Low-temperature process steps for realization of non-volatile memory devices

In this work, the low-temperature process steps required for the realization of nano-crystal non-volatile memory cells are discussed. An amorphous silicon film, crystallized using a diode pumped solid state green laser irradiating at 532 nm, is proposed as an active layer. The deposition of the subsequent functional layers (e.g., gate oxide) can be done using CVD and ALD reactors in a cluster tool. We show that a high nanocrystal density (Si-NC), required for a good functionality of the memory device, can be obtained by using disilane (Si2H6) or trisilane (Si3H8, known as Silcore®) as precursors for LPCVD instead of silane, at a deposition temperature of 325 °C. The nanocrystals are encapsulated with an ALD-Al2O3 layer (deposited at 300 °C), which serves as oxidation barrier. The passivation of the realized structure is done with an ALD-TiN layer deposited at 425 °C. In this work, we realized Al/TiN/Al2O3/Si-NC/SiO2/Si(100) multilayer floating-gate structures, where the crystallized amorphous silicon film was for the time being replaced by a mono-crystalline silicon wafer, and the gate oxide was thermally grown instead of a low-temperature PECVD oxide. The structures were characterized in terms of their performance as memory cells. In addition, the feasibility to use laser crystallization for improving the amorphous silicon films (prior to the gate oxide deposition) was explored

Coping styles within the family system in the chronic phase following acquired brain injury: its relation to families’ and patients’ functioning

OBJECTIVE: To investigate how the functioning of family members and the coping styles they use are related to the psychosocial functioning both of the family members and of the person who has sustained a brain injury. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS: Primary caregivers (n = 61) and other family members (n = 15) of 61 patients with brain injury. METHODS: Primary caregivers completed the Utrecht Coping List, the Life Satisfaction Questionnaire 9, and the Caregiver Strain Index. All family members completed the Family Assessment Device. Data for the patients were collected retrospectively. RESULTS: Primary caregivers who had a preference for passive coping styles reported that they experienced a lower level of family functioning, a lower quality of life, and a higher strain. Neither the coping styles nor the psychosocial outcomes of the primary caregivers were significantly associated with patients' self-reported quality of life. Furthermore, there was no correlation between the level of family functioning and a patient's quality of life. CONCLUSION: Coping styles of caregivers are important determinants for their own psychosocial functioning, but not for patients' psychosocial functioning, although causality cannot be inferred. To enhance caregivers' psychosocial functioning, rehabilitation should focus on changing their coping styles into ones that are less passive. Furthermore, distinct or additional interventions may be needed to change the patient's coping style

Heart rate variability does not discriminate between different levels of haemodynamic responsiveness during surgical anaesthesia†

Background Hypnotic depth but not haemodynamic responsiveness is measured with EEG-based monitors. In this study we compared heart rate variability (HRV) in unstimulated patients and stimulation-induced HRV at different levels of anaesthesia. Methods A total of 95 ASA I or II patients were randomly assigned to five groups (Group 1: BIS 45(5), remifentanil 1 ng ml−1; Group 2: BIS 45(5), remifentanil 2 ng ml−1; Group 3: BIS 45(5), remifentanil 4 ng ml−1; Group 4: BIS 30(5), remifentanil 2 ng ml−1; Group 5: BIS 60(5), remifentanil 2 ng ml−1). A time- and frequency-domain analysis of the RR interval (RRI) from the electrocardiogram was performed. HRV before induction, before and after a 5 s tetanic stimulus of the ulnar nerve, and before and after tracheal intubation was compared between groups, between stimuli, and between responders to intubation [systolic arterial pressure (SAP) increase >20 mm Hg, a maximal heart rate (HR) after intubation >90 min−1 or both] and non-responders (anova). Results Induction of anaesthesia significantly lowered HR and HRV. Mean RRI before stimulation was higher in G3 than in G1, G2, and G4 (P < 0.001), whereas the other HRV parameters were similar. Intubation induced a greater HRV response than tetanic stimulation. The mean RRI after intubation was lower in G3 compared with the other groups and the sd of the RRI after tetanic stimulation was lower in G3 compared with G5. Otherwise, unstimulated HRV and stimulation-induced HRV were similar in responders and non-responders. Conclusion HRV parameters discriminate between awake and general anaesthesia, are different after tracheal intubation and a 5 s ulnar nerve stimulation, but do not discriminate between different levels of haemodynamic responsiveness during surgical anaesthesi

Substance Misuse Education for Physicians: Why Older People are Important.

