MAPLE prepared heterostructures with oligoazomethine: Fullerene derivative mixed layer for photovoltaic applications

Mixed layers of azomethine oligomers containing 2,5-diamino-3,4-dicyanothiophene as central unit and triphenylamine (LV5) or carbazol (LV4) at both ends as donor and fullerene derivative, [6,6]-phenyl-C61 butyric acid butyl ester ([C60]PCB-C4) as acceptor, have been prepared by Matrix Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation (MAPLE) on glass/ITO and Si substrates. The effect of weight ratio between donor and acceptor (1:1; 1:2) and solvent type (chloroform, dimethylsulphoxide) on the optical (UV–vis transmission/absorption, photoluminescence) and morphological properties of LV4 (LV5): [C60]PCB-C4 mixed layers has been evidenced. Dark and under illumination I–V characteristics of the heterostructures realized with these mixed layers sandwiched between ITO and Al electrodes have revealed a solar cell behavior for the heterostructures prepared with both LV4 and LV5 using chloroform as matrix solvent. The solar cell structure realized with oligomer LV5, glass/ITO/LV5: [C60]PCB-C4 (1:1) has shown the best parameters

Thin films of arylenevinylene oligomers prepared by MAPLE for applications in non-linear optics

This paper discusses two arylenevinylene oligomers with optical nonlinear properties. Their trans molecular structure was confirmed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance. Second Harmonic Generation and two-photon fluorescence have been observed on Matrix Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation-deposited thin films. We have seen two local maxima in UV–Vis spectra and a red shift of the photoluminescence peak for carbazole-based oligomer, which can be correlated with a higher conformational flexibility and with strong polarization interactions in the solid state. Scanning Electron Microscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy images have revealed a grainy morphology of the film deposited on titanium and a higher roughness for carbazole-based oligomer. Second harmonic measurements have shown nearly equal values of the second-order nonlinear optical coefficient for the triphenylamine and carbazole-based oligomers for Plaser < 100 mW. z-Scan and x-scan representations of the carbazole-based oligomer film have shown strong two-photon fluorescence intensity inside the sample confirming a volume process, and a strong second harmonic at the surface of the sample determined by the surface morphology

COMMENTARY: ETHICAL ISSUES OF CURRENT HEALTH-PROTECTION POLICIES ON LOW-DOSE IONIZING RADIATION

The linear no-threshold (LNT) model of ionizing-radiation-induced cancer is based on the assumption that every radiation dose increment constitutes increased cancer risk for humans. The risk is hypothesized to increase linearly as the total dose increases. While this model is the basis for radiation safety regulations, its scientific validity has been questioned and debated for many decades. The recent memorandum of the International Commission on Radiological Protection admits that the LNT-model predictions at low doses are “speculative, unproven, undetectable and ‘phantom’.” Moreover, numerous experimental, ecological, and epidemiological studies show that low doses of sparsely-ionizing or sparsely-ionizing plus highly-ionizing radiation may be beneficial to human health (hormesis/adaptive response). The present LNT-model-based regulations impose excessive costs on the society. For example, the median-cost medical program is 5000 times more cost-efficient in saving lives than controlling radiation emissions. There are also lives lost: e.g., following Fukushima accident, more than 1000 disaster-related yet non-radiogenic premature deaths were officially registered among the population evacuated due to radiation concerns. Additional negative impacts of LNT-model-inspired radiophobia include: refusal of some patients to undergo potentially life-saving medical imaging; discouragement of the study of low-dose radiation therapies; motivation for radiological terrorism and promotion of nuclear proliferation

Low-mass e+e- pair production in 158 A GeV Pb-Au collisions at the CERN SPS, its dependence on multiplicity and transverse momentum

We report a measurement of low-mass electron pairs observed in 158 GeV/nucleon Pb-Au collisions. The pair yield integrated over the range of invariant masses 0.2 < m < 2.0 GeV is enhanced by a factor of 3.5 +/- 0.4 (stat) +/- 0.9 (syst) over the expectation from neutral meson decays. As observed previously in S-Au collisions, the enhancement is most pronounced in the invariant-mass region 300-700 MeV. For Pb-Au we find evidence for a strong increase of the enhancement with centrality. In addition, we show that the enhancement covers a wide range in transverse momentum, but is largest at the lowest observed pt.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Phys.Lett.

