Reaction Dynamics of C(NH)SnI Formation from Vacuum-Deposited C(NH)I and SnI Bilayer Thin Films Investigated by Infrared Multiple-Angle Incidence-Resolved Spectroscopy.

Understanding the formation process of organic-inorganic halide perovskite (OIHP) thin films is important for the fabrication of high-quality thin films, which, in turn, are crucial for achieving high-performance devices. To address this challenge, we developed an system of infrared multiple-angle incidence-resolved spectroscopy (IR-MAIRS) combined with a vacuum deposition system. "Orientation-free" isotropic spectra constructed from IR-MAIRS spectra enable us to perform quantitative analysis of the formation process of C(NH)SnI (GASnI) thin films from unreacted C(NH)I (guanidine hydroiodide (GAI))/SnI bilayer structures predeposited in a vacuum.

Stability of silicon-tin alloyed nanocrystals with high tin concentration synthesized by femtosecond laser plasma in liquid media.

Nanocrystals have a great potential for future materials with tunable bandgap, due to their optical properties that are related with the material used, their sizes and their surface termination. Here, we concentrate on the silicon-tin alloy for photovoltaic applications due to their bandgap, lower than bulk Si, and also the possibility to activate direct band to band transition for high tin concentration. We synthesized silicon-tin alloy nanocrystals (SiSn-NCs) with diameter of about 2-3 nm by confined plasma technique employing a femtosecond laser irradiation on amorphous silicon-tin substrate submerged in liquid media.

Grown Nanocrystalline Si Recombination Junction Layers for Efficient Perovskite-Si Monolithic Tandem Solar Cells: Toward a Simpler Multijunction Architecture.

The perovskite-Si tandem is an attractive avenue to attain greater power conversion efficiency (PCE) than their respective single-junction solar cells. However, such devices generally employ complex stacks with numerous deposition steps, which are rather unattractive from an industrial perspective. Here, we develop a simplified tandem architecture consisting of a perovskite n-i-p stack on a silicon heterojunction structure without applying the typically used indium-tin-oxide (ITO) recombination junction (RJ) layer between the top and bottom cells.

Methyloradius palustris gen. nov., sp. nov., a methanol-oxidizing bacterium isolated from snow.

A novel methylotrophic bacterium, strain Zm11, was isolated from reddish brown snow collected in a moor in Japan. Cells of the isolate were Gram-stain-negative, motile, and rod-shaped (0.6-0.

Insights into Microscopic Crystal Growth Dynamics of CHNHPbI under a Laser Deposition Process Revealed by X-ray Diffraction.

The process dynamics for the vacuum deposition of methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI) perovskite was analyzed by X-ray diffraction using synchrotron radiation. MAPbI was fabricated by alternatingly supplying PbI and methylammonium iodide a laser deposition system installed at the synchrotron beamline BL46XU at SPring-8, and crystallization analysis was conducted. Microscopic insights into the crystallization were obtained, including observation of Laue oscillation during the PbI growth and octahedral unit (PbI) rotation during the transformation into perovskite.

Tuning Methylammonium Iodide Amount in Organolead Halide Perovskite Materials by Post-Treatment for High-Efficiency Solar Cells.

In this study, the composition of organic-inorganic perovskite materials is tuned by methylammonium iodide (MAI) post-treatment for high photovoltaic performance. By spin-coating MAI solutions of different concentrations, the amounts of PbI and MAI in perovskite layers are tuned. In perovskites, the removal of PbI through a reaction with MAI decreases the hysteresis in photocurrent density-voltage curves.

Organic Photovoltaic Devices Based on Oriented -Type Molecular Films Deposited on Oriented Polythiophene Films.

The molecular orientation of π-conjugated molecules has been reported to significantly affect the performance of organic photovoltaic devices (OPVs) based on molecular films. Hence, the control of molecular orientation is a key issue toward the improvement of OPV performance. In this research, oriented thin films of an n-type molecule, 3,4,9,10-Perylenetetracarboxylic Bisbenzimida-zole (PTCBI), were formed by deposition on in-plane oriented polythiophene (PT) films.

Constructing Nanostructured Donor/Acceptor Bulk Heterojunctions via Interfacial Templates for Efficient Organic Photovoltaics.

We demonstrate that a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate)/diindenoperylene (PEDOT:PSS/DIP) interfacial bilayer could serve as a structural template to enable the morphological control of bulk heterojunctions (BHJs) by co-evaporation of tetraphenyldibenzoperiflanthene:fullerene (DBP:C), which greatly improves the device performances. Especially, we show that isolated crystalline domains of C can be well-controlled at the nanoscale during the co-evaporation. Photoluminescence spectra indicate the realization of DIP/DBP cascade energy architecture, which significantly facilitates both the energy transfer and photocurrent generation.