This perspective article focuses on the need for training and education for undergraduate medical students on substance-related disorders, and describes initiatives undertaken in the United Kingdom (UK), Netherlands, United States (US), and Norway to develop the skills, knowledge, and attitudes needed by future doctors to treat patients adequately. In addition, we stress that in postgraduate training, further steps should be taken to develop Addiction Medicine as a specialized and transverse medical domain. Alcohol use disorder is a growing public health problem in the geriatric population, and one that is likely to continue to increase as the baby boomer generation ages. Prescription drug misuse is a major concern, and nicotine misuse remains problematic in a substantial minority. Thus, Addiction Medicine training should address the problems for this specific population. In recent years, several countries have started an Addiction Medicine specialty. Although addiction psychiatry has been a subspecialty in the UK and US for more than 20 years, in most countries it has been a more recent development. Additional courses on addiction should be integrated into the curriculum at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, as well as form part of the continuous training of other medical specialists. It is recommended that further research and mapping of what is currently taught in medical programs be undertaken, so as to enhance medical education in addiction and improve treatment services

Electrical properties of plasma-deposited silicon oxide clarified by chemical modeling

Our study is focused on Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) of silicon dioxide films at low temperatures (< 150 oC) using Inductively Coupled (IC) High-Density (HD) plasma source. We recently fabricated Thin Film Transistors (TFTs) with high-quality ICPECVD gate oxides, which exhibited a competitive performance. For better understanding of the influence of deposition parameters on both the deposition kinetics and oxide quality, we have modeled the Ar-SiH4-N2O plasma system with 173 chemical reactions. We simulated concentrations of 43 reactive species (such as e.g. SiHx radicals and SiHx + (x=0-3) ions, polysilanes, SiO, SiN, SiH3O, SiH2O, HSiO, etc., as well as atomic hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen) in plasma. We further used our simulations to qualitatively explain (in terms of concentrations of the reactive species) the influence of SiH4/N2O gas-flow ratio and total gas pressure on film electrical properties and deposition rate

E2 properties of nuclei far from stability and the proton-halo problem of 8B

E2 properties of A=6--10 nuclei, including those of nuclei far from stability, are studied by a $(0+2)\hbar\omega$ shell-model calculation which includes E2 core-polarization effects explicitly. The quadrupole moments and the E2 transition strengths in A=6--10 nuclei are described quite well by the present calculation. This result indicates that the relatively large value of the quadrupole moment of $^8$B can be understood without introducing the proton-halo in $^8$B. An interesting effect of the $2\hbar\omega$ core-polarization is found for effective charges used in the $0\hbar\omega$ shell model; although isoscalar effective-charges are almost constant as a function of nucleus, appreciable variations are needed for isovector effective-charges which play important roles in nuclei with high isospin-values.Comment: (LaTeX, 23 pages

A Kinase Interacting Protein 1 regulates mitochondrial protein levels in energy metabolism and promotes mitochondrial turnover after exercise

A Kinase Interacting Protein 1 (AKIP1) is a signalling adaptor that promotes mitochondrial respiration and attenuates mitochondrial oxidative stress in cultured cardiomyocytes. We sought to determine whether AKIP1 influences mitochondrial function and the mitochondrial adaptation in response to exercise in vivo. We assessed mitochondrial respiratory capacity, as well as electron microscopy and mitochondrial targeted-proteomics in hearts from mice with cardiomyocyte-specific overexpression of AKIP1 (AKIP1-TG) and their wild type (WT) littermates. These parameters were also assessed after four weeks of voluntary wheel running. In contrast to our previous in vitro study, respiratory capacity measured as state 3 respiration on palmitoyl carnitine was significantly lower in AKIP1-TG compared to WT mice, whereas state 3 respiration on pyruvate remained unaltered. Similar findings were observed for maximal respiration, after addition of FCCP. Mitochondrial DNA damage and oxidative stress markers were not elevated in AKIP1-TG mice and gross mitochondrial morphology was similar. Mitochondrial targeted-proteomics did reveal reductions in mitochondrial proteins involved in energy metabolism. Exercise performance was comparable between genotypes, whereas exercise-induced cardiac hypertrophy was significantly increased in AKIP1-TG mice. After exercise, mitochondrial state 3 respiration on pyruvate substrates was significantly lower in AKIP1-TG compared with WT mice, while respiration on palmitoyl carnitine was not further decreased. This was associated with increased mitochondrial fission on electron microscopy, and the activation of pathways associated with mitochondrial fission and mitophagy. This study suggests that AKIP1 regulates the mitochondrial proteome involved in energy metabolism and promotes mitochondrial turnover after exercise. Future studies are required to unravel the mechanistic underpinnings and whether the mitochondrial changes are required for the AKIP1-induced physiological cardiac growth.</p

Wave attenuation over coastal salt marshes under storm surge conditions

Coastal communities around the world face increasing risk from flooding as a result of rising sea level, increasing storminess, and land subsidence1–2. Salt marshes can act as natural buffer zones, providing protection from waves during storms3–7. However, the effectiveness of marshes in protecting the coastline during extreme events when water levels are at a maximum and waves are highest is poorly understood8,9. Here, we experimentally assess wave dissipation under storm surge conditions in a 300-meter-long wave flume tank that contains a transplanted section of natural salt marsh. We find that the presence of marsh vegetation causes considerable wave attenuation, even when water levels and waves are highest. From a comparison with experiments without vegetation, we estimate that up to 60% of observed wave reduction is attributed to vegetation. We also find that although waves progressively flatten and break vegetation stems and thereby reduce dissipation, the marsh substrate remained stable and resistant to surface erosion under all conditions. The effectiveness of storm wave dissipation and the resilience of tidal marshes even at extreme conditions suggests that salt marsh ecosystems can be a valuable component of coastal protection schemes.This is the author's accepted manuscript and will be under embargo until the 29th of March 2015. The final version has been published by NPG in Nature Geoscience here: http://www.nature.com/ngeo/journal/v7/n10/full/ngeo2251.html