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Quantum size effects for the case 0.22 less than t[l.sub.pt] less than 2.45, where l is the electron mean free path and t the film thickness are analyzed. It is seen that quantum size effects are relevant and [DELTA][S.sub.F] obeys a nonlinear law .

A study demonstrates that, after ion irradiating 60 nm thick Au films on Si substrates with 230 KeV [Ar.sup.} ions, annealing conditions could be found leading to strong diffusional contrasts between bombarded and unbombarded areas. While Au readily diffuses into the bombarded part of the sample at 310 degree Celsius, its diffusion is still completely blocked under identical conditions in the unbombarded parts.

The various effects of the gigaelectron volt Au-ion irradiation/postannealing processes on the electron field emission (EFE) and other characteristics of the ultrananocrsytalline diamond films are analyzed. These proceses are shown to lead to a significant enhancement in the EFE properties of the films.

A micromechanism of thermosonic gold wire bonding is described by analyzing its interfacial characteristics as a result of the bonding process, which has included the fragmentation of the native aluminum oxide layer on Al pads and formation of initial intermetallic compounds (IMCs). The formation mechanism of IMCs is described by using the effective heat of formation theory.

Gold-coated silicon wafers are annealed in a [N.sub.2] ambient containing a low residual [O.sub.2] concentration. The comparison with known thermodynamic data for the oxidation of Si and vapor-pressures of reactants has shown that nanowire growth is mediated by a vapor-liquid-solid mechanism in which the dominant vapor-phase source of reactants is SiO produced by the active oxidation of Si.

Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) is induced in Co/Ni multilayers when they are grown on a (111) textured Au seed layer and the anisotropy has increased with increasing Au thickness due to improved crystallinity. The results have shown that the PMA in Co/Ni multilayers are improved by annealing up to 350 [degree]C, which is needed for the thermal stability of spin transfer torque memories.

The surface thermal lensing effect is used for measuring thermal conduction across thin films optically. Thermal conductivity in gold films has dropped when the film thickness is reduced and the results for silver, tin and aluminum are presented.

The article presents a new technique, which employs the fluorescent quantum dots for measuring the local temperature observed in the vicinity of the electromagnetically heated magnetic and gold nanoparticles. The temperature is shown to significantly increase with the heat dissipated by the nanoparticles, hence leading to complete change in the molecules attached to them.

Several studies are conducted to explain the various different forward bias current-voltage characteristics exhibited by the different Au/n-Si Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) with Zn doped poly(vinyl alcohol) interfacial layer. The analysis also helps in determining the activation energy, Richardson constant and other parameters exhibited by the diodes at different temperature ranges.

The impact of the rf microelectromechanical system switch contact voltage on the gold-on-gold contacts at the cryogenic temperatures is determined. The values of contact resistance of the system are shown to be much lower than that observed at high contact voltages, hence demonstrating the dependence of the contact currents on the heating and softening effects.

The temperature dependence of capacitance-voltage (C-V) and conductance-voltage (G/w-V) characteristics of Au/polyvinyl alcohol (Co,Zn-doped)/n-Si Schottky di odes (SDs) is examined by considering series resistance effect. The high frequency [C.sub.m] and [G.sub.m]/w values measured under both reverse and forward bias are corrected for the effect of series resistance in order to obtain the real diode capacitance and conductance.

A Bridgman-type cell is used for measuring the melting curve of Mg, Mn, Cu, Ag, Au, Zn, Cd, Al, In and Pb up to 12 GPa. The results have shown that the electronic structure of an element has played a major role in determining the pressure dependence of its melting curve.

The atomic force microscopy method is used for studying the evolution of the Au film morphology as a function of the film thickness and annealing time. The study of the evolution of the mean Au clusters size as a function of annealing time has helped in identifying the thermal-induced self-organization mechanism in a surface diffusion limited ripening of 3D structures and also the surface diffusion coefficient of Au on Si(111) is estimated.

Samples composted of chemically prepared Au nanoparticles embedded within a planar silica film are used as model system for examining the evolution of a second phase under irradiation when the temperature and the ion stopping power are changed. The studies have shown that the complete dissolution of the NPs have led to the formation of smaller precipitates with a narrower size distribution at room temperature.

The simple reduction of aurichloride in a limited reaction temperature range around 85 degree [Celsius] are used to synthesize the homogeneous Au nanowires with 1.5 nm diameters and lengths of over 100 [mu]m. The various shapes of Au nanostructures produced by the unique and different synthesis method are found to be significantly dependent on the reaction temperature.