Adjustment of Conduction Band Edge of Compact TiO Layer in Perovskite Solar Cells Through TiCl Treatment.

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) without a mesoporous TiO layer, that is, planar-type PSCs exhibit poorer cell performance as compared to PSCs with a porous TiO layer, owing to inefficient electron transfer from the perovskite layer to the compact TiO layer in the former case. The matching of the conduction band levels of perovskite and the compact TiO layer is thus essential for enhancing PSC performance. In this study, we demonstrate the shifting of the conduction band edge (CBE) of the compact TiO layer through a TiCl treatment, with the aim of improving PSC performance.

[The effects of question types for introduction on substantive information provided by Japanese children in interviews].

The effects of two introductory styles on substantive information provided by Japanese children were investigated. Children aged 5–6 years (n = 42) and 7–8 years (n = 40) took a simulated physical examination. One week later, the participants were interviewed about the examination in a narrative introductory condition using open-ended questions, or a non-narrative introductory condition using directive and yes/no questions.

Highly Controlled Codeposition Rate of Organolead Halide Perovskite by Laser Evaporation Method.

Organolead-halide perovskites can be promising materials for next-generation solar cells because of its high power conversion efficiency. The method of precise fabrication is required because both solution-process and vacuum-process fabrication of the perovskite have problems of controllability and reproducibility. Vacuum deposition process was expected to achieve precise control; however, vaporization of amine compound significantly degrades the controllability of deposition rate.

Crystallization Dynamics of Organolead Halide Perovskite by Real-Time X-ray Diffraction.

We analyzed the crystallization process of the CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite by observing real-time X-ray diffraction immediately after combining a PbI2 thin film with a CH3NH3I solution. A detailed analysis of the transformation kinetics demonstrated the fractal diffusion of the CH3NH3I solution into the PbI2 film. Moreover, the perovskite crystal was found to be initially oriented based on the PbI2 crystal orientation but to gradually transition to a random orientation.

Understanding device-structure-induced variations in open-circuit voltage for organic photovoltaics.

We investigate the structural influences on the device performance, especially on open-circuit voltage (V(OC)) in squaraine (SQ)/fullerene (C60) bilayer cells. Simply changing the SQ thickness could lead to 40% variation in V(OC) from 0.62 to 0.

Templating effects in molecular growth of blended films for efficient small-molecule photovoltaics.

A strategy to control the molecular growth of coevaporated zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) and fullerene (C60) blended films for efficient organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells was demonstrated. Introduction of a 2,5-bis(4-biphenylyl)-bithiophene (BP2T) film or a ZnPc film on BP2T as nanostructured templates not only results in phase-separated domains in blended films with clear interpenetrating networks but also improves the crystallinity of ZnPc domains, both of which enhance photocurrent generation and charge carrier transport. Such morphology is strongly associated with the molecular growth of the templating layers.

Glancing angle deposition of copper iodide nanocrystals for efficient organic photovoltaics.

We report a simple method to achieve efficient nanostructured organic photovoltaics via patterning copper iodide (CuI) nanocrystals on indium tin oxide by glancing angle deposition. The strong interfacial interaction between zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) and CuI leads to the formation of nanopillar arrays with lying-down molecular order, which greatly improve light absorption and surface roughness for exciton dissociation. Optimized ZnPc/C(60) bilayer cell has a power conversion efficiency of 4.

Simple and scalable gel-based separation of metallic and semiconducting carbon nanotubes.

We report a rapid and scalable method for the separation of metallic and semiconducting single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs); the separation is performed by the selective adsorption of semiconducting SWCNTs on agarose gel. The most effective separation was realized by a simple procedure in which a piece of gel containing SWCNTs and sodium dodecyl sulfate was frozen, thawed, and squeezed. This process affords a solution containing 70% pure metallic SWCNTs and leaves a gel containing 95% pure semiconducting SWCNTs.

Anisotropic polymerization of a long-chain diacetylene derivative Langmuir-Blodgett film on a step-bunched SiO2/Si surface.

Alternating facet/terrace nanostructures were fabricated on a SiO2 surface by step-bunching and thermal oxidation of a vicinal Si(111) substrate, and their influence upon the polymerization direction of a long-chain diacetylene derivative monolayer film was investigated by angle-dependent polarized near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy. It was found that the peak intensity of the C 1s-pi transition was stronger when the electric vector plane of the incident X-ray was parallel to the direction of the periodic facet/terrace structures rather than perpendicular to them. On the contrary, a polymer film fabricated on a flat SiO2 surface showed no in-plane anisotropy of the peak intensity.

