Search

Purpose To report the impact of dose and tumor volume metrics at brachytherapy on outcomes for locally advanced cervical cancer treated with tandem and ovoids intracavitary/interstitial brachytherapy. Material and methods FIGO stage IB1-IIIB locally advanced cervical cancer treated with intracavitary/interstitial brachytherapy via a tandem and ovoids hybrid applicator were analyzed. Median high-risk clinical target volume (HR-CTV), rate of tumor volume reduction, EQD2 D90, organ at risk doses, and outcomes were recorded. Univariable and multivariable Cox regression was applied for survival analysis, and logistic regression was used for toxicity analysis. Results Seventy-one patients were identified. Median follow-up was 24.9 months, with a 2-year local control of 83.6%, loco-regional control of 72.0%, and overall survival of 88.6%. Median HR-CTV D90 was 87.4 Gy (IQR = 85.7-90.2). Median HR-CTV D90 > 90 Gy10 showed a trend toward improved local control (LC) (p = 0.19). Median HR-CTV was 37.9 cm3, and median V100 was 86.5%. A median HR-CTV of ≥ 40 cm3 demonstrated worse loco-regional control (LRC) (p = 0.018) and progression-free survival (p = 0.021). Two-year LC and LRC for stage IIB patients with a median HR-CTV < 40 cm3 were significantly improved as compared to ≥ 40 cm3 at 100% and 71.8%, respectively (p = 0.019) and 100% and 56.5%, respectively (p = 0.001). However, this trend was not statistically significant for stage IIIB patients. Higher percent per day reduction in HR-CTV during brachytherapy showed improved LRC (p = 0.045). Four percent of patients experienced acute grade 3 genitourinary toxicity, 1% late grade 3 genitourinary and 1% late grade 3 gastrointestinal toxicity. Conclusions Tandem and ovoids intracavitary/interstitial brachytherapy provides satisfactory outcomes with modest toxicity. Higher HR-CTV D90 coverage demonstrated a trend toward improved tumor control. Tumor volume based on median HR-CTV ≥ 40 cm3 at brachytherapy was prognostic for poor outcomes, even within initial FIGO stage groups warranting caution.

Compared to SiC MOSFET, the switching loss of Si IGBT is much higher due to its slow switching speed and tail current. Si IGBT/SiC MOSFET hybrid switch device can reach to optimal performance with low static and dynamic loss, which can improve the current capacity of SiC devices and reduce the power loss of Si IGBT based converters. With the separated gate control signals, the switching moments of the two devices can be controlled independently to ensure Si IGBT under zero-voltage switching (ZVS) conditions. This measurement tends to reduce the switching loss of Si IGBT. However, the switching time delay between these two devices has significant impacts on its power loss. In this paper, the switching time delay optimization method is proposed to minimize the power loss of the hybrid switch. The static and dynamic characteristics of Si IGBT/SiC MOSFET hybrid-paralleled switch are studied, and a generalized power loss model for hybrid switch is developed. The influence of switching time delay on the characteristics of hybrid switch is analyzed and verified through double pulse tests in a phase-leg configuration. The experimental results show that the optimal turn-on delay time is that the two devices turn on at the same time and the turn-on loss can be reduced by about 73% compared with the solely Si IGBT and by about 52% compared with the solely SiC MOSFET. While the optimal turn-off sequence is that the Si IGBT turns off ahead of the SiC MOSFET. Under the proposed optimal turn-off delay time of the hybrid switch, the turn-off loss is reduced by about 61.4%. This optimization strategy is used in a Buck converter to verify the superiority of the SiC/Si hybrid switch and the optimal switching sequence. Simulation results show that the optimal switching sequence is consistent with theoretical analysis, and the efficiency is improved by 2.5% compared with Buck converter using solely Si IGBT.

International audience; Spin crossover complexes are among the most studied classes of molecular switches and have attracted considerable attention for their potential technological use as active units in multifunctional devices. A fundamental step toward their practical implementation is the integration in macroscopic devices adopting hybrid vertical architectures. First, the physical properties of technological interest shown by these materials in the bulk phase have to be retained once they are deposited on a solid surface. Herein, we describe the study of a hybrid molecular inorganic junction embedding the spin crossover complex [Fe(qnal)2] (qnal = quinoline-naphthaldehyde) as an active switchable thin film sandwiched within energy-optimized metallic electrodes. In these junctions, developed and characterized with the support of state of the art techniques including synchrotron Mössbauer source (SMS) spectroscopy and focused-ion beam scanning transmission electron microscopy, we observed that the spin state conversion of the Fe(II)-based spin crossover film is associated with a transition from a space charge-limited current (SCLC) transport mechanism with shallow traps to a SCLC mechanism characterized by the presence of an exponential distribution of traps concomitant with the spin transition temperature.

