Strong localization in a suspended monolayer graphene by intervalley scattering

A gate induced insulating behavior at zero magnetic field is observed in a high mobility suspended monolayer graphene near the charge neutrality point. The graphene device initially cleaned by a current annealing technique was undergone a thermo-pressure cycle to allow short range impurities to be adsorbed directly on the ultra clean graphene surface. The adsorption process generated a strong temperature and electric field dependent behavior on the conductance of the graphene device. The conductance around the neutrality point is observed to be reduced from around $e^2/h$ at 30 K to $\sim0.01~e^2/h$ at 20 mK. A direct transition from insulator to quantum Hall conductor within $\approx0.4~T$ accompanied by broken-symmetry-induced $\nu=0,\pm1$ plateaux confirms the presence of intervalley scatterers.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Optimization of piezoresistive motion detection for ambient NEMS applications

Accepted manuscrip

Comparison and evaluation of experimental mediastinitis models: precolonized foreign body implants and bacterial suspension inoculation seems promising

BACKGROUND: Post-sternotomy mediastinitis (PSM) is a devastating surgical complication affecting 1–3% of patients that undergo cardiac surgery. Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most commonly encountered bacterial pathogen cultured from mediastinal samples obtained from patients with PSM. A component of the membrane of the gram positive bacteria, lipoteichoic acid, stimulates the blood monocytes and macrophages to secrete cytokines, radicals and nitrogen species leading to oxido-inflammatory damage. This seems to be responsible for the high mortality rate in PSM. For the evaluation of the pathogenesis of infection or for the investigation of alternative treatment models in infection, no standard model of mediastinitis seems to be available. In this study, we evaluated four mediastinitis models in rats. METHODS: The rats were divided into four groups to form different infection models. Group A: A suspension of 1 × 10(7 )colony-forming units Staphylococcus aureus in 0,5 mL was inoculated from the right second intercostal space into the mediastinum. Group B: A hole was created in the right second intercostal space and a piece of stainless-steel implant with a length of 0.5 cm was inserted into the mediastinum and a suspension of 1 × 10(7 )cfu bacteria in 0,5 mL was administered via the tail vein. Group C: Precolonized stainless-steel implant was inserted into the mediastinum. Group D: Precolonized stainless-steel implant was inserted into the mediastinum and the bacteria suspension was also injected into the mediastinum. On the 10(th )day, rats were sacrificed and the extension of infection in the mediastenae was evaluated by quantitative cultures. Myeloperoxidase activity (MPO) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were determined in the sera to evaluate the neutrophil activation and assess the inflammatory oxidation. RESULTS: The degree of infection in group C and D were 83.3% and 100% respectively (P < 0.001). MDA levels were significantly higher in these two groups than the others (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Infected implants and high bacterial concentration administration were the two important components that played a significant role in the outcome of a successful infection in mediastinum in a rat model

Dual-probe scanning tunneling microscope for study of nanoscale metal-semiconductor interfaces

Using a dual-probe scanning tunneling microscope, we have performed three-terminal ballistic electron emission spectroscopy on Au/GaAs(100) by contacting the patterned metallic thin film with one tip and injecting ballistic electrons with another tip. The collector current spectra agree with a Monte-Carlo simulation based on modified planar tunneling theory. Our results suggest that it is possible to study nanoscale metal-semiconductor interfaces without the requirement of an externally-contacted continuous metal thin film

Foamlike 3D Graphene Coatings for Cooling Systems Involving Phase Change

Boiling is an efficient heat-transfer mechanism because of the utilization of latent heat of vaporization and has the potential to be used for cooling high-power electronic devices. Surface enhancement is one of the widely used techniques for heat-transfer augmentation in boiling systems. Here, an experimental investigation was conducted on chemical vapor deposition-grown three-dimensional (3D) foamlike graphene-coated silicon surfaces to investigate the effect of pore structures on pool boiling heat transfer and corresponding heat-transfer enhancement mechanisms. 3D graphene-coated samples with four graphene thicknesses were utilized along with a plain surface to investigate boiling heat-transfer characteristics and enhancement mechanisms. A high-speed camera was used to provide a deeper understanding of the bubble dynamics upon departure of emerging bubbles and visualize vapor columns in different boiling regimes. On the basis of the obtained results, in addition to interfacial evaporation, mechanical resonance of the 3D structure had also a considerable effect on vapor column formation. The results indicated that there is an optimum thickness, which exhibits the best performance in terms of boiling heat transfer