Investigation of epitaxial graphene via Raman spectroscopy: origins of phonon mode asymmetries and line width deviations. - In: Carbon, ISSN 1873-3891, Bd. 170 (2020), S. 666-676
In this work a comprehensive study is presented for the analysis of epitaxial graphene layers using Raman spectroscopy. A wide range of graphene types is covered, from defective/polycrystalline single layer graphene to multilayer graphene with low defect density. On this basis the influence of strain type, Fermi level and number of layers on the Raman spectrum of graphene is investigated. A detailed view on the 2D/G dispersion and the respective slopes of uniaxially and biaxially strained graphene is given and its implications on the asymmetry of the G peak analyzed. A linear dependency of the phonon mode asymmetry on uniaxial strain is presented in addition to the known Fermi level dependence. Additional impacts on the asymmetry are found to be arising from the defect density and transfer doping of adsorbates. The discovered transfer doping mechanism is contrary to pure phonon excitation through excitons and exhibits increasing asymmetry with increasing Fermi level. A new characteristic correlation between the 2D mode line width and the inverse I(D)/I(G) ratio is introduced that allows the determination of the strain type and layer number and explains the difference between Raman line widths of monolayer graphene on different substrates.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbon.2020.07.016
A close step towards industrialized application of solar water splitting. - In: Journal of semiconductors, ISSN 2058-6140, Bd. 41 (2020), 9, 090401, S. 1-3
https://doi.org/10.1088/1674-4926/41/9/090401
Collagen-iron oxide nanoparticle based ferrogel: large reversible magnetostrains with potential for bioactuation. - In: Multifunctional materials, ISSN 2399-7532, Volume 3 (2020), number 3, 035001, Seite 1-10
Smart materials such as stimuli responsive polymeric hydrogels offer unique possibilities for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. As, however, most synthetic polymer systems and their degradation products lack complete biocompatibility and biodegradability, this study aims to synthesize a highly magnetic responsive hydrogel, based on the abundant natural biopolymer collagen. As the main component of vertebratal extracellular matrix, it reveals excellent biocompatibility. In combination with incorporated magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles, a novel smart nano-bio-ferrogel can be designed. While retaining its basic biophysical properties and interaction with living cells, this collagen-nanoparticle hydrogel can be compressed to 38% of its original size and recovers to 95% in suitable magnetic fields. Besides the phenomenology of this scenario, the underlying physical scenarios are also discussed within the framework of network models. The observed reversible peak strains as large as 150% open up possibilities for the fields of biomedical actuation, soft robotics and beyond.
https://doi.org/10.1088/2399-7532/abaa2d
Highly-rough surface carbon nanofibers film as an effective interlayer for lithium-sulfur batteries. - In: Journal of semiconductors, ISSN 2058-6140, Bd. 41 (2020), 9, 092701, S. 1-6
Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery with a new configuration is demonstrated by inserting a flexible nitrogen-doping carbon nanofiber (N-CNFs) interlayer between the sulfur cathode and the separator. The N-CNFs film with high surface roughness and surface area is fabricated by electrospinning and a subsequent calcination process. The N-CNFs film interlayer not only effectively traps the shuttling migration of polysulfides but also gives the whole battery reliable electronic conductivity, which can effectively enhance the electrochemical performance of Li-S batteries. Finally, Li-S batteries with long cycling stability of 785 mAh/g after 200 cycles and good rate capability of 573 mAh/g at 5 C are achieved.
https://doi.org/10.1088/1674-4926/41/9/092701
Scanning probe lithography on calixarene towards single-digit nanometer fabrication. - In: International journal of extreme manufacturing, ISSN 2631-7990, Volume 2 (2020), number 3, 032005, Seite 1-21
Cost effective patterning based on scanning probe nanolithography (SPL) has the potential for electronic and optical nano-device manufacturing and other nanotechnological applications. One of the fundamental advantages of SPL is its capability for patterning and imaging employing the same probe. This is achieved with self-sensing and self-actuating cantilevers, also known as 'active' cantilevers. Here we used active cantilevers to demonstrate a novel path towards single digit nanoscale patterning by employing a low energy (<100 eV) electron exposure to thin films of molecular resist. By tuning the electron energies to the lithographically relevant chemical resist transformations, the interaction volumes can be highly localized. This method allows for greater control over spatially confined lithography and enhances sensitivity. We found that at low electron energies, the exposure in ambient conditions required approximately 10 electrons per single calixarene molecule to induce a crosslinking event. The sensitivity was 80-times greater than a classical electron beam exposure at 30 keV. By operating the electro-exposure process in ambient conditions a novel lithographic reaction scheme based on a direct ablation of resist material (positive tone) is presented.
https://doi.org/10.1088/2631-7990/aba2d8
OPM magnetorelaxometry in the presence of a DC bias field. - In: EPJ Quantum Technology, ISSN 2196-0763, Bd. 7 (2020), 12, insges. 14 S.
