Surface-Barrier Photodiodes with Transparent Electrodes for High-Performance Detection in the UV-NIR Spectrum

The aim of this chapter is to present a short review in the field of design, fabrication technology, and testing of high-efficiency surface-barrier photodiodes with electrodes based on thin-film transparent conducting oxides (TCO) such as tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) and fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO). Most of this review is based on our own results obtained and reported during the last 30 years. Besides a brief description of the low-cost spray pyrolysis deposition technique, mainly used in our work for deposition of the TCO films on a semiconductor surface, structural, morphological, and optoelectronic properties of these TCO films are discussed. As an example, a successful application of these TCO films is shown and used in high-efficiency surface-barrier photodiodes for a wide spectral range, from near ultraviolet (UV) to near infrared (NIR), and fabricated on different semiconductor substrates such as traditional Si, wide energy band ZnS, and GaP compound semiconductor substrates. The possible use of the Si surface-barrier structures as radiation-resistant detectors and gamma radiation detectors is discussed. The properties of high-efficiency surface-barrier photodiodes based on a perspective ternary semiconductor compound, Hg3In2Te6 mercury indium telluride (MIT), for detection of 1.3 μm and 1.55 μm radiation for applications in fiber optics, are also reported

Sputtered Indium Tin Oxide Films for Optoelectronic Applications

High‐quality indium tin oxide (ITO) films have been fabricated using a DC sputtering technique in a pure argon atmosphere with a postannealing in an oxygen environment at atmosphere pressure. Structural, morphological, and electro‐optical parameters of the ITO films were studied at different annealing temperatures for the films fabricated on two types of glass substrates, soda lime and alkali‐free substrates. A comparative analysis shows that low‐cost soda lime substrates are suitable for the fabrication of high‐quality nanocrystalline ITO films after annealing them at 300°C. This result is of great importance for reducing the cost of thin film solar cells, in which ITO films serve as transparent conducting electrodes. We present a comparison of the properties of sputtered ITO films with those fabricated using a spray pyrolysis deposition technique, which is useful for some optoelectronic applications

Gestational age assessment of neonates using foot and hand length measurements: a cross sectional tertiary care centre study

Background: Gestational age of neonates computed based on Naegele’s formula, ultrasound, or using modified New Ballard score (NBS) is limited in the community setup due to illiteracy, accessibility and expertise. Hence there should be alternative technique which can be done even by inexperienced health care staff and in rural communities. Objective of current study was to find out the correlation of foot and hand length with gestational age among neonates.Methods: A cross sectional study including 200 neonates and their foot length, hand length, birth weight was recorded. Gestational age assessment was done using modified NBS. Correlation among various study parameters was done using Pearson’s correlation coefficient.Results: Of the 200 neonates studied, the mean foot length was 7.1±0.46 cm with a range of 4-8.5 cm. The mean hand length was 6.0±0.71 cm with a range of 3.8-7.4 cm. The mean foot and hand length of term neonates was higher than preterm neonates. The mean foot and hand length of normal weight neonates was higher than Low birth weight neonates.Conclusions: Foot and hand length is a simple, quick and reliable measurement which can be used as a proxy measurement to gestational age assessment. It can be easily measured by traditional birth attendants in the community

Spray Pyrolysis Processing for Optoelectronic Applications

Spray pyrolysis is a low-cost and simple technique for the fabrication of high-quality transparent and conducting oxide thin films for different optoelectronic applications. The fabrication method, structural, morphological, and electro-optical properties of fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) and tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) films have been investigated. The deposited films have low resistivity and high transparency. Applications of such films are shown in high-efficiency surface-barrier photodetectors and solar cells, where the films serve as an active and antireflection electrode. A short description of other undoped and doped oxide films such as ZnO and TiO2 fabricated by spray pyrolysis is presented

Transient myeloproliferative disorder: A pointer to underlying trisomy 21

A 19-day-old male neonate was presented with abdominal distension, refusal to feed, and high-grade fever, suggestive of late-onset sepsis. Apart from a suspected clinodactyly, no dysmorphism was present. The hemograms were suggestive of leukocytosis with 29% blasts and flow cytometry revealed acute myeloid leukemia. Due to the presence of congenital leukemia, the dysmorphism in the child was investigated and a karyotype revealed trisomy 21; a diagnosis of transient myeloproliferative disorder (TMD) was made. The child developed significant bleeding, impending congestive cardiac failure and significant weight loss, and prompting initiation of low-dose chemotherapy with cytarabine. The child improved following therapy but developed fungal sepsis and multiple joint osteomyelitis secondary to the chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression which was managed with antibiotics. The child was discharged and is on close 3 monthly follow-up to screen for acute megakaryoblastic leukemia, as babies with TMD are prone to developing acute megakaryoblastic leukemia in early childhood

Neonatal central diabetes insipidus in a case of hydranencephaly

Neonatal diabetes insipidus (DI) poses both diagnostic and therapeutic challenge to the neonatologists. Neonatal central DI (CDI) is an uncommon disorder which is characterized by polyuria, hypernatremia, high plasma osmolality, and low urine osmolality. Our full-term neonate with an antenatal magnetic resonance imaging showing hydranencephaly presented to us on day 4, with persistent hypernatremic dehydration along with the polyuria which was not getting corrected by the routine management of hypernatremic dehydration. Further investigations revealed urine hypo-osmolality and high serum osmolality and a good response to oral desmopressin (DDAVP). This helped to diagnose CDI secondary to hydranencephaly. The baby was discharged on oral DDAVP, but unfortunately, the baby succumbed at 3 months of age

Congenital corneal clouding: A case series

Congenital corneal clouding often causes diagnostic dilemma; hence, detailed evaluation and timely intervention are required to decrease the morbidity. Various genetic, developmental, metabolic, and idiopathic causes of congenital corneal clouding include Peters anomaly, sclerocornea, birth trauma, congenital glaucoma, mucopolysaccharidosis, and dermoids. We report a case series of four neonates with congenital corneal clouding admitted in our neonatal intensive care unit, over 5 years. Two cases were of Peters anomaly, one each of primary congenital glaucoma and glaucoma secondary to congenital rubella

Where Does Mediator Bind In Vivo?

Background: The Mediator complex associates with RNA polymerase (Pol) II, and it is recruited to enhancer regions by activator proteins under appropriate environmental conditions. However, the issue of Mediator association in yeast cells is controversial. Under optimal growth conditions (YPD medium), we were unable to detect Mediator at essentially any S. cerevisiae promoter region, including those supporting very high levels of transcription. In contrast, whole genome microarray experiments in synthetic complete (SC) medium reported that Mediator associates with many genes at both promoter and coding regions. Principal Findings: As assayed by chromatin immunoprecipitation, we show that there are a small number of Mediator targets in SC medium that are not observed in YPD medium. However, most Mediator targets identified in the genome-wide analysis are false positives that arose for several interrelated reasons: the use of overly lenient cut-offs; artifactual differences in apparent IP efficiencies among different genomic regions in the untagged strain; low fold-enrichments making it difficult to distinguish true Mediator targets from false positives that occur in the absence of the tagged Mediator protein. Lastly, apparent Mediator association in highly active coding regions is due to a non-specific effect on accessibility due to the lack of nucleosomes, not to a specific association of Mediator. Conclusions: These results indicate that Mediator does not bind to numerous sites in the yeast genome, but rathe

Crop Updates 2006 - Katanning

This session covers sixteen papers from different authors 2006 SEASONAL OUTLOOK, David Stephens and Michael Meuleners, Department of Agriculture Review of climate model summaries reported in the Department of Agriculture’s growing season outlooks, Meredith Fairbanks, Department of Agriculture Farmers commodity outlook 2006, Thomas Schulz, Department of Agriculture Why is salinity such a difficult problem for plant breeders? T J Flowers, TD Colmer, University of Western Australia Matching nitrogen supply to wheat demand in 2005, Narelle Simpson, Ron McTaggart, Wal Anderson, Lionel Martin and Dave Allen, Department of Agriculture Wheat varieties in 2006, Brenda Shackley, Department of Agriculture Performance of dwarf potential milling oat varieties in Western Australian environments, Raj Malik and Kellie Winfield, Department of Agriculture Field pea lessons for 2006, Rodger Beermir, Department of Agriculture Better returns from Durum wheat, Shahahan Miyan, Department of Agriculture Summer weeds can reduce grain yield and protein, Dr. Abul Hashem, Department of Agriculture, Dr Shahab Pathan, Department of Agriculture, Vikki Osten, Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries Management of Summer Weeds, Alex Douglas, Department of Agriculture Frost or Friction, Garren Knell, Steve Curtin, Wade Longmuir, Consult Ag Pty Ltd PROFITING FROM MARGINAL LAND SEMINAR Producing Bio-Diesel and rubber from marginal land?? Dr Henry Brockman, Department of Agriculture SGSL Producer network – on ground implementation of saltbush based pastures, Justin Hardy, Arjen Ryder, John Paul Collins and Jessica Johns, Department of Agriculture Enhancing the profitability of “Edenia” using saltbush and perenials, SGSL Producer case study, John Pepall, Jinka’s Hill LCDC Investment in saltland pastures, Allan Herbert, Department of Agricultur