ABSTRACT
Asymmetric light reflectance associated with localized surface plasmons excited in metal nanoparticles on a quartz substrate is observed and analyzed. This phenomenon is explained by the superposition of two waves, the wave reflected by the air/quartz interface and that reflected by the metal nanoparticles, and the resulting interference effects. Far field behavior investigation suggests that zero reflection can be achieved by optimizing the density of metal nanoparticles. Near field behavior investigation suggests that the coupling efficiency of localized surface plasmon can be additionally enhanced by separating the metal NPs from substrates using a thin film with refractive index smaller than the substrate. The latter behavior is confirmed via surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy studies using metal nanoparticles on Si/SiO2 substrates.
ABSTRACT
Scanning thermal microscopy has been implemented in a cross-sectional geometry, and its application for quantitative, nanoscale analysis of thermal conductivity is demonstrated in studies of an ErAs/GaAs nanocomposite superlattice. Spurious measurement effects, attributable to local thermal transport through air, were observed near large step edges, but could be eliminated by thermocompression bonding to an additional structure. Using this approach, bonding of an ErAs/GaAs superlattice grown on GaAs to a silicon-on-insulator wafer enabled thermal signals to be obtained simultaneously from Si, SiO2, GaAs, and ErAs/GaAs superlattice. When combined with numerical modeling, the thermal conductivity of the ErAs/GaAs superlattice measured using this approach was 11 ± 4 W m(-1) K(-1).
ABSTRACT
DNA-based genetic markers are needed to augment existing allozyme markers in the assessment of genetic diversity of wild giant clam populations. The dearth of polymorphic mitochondrial DNA regions amplified from known universal polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers has led us to search other regions of the genome for viable sources of DNA polymorphism. We have designed tridacnid-specific PCR primers for the amplification of internal transcribed spacer regions. Sequences of the first internal transcribed spacer segment (ITS-1) revealed very high polymorphism, showing 29% variation arising from base substitutions alone. Preliminary restriction analysis of the ITS regions using 8 restriction enzymes revealed cryptic changes in the DNA sequence. These mutations are promising as marker tools for differentiating geographically separated populations. Such variation in the ITS region can possibly be used for population genetic analysis.