The detection of circulating protein (CP) is very important for the diagnosis and therapeutics of cancer. Conventional techniques based on a specific antibody–antigen interaction are still lacking ...

This paper reports the fabrication and electrical characterization of hybrid organic-inorganic solar cell based on the deposition of polyaniline (PANI) on n-type GaAs substrate with three different crystal orientations namely Au/PANI/(100) n-GaAs/(Ni-Au), Au/PANI/(110) n-GaAs/(Ni-Au), and Au/PANI/(311)B n-GaAs/(Ni-Au) using spin coating technique. The effect of crystallographic orientation of n-GaAs on solar cell efficiency of the hybrid solar cell devices has been studied utilizing current density-voltage (J-V) measurements under illumination conditions. Additionally, the influence of planes of n-GaAs on the diode parameters of the same devices has been investigated by employing current-voltage (I-V) characteristics in the dark conditions at room temperature. The experimental observations showed that the best performance was obtained for solar cells fabricated with the structure of Au/PANI/(311)B n-GaAs/(Ni-Au). The open-circuit voltage (Voc), short circuit current density (Jsc), and solar cell efficiency () of the same device were shown the values of 342 mV, 0.294 mAcm-2, 0.0196%, respectively under illuminated condition. All the solar cell characteristics were carried out under standard AM 1.5 at room temperature. Also, diode parameters of PANI/(311)B n-GaAs heterostructures were calculated from the dark I-V measurements revealed the lower reverse saturation current (Io) of 3.0×10-9A, higher barrier height () of 0.79 eV and lower ideality factor (n) of 3.16.

Peptide nucleic acid (PNA) is a synthetic DNA mimic that outperforms the properties of traditional oligonucleotides (ONs). On account of its outstanding features, such as remarkable binding affinity towards complementary DNA or RNA as well as high thermal and chemical stability, PNA has been proposed as a valuable alternative to the ON probe in gene-sensor design. In this study, a hybrid transducer made-up of graphene oxide (GO) nano-sheets covalently grafted onto a porous silicon (PSi) matrix has been investigated for the early detection of a genetic cardiac disorder, the Brugada syndrome (BS). A functionalization strategy towards the realization of a potential PNA-based device is described. A peptide nucleic acid (PNA), able to detect the SCN5A associated with the BS has been properly synthesized and used as a bioprobe for the realization of a proof-of-concept label-free optical PNA-biosensor. PSi reflectance and GO photoluminescence (PL) signals were simultaneously exploited for the monitoring of the device functionalization and response.

International audience; The paper presents a new dual transducer and its associated control law. It aims to increase the efficiency of a traditional passive damped electromagnetic resonator by controlling its mass response actively. The design aspects of the so-called Dual-Loop Controller (DLC) for Hybrid Mass Damper (HMD) are presented and discussed. The control law attempts to modify a Tuned Mass Damper (TMD) to use it as an Active Mass Damper (AMD), with the objective of combining the best of the two technologies by actively increasing the performance of the passive device. Based on an optimally tuned passive device, the resulting system is fail-safe. The conception of the new dual transducer used as an HMD, designed specifically for this control law, is detailed. The hybrid device is experimentally validated both on a laboratory setup and on a real helicopter.

This research work was supported by the South African Research Chairs Initiative ( SARChI ) of the Department of Science and Technology and the National Research Foundation ( NRF ) of South Africa (Grant No. 61056 ). Faith O. Ochai-Ejeh acknowledges NRF through SARChI in Carbon Technology and Materials, the Department of Physics at the University of Pretoria, the TETFund through the University of Nigeria for financial support.

In this letter, we demonstrate a new concept of threshold selector by combining Ag-based selector with NbO x insulator metal transition (IMT) selector. To overcome intrinsic limits of slow turn-off speed ( $> 1\mu \text{s}$ ) of the Ag-based selector, we adopted NbO x IMT selector with fast turn-off speed. The hybrid device exhibits excellent selector characteristics, such as extremely low off-current ( $ ). It shows excellent read-out margin (>75% at >210 word lines) in a fast sequential operation of cross point memory array.

