Climate variables that control the annual cycle of the surface energy and mass balance on Zhadang glacier in the central Tibetan Plateau were examined over a 2 year period using a physically based energy-balance model forced by routine meteorological data. The modelled results agree with measured values of albedo, incoming longwave radiation, surface temperature and surface level of the glacier. For the whole observation period, the radiation component dominated (82%) the total surface energy heat fluxes. This was followed by turbulent sensible (10%) and latent heat (6%) fluxes. Subsurface heat flux represented a very minor proportion (2%) of the total heat flux. The sensitivity of specific mass balance was examined by perturbations of temperature (±1 K), relative humidity (±20%) and precipitation (±20%). The results indicate that the specific mass balance is more sensitive to changes in precipitation than to other variables. The main seasonal variations in the energy balance were in the two radiation components (net shortwave radiation and net longwave radiation) and these controlled whether surface melting occurred. A dramatic difference in summer mass balance between 2010 and 2011 indicates that the glacier surface mass balance was closely related to precipitation seasonality and form (proportion of snowfall and rainfall).

We conducted phase-field simulations of microstructural evolution in C11b-MoSi2 / C40-NbSi2 dual phase alloy with and without Cr-addition to examine the factors responsible for the formation and stability of the lamellar structure on the basis of thermodynamics, micromechanics and first-principles calculations. The first principles calculation was used for evaluating the interfacial energy, segregation energy of solute Cr-atoms and lattice parameters of imaginary disilicides for estimating the effects of solute distribution on the lattice misfit. When both of lattice misfit and the anisotropy of interfacial energy is taken into account, a lamellar structure similar to that observed experimentally is formed. In the absence of Cr-addition, the straightness of lamellar structure decreased slightly. When an isotropic interfacial energy is assumed, lamellar structure is not formed. Instead, a microstructure with habit planes parallel to {1 0 $\bar 1$ 1} plane of C40-phase is formed. Thus, the anisotropy of interfacial energy is crucial for the lamellar structure formation rather than the elastic energy due to lattice misfit.

We have examined segregation behavior of various alloying elements at lamellar interfaces of C40-NbSi2/C11b-MoSi2 duplex silicide by a phase-field simulation, which takes into account not only bulk chemical free energy but also segregation energy evaluated by the first principles calculation to reflect interaction between solutes and interface. The simulation suggests that segregation behaviors greatly depend on additive elements. In the case of Cr-addition, the C40-phase becomes enriched with Nb and Cr, while the C11b-phase becomes enriched with Mo, which agrees with the equilibrium phase diagram. Slight segregation of Cr atoms is observed at the interface, whereas Nb and Mo concentrations monotonically change across the diffuse interface between C11b and C40 phases. Significant segregations of Zr and Hf are formed at static interfaces, which are attributed to the chemical interaction between solute atoms and the static interface.

Progress and challenges for chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) of GaN are discussed in detail by focusing on the importance of GaN surface oxidation during CMP. We report on the significant difference in the removal rates between Ga2O3 and GaN, suggesting that the surface oxidation reaction is the rate-limiting step for CMP of Ga-faced GaN. This is actually proved by the fact that ex-situ surface oxidation by annealing in air prior to CMP exhibits a marked reduction in the required CMP time to produce a damage-free surface. As a future challenge, we outline two of our recent developments, ultraviolet-assisted CMP and atmosphere-controlled CMP, that enable in-situ oxidation, since ex-situ oxidation must be modified to in-situ to further advance CMP.

Sm2−xCexCuO4 (SCCO) is well known as an n-type superconductor with large physical anisotropies. In order to enhance the thermoelectric conversion performance, we have prepared the SCCO epitaxial films and controlled a crystallographic orientation, a carrier concentration and an introduction of nano-structures. The SCCO films and nano-structures consisting of CeO2 were fabricated using pulsed laser deposition method on SrTiO3 single crystalline substrates. Due to the orientation control and the optimization of carrier concentration, a low resistivity and a high Seebeck coefficient were achieved, and a power factor (PF) reached 1.14×10−3 W/mK2 at 323 K in the SCCO film with x × = 0.02. In addition, we measured the nano-structural effect on the PF of SCCO films. As a result, the PF showed a maximum in the film on a certain shape of the nano-structures. We speculate that the low resistivity was achieved by a formation of high Ce concentration layer near the interface between film and nano-structure.

A compact annealing machine with all solid-state green lasers has been developed, which has the advantage of widely adjustable solidification rate through the delay time control of two long pulses (pulse width ~100ns). Advanced lateral crystal growth (ALCG) process has been proved by the double-pulsed all solid-state laser annealing. The laser beam has a line shape 0.1mm wide and 17mm long, and the beam profile on the short axis is quasi-Gaussian (FWHM 0.1mm). Scanning the line beam along the short axis at the 86% overlapping ratio, the lateral crystal growth area of width 14μm, parallel to the long axis, is sequentially formed at the pitch of 14μm towards the scanning direction. The advanced lateral growth mechanism is easily explained as follows: (1) At the first irradiation, twin seed lines of width 4μm, parallel to the long axis, generates at a boundary between a near-complete melting region and a complete melting region. (2) At the second irradiation of scanning step 14μm, the front seed line in the scanning direction grows symmetrically toward both sides. (3) At the third irradiation of scanning step 2x14μm, the seeds laterally grow until stopped by the growing of seeds on both sides. Finally the ALCG process by the scanning line-beam technique like the current ELA enables us to produce the laterally grown Si thin-films sequentially arranging the belt-shaped texture at the pitch of 14μm. The quality of the laterally grown Si films is quite well except for the projections generated by the bump of lateral growing seeds.