262 research outputs found
Tunnel current in self-assembled monolayers of 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane
The current density-voltage (J-V) characteristics of self assembled
monolayers of 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTMS) chemisorbed on the
native oxide surface of p+-doped Si demonstrate the excellent tunnel dielectric
behavior of organic monolayers down to 3 carbon atoms. The J-V characteristics
of MPTMS SAMs on Si are found to be asymmetric, and the direction of
rectification has been found to depend upon the applied voltage range. At
voltages < 2.45V, the reverse bias current was found to be higher than forward
bias current; while at higher voltages this trend was reversed. This result is
in agreement with Simmons theory. The tunnel barrier heights for this short
chain (2.56 and 2.14 eV respectively at Au and Si interfaces) are in good
agreement with the ones for longer chains (>10 carbon atoms) if the chain is
chemisorbed at the electrodes. These results extend all previous experiments on
such molecular tunnel dielectrics down to 3 carbon atoms. This suggests that
these molecular monolayers, having good tunnel behavior (up to 2.5 eV) over a
large bias range, can be used as gate dielectric well below the limits of
Si-based dielectrics.Comment: Small, in pres
An anomalous magnetic phase transition at 10 K in Nd7Rh3
The compound, Nd7Rh3, crystallizing in Th7Fe3-type hexagonal structure, has
been shown recently by us to exhibit a signature of magnetic phase-coexistence
phenomenon below 10 K after a field cycling, uncharacteristic of stoichiometric
intermetallic compounds, bearing a relevance to the trends in the field of
electronic phase-separation. In order to characterize this compound further, we
have carried out dc magnetic susceptibility (chi), electrical resistivity,
magnetoresistance and heat-capacity measurements as a function temperature (T=
1.8 to 300 K). The results reveal that this compound exhibits another unusual
finding at the 10K-transition in the sense that the plot of chi(T) shows a
sharp increase in the field-cooled cycle, whereas the zero-field-cooled curve
shows a downturn below the transition. In addition, the sign of
magnetoresistance is negative and the magnitude is large over a wide
temperature range in the vicinity of magnetic ordering temperature, with a
sharp variation at 10 K. The results indicate that the transition below 10 K is
first-order in its character.Comment: Appeared in JPCM (Letters) 18 (2006) L40
Necessity of 'two time zones: 1ST-I (UTC+5: 30 h) and 1ST-II (UTC+6: 30 h)' in India and its implementation
A strong demand of a separate time zone by northeast populace has been a matter of great debate for a very long period. However, no implementable solution to this genuine problem has yet been proposed. The CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, CSIR-NPL (the National Measurement Institute, NMI, of India and custodian of Indian Standard Time, 1ST) proposes an implementable solution that puts the country in two time zones: (1) IST-I (UTC + 5 : 30 h, represented by longitude passing through 82 degrees 33E) covering the regions falling between longitude 68 degrees 7 E and 89 degrees 52 E and (ii) IST-II (UTC + 6 : 30 h, represented by longitude passing through 97 degrees 30 E) encompassing the regions between 89 degrees 52 E and 97 degrees 25 E. The proposed demarcation line between IST-I and IST-II, falling at longitude 89 degrees 52 E, is derived from analyses of synchronizing the circadian clocks to normal office hours (9 : 00 a.m. to 5 : 30 p.m.). This demarcation line passes through the border of West Bengal and Assam and has a narrow spatial extension, which makes it easier to implement from the railways point of view. Once approved, the implementation would require establishment of a laboratory for 'Primary Time Ensemble - II' generating IST-II in any of the north-eastern states, which would be equivalent to the existing 'Primary Time Ensemble-I' at CSIR-NPL, New Delhi
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