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Hybrid structures often possess superior properties to those of their component materials. This arises from changes in the structural or physical properties of the new materials. Here, we investigate the structural, electronic, and gas-adsorption properties of hybrid structures made from graphene/hexagonal boron nitride and 2H-molybdenum disulfide (G/BN@MoS

Very recently, a new class of the multicationic and -anionic entropy-stabilized chalcogenide alloys based on the (Ge, Sn, Pb) (S, Se, Te) formula has been successfully fabricated and characterized experimentally [Zihao Deng et al., Chem. Mater. 32, 6070 (2020)]. Motivated by the recent experiment, herein, we perform density functional theory-based first-principles calculations in order to investigate the structural, mechanical, electronic, optical, and thermoelectric properties. The calculations of the cohesive energy and elasticity parameters indicate that the alloy is stable. Also, the mechanical study shows that the alloy has a brittle nature. The GeSnPbSSeTe alloy is a semiconductor with a direct band gap of 0.4 eV (0.3 eV using spin-orbit coupling effect). The optical analysis illustrates that the first peak of Im(epsilon) for the GeSnPbSSeTe alloy along all polarization directions is located in the visible range of the spectrum which renders it a promising material for applications in optical and electronic devices. Interestingly, we find an optically anisotropic character of this system which is highly desirable for the design of polarization-sensitive photodetectors. We have accurately predicted the thermoelectric coefficients and have calculated a large power factor value of 3.7 x 10(11) W m(-1) K-2 s(-1) for p-type. The high p-type power factor is originated from the multiple valleys near the valence band maxima. The anisotropic results of the optical and transport properties are related to the specific tetragonal alloy unit cell.

In this work, novel two-dimensional BC2 X (X=N, P, As) monolayers with X atoms out of the B-C plane, are predicted by means of the density functional theory. The structural, electronic, optical, photocatalytic and thermoelectric properties of the BC2 X monolayers have been investigated. Stability evaluation of the BC 2 X single-layers is carried out by phonon dispersion, ab-initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulation, elastic stability, and cohesive energies study. The mechanical properties reveal all monolayers considered are stable and have brittle nature. The band structure calculations using the HSE06 functional reveal that the BC2 N, BC 2 P and BC 2 As are semiconducting monolayers with indirect bandgaps of 2.68 eV, 1.77 eV and 1.21 eV, respectively. The absorption spectra demonstrate large absorption coefficients of the BC 2 X monolayers in the ultraviolet range of the electromagnetic spectrum. Furthermore, we disclose the BC 2 N and BC 2 P monolayers are potentially good candidates for photocatalytic water splitting. The electrical conductivity of BC 2 X is very small and slightly increases by raising the temperature. Electron doping may yield greater electric productivity of the studied monolayers than hole doping, as indicated by the larger power factor in the n-doped region compared to the p-type region. These results suggest that BC 2 X (X=N, P, As)monolayers represent a new promising class of 2DMs for electronic, optical and energy conversion systems.

Two field experiments were conducted during 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 winter seasons in clay soil at El-Kanater El-Khiria, Horticulture research station to study the effect of two irrigation water regimes i.e. 75 & 100 % of potential evapotranspiration (ETc) under six weed control treatments by Pendimethalin (Stomp extra 45.5% CS at the rate of 1.7 l/fedden), oxyfluorfen (Roal 24% EC at the rate of 750 cm3/fed. and/ or supplemented with additional hand hoeing once and hand hoeing twice addition to unweeded check on weeds , garlic yield and their water relationship i.e. consumptive use (Cu) and water use efficiency (WUE).Experimental design was split plot where the two treatments of water regime were allocated in the main plots and weed control treatments in subplots in four replicates. The main findings show that the experimental field was infested by annual weeds for the unweeded check by 1.35 and 1.47 ton/feddan dry weight of weeds, exhibited yield loss of 16.1 and 15.1% of garlic yield per feddan than hand hoeing twice in both 2016 /2017 and 2017/2018 seasons, respectively.Also all various weed categories as well as various yield components and yield of garlic tended to increase significantly in both seasons with adding irrigation water by 100 % from potential evapotranspition (ETc) treatment, meanwhile, water use efficiency for irrigation treatments tended to increase by 75 % from potential evapotranspition (ETc) 19.9 and 25.2% of ETc in 2016 /2017 and 2017/2018 seasons, respectively, and economically feasible. The reduction in garlic yield under irrigation level by 75 % equal 7&4 % in 1st and 2nd seasons and can consider non mean full difference with saving irrigation water476 &579 cubic meter which equal two irrigation. While, water use efficiency for Stomp at 1.7 L/fed, Stomp + h. hoeing once, Roal at 075 L/fed, Roal+ h. hoeing once and h. hoeing twice tended to increase by 34.0 & 53.8 & 28.8 & 43.4 and 29.7%, respectively more than unweeded check in the first season and by 29.2 & 38.4 & 27.0 & 31.9 and 26.5%, respectively, more than unweeded check which attributed the reduction of weed competition for water consumption. All weed control treatments gave significant effect on controlling weeds and increased growth characteristics and bulb garlic yields. Stomp at 1.7 L/fed h plus hand hoeing once gave the highest increase in net income (LE) by 118.3 and 94.4% respectively, more than unweeded check. Regarding, the interaction between irrigation water levels and weed control treatments, there was a little significant effect with soil moisture 100 % and herbicide residue of Stomp and Roal herbicides which in weed control elements used in garlic bulb less than allowable level.

