138 research outputs found
Sputtered NbN Films for Ultrahigh Performance Superconducting Nanowire Single-Photon Detectors
Nowadays ultrahigh performance superconducting nanowire single-photon
detectors are the key elements in a variety of devices from biological research
to quantum communications and computing. Accurate tuning of superconducting
material properties is a powerful resource for fabricating single-photon
detectors with a desired properties. Here, we report on the major theoretical
relations between ultrathin niobium nitride (NbN) films properties and
superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors characteristics, as well as
ultrathin NbN films properties dependence on reactive magnetron sputtering
recipes. Based on this study we formulate the exact requirements to ultrathin
NbN films for ultrahigh performance superconducting nanowire single-photon
detectors. Then, we experimentally study ultrathin NbN films properties
(morphology, crystalline structure, critical temperature, sheet resistance) on
silicon, sapphire, silicon dioxide and silicon nitride substrates sputtered
with various recipes. We demonstrate ultrathin NbN films (obtained with more
than 100 films deposition) with a wide range of critical temperature from 2.5
to 12.1 K and sheet resistance from 285 to 2000 ~/sq, as well as
investigate a sheet resistance evolution over for more than 40\% within two
years. Finally, we found out that one should use ultrathin NbN films with
specific critical temperature near 9 K and sheet resistance of 400 ~/sq
for ultrahigh performance SNSPD.Comment: The following article has been submitted to APL Materials. After it
is published, it will be found at https://pubs.aip.org/aip/apm. Copyright
2023 Author(s). This article is distributed under a Creative Commons
Attribution (CC BY) Licens
Efficient modulation of of γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptors by piperine derivatives
[Image: see text] Piperine activates TRPV1 (transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 receptor) receptors and modulates γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors (GABA(A)R). We have synthesized a library of 76 piperine analogues and analyzed their effects on GABA(A)R by means of a two-microelectrode voltage-clamp technique. GABA(A)R were expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. Structure–activity relationships (SARs) were established to identify structural elements essential for efficiency and potency. Efficiency of piperine derivatives was significantly increased by exchanging the piperidine moiety with either N,N-dipropyl, N,N-diisopropyl, N,N-dibutyl, p-methylpiperidine, or N,N-bis(trifluoroethyl) groups. Potency was enhanced by replacing the piperidine moiety by N,N-dibutyl, N,N-diisobutyl, or N,N-bistrifluoroethyl groups. Linker modifications did not substantially enhance the effect on GABA(A)R. Compound 23 [(2E,4E)-5-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-N,N-dipropyl-2,4-pentadienamide] induced the strongest modulation of GABA(A) (maximal GABA-induced chloride current modulation (I(GABA-max) = 1673% ± 146%, EC(50) = 51.7 ± 9.5 μM), while 25 [(2E,4E)-5-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-N,N-dibutyl-2,4-pentadienamide] displayed the highest potency (EC(50) = 13.8 ± 1.8 μM, I(GABA-max) = 760% ± 47%). Compound 23 induced significantly stronger anxiolysis in mice than piperine and thus may serve as a starting point for developing novel GABA(A)R modulators
Cognitive and sociocultural aspects of robotized technology: innovative processes of adaptation
The paper dwells upon interaction between socio-cultural phenomena and cognitive characteristics of robotized technology. The interdisciplinary approach was employed in order to cast light on the manifold and multilevel identity of scientific advance in terms of robotized technology within the mental realm. Analyzing robotized technology from the viewpoint of its significance for the modern society is one of the upcoming trends in the contemporary scientific realm. The robots under production are capable of interacting with people; this results in a growing necessity for the studies on social status of robotized technological items. Socio-cultural aspect of cognitive robotized technology is reflected in the fact that the nature becomes 'aware' of itself via human brain, a human being tends to strives for perfection in their intellectual and moral dimensions
Defensin-Like ZmES4 Mediates Pollen Tube Burst in Maize via Opening of the Potassium Channel KZM1
Species-preferential osmotic pollen tube burst and sperm discharge in maize involve induced opening of the pollen tube-expressed potassium channel KZM1 by the egg apparatus-derived defensin-like protein ZmES4
Three-dimensional lanthanide-organic frameworks based on di-, tetra-, and hexameric clusters
Three-dimensional lanthanide-organic frameworks formulated as (CH3)2NH2[Ln(pydc)2] · 1/2H2O [Ln3+ ) Eu3+ (1a)
or Er3+ (1b); pydc2- corresponds to the diprotonated residue of 2,5-pyridinedicarboxylic acid (H2pydc)], [Er4(OH)4(pydc)4(H2O)3] ·H2O
(2), and [PrIII
2PrIV
1.25O(OH)3(pydc)3] (3) have been isolated from typical solvothermal (1a and 1b in N,N-dimethylformamide -
DMF) and hydrothermal (2 and 3) syntheses. Materials were characterized in the solid state using single-crystal X-ray diffraction,
thermogravimetric analysis, vibrational spectroscopy (FT-IR and FT-Raman), electron microscopy, and CHN elemental analysis.
While synthesis in DMF promotes the formation of centrosymmetric dimeric units, which act as building blocks in the construction
of anionic ∞
3{[Ln(pydc)2]-} frameworks having the channels filled by the charge-balancing (CH3)2NH2
+ cations generated in situ by
the solvolysis of DMF, the use of water as the solvent medium promotes clustering of the lanthanide centers: structures of 2 and 3
contain instead tetrameric [Er4(μ3-OH)4]8+ and hexameric |Pr6(μ3-O)2(μ3-OH)6| clusters which act as the building blocks of the networks,
and are bridged by the H2-xpydcx- residues. It is demonstrated that this modular approach is reflected in the topological nature of
the materials inducing 4-, 8-, and 14-connected uninodal networks (the nodes being the centers of gravity of the clusters) with
topologies identical to those of diamond (family 1), and framework types bct (for 2) and bcu-x (for 3), respectively. The
thermogravimetric studies of compound 3 further reveal a significant weight increase between ambient temperature and 450 °C with
this being correlated with the uptake of oxygen from the surrounding environment by the praseodymium oxide inorganic core
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