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In this paper, Cu thin films were deposited on Si (100) substrates by the high−power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiIPMS) technique, and the effects of different duty cycles (from 2.25% to 5.25%) on the plasma discharge characteristics, microstructure, and electrical properties of Cu thin films were investigated. The results of the target current test show that the peak target current remains stable under 2.25% and 3% duty cycle conditions. Under the conditions of a 4.5% and 5.25% duty cycle, the target peak current shows a decreasing trend. The average power of the target shows a rising trend with the increase in the duty cycle, while the peak power of the target shows a decreasing trend with the increase in the duty cycle. The results of OES show that with the increase in the duty cycle, the total peak intensity of copper and argon emissions shows an overall increasing trend. The duty cycle from 3% to 4.5% change in copper and argon emission peak total intensity change is not obvious. The deposition rate and surface morphology of the copper film were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, and the deposition rate of the copper film increased with the increase in the duty cycle, which was mainly due to the increase in the average power. The surface roughness of the copper film was evaluated by atomic force microscopy. X−ray diffraction (XRD) was used to analyze the grain size and texture of the Cu film, and the results showed that the average grain size of the Cu film increased from 38 nm to 59 nm on the (111) and (200) crystal planes. Four−probe square resistance test copper film resistivity in 2.25%, 3% low duty cycle conditions of the copper film resistivity is generally higher than 4.5%, 5.25% high duty cycle conditions, the copper film resistivity shows the trend of change is mainly affected by the copper film grain size and the (111) face of the double effect of the optimal orientation. The lowest resistivity of the copper film measured under the 4.5% duty cycle condition is 1.7005 μΩ·cm, which is close to the intrinsic resistivity of the copper film of 1.67 μΩ·cm.

High-power pulse magnetron sputtering is a new type of magnetron sputtering technology that has advantages such as high peak power density and a high ionization rate compared to DC magnetron sputtering. In this paper, we report the effects of different pulse widths on the current waveform and plasma spectrum of target material sputtering, as well as the structure and properties of Cu films prepared under the same sputtering voltage and duty cycle. Extending the pulse width can make the sputtering enter the self-sputtering (SS) stage and improve the ion quantity of sputtered particles. The Cu film prepared by HiPIMS with long pulse width has higher bond strength and lower electrical resistivity compared to the Cu film prepared by short pulse width. In terms of microstructure, the Cu film prepared by HiPIMS with the long pulse width has a larger grain size and lower micro-surface roughness. When the pulse width is bigger than 200 μs, the microstructure of the Cu film changes from granular to branched. This transformation reduces the interface on the Cu film, further reducing the resistivity of the Cu film. Compared to short pulses, long pulse width HiPIMS can obtain higher quality Cu films. This result provides a new process approach for preparing high-quality Cu films using HiPIMS technology.

For marine and coastal engineering, construction resources have become scarce due to a limited local supply. Sea sand geopolymer-based recycled concrete (SSGRC) is an innovative cementitious material known for its eco-friendly benefits and corrosion resistance. This study explores the mechanical properties of SSGRC. The influences of the replacement rate of mineral slag, alkali activator concentrations, fine aggregate types, and curing ages on the compression strength of SSGRC were studied. The failure mechanism was analyzed using the failure patterns and compressive stress–strain curves. The results show that sea sand had a positive effect on geopolymer-based material. The SSGRC reached peak strength with an alkali activator concentration of 10 mol/L and a mineral slag replacement rate of 60%. The maximum stress and strain increased with an increasing curing age. The ratios of strength to the peak value were 55% and 85% after 1 day and 7 days, respectively. Using SEM, in the last hydration stage, the C-(A)-S-H gel was formed with a dense microstructure, and the geopolymer exhibited a favorable bonding performance. The constitutive models describing the complete stress–strain relationship under compression were developed.

