• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.533-538
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• 2015

Thermal characterization of individual pixels in microbolometer infrared image sensors is needed for optimal design and improved performance. In this work, we used thermoreflectance microscopy on uncooled microbolometer image sensors to investigate the thermal characteristics of individual pixels. Two types of microbolometer image sensors with a shared-anchor structure were fabricated and thermally characterized at various biases and vacuum levels by measuring the temperature distribution on the surface of the microbolometers. The results show that thermoreflectance microscopy can be a useful thermal characterization tool for microbolometer image sensors.

• Ceramist
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.55-66
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• 2007

Infrared Scanning Near-field Optical Microscopy (IR-SNOM) is an extremely powerful analytical instrument since it combines IR spectroscopy's high chemical specificity with SNOM's high spatial resolution. In order to do this in the infrared, specialty chalcogenide glass fibers were fabricated and their ends tapered to generate SNOM probes. The fiber tips were installed in a modified near field microscope and both inorganic and biological samples illuminated with the tunable output from a free-electron laser located at Vanderbilt University. Both topographical and IR spectral images were simultaneously recorded with a resolution of ${\sim}50\;nm$ and ${\sim}100\;nm$, respectively. Unique spectroscopic features were identified in all samples, with spectral images exhibiting resolutions of up to ${\lambda}/60$, or at least 30 times better than the diffraction limited lens-based microscopes. We believe that IR-SNOM can provide a very powerful insight into some of the most important bio-medical research topics.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.50
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• pp.12.1-12.11
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• 2020

Hot stage microscopy (HSM) is a thermal analysis technique that combines the best properties of thermal analysis and microscopy. HSM is rapidly gaining interest in pharmaceuticals as well as in other fields as a regular characterization technique. In pharmaceuticals HSM is used to support differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) observations and to detect small changes in the sample that may be missed by DSC and TGA during a thermal experiment. Study of various physical and chemical properties such sample morphology, crystalline nature, polymorphism, desolvation, miscibility, melting, solid state transitions and incompatibility between various pharmaceutical compounds can be carried out using HSM. HSM is also widely used to screen cocrystals, excipients and polymers for solid dispersions. With the advancements in research methodologies, it is now possible to use HSM in conjunction with other characterization techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), DSC, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) which may have additional benefits over traditional characterization techniques for rapid and comprehensive solid state characterization.

• Fibers and Polymers
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.186-199
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• 2005

A selection of commercially available poly(ethy1ene terephtha1ate) fibers with different degrees of molecular alignment and crystallinity have been investigated utilizing a wide range of techniques including optical microscopy, infrared spectroscopy together with thermal and wide-angle X-ray diffraction techniques. Annealing experiments showed increased molecular alignment and crystallinity as shown by the increased values of birefringence and melting enthalpies. Crystallinity values determined from thermal analysis, density, unpolarized infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction are compared and discussed in terms of the inherent capabilities and limitations of each measurement technique. The birefringence and refractive index values obtained from optical microscopy are found to decrease with increasing wavelength of light used in the experiments. The wide-angle X-ray diffraction analysis shows that the samples with relatively low orientation possess oriented non-crystalline array of chains whereas those with high molecular orientation possess well defined and oriented crystalline array of chains along the fiber axis direction. X-ray analysis showed increasing crystallite size trend with increasing molecular orientation. SEM images showed micro-cracks on low oriented fiber surfaces becoming smooth on highly oriented fiber surfaces. Excellent bending characteristics were observed with knotted fibers implying relatively easy fabric formation.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.230-238
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• 2018

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) have been prepared without using surfactants to assess their stability at different time intervals. The synthesized particles were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible-near infrared spectroscopy, and energy dispersive spectroscopy. Field emission scanning electron microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy images of the samples were also investigated. The average particle size was measured to be 12.7 nm even in the polydispersed form. The magnetic and dielectric characteristics of the $Fe_3O_4$ nanoparticles have also been studied and discussed in detail.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.534-540
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• 2017

The adsorption of uranium (VI) by calcium alginate beads was examined by batch experiments. The effects of environmental conditions on U (VI) adsorption were studied, including contact time, pH, initial concentration of U (VI), and temperature. The alginate beads were characterized by using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Fourier transform infrared spectra indicated that hydroxyl and alkoxy groups are present at the surface of the beads. The experimental results showed that the adsorption of U (VI) by alginate beads was strongly dependent on pH, the adsorption increased at pH 3~7, then decreased at pH 7~9. The adsorption reached equilibrium within 2 minutes. The adsorption kinetics of U (VI) onto alginate beads can be described by a pseudo first-order kinetic model. The adsorption isotherm can be described by the Redlich-Peterson model, and the maximum adsorption capacity was 237.15 mg/g. The sorption process is spontaneous and has an exothermic reaction.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.51
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• pp.9.1-9.10
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• 2021

Brain disorders seriously affect life quality. Therefore, non-invasive neuroimaging has received attention to monitoring and early diagnosing neural disorders to prevent their progress to a severe level. This short review briefly describes the current MRI and PET/CT techniques developed for non-invasive neuroimaging and the future direction of optical imaging techniques to achieve higher resolution and specificity using the second near-infrared (NIR-II) region of wavelength with organic molecules.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.215-219
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• 2008

The bonding structure and composition of silicon nitride (SiNx) films were investigated by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). SiNx films were deposited on Si substrate at $340^{\circ}C$ using a conventional PECVD system. The compositions of Si and N in SiNx films were confirmed by using Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) and photoluminescence (PL) analysis. The surface morphology of SiNx films was also analyzed by using atomic force microscopy (AFM). It was found that the contents of NH(at. %) is the reverse related with those of SiH corresponding to the result of FT-IR. we conclude that a quantitative analysis on SiNx films can be possible through a precise detection of the contents of H in SiNx films with a FT-IR analysis only.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.608-614
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• 2004

Isotactic polypropylene (PP) surfaces were modified with argon and oxygen plasmas using a radio­frequency (RF) glow discharge at 240 mTorr and 40 W. The changes in topography and surface structure were investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM) in conjunction with specular reflectance of infrared (IR) microspectroscopy. Under our operating conditions, the AFM image analysis revealed that longer plasma treatment resulted in significant ablation on the PP surface, regardless of the kind of plasma employed, but the topography was dependent on the nature of the gases. Specular reflectance IR spectroscopic analysis indicated that the constant removal of surface material was an important ablative aspect when using either plasma, but the nature of the ablative behavior and the resultant aging effects were clearly dependent on the choice of plasma. The use of argon plasma resulted in a negligible aging effect; in contrast, the use of oxygen plasma caused a noticeable aging effect, which was due to reactions of trapped or isolated radicals with oxygen in air, and was partly responsible for the increased surface area caused by ablation. The use of oxygen plasma is believed to be an advantageous approach to modifying polymeric materials with functionalized surfaces, e.g., for surface grafting of unsaturated monomers and incorporating oxygen-containing groups onto PP.

• Polymer Science and Technology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.191-197
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• 2010