International audience; Niobium pentoxide, Nb2O5, exists in many polymorphs with diverse properties and morphologies that are dependent on the synthesis route. In this work, we design a new approach to fabricate and stabilize the metastable polymorph hexagonal nano-niobium pentoxide using soft chemistry and in particular the polyol synthesis. The electrochromic properties of homogeneous niobium pentoxide thin films deposited by dip coating, from as-synthesized hexagonal powder, are studied in lithium trifluoromethanesulfonimide (LiTFSI) in 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (EMITFSI) ionic liquid electrolyte versus Pt as counter electrode. The structure and morphology of the Nb2O5 thin films before and after cycling are characterized by ex-situ XRD and SEM while their optical and electrochemical properties are investigated by in-situ transmittance and cyclic voltammetry (CV), respectively. Thin films made from hexagonal Nb2O5 with a sphere architecture exhibit good cycling stability, high transmittance modulations (ΔT ≈ 33% at 550 nm), fast switching speeds (2–3 s for coloration and bleaching at 550 nm), and high coloration efficiency (CE ≈ 26 cm2 C–1) with a good quality factor G(λ) = 10.4 cm2 C–1 s–1. Finally, novel electrochromic devices based on hybrid thin films combining poly(ethylene-3,4-dioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonicacid) (PEDOT:PSS) and oxides are assembled showing enhanced coloration and simultaneous color change due to their double-sided configuration.

In this study, polyethersulfone (PES) paper embedded with a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) platform was developed for simultaneous DNA amplification and colorimetric detection. DNA was amplified using loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) in isothermal conditions in the presence of the common magnesium-dependent colorimetric indicator, eriochrome black T (EBT), to detect DNA. Here, the DNA of Staphylococcus aureus was used as the DNA template. The developed device was successfully used to simultaneously amplify and detect the DNA by the naked eye within 30 min with a detection limit of 1 fg/µL.

The heterogeneous Ni(OH)2/CuCo2S4/Ni electrode is constructed by appropriately adjusting the time-dependent hydrothermal and electrodeposition process. A hybrid device exhibits 39.7 W h kg−1 of specific energy and 365.3 W kg−1 of specific power, with a good cycling stability of 88% capacity retention after 5000 cycles at 6 A g−1.

peer-reviewed The full text of this article is not available until the embargo expires on the 11/7/2019 Enzymatic biofuel cells can generate electricity directly from the chemical energy of biofuels in physiological fluids, but their power density is significantly limited by the performance of the cathode which is based on oxygen reduction for in vivo applications. An oxygen-independent and membrane-less glucose biobattery was prepared that consists of a dealloyed nanoporous gold (NPG) supported glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) bioanode, immobilised with the assistance of conductive polymer/Os redox polymer composites, and a solid-state NPG/MnO2 cathode. In a solution containing 10 mM glucose, a maximum power density of 2.3 µW cm−2 at 0.21 V and an open circuit voltage (OCV) of 0.49 V were registered as a biobattery. The potential of the discharged MnO2 could be recovered, enabling a proof-of-concept biobattery/supercapacitor hybrid device. The resulting device exhibited a stable performance for 50 cycles of self-recovery and galvanostatic discharge as a supercapacitor at 0.1 mA cm−2 over a period of 25 h. The device could be discharged at current densities up to 2 mA cm−2 supplying a maximum instantaneous power density of 676 μW cm−2, which is 294 times higher than that from the biobattery alone. A mechanism for the recovery of the potential of the cathode, analogous to that of RuO2 (Electrochim. Acta 42(23), 3541–3552) is described.

In the present work, fabrication, characterizations and gas sensing performance of a novel ternary hybrid junction device consisting of Pd nanoparticles, Reduced Graphene Oxide (RGO) and TiO 2 nanotubes (NTs) is reported. Electrochemically derived TiO 2 nanotubes were covered partially by RGO matrix in the form of distributed islands, on top of which Pd nanoparticles were dispersed uniformly. After detailed structural and morphological characterizations, gas sensing potentiality of the developed ternary hybrid device was tested for detection of methanol vapor and the sensing performance was compared with that of the RGO-TiO 2 binary structure to ensure the improvement caused by incorporation of the ternary element (Pd). Underlying mechanistic framework for gas sensing, by such ternary junction, was explained with the help of corresponding energy band diagram.

Black phosphorus nanosheets (BP NSs)-decorated single-layer WS2 phototransistors were fabricated by drop-casting the liquid-phase exfoliated BP NSs atop the channel of single-layer WS2 grown by chemical vapor deposition technique. It was found that, upon the decoration of BP NSs, the BP/WS2 hybrid phototransistor exhibited an enhancement of responsivity and extension of response spectral range. The responsivity is up to 120 mA/W in the hybrid phototransistor, being about 20 times larger than that in devices based on the pristine single-layer WS2. Moreover, the hybrid device possess high response speed with the response and recovery time of ~54 and ~140 μs, respectively, and also excellent photoswitching stability.