A systematic investigation of the structural, mechanical, electronic, and optical properties of puckered penta-like PdPSeX (X=O, S and Te) Janus monolayers has been performed by means of the plane wave density functional theory. It is confirmed that the pentagonal PdPSeX monolayers are dynamically and mechanical stable by means of analysis of their phonon dispersion curves and the Born condition under harmonic approximation, respectively. The PdPSeX Janus monolayers are disclosed as brittle two-dimensional materials (2DMs). The PBE (HSE06)-based calculations exhibit they are indirect semiconductors with bandgap values of 0.65 (1.44) eV, 1.20 (2.02) eV, and 0.98 (1.70) eV for PbPSeO, PbPSeS, and PbPSeTe monolayer, sequentially. The computational results demonstrate the PdPSeTe monolayer as the best suited candidate for visible light absorption and photocatalytic water splitting within the considered pentagonal PdPSeX monolayers. Our ab-initio-based outcomes provide an insight into the fundamental properties of the penta-like PdPSeX Janus structures and surely would motivate further experimental and theoretical studies to reveal the full application potential of this new type of 2DMs. Funding Agencies|National Research Foundation of Korea - Korean governmentNational Research Foundation of KoreaKorean Government [NRF-2015M2B2A4033123]; TUBITAK ULAKBIMTurkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu (TUBITAK)

Inspired by the recent successful growth of Ti2C and Ti3C2 monolayers, here, we investigate the structural, electronic, and mechanical properties of functionalized Ti2C and Ti3C2 monolayers by means of density functional theory calculations. The results reveal that monolayers of Ti2C and Ti3C2 are dynamically stable metals. Phonon band dispersion calculations demonstrate that two-surface functionalization of Ti2C and Ti3C2via chalcogenides (S, Se, and Te), halides (F, Cl, Br, and I), and oxygen atoms results in dynamically stable novel functionalized monolayer materials. Electronic band dispersions and density of states calculations reveal that all functionalized monolayer structures preserve the metallic nature of both Ti2C and Ti3C2 except Ti2C–O2, which possesses the behavior of an indirect semiconductor via full-surface oxygen passivation. In addition, it is shown that although halide passivated Ti3C2 structures are still metallic, there exist multiple Dirac-like cones around the Fermi energy level, which indicates that semi-metallic behavior can be obtained upon external effects by tuning the energy of the Dirac cones. In addition, the computed linear-elastic parameters prove that functionalization is a powerful tool in tuning the mechanical properties of stiff monolayers of bare Ti2C and Ti3C2. Our study discloses that the electronic and structural properties of Ti2C and Ti3C2 MXene monolayers are suitable for surface modification, which is highly desirable for material property engineering and device integration.

