Quartz Plate Research Articles

Analysis of coatings with Al and Si additives for high-temperature oxidation of steel

The article presents an analysis of the influence of aluminum (Al) and silicon (Si) coating additions on the process of high-temperature oxidation of steel. After high-temperature oxidation of coatings deposited on steel substrates, the oxidation was carried out in an air atmosphere at 800C for 20 hours. The samples were oxidized on one side, i.e. they were placed on a quartz plate during the test. After oxidation, the unit mass increase of the samples was measured using a laboratory scale with an accuracy of 0.00001 g. It was examined how the addition of these elements affects the formation of protective oxide layers that limit corrosion at elevated temperatures. Aluminum contributes to the formation of stable aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) layers, while silicon supports the formation of silicon oxide (SiO₂). Both oxides act as protective barriers, reducing the penetration of oxygen into the material, which slows down its degradation. The appropriate concentration of these admixtures improves the steel's resistance to oxidation without significantly impairing its mechanical properties. The article emphasizes the importance of appropriate selection of Al and Si content to increase the durability of steel in high-temperature operating conditions.

Parameters of Collision and Adhesion Process Between a Rising Bubble and Quartz in Long-Chain Amine Solution and Their Correlation with Flotation

The successful adhesion of air bubbles to mineral particles is the crucial to flotation technology. This paper systematically investigates the parameters variation in the dynamic interaction process between a rising bubble and a quartz plate in long-chain amine solutions (dodecylamine, tedecylamine, and octadecylamine). The results show that the type and concentration of long-chain amine affected the collision and adhesion process between bubbles and quartz plates remarkably. The maximum rebound distance (rebound distance after the first collision) of bubbles and the stable-state liquid film thickness gradually decreases with the increase of reagent concentration. Additionally, the collision-rebound duration and induction time shorten accordingly, the surface tension of the solution decreases, the surface hydrophobicity of quartz increases, and the deformation degree and average movement velocity of bubbles decrease. With the increase in carbon chain length, the adsorption form of the amine collector and quartz surface becomes closer to vertical, and the density of water molecules decreases. The recovery of quartz particles is highest with octadecylamine systems, corresponding well with the changing trend in steady-state liquid film thickness. This research provides an effective method for in-depth analysis of the microscopic interaction mechanism between bubbles and mineral surfaces and the prediction of flotation results.

Decontamination of Fused-Silica Surfaces by UVC Irradiation as Potential Application on Touchscreens.

The contamination of surfaces by antibiotic-resistant pathogens presents an escalating challenge, especially on touchscreens in public settings such as hospitals, airports, and means of transport. Traditional chemical cleaning agents are often ineffective and leave behind harmful residues. Thus, the application of optical radiation is gaining relevance as a rapid, effective, and environmentally friendly disinfection method. This study examines the contamination of publicly accessible touchscreens and the efficacy of an irradiation approach for the radiation disinfection of microorganisms on quartz surfaces with UVC LEDs. In this setup, the LED radiation is laterally coupled into a quartz plate that serves as cover glass of a simplified touchscreen model. The process allows for the irradiation of microorganisms on the surface, without the user being exposed to hazardous radiation. To assess the efficacy of the disinfection process, a range of bacteria, mostly ESKAPE surrogates, such as Staphylococcus carnosus, Acinetobacter kookii, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus mundtii, and additionally Micrococcus luteus, were spread over a quartz plate with a homebuilt nebulization system. After operating the side-mounted LEDs for 30 s, a reduction in all bacteria except M. luteus by more than three orders of magnitude was observed. In the case of M. luteus, a significant reduction was achieved after 60 s (p < 0.05). This result demonstrates the potential of side-mounted UVC LEDs for rapid disinfection of touchscreens between two users and thus for reducing the spread of pathogens without irradiating humans.

An Energy Approach to the Modal Identification of a Variable Thickness Quartz Crystal Plate

The primary objective of modal identification for variable thickness quartz plates is to ascertain their dominant operating mode, which is essential for examining the vibration of beveled quartz resonators. These beveled resonators are plate structures with varying thicknesses. While the beveling process mitigates some spurious modes, it still presents challenges for modal identification. In this work, we introduce a modal identification technique based on the energy method. When a plate with variable thickness is in a resonant state of thickness–shear vibration, the proportions of strain energy and kinetic energy associated with the thickness–shear mode in the total energy reach their peak values. Near this frequency, their proportions are the highest, aiding in identifying the dominant mode. Our research was based on the Mindlin plate theory, and appropriate modal truncation were conducted by retaining three modes for the coupled vibration analysis. The governing equation of the coupled vibration was solved for eigenvalue problem, and the modal energy proportions were calculated based on the determined modal displacement and frequency. Finally, we computed the eigenvalue problems at different beveling time, as well as the modal energies associated with each mode. By calculating the energy proportions, we could clearly identify the dominant mode at each frequency. Our proposed method can effectively assist engineers in identifying vibration modes, facilitating the design and optimization of variable thickness quartz resonators for sensing applications.

