Investigation of surface potential in the V-defect region of MBE CdxHg1−xTe film

Atomic-force microscopy is used to investigate the distribution of the contact-potential difference (surface potential) in Cd x Hg1 − x Te epitaxial films grown by molecular-beam epitaxy. Modification of the solid-solution composition near the V-defect results in a variation in the contact-potential difference. It is shown that the solid-solution composition varies by ∼0.05 (2.5 at %) towards increasing mercury content in the V-defect region, and a region of mercury depletion by 0.36 at % is observed at the V-defect periphery. From analysis of the surface-potential distribution, it is shown that the Cd x Hg1 − x Te epitaxial film contains unform V-defects with a diameter less than 1 μm in addition to macroscopic V-defects

Study of tribological properties of human buccal epithelium cell membranes using probe microscopy

In this work demostrates a unique method for determining the absolute value of the friction force of a nanoobject on the surface of a cell membrane using atomic force microscopy. The tribological properties of membranes of adult human buccal epithelium cells in the presence of a protective adsorption buffer layer of ~ 100 nm on their surface were studied using atomic force microscopy in the contact scanning mode. Local mapping of the tribological characteristics of the surface was carried out, viz. friction FL = FL(x, y) and adhesion Fadh = Fadh(x, y) forces were measured. Studies of the friction force Ffr on the membrane surface at the nanolevel showed that its value varies discretely with an interval equal to lLF ≈ 100 nm. It was shown that such discreteness is determined by the interval lLF of the action of adhesive forces Fadh and indicates the fractal nature of the functional dependence of the friction force on the coordinate Ffr = Ffr(x). Thus, for nano-objects with dimensions ≤ lLF, the absolute value of Ffr decreases according to a power law with an increase in the size of the object, which contradicts the similar dependence of the friction force for macro-objects in the global approximation

TMSmap – Software for Quantitative Analysis of TMS Mapping Results

The use of the MRI-navigation system ensures accurate targeting of TMS. This, in turn, results in TMS motor mapping becoming a routinely used procedure in neuroscience and neurosurgery. However, currently, there is no standardized methodology for assessment of TMS motor-mapping results. Therefore, we developed TMSmap—free standalone graphical interface software for the quantitative analysis of the TMS motor mapping results (http://tmsmap.ru/). In addition to the estimation of standard parameters (such as the size of cortical muscle representation and the center of gravity location), it allows estimation of the volume of cortical representations, excitability profile of the cortical surface map, and the overlap between cortical representations. The input data for the software includes the coordinates of the coil position (or electric field maximum) and the corresponding response in each stimulation point. TMSmap has been developed for versatile assessment and comparison of TMS maps relating to different experimental interventions including, but not limited to longitudinal, pharmacological and clinical studies (e.g., stroke recovery). To illustrate the use of TMSmap we provide examples of the actual TMS motor-mapping analysis of two healthy subjects and one chronic stroke patient

The impact of the plasma volume discharge in the atmospheric-pressure air on the distribution of the surface potential in a V-defect region of epitaxial HgCdTe films

In the present report we demonstrate the experimental data obtained as a result of studying the impact of nanosecond plasma volume discharge in the atmospheric-pressure air on the distribution of the surface potential in the V-defect regions of epitaxial HgCdTe films. The experimental data obtained for the variation of the contact potential difference (ΔCPD) between the V-defect and the main matrix of the epitaxial film show that the mean value of ΔCPD for the original surface differs from the one for the irradiated surface for 55 eV. At the same time the mean value of ΔCPD changes its sign indicating that the original surface of the epitaxial HgCdTe film predominantly contains the grains with increased cadmium content while after the irradiation the grains possess an increased content of mercury. Therefore, during the irradiation process a decrease of the mercury content in the near-surface region of the semiconductor takes place resulting in the alteration of the electrophysical properties in the film's near-surface region

Investigation of vibratory drilling model with adaptive control. Part 2: mixed control of peak-to-peak vibration displacement and cutting continuity index

Chip segmentation is important condition for deep drilling efficiency improving. Chip segmentation could be ensured by sustaining stable axial self-excited vibrations of a drill. Vibrations are excited by regenerative effect when cutting edges move along the surface formed by previous passes. The conditions required for reliable chip segmentation could be created by using of a special vibratory head with an elastic element, providing tool additional axial flexibility. To maintain stable vibro-process with amplitude sufficient for chip segmentation, it’s suggested to use the vibratory head with a special actuator for adaptive feedback control proportional to a tool vibration velocity. Two algorithms of the feedback gain adaptation are proposed in the present paper: the adaptation by peak-to-peak displacement and the mixed adaptation by peak-to-peak displacement with cutting continuity index. The investigation of effectiveness of the proposed algorithms applicable to the model, described in [9], is also presented

