Montmorillonites saturated with Li+, Na+, K+, NH4+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Ba2+, or Ni2+ ions can form complexes with propylene carbonate (PC) by intercalation; the d(001) of montmorillonite expands to 19 Å. In the infrared absorption spectra of these complexes, the C=0 stretching band of the intercalated PC molecules shifts to lower frequencies, and the amount of the shift increased with the increase of the polarizing power of the interlayer cations. Water molecules were strongly bound to the cations. The PC molecules interacted with the cations by way of H2O molecules. With the removal of H2O, the PC molecules directly coordinate to the cations and the PC molecules show a much larger red-shift in the C=O frequency. The PC-montmorillonite complexes exhibited osmotic swelling, even in aqueous electrolyte solutions. This finding is interpreted in terms of the formation of thick electric double-layers consisting of PC and H2O between the 2:1 layers.

Using a self-assembly process, we fabricated ordered chains of transparent polystyrene microspheres that have 30°- and 60°-branched structures and that act as coupled-resonator optical waveguides (CROWs). We then observed the optical properties of propagation light through the CROWs. The light spectra were directly measured by guide-collection-mode near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM) techniques. The spectrum of light propagating to the 60°-branch shows some sharp peaks, which seem to be associated with whispering gallery modes (WGMs). On the other hand, the spectrum of light propagating to the 30°-branch shows rather broad peaks. Moreover, we observed the detailed structures of the CROWs by high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HR-SEM), and performed a finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation to explain the NSOM spectra. The results suggest that the microspheres’ branching chains themselves have a light-splitting function, which is a kind of wavelength-selective filter.

Recent studies indicate that l-glutamate (l-Glu), abundant in many foods, is a stimulator of gastric vagal afferent nerves. The aim of the present study was to examine the possibility that l-Glu supplementation of a protein-rich liquid diet may prevent the incidence of diarrhoea during repetitive intra-gastric tube feeding. The gastric vagal afferent nerve recording of rats indicated that intra-gastric administration of a protein-rich liquid diet supplemented with 0·5 % monosodium glutamate enhanced the basal afferent activities seen with the protein-rich diet alone. The examination of the faeces showed that the addition of monosodium glutamate to the liquid diet significantly prevented the incidence of diarrhoea induced by repetitive gastric feeding. In conclusion, supplementation of an enteral liquid diet with free l-Glu may ameliorate diarrhoea during intra-gastric tube feeding by sending visceral glutamate information from the stomach to the brain.

We constructed an ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) system with which in-situ conductivity and Seebeck coefficient measurements can be performed, including the detailed examination of the oxygen effect. It can also carry out the deposition of metal electrodes and organic films under UHV condition through measurements. The conductive characteristics of fullerene (C60) films were examined by the measurement at conductivity and Seebeck coefficient under UHV. We observed that the conductivity at room temperature was higher than 1×10−3 S cm−1. This value is two orders of magnitude in conductivity higher than the Hamed report. [A. Hamed et al., Phys. Rev. B 47, 10873 (1993).] Seebeck coefficient S was also measured. Its sign was negative, indicating electron conduction for C60 film. After the measurements under UHV, oxygen was introduced into the chamber by a variable leak valve. The conductivity decreased drastically by increasing the pressure of oxygen. It decreased more than five orders from under UHV to 1 atom oxygen. The temperature dependence of the conductivity was also examined. The conductivity was thermally activated. Activation energies of the conductivity increase by increase oxygen pressure. This means that the oxygen act as carrier traps. As an n-type dopant, acridine orange base (AOB) was co-deposited into C60 films. The magnitude in the conductivity increased but not drastic. The conductivity of doped film also decreased by increasing the pressure of oxygen. The conductivity even under 6.6×10−2 Pa, however, was high enough. Though AOB was not effective dopant against C60 film in UHV condition, AOB doped C60 film became resistant to oxygen.

A Xe flash lamp (FL) heating technique was applied to the post deposition annealing process (PDA) for HfAlOx/SiO2 gate insulator with poly-Si or W/TiN gate electrode in a gate last based process. In the case of W/TiN/HfAlOx/SiO2, CV hysteresis with less than 10mV was achieved using the FL-PDA. However, the FL-PDA increased hysteresis width up to over 100 mV when poly-Si was used as a gate electrode. That occurred also with low temperature (700 °C) rapid thermal PDA process. The lower thermal budget achieved by the flash lamp annealing and the metal gate is effective to suppress the interfacial reaction which causes the traps responsible for the hysteresis. Charge trapping in the W/TiN/HfAlOx/SiO2 was evaluated using CV hysteresis characteristics in the MISFETs and the MIS capacitors. Electron was major trapped charge of the HfAlOx.

Recently we found high and persistent spontaneous buildup of the surface potential upon vacuum vapor deposition of tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato) aluminum(III)(Alq3) on Au substrate under dark conditions (28 V for 560 nm thick Alq3 film). Such giant potential is removed by visible-light irradiation. These natures of the film suggest the possible applications to various organic devices such as memory devices. In this study, we investigated the retention time of the giant potential and the mechanism of the light-induced depolarization in order to discuss the feasibility of the device applications. The observed decay rate of the surface potential in vacuum condition was roughly 10 % loss in 10 years, which is enough for memory devices. As to the decay rate by light-irradiation, the observed rate was successfully reproduced by a theoretical simulation based on the photo-induced randomization of oriented Alq3 molecules.