The electronic and optical properties of vertical heterostructures (HTSs) and lateral heterojunctions (HTJs) between (B,N)-codoped graphene (dop@Gr) and graphene (Gr), C3N, BC3 and h-BN monolayers are investigated using van der Waals density functional theory calculations. We have found that all the considered HTSs are energetically and thermally feasible at room temperature, and therefore they can be synthesized experimentally. The dop@Gr/Gr, BC3/dop@Gr and BN/dop@Gr HTSs are semiconductors with direct bandgaps of 0.1 eV, 80 meV and 1.23 eV, respectively, while the C3N/dop@Gr is a metal because of the strong interaction between dop@Gr and C3N layers. On the other hand, the dop@Gr-Gr and BN-dop@Gr HTJs are semiconductors, whereas the C3N-dop@Gr and BC3-dop@Gr HTJs are metals. The proposed HTSs can enhance the absorption of light in the whole wavelength range as compared to Gr and BN monolayers. The applied electric field or pressure strain changes the bandgaps of the HTSs and HTJs, indicating that these HTSs are highly promising for application in nanoscale multifunctional devices.

In this work, motivated by the fabrication of an AlSb monolayer, we have focused on the electronic, mechanical and optical properties of AlSb and InSb monolayers with double-layer honeycomb structures, employing the density functional theory approach. The phonon band structure and cohesive energy confirm the stability of the XSb (X = Al and In) monolayers. The mechanical properties reveal that the XSb monolayers have a brittle nature. Using the GGA + SOC (HSE + SOC) functionals, the bandgap of the AlSb monolayer is predicted to be direct, while InSb has a metallic character using both functionals. We find that XSb (X = Al, In) two-dimensional bodies can absorb ultraviolet light. The present findings suggest several applications of AlSb and InSb monolayers in novel optical and electronic usages.

Graphene nanomeshes (GNMs) are novel materials that recently raised a lot of interest. They are fabricated by forming a lattice of pores in graphene. Depending on the pore size and pore lattice constant, GNMs can be either semimetallic or semiconducting with a gap large enough (∼ 0.5 eV) to be considered for transistor applications. The fabrication process is bound to produce some structural disorder due to variations in pore size. Recent electronic transport measurements in GNM devices (ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 10, 10 362, 2018) show a degradation of their bandgap in devices having pore-size disorder. It is therefore important to understand the effect of such variability on the electronic properties of semiconducting GNMs. In this work we use the density functional-based tight binding formalism to calculate the electronic properties of GNM structures with different pore sizes, pore densities, and with hydrogen and oxygen pore edge passivations. We find that structural disorder reduces the electronic gap and the carrier group velocity, which may interpret recent transport measurements in GNM devices. Furthermore, the trend of the bandgap with structural disorder is not significantly affected by the change in pore edge passivation. Our results show that even with structural disorder, GNMs are still attractive from a transistor device perspective.

H7 subtype avian influenza viruses have caused outbreaks in poultry, and even human infection, for decades in both Eurasia and North America. Although effective vaccines offer the best protection against avian influenza viruses, antigenically distinct Eurasian and North American lineage subtype H7 viruses require the development of cross-protective vaccine candidates. In this study, a methodology called computationally optimized broadly reactive antigen (COBRA) was used to develop four consensus H7 antigens (CH7-22, CH7-24, CH7-26, and CH7-28). In vitro experiments confirmed the binding of monoclonal antibodies to the head and stem domains of cell surface-expressed consensus HAs, indicating display of their antigenicity. Immunization with DNA vaccines encoding the four antigens was evaluated in a mouse model. Broadly reactive antibodies against H7 viruses from Eurasian and North American lineages were elicited and detected by binding, inhibition, and neutralizing analyses. Further infection with Eurasian H7N9 and North American H7N3 virus strains confirmed that CH7-22 and CH7-24 conferred the most effective protection against hetero-lethal challenge. Our data showed that the consensus H7 vaccines elicit a broadly reactive, protective response against Eurasian and North American lineage H7 viruses, which are suitable for development against other zoonotic influenza viruses.

Due to their characteristic geometry, TiO$_2$ nanotubes (TNTs), suitably doped by metal-substitution to enhance their photocatalytic properties, have a high potential for applications such as clean fuel production. In this context, we present a detailed investigation of the magnetic, electronic, and optical properties of transition-metal doped TNTs, based on hybrid density functional theory. In particular, we focus on the $3d$, the $4d$, as well as selected $5d$ transition-metal doped TNTs. Thereby, we are able to explain the enhanced optical activity and photocatalytic sensitivity observed in various experiments. We find, for example, that Cr- and W-doped TNTs can be employed for applications like water splitting and carbon dioxide reduction, and for spintronic devices. The best candidate for water splitting is Fe-doped TNT, in agreement with experimental observations. In addition, our findings provide valuable hints for future experimental studies of the ferromagnetic/spintronic behavior of metal-doped titania nanotubes., Comment: 25 pages (preprint style), 10 figures

