Publications

Ba(Zn1/3Ta2/3)O-3 dielectric materials were prepared by solid state reaction. The samples were sintered at temperatures in the range 1 400 divided by 1 600 degrees C for 4 h. Morphostructural characterization was performed by using SEM and XRD. The dielectric properties were measured in the microwave range (6 divided by 7 GHz). An additional annealing at 1 400 degrees C for 10 hours was performed in order to improve the dielectric parameters. The best parameters were achieved for the samples sintered at 1 600 degrees C with additional thermal treatment.

Atomic scale modelling of various nano-clusters has been pet-formed. Amorphous/crystalline transition has been modelled in phase change memory materials. The modelling gives the possibility to select the physically realistic configurations, to be prepared and applied in nano-devices. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Starting from a mean field calculation for the static capacitance of a MIS-nanostructure with a near back gate [P.N. Racec, E. R. Racec and U. Wulf, Phys. Rev. B 65, 193314, (2002)] we develop an approach to determine the equivalent small-signal circuit. The analyzed system has an open character, taken into account in the Landauer-Buttiker formalism. The Coulomb interaction is treated in Hartree approximation. Consistent with our static calculations we determine the charge-charge correlation function in the random phase approximation to find the ac-admittances. The small-signal circuit consists of a voltage-dependent capacitance and a resistance in series. Beyond a characteristic frequency v, they become frequency dependent. The characteristic frequency is given by the life time of specific resonance which develops in the system.

Metal nanoclusters of Ag and An were obtained in alkali halide crystals (NaCl, KBr and KCl). The fractal character of the structures is proved by the fractal dimensions calculated using a home made computer program. The self aggregation of the metallic structures is governed in both cases (Ag and Au) by the DLA mechanism. This is proved by the values of the fractal dimension calculated using two methods, sandbox and box-counting, which are between 1.7 and 1.8 for Ag and for Au between 1.7 and 1.9. (c) 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Ba(Zn1/3Ta2/3)O-3 dielectric materials were prepared by, solid state reaction. The samples were sintered at temperatures in the range 1400 divided by. 1600 degrees C for 4 h. Morphostructural characterization was performed by using SE l and XRD. The dielectric properties were measured in the microwave range (6 divided by 7 GHz). An additional annealing at 1400 degrees C for 10 hours was performed in order to improve the dielectric parameters. The best parameters were achieved for the samples sintered at 1600 degrees C with additional thermal treatment.

In this paper a study of some planar microwave band pass filters composed of defected ground resonators is presented. Different kinds of couplings between two defected ground resonators are investigated: electric coupling, magnetic-coupling different mixed couplings. The values of the coupling and two coefficients are extracted from the simulation results, obtained by using a full-wave EM-field simulation software. On the basis of this study, some second-order coupled planar microwave bandpass Chebyshev of Chebyshev filters are designed. The simulated performances of these novel filter structures are very close to the filler requirements, validating this way the design method and its results.

d The effect induced by the calcination temperature on gas sensing properties of thin SnSe2 layers exposed to reducing gas species, respectively CH4, CO and H2O, has been investigated. The sensor signal defined as the ratio between the electrical resistance in air and that in the test gas atmosphere has been used as monitoring parameter.

Carboxymethyl-cellu lose has been labelled with a stable free radical by reaction with 4-aminotempo in the presence of a coupling agent (EEDQ). The spin-labelled cellulose is highly stable, no leaking being noticed after months at room temperature. EPR spectroscopy was used as a main tool to study the wettability of such a material. The EPR spectrum of the dry spin-labelled cellulose shows the expected anisotropy, while addition of several solvents (acetone, ethyl acetate, DCM, methanol, toluene, PEG 200) induces the splitting of the spectrum into a two component system. Thus, the EPR spectrum is composed of a mobile component superimposed onto an immobilized one. Addition of water leads to a monocomponent isotropic spectrum. These data clearly indicate the presence of two types of sites to which the spin-label is attached. Variable temperature EPR spectra showed that an increase of temperature results in an increase in the mobility of the spin-label. Deposition of plain or spin-labelled gold nanoparticles on the cellulose fibres also affects the structure of the polymeric chain, as seen by changes in the EPR spectra.

Research results focussed on the combined influence of iron and boron, in proportions of 0.5 and up to 10 wt.% respectively, in complex alloyed Ni3Al synthesised by Self Propagating High Temperature Synthesis (SHS) in the thermo-explosion mode at two ignition temperatures, 950 and 1150 degrees C, are presented. By XRD and Mossbauer spectroscopy it was established that for 950 degrees C ignition temperature, the evolved heat is not high enough for the added Fe to be fully incorporated into the synthesised Ni3Al phase, a temperature of 1150 degrees C being required. For this temperature, the density of the synthesised alloys, their capacity to be cold deformed by re-pressing, hardness and bending strength variations as a function of B and Fe contents, proved their cumulative effects of the ductility and mechanical properties of complex alloyed Ni3Al enhancing.

Ba1-xSrxTiO3 solid solutions with x = 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 0.9 were prepared by solid-state reaction from powder oxides with high purity. In order to improve the granular growth 1 wt.% MgO and 1 wt.% MnO2 was added to the calcined powders. Samples were sintered for 2 h at 1230 and 1260 degrees C. Structural parameters, grain sizes, bulk densities and microwave dielectric parameters were determined. A monotonic decrease of the Curie temperature with the increase of strontium content was determined by low-frequency dielectric measurements. Microwave measurements around 1 GHz showed substantial decrease of the permittivity with the x increase from about 1080 to 200. Also, the variation of losses from 11 % to less than 0.2% was observed. The results indicate the BST ceramic as dielectric material, which can be utilized in paraelectric state for microwave devices. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.