Chromium Nitride (CrN) coatings have widespread utilization across numerous industrial applications, primarily attributed to their excellent properties. Among the different methods for CrN coating synthesis, direct current magnetron sputtering (DCMS) has been the dominant technique applied. Nonetheless, with the expanded applications of CrN coatings, the need for enhanced mechanical performance is concurrently escalating. High-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS), an innovative coating deposition approach developed over the past three decades, is gaining recognition for its capability of yielding coatings with superior mechanical attributes, thereby drawing significant research interest. Considering that the mechanical performance of a coating is fundamentally governed by its microstructural properties, a comprehensive review of CrN coatings fabricated through both techniques is presented. This review of recent literature aims to embark on an insightful comparison between DCMS and HiPIMS, followed by an examination of the microstructure of CrN coatings fabricated via both techniques. Furthermore, the exploration of the underlying factors contributing to the disparities in mechanical properties observed in CrN coatings is revealed. An assessment of the advantages and potential shortcomings of HiPIMS is discussed, offering insight into CrN coating fabrication.

Waterborne ammonia is becoming one of the most notorious pollutants in aquatic habitats and has been shown to induce a range of ecotoxicological effects on aquatic animals. High ammonia concentrations occur mainly in intensive aquaculture systems, and effective wastewater treatment and agricultural systems are necessary to treat excessive nitrogenous compounds. Ammonia can enter aquatic decapod crustaceans through their gills, thereby reducing the oxygen-carrying capacity of blood cells and damaging the structures of organs such as the gills and hepatopancreas. This ultimately results in oxidative stress, immunotoxicity, and high mortality. Crustaceans have the ability to exert detoxification functions against ammonia stress by regulating the permeation of ammonia and related nitrogenous compounds through membranes. To the best of our knowledge, a comprehensive review of the acute toxicity of ammonia to crustaceans is lacking. The present review focuses on the literature on the problems and mechanisms concerning ammonia-induced acute toxicity and aims to synthesize the knowledge of the relationship between ammonia stress and defense responses in crustaceans (mainly shrimp and crabs). This review also emphasizes the uptake, elimination, and detoxification of ammonia in crustaceans.

The growth of leaves is subject to strict time regulation. Several genes influencing leaf growth have been identified, but little is known about how genes regulate the orderly initiation and growth of leaves. Here, we demonstrate that TaKLU/TaCYP78A5 contributes to a time regulation mechanism in leaves from initiation to expansion. TaKLU encodes the cytochrome P450 CYP78A5, and its homolog AtKLU has been described whose deletion is detrimental to organ growth. Our results show that TaKLU overexpression increases leaf size and biomass by altering the time of leaf initiation and expansion. TaKLU-overexpressing plants have larger leaves with more cells. Further dynamic observations indicate that enlarged wheat leaves have experienced a longer expansion time. Different from AtKLU inactivation increases leaf number and initiation rates, TaKLU overexpression only smooths the fluctuations of leaf initiation rates by adjusting the initiation time of local leaves, without affecting the overall leaf number and initiation rates. In addition, complementary analyses suggest TaKLU is functionally conserved with AtKLU in controlling the leaf initiation and size and may involve auxin accumulation. Our results provide a new insight into the time regulation mechanisms of leaf growth in wheat.

Vertically aligned ZnO nanowires with high aspect ratio were prepared by chemical vapor deposition on Si substrate, which had been catalyzed by the polar plane in [0001] direction of ZnO nanorods prepared by the hydrothermal method. Morphology and structure characterizations showed that the as-grown nanowires had the single-crystal hexagonal wurtzite structure with a [0001] growth direction. Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) measurement indicated the as-grown ZnO nanowires had a good deal of oxygen vacancies owing to the high operation temperature. Temperature-dependent photoluminescence measurement revealed that the peak of near-band-edge emission shifted from 380 to 387 nm with the increase of temperature from 150 to 300 K. The high intensity of the green peak at 525 nm highlighted the potential application in visible light emitting diodes.