In a very recent accomplishment, the two-dimensional form of Biphenylene network (BPN) has been successfully fabricated [Fan et al., Science, 372, 852-856 (2021)]. Motivated by this exciting experimental result on 2D layered BPN structure, herein we perform detailed density functional theory-based first-principles calculations, for the first time, in order to gain insight into the structural, electronic and optical properties of this promising nanomaterial. Our theoretica results reveal the BPN structure is constructed from three rings of tetragon, hexagon and octagon, meanwhile the electron localization function shows very strong bonds between the C atoms in the structure. The dynamical stability of BPN is verified via the phonon band dispersion calculations. The mechanical properties reveal the brittle behavior of BPN monolayer. The Youngs modulus has been computed as 0.1 TPa, which is smaller than the corresponding value of graphene, while the Poissons ratio determined to be 0.26 is larger than that of graphene. The band structure is evaluated to show the electronic features of the material; determining the BPN monolayer as metallic with a band gap of zero. The optical properties (real and imaginary parts of the dielectric function, and the absorption spectrum) uncover BPN as an insulator along the zz direction, while owning metallic properties in xx and yy directions. We anticipate that our discoveries will pave the way to the successful implementation of this new 2D allotrope of carbon in advanced nanoelectronics., Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures

The adsorption of various environmental gas molecules, including H2, N2, CO, CO2, O2, NO, NO2, SO2 H2O, H2S, NH3 and CH4, on the surface of the recently synthesized two dimensional MoSi2N4 (MSN) monolayer has been investigated by means of spin-polarized first-principles calculations. The most stable adsorption configuration, adsorption energy, and charge transfer have been computed. Due to the weak interaction between molecules studied with the MSN monolayer surface, the adsorption energy is small and does not yield any significant distortion of the MSN lattice, i.e., the interaction between the molecules and MSN monolayer surface is physisorption. We find that all molecules are physisorbed on the MSM surface with small charge transfer, acting as either charge acceptors or donors. The MSN monolayer is a semiconductor with an indirect band gap of 1.79 eV. Our theoretical estimations reveal that upon adsorption of H2, N2, CO, CO2, NO, H2O, H2S, NH3 and CH4 molecules, the semiconducting character of MSN monolayer is preserved and the band gap value is decreased to ~ 1.5 eV. However, the electronic properties of the MSN monolayer can be significantly altered by adsorption of O2, NO and SO2, and a spin polarization with magnetic moments of 2, 1, 2 μ B , respectively, can be introduced. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the band gap and the magnetic moment of adsorbed MSN monolayer can be significantly modulated by the concentration of NO and SO2 molecules. As the concentration of NO2 molecule increases, the magnetic moment increase from 1 μ B to 2 and 3 μ B . In the case of the SO2 molecule with increasing of concentration, the band gap decreases from 1.2 eV to 1.1 and 0.9 eV. Obviously, our theoretical studies indicate that MSN monolayer-based sensor has a high application potential for O2, NO, NO2 and SO2 detection.

The two dimensional MoSi2N4 (MSN) monolayer exhibiting rich physical and chemical properties was synthesized for the first time last year. We have used the spin-polarized density functional theory to study the effect of different types of point defects on the structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of the MSN monolayer. Adsorbed, substitutionally doped (at different lattice sites), and some kind of vacancies have been considered as point defects. The computational results show all defects studied decrease the MSN monolayer band gap. We found out the H-, O-, and P-doped MSN are n-type conductors. The arsenic-doped MSN, and MSN with vacancy defects have a magnetic moment. The MSN with a Si vacancy defect is a half-metallic which is favorable for spintronic applications, while the MSN with a single N vacancy or double vacancy (N + S) defects are metallic, i.e., beneficial as spin filters and chemical sensors.

