inter-specific compatibility and consequently a very low risk of producing fertile hybrids. In conclusion, we recommend that trade in Kangaroo Paws in South Africa should be temporarily restricted and that particular cultivars should first be subjected to a careful risk assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dominance of natural hazards in our environment is very high. Only when natural events occur does one realize their power and consequences. The risk potential of natural hazards and their possible consequences have prompted scientific studies of torrent events and barrier structures. This paper presents a method that allows the assessment of uncertain stress forces and resisting elements. The method is based on a probabilistic approach and includes uncertain parameters regarding acting and resistance in a risk analysis. This way of modelling also enables time changes of the barrier resistance to be taken into account. Basic information on the types of torrential barriers used is given and traditional assessment methods and loads are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To fully understand the contemporary genetic structure of plants, both nuclear and plastid markers are needed. Three chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) lineages, which probably diverged before the major Pleistocene glaciations, have been identified in the circumpolar/circumboreal Vaccinium uliginosum. Here we investigate its nuclear DNA variation using nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences, DNA ploidy level measurements and amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs). We also extend the cpDNA dataset. Two ITS lineages, corresponding to diploids and tetraploids, respectively, were identified. However, both main sequence types apparently occurred in most individual plants but showed ploidy-biased homogenization and possibly reflect paralogy predating the origin of V. uliginosum. The ploidy levels were largely consistent with the cpDNA lineages, suggesting that the initial cpDNA divergence followed early polyploidizations. Five main AFLP groups were identified, consistent with recent glacial refugia in Beringia, western Siberia, the southern European mountains and areas south/east of the Scandinavian and Laurentide ice sheets. Except from the southern European mountains, there has been extensive expansion from all refugia, resulting in several contact zones. Surprisingly, the presumably older ploidy and cpDNA patterns were partly inconsistent with the main AFLP groups and more consistent with AFLP subgroups. A likely major driver causing the inconsistencies is recent nuclear gene flow via unreduced pollen from diploids to tetraploids. This may prevent cytoplasmic introgression and result in overlayed patterns formed by processes dominating at different time scales. The data also suggest more recent polyploidizations, as well as several chloroplast capture events, further complicating this scenario. This study highlights the importance of combining different marker systems to unravel intraspecific histories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]