Pd-II-mediated integration of isocyanides and azide ions might proceed via formal 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition between RNC ligands and uncomplexed azide

The generation of (tetrazolate)PdII complexes via the integration of (isocyanide)PdII precursors with uncomplexed azides and the verification of plausible reaction mechanisms.</p

Application of atomic force microscopy methods for testing the surface parameters of coatings of medical implants

Atomic force microscopy methods are used to study calcium phosphate coatings that are formed on surfaces of various materials, which are used in medicine, by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering of a hydroxyapatite target. The roughness parameters and values of the surface potentials of metal, polymer, and hybrid substrates are determined in a semicontact regime. Calcium phosphate coatings increase the roughness of surfaces of polymer and metal materials, thus presenting a stimulating factor for the attachment and proliferation of osteogenic cells. Using the Kelvin method, it is shown that calcium phosphate coatings change the surface potential of substrates

Influence of complex impact of the picosecond electron beam and volume discharge in atmospheric-pressure air on the electronic properties of MCT epitaxial films surface

In the present report we studied the distribution of surface potential of the HgCdTe epitaxial films grown by molecular beam epitaxy after the impact of picosecond electron beam and volume discharge in atmospheric-pressure air. The surface potential distribution was studied by the Kelvin Force Probe Microscopy. The experimental data obtained for the variation of the contact potential difference (ΔCPD) between the V-defect and the main matrix of the epitaxial film. The investigation of the origin epitaxial films show that variation of the spatial distribution of surface potential in the V-defect region can be related to the variation of the material composition. The experimental data obtained for the irradiated samples show that the mean value of ΔCPD for the original surface differs from the one for the irradiated surface for 55 eV. At the same time the mean value of ΔCPD changes its sign indicating that the original surface of the epitaxial HgCdTe film predominantly contains the grains with increased cadmium content while after the irradiation the grains possess an increased content of mercury. Therefore, during the irradiation process a decrease of the mercury content in the near-surface region of the semiconductor takes place resulting in the alteration of the electrophysical properties in the films near-surface region. © (2015) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only

Accuracy and precision of navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation

Objective. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) induces an electric field (E-field) in the cortex. To facilitate stimulation targeting, image-guided neuronavigation systems have been introduced. Such systems track the placement of the coil with respect to the head and visualize the estimated cortical stimulation location on an anatomical brain image in real time. The accuracy and precision of the neuronavigation is affected by multiple factors. Our aim was to analyze how different factors in TMS neuronavigation affect the accuracy and precision of the coil-head coregistration and the estimated E-field. Approach. By performing simulations, we estimated navigation errors due to distortions in magnetic resonance images (MRIs), head-to-MRI registration (landmark- and surface-based registrations), localization and movement of the head tracker, and localization of the coil tracker. We analyzed the effect of these errors on coil and head coregistration and on the induced E-field as determined with simplistic and realistic head models. Main results. Average total coregistration accuracies were in the range of 2.2-3.6 mm and 1 degrees; precision values were about half of the accuracy values. The coregistration errors were mainly due to head-to-MRI registration with average accuracies 1.5-1.9 mm/0.2-0.4 degrees and precisions 0.5-0.8 mm/0.1-0.2 degrees better with surface-based registration. The other major source of error was the movement of the head tracker with average accuracy of 1.5 mm and precision of 1.1 mm. When assessed within an E-field method, the average accuracies of the peak E-field location, orientation, and magnitude ranged between 1.5 and 5.0 mm, 0.9 and 4.8 degrees, and 4.4 and 8.5% across the E-field models studied. The largest errors were obtained with the landmark-based registration. When computing another accuracy measure with the most realistic E-field model as a reference, the accuracies tended to improve from about 10 mm/15 degrees/25% to about 2 mm/2 degrees/5% when increasing realism of the E-field model. Significance. The results of this comprehensive analysis help TMS operators to recognize the main sources of error in TMS navigation and that the coregistration errors and their effect in the E-field estimation depend on the methods applied. To ensure reliable TMS navigation, we recommend surface-based head-to-MRI registration and realistic models for E-field computations.Peer reviewe