Small-sized nanoparticles are widely used in applications such as catalysis, nanoelectronics, and hydrogen storage. However, the small size causes a common problem: agglomeration on the support template. One solution is to use templates that limit the mobility of the nanoparticles. Graphene nanomeshes (GNMs) are two dimensional porous structures with controllably passivated pores. In this work, we employ first principles calculations to investigate the potential for using GNMs as support templates for Ni clusters and, at the same time, study their magnetic and hydrogen storage properties. We consider two Ni clusters (Ni6 and Ni13) and two GNMs (O-terminated and N-terminated), comparing our results to those of isolated Ni clusters and those of Ni clusters on graphene. High stability of the Ni clusters is found on the N-GNM in contrast to the O-GNM. We quantify the hydrogen storage capacity by calculating the adsorption energy for multiple H2 molecules. The values on Ni x /N-GNM are significantly reduced as compared to the corresponding isolated Ni x clusters, but a high hydrogen storage capacity is maintained. The fact that Ni x /N-GNM hosts spin polarization is interesting for spintronic applications.

Recently, a two-dimensional (2D) MoSi 2N 4 (MSN) structure has been successfully synthesized [Hong et al., Science 369(6504), 670-674 (2020)]. Motivated by this result, we investigate the structural, electronic, and optical properties of MSN monolayer (MSN-1L) and bilayer (MSN-2L) under the applied electric field (E-field) and strain using density functional theory calculations. We find that the MSN-2L is a semiconductor with an indirect bandgap of 1.60 (1.80)eV using Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (HSE06). The bandgap of MSN-2L decreases as the E-field increases from 0.1 to 0.6V/angstrom and for larger E-field up to 1.0V/angstrom the bilayer becomes metallic. As the vertical strain increases, the bandgap decreases; more interestingly, a semiconductor to a metal phase transition is observed at a strain of 12 %. Furthermore, the optical response of the MSN-2L is in the ultraviolet (UV) region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The absorption edge exhibits a blue shift by applying an E-field or a vertical compressive strain. The obtained interesting properties suggest MSN-2L as a promising material in electro-mechanical and UV opto-mechanical devices.

Very recently, the 2D form of MoSi2N4 has been successfully fabricated (Hong et al 2020 Science 369 670). Motivated by these recent experimental results, we investigate the structural, mechanical, thermal, electronic and optical properties of the MoSi2N4 monolayer. The mechanical study confirms the stability of the MoSi2N4 monolayer. The Young’s modulus decreases by ∼30%, while the Poisson’s ratio increases by ∼30% compared to the corresponding values of graphene. In addition, the MoSi2N4 monolayer’s work function is very similar to that of phosphorene and MoS2 monolayers. The electronic structure shows that the MoSi2N4 monolayer is an indirect semiconductor with a band gaps of 1.79 (2.35) eV using the GGA (HSE06) functional. The thermoelectric performance of the MoSi2N4 monolayer has been revealed and a figure of merit slightly larger than unity at high temperatures is calculated. The optical analysis shows that the first absorption peak for in-plane polarization is located in the visible range of the spectrum, therefore, the MoSi2N4 monolayer is a promising candidate for advanced optoelectronic nanodevices. In summary, the fascinating MoSi2N4 monoloayer is a promising 2D material for many applications due to its unique physical properties.

