Evaluation of Sputtering Processes in Strontium Iridate Thin Films.

The growth of epitaxial thin films from the Ruddlesden-Popper series of strontium iridates by magnetron sputtering is analyzed. It was found that, even using a non-stoichiometric target, the films formed under various conditions were consistently of the perovskite-like n = ∞ SrIrO phase, with no evidence of other RP series phases. A detailed inspection of the temperature-oxygen phase diagram underscored that kinetics mechanisms prevail over thermodynamics considerations.

Formation of Nickel Oxide Nanocuboids in Ferromagnetic LaNiMnO.

The control of the spontaneous formation of nanostructures at the surface of thin films is of strong interest in many different fields, from catalysts to microelectronics, because surface and interfacial properties may be substantially enhanced. Here, we analyze the formation of nickel oxide nanocuboids on top of LaNiMnO double perovskite ferromagnetic thin films, epitaxially grown on SrTiO (001) substrates by radio-frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering. We show that, by annealing the films at high temperature under high oxygen partial pressure, the spontaneous segregation of nanocuboids is enhanced.

Search for asymptomatic carriers of SARS-CoV-2 in healthcare workers during the pandemic: a Spanish experience.

Background: Asymptomatic carriers of SARS-CoV-2 can be a vehicle for transmission of the infection. This fact is of particular importance in the case of healthcare workers (HCWs).

Design: Cross-sectional study in HCWs in a medium size hospital in the South of Spain.

Spontaneous in-flight assembly of magnetic nanoparticles into macroscopic chains.

Knowing the interactions controlling aggregation processes in magnetic nanoparticles is of strong interest in preventing or promoting nanoparticles' aggregation at wish for different applications. Dipolar magnetic interactions, proportional to the particle volume, are identified as the key driving force behind the formation of macroscopic aggregates for particle sizes above about 20 nm. However, aggregates' shape and size are also strongly influenced by topological ordering.

Characterization of volatiles in bullock's heart (Annona reticulata L.) fruit cultivars from Cuba.

Volatile compounds were isolated from four cultivars of bullock's heart fruit (Cenizo, Rojo, Verde, and De Ojo) by simultaneous steam distillation-solvent extraction. Compounds were identified by HRGC and capillary GC-MS. One hundred and eighty compounds were identified in the aroma extracts, of which alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, myrcene, limonene, terpinen-4-ol, and germacrene D were found to be the major constituents.