Solution-processed quantum dots (QDs) have a high potential for fabricating low cost, flexible and large-scale solar energy harvesting devices. It has recently been demonstrated that hybrid devices employing a single monovalent cation perovskite solution for PbS QD surface passivation exhibit enhanced photovoltaic performance when compared to standard ligand passivation. Herein we demonstrate that the use of a triple cation Cs0.05(MA0.17FA0.83)0.95Pb(I0.9Br0.1)3 perovskite composition for surface passivation of the quantum dots results in highly efficient solar cells, which maintain 96 % of their initial performance after 1200h shelf storage. We confirm perovskite shell formation around the PbS nanocrystals by a range of spectroscopic techniques as well as high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. We find that the triple cation shell results in a favorable energetic alignment to the core of the dot, resulting in reduced recombination due to charge confinement without limiting transport in the active layer. Consequently, photovoltaic devices fabricated via a single-step film deposition reached a maximum AM1.5G power conversion efficiency of 11.3 % surpassing most previous reports of PbS solar cells employing perovskite passivation.

The present study introduces a recently developed compact hybrid device for real-time monitoring of skin oxygen saturation and temperature distribution. The prototype involves a snapshot hyperspectral camera, multi-wavelength illuminator, thermal camera, and built-in computer with custom-developed software. To validate this device in-vivo we performed upper arm vascular occlusion on eight healthy volunteers. Palm skin oxygen saturation maps were analyzed in real-time using k-means segmentation algorithm and two-layer optical diffuse model. The prototype system demonstrated a satisfying performance of skin hyperspectral measurements in the spectral range of 507&ndash, 625 nm. The results confirmed the reliability of the proposed system for in-vivo assessment of skin hemoglobin saturation with oxygen and microcirculation.

We report on the first single-junction GaSb solar cell epitaxially grown on a Si substrate. A control stand-alone GaSb solar cell was primarily fabricated, which demonstrated a 5.90% efficiency (AM1.5G). The preparation, growth and manufacturing procedures were then adapted to create the GaSb-on-Si solar cell. The hybrid device resulted in a degraded efficiency for which comparison between experimental and simulated data revealed dominant non-radiative recombination processes. Material and electrical characterization also highlighted the impact of anti-phase domains and boundaries and threading dislocation density on the shunt resistance of the cell. Nevertheless, the GaSb-on-Si cell performance is close to recent results on the integration of GaSb solar cells on GaAs, despite a much larger lattice mismatch (12% vs 8%). Routes for improvement, concerning the material quality and cell structure, are proposed. This work lays the foundations of a GaSb-based multi-junction solar cell monolithically integrated on Si.

Graphene with excellent mechanical properties shows potential applications in flexible devices. By decorating graphene with ZnO nanoparticles, the response of graphene-based flexible light sensor to light was enhanced. The light sensor showed different response rates with light intensities under different wavelength which indicated that the as-designed sensor can be used to detect the wavelength and intensity of light simultaneously. The microstructures and photonic properties of the hybrid device revealed that the interface played an important role on the performance of device. This result confirmed the method to prepare graphene/ZnO hybrid light sensor are convenient and economical, which may be applied in wearable devices.

A narrowband wavelength-selective near-infrared photodetector based on lanthanide-doped up-converting nanoparticles (UCNPs) and monolayer MoS2 was fabricated via a novel, simple strategy. This UCNPs/transition metal dichalcogenide design could revitalize photodetection research, particularly in the selective response field.

Made available in DSpace on 2018-12-11T16:44:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2016-12-01 The symmetrical dual-k spacer technology in hybrid FinFETs has been widely explored for better electrostatic control of the fin-based devices in nanoscale region. Since, high-k tangible spacer materials are broadly became a matter of study due to their better immunity to the short channel effects (SCEs) in nano devices. However, the only cause that restricts the circuit designers from using high-k spacer is the unreasonable increasing fringing capacitances. This work quantitatively analyzed the benefits and drawbacks of considering two different dielectric spacer materials symmetrically in either sides of the channel for the hybrid device. From the demonstrated results, the inclusion of high-k spacer predicts an effective reduction in off-state leakage along with an improvement in drive current. However, these devices have paid the cost in terms of a high total gate-to-gate capacitance (Cgg) that consequently results poor cutoff frequency (fT) and delay. Nano-Electronics Laboratory Department of Electrical Engineering National Institute of Technology UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista Group of Automation and Integrated Systems, Av. Trs de Maro, n. 511 UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista Group of Automation and Integrated Systems, Av. Trs de Maro, n. 511

Plasmonic and nanopore sensors have separately received much attention for achieving single-molecule precision. A plasmonic "hotspot" confines and enhances optical excitation at the nanometer length scale sufficient to optically detect surface-analyte interactions. A nanopore biosensor actively funnels and threads analytes through a molecular-scale aperture, wherein they are interrogated by electrical or optical means. Recently, solid-state plasmonic and nanopore structures have been integrated within monolithic devices that address fundamental challenges in each of the individual sensing methods and offer complimentary improvements in overall single-molecule sensitivity, detection rates, dwell time and scalability. Here, the physical phenomena and sensing principles of plasmonic and nanopore sensing are summarized to highlight the novel complementarity in dovetailing these techniques for vastly improved single-molecule sensing. A literature review of recent plasmonic nanopore devices is then presented to delineate methods for solid-state fabrication of a range of hybrid device formats, evaluate the progress and challenges in the detection of unlabeled and labeled analyte, and assess the impact and utility of localized plasmonic heating. Finally, future directions and applications inspired by the present state of the art are discussed.

We propose an in situ and label-free method for detection of biomolecular recognition events by use of a nanochannel-ion channel hybrid device integrated with an electrochemical detector. The aptamer is first immobilized on the outer surface of the nanochannel-ion channel hybrid. Its binding with target thrombin in solution considerably regulates the mass-transfer behavior of the device owing to the varied surface charge density and effective channel size. Via the electrochemical detector, the changed mass-transport property can be monitored in real time, which enables in situ and label-free detection of thrombin-aptamer recognition. The solution pH has a significant influence on detection sensitivity. Under optimal pH conditions, a detection limit as low as 0.22 fM thrombin can be achieved, which is much lower than most reported work. The present nanofluidic device provides a simple, ultrasensitive, and label-free platform for monitoring biomolecular recognition events, which would hold great potential in exploring the functions and reaction mechanisms of biomolecules in living systems.

Diatom microalgae are the most outstanding natural source of porous silica. The diatom cell is enclosed in a three-dimensional (3-D) ordered nanopatterned silica cell wall, called frustule. The unique properties of the diatom frustule, including high specific surface area, thermal stability, biocompatibility, and tailorable surface chemistry, make diatoms really promising for biomedical applications. Moreover, they are easy to cultivate in an artificial environment and there is a large availability of diatom frustules as fossil material (diatomite) in several areas of the world. For all these reasons, diatoms are an intriguing alternative to synthetic materials for the development of low-cost drug delivery systems. This review article focuses on the possible use of diatom-derived silica as drug carrier systems. The functionalization strategies of diatom micro/nanoparticles for improving their biophysical properties, such as cellular internalization and drug loading/release kinetics, are described. In addition, the realization of hybrid diatom-based devices with advanced properties for theranostics and targeted or augmented drug delivery applications is also discussed.

Inorganic materials such as semiconductors, oxides, and metals are ubiquitous in a wide range of device technologies owing to the outstanding robustness and mature processing technologies available for such materials. However, while the important contribution of inorganic materials to the advancement of device technologies has been well established for decades, organic-inorganic hybrid device systems, which merge molecular functionalities with inorganic platforms, represent a newer domain that is rapidly evolving at an increasing pace. Such devices benefit from the great versatility and flexibility of the organic building blocks merged with the robustness of the inorganic platforms. Given the overwhelming wealth of literature covering various approaches for modifying and using inorganic devices, this feature article selectively highlights some of the advances made in the context of the diversification of devices by surface chemistry. Particular attention is given to oxide-semiconductor systems and metallic surfaces modified with organic monolayers. The inorganic device components, such as semiconductors, metals, and oxides, are modified by organic monolayers, which may serve as either active, static, or sacrificial components. We portray research directions within the broader field of organic-inorganic hybrid device systems that can be viewed as specific examples of the potential of such hybrid device systems given their comprehensive capabilities of design and diversification. Monolayer doping techniques where sacrificial organic monolayers are introduced into semiconducting elements are reviewed as a specific case, together with associated requirements for nanosystems, devices, and sensors for controlling doping levels and doping profiles on the nanometric scale. Another series of examples of the flexibility provided by the marriage of organic functional monolayers and inorganic device components are represented by a new class of biosensors, where the organic layer functionality is exploited in a functioning device for sensing. Considerations for relying on oxide-terminated semiconductors rather than the pristine semiconductor material as a platform both for processing and sensing are discussed. Finally, we cover aspects related to the use of various theoretical and computational approaches to model organic-inorganic systems. The main objectives of the topics covered here are (i) to present the advances made in each respective domain and (ii) to provide a comprehensive view of the potential uses of organic monolayers and self-assembly processes in the rapidly evolving field of molecular-inorganic hybrid device platforms and processing methodologies. The directions highlighted here provide a perspective on a future, not yet fully realized, integrated approach where organic monolayers are combined with inorganic platforms in order to obtain versatile, robust, and flexible systems with enhanced capabilities.

It is difficult to carry out and verify digital quantum simulations that use many quantum bits. A hybrid device based on a digital classical computer and an analog quantum processor suggests a way forward. A programmable analog quantum simulator.