Research on grinding parameter optimization based on adhesive semiconductor quartz disc

Abstract To study the influence of grinding parameters on the grinding force of semiconductor quartz disc based on the adhesive clamping method, an orthogonal experiment was designed to investigate the impact of grinding parameters on the grinding force. Based on the orthogonal test data, the influencing factors and parameter optimization of the grinding force are developed. The experimental results show that the order of influence of grinding parameters on the X-axis is feed speed &gt; spindle speed &gt; grinding depth, the sequence of effect on the grinding force in the Y-axis is grinding depth &gt; feed speed &gt; spindle speed, and the order of influence on the grinding force in Z-axis is grinding depth &gt; spindle speed &gt; feed speed. Therefore, using a higher spindle speed, a lower feed rate and a shallower grinding depth can play a role in reducing the grinding force. By improving the grinding parameters, the stability of quartz plate grinding based on adhesive technology is verified. It is found that adhesive is a more reliable clamping method, which ensures the processing quality of quartz plate and improves the working efficiency.

Mono and binuclear Pt(II) complexes incorporated with NHC ligands: syntheses, photophysical properties, and acid vapor responses

Three mononuclear complexes (PtL1H, PtL2H, and PtL3H) and one binuclear complex (Pt2L1) have here been prepared using the bis-carbene ligand of 1,3-propylene-bis(1,3-dihydro-3-butyl-2H-imidazol-2-ylidene) and one of three rigid planar ligands of dibenzo[f,h]quinoxaline (L1H2), dibenzo[a,c]phenazine (L2H2), and tribenzo[a,c,i]phenazine (L3H2). These four complexes were fully characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), and elemental analyses. Moreover, the two binuclear complexes Pt2L2 and Pt2L3 could not be isolated, but Pt2L3 was isolated and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD). Complexes PtL1H, PtL2H, and Pt2L1 exhibited phosphorescence in N2-degassed dichloromethane (DCM) solution at 563 nm, 656 nm, and 624 nm, respectively. Also, Pt2L1 exhibited triplet emission at 553 nm in a 2 wt% PMMA film, with the highest Ф of 63 % and τ of 23.8 μs. Moreover, complexes PtL1H and Pt2L1 were deposited on quartz plates to monitor formic acid vapor and acetic acid vapor. The plates that were covered with PtL1H exhibited phosphorescent quenching in both formic acid and acetic acid. However, the plates that were covered with Pt2L1 did only show a prompt response to formic acid, but were not sensitive to acetic acid.

The TORCH time-of-flight detector for Upgrade II of the LHCb experiment

The TORCH (Time Of internally Reflected Cherenkov light) detector is proposed for the high-luminosity UpgradeII of the LHCb experiment. The aim of TORCH is to measure time-of-flight with a 15ps resolution per charged-particle, providing particle identification over the momentum range 2–15GeV/c. TORCH is to be located approximately 9.5m downstream of the LHCb interaction point, and comprises 18 modules of highly-polished 1cm-thick quartz plates, each of 250×66cm2. Cherenkov photons, radiated in the quartz, are focused onto an array of fast-timing micro-channel-plate detectors (MCP-PMTs) that each have a pixelation of 8 × 64 within an active area of 5.3×5.3cm2. Test-beam studies have previously shown that a timing resolution better than 100ps per single photon can be achieved on a half-height module. Recent advances in the development of a 16 × 96 pixelated MCP-PMT are described. A full-height module is being developed with a light-weight carbon-fibre support structure. A novel exo-skeleton jigging system is used to bond the optical elements and support each module during installation.

Narrow bandwidth spectral beam combining of cm bar in a short external resonator based on rhombic prism combinations

A novel narrow bandwidth spectral beam combining structure of cm bar with a short external resonator based on rhombic prism combinations is proposed and demonstrated. A pair of rhombic prism combinations are employed between the LDA and the transform lens in the external resonator, which consists of a rectangular quartz plate in the middle and two quartz rhombic prisms on either side in opposite orientations in each combination. The beam emitted from a standard cm bar is segmented and rearranged, and spectral beam combining is carried out along the slow axis. A spectral bandwidth of about 5.46 nm is obtained by employing a transform lens with a short focal length of 150 mm, which is only about 1/3 of that of the conventional spectral beam combining, and a narrow spectral bandwidth of 1.14 nm is obtained when a 5x de-magnifying telescope is employed in the above external resonator, the distance between LDA and diffraction grating is 500 mm while that between LDA and output coupler is 650 mm. This novel structure provides a compact external resonator scheme for narrow bandwidth spectral beam combining.

