Current-collapse suppression and leakage-current decrease in AlGaN/GaN HEMT by sputter-TaN gate-dielectric layer

In this paper, we explore the electrical characteristics of high-electron-mobility transistors(HEMTs) using a TaN/AlGaN/GaN metal insulating semiconductor(MIS) structure. The high-resistance tantalum nitride(TaN) film prepared by magnetron sputtering as the gate dielectric layer of the device achieved an effective reduction of electronic states at the TaN/AlGaN interface, and reducing the gate leakage current of the MIS HEMT, its performance was enhanced. The HEMT exhibited a low gate leakage current of 2.15 × 10^(-7) mA/mm and a breakdown voltage of 1180 V. Furthermore, the MIS HEMT displayed exceptional operational stability during dynamic tests, with dynamic resistance remaining only 1.39 times even under 400 V stress.

Substitute of Expensive Pt with Improved Electrocatalytic Performance and Higher Resistance to CO Poisoning for Methanol Oxidation: the Case of Synergistic Pt-Co_3O_4 Nanocomposite

In this paper, Pt-Co_3O_4 nanocomposite was synthesized by a sol gel process combined with electrodeposition method. Its electrocatalytic activity towards methanol oxidation was investigated at room temperature using cyclic voltammetry(CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy(EIS) and current density time curve. It is found that the resultant Pt-Co_3O_4 catalysts with minute amount of Pt exhibite attractive electrocatalytic activity for methanol oxidation reaction(MOR) but with a high resistance CO poisoning due to the synergistic effects from Pt and Co_3O_4. Together with the low manufacturing cost of Co_3O_4, the reported nanostructured Pt-Co_3O_4 catalyst is expected to be a promising electrode material for direct methanol fuel cells(DMFC).

Stress sensitivity of coal reservoir and its impact on coalbed methane production in the southern Qinshui Basin, north China

Stress sensitivity has significant negative effects on the permeability and production of coalbed methane(CBM)reservoirs.To effectively minimize these negative effects,the degree of stress sensitivity during the CBM production process should be carefully studied.In this work,the curvature of the stress-sensitivity curve was adopted to explore the degree of stress sensitivity,dividing the stress-sensitivity curve and the drainage process into five stress stages:sharp decrease,rapid decrease,low-speed decrease,slower decrease and harmless with four critical stress points—transition,sensitivity,relief and harmless.The actual stages were determined by the initial permeability,stress-sensitivity coefficient and difference between the reservoir pressure and desorption pressure.The four critical stress points did not completely exist in the stress-sensitivity curve.With an increase in the initial permeability of coal,the number of existing critical stresses increases,leading to different gas-water drainage strategies for CBM wells.For reservoirs with a certain stress-sensitivity coefficient,the permeability at the sensitive stress point was successively greater than that at the transition,relief and the harmless stresses.When the stress-sensitivity coefficient is different,the stage is different at the beginning of drainage,and with an increase in the stress-sensitivity coefficient,the decrease rate of the permeability increases.Therefore,the stress-sensitivity coefficient determines the ability to maintain stable CBM production.For well-fractured CBM reservoirs,with a high stress-sensitivity coefficient,permeability damage mainly occurs when the reservoir pressure is less than the relief stress;therefore,the depressurization rate should be slow.For CBM reservoirs with fewer natural fractures,the reverse applies,and the depressurization rate can be much faster.The higher the difference between the reservoir and desorption pressures,the higher the effective stress and permeability damage after desorption,resulting in a much longer drainage time and many difficulties for the desorption of coalbed methane.The findings of this study can help better understand and minimize the negative effects of stress sensitivity during the CBM production process.

Geology,Mineralogy,and Isotopic Characteristics of the Zhonghe Ag-Pb-Zn Deposit,Western Henan Province,Central China

Located in Luoning County,western Henan Province,Central China,the Zhonghe Ag-Pb-Zn ore field,is a newly discovered deposit in the Xiaoshan District.Ore bodies controlled by NNW Faults occur as veins within the Paleoproterozoic Xiong’er Group or the Early Cretaceous porphyritic granite.Given that the Zhonghe deposit has been covered by thick Quaternary sediments,the paragenetic mineral assemblage was determined mainly by microscopic observations,including the quartzsiderite-pyrite alteration (StageⅠ),polymetallic sulfide precipitation (StageⅡ),silver mineralization(Stage Ⅲ),and quartz-carbonate stage (StageⅣ).The host minerals for silver are diverse,such as freibergite,pyrargyrite,polybasite,argyrodite,canfieldite,argentite,and native silver,whereas those for Pb and Zn are galena and sphalerite,respectively.In order to constrain the ore-forming components of the Zhonghe deposit,a combined in-situ analysis was conducted on represented sulfides from StageⅡand Stage Ⅲ.In-situ δ^(34)S values of the analyzed sulfides,including the pyrite,chalcopyrite,sphalerite,and galena,display a relatively narrow range (0.90‰-5.0‰),which is close to magmatic sulfur source.The ^(206)Pb/^(204)Pb and^(207)Pb/^(204)Pb ratios show a narrow range (17.140-17.360 and 15.385-15.490),whereas the ^(208)Pb/^(204)Pb ratios exhibit a broad variation (36.601-37.943),indicating a contamination of the Xiong’er Group.Synthesis of geochronological and geochemical data from the Xiaoshan District,we contend that the ore-forming materials of the Zhonghe Ag-Pb-Zn deposit are originated from the lower crust,which has presumably been influenced by the large-scale lithospheric delamination of the eastern North China Craton during the Early Cretaceous.In consideration of the geological setting,mineralogy,and geochemical compositions,we suggest that the Zhonghe Ag-Pb-Zn deposit is characterized as intermediate sulfidation type epithermal deposit,and may be a potential exploration target for porphyry Mo-Cu deposits.

Enhanced monopole transition strength from the cluster decay of ^(13)C

The inelastic excitations and cluster decay of ^(13)C have been measured using the reaction,9Be(^(13)C, ^(13)C* →~9Be + α)~9Be. We observe strong excitation to the 14.3-MeV(1/2-) resonant state from the cluster-decay channel, leading to an enhanced monopole matrix element of(6.3 ± 0.6) fm^2. This large cluster-related monopole strength is a clear indication of the cluster-structure domination of this state and is consistent with the recent prediction of the orthogonality condition model(OCM). It would be interesting to further explore the three-center molecular rotational band that is initiated from the observed band-head.