International audience; Future ICs are facing dramatic challenges in performance as well as static and dynamic power consumption, which could be overcome using disruptive concepts, device architectures, technologies and materials. Promising solutions includes III-V channels, heterojunctions, 2D layers, multi-gates structures, nanowires (NWs), tunnel FETs (TFETs), ferroelectric FETs (Fe-FETs), and hybrid devices. In the domain of small slope switches, which are very interesting for ultra low power operation, TFETs, Fe-FETs and hybrid devices seem very promising. Thus far, no one has experimentally demonstrated a TFET that has simultaneously both a CMOS-competitive driving current Ion and a sub-60 mV/decade subthreshold swing over several decades. But recently, substantial improvements of TFET and hybrid device performance have been reported, showing that these novel device architectures using new materials and carrier transport could be used for several applications.

Topological superconductivity is a state of matter that can host Majorana modes, the building blocks of a topological quantum computer. Many experimental platforms predicted to show such a topological state rely on proximity-induced superconductivity. However, accessing the topological properties requires an induced hard superconducting gap, which is challenging to achieve for most material systems. We have systematically studied how the interface between an InSb semiconductor nanowire and a NbTiN superconductor affects the induced superconducting properties. Step by step, we improve the homogeneity of the interface while ensuring a barrier-free electrical contact to the superconductor, and obtain a hard gap in the InSb nanowire. The magnetic field stability of NbTiN allows the InSb nanowire to maintain a hard gap and a supercurrent in the presence of magnetic fields (~ 0.5 Tesla), a requirement for topological superconductivity in one-dimensional systems. Our study provides a guideline to induce superconductivity in various experimental platforms such as semiconductor nanowires, two dimensional electron gases and topological insulators, and holds relevance for topological superconductivity and quantum computation., published version

In this work we present a detailed study of the influence of the GaAs substrate orientation on the electrical properties of heterojunctions based on GaAs and sulfonated polyaniline (SPAN) using Current-Voltage (I-V), Capacitance-Voltage (C-V), Deep-Level Transient Spectroscopy (DLTS) and Laplace DLTS techniques. Three different GaAs substrate orientations have been investigated, namely (1 0 0), (3 1 1)A and (3 1 1)B. The I-V results revealed that the turn-on voltage (Von) of SPAN/(3 1 1)B GaAs heterojunction is higher than that for SPAN/(1 0 0) GaAs and SPAN/(3 1 1)A GaAs heterojunctions. The DLTS results showed that the number of electrically active defects present in devices based on the lower index (1 0 0) plane of GaAs substrate is higher than those of higher index (3 1 1)A and (3 1 1)B GaAs substrates, corroborating with I-V results. In order to investigate the role of interface states, capacitance-frequency measurements were performed in forward bias on all three devices.

This letter presents a CMOS-compatible photodetector displaying direct light-to-time conversion and intrinsic charge integration with a very low dark current. This device is particularly adapted for applications requiring high sensitivity such as bioluminescence detection. The effects of the physical structure, the process parameters, and the bias conditions on the device are discussed with the support of TCAD simulations and experimental measurements. The photodetector and its readout circuit are designed and implemented in standard 0.18-mu m CMOS process. The experimental study shows promising tunability and sensitivity characteristics.

Design and fabrication of electrochemical energy storage systems with both high energy and power densities as well as long cycling life is of great importance. As one of these systems, Battery-supercapacitor hybrid device (BSH) is typically constructed with a high-capacity battery-type electrode and a high-rate capacitive electrode, which has attracted enormous attention due to its potential applications in future electric vehicles, smart electric grids, and even miniaturized electronic/optoelectronic devices, etc. With proper design, BSH will provide unique advantages such as high performance, cheapness, safety, and environmental friendliness. This review first addresses the fundamental scientific principle, structure, and possible classification of BSHs, and then reviews the recent advances on various existing and emerging BSHs such as Li-/Na-ion BSHs, acidic/alkaline BSHs, BSH with redox electrolytes, and BSH with pseudocapacitive electrode, with the focus on materials and electrochemical performances. Furthermore, recent progresses in BSH devices with specific functionalities of flexibility and transparency, etc. will be highlighted. Finally, the future developing trends and directions as well as the challenges will also be discussed; especially, two conceptual BSHs with aqueous high voltage window and integrated 3D electrode/electrolyte architecture will be proposed.

This work illustrates the potentiality of a mixed array merging the Nanowire and thin film metal oxide technologies to develop an electronic nose as a tool to monitor the human skin and food pathogen micro biota. Nanowire and thin film sensors have been fabricated, characterized and then integrated together to develop a hybrid device that can enhance the sensing performance. Different blends of microorganisms grown in artificial sweat have been tested. Classical techniques, like GC-MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry) with SPME (Solid Phase Micro Extraction) have been employed in parallel, in order to have a multidisciplinary approach and a consistent data set. The obtained results show the potentiality of the proposed electronic nose to discriminate between the different blends of microorganisms and to follow up microbiota growth inside the blends. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A novel hybrid device is described herein for performing simultaneous Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Ultrafast Ultrasound Imaging (UUI) in vivo. This study aims in qualifying this device for in-vivo studies. Two major issues are addressed: the co-registration of the images originating from each modality and the effect of placing a US probe inside a PET system on the PET images. Experiments on UUI/CT and PET phantoms were performed for the co-registration calibration of this prototype and for quantifying the effect of the US probe on the PET signal.

We have investigated surface acoustic wave propagation in Ni/LiNbO$_3$ hybrid devices. We have found the absorption and phase velocity are dependent on the sign of wave vector in a device, which indicates the nonreciprocal propagation characteristic of systems with time reversal and spatial inversion simultaneously broken symmetries. The nonreciprocity is reversed by the 180$^\circ$ rotation of magnetic field. Nonreciprocity seems largely dependent on the shape of ferromagnetic Ni film. The origin of these observations is ascribed to film shape dependent magnetoelastic coupling., 12 pages, 6 figures

Asymmetric Dual-k Spacer (ADS) Trigate Wavy FinFET is a novel hybrid device that combines three major advanced technologies i.e., ultra-thin body (UTB), Wavy channel FinFET, and asymmetric spacer engineering on a single silicon on insulator (SOI) platform. This innovative architecture as compared to trigate FinFETs enables to enhance the device performance without increasing the chip area. Recently, high-k dielectric spacer materials are of research interest due to their better electrostatic control and more immune towards short channel effects (SCEs) in nanoscale devices. For the first time, this paper introduces an asymmetric high-k dielectric spacer near the source side with optimized length in Wavy channel FinFET and claims an improvement in device integrity. From extensive 3-D device simulation, the proposed device is found to be superior in performance as compared to the trigate FinFET.

An optical mode converter between hybrid device and Si waveguide is the key component for efficient and stable operation of III–V/silicon-on-insulator (SOI) hybrid photonic integrated circuits (PICs). In this study, we introduced a double taper structure into such a mode converter and investigated the coupling efficiency dependence on their structural parameters. By using N2 plasma activated bonding technology, III–V/SOI double-taper-type mode couplers with various taper-tip-widths and taper lengths were fabricated, and their coupling efficiencies were evaluated. As the result, a coupling efficiency of as high as −0.2 dB was achieved for a double-taper device with a tip width of 0.4 µm and total length of 85 µm.

Nanocomposites of Ni(OH)2 or NiO have successfully been used in electrodes in the last five years, but they have been falsely presented as pseudocapacitive electrodes for electrochemical capacitors and hybrid devices. Indeed, these nickel oxide or hydroxide electrodes are pure battery-type electrodes which store charges through faradaic processes as can be shown by cyclic voltammograms or constant current galvanostatic charge/discharge plots. Despite this misunderstanding, such electrodes can be of interest as positive electrodes in hybrid supercapacitors operating under KOH electrolyte, together with an activated carbon-negative electrode. This study indicates the requirements for the implementation of Ni(OH)2-based electrodes in hybrid designs and the improvements that are necessary in order to increase the energy and power densities of such devices. Mass loading is the key parameter which must be above 10 mg·cm−2 to correctly evaluate the performance of Ni(OH)2 or NiO-based nanocomposite electrodes and provide gravimetric capacity values. With such loadings, rate capability, capacity, cycling ability, energy and power densities can be accurately evaluated. Among the 80 papers analyzed in this study, there are indications that such nanocomposite electrode can successfully improve the performance of standard Ni(OH)2 (+)//6 M KOH//activated carbon (−) hybrid supercapacitor.

Phonon-assisted electronic tunnelings through a vibrating quantum dot embedded between normal and superconducting leads are studied in the Kondo regime. In such a hybrid device, with the bias applied to the normal lead, we find a series of Kondo sidebands separated by half a phonon energy in the differential conductance, which are distinct from the phonon-assisted sidebands previously observed in the conventional Andreev tunnelings and in systems with only normal leads. These Kondo sidebands originate from the Kondo-Andreev cooperative cotunneling mediated by phonons, which exhibit a novel Kondo transport behavior due to the interplay of the Kondo effect, the Andreev tunnelings, and the mechanical vibrations. Our result could be observed in a recent experiment setup [J. Gramich \emph{et al.}, PRL \textbf{115}, 216801 (2015)], provided that their carbon nanotube device reaches the Kondo regime at low temperatures., Comment: Main text: 6 pages, 3 figures; SM: 13 pages, 7 figures. Accepted by PRB Rapid Communication. Disordered references have been corrected

A new type of light-emitting hybrid device based on colloidal quantum dots (QDs) and an ionic transition metal complex (iTMC) light-emitting electrochemical cell (LEC) is introduced. The developed hybrid devices show light emission from both active layers, which are combined in a stacked geometry. Time-resolved photoluminescence experiments indicate that the emission is controlled by direct charge injection into both the iTMC and the QD layer. The turn-on time (time to reach 1 cd/m2) at constant voltage operation is significantly reduced from 8 min in the case of the reference LEC down to subsecond in the case of the hybrid device. Furthermore, luminance and efficiency of the hybrid device are enhanced compared to reference LEC directly after device turn-on by a factor of 400 and 650, respectively. We attribute these improvements to an increased electron injection efficiency into the iTMC directly after device turn-on. © 2016 American Chemical Society.

We report on the observation of gate-tunable proximity-induced superconductivity and multiple Andreev reflections (MAR) in a bulk-insulating BiSbTeSe$_2$ topological insulator nanoribbon (TINR) Josephson junction (JJ) with superconducting Nb contacts. We observe a gate-tunable critical current ($I_C$) for gate voltages ($V_g$) above the charge neutrality point ($V_{CNP}$), with $I_C$ as large as 430 nA. We also observe MAR peaks in the differential conductance ($dI/dV$) versus DC voltage ($V_{dc}$) across the junction corresponding to sub-harmonic peaks (at $V_{dc} = V_n = 2\Delta_{Nb}/en$, where $\Delta_{Nb}$ is the superconducting gap of the Nb contacts and $n$ is the sub-harmonic order). The sub-harmonic order, $n$, exhibits a $V_g$-dependence and reaches $n = 13$ for $V_g = 40$ V, indicating the high transparency of the Nb contacts to TINR. Our observations pave the way toward exploring the possibilities of using TINR in topologically protected devices that may host exotic physics such as Majorana fermions.

The electrical properties of Au/PtOEP/p-Si/Al and Au/PtOEP/n-Si/Al devices were studied in terms of current–voltage I–V characteristics at different temperatures ranging from 308 to 388 K. The two diodes were fabricated with the same qualifications. They showed a rectification behavior. The conduction mechanisms at forward and reverse bias and diode parameters as a function of the temperature for these devices were determined and discussed. The variation of the C −2–V characteristics for two diodes exhibited a straight line fit which supports the abrupt diode type. The interface state density N ss was determined from the I–V and C–V data using Card and Rhoderick’s model. Also, the impedance spectroscopy plots for the two diodes and suitable equivalent circuit model were established to evaluate the details of interface carrier transfer and recombination processes.

High-density application of 3D vertical crossbar resistive random access memory (3D-VRRAM) is challenging due to sneak leakage paths, which can be combated by using nonlinear low resistance state or complementary resistive switching (CRS). This work presents high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) observation of nanofilaments during resistive switching (RS) in a TiOx/Al2O3-based bilayer submicrometer 3D-VRRAM hybrid device and the reset-failure-induced transformation from RS to CRS. The complete concept is divided into two parts. The first part is RS, where the devices show reliable switching, stable resistance levels, good retention, and moderately higher nonlinear behavior at the low resistance state. The RS mechanism is confirmed by an HRTEM image of a clear formation of conductive Ti5O9 nanofilament followed by a tunnel gap. The second part presents the realization of CRS operation after the reset failure in common electrodeless TiOx/Al2O3-based 3D-VRRAM hybrid devices. The formation of a series resistor along with the filament is the reason behind the evolution of the CRS mode. Higher nonlinearity is achieved under CRS as compared to RS. Further to this, for broad applications, it is essential to examine similar phenomena in other 3D-VRRAM systems.

We study a device formed by a Bose Einstein condensate (BEC) coupled to the field of a cavity with a moving end-mirror and find a working point such that the mirror-light entanglement is reproduced by the BEC-light quantum correlations. This provides an experimentally viable tool for inferring mirror-light entanglement with only a limited set of assumptions. We prove the existence of tripartite entanglement in the hybrid device, persisting up to temperatures of a few milli-Kelvin, and discuss a scheme to detect it., 6 pages, 7 figures, published version

An electrically injected hybrid organic/inorganic III-nitride white light-emitting diode (LED) has been fabricated by using a two-dimensional (2D) microhole array structure. The hybrid LED geometry significantly enhances proximity between the inorganic active-region and the down-converting yellow organic light-emitting polymers (OLEPs), enabling the near-field nonradiative Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) process with high efficiency while retaining excellent electrical characteristics of an unpatterned planar LED. A reduction in the recombination lifetime in the InGaN/GaN blue active region has been observed with the hybrid device, confirming the nonradiative FRET process occurring between the InGaN/GaN blue active region and the yellow organic polymer. This results in a typical FRET efficiency of 16.7%, where the FRET interaction area accounts for approximately 0.64% of the remaining blue-emitting inorganic LED, but enhancing total device efficiency. An optimized white-light EL emission is achie...