ABSTRACT
In this study, pulsed laser deposition method (PLD) was employed to grow MgxZn1-xO films on quartz substrates. The optimal deposition temperature of 300 °C for MgxZn1-xO film was decided and Mg0.38Zn0.62O, Mg0.56Zn0.44O and Mg0.69Zn0.31O films were grown respectively using MgxZn1-xO targets with different Mg contents (x = 0.3, 0.5 and 0.7). As-deposited Mg0.38Zn0.62O film possessed the mixed-phase (hexagonal and cubic phase) structure, appropriate band gap of 4.68 eV and smaller surface roughness of 1.72 nm, and the solar-blind photodetector (PD) based on it was fabricated. The key features of our PD are the cutoff wavelength of 265 nm lying in solar-blind band, lower dark current (Idark) of 88 pA, higher peak responsivity of 0.10 A/W and bigger Ilight/Idark ratio of 1688, which provide the new idea for the application of solar-blind PDs based on MgxZn1-xO films.
ABSTRACT
In this study, pulsed laser deposition method (PLD) was employed to grow MgxZn1-xO films on quartz substrates. The optimal deposition temperature of 300 °C for MgxZn1-xO film was decided and Mg0.38Zn0.62O, Mg0.56Zn0.44O and Mg0.69Zn0.31O films were grown respectively using MgxZn1-xO targets with different Mg contents (x = 0.3, 0.5 and 0.7). As-deposited Mg0.38Zn0.62O film possessed the mixed-phase (hexagonal and cubic phase) structure, appropriate band gap of 4.68 eV and smaller surface roughness of 1.72 nm, and the solar-blind photodetector (PD) based on it was fabricated. The key features of our PD are the cutoff wavelength of 265 nm lying in solar-blind band, lower dark current (Idark) of 88 pA, higher peak responsivity of 0.10 A/W and bigger Ilight/Idark ratio of 1688, which provide the new idea for the application of solar-blind PDs based on MgxZn1-xO films.
ABSTRACT
Tungsten oxide microflowers (WO3 MFs) were fabricated by a simple hydrothermal process through adjusting the pH of the solution by HCl. These MFs possess the outer diameters of about 2 µm and are composed of numerous nanoplates with the average pore size of 10.9 nm. Chemiresistive activity of as-fabricated WO3 MFs sensor was attempted towards oxidizing and reducing target gases, revealing a superior selectivity to NO2 with a maximum response of 22.95 (2 ppm NO2) @105 °C compared to other target gases. One of the key features of as-fabricatedWO3 MFs sensor is the lower detection limit of 125 ppb and operating temperature of 105 °C to NO2 with better reproducibility, signifying commercial prospective of the developed sensor materials. Finally, the gas sensing mechanism of WO3 MFs sensor has been proposed.
ABSTRACT
Precisely controlled dimensions of heterostructured ZnO nanorod arrays were grown on micropatterned Au films supported by Si substrate using chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The field emission properties were attributed to pointed nanorods, thickness of catalyst, preferential growth, density, morphology of ZnO and Molybdenum (Mo) decorated ZnO nanorod arrays (Mo/ZnO). The selective restrained heterostructure approach resulted in excellent control over periodicity, location and density of ZnO nanorod arrays. Overall, field emission properties of bare ZnO nanorod arrays showed a low turn-on field of ~4.7 V/µm and a high field enhancement factor (ß) ~1686 to 7.3 V/µm and (ß) ~807 for Mo/ZnO. It was also found that the field emission properties were significantly influenced by densely decorated Mo nanoparticles on as-grown ZnO nanorod arrays.
ABSTRACT
Polyploidization has played an important role in plant evolution and is a pathway for plants to increase genetic diversification and to get higher heterosis comparing with that of diploid does. This study was undertaken to assess the genetic variation and relationships among 40 autotetraploid rice genotypes and their counterpart diploid cultivars with 99 SSR markers screened from published rice genome. The 99 SSR markers detected polymorphism among autotetraploid genotypes and revealed a total of 291 alleles with an average of 2.949 alleles per locus. Autotetraploid lines showed higher genetic diversity and significant variation in agronomic traits than diploid cultivars. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that most of autotetraploid lines were genetically different from their diploid parents, and inter-subspecific hybrids were prepared on the basis of genetic distance between parents. Inter-subspecific autotetraploid hybrids showed a higher and positive heterobeltiosis and competitive heterosis than diploid hybrids, especially for grain yield. Genetic distance appeared not to predict heterosis in diploid rice for all traits; however, it showed a significant correlation with grain yield, grain length and grain length to width ratio in autotetraploid rice. This extensive research on autotetraploid heterosis and genetic diversity will be useful for the development of autotetraploid rice hybrids.
ABSTRACT
Five physiological and eleven yield traits of two pairs of sister lines generated from a high generation with similar genetic background (SLs) for purple pericarp were investigated to explore the reasons behind low-yield production of colored rice. Of the five physiological traits examined, except grain anthocyanin content, there were generally similar trends between the P (purple-pericarp) lines and the corresponding W (white-pericarp) lines over two seasons (in the year 2009 and 2010 separately). The results demonstrated that the chlorophyll content of flag leaves, the net photosynthetic rate of flag leaves, and the grain anthocyanin content could be easily influenced by the environment. The physiological functions of the traits for the P lines were more active than those of the corresponding W lines in the year 2010. The grain anthocyanin content of the P lines was much greater in the year 2010 than in the year 2009 during the growth period. The investigation of yield traits revealed that the P lines had reduced 1000-grain weight, yield per plot and grain/brown rice thickness compared to the W lines. A difference comparison of these traits and a source-sink and transportation relationship analysis for these SLs suggested that small sink size was a key reason behind yield reduction of purple pericarp rice.
ABSTRACT
Embryo sac abortion is one of the major reasons for sterility in indica/japonica hybrids in rice. To clarify the causal mechanism of embryo sac abortion, we studied the female gametophyte development in two indica/japonica hybrids via an eosin B staining procedure for embryo sac scanning using confocal laser scanning microscope. Different types of abnormalities occurred during megasporogenesis and megagametogenesis were demonstrated. The earliest abnormality was observed in the megasporocyte. A lot of the chalazal-most megaspores were degenerated before the mono-nucleate embryo sac stage. Disordered positioning of nucleus and abnormal nucellus tissue were characteristics of the abnormal female gametes from the mono-nucleate to four-nucleate embryo sac stages. The abnormalities that occurred from the early stage of the eight-nucleate embryo sac development to the mature embryo sac stage were characterized by smaller sizes and wrinkled antipodals. Asynchronous nuclear migration, abnormal positioning of nucleus, and degeneration of egg apparatus were also found at the eight-nucleate embryo sac stage. The abnormalities that occurred during female gametophyte development resulted in five major types of abnormal embryo sacs. These abnormal embryo sacs led to abnormal fertilization. Hand pollination using normal pollens on the spikelets during anthesis showed that normal pollens could not exclude the effect of abnormal embryo sac on seed setting.