The dynamic variation in memory devices such as the Static Random Access Memory can give errors in read or write operations. In this paper, the effect of low-frequency and random telegraph noise on the dynamic variation of one SRAM cell is detailed. The effect on circuit noise, speed, and length of time of processing is examined, using the Supply Read Retention Voltage and the Read Static Noise Margin. New test run methods are also developed. The obtained results simulation shows the importance of noise caused by dynamic variation, and the impact of Random Telegraph noise on SRAM variability is examined by evaluating the statistical distributions of Random Telegraph noise amplitude in the pull-up, pull-down. The threshold voltage mismatch between neighboring cell transistors due to intrinsic fluctuations typically contributes to larger reductions in static noise margin. Also the contribution of each of the SRAM transistor to total dynamic variation has been identified., {"references":["Greene et al., \"High Performance 32nm SOI CMOS with High-k/Metal Gate and 0.149μm2 SRAM and Ultra Low-k Back End with Eleven Levels of Copper,\" Proc. of Symposium on VLSI Technology, p. 140, 2009.","F. Andrieu et al., \"Low leakage and low variability ultra-thin body and buried oxide (UT2B) SOI Technology for 20nm low power CMOS and beyond,\" 2010 Symposium on VLSI Technology Digest of Technical Papers, pp.57-58.","W. Zhang, J. G. Fossum, L. Mathew and Y. Du, \"Physical insights regarding design and performance of independent-gate FinFETs,\" Electron Devices, IEEE Transactions on, vol. 52, no. 10, pp. 2198-2206, 2005.","Z. Guo, et al., \"Large-scale SRAM variability characterization in 45 nm CMOS,\" IEEE J. Solid-State Circuits, vol. 44, no. 11, pp. 3174–3192, Nov. 2009.","L. McWorther, Semiconductor surface physics, University of Pennsylvania Press, 1957.","K. K. Hung et al., \"Random Telegraph Noise of Deep-Submicrometer MOSFET's,\" Electron Device Letters. Electron Device Letters, Vol. 11, No. 2, pp. 90-92, 1990.","G. Ghibaudo et al. \"Electrical noise and RTS fluctuations in advanced CMOS devices, Microelectronics Reliability, 42, p. 573-582, 2002.","Ming-Horn et al., \"Impact of Device Scaling on the Current Fluctuations in MOSFET's,\" Electron Devices, IEEE Transactions on, vol. 41, no. 11, pp. 2061-2068, 1994.","Y. Tsukamoto, S. O. et al., \"Analysis of the relationship between random telegraph signal and negative bias temperature instability,\" in Proc. IEEE Intl. Reliability Phys. Symp., May 2013, pp. 1117–1121.\n[10]\tK. Takeuchi, et al., \"Direct Observation of RTN-induced SRAM Failure by Accelerated Testing and Its Application to Product Reliability Assessment,\" IEEE Proc. of Symposium on VLSI Technology, p. 189, 2016.\n[11]\tM. Luo et al., Impacts of Random Telegraph Noise (RTN) on Digital Circuits, IEEE Transactions on, vol. 62, no. 6, pp. 1725-1732, 2015.\n[12]\tA. Subirats et al., \"Impact of dynamic variability on SRAM functionality and performance in nano-scaled CMOS technologies,\" in Proc. IEEE Intl. Reliability Phys. Symp., April 2013, pp. 4A.6.1 - 4A.6.5."]}

The large band gap of SrTiO3 is disadvantageous for photocatalytic applications. We therefore study cation codoping to modify the size of the band gap and extend the absorption to visible light. We identify efficient codoping schemes that guarantee charge compensation to avoid creation of localized states. Using the Heyd-Scuseria-Ernzerhof hybrid functional, we analyze the crystal and electronic structures as well as the optical properties. It is found that (Nb/Ta, Ga/In) codoping does not reduce the band gap, in contrast to (Mo/W, Zn/Cd) codoping. The position of the conduction band edge after (Mo, Cd) codoping impedes a high photocatalytic efficiency, whereas (Mo/W, Zn) and (W, Cd) codoping are found to be favorable.

The structural, electronic, and optical properties of metal (Si, Ge, Sn, and Pb) mono- and co-doped anatase TiO$_{2}$ nanotubes are investigated, in order to elucidate their potential for photocatalytic applications. It is found that Si doped TiO$_{2}$ nanotubes are more stable than those doped with Ge, Sn, or Pb. All dopants lower the band gap, except the (Ge, Sn) co-doped structure, the decrease depending on the concentration and the type of dopant. Correspondingly, a redshift in the optical properties for all kinds of dopings is obtained. Even though a Pb mono- and co-doped TiO$_{2}$ nanotube has the lowest band gap, these systems are not suitable for water splitting, due to the location of the conduction band edges, in contrast to Si, Ge, and Sn mono-doped TiO$_{2}$ nanotubes. On the other hand, co-doping of TiO$_{2}$ does not improve its photocatalytic properties. Our findings are consistent with recent experiments which show an enhancement of light absorption for Si and Sn doped TiO$_{2}$ nanotubes., revised and updated, 23 pages (preprint style), 7 figures, 5 tables

Graphene nanomeshes (GNMs), formed by creating a superlattice of pores in graphene, possess rich physical and chemical properties. Many of these properties are determined by the pore geometry. In this work, we use first principles calculations to study the magnetic and electronic properties of metal-doped nitrogen-passivated GNMs. We find that the magnetic behaviour is dependent on the pore shape (trigonal vs. hexagonal) as dictated by the number of covalent bonds formed between the 3$d$ metal and the passivating N atoms. We also find that Cr and V doped trigonal-pore GNMs, and Ti doped GNMs are the most favourable for spintronic applications. The calculated magnetic properties of Fe-doped GNMs compare well with recent experimental observations. The studied systems are useful as spin filters and chemical sensors., Comment: 14 pages (preprint style), 4 figures