Semi-Hard Scattering Unraveled from Collective Dynamics by Two-Pion Azimuthal Correlations in 158 A GeV/c Pb + Au Collisions

Elliptic flow and two-particle azimuthal correlations of charged hadrons and high-$p_T$ pions ($p_T>$ 1 GeV/$c$) have been measured close to mid-rapidity in 158A GeV/$c$ Pb+Au collisions by the CERES experiment. Elliptic flow ($v_2$) rises linearly with $p_T$ to a value of about 10% at 2 GeV/$c$. Beyond $p_T\approx$ 1.5 GeV/$c$, the slope decreases considerably, possibly indicating a saturation of $v_2$ at high $p_T$. Two-pion azimuthal anisotropies for $p_T>$ 1.2 GeV/$c$ exceed the elliptic flow values by about 60% in mid-central collisions. These non-flow contributions are attributed to near-side and back-to-back jet-like correlations, the latter exhibiting centrality dependent broadening.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Rev. Letters, 4 pages, 5 figure

Deposition temperature influence on the wear behaviour of carbon-based coatings deposited on hardened steel

An evaluation regarding the influence of substrate material characteristics and deposition parameters on the tribological behaviour of carbon-based is presented. Chromium nitride interlayers and carbon-based thin films were deposited on hardened AISI 5115 case hardening steel, by magnetron sputtering. The physical vapour deposition (PVD) deposition was performed at three different temperatures: 180 °C, 200 °C and 250 °C. The chemical composition of the samples was assessed by Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy (RBS), the structure by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and the surface morphology by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). The surface chemistry was analysed by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman Spectroscopy. The coatings are homogeneous, amorphous, with a smooth surface. The mechanical behaviour has been assessed on a pin-on disk rotational tribometer (wear characteristics), on a micro scratch tester (adhesion to the substrate), by ball-cratering (film thickness); by nanoindentation (hardness and the modulus of elasticity). A strong correlation between the substrate characteristics, but more importantly, of the deposition temperature, on one hand, and the mechanical characteristics, on the other hand, has been observed. The fracture toughness is positively influenced by the presence of the ceramic interlayer (chromium nitride). The modulus of elasticity and friction coefficient (both in dry conditions and lubricated) are decreased for higher deposition temperatures, however the higher deposition temperature negatively affects the hardness of the steel substrate.We hereby acknowledge the structural funds project PRO-DD (POSCCE, O.2.2.1., ID 123, SMIS 2637, ctr. no 11/2009) for providing some of the infrastructure used in this work

e+e--pair production in Pb-Au collisions at 158 GeV per nucleon

We present the combined results on electron-pair production in 158 GeV/n {Pb-Au} ($\sqrt{s}$= 17.2 GeV) collisions taken at the CERN SPS in 1995 and 1996, and give a detailed account of the data analysis. The enhancement over the reference of neutral meson decays amounts to a factor of 2.31$\pm0.19 (stat.)\pm0.55 (syst.)\pm0.69 (decays)$ for semi-central collisions (28% $\sigma/\sigma_{geo}$) when yields are integrated over $m>$ 200 MeV/$c^2$ in invariant mass. The measured yield, its stronger-than-linear scaling with $N_{ch}$, and the dominance of low pair $p_t$ strongly suggest an interpretation as {\it thermal radiation} from pion annihilation in the hadronic fireball. The shape of the excess centring at $m\approx$ 500 MeV/$c^2$, however, cannot be described without strong medium modifications of the $\rho$ meson. The results are put into perspective by comparison to predictions from Brown-Rho scaling governed by chiral symmetry restoration, and from the spectral-function many-body treatment in which the approach to the phase boundary is less explicit.Comment: 39 pages, 40 figures, to appear in Eur.Phys.J.C. (2005

Investigations on the properties of a two-dimensional nanopatterned metallic film

This paper presents some investigations of the effect of nanopatterning on the properties of aluminum layer deposited by sputtering. UV-Nanoimprint Lithography technique has been used for the realization of a 2D array of nanostructures (pillars) in aluminum film characterized by cylindrical shape and the following structural parameters: diameter between 400 nm and 490 nm, depth between 320 nm and 420 nm and periodicity of 1.1 μ m, which have been revealed by SEM and AFM measurements. The UV-Vis transmission, reflection and photoluminescence measurements have evidenced the effect of the nanopatterning on the optical properties of the Al layer

Recent results from Pb-Au collisions at 158 GeV/c per nucleon obtained with the CERES spectrometer

During the 1996 lead run time, CERES has accumulated 42 million events, corresponding to a factor of 5 more statistics than in 1995 and 2.5 million events of a special photon-run. We report on the results of the low-mass e$^+$e$^-$-pair analysis. Since the most critical item is the poor signal-to-background ratio we also discuss the understanding of this background, in absolute terms, with the help of a detailed Monte Carlo simulation. We show preliminary results of the photon analysis and summarize the results of the hadron analysis preliminarily reported on already at QM'97Comment: 10 pages, 9 figures, Proceedings of the XIV Int. Conf. on Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions,Quark Matter 99, Torino, Italy, May 10 - 15, 199

A doublet of 3" cylindrical silicon drift detectors in the CERES/NA45 experiment

We report on the performance of a doublet of 3" cylindrical silicon drift detectors installed as an upgrade of the CERES/NA45 electron pair spectrometer for the Pb-beam at the CERN SPS. The silicon detectors provide external particle tracking and background rejection of conversions and close Dalitz pairs. Results on vertex reconstruction and rejection from Pb test-run in 1994 are presented