Surface modification of ZrO₂ - Y₂O₃ ss by ion implantation

With 56Fe+ implantations in oxygen ion conducting solid solutions of 0.86ZrO2-0.14YO1.5 [ZY14] electronic conductivity is introduced in a surface layer of less than 70 nm. The theoretically expected Gaussian distributions of Fe ions as calculated by computer simulation are compared with results of analyses by AES and RBS. Mean projected ranges (Rp) agree but remarkable differences in peakheight and halfwidth are found. Surface concentrations up to 6∗1021 ZY Fe/cm3 have been achieved using mediate doses of 2–4∗1016 Fe/cm2 and energies ranging from 15–110 KeV. Concurrent sputtering during high dose implantations (8–40∗1016 Fe/cm2, 15 and 110 KeV) causes a peakshift towards the solid-gas surface. With these high doses high concentrations up to 24∗1021 Fe/cm3 were obtained. The implanted profile shapes remain stable under heat treatments up to 900°C. Higher temperatures cause a decrease in topconcentration and broadening of the distribution. After annealing during 25 hrs. at 1500°C all implanted iron was dissolved in the ZY matrix and no precipitates were formed as indicated by XRD

Ordering and diffuse phase transitions in Pb(Sc0.5Ta0.5)O3 ceramics

The ordering of the Sc3+ and Ta5+ ions in Pb (Sc0.5Ta0.5) O3 can be varied by proper heat treatments (1000–1500°C). The ferroelectric → paraelectric transition is strongly influenced by this ordering. With decreasing order parameter Ω the phase transition becomes more diffuse and a number of properties show strong changes

Record RF performance of standard 90 nm CMOS technology

We have optimized 3 key RF devices realized in standard logic 90 nm CMOS technology and report a record performance in terms of n-MOS maximum oscillation frequency f/sub max/ (280 GHz), varactor tuning range and varactor and inductor quality factor

Microstructure and thermal stability of Fe, Ti and Ag implanted Yttria-stabilized zirconia

Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) was implanted with 15 keV Fe or Ti ions up to a dose of 8×1016 at cm−2. The resulting “dopant” concentrations exceeded the concentrations corresponding to the equilibrium solid solubility of Fe2O3 or TiO2 in YSZ. During oxidation in air at 400° C, the Fe and Ti concentration in the outermost surface layer increased even further until a surface layer was formed of mainly Fe2O3 and TiO2, as shown by XPS and ISS measurements. From the time dependence of the Fe and Ti depth profiles during anneal treatments, diffusion coefficients were calculated. From those values it was estimated that the maximum temperature at which the Fe- and Ti-implanted layers can be operated without changes in the dopant concentration profiles was 700 and 800° C, respectively. The high-dose implanted layer was completely amorphous even after annealing up to 1100° C, as shown by scanning transmission electron microscopy. Preliminary measurements on 50 keV Ag implanted YSZ indicate that in this case the amorphous layer recrystallizes into fine grained cubic YSZ at a temperature of about 1000° C. The average grain diameter was estimated at 20 nm, whereas the original grain size of YSZ before implantation was 400 nm. This result implies that the grain size in the surface of a ceramic material can be decreased by ion beam amorphisation and subsequent recrystallisation at elevated temperatures

Lack of uniform diagnostic criteria for cervical radiculopathy in conservative intervention studies: A systematic review

Purpose: Cervical radiculopathy (CR) is a common diagnosis. It is unclear if intervention studies use uniform definitions and criteria for patient selection. Our objective was to assess the uniformity of diagnostic criteria and definitions used in intervention studies to select patients with CR. Methods: We electronically searched the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL. Studies were included when evaluating conservative interventions in randomised clinical trials (RCTs) in patients with CR. Selection criteria and definitions for patients with CR were extracted and evaluated on their uniformity. Results: Thirteen RCTs were included. Pain was used as an inclusion criterion in 11 studies. Inclusion based on the duration and location of pain varied between studies. Five studies used sensory symptoms in the arm as inclusion crite

What are sources of carbon lock-in in energy-intensive industry? A case study into Dutch chemicals production

Keeping global mean temperature rise well below 2 °C requires deep emission reductions in all industrial sectors, but several barriers inhibit such transitions. A special type of barrier is carbon lock-in, defined as a process whereby various forms of increasing returns to adoption inhibit innovation and the competitiveness of low-carbon alternatives, resulting in further path dependency. Here, we explore potential carbon lock-in in the Dutch chemical industry via semi-structured interviews with eleven key actors. We find that carbon lock-in may be the result of (i) technological incompatibility between deep emission reduction options over time, (ii) system integration in chemical clusters, (iii) increasing sunk costs as firms continue to invest in incremental improvements in incumbent installations, (iv) governmental policy inconsistency between targets for energy efficiency and deep emission reductions, and (v) existing safety routines and standards. We also identify barriers that do not have the self-reinforcing character of lock-in, but do inhibit deep emission reductions. Examples include high operating costs of low-carbon options and low risk acceptance by capital providers and shareholders. Rooted in the Dutch policy setting, we discuss policy responses for avoiding carbon lock-in and overcoming barriers based on the interviews, such as transition plans for individual industries and infrastructure subsidies

Global maps of soil temperature.

Research in global change ecology relies heavily on global climatic grids derived from estimates of air temperature in open areas at around 2 m above the ground. These climatic grids do not reflect conditions below vegetation canopies and near the ground surface, where critical ecosystem functions occur and most terrestrial species reside. Here, we provide global maps of soil temperature and bioclimatic variables at a 1-km <sup>2</sup> resolution for 0-5 and 5-15 cm soil depth. These maps were created by calculating the difference (i.e. offset) between in situ soil temperature measurements, based on time series from over 1200 1-km <sup>2</sup> pixels (summarized from 8519 unique temperature sensors) across all the world's major terrestrial biomes, and coarse-grained air temperature estimates from ERA5-Land (an atmospheric reanalysis by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts). We show that mean annual soil temperature differs markedly from the corresponding gridded air temperature, by up to 10°C (mean = 3.0 ± 2.1°C), with substantial variation across biomes and seasons. Over the year, soils in cold and/or dry biomes are substantially warmer (+3.6 ± 2.3°C) than gridded air temperature, whereas soils in warm and humid environments are on average slightly cooler (-0.7 ± 2.3°C). The observed substantial and biome-specific offsets emphasize that the projected impacts of climate and climate change on near-surface biodiversity and ecosystem functioning are inaccurately assessed when air rather than soil temperature is used, especially in cold environments. The global soil-related bioclimatic variables provided here are an important step forward for any application in ecology and related disciplines. Nevertheless, we highlight the need to fill remaining geographic gaps by collecting more in situ measurements of microclimate conditions to further enhance the spatiotemporal resolution of global soil temperature products for ecological applications