Atomic scale smoothing of nanoscale quartz mold using amorphous carbon films

Abstract Surface roughness control of end products is increasingly becoming significant, especially with the miniaturization trends in the semiconductor industry. Ultra-thin amorphous carbon (a-C) films offer a prime solution to optimize surface roughness due to their outstanding characteristics. In this study, hydrogenated a-C films are deposited on two-dimensional quartz plates and three-dimensional quartz molds to evaluate the growth mechanisms and changes in the surface roughness, which is supported by molecular dynamics simulations. Results reveal that surface roughness encounters multiple variations until it reaches stable values. These fluctuations are categorized into four different stages which provide a concrete understanding of various growing mechanisms at each stage. Different behavior of the atoms in the top layers is recorded in the cases of normal and grazing incidents of carbon atoms. Lower surface roughness values are obtained at low-angle deposition. Interestingly, surface smoothing is attained on the sidewalls of the nanotrench mold where the deposition occurs with high incident ion angles.

Jump and hysteresis of plasma density in the spatial afterglow of inductively coupled plasmas

In this work, jump and hysteresis of plasma density between low-density (LD) and high-density (HD) in the spatial afterglow of inductively coupled plasmas are experimentally studied for different gas discharges. A quartz plate with a micropore is used to independently control the pressures in the active plasma and spatial afterglow. The plasma density jump from LD to HD vs the pressure in the spatial afterglow only exists in a larger micropore diameter. By adjusting the pressure back and forth, a hysteresis loop in plasma density is formed. The light intensity and excitation rate vs the pressure corresponds well to the jump and hysteresis of plasma density. Therefore, the abrupt changes in ionization rate are responsible for the jump and hysteresis of plasma density. Compared with argon discharges, the critical pressure for the jump from LD to HD is higher in nitrogen discharges, forming a larger hysteresis loop. For hydrogen discharges, the jump from LD to HD is less significant and the hysteresis loop almost disappears. In argon–hydrogen mixed gas discharges, there is no hysteresis loop in plasma density. Experimental results obtained using Langmuir double probes and spectrometer achieve qualitative agreement in gas discharges mentioned above.

Fabrication and electrical characterization of carbon coating on a quartz wafer treated with nitrogen ion implantation

This article details the research within the I4Bags project, demonstrating the versatility of low-energy ion implantation protocols as a means to selectively alter the electronic, electrochemical, and electrical properties of thin-film semiconductor batteries. Major goals include increasing gravimetric capacity and improving stability. The current research focuses on the quantitative and qualitative analysis of graphite cathodes, which are then subjected to low-energy ion implantation to transform the solid electrolyte interfacial boundary. The process begins with the formation of carbon coatings by magnetron sputtering on quartz plates, followed by the implantation of nitrogen ions. In this paper, the procedure for obtaining carbon coatings and the application of low energy ion implantation will be presented. These will be verified based on two-dimensional surface resistance maps, which are analyzed in terms of the thickness of the deposited carbon and the changes in electrical structure caused by nitrogen ion implantation.

A nonlinear analysis of electrically forced vibrations of piezoelectric plates with viscous damping near the thickness-shear mode

Based on the theory of nonlinear piezoelectricity, an approximate solution for electrically forced nonlinear thickness-shear vibrations of piezoelectric plates is introduced. The model considers an infinite piezoelectric plate subjected to an alternative voltage, incorporating 3rd-order and 4th-order elastic constants and viscous damping under finite deformation. The system's differential equations for steady-state forced vibrations are derived from the nonlinear pure thickness-shear vibration problem, and transformed so that the new electrical boundary conditions are free. After the application of Galerkin's method, the transformed differential equations lead to a cubic equation, capturing the nonlinear current-frequency curves of AT-cut quartz plates without the need of the quality factor Q, due to the introduced viscous damping. When the damping effect is ignored, the frequency response curves of the AT-cut quartz plate under a specific voltage are confirmed with the existing literature. The study emphasizes the presence of the critical voltage and the importance of the fourth-order elastic constant (c6666) in the stability, revealing lower c6666 values correspond to improved stability. Additionally, a proposed algorithm efficiently determines critical voltages for resonator stability.