The electronic transport through Au-(Cu$_{2}$O)$_n$-Au junctions is investigated using first-principles calculations and the nonequilibrium Green's function method. The effect of varying the thickness (i.e., $n$) is studied as well as that of point defects and anion substitution. For all Cu$_{2}$O thicknesses the conductance is more enhanced by bulk-like (in contrast to near-interface) defects, with the exception of O vacancies and Cl substitutional defects. A similar transmission behavior results from Cu deficiency and N substitution, as well as from Cl substitution and N interstitials for thick Cu$_{2}$O junctions. In agreement with recent experimental observations, it is found that N and Cl doping enhances the conductance. A Frenkel defect, i.e., a superposition of an O interstitial and O substitutional defect, leads to a remarkably high conductance. From the analysis of the defect formation energies, Cu vacancies are found to be particularly stable, in agreement with earlier experimental and theoretical work., Comment: 21 pages (preprint style), 8 figures

Porous graphene structures, also termed graphene nanomeshes (GNMs), are garnering increasing interest due to their potential application to important technologies such as chemical sensing, ion-filtration, and nanoelectronics. Semiconducting GNMs designed to have fractional eV band gaps are good candidates for graphene-based electronics, provided that a mechanism for their stable and controlled doping is developed. Recent work has shown that controlled passivation of the edges of subnanometer pores and subsequent doping by atoms or molecules gives rise to {\it p}- and {\it n}-doped GNM structures. However, these structures are difficult to fabricate at the nanoscale. Here, we use first principle calculations to study the effect of the pore size on the doping physics of GNM structures with larger pores that can potentially host more than a single dopant. We show that such doping mechanism is effective even for pores with relatively large radii. We also study the effect of the number of dopants per pore on doping stability. We find that stable rigid band {\it n}- and {\it p}-doping emerges in such structures even if the dopants form a nano-cluster in the pore - rigid band doping is achieved in all {\it n}- and {\it p}-doping studied. Such doped large-pore GNM structures have potential applications as field effect transistors, and as transparent conducting electrodes., Comment: 20 pages, 9 figures

The magnetic and transport properties of the metal phthalocyanine (MPc) and F$_{16}$MPc (M = Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn and Ag) families of molecules in contact with S-Au wires are investigated by density functional theory within the local density approximation, including local electronic correlations on the central metal atom. The magnetic moments are found to be considerably modified under fluorination. In addition, they do not depend exclusively on the configuration of the outer electronic shell of the central metal atom (as in isolated MPc and F$_{16}$MPc) but also on the interaction with the leads. Good agreement between the calculated conductance and experimental results is obtained. For M = Ag, a high spin filter efficiency and conductance is observed, giving rise to a potentially high sensitivity for chemical sensor applications., 8 pages (two-column), 8 figures

Molecular adsorption on surfaces is a key element for many applications, including sensing and catalysis. Non-invasive sugar sensing has been an active area of research due to its importance to diabetes care. The adsorption of sugars on a template surface study is at the heart of matter. Here, we study doped hexagonal boron nitride sheets (h-BNNs) as adsorbing and sensing template for glucose and glucosamine. Using first principles calculations, we find that the adsorption of glucose and glucosamine on h-BNNs is significantly enhanced by the substitutional doping of the sheet with Al and Ga. Including long range van der Waals corrections gives adsorption energies of about 2 eV. In addition to the charge transfer occurring between glucose and the Al/Ga-doped BN sheets, the adsorption alters the size of the band gap, allowing for optical detection of adsorption. We also find that Al-doped boron nitride sheet is better than Ga-doped boron nitride sheet to enhance the adsorption energy of glucose and glucosamine. The results of our work can be potentially utilized when designing support templates for glucose and glucosamine.

