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Today, silicon solar cells (amorphous films and wafer-based) are a main source of green energy. These cells and their components are produced by employing various technologies. Unfortunately, during the production process, chemicals that are harmful for the environment and for human life are used. For example, hydrofluoric acid is used to texture the top electrode to improve light harvesting. In this work, and also in recent ones, we report a way to obtain 3D textures on the top electrode by using zinc oxide nanorods. The efficiency of a textured solar cell structure is compared with the one obtained for a planar zinc oxide/silicon structure. The present results show the possibility to produce efficient solar cells on a relatively thin 50 μm thick silicon substrate. Solar cells with structured top electrodes were examined by numerous measuring techniques. Scanning electron microscopy revealed a grain-like morphology of the magnesium-doped zinc oxide film. The size of the grains is closely related to the structure of the nanorods. The external quantum efficiency of the cells was measured. The obtained solar cell shows response in a wide spectral range from ultraviolet to infrared. Current–voltage and current–voltage–temperature measurements were performed to evaluate basic photovoltaic parameters. At room temperature, the cells efficiency equals to 9.1% for textured structures and 5.4% for planar structures, respectively. The work, therefore, describes an environmentally friendly technology for PV architecture with surface textures increasing the efficiency of PV cells.

In order to effectively utilize the photovoltaic properties of gallium arsenide, its surface/interface needs to be properly prepared. In the experiments described here we examined eight different paths of GaAs surface treatment (cleaning, etching, passivation) which resulted in different external quantum efficiency (EQE) values of the tested photovoltaic (PV) cells. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) examinations were conducted to obtain structural details of the devices. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) with depth profiling was used to examine interface structure and changes in the elemental content and chemical bonds. The photoluminescence (PL) properties and bandgap measurements of the deposited layers were also reported. The highest EQE value was obtained for the samples initially etched with a citric acid-based etchant and, in the last preparation step, either passivated with ammonium sulfide aqueous solution or treated with ammonium hydroxide solution with no final passivation. Subsequent I–V measurements, however, confirmed that from these samples, only the sulfur-passivated ones provided the highest current density. The tested devices were fabricated by using the ALD method.

The oxynitriding of Ti-6Al-4V alloy was realized by thermodiffusion saturation of non-stoichiometric titanium nitride by oxygen (P(O2) = 10−3 to 1 Pa). The oxygen content in TiNxO1−x increased by increasing P(O2) and it led to transformation into TiO2 as follows: TiN0.46O0.54 → TiN0.42O0.58 → TiN0.36O0.64 + TiO2. It caused an increase in the viability of pseudonormal human cells of HEK293T line after 8 days of testing. TiN0.36O0.64 + TiO2 coating exhibited normal morphology and provided 1.2-fold higher cytocompatibility compared to Ti-6Al-4V alloy. This coating can be recommended for further in-depth testing as bio-implant material.

The phytochemistry and antimicrobial activity of the newly identified Australian plant Olearia fulgens A.R.Bean was examined. Antimicrobial TLC bioautography-guided isolation followed by NMR spectroscopy was used to identify the known compounds 8-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl-ent-8β-hydroxylabdan-15-oic acid (1) and pinocembrin (7), and new compounds 8-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl-ent-labdan-8β,15-diol (2) and ent-15-hydroxyclerod-3-en-17-oic acid (4a). Compounds without apparent activity in TLC bioautography included the previously undescribed ent-clerod-3-en-15,17-dioic acid (3a) and ent-cleroda-3,13-dien-15,17-dioic acid (5a), as well as known ent-8β-hydroxylabdan-15-oic acid (6) and penduletin (8). This is the first phytochemical and antibacterial study on this species of Olearia, showing it to be an abundant source of ent-labdanes and ent-clerodanes.

A series of new push-pull chromophores based on a combined cyclopenta[c]thiophene-4,6-dione (ThDione) acceptor, N,N-dimethylaniline, N-piperidinylthiophene or ferrocene donors, and ethylene or buta-1,3-dienylene π-linkers has been designed and synthesized. Utilizing one or two ThDione acceptors afforded linear or branched push-pull molecules. Experimental and theoretical study of their fundamental properties revealed thermal robustness up to 260 °C, a electrochemical/optical HOMO-LUMO gap that is tunable within the range of 1.47-2.19/1.99-2.39 eV, and thorough elucidation of structure-property relationships. Compared to currently available portfolio of heterocyclic electron-withdrawing units, ThDione proved to be a powerful and versatile acceptor unit. It imparts significant intramolecular charge transfer and polarizes the π-system, which results in enhanced (non)linear optical response.

BackgroundThe concurrent use of cigarettes with other tobacco products, such as smokeless tobacco (SLT), is increasingly common. Extant work with cigarette smokers who also use SLT is based heavily on retrospective reports and between-group comparisons. The purpose of this study was to assess prospectively the patterns of dual users’ product use and nicotine exposure on days when cigarettes were smoked exclusively (single use) versus concurrently with SLT (dual use).DesignForty-six dual cigarette-SLT users recorded their product use in real time via ecological momentary assessment for a 2-week longitudinal design. They responded to questions about situational factors (eg, location, mood) using this same diary, and collected saliva samples each night for later cotinine measurement. At the end of this 2-week period, users reported on their reasons for and beliefs about SLT use.ResultsCotinine levels were significantly higher on dual versus single use days (mean±SEM=374.48±41.08 ng/mL vs 300.17±28.13 ng/mL, respectively; pConclusionsResults support the idea of product supplementation rather than replacement among this convenience sample of dual users. For smokers whose primary motivation for SLT use involves situations where they would otherwise be tobacco free, the potential benefits of clean indoor air laws may be diminished.

Titanium nitride is a well-known conductive ceramic material that has recently experienced resumed attention because of its plasmonic properties comparable to metallic gold and silver. Thus, TiN is an attractive alternative for modern and future photonic applications that require compatibility with the Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) technology or improved resistance to temperatures or radiation. This work demonstrates that polycrystalline TiNx films sputtered on silicon at room temperature can exhibit plasmonic properties continuously from 400 nm up to 30 μm. The films’ composition, expressed as nitrogen to titanium ratio x and determined in the Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (SIMS) experiment to be in the range of 0.84 to 1.21, is essential for optimizing the plasmonic properties. In the visible range, the dielectric function renders the interband optical transitions. For wavelengths longer than 800 nm, the optical properties of TiNx are well described by the Drude model modified by an additional Lorentz term, which has to be included for part of the samples. The ab initio calculations support the experimental results both in the visible and infra-red ranges; particularly, the existence of a very low energy optical transition is predicted. Some other minor features in the dielectric function observed for the longest wavelengths are suspected to be of phonon origin.

Charge transfer processes between weakly bound entities play an important role in various chemical and biological environments. In this combined experimental and theoretical work, we investigate the nature of charge-transfer processes in homogeneous atomic and heterogeneous atomic-molecular clusters. Our results reveal fundamentally different processes to be at play in pure argon clusters compared to mixed argon-nitrogen systems: We demonstrate that the former species decay via photon-mediated charge transfer while a nonradiative direct process is found dominant in the atomic-molecular cases. Our results are of general interest for studies on charge redistribution in more complex and biologically relevant samples where molecules are involved.

The structural, optical, and electrical properties of ZnO are intimately intertwined. In the present work, the structural and transport properties of 100 nm thick polycrystalline ZnO films obtained by atomic layer deposition (ALD) at a growth temperature (Tg) of 100–300 °C were investigated. The electrical properties of the films showed a dependence on the substrate (a-Al2O3 or Si (100)) and a high sensitivity to Tg, related to the deviation of the film stoichiometry as demonstrated by the RT-Hall effect. The average crystallite size increased from 20–30 nm for as grown samples to 80–100 nm after rapid thermal annealing, which affects carrier scattering. The ZnO layers deposited on silicon showed lower strain and dislocation density than on sapphire at the same Tg. The calculated half crystallite size (D/2) was higher than the Debye length (LD) for all as grown and annealed ZnO films, except for annealed ZnO/Si films grown within the ALD window (100–200 °C), indicating different homogeneity of charge carrier distribution for annealed ZnO/Si and ZnO/a-Al2O3 layers. For as grown films the hydrogen impurity concentration detected via secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) was 1021 cm−3 and was decreased by two orders of magnitude after annealing, accompanied by a decrease in Urbach energy in the ZnO/a-Al2O3 layers.

Phase pure nanoparticles of NaCe(WO4)2 green phosphor were synthesized via a template-free solvothermal method using water (NaCeW-a) and ethylene glycol (NaCeWb) as reaction solvents. Rietveld refinements using powder neutron diffraction (NPD) data confirms that both NaCeW-a and NaCeWb crystallize in the Scheelite-like tetragonal I41/a space group. However, local structure analysis using total scattering atomic pair distribution function (PDF) refinements in a shorter ‘r’ range (1.5 to 10 A) established the noncentrosymmetric I4 space group where Na/CeO8 polyhedra are slightly distorted, distributed in 2b and 2d sites. The interesting observation of noncentrosymmetry locally in both NaCeW-a and NaCeW-b is supported by optical nonlinear second harmonic generation (SHG) measurements. Closer inspection of the scanning electron micrograms showed a distinct difference in the particle morphology as a function of reaction solvent. Observation of the +3 valence state of the cerium ion in NaCe(WO4)2 via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements was further corroborated by magnetic (VSM) measurements. In addition, both the samples emitted bright narrow green emission upon UV excitation with no considerable change in emission intensity with respect to solvent. Hence, the sharp green light emission and SHG properties make the NaCe(WO4)2 a potential candidate for solid state display and nonlinear optical applications

Objectives Dental calculus is among the richest known sources of ancient DNA in the archaeological record. Although most DNA within calculus is microbial, it has been shown to contain sufficient human DNA for the targeted retrieval of whole mitochondrial genomes. Here, we explore whether calculus is also a viable substrate for whole human genome recovery using targeted enrichment techniques. Materials and methods Total DNA extracted from 24 paired archaeological human dentin and calculus samples was subjected to whole human genome enrichment using in-solution hybridization capture and high-throughput sequencing. Results Total DNA from calculus exceeded that of dentin in all cases, and although the proportion of human DNA was generally lower in calculus, the absolute human DNA content of calculus and dentin was not significantly different. Whole genome enrichment resulted in up to four-fold enrichment of the human endogenous DNA content for both dentin and dental calculus libraries, albeit with some loss in complexity. Recovering more on-target reads for the same sequencing effort generally improved the quality of downstream analyses, such as sex and ancestry estimation. For nonhuman DNA, comparison of phylum-level microbial community structure revealed few differences between precapture and postcapture libraries, indicating that off-target sequences in human genome-enriched calculus libraries may still be useful for oral microbiome reconstruction. Discussion While ancient human dental calculus does contain endogenous human DNA sequences, their relative proportion is low when compared with other skeletal tissues. Whole genome enrichment can help increase the proportion of recovered human reads, but in this instance enrichment efficiency was relatively low when compared with other forms of capture. We conclude that further optimization is necessary before the method can be routinely applied to archaeological samples. H2020 European Research Council, Grant/Award Number: 319209; Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, Grant/Award Number: 649307DK-TAF 5662; National Science Foundation, Grant/Award Number: BCS 1516633, BCS-1528698

The pea auxin receptors PsTIR1a, PsTIR1b, and PsAFB2 are involved in auxin perception, and the TIR1s are implicated in the differential growth response to 4-Cl-IAA and IAA in pea fruit., The auxins indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and 4-chloroindole-3-acetic acid (4-Cl-IAA) occur naturally in pea (Pisum sativum); however, only 4-Cl-IAA mimics the presence of seeds in stimulating pericarp growth. To examine if this differential auxin effect is mediated through TIR1/AFB auxin receptors, pea TIR1 and AFB2 homologs were functionally characterized in Arabidopsis, and receptor expression, and auxin distribution and action were profiled in developing pea fruits. PsTIR1a, PsTIR1b, and PsAFB2 restored the auxin-sensitive root growth response to the mutant Arabidopsis seedlings Attir1-10 and/or Attir1-10 afb2-3. Expression of PsTIR1 or AtTIR1 in Attir1-10 afb2-3 mutants also restored the greater root inhibitory response of 4-Cl-IAA compared to that of IAA, implicating TIR1 receptors in this response. The ability of 4-Cl-IAA to stimulate a stronger DR5::GUS auxin response than IAA at the same concentration in pea pericarps was associated with its ability to enrich the auxin-receptor transcript pool with PsTIR1a and PsAFB2 by decreasing the transcript abundance of PsTIR1b (mimicking results in pericarps with developing seeds). Therefore, the markedly different effect of IAA and 4-Cl-IAA on pea fruit growth may at least partially involve TIR1/AFB receptors and the differential modulation of their population, resulting in specific Aux/IAA protein degradation that leads to an auxin-specific tissue response.

We demonstrate a possibility to vary structural, morphological and optoelectronics parameters for kesterite Cu2ZnSnS4 nanocrystalline films using external laser beams at 1540 nm, and 770 nm or 1064 nm, and 532 nm. The illumination is performed both by single mode laser beams as well as by bicolor coherent treatment. The principal changes were observed for the density of electronic states in the valence band, third-order nonlinear optics, surface states. The energy density of the fundamental laser beams was continuously varied up to 250 J/m2. The role of photo-thermal and phonon anharmonic contributions play here crucial role. The maximal changes of the electronic density of states and effective masses were achieved during simultaneous illumination by 1540 nm/770 nm Er: glass laser coherent bicolor laser beams. This result correlates well with the occurrence of the optical interference gratings, the formation of the nanocrystallites and surface morphology.

Introduction Cigarette smoking rates among individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) are notoriously high and may be improved by considering the timing of treatment integration for these two substances. The current study examined the feasibility of a method for assessing the timing of integrating smoking cessation pharmacotherapy within three different phases of outpatient treatment with medication for OUD (MOUD). Methods Seventy-four buprenorphine-maintained smokers were enrolled in a quasi-experimental study across three MOUD treatment phases: 0–90 (Phase 1), 91–365 (Phase 2), and > 365 days of MOUD treatment (Phase 3). During a 12-week varenicline-based intervention, the study assessed outcomes daily via text messages (cigarette smoking, varenicline adherence, side effects) or monthly at in-person visits (quit motivation and carbon monoxide levels). Results Thirty-five participants completed the study, with a lower retention rate in Phase 1 (37.5%) relative to Phases 2 (53.5%) or 3 (57.1%). A trend occurred for Phase 1 participants to report aversive side effects (e.g., abnormal dreams, gastrointestinal distress) on more study days. Among completers, adherence to text messaging and varenicline use was high and independent of MOUD treatment phase. Participants in all phases reported declines in cigarette smoking and increases in quit motivation over time; the study observed biochemically verified tobacco abstinence among only a few participants from Phases 2 or 3. Conclusions This feasibility study demonstrates a method to evaluate the timing of treatment integration for cigarette smoking and MOUD. Method strengths include a study schedule that coincided with the MOUD clinic schedule and use of text messaging to encourage varenicline adherence and evaluate outcomes regularly.

Prior work suggests that prospective measurement of cigarette use may be more reliable and valid than retrospective self-reports. Despite several studies comparing retrospective and prospective methods, there are a myriad of prospective methods that have not been directly compared, including spent cigarette filters that are returned to the laboratory by participants and diary logs of cigarette use on an electronic device via ecological momentary assessment. The current secondary data analysis compared the reliability of retrospective global self-report, returned cigarette filters, and electronic diary logs among a sample of cigarette smokers that also use smokeless tobacco (SLT; N = 51) over two consecutive weeks. CPD values also were compared to salivary cotinine levels to determine whether any method was associated more strongly with nicotine/tobacco exposure. Results indicated that CPD values via global self-report were significantly larger than returned filter and diary log daily averages across both weeks (t(50) = 8.28 to 9.35; p < .001). Both prospective measures showed less digit bias and more variation in smoking behavior across days than global self-reports. Only returned CPD values were correlated significantly with salivary cotinine levels (r(593) = 0.09, p = .024). Importantly, most reliability outcomes for returned filters and logged CPD did not differ significantly, suggesting that they may be comparable prospective methods for measuring cigarette use. Because returned filters and diary logs did not differ from one another, researchers' selection of a prospective measurement method should rely on considerations of participant compliance, protocol burden, and specific research questions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Background Due to increasing aging of population prevalence of age-related disorders including osteoporosis is rapidly growing. Due to health and economic impact of the disease, there is an urgent need to develop techniques supporting bone metabolism and bone regeneration after fracture. Due to imbalance between bone forming and bone resorbing cells, the healing process of osteoporotic bone is problematic and prolonged. Thus searching for agents able to restore the homeostasis between these cells is strongly desirable. Results In the present study, using ALD technology, we obtained homogeneous, amorphous layer of hafnium (IV) oxide (HfO2). Considering the specific growth rate (1.9Å/cycle) for the selected process at the temperature of 90 °C, we performed the 100 nm deposition process, which was confirmed by measuring film thickness using reflectometry. Then biological properties of the layer were investigated with pre-osteoblast (MC3T3), pre-osteoclasts (4B12) and macrophages (RAW 264.7) using immunofluorescence and RT-qPCR. We have shown, that HfO2 (i) enhance osteogenesis, (ii) reduce osteoclastogenesis (iii) do not elicit immune response and (iv) exert anti-inflammatory effects. Conclusion HfO2 layer can be applied to cover the surface of metallic biomaterials in order to enhance the healing process of osteoporotic bone fracture.

Electronic excitations in the valence shell of Ne clusters were studied by fluorescence spectroscopy. The measured fluorescence excitation functions contain information about the nature and number of excitonic states and the mean cluster size of the produced size distribution. Mean cluster sizes were determined by comparing surface and bulk contributions using a multidimensional fitting algorithm, with good agreement to commonly used scaling laws. The influence of different size distributions, which were not considered in previous investigations, on homogeneous noble gas cluster jets is implemented in the proposed model. The present work is the first approach using fluorescence spectroscopy for the determination of the mean size of Ne cluster jets created by supersonic expansion.

A plasma nitriding of titanium alloys is very efficient method of their surface hardness and wear resistance improvement without compromising a core strength of the treated elements. The surface roughening increasing with the temperature of this treatment is a major obstacle on the way toward production of the fine quality products. Confronting of the roughness measurements performed at different scales with complementary plan-view surface observations (OM, SEM/SE, FIB/SE, AFM) and cross-section (TEM) ones, focused on description of the surface defects, allowed the mechanism of their development to be explained. Namely, the TiN layer produced at lower temperatures (∼620 °C) grows predominantly with a flat front, roughly reproducing the substrate morphology, while at intermediate and higher temperatures (680 °C−830 °C) it is a subject of severe self-spalling of the upper part of this layer. It means that simultaneous hardening and preservation of a high surface quality of Ti-6Al-7Nb after CP-PN is possible only during the plasma nitriding performed at the temperatures close to 600 °C. Additionally, a strong self-spalling of the upper part of the TiN layer during this treatment at higher temperatures means that only its remaining part, growing toward the core, could eventually serve as a corrosion protection barrier.

This work is directed toward the synthesis, structural characterization and NLO properties investigation of the novel copper(I) nitrate π,σ-coordination compound [Cu(Anor)(CH3CN)](NO3) (1) based on 1-allyl-3-norbornan-thiourea (Anor). In the crystal structure of both Anor and 1, the organic part is disordered because of the superposition of (2S)-exo and (2R)-exo enantiomers. The Anor ligand in 1 acts as a bridging ligand, connecting Cu(I) ions into the cationic coordination polymer {[Cu(Anor)(CH3CN)]+}n through η2-allyl group and the thiourea S atom. The H atoms of the –NH– groups in the Anor structure participate in N—H···S hydrogen bonding and form an infinite hydrogen-bonded layer, while the same ligand groups in the organometallic chain of 1 are linked by bifurcated N—H···O bonds to the two O atoms of the same NO3– anion. The second-order nonlinear optical properties for Anor and coordination compound 1 were studied at 1064 nm generated by a nanosecond pulsed Nd:YAG laser. The corresponding values of the average first-order NLO hyperpolarizabilities calculated by the DFT method and the B3LYP functional for the Anor ligand molecule and the cation fragment confirm the experimentally determined much higher second-harmonic generation efficiency for compound 1.

Seed-specific down-regulation of AtCESA1 and AtCESA9, which encode cellulose synthase subunits, differentially affects seed storage compound accumulation in Arabidopsis. High amounts of cellulose can negatively affect crop seed quality, and, therefore, diverting carbon partitioning from cellulose to oil, protein and/or starch via molecular breeding may improve seed quality. To determine the effect of seed cellulose content reduction on levels of storage compounds, Arabidopsis thaliana CELLULOSE SYNTHASE1 (AtCESA1) and AtCESA9 genes, which both encode cellulose synthase subunits, were individually down-regulated using seed-specific intron-spliced hairpin RNA (hpRNAi) constructs. The selected seed-specific AtCESA1 and AtCESA9 Arabidopsis RNAi lines displayed reduced cellulose contents in seeds, and exhibited no obvious visual phenotypic growth defects with the exception of a minor effect on early root development in AtCESA1 RNAi seedlings and early hypocotyl elongation in the dark in both types of RNAi line. The seed-specific down-regulation of AtCESA9 resulted in a reduction in seed weight compared to empty vector controls, which was not observed in AtCESA1 RNAi lines. In terms of effects on carbon partitioning, AtCESA1 and AtCESA9 RNAi lines exhibited distinct effects. The down-regulation of AtCESA1 led to a ~ 3% relative increase in seed protein content (P = 0.04) and a ~ 3% relative decrease in oil content (P = 0.02), but caused no alteration in soluble glucose levels. On the contrary, AtCESA9 RNAi lines did not display a significant reduction in seed oil, protein or soluble glucose content. Taken together, our results indicate that the seed-specific down-regulation of AtCESA1 causes alterations in seed storage compound accumulation, while the effect of AtCESA9 on carbon partitioning is absent or minor in Arabidopsis.

Laser operation by optical third harmonic generation at Er:Yb glass laser fundamental wavelength 1540 nm for the cadmium sulphide (CdS) nanocrystallites (NC) with average sizes 13 nm, 20 nm, 50 nm embedded into the poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) photopolymer matrices was discovered. The 300 mJ intensity modulated continuous wave (cw) Nd:YAG 1060 nm laser was used for photoinduced changes. The content of CdS NC was chosen to be 3%, 6%, 9%, 12%. The CdS NC have been synthesized using electrolytic procedure and their structural and morphological features were monitored by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The dependences of the THG versus the cw laser light power density at 1060 nm was studied and has shown an existence of the maxima which are strongly dependent on the NC sizes. Generally with decreasing NC sizes the laser stimulated THG was increased. The relaxation of the photoinduced changes was explored. The effect may be used for laser operation by coherent harmonic generation in the CdS/polymer nanocomposites.

Triacylglycerol (TAG) is the major storage lipid in most terrestrial plants and microalgae, and has great nutritional and industrial value. Since the demand for vegetable oil is consistently increasing, numerous studies have been focused on improving the TAG content and modifying the fatty-acid compositions of plant seed oils. In addition, there is a strong research interest in establishing plant vegetative tissues and microalgae as platforms for lipid production. In higher plants and microalgae, TAG biosynthesis occurs via acyl-CoA-dependent or acyl-CoA-independent pathways. Diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) catalyzes the last and committed step in the acyl-CoA-dependent biosynthesis of TAG, which appears to represent a bottleneck in oil accumulation in some oilseed species. Membrane-bound and soluble forms of DGAT have been identified with very different amino-acid sequences and biochemical properties. Alternatively, TAG can be formed through acyl-CoA-independent pathways via the catalytic action of membrane-bound phospholipid:diacylglycerol acyltransferase (PDAT). As the enzymes catalyzing the terminal steps of TAG formation, DGAT and PDAT play crucial roles in determining the flux of carbon into seed TAG and thus have been considered as the key targets for engineering oil production. Here, we summarize the most recent knowledge on DGAT and PDAT in higher plants and microalgae, with the emphasis on their physiological roles, structural features, and regulation. The development of various metabolic engineering strategies to enhance the TAG content and alter the fatty-acid composition of TAG is also discussed.

We have shown a possibility to form laser modified surface nanolayers with thickness up to 60 nm in some ternary chalcogenide crystals (Ag 3AsS3, Ag3SbS3, Tl3SbS3 ) The laser treatment was performed by two coherent laser beams split in a space. As the inducing lasers we have applied continuous wave (cw) He Cd laser at wavelength 441 nm and doubled frequency cw Nd: YAG laser at 532 nm. The spectral energies of these lasers were higher with respect to the energy gaps of the studied crystals. The optical anisotropy was appeared and defected by monitoring of birefringence at probing wavelength of cw He Ne laser at λ = 3390 nm. The changes of the laser stimulated near the surface layer morphology was monitored by TEM and AFM methods as well as by the reflected optical second harmonic generation at fundamental wavelength of microsecond CO 2 laser generating at wavelength 10600 nm. This technique may open a new approach for the formation of the near the surface nanolayers in chalcogenides using external cw laser illumination.

In this study zinc borate glasses doped with different concentrations Ta2O5 were synthesized and were crystallized by heat treatment for prolonged times. The samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, IR and Raman spectroscopy techniques. The SEM images of the crystallized samples have indicated that the samples contain randomly distributed crystal grains with size ∼1 μm entrenched in the residual amorphous phase. XRD studies have exhibited diffraction peaks identified as being due to the reflections from (1 1 1) planes of monoclinic Zn3Ta2O8 crystal phase that contains intertwined tetrahedral zinc and octahedral tantalate structural units. The concentration of such crystal phases in the bulk samples is observed to increase with increase of Ta2O5 up to 3.0 mol%. The IR and Raman spectroscopy studies have confirmed the presence of ZnO4 and TaO6 structural units in the glass network in addition to the conventional borate structural units. For measuring third harmonic generation (THG) in the samples, the samples were irradiated with 532 nm laser beam and the intensity of THG of probing beam (Nd:YAG λ = 1064 nm 20 ns pulsed laser (ω)) is measured as a function of fundamental beam power varying up to 200 J/m2. The intensity of THG is found to be increasing with increase of fundamental beam power and found to be the maximal for the glass crystallized with 3.0 mol% of Ta2O5. The intensity of THG of the ceramicized samples is found to be nearly 5 times higher with respect to that of pre-crystallized samples. The generation of 3ω is attributed to the perturbation/interaction between Zn3Ta2O8 anisotropic crystal grains and the incident probing beam.

Laser induced birefringence was studied during coherent treatment by two coherent UV laser beams at wavelength 355 nm. Principal role of the border separating photo-solidified and the surrounding non-solidified liquid-like fragments is demonstrated. The magnitudes of laser induced birefringence for probing 1150 nm wavelength were varied within 10−4…10−2. It is demonstrated that one can operate by values of the birefringence versus polymer solidification time. The UV-induced birefringence achieves a saturation after about 45 days. The reversible birefringence after switching off of the UV-solidification beams was equal to about 18% with respect to initially photo-stimulated. The discovered effect may be used for design and fabrication of electro-optical modulators operated by UV laser light. A principal physical mechanism is determined by an interaction between two coherent UV- nanosecond laser pulses at wavelengths of 355 nm (third harmonic of Nd:YAG laser). The discovered effects allow to propose a new type of UV-operated photopolymer materials for optical recoding of information.

Ethylene biosynthesis is regulated in reproductive tissues in response to heat stress in a manner to optimize resource allocation to pollinated fruits with developing seeds. High temperatures during reproductive development are particularly detrimental to crop fruit/seed production. Ethylene plays vital roles in plant development and abiotic stress responses; however, little is known about ethylene's role in reproductive tissues during development under heat stress. We assessed ethylene biosynthesis and signaling regulation within the reproductive and associated tissues of pea during the developmental phase that sets the stage for fruit-set and seed development under normal and heat-stress conditions. The transcript abundance profiles of PsACS [encode enzymes that convert S-adenosyl-L-methionine to 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC)] and PsACO (encode enzymes that convert ACC to ethylene), and ethylene evolution were developmentally, environmentally, and tissue-specifically regulated in the floral/fruit/pedicel tissues of pea. Higher transcript abundance of PsACS and PsACO in the ovaries, and PsACO in the pedicels was correlated with higher ethylene evolution and ovary senescence and pedicel abscission in fruits that were not pollinated under control temperature conditions. Under heat-stress conditions, up-regulation of ethylene biosynthesis gene expression in pre-pollinated ovaries was also associated with higher ethylene evolution and lower retention of these fruits. Following successful pollination and ovule fertilization, heat-stress modified PsACS and PsACO transcript profiles in a manner that suppressed ovary ethylene evolution. The normal ethylene burst in the stigma/style and petals following pollination was also suppressed by heat-stress. Transcript abundance profiles of ethylene receptor and signaling-related genes acted as qualitative markers of tissue ethylene signaling events. These data support the hypothesis that ethylene biosynthesis is regulated in reproductive tissues in response to heat stress to modulate resource allocation dynamics.

Novel nonlinear optical (NLO) chromophore based on 6-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)-1H-indole as the electron donor group was designed and synthesized. The molecular structure of this chromophore was characterized by 1H NMR spectra, 13C NMR spectra, and MS spectra. The delocalized energy level was estimated by UV–Vis. spectra. The thermal property was studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The poled films containing chromophores ZML-1 with a loading density of 10 wt% in amorphous polycarbonate (APC) afford an average electro-optic (EO) coefficient (r33) of 19 pm/V at 1310 nm. Compared to the reported aniline-based chromophore (r33 = 12 pm/V) analogues, chromophore ZML-1 exhibits enhanced electro-optical activity.

Synthesis of LiNa 5 Mo 9 O 30 micropowders by means of sol-gel method through the citrate way was carried out. The DFT band structure calculations for obtained powders were done. Following the performed calculations, investigations of various optical functions as well as elastic properties were carried out. Basing on the analysis of the obtained results we performed photoinducing treatment of the samples near and outside the first UV spectral maximum of reflectivity (R) using the radiation of photoinducing UV nanosecond laser at 337 nm and second harmonic generated 532 nm signal originating from Nd:YAG laser emitting 1064 nm radiation, respectively. Significant enhancement of relative reflectivity (ΔR/R) in the spectral range 335–413 nm (3.7–3.0 eV) caused by photoinducing UV nanosecond laser treatment at 337 nm was observed. Huge sensitivity to the wavelength of photoinducing radiation of LiNa 5 Mo 9 O 30 reflectivity was found. Discovered phenomenon indicates the possibility of LiNa 5 Mo 9 O 30 application as an efficient optical trigger. Additionally it may be of huge importance for the production of high selective sensors of the laser light. Moreover, in a future we can use LiNa 5 Mo 9 O 30 crystalline powder to make composite by embedding into polymer or glass matrices.

Zinc zirconium borate glasses crystallized with varying concentrations of ZrO2 by heat treating at the onset of the predicted crystallization temperature for prolonged times have been fabricated. The prepared samples were characterized by XRD and SEM techniques. The results of these measurements have indicated that the bulk samples are entrenched with ZnZrO3 (tetragonal/cubic) crystal phases with varying sizes and concentration, depending upon the content of ZrO2 present in the bulk material. The IR spectral studies have further confirmed that the zirconium ions mainly exist in octahedral coordination that are predicted to play crucial role in inducing third harmonic generation (THG). Later, the samples were optically poled by cw 532 nm green laser along with illumination by 9.4 μm CO2 laser. The infrared laser (CO2 laser) treatment was performed before the 532 nm laser treatment in order to activate the phonon modes (both harmonic and anharmonic modes). Later, intensity of the induced THG (of wavelength 355 nm) of the pre- and post-heated samples was measured using Nd:YAG 1064 nm 20 ns pulsed laser with the fundamental beam power varying up to 200 J/m2. The measurements were performed as functions of power of photoinduced 532 nm cw laser beam and also the concentration of the crystallizing agent ZrO2. Quantitative analysis of these results indicated that the samples crystallized with 5.0 mol% of ZrO2 exhibited the maximal intensity of THG. Further, the comparison of the obtained results with those of corresponding pre-crystallized samples pointed out that the crystallization has enhanced the THG intensity by many folds. The enhancement is attributed to the presence of ZnZrO3 perovskite crystal phases embedded in the residual glass phase of the bulk crystallized samples. The obtained results may be useful for considering the material for different optoelectronic devices especially for nonlinear optical triggering devices.

In the present work, details of the crystal growth (Bridgeman method) and optical reflection spectroscopy for two single crystals (X = S, Te) were reported. Detailed ab-initio DFT calculations of the structural, electronic and optical properties of the crystals were performed for a deeper understanding of the experimentally obtained optical data. The special attention is paid to the electron charge density distribution, carrier mobility, optical reflectivity spectra and finally the anisotropy of the corresponding optical functions were studied. Were established a relations with carrier mobility, the optical anisotropy and electronic band structures for the titled crystals and compared with the optical reflectance spectra, covering the range of principal inter-band transitions. The origin of the calculated bands and effects of the anion substitution (Se by Te) on the crystal properties are studied. The role of screening effects is discussed by a comparison of the GGA and LDA approaches, including the electronic band dispersion and effective masses anisotropy. The possible changes of the inter-band transition are considered. The relation between the space charge density distribution and optical features is established. Finally was explained the origin of the observed discrepancies between the experimental and theoretical data.

Modulation of ethylene biosynthesis and signaling pathways is a key node for seed and auxin regulation of pea fruit growth and development., In pea, the auxins 4-chloroindole-3-acetic acid (4-Cl-IAA) and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) occur naturally; however, only 4-Cl-IAA stimulates pericarp growth and gibberellin (GA) biosynthesis, and inhibits the ethylene response in deseeded ovaries (pericarps), mimicking the presence of seeds. Expression of ovary ethylene biosynthesis genes was regulated similarly in most cases by the presence of 4-Cl-IAA or seeds. PsACS1 [which encodes an enzyme that synthesizes 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC)] transcript abundance was high in pericarp tissue adjacent to developing seeds following pollination. ACC accumulation in 4-Cl-IAA-treated deseeded pericarps was driven by high PsASC1 expression (1800-fold). 4-Cl-IAA, but not IAA, also suppressed the pericarp transcript levels of PsACS4. 4-Cl-IAA increased PsACO1 and decreased PsACO2 and PsACO3 expression (enzymes that convert ACC to ethylene) but did not change ACO enzyme activity. Increased ethylene was countered by a 4-Cl-IAA-specific decrease in ethylene responsiveness potentially via modulation of pericarp ethylene receptor and signaling gene expression. This pattern did not occur in IAA-treated pericarps. Overall, the effect of 4-Cl-IAA and IAA on ethylene biosynthesis gene expression generally explains the ethylene evolution patterns, and their effects on GA biosynthesis and ethylene signaling gene expression explain the tissue response patterns in young pea ovaries.

Cu and graphene-coated Cu substrates spread with Sn-Zn eutectic-based alloy containing 0.5 wt.%, 1 wt.%, or 1.5 wt.% Cu have been studied at 250°C. Soldering experiments were performed for wetting time of 3 min, 8 min, 15 min, 30 min, and 60 min in (1) presence of flux without argon protective atmosphere and (2) fluxless in argon atmosphere. Solidified solder–pad couples were cross-sectioned and examined using scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy to study their interfacial microstructure. To assess the effect of graphene coating on solder, Cu pads were covered by graphene using chemical vapor deposition. The results revealed that the liquid solder did not wet the graphene-coated copper in the absence of flux. Wetting took place only with use of flux, because it destroyed the graphene layer and enabled contact of the liquid solder with the copper. Experiments were designed to demonstrate the effect of Cu addition and graphene coating on the kinetics of the formation and growth of Cu5Zn8 and CuZn4 phases identified by x-ray diffraction analysis, Raman spectroscopy, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy. A decrease of about 60% in the thickness of the intermetallic layer was observed when applying the graphene interlayer in presence of flux. Addition of copper to the Sn-Zn alloy improved the wettability as the copper content was increased.

Resonant interatomic Coulombic decay (RICD) in inner-valence excited neon clusters is observed by a combination of vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) and UV/visible fluorescence spectroscopy. These ultrafast interatomic electronic processes efficiently quench radiation emission from inner-valence excited clusters. After RICD took place, outer-valence excited clusters relax further by emission of fluorescence. The direct correspondence of the structures observed in the VUV and UV/visible fluorescence signals implies that the final states of the spectator RICD decay by a cascade of radiative decays: First, by the Rydberg-to-Rydberg transitions in the UV/visible spectral range, and then, by the Rydberg-to-valence transition in the VUV range. Our study demonstrates a possibility of detecting interatomic electronic processes by UV/visible fluorescence spectroscopy.

In pea (Pisum sativum L.), moderate heat stress during early flowering/fruit set increased seed/ovule abortion, and concomitantly produced fruits with reduced ovary (pericarp) length, and fewer seeds at maturity. Plant hormonal networks coordinate seed and pericarp growth and development. To determine if these hormonal networks are modulated in response to heat stress, we analyzed the gene expression patterns and associated these patterns with precursors, and bioactive and inactive metabolites of the auxin, gibberellin (GA), abscisic acid (ABA), and ethylene biosynthesis/catabolism pathways in young developing seeds and pericarps of non-stressed and 4-day heat-stressed fruits. Our data suggest that within the developing seeds heat stress decreased bioactive GA levels reducing GA growth-related processes, and that increased ethylene levels may have promoted this inhibitory response. In contrast, heat stress increased auxin biosynthesis gene expression and auxin levels in the seeds and pericarps, and seed ABA levels, both effects can increase seed sink strength. We hypothesize that seeds with higher auxin- and ABA-induced sink strength and adequate bioactive GA levels will set and continue to grow, while the seeds with lower sink strength (low auxin, ABA, and GA levels) will become more sensitive to heat stress-induced ethylene leading to ovule/seed abortion.

Research methods are needed that can predict whether the availability of potential modified risk tobacco products (MRTPs) may influence smokers' quit-related motivation, choice, and behavior. This pilot study assessed the primary outcomes of feasibility and adherence to address this need using an electronic cigarette (ECIG) as a model MRTP. Cigarette smokers were randomly assigned to use only their own brand of cigarettes (OB-only) or a second-generation ECIG (18 ng/ml nicotine) plus their OB cigarettes (ECIG+OB) ad libitum for four weeks. Participants logged products using a mobile device, collected used cigarette filters, and provided saliva samples every day for analysis of cotinine. They returned to the lab once per week to provide a breath sample and accept or decline a choice to quit all tobacco products (i.e., cigarettes and/or ECIGs). They also returned for a one-month follow-up visit. Of those participants randomized (n = 60), 56.7% completed the 4-week intervention and 40.0% completed the follow-up visit. The primary reason for withdrawal was poor adherence with mobile device use. Comparable numbers of participants in each group chose to make a quit attempt, although more OB-only participants chose to quit during the first two weeks and more ECIG+OB participants during the last two weeks. With protocol modifications to reduce participation burden, the current method might ultimately be used by regulators to predict how smokers' quit-related motivation, choice, and behavior are influenced by current and future MRTPs.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) such as α-linolenic acid (ALA, 18:3Δ(9)(cis)(,12)(cis)(,15)(cis)) have high nutritional and industrial values. In oilseed crops, PUFAs are synthesized on phosphatidylcholine (PC) and accumulated in triacylglycerol (TAG). Therefore, exploring the mechanisms that route PC-derived PUFA to TAG is essential for understanding and improving PUFA production. The seed oil of flax (Linum usitatissimum) is enriched in ALA, and this plant has many lipid biosynthetic enzymes that prefer ALA-containing substrates. In this study, using membrane yeast two-hybrid and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays, we probed recombinant flax transferase enzymes, previously shown to contribute to PUFA enrichment of TAG, for physical interactions with each other under in vivo conditions. We found that diacylglycerol acyltransferases, which catalyze the final reaction in acyl-CoA–dependent TAG biosynthesis, interact with the acyl-editing enzymes phosphatidylcholine: diacylglycerol cholinephosphotransferase, and lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase. Physical interactions among the acyl-editing enzymes were also identified. These findings reveal the presence of an assembly of interacting transferases that may facilitate the channeling of PUFA from PC to TAG in flax and possibly also in other oleaginous plants that produce seeds enriched in PC-modified fatty acids.

Fourteen new D-π-A push-pull chromophores based on two isomeric thienothiophene donors and seven acceptors of various electronic natures have been designed and conveniently synthesized. In contrast to known thienothiophene push-pull molecules, the prepared small chromophores proved to be organic materials with easily tunable thermal, electrochemical and (non)linear optical properties. It has also been shown that small structural variation may result in significantly improved/varied fundamental properties. Very detailed structure-property relationships were elucidated within the systematically developed series of push-pull molecules, which may serve as a useful guide in designing new D-π-A molecules based on fused thiophene scaffolds.

n July 2011, renovations to Yale-New Haven Hospital inadvertently exposed the cemetery of Christ Church, New Haven, Connecticut's first Catholic cemetery. While this cemetery was active between 1833 and 1851, both the church and its cemetery disappeared from public records, making the discovery serendipitous. Four relatively well-preserved adult skeletons were recovered with few artifacts. All four individuals show indicators of manual labor, health and disease stressors, and dental health issues. Two show indicators of trauma, with the possibility of judicial hanging in one individual. Musculoskeletal markings are consistent with physical stress, and two individuals have arthritic indicators of repetitive movement/specialized activities. Radiographic analyses show osteopenia, healed trauma, and other pathologies in several individuals. Dental calculus analysis did not identify any tuberculosis indicators, despite osteological markers. Isotopic analyses of teeth indicate that all four were likely recent immigrants to the Northeastern United States. Nuclear and mitochondrial DNA were recovered from three individuals, and these analyses identified ancestry, hair/eye color, and relatedness. Genetic and isotopic results upended our initial ancestry assessment based on burial context alone. These individuals provide biocultural evidence of New Haven's Industrial Revolution and the plasticity of ethnic and religious identity in the immigrant experience. Their recovery and the multifaceted analyses described here illuminate a previously undescribed part of the city's rich history. The collective expertise of biological, geochemical, archaeological, and historical researchers interprets socioeconomic and cultural identity better than any one could alone. Our combined efforts changed our initial assumptions of a poor urban Catholic cemetery's membership, and provide a template for future discoveries and analyses. peerReviewed

Preparation technology, the structure determination, multiband luminescence and nonlinear optical properties (NLO) of the chalcogenide glasses are subject of present work. The Ag0.05Ga0.05Ge0.95S2 Er2S3 glass samples with two different 0.12 and 0.27 at.% Er content were prepared by classical two-stage melt-quenching method. Glass state and morphology were confirmed by X-ray and EDS techniques. Influence of the Erbium doping on the luminescence and NLO properties was investigated. Based on the diagram of energy levels for the Er3+ ions, we proposed a model that explains photoluminescence (PL) emission mechanism. It should be emphasized that investigated glasses (in comparison with other materials) are exceptional in that all bands of PL are intense due to small energy losses at excitation and emission of ions Er3+. The photoinduced second and third harmonic generations have been measured in the reflected geometry and compared with reference – BiB3O6 (BBO): 10%Nd crystal.