Redox behavior of unsubstituted cobalt phthalocyanine in nanostructured Langmuir-Schaefer films

Although the properties of unsubstituted metal tetrapyrroles in solutions have received attention in numerous work, the physico-chemistry of their thin films remains poorly investigated. In this work, we constructed thin films of unsubstituted cobalt phthalocyanine on the surface of quartz plates and indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes using the Langmuir-Schaefer (LS) and drop casting techniques. In LS films, CoPc species are involved in strong intermolecular interactions, which result in formation of CoPc nanostructures and prominent changes in the ultraviolet-visible spectrum. Electrochemical reduction of CoPc in LS films at −0.9 V (versus silver chloride electrode) results in formation of Co(I) species. In contrast to the highly reactive nature of Co(I)Pc in solution, these species generated in thin films are relatively resistant to dioxygen due to the dense packing of CoPc units. These findings can further the development of CoPc-based resistive sensors utilizing not only common Co(II), but also Co(I) species, which may possess different sensitivity toward analytes.

Study of the dielectric properties of decomposing materials during heating

The dielectric properties of materials when heated at ultrahigh frequencies are determined by methods based on the use of waveguide cavity resonators. However, as the sample is in the closed volume during measurements, the dielectric properties of destructive material thus determined can contain errors attributed filling of the resonator volume and depositing products of the sample decomposition on the internal conducting surfaces of the resonator. We present the results of studying the dielectric properties of destructive materials under heating in waveguide resonator cavity using methods that exclude the impact of destruction products on the accuracy of measurement. To reduce the influence of destructive vapors rising from the surface of the sample during the destruction process, additional thin quartz plates, placed on the sample surface were used. In addition, cuvettes with a lid were also used to prevent destruction products from entering the resonator volume. A method for taking into account the effect of plates and cuvettes in calculating the dielectric constant and dielectric loss tangent of a material sample when heated in a cavity resonator is presented. Changes in the dielectric properties of a composite material consisting of quartz fabric impregnated with an aluminochromophosphate binder and fiberglass laminate made of quartz fabric impregnated with a phenol-formaldehyde binder were studied in a temperature range above the onset of the destruction (up to temperatures at which loss of the structural strength of the material is observed). The developed method can be used in studying the thermophysical properties of destructive materials to assess changes in their dielectric characteristics under operation conditions of high-temperature heating.

Construction of multi(iron)porphyrin array multilayers on quartz surface as peroxidase mimetics for H2O2 and glucose colorimetric, fluorometric and color-read detection

Multi(metallo)porphyrin arrays are important artificial biomimetics for mimicking the biological catalytic reactions in nature. Here, we report construction of multi(iron)porphyrin array ultrathin films on the quartz surface by coordination-driven layer-by-layer (LBL) assembling method with the Pd(II) ion as a connector and iron(III) tetrapyridylporphyrin (FeTPyP) as a linker. It is revealed that the (Pd-FeTPyP)n LBL multilayers can catalyze oxidation of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) in the presence of H2O2 with peroxidase-like activity, resulting in the formation of the blue-colored oxidized TMB (oxTMB). Coupled with glucose oxidase, three sensitive probes based on the colorimetric, fluorometric and color-read methods have been developed by using modified quartz plates as the heterogenous catalyst, with a glucose detection limit of about 0.89, 1.5 and 0.65 μM, respectively. Mechanism studies confirm an enhanced affinity between (Pd-FeTPyP)n and H2O2/TMB molecules and an improved catalytic performance, which are attributed to the reason that the FeTPyP macrocycles are well-dispersed and arranged on the two-dimensional quartz surface. Furthermore, owing to chemically anchored on the transparent quartz surface, the (Pd-FeTPyP)n films exhibit good stability with naked-eye observation of color change under moderate conditions, thus providing a potential candidate for developing colorimetric, fluorometric and color-read glucose biosensors.

Design and Experiment of a Slotted Antenna Surface Wave Plasma Flood Gun

In a modern ion implanter, plasma flood gun (PFG) is used to neutralize wafer charge during doping process, preventing the breakdown of floating wafers caused by the space charge accumulation. In order to obtain the PFG which can produce ribbon electron beams with the characteristics of high stability, high plasma density, no metal pollution and long life, studies at Peking University (PKU) are focused on surface wave plasma flood gun (SW-PFG) recently. A 2.45 GHz SW-PFG with a quartz plate and a series of metal slotted antenna arrays was designed and tested. Theoretical studies are carried out to optimize the SW-PFG structural parameters. The quartz plate thickness is determined as 15 mm. The size of the plasma chamber is 280 mm×150 mm×40 mm with a 280 mm×2 mm extraction slit. In the experiment, a relatively uniform argon plasma is obtained under the condition of gas flow rate of 2 sccm and input power of 800 W. In this case, the plasma distribution is studied by emission spectrum diagnosis and 73 mA ribbon electron beam is measured.