The magnetic and electronic properties of metal phthalocyanines (MPc) and fluorinated metal phthalocyanines (F$_{16}$MPc) are studied by means of spin density functional theory (SDFT). Several metals (M) such as Ca, all first d-row transition metals and Ag are investigated. By considering different open shell transition metals it is possible to tune the electronic properties of MPc, in particular the electronic molecular gap and total magnetic moment. Besides assigning the structural and electronic properties of MPc and F$_{16}$MPc, the vibrational modes analysis of the ScPc\textendash ZnPc series have been studied and correlated to experimental measurements when available., 28 pages (preprint style), several figures

The aim of this contribution is to introduce high performance materials for thermoelectric devices. A nanopolymer composite of PVAGNP ((polyvinyl alcohol ((PVA)0.6/graphene nanoplatelets (GNP)0.4))1−x(V2O5)x where x = 0, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10 wt% has been prepared using a solution cast technique. The influence of V2O5 additives on the morphology, structure, thermal and electrical properties of PVA has been examined by FTIR, XRD, TGA, DC and IV techniques. The disassociation of V2O5 to (V4+) and (V5+) in the composites acts as a co-bridge which can facilitate the translational electronic motion, which enhances the charge carrier mobility and the electrical conductivity. A prototype cell was constructed using (PVAGNP)1−x(GNP)x nanocomposites with constantan wire. The addition of V2O5 improves the thermoelectric properties of the (PVA)0.6(GNP)0.4 nanocomposite, where the Seebeck coefficient is increased from 23.1 to 45.8 μV K−1 from 0 to 10 wt% V2O5, respectively. The power factor is increased from 1.17 × 10−2 to 36.30 × 10−2 μWm−1 K−2 from 0 to 10 wt% V2O5, respectively, and the ZT is increased from 4.47 × 10−9 to 1.46 × 10−7.

Electronic transport calculations for metallic interfaces based on density functional theory and a scattering theory on the Landauer-Buttiker level are presented. We study the modifications of the transport through Au due to prototypical impurities and interlayers. Our results show that the influence of S and Si impurities is well described in terms of simple vacancies. Metallic impurities and interlayers, on the other hand, have even more drastic effects, in particular when the Au s-d hybrid states at the Fermi energy are perturbed. The effects of a possible interface alloy formation are discussed in detail.

Metal-oxide heterostructures have been attracting considerable attention in recent years due to various technological applications. We present results of electronic structure and transport calculations for the Au-MgO-Au (metal-insulator-metal) heterostructure based on density-functional theory and the nonequilibrium Green's functions method. The dependence of the conductance of the heterostructure on the thickness of the MgO interlayer and the interface spacing is studied. In addition, we address the effects of O vacancies. We observe deviations from an exponentially suppressed conductance with growing interlayer thickness caused by Au-O chemical bonds. Electronic states tracing back to O vacancies can increase the conductance. Furthermore, this effect can be enhanced by enlarging the interface spacing as the vacancy induced Mg states are shifted toward the Fermi energy.

We present results of electronic structure and transport calculations for metallic interfaces, based on density functional theory and the non-equilibrium Green's functions method. Starting from the electronic structure of smooth Al, Cu, Ag, and Au interfaces, we study the effects of different kinds of interface roughness on the transmission coefficient and the I-V characteristic. In particular, we compare prototypical interface distortions, including vacancies and metallic impurities., 15 pages, 10 figures

Aim: The aim of this audit was to examine diabetic patients' follow-up at Aohoud Primary Care Clinic during the year 2013 and then compare the results with a recommended standard. Subjects and Methods: Chronic conditions' database at Aohoud Primary Care Clinic was accessed, diabetic patients were identified and inactive patients were excluded. Computerised and paper records were then reviewed. The number of follow-up investigations and visits (glycated haemoglobin [HbA1c], albumin-creatinine ratio [ACR], fasting lipids, retinal screening and podiatry visits) during 2013 were recorded. Annual follow-up criteria were set as follows: Having an HbA1c blood test at least twice and having ACR, fasting lipids, retinal screening and a podiatry visit at least once. A target of 75% of diabetics meeting the criteria was set up for this audit. Results: The total number of diabetics in Aohoud Clinic was 116 with the majority of them (96.5%) being type 2 diabetics. Sixty-nine percent of diabetics were above the age of 45 and 55.2% of them were females. In the year 2013, 58.6% diabetics had their HbA1c tested at least twice, 47.4% had their ACR measured once, 83.6% had their fasting lipids measured at least once, 29.3% had one retinal screening and only 4.3% had a formal podiatry visit. Conclusion: Deficiencies were observed regarding the diabetics' annual follow-up at our clinic during the year 2013. A more consistent approach is needed in requesting the lab investigations and referrals for diabetics in order to meet the clinic's target. Repeat auditing in a year's time is recommended to monitor improvement.

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