Understanding of sub-band gap absorption of femtosecond-laser sulfur hyperdoped silicon using synchrotron-based techniques.

The correlation between sub-band gap absorption and the chemical states and electronic and atomic structures of S-hyperdoped Si have been extensively studied, using synchrotron-based x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), x-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES), extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS), valence-band photoemission spectroscopy (VB-PES) and first-principles calculation. S 2p XPS spectra reveal that the S-hyperdoped Si with the greatest (~87%) sub-band gap absorption contains the highest concentration of S(2-) (monosulfide) species. Annealing S-hyperdoped Si reduces the sub-band gap absorptance and the concentration of S(2-) species, but significantly increases the concentration of larger S clusters [polysulfides (Sn(2-), n > 2)]. The Si K-edge XANES spectra show that S hyperdoping in Si increases (decreased) the occupied (unoccupied) electronic density of states at/above the conduction-band-minimum. VB-PES spectra evidently reveal that the S-dopants not only form an impurity band deep within the band gap, giving rise to the sub-band gap absorption, but also cause the insulator-to-metal transition in S-hyperdoped Si samples. Based on the experimental results and the calculations by density functional theory, the chemical state of the S species and the formation of the S-dopant states in the band gap of Si are critical in determining the sub-band gap absorptance of hyperdoped Si samples.

Omega-3 fatty acids in the management of autism spectrum disorders: findings from an open-label pilot study in Singapore.

The goal of this open-label trial was to examine the efficacy and safety of a 12-week omega-3 fatty acids supplementation among children suffering with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). A total of 41 children and adolescents aged 7-18 years (36 boys, 5 girls; mean age = 11.66, s.d. = 3.05) diagnosed with ASD participated in the study. At post-treatment, participants showed significant improvements on all subscales of the Social Responsiveness Scale (P < 0.01) and the Social and Attention Problems syndrome scales of the Child Behavior Checklist (P < 0.05). Blood fatty acid levels were significantly correlated with changes in the core symptoms of ASD. Baseline levels of blood fatty acid levels were also predictive of response to the omega-3 treatment. Omega-3 fatty acids supplementation was well-tolerated and did not cause any serious side effects. Our findings lend some preliminary support for the use of omega-3 fatty acids supplementation in addressing ASD. Future randomized controlled trials of omega-3 fatty acids in ASD with blood fatty acid measurements with a larger sample and longer follow-up period is warranted.

Iron-monosulfide oxidation in natural sediments: resolving microbially mediated S transformations using XANES, electron microscopy, and selective extractions.

Iron-monosulfide oxidation and associated S transformations in a natural sediment were examined by combining selective extractions, electron microscopy and S K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy, The sediment examined in this study was collected from a waterway receiving acid-sulfate soil drainage. It contained a high acid-volatile sulfide content (1031 micromol g(-1)), reflecting an abundance of iron-monosulfide. The iron-monosulfide speciation in the initial sediment sample was dominated by nanocrystalline mackinawite (tetragonal FeS). At near-neutral pH and an 02 partial pressure of approximately 0.2 atm, the mackinawite was found to oxidize rapidly, with a half-time of 29 +/- 2 min. This oxidation rate did not differ significantly (P < 0.05) between abiotic versus biotic conditions, demonstrating that oxidation of nanocrystalline mackinawite was not microbially mediated. The extraction results suggested that elemental S (S8(0)) was a key intermediate S oxidation product Transmission electron microscopy showed the S8(0) to be amorphous nanoglobules, 100-200 nm in diameter. The quantitative importance of S8(0) was confirmed by linear combination XANES spectroscopy, after accounting for the inherent effect of the nanoscale S8(0) particle-size on the corresponding XANES spectrum. Both the selective extraction and XANES data showed that oxidation of S8(0) to SO4(2-) was mediated by microbial activity. In addition to directly revealing important S transformations, the XANES results support the accuracy of the selective extraction scheme employed here.

Correlation between magnetic properties and the electronic structures of soft magnetic ternary Fe(78-x)Y(x)B(22) (x = 4-9) bulk metallic glasses.

Fe and Y K-edge extended x-ray absorption fine structure, Fe(Y) L(3,2)-edge (L(3)-edge) x-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and valence-band photoemission spectroscopy (VB-PES) measurements have been carried out to study soft magnetic ternary Fe(78-x)Y(x)B(22) bulk metallic glasses (BMGs). The combined XANES and VB-PES results do not show broadening of the Fe 3d band to support the previous interpretation of the reduction of the magnetic moment in BMGs by Y-induced decrease of exchange splitting of Fe 3d orbitals. Instead, the density of delocalized/itinerant Fe 3d states in the vicinity of the Fermi level is found to be reduced by Y substitution, which reduces the strength of itinerant-states-mediated ferromagnetic coupling between local spins on the Fe ions and the total magnetic moment of the Fe-based BMGs.

Orbitally driven spin-singlet dimerization in S=1 La4Ru2O10.

Using x-ray absorption spectroscopy at the Ru-L2,3 edge we reveal that the Ru4+ ions remain in the S=1 spin state across the rare 4d-orbital ordering transition and spin-gap formation. We find using local spin density approximation + Hubbard U band structure calculations that the crystal fields in the low-temperature phase are not strong enough to stabilize the S=0 state. Instead, we identify a distinct orbital ordering with a significant anisotropy of the antiferromagnetic exchange couplings. We conclude that La4Ru2O10 appears to be a novel material in which the orbital physics drives the formation of spin-singlet dimers in a quasi-two-dimensional S=1 system.