Sol-gel synthesis of tetragonal BaTiO3 thin films under fast heating

BaTiO3 thin films with a thickness of 400 nm were prepared by spin coating onto a quartz plate and subsequently calcined at 700 °C. The effect of fast (540 K min−1) and slow (10 K min−1) heating on morphology, unit cell parameter and dielectric constant was studied. Fast heating yields tetragonal BaTiO3 films with a semiconductor band gap of 3.54 eV, dielectric constant of 685 and a surface roughness of 12 nm. In contrast, slow heating produces tetragonal BaTiO3 films with a larger band gap of 3.78 eV, a dielectric constant of 219 and a surface roughness of 35 nm. A kinetic constant of 0.0061 min−1 was obtained in the decomposition of methylene blue with UV light over BTO films at 20 °C.

Sub-nanosecond single mode-locking pulse generation in an intracavity KTP optical parametric oscillator with a few-layer Bi2Te3 topological insulator saturable absorber

By utilizing the ultrasound-assisted liquid phase exfoliation process, Bi2Te3 nanosheets are synthesized and deposited onto a quartz plate to form a saturable absorber (SA), in which nonlinear absorption characteristics around 1 μm are investigated with a home-made Q-switched laser. With the as-prepared Bi2Te3 SA employed, a sub-nanosecond KTiOPO4 (KTP) based intracavity optical parametric oscillator (IOPO) pumped by a dual-loss-modulated Q-switched and mode-locked (QML) laser is successfully realized. With a short duration of sub-nanosecond and a repetition rate of several kilohertz (kHz), the signal wave’s single mode-locking pulse existed underneath a Q-switched envelope can be formed. At an incident pump power of 8.92 W and an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) repetition rate of 2 kHz, a signal wave’s single mode-locking pulse underneath a Q-switching envelope with a measured minimum pulse duration of 520 ps is accomplished. It is the first demonstration of such Bi2Te3 SA utilized in a solid-state QML IOPO laser, to the best of our knowledge. According to the experimental results, this provides an efficient and straightforward approach to acquire sub-nanosecond OPO signal wave pulses. Additionally, the relevant coupled rate equations are established, and the simulation results match the experimental results, revealing the potential of Bi2Te3 as a nanomaterial for optoelectronic applications.

Evaporative Drying Induced Self-Assembly of Epicuticular Wax: A Biomimetic Approach in Tuning Surface Roughness.

Epicuticular wax is an example of a naturally created functional material that forms a layer on the outermost surface of plants with the objective to protect them from adverse environmental conditions, such as UV-solar radiation, uncontrolled water loss, microbial attacks, and so forth. Their functionalities are often attributed to the chemical composition of the wax as well as the physical structuration formed by the wax crystals on the surface. With this work, we present a simple, one-step biomimetic approach to replicate similar surface structures, on model substrate, using wax extracted from Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla wax). First, we describe formation of structured wax due to self-assembly induced by evaporative drying on quartz plates. Subsequently, we highlight the fundamental physical parameters required to tune the surface morphology. Our experiments reveal that it is possible to achieve considerably diverse surface morphologies depending on the solvent properties and deposition temperature. This diversity is due to the kinetics of recrystallization of wax during evaporation of solvent which, in turn, is primarily driven by the solubility of wax as well as evaporation rate of the solvent. Thus, the final morphology that we obtain is an interplay between recrystallization kinetics and solvent evaporation. Additionally, the degree of crystallinity of the structured films could also be tuned by solvent polarity. Surprisingly, X-ray diffraction indicates that the crystalline structure at the molecular level remains similar to that of bulk Candelilla wax. Our results provide fundamental insights into the replication of epicuticular wax films and identification of tuning parameters to obtain different surface morphologies with the same wax material for potential bioinspired multifunctional coatings in cosmetic applications.

Impact of engineered water in modulating the wettability of oil–brine–rock system for improved oil recovery

AbstractLow salinity water injection stands as a progressive method for enhanced oil recovery, representing a current focus of extensive research. Understanding wettability alteration in crude oil is hindered by its intricate nature, posing a challenge for researchers. In order to better understand wettability alteration and underlying phenomena in an oil–brine–rock system, a fundamental study was carried out using pure hydrocarbon (aliphatic: n‐heptane; aromatic: toluene) