Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 14 of 14

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Plasmonic Enhancement Of Forster Energy Transfer Between Two Molecules In The Vicinity Of A Metallic Nanoparticle: Nonlocal Optical Effects, P.T. Leung, H. Y. Xie, H. Y. Chung, D. P. Tsai Oct 2009

Plasmonic Enhancement Of Forster Energy Transfer Between Two Molecules In The Vicinity Of A Metallic Nanoparticle: Nonlocal Optical Effects, P.T. Leung, H. Y. Xie, H. Y. Chung, D. P. Tsai

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

The problem of Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) between two molecules in the vicinity of a metallic nanoparticle such as a nanoshell is studied within a phenomenological model which takes into account the nonlocal optical response of the metal. This model allows for arbitrary locations and orientations of the two molecular dipoles with respect to the metal particle which can be of ultrasmall sizes (nm) and for which nonlocal effects are of high significance. In particular, for the nanoshell case, the molecules can be located both outside, both inside, or one inside and one outside the shell. Also, the case …


Quantifying And Enforcing Two-Dimensional Symmetries In Scanning Probe Microscopy Images, Peter Moeck, Marius Toader, Mahmoud Abdel-Hafiez, Michael Hietschold Sep 2009

Quantifying And Enforcing Two-Dimensional Symmetries In Scanning Probe Microscopy Images, Peter Moeck, Marius Toader, Mahmoud Abdel-Hafiez, Michael Hietschold

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

The overall performance and correctness of the calibration of all kinds of traditional scanning probe microscopes can be assessed in a fully quantitative way by means of “crystallographic” processing of their two-dimensional (2D) images from samples with 2D periodic (and preferably highly symmetric) features. This is because crystallographic image processing results in two residual indices that quantify by how much the symmetry in a corresponding scanning probe microscopy image deviates from the symmetries of the possible plane groups of the periodic features of the sample. When a most probable plane symmetry group has been identified on the basis of crystallographic …


Influence Of Illumination On Dark Current In Charge-Coupled Device Imagers, Ralf Widenhorn, Ines Hartwig, Justin Charles Dunlap, Erik Bodegom Sep 2009

Influence Of Illumination On Dark Current In Charge-Coupled Device Imagers, Ralf Widenhorn, Ines Hartwig, Justin Charles Dunlap, Erik Bodegom

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Thermal excitation of electrons is a major source of noise in charge-coupled-device (CCD) imagers. Those electrons are generated even in the absence of light, hence, the name dark current. Dark current is particularly important for long exposure times and elevated temperatures. The standard procedure to correct for dark current is to take several pictures under the same condition as the real image, except with the shutter closed. The resulting dark frame is later subtracted from the exposed image. We address the question of whether the dark current produced in an image taken with a closed shutter is identical to the …


A Discrete Impulsive Model For Random Heating And Brownian Motion, John D. Ramshaw Aug 2009

A Discrete Impulsive Model For Random Heating And Brownian Motion, John D. Ramshaw

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

The energy of a mechanical system subjected to a random force with zero mean increases irreversibly and diverges with time in the absence of friction or dissipation. This random heating effect is usually encountered in phenomenological theories formulated in terms of stochastic differential equations, the epitome of which is the Langevin equation of Brownian motion. We discuss a simple discrete impulsive model that captures the essence of random heating and Brownian motion. The model may be regarded as a discrete analog of the Langevin equation, although it is developed ab initio. Its analysis requires only simple algebraic manipulations and elementary …


Nanostructured Semiconductor Heterojunctions From Quantum Dot Layers, Rolf Könenkamp, Robert Campbell Word, Athavan Nadarajah Aug 2009

Nanostructured Semiconductor Heterojunctions From Quantum Dot Layers, Rolf Könenkamp, Robert Campbell Word, Athavan Nadarajah

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

We report the deposition of conformal thin layers of 10?50 nm thickness from II-VI quantum dot suspensions on ZnO nanowire substrates. Smooth polycrystalline films of high electronic quality can be obtained from CdSe quantum dots after annealing at moderate temperatures. The electronic properties are adequate for detector and solar cell applications. The growth and annealing temperatures permit deposition on light-weight and flexible substrates. Some elemental diffusion of Se across the CdSe/ZnO interface occurs in the film formation. A comparison with CdS/ZnO junctions indicates that the low Se diffusion rates are essential for efficient charge transfer.


Isotopic Signatures And Concentration Profiles Of Nitrous Oxide In A Rice-Based Ecosystem During The Drained Crop-Growing Season, Z. Q. Xiong, M. A. K. Khalil, G. Xing, Martha J. Shearer, Christopher Lee Butenhoff May 2009

Isotopic Signatures And Concentration Profiles Of Nitrous Oxide In A Rice-Based Ecosystem During The Drained Crop-Growing Season, Z. Q. Xiong, M. A. K. Khalil, G. Xing, Martha J. Shearer, Christopher Lee Butenhoff

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

The stable isotopic composition of nitrous oxide (N₂O) in agricultural soils can improve our understanding of the relative contributions of the main microbial processes (nitrification and denitrification) responsible for N₂O formation in soils, and can provide constraints for the atmospheric N2O budget. Here, we present soil profiles featuring N₂O concentrations and δ¹⁵N and δ¹⁸O values in N₂O over time, which permit the in situ identification of processes and sites of N₂O production in a rice-based ecosystem seeded with winter wheat. Our δ¹⁵N and δ¹⁸O soil profile values support the conclusion that denitrification is the dominant process behind N₂O production during …


Automated Crystal Phase And Orientation Mapping Of Nanocrystals In A Transmission Electron Microscope, Peter Moeck, Sergei Rouvimov, Edgar F. Rauch, Stavros Nicolopoulos May 2009

Automated Crystal Phase And Orientation Mapping Of Nanocrystals In A Transmission Electron Microscope, Peter Moeck, Sergei Rouvimov, Edgar F. Rauch, Stavros Nicolopoulos

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

An automated technique for the mapping of nanocrystal phases and orientations in a transmission electron microscope (TEM) is described. It is based on the projected reciprocal lattice geometry that is extracted from electron diffraction spot patterns. The required hardware allows for a scanning‐precession movement of the primary electron beam on the crystalline sample and can be interfaced to any newer or older TEM. The software that goes with this hardware is flexible in its intake of raw data so that it can also create orientation and phase maps of nanocrystal from high resolution TEM (HRTEM) images. When the nanocrystals possess …


Global Methane Emissions From Wetlands, Rice Paddies, And Lakes, Qianlai Zhuang, John M. Melack, Sergey Zimov, Katey Marion Walter, Christopher Lee Butenhoff, M. A. K. Khalil Feb 2009

Global Methane Emissions From Wetlands, Rice Paddies, And Lakes, Qianlai Zhuang, John M. Melack, Sergey Zimov, Katey Marion Walter, Christopher Lee Butenhoff, M. A. K. Khalil

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

The current concentration of atmospheric methane is 1774±1.8 parts per billion, and it accounts for 18% of total greenhouse gas radiative forcing [Forster et al., 2007]. Atmospheric methane is 22 times more effective, on a per-unit-mass basis, than carbon dioxide in absorbing long-wave radiation on a 100-year time horizon, and it plays an important role in atmospheric ozone chemistry (e.g., in the presence of nitrous oxides, tropospheric methane oxidation will lead to the formation of ozone). Wetlands are a large source of atmospheric methane, Arctic lakes have recently been recognized as a major source [e.g., Walter et al., 2006], and …


Nanometrology Device Standards For Scanning Probe Mmicroscopes And Processes For Their Fabrication And Use, Peter Moeck Jan 2009

Nanometrology Device Standards For Scanning Probe Mmicroscopes And Processes For Their Fabrication And Use, Peter Moeck

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Nanometrology device standards and methods for fabricating and using such devices in conjunction With scanning probe microscopes are described. The fabrication methods comprise: (1) epitaxial growth that produces nanometer sized islands of knoWn morphology, structural, morphological and chemical stability in typical nanometrology environments, and large height-to-width nano-island aspect ratios, and (2) marking suitable crystallographic directions on the device for alignment With a scanning direction.


Crystallography Open Database – An Open-Access Collection Of Crystal Structures, Saulius Grazulis, Daniel Chateigner, Robert T. Downs, A. F. T. Yokochi, Miguel Quirós, Luca Lutterotti, Elena Manakova, Justas Butkus, Peter Moeck, Armel Le Bail Jan 2009

Crystallography Open Database – An Open-Access Collection Of Crystal Structures, Saulius Grazulis, Daniel Chateigner, Robert T. Downs, A. F. T. Yokochi, Miguel Quirós, Luca Lutterotti, Elena Manakova, Justas Butkus, Peter Moeck, Armel Le Bail

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Crystallography Open Database (COD), which is a project that aims to gather all available inorganic, metal–organic and small organic molecule structural data in one database, is described. The database adopts an openaccess model. The COD currently contains 80,000 entries in crystallographic information file format, with nearly full coverage of the International Union of Crystallography publications, and is growing in size and quality.


Precession Electron Diffraction And Its Advantages For Structural Fingerprinting In The Transmission Electron Microscope, Peter Moeck, Sergei Rouvimov Jan 2009

Precession Electron Diffraction And Its Advantages For Structural Fingerprinting In The Transmission Electron Microscope, Peter Moeck, Sergei Rouvimov

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

The foundations of precession electron diffraction in a transmission electron microscope are outlined. A brief illustration of the fact that laboratory-based powder X-ray diffraction fingerprinting is not feasible for nanocrystals is given. A procedure for structural fingerprinting of nanocrystals on the basis of structural data that can be extracted from precession electron diffraction spot patterns is proposed.


Electron Microscopy And Optical Characterization Of Cadmium Sulphide Nanocrystals Deposited On The Patterned Surface Of Diatom Biosilica, Timothy Gutu, Debra K. Gale, Clayton Jeffryes, Wei Wang, Chih-Hung Chang, Gregory L. Rorrer, Jun Jiao Jan 2009

Electron Microscopy And Optical Characterization Of Cadmium Sulphide Nanocrystals Deposited On The Patterned Surface Of Diatom Biosilica, Timothy Gutu, Debra K. Gale, Clayton Jeffryes, Wei Wang, Chih-Hung Chang, Gregory L. Rorrer, Jun Jiao

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Intricately patterned biosilica obtained from the shell of unicellular algae called diatoms serve as novel templates for fabrication of optoelectronic nanostructures. In this study, the surface of diatom frustules that possessed hierarchical architecture ordered at the micro and nanoscale was coated with a nanostructured polycrystalline cadmium sulphide (CdS) thin film using a chemical bath deposition technique. The CdS thin film was composed of spherical nanoparticles with a diameter of about 75 nm. The CdS nanoparticle thin film imparted new photoluminescent properties to the intricately patterned diatom nanostructure. The imparted photoluminescent properties were dependent on the CdS coverage onto the frustules …


Dark Current Behavior In Dslr Cameras, Justin Charles Dunlap, Oleg Sostin, Ralf Widenhorn, Erik Bodegom Jan 2009

Dark Current Behavior In Dslr Cameras, Justin Charles Dunlap, Oleg Sostin, Ralf Widenhorn, Erik Bodegom

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras are examined and their dark current behavior is presented. We examine the influence of varying temperature, exposure time, and gain setting on dark current. Dark current behavior unique to sensors within such cameras is observed. In particular, heat is trapped within the camera body resulting in higher internal temperatures and an increase in dark current after successive images. We look at the possibility of correcting for the dark current, based on previous work done for scientific grade imagers, where hot pixels are used as indicators for the entire chip?s dark current behavior. Standard methods of …


Nano-Structure Formation Driven By Local Protonation Of Polymer Thin Films, Carsten Maedler, Harald Graaf, Mingdi Yan, Andres H. La Rosa Jan 2009

Nano-Structure Formation Driven By Local Protonation Of Polymer Thin Films, Carsten Maedler, Harald Graaf, Mingdi Yan, Andres H. La Rosa

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

We report the creation of nano-structures via Dip Pen Nanolithography by locally exploiting the mechanical response of polymer thin films to an acidic environment. Protonation of cross linked poly(4-vinylpyridine) (P4VP) leads to a swelling of the polymer. We studied this process by using an AFM tip coated with a pH 4 buffer. Protons migrate through a water meniscus between tip and sample into the polymer matrix and interact with the nitrogen of the pyridyl group forming a pyridinium cation. The increase in film thickness, which is due to Coulomb repulsion between the charged centers, was investigated using Atomic Force Microscopy. …