Abstract: technologies have been expanding, and one of the most exciting and rapidly growing
applications is in biology and medicine. Most biomedical studies with DBD plasma systems are performed in vitro, which include cells grown on the surface of plastic well plates, or in vivo, which include animal research models (e.g. mice, pigs). Since many DBD systems use the biological target as the secondary electrode for direct plasma generation and treatment, they are sensitive to the surface properties of the target, and thus can be altered based on the in vitro or in vivo system used. This could consequently affect biological response from plasma treatment. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the DBD plasma behavior both in vitro (i.e. 96-well flat bottom plates, 96-well U-bottom plates, and 24-well flat bottom plates), and in vivo (i.e. mouse skin). Intensified charge coupled device (ICCD) imaging was performed and the plasma discharges were visually distinguishable between the different systems. The geometry of the wells did not affect DBD plasma generation for low application distances (≤ 2 mm), but differentially affected plasma uniformity on the bottom of the well at greater distances. Since DBD plasma treatment in vitro is rarely performed in dry wells for plasma medicine experiments, the effect of well wetness was also investigated. In all in vitro cases, the uniformity of the DBD plasma was affected when comparing wet versus dry wells, with the plasma in the wide-bottom wells appearing the most similar to plasma generated on mouse skin. Interestingly, based on quantification of ICCD images, the DBD plasma intensity per surface area demonstrated an exponential one-phase decay with increasing application distance, regardless of the in vitro or in vivo system. This trend is similar to that of the energy per pulse of plasma, which is used to determine the total plasma treatment energy for biological systems. Optical emission spectroscopy performed on the plasma revealed similar trends in radical species generation between the plastic well plates and mouse skin. Therefore, taken together, DBD plasma intensity per surface area may be a valuable parameter to be used as a simple method for in situ monitoring during biological treatment and active plasma treatment control, which can be applied for in vitro and in vivo systems.

Abstract: Because of its low hysteresis, high dielectric constant, and strong piezoelectric response, Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O-3-PbTiO3 (PMN-PT) thin films have attracted considerable attention for the application in PiezoMEMS, field-effect transistors, and energy harvesting and storage devices. However, it remains a great challenge to fabricate phase-pure, pyrochlore-free PMN-PT thin films. In this study, we demonstrate that a high deposition rate, combined with a tensile mismatched template layer can stabilize the perovskite phase of PMN-PT films and prevent the nucleation of passive pyrochlore phases. We observed that an accelerated deposition rate promoted mixing of the B-site cation and facilitated relaxation of the compressively strained PMN-PT on the SrTiO3 (STO) substrate in the initial growth layer, which apparently suppressed the initial formation of pyrochlore phases. By employing La-doped-BaSnO3 (LBSO) as the tensile mismatched buffer layer, 750 nm thick phase-pure perovskite PMN-PT films were synthesized. The resulting PMN-PT films exhibited excellent crystalline quality close to that of the STO substrate.

Abstract: We study the rectification of vortex motion in an asymmetric ring channel in a Corbino setup. With an applied ac current, the motion of vortices in the channel is rectified by the asymmetric potential and induces a dc net flow. The net flow in such a system strongly depends on vortex density, and we distinguish “single-vortex'' rectification regime (for low density, when each vortex is rectified individually) determined by the potential-energy landscape inside each cell of the channel and ”multi-vortex'', or "collective'', rectification (high density case) when the interaction between vortices becomes important. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Abstract: The crystal structure of a novel compound Pb13Mn9O25 has been determined through a direct space structure solution with a Monte-Carlo-based global optimization using precession electron diffraction data (a=14.177(3) Å, c=3.9320(7) Å, SG P4/m, RF=0.239) and compositional information obtained from energy dispersive X-ray analysis and electron energy loss spectroscopy. This allowed to obtain a reliable structural model even despite the simultaneous presence of both heavy (Pb) and light (O) scattering elements and to validate the accuracy of the electron diffraction-based structure refinement. This provides an important benchmark for further studies of complex structural problems with electron diffraction techniques. Pb13Mn9O25 has an anion- and cation-deficient perovskite-based structure with the A-positions filled by the Pb atoms and 9/13 of the B positions filled by the Mn atoms in an ordered manner. MnO6 octahedra and MnO5 tetragonal pyramids form a network by sharing common corners. Tunnels are formed in the network due to an ordered arrangement of vacancies at the B-sublattice. These tunnels provide sufficient space for localization of the lone 6s2 electron pairs of the Pb2+ cations, suggested as the driving force for the structural difference between Pb13Mn9O25 and the manganites of alkali-earth elements with similar compositions.

Abstract: The variation of structures and superconducting properties by changing extra oxygen or fluorine atoms concentration in Hg-based Cu mixed oxides and YBa2Cu3O6+delta was studied. The data obtained by NPD study of Hg-1201 can be considered as an evidence of the conventional oxygen doping mechanism with 2 delta holes per (CuO2) layer. The extra oxygen atom was found to be located in the middle of the Hg mesh only. Different formal charges of oxygen and fluorine inserted into reduced 123 structure results in its distinct variations. The fluorine incorporation into strongly reduced YBa2Cu3O6+delta causes a significant structural rearrangement and the formation of a new compound with a composition close to YBa2Cu3O6F2 (tetragonal alpha = 3.87 Angstrom and c approximate to 13 Angstrom), which structure was deduced from the combined results of X-ray diffraction, electron diffraction and high resolution electron microscopy. Fluorination treatment by XeF2 of nonsuperconducting 123 samples causes an appearance of bulk superconductivity with T-c up to 94K.