Frequency-domain thermoreflectance is used for the characterization of thin metals films on low thermal diffusivity substrates. The thermoreflectance thermal conductivity values have agreed with the Wiedemann-Franz results for all the films, demonstrating that the method can be used for estimating electrical conductivity along with thermal conductivity for sufficiently thick films.

Absorption spectroscopy is used for studying the temperature dependence of the surface plasmon resonance energy and width in spherical gold nanoparticles embedded in a polymer polytetrafluoroethylene matrix. The interaction between gold nanoparticles has affected the melting of nanoparticles and the increase in the filling factor of the particles has led to a decrease in the melting temperature of gold nanoparticles.

The thermal stability of Pd/Pt/Au Ohmic contacts to InAlSb/InAs high electron mobility transistors is described. The initial drop in contact resistance has correlated with consumption of the InAs electron channel through reaction of both Pd and Pt with the semiconductor heterostructure.

Temperature-dependent reversal of the rectifying polarity is observed in Au/TlGa[Se.sub.2] Schottky junctions. The interface permittivity is changed as a result of phase transitions, thus changing the Schottky barrier's width and the contributions of tunneling and thermally assisted transitions.

Transient thermoreflectance (TTR) experiments were used to measure G (thermophysical property relating rate of equilibration to electron-phonon scattering events) in Au films of varying thicknesses. The data obtained indicated that in a highly nonequilibrium system there could be some thermal energy lost to the underlying substrate which could affect G.

The resistive switching characteristics and switching mechanisms of the Au-implanted-Zr[O.sub.2] film are examined for nonvolatile memory applications. The dependence of resistance on temperature has shown that the variable-range hopping conduction mechanism is dominated in the low-resistance state, while the current characteristics are governed by the trap-controlled space limited conduction mechanism in the high-resistance state.

The heating mechanisms of metallic powders in a multimode 2.45 GHz microwave applicator are studies. Weak heating of Au powder is explained by the absence on the particles of the oxide layer, which has allowed eddy currents flowing through larger area compared to other metals and reflection mechanism works much better in such case.

Low energy electron diffraction (LEED) and near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy are used for studying the molecular orientation and ordering in thin films of the organic semiconductors cobalt- and iron-phthalocyanine (CoPc and FePc) grown in situ on a Au(001)-5*20 surface. The results have shown that the molecular planes of CoPc and FePc deposited at a substrate temperature of 250 [degree] C is parallel to the Au(001)-5*20 surface.

The studies on the ultrafast melting and resolidification of submicron gold particle subjected to pico- to femtosecond laser pulse are reported. The results showed that the maximum melting depth, peak interfacial temperature, and velocity increased with the decreasing particle size and pulse width or with the increasing laser fluence.

An integrated piecewise thermal equilibrium approach based on the first-principles calculation method was developed to calculate bias dependent electronic structures and current- and differential conductance-voltage characteristics of the gold-benzene-1,4-dithiol-gold molecular junction. The results obtained provide insight into the bias induced electron transfer between the two electrodes which causes the local electronic structures in the two electrodes to be different.

A new method is developed for thermal annealing of magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) in air with protective overlayers that has increased the tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) values of the junctions. The [Al.sub.2][O.sub.3] MTJ samples are protected from oxidation by using Au/Ru, or [Al.sub.2][O.sub.3] films as protective overlayers.

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is used to study the annealing process of UV-ozone oxide on GaAs for the formation of gold nanoparticle. The UV-ozone oxide layer is found to contain [As.sub.2][O.sub.3] as dominant oxide, while the oxide layer becomes rich in [Ga.sub.2][O.sub.3] when annealed at 500 degree Celsius for 300 s in dry nitrogen environment.

Au(x)/Ni(y)/glass(sub) bilayered films, with x ranging from 0 to 310 Angstrom and y=85 Angstrom are made by the vapor evaporation method in vacuum. The results show that there are a large number of Au nanoparticles forming on top of the Ni surface, when x=25 and 100 Angstrom, respectively.

In situ resistance measurements were performed in order to determine the resistance of C60 monolayer. The findings stated that although the amount of charge transferred to each C60 molecule molecule from copper (Cu) films is greater than that from Gold (Au) films, the conducting C60 monolayer formed on Cu films had higher resistance than that formed on Au films.

The thermal degradation mechanism of Cu/Au Schottky contacts to the InGaP layer is investigated using current-voltage measurement, x-ray diffractometry (XRD) measurement and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The thermal degradation mechanism is attributed to the release of the Cu layer and the indiffusion of Cu element to the InGaP layer.