Combined Electron Microscopy Approaches for Arterial Glycocalyx Visualization.

Mainly constituted of glycosaminoglycans and proteoglycans, the glycocalyx is anchored in the plasma membrane, covering, in particular, the extracellular face of the arterial endothelium. Due to its complex three-dimensional (3D) architecture, the glycocalyx interacts with a wide variety of proteins, contributing to vascular permeability, the flow of mechanotransduction, and the modulation of local inflammatory processes. Alterations of glycocalyx structure mediate the endothelial dysfunction and contribute to the aggravation of peripheral vascular diseases.

Influence of phosphorus on the growth and the photoluminescence properties of Si-NCs formed in P-doped SiO/SiO multilayers.

This work reports on the influence of phosphorous atoms on the phase separation process and optical properties of silicon nanocrystals (Si-NCs) embedded in phosphorus doped SiO/SiO multilayers. Doped SiO/SiO multilayers with different P contents have been prepared by co-evaporation and subsequently annealed at different temperatures up to 1100 °C. The sample structure and the localization of P atoms were both studied at the nanoscale by scanning transmission electron microscopy and atom probe tomography.

Controlling solid-liquid-solid GeSn nanowire growth modes by changing deposition sequences of a-Ge:H layer and SnOnanoparticles.

Alloying Ge with Sn is one of the promising ways for achieving Si compatible optoelectronics. Here, GeSn nanowires (NWs) are realized via nano-crystallization of a hydrogenated amorphous Ge (a-Ge:H) layer with the help of metal Sn droplets. The full process consists of three steps: (1) SnOnanoparticle (NP) reduction in a hydrogen plasma to produce Sn catalyst; (2) a-Ge:H deposition at 120 °C and (3) annealing.

Preferential Evaporation in Atom Probe Tomography: An Analytical Approach.

Atom probe tomography (APT) analysis conditions play a major role in the composition measurement accuracy. Preferential evaporation (PE), which significantly biases the apparent composition, more than other well-known phenomena in APT, is strongly connected to those analysis conditions. One way to optimize them, in order to have the most accurate measurement, is therefore to be able to predict and then to estimate their influence on the apparent composition.

Analysis of Radiation Damage in Light Water Reactors: Comparison of Cluster Analysis Methods for the Analysis of Atom Probe Data.

Irradiation of reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steels causes the formation of nanoscale microstructural features (termed radiation damage), which affect the mechanical properties of the vessel. A key tool for characterizing these nanoscale features is atom probe tomography (APT), due to its high spatial resolution and the ability to identify different chemical species in three dimensions. Microstructural observations using APT can underpin development of a mechanistic understanding of defect formation.

Incorporation and redistribution of impurities into silicon nanowires during metal-particle-assisted growth.

The incorporation of metal atoms into silicon nanowires during metal-particle-assisted growth is a critical issue for various nanowire-based applications. Here we have been able to access directly the incorporation and redistribution of metal atoms into silicon nanowires produced by two different processes at growth rates ranging from 3 to 40 nm s(-1), by using laser-assisted atom probe tomography and scanning transmission electron microscopy. We find that the concentration of metal impurities in crystalline silicon nanowires increases with the growth rate and can reach a level of two orders of magnitude higher than that in their equilibrium solubility.

Nanoscale evidence of erbium clustering in Er-doped silicon-rich silica.

: Photoluminescence spectroscopy and atom probe tomography were used to explore the optical activity and microstructure of Er3+-doped Si-rich SiO2 thin films fabricated by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering. The effect of post-fabrication annealing treatment on the properties of the films was investigated. The evolution of the nanoscale structure upon an annealing treatment was found to control the interrelation between the radiative recombination of the carriers via Si clusters and via 4f shell transitions in Er3+ ions.

Atomic scale investigation of silicon nanowires and nanoclusters.

In this study, we have performed nanoscale characterization of Si-clusters and Si-nanowires with a laser-assisted tomographic atom probe. Intrinsic and p-type silicon nanowires (SiNWs) are elaborated by chemical vapor deposition method using gold as catalyst, silane as silicon precursor, and diborane as dopant reactant. The concentration and distribution of impurity (gold) and dopant (boron) in SiNW are investigated and discussed.

Atomic characterization of Si nanoclusters embedded in SiO2 by atom probe tomography.

Silicon nanoclusters are of prime interest for new generation of optoelectronic and microelectronics components. Physical properties (light emission, carrier storage..

Evidence of superparamagnetic co clusters in pulsed laser deposition-grown Zn0.9Co0.1O thin films using atom probe tomography.

Nanosized Co clusters (of about 3 nm size) were unambiguously identified in Co-doped ZnO thin films by atom probe tomography. These clusters are directly correlated to the superparamagnetic relaxation observed by ZFC/FC magnetization measurements. These analyses provide strong evidence that the room-temperature ferromagnetism observed in the magnetization curves cannot be attributed to the observed Co clusters.