Electrical and optical studies of defect structure of HgCdTe films grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) are performed. It is shown that the peculiarity of these films is the presence of neutral defects formed at the growth stage and inherent to the material grown by MBE. It is assumed that these neutral defects are the Te nanocomplexes. Under ion milling, they are activated by mercury interstitials and form the donor centers with the concentration of 1017 cm–3, which makes it possible to detect such defects by measurements of electrical parameters of the material. Under doping of HgCdTe with arsenic using high temperature cracking, the As2 dimers are present in the arsenic flow and block the neutral Te nanocomplexes to form donor As2Te3 complexes. The results of electrical studies are compared with the results of studies carried out by micro-Raman spectroscopy.

We have found a correlation between ZnS nanocomposite nonlinear optical features and technological processing using electrolytic method. In the earlier researches this factor was neglected. However, it may open a new stage for operation by photovoltaic features of the well known semiconductors within a wide range of magnitudes. The titled nanostructured zinc sulfide (ZnS) was synthesized by electrolytic method. The obtained ZnS nano-crystallites possessed nano-particles sizes varying within 1.6 nm…1.8 nm. The titled samples were analyzed by XRD, HR-TEM, STEM, and nonlinear optical methods such as photo-induced two-photon absorption (TPA) and second harmonic generation (SHG). For this reason the nano-powders were embedded into the photopolymer poly(vinyl) alcohol (PVA) matrices. Role of aggregation in the mentioned properties is discussed. Possible origin of the such correlations are discussed.

Polarized optical functions near the fundamental absorption edge of novel Cs3Zn6B9O21 nonlinear optical crystals possessing a wide UV transparency down to 190 nm were investigated. The anisotropy of optical functions is not well studied yet which restrains the further strategy of the formation on its base of solid state compounds with desirable properties. The studies were performed using a band structure calculations as well as the experimental measurements of fundamental polarized UV absorption edge and X-ray photoelectron spectra of the studied crystals. The experimental data were used for evaluation of scissor factors of the band structure. The results of the calculations were compared with the XPS and polarized absorption optical spectra of the investigated crystals. The introduction of the scissor factor was performed in order to obtain a sufficient agreement with experiment. The observed anisotropy of absorption may be explained by the anisotropy of carrier effective masses.

The first stage of this work involved the development of stable baths for electrodeposition of Zn-Mn-Mo alloys, on the basis of thermodynamic models of citrate baths. Then, the kinetics of co-reduction of Zn(II), Mn(II) and Mo(VI) from aqueous citrate solution were studied. Partial polarisation curves were determined. The influence of applied potential, hydrodynamic conditions, and electrolyte composition on the electrodeposition of Zn-Mn-Mo layers was determined. Surface composition of deposits was ascertained by chemical analysis (WDXRF). The morphology of coatings was studied by SEM. The phase composition of Zn-Mn-Mo samples was determined by Raman spectroscopy. Electrolysis parameters allowing electrodeposition of Zn-Mn-Mo coatings containing various amounts of Mn and Mo were described. The manganese content varied from 0.1 to 20.5 wt.%, and the molybdenum content reached up to approximately 7.1 wt.%. The electrodeposition of homogeneous, compact, pore-free Zn-Mn-Mo coatings on steel is possible from the citrate baths studied. Raman spectroscopy also revealed the presence of Mn and Mo solution in the Zn hexagonal phase. In addition, the ZnO, MoO2, Zn1-xMn2+xO4 on the surface of the deposits, which may be the products of chemical processes taking place simultaneously with electrolysis, were observed.

Aristolochic acids (AA) are implicated in the development of chronic renal disease and upper urinary tract carcinoma in humans. Using in vitro approaches, we demonstrated that N-hydroxyaristolactams, metabolites derived from partial nitroreduction of AA, require sulfotransferase (SULT)-catalyzed conjugation with a sulfonyl group to form aristolactam-DNA adducts. Following up on this observation, bioactivation of AA-I and N-hydroxyaristolactam I (AL-I-NOH) was studied in human kidney (HK-2) and skin fibroblast (GM00637) cell lines. Pentachlorophenol, a known SULT inhibitor, significantly reduced cell death and aristolactam-DNA adduct levels in HK-2 cells following exposure to AA-I and AL-I-NOH, suggesting a role for Phase II metabolism in AA activation. A gene knockdown, siRNA approach was employed to establish the involvement of selected SULTs and nitroreductases in AA-I bioactivation. Silencing of SULT1A1 and PAPSS2 led to a significant decrease in aristolactam-DNA levels in both cell lines following exposure to AA-I, indicating the critical role for sulfonation in the activation of AA-I in vivo Since HK-2 cells proved relatively resistant to knockdown with siRNAs, gene silencing of xanthine oxidoreductase, cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase and NADPH:quinone oxidoreductase was conducted in GM00637 cells, showing a significant increase, decrease and no effect on aristolactam-DNA levels, respectively. In GM00637 cells exposed to AL-I-NOH, suppressing the SULT pathway led to a significant decrease in aristolactam-DNA formation, mirroring data obtained for AA-I. We conclude from these studies that SULT1A1 is involved in the bioactivation of AA-I through the sulfonation of AL-I-NOH, contributing significantly to the toxicities of AA observed in vivo.

Electrical and optical studies of defects in molecular beam epitaxy (MBE)-grown HgCdTe films, undoped and doped with arsenic, were carried out. By comparing results of ion milling-assisted Hall-effect measurements with micro-Raman spectroscopy data, it was shown that the films contained electrically neutral defects related to excessive tellurium. It is suggested that these defects are Te nanocomplexes and that they are typical of the MBE HgCdTe technology. Under ion milling, they get electrically activated by interstitial mercury and form donor centers with concentration of ∼1017 cm-3, which allows for detecting them with measurements of electrical parameters of the material. Also, it can be suggested that in films doped with arsenic with high-temperature cracking, As2 dimers in the arsenic flux react with excessive tellurium and form As2Te3 donor complexes, thus preventing formation of Te nanocomplexes. Arsenic activation annealing may break As2Te3 complexes and release Te, which can again form the complexes under ion milling. (© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)