Dynamical aspects of quantum entanglement for weakly coupled kicked tops.

We investigate how the dynamical production of quantum entanglement for weakly coupled, composite quantum systems is influenced by the chaotic dynamics of the corresponding classical system, using coupled kicked tops. The linear entropy for the subsystem (a kicked top) is employed as a measure of entanglement. A perturbative formula for the entanglement production rate is derived.

Dechlorination of hexachlorocyclohexanes with alkaline 2-propanol and a palladium catalyst.

Hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta-HCH) were dechlorinated in 2-propanol by means of stoichiometric reaction with NaOH and subsequent catalytic dechlorination over a supported palladium catalyst (Pd/C). When the HCH isomers (2-10 mmol/l) were reacted with a molar excess of NaOH ([NaOH]/[HCH]>9) in 2-propanol, transformation of alpha-, gamma- and delta-HCH to trichlorobenzenes (TCBs) was complete within 5 min at room temperature, but beta-HCH was less reactive. Analysis of TCB isomers produced from individual HCH isomers showed that 1,2,4-TCB was always predominant (70-90% of the product) and 1,2,3-TCB and 1,3,5-TCB were minor products.

Stability of quantum states of finite macroscopic systems against classical noises, perturbations from environments, and local measurements.

We study the stability of quantum states of macroscopic systems of finite volume V. By using both the locality and huge degrees of freedom, we show the following: (i) If square fluctuation of every additive operator is O(V) or less for a pure state, then it is not fragile for any weak classical noises or weak perturbations from environments. (ii) If square fluctuation of some additive operator is O(V2) for a pure state, then it is fragile for some of these.

Saturation of the production of quantum entanglement between weakly coupled mapping systems in a strongly chaotic region.

The production of quantum entanglement between weakly coupled mapping systems, whose classical counterparts are both strongly chaotic, is investigated. In the weak-coupling regime, it is shown that time-correlation functions of the unperturbed systems determine the entanglement production. In particular, we elucidate that the increment of the nonlinear parameter of coupled kicked tops does not accelerate the entanglement production in the strongly chaotic region.

Dechlorination of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins catalyzed by noble metal catalysts under mild conditions.

Dechlorination of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins such as 2,7-dichlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (2,7-DCDD) and 1,2,6,7-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (1,2,6,7-TCDD) was carried out in a solution of NaOH in 2-propanol in the presence of carbon-supported noble metal catalyst (Pd/C or Rh-Pt/C) at temperatures between 23 and 35 degrees C. At initial concentrations of 140-240 micrograms/ml, 2,7-DCDD and 1,2,6,7-TCDD were efficiently converted to a chlorine-free product, dibenzo-p-dioxin (DD), in high yield (60-80%). The conversion of 2,7-DCDD and 1,2,6,7-TCDD and the yield of DD were hardly affected by the atmosphere (N2 or air).

Energies and collapse times of symmetric and symmetry-breaking states of finite systems with a U(1) symmetry.

We study quantum systems of volume V, which will exhibit the breaking of a U(1) symmetry in the limit of V-->infinity, when V is large but finite. We estimate the energy difference between the "symmetric ground state" (SGS), which is the lowest-energy state that does not break the symmetry, and a "pure phase vacuum" (PPV), which approaches a symmetry-breaking vacuum as V-->infinity. Under some natural postulates on the energy of the SGS, it is shown that PPVs always have a higher energy than the SGS, and we derive a lower bound of the excess energy.

Robustness of wave functions of interacting many bosons in a leaky Box.

We study the robustness, against the leakage of bosons, of wave functions of interacting many bosons confined in a finite box by deriving and analyzing a general equation of motion for the reduced density operator. We identify a robust wave function that remains a pure state, whereas other wave functions, such as the Bogoliubov's ground state and the ground state with a fixed number of bosons, evolve into mixed states. Although these states all have the off-diagonal long-range order, and the same energy, we argue that only the robust state is realized as a macroscopic quantum state.

Synthesis and in vitro activity of a new carbapenem, RS-533.

The synthesis and in vitro antimicrobial activity of a new synthetic carbapenem, (5R,6S)-6-[(R)-1-hydroxyethyl]-2-[(S)-1-acetimidoylpyrrolidin -3-ylthio]-1-carbapen-2-em-3-carboxylic acid (RS-533), are described. The MIC values of related penems and carbapenems are also given for comparison with those of the new carbapenem.