Spatial quantitative information about magnetic nanoparticle (MNP) distributions is a prerequisite for biomedical applications like magnetic hyperthermia and magnetic drug targeting. This information can be gathered by means of magnetorelaxometry (MRX) imaging, where the relaxation of previously aligned MNP's magnetic moments is measured by sensitive magnetometers and an inverse problem is solved. To remove or minimize the magnetic shielding in which MRX imaging is carried out today, the knowledge of the influence of background magnetic fields on the MNP's relaxation is a prerequisite. We show MRX measurements using an intensity-modulated optically pumped magnetometer (OPM) in background magnetic fields of up to 100 [my]T. We show that the relaxation parameters alter or may be intentionally altered significantly by applying static fields parallel or antiparallel to the MNPs alignment direction. Further, not only the relaxation process of the MNP's magnetic moments could be measured with OPM, but also their alignment due to the MRX excitation field.
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjqt/s40507-020-00087-3
Compensation of motion-induced phase errors and enhancement of Doppler unambiguity in TDM-MIMO systems by model-based estimation. - In: IEEE sensors letters, ISSN 2475-1472, Volume 4 (2020), issue 10, 7003504, 4 Seiten
Utilization of multiple input multiple output (MIMO) systems in radar and channel sounding has gained increased attention in recent years. Quite often, time-division multiplexing (TDM) is employed to realize orthogonal waveforms at the transmitter. Apart from its advantages, TDM has two severe drawbacks. First, motion-induced phase variations become indistinguishable from phase migration due to the signal's arrival direction. This is termed angle-Doppler coupling, which causes ambiguities in angle, and Doppler estimation. Second, the unambiguously resolvable Doppler, i.e., the Doppler bandwidth, is reduced. In this letter, a model-based estimation approach will be proposed, which compensates for angle-Doppler coupling, and restores the Doppler bandwidth. A data model for the MIMO observations is derived, which is exploited by a maximum likelihood estimator to infer angle, delay, and Doppler from the observations. The performance of the proposed approach will be testified by simulations.
https://doi.org/10.1109/LSENS.2020.3020700
Realization of moisture-resistive perovskite films for highly efficient solar cells using molecule incorporation. - In: ACS applied materials & interfaces, ISSN 1944-8252, Bd. 12 (2020), 35, S. 39063-39073
The development of highly crystalline perovskite films with large crystal grains and few surface defects is attractive to obtain high-performance perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with good device stability. Herein, we simultaneously improve the power conversion efficiency (PCE) and humid stability of the CH3NH3PbI3 (CH3NH3 = MA) device by incorporating small organic molecule IT-4F into the perovskite film and using a buffer layer of PFN-Br. The presence of IT-4F in the perovskite film can successfully improve crystallinity and enhance the grain size, leading to reduced trap states and longer lifetime of the charge carrier, and make the perovskite film hydrophobic. Meanwhile, as a buffer layer, PFN-Br can accelerate the separation of excitons and promote the transfer process of electrons from the active layer to the cathode. As a consequence, the PSCs exhibit a remarkably improved PCE of 20.55% with reduced device hysteresis. Moreover, the moisture-resistive film-based devices retain about 80% of their initial efficiency after 30 days of storage in relative humidity of 10-30% without encapsulation.
https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.0c09046
Ultrafast dynamics of hot charge carriers in an oxide semiconductor probed by femtosecond spectroscopic ellipsometry. - In: New journal of physics, ISSN 1367-2630, Bd. 22 (2020), 083066, insges. 14 S.
https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/aba7f3
Age-related differences of motor cortex plasticity in adults: a transcranial direct current stimulation study. - In: Brain stimulation, ISSN 1876-4754, Bd. 13 (2020), 6, S. 1588-1599
Background - Cognitive, and motor performance are reduced in aging, especially with respect to acquisition of new knowledge, which is associated with a neural plasticity decline. Animal models show a reduction of long-term potentiation, but not long-term depression, in higher age. Findings in humans are more heterogeneous, with some studies showing respective deficits, but others not, or mixed results, for plasticity induced by non-invasive brain stimulation. One reason for these heterogeneous results might be the inclusion of different age ranges in these studies. In addition, a systematic detailed comparison of the age-dependency of neural plasticity in humans is lacking so far. - Objective - We aimed to explore age-dependent plasticity alterations in adults systematically by discerning between younger and older participants in our study. - Methods - We recruited three different age groups (Young: 18-30, Pre-Elderly: 50-65, and Elderly: 66-80 years). Anodal, cathodal, or sham transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) was applied over the primary motor cortex with 1 mA for 15 min to induce neuroplasticity. Cortical excitability was monitored by single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation as an index of plasticity. - Results - For anodal tDCS, the results show a significant excitability enhancement, as compared to sham stimulation, for both, Young and the Pre-Elderly groups, while no LTP-like plasticity was obtained in the Elderly group by the applied stimulation protocol. Cathodal tDCS induced significant excitability-diminishing plasticity in all age groups. - Conclusion - Our study provides further insight in age-related differences of plasticity in healthy humans, which are similar to those obtained in animal models. The decline of LTP-like plasticity in higher age could contribute to cognitive deficits observed in aging.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brs.2020.09.004