Abstract: The dynamics of vortex matter in mesoscopic superconducting Corbino disk is strongly influenced by the discrete vortex structure arranged in shells. While in previous works the vortex dynamics has been studied in large (macroscopic) and in very small mesoscopic disks (containing only few shells), in the intermediate-size regime it is much more complex and unusual, due to: (i) the competition between the vortexvortex interaction and confinement and (ii) (in)commensurability among the vortex shells. We found that the interplay between these effects can result in a very unusual vortex dynamical behavior: (i) unconventional angular melting (i.e., propagating from the boundary, where the shear stress is minimum, towards the center) and (ii) unconventional dynamics of shells (i.e., the inversion of shell velocities with respect to the gradient driving force). This unusual behavior is found for different number of shells.

Abstract: Strain analyses from experimental series of nano-beam electron diffraction (NBED) patterns in scanning transmission electron microscopy are performed for different specimen tilts. Simulations of NBED series are presented for which strain analysis gives results that are in accordance with experiment. This consequently allows to study the relation between measured strain and actual underlying strain. A two-tilt method which can be seen as lowest-order electron beam precession is suggested and experimentally implemented. Strain determination from NBED series with increasing beam convergence is performed in combination with the experimental realization of a probe-forming aperture with a cross inside. It is shown that using standard evaluation techniques, the influence of beam convergence on spatial resolution is lower than the influence of sharp rings around the diffraction disc which occur at interfaces and which are caused by the tails of the intensity distribution of the electron probe. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Abstract: Richardson approach provides an exact solution of the pairing Hamiltonian. This Hamiltonian is characterized by the electron-hole pairing symmetry, which is however hidden in Richardson equations. By analyzing this symmetry and using an additional conjecture, fulfilled in solvable limits, we suggest a simple expression of the ground state energy for an equally-spaced energy-level model, which is applicable along the whole crossover from the superconducting state to the pairing fluctuation regime. Solving Richardson equations numerically, we demonstrate a good accuracy of our expression.

Abstract: For the first time, the local structure and physical properties of Ru1222 based compounds (RuSr(2)Gd(1.4)Ce(0.6)Cu(2)O(10-delta) and RuSr(2)Gd(1.8-x)Y(0.2)CexCu(2)O(10) (x = 0.90-0.55)) have been investigated and analyzed together on the very same compounds. The Ru1222 superstructure was confirmed by TEM at a local scale and was suggested to have an orthorhombic symmetry with space group Aba2 and lattice parameters a(s) similar or equal to root 2a, b(s) similar or equal to root 2a and c(s) = c. This new Ru1222 superstructure distortion from tetragonal symmetry is proposed to have a positive correlation with the superconductivity variation of these compounds. The more the distortion towards orthorhombic symmetry, the higher the critical superconducting temperature these compounds can achieve. The T(c)(0) of RuSr(2)Gd(1.8-x)Y(0.2)Ce(x)Cu(2)O(10-delta) (x = 0.85-0.55) increases monotonically from 4 to 16 K when x decreases from 0.85 to 0.70, then RuSr(2)Gd(2)Cu(2)O(8) defects emerge and the T(c) decreases with decreasing x. Ru1212 defects are observed to intergrow epitaxially with the Ru1222 structure as lamellas along the c-axis in RuSr(2)Gd(1.4)Ce(0.6)Cu(2)O(10-delta). Although Ru1212 is a superconductor, the intergrowth severely restrains its superconductivity.

Abstract: Epitaxial double perovskite La2CoMnO6 (LCMO) films were grown by metalorganic aerosol deposition on SrTiO3(111) substrates. A high Curie temperature, T-C = 226 K, and large magnetization close to saturation, M-S(5 K) = 5.8 mu(B)/f.u., indicate a 97% degree of B-site (Co,Mn) ordering within the film. The Co/Mn ordering was directly imaged at the atomic scale by scanning transmission electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (STEM-EDX). Local electron-energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) measurements reveal that the B-sites are predominantly occupied by Co2+ and Mn4+ ions in quantitative agreement with magnetic data. Relatively small values of the (1/2 1/2 1/2) superstructure peak intensity, obtained by X-ray diffraction (XRD), point out the existence of ordered domains with an arbitrary phase relationship across the domain boundary. The size of these domains is estimated to be in the range 35-170 nm according to TEM observations and modelling the magnetization data. These observations provide important information towards the complexity of the cation ordering phenomenon and its implications on magnetism in double perovskites, and similar materials.

Abstract: Relying on combined electron-beam lithography and lift-off methods Au/Ti bilayer electrical contacts were attached to individual ZnO nanowires (NWs) that were grown by a vapor phase deposition method. Reliable Schottky-type as well as ohmic contacts were obtained depending on whether or not an ion milling process was used. The response of the ZnO NWs to ultraviolet light was found to be sensitive to the type of contacts. The intrinsic electronic properties of the ZnO NWs were studied in a field-effect transistor configuration. The transfer characteristics, including gate threshold voltage, hysteresis and operational mode, were demonstrated to unexpectedly respond to visible light. The origin of this effect could be accounted for by the presence of point defects in the ZnO NWs.