The Co/Pd and Co/Pd artificial lattice films have attracted much interest by their special magnetization properties. We discussed the effect of the Pt, Pd layer thickness on the magnetic anisotropy, and we showed the effect of the hydrogen ion implantation on the magnetic properties of multi-layered films. The Co/Pt and Co/Pd multi-layered films were formed on Si(111) substrates with molecular beam epitaxy. We did structure analysis, magnetic domain analysis and magnetic properties evaluation with XRD, MFM and VSM, respectively. Among the series of films of 0.4nm Co layer, XRD showed that the film of 1.0nm Pt layer had a highest periodicity and that they had (111) plane orientation completely. The magnetic domain size reduced with the increase of the thickness of Pt layer. We found out that the coercivity decreased linearly as a function of the length of magnetic domain wall in the unit area. The result of VSM showed that the multi-layered films of Pt thickness of less than 2.8nm had perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. The perpendicular anisotropy energy changed by the nonmagnetic layer thickness and had a maximum value for 0.4nm Co 0.4nm/ nonmagnetic metal 1.0nm multi-layered film. After hydrogen implantation into the films, XRD showed that the lattice spacing was swelled with hydrogen dose. Also, MFM observed that the magnetic domain size reduced with the increase of the hydrogen dose. The easy axis of magnetization changed from perpendicular to parallel in the plane with the increase of the hydrogen dose. After evacuation of hydrogen at 473K, perpendicular anisotropy was partially recovered. This phenomenon suggested that the origin of magnetic anisotropy was mainly the lattice mismatch and distortion in the layer interface. But Co/Pd film was not recovered by this thermal treatment. This means that Pd made stable hydride and did not evacuate hydrogen at this temperature.

The interfaces of organic materials with other solids play important roles in the function of various organic devices such as organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), spectral sensitization in photography, organic solar cells, and electrophotography. Also they should be important in future molecular devices, both in the central part of the device and at the connection with outside circuits. However, serious experimental examination of such interfaces has started only recently. In this talk we focus our attention on the organic/metal interfaces, and summarize our understanding about (1) the energy level alignment right at the interface, and (2) possible band bending within an organic layer, mainly using the techniques of UV photoemission spectroscopy (UPS) and Kelvin probe method. As for (1), the formation of electric dipole layer was observed in most organic/metal interfaces, and its origin is discussed. As for (2), recent examination of the existence/absence of band bending in ultrahigh vacuum will be reported. It is also pointed out that there can be much effects of (i) atmosphere at sample preparation and measurements, and (2) chemistry and interdiffusion at the interface.

We carried out a computerised tomographic (CT) examination to elucidate the modifications in the head related to orbital enlargement in the Baikal seal. Transverse CT images showed that (1) the external frontal contours and the frontal sinuses are compressed medially and ventrally by the orbital enlargement; (2) the caudal part of the nasal cavity and nasopharynx are compacted ventrally; and (3) the cranial cavity is displaced caudally. The neurocranium is obviously separated from the facial part in the transverse plane at the caudal region of the orbit. The disposition of the mandible, zygomatic arch, temporal bone, and the masseter, temporal, digastric and pterygoid muscles is changed by the enlarged orbit in the 3-dimensional reorganisation of the head in this species. It is suggested that adaptation for the Lake Baikal environment primarily resulted in orbital enlargement, and that the altered orbital design may subsequently have influenced the form and function of the masticatory and respiratory system.

Semiconductor ZnSe microcrystal-doped SiO2 glass thin films were prepared by the RF-magnetron sputtering method. The particle size of ZnSe microcrystals in the films depended on sputtering conditions such as input power, substrate temperature, and relative surface area ratio (ZnSe/SiO2) in the target. The blue shift of the optical absorption edge was observed in these glass films. This blue shift energy was explained in terms of the independent confinement of electrons and positive holes, Coulomb force and the influence of a collapsed exciton and the dielectric constant of the matrix glass being taken into consideration.

We investigate the crystal growth of YBa2Cu4O8 and Y2Ba4Cu7C7O15−σ in Al2O3 crucibles at P(O2) = 20 MPa employing commercial O2-HIP equipment. Large crystals of YBa2Cu4O8 up to 1 × 0.5 × 0.05 mm3 are obtained from starting compositions of about 65–67 mol % CuO. When we use a composition of Y: Ba: Cu = 2:6:15, single crystals of YBa2Cu4O8, free from contamination, are obtained at a growth temperature of 1000°C, and those of the Y2Ba4Cu7O15 phase with Al, having the maximum size of 3 × 1.5 × 0.05 mm3, are obtained at a temperature of 1050°C. YBa2Cu4O8 crystals exhibit a superconducting transition temperature Tc of 75 K. Y2Ba4Cu7O15−σ crystals have a Tc of 20 K because of the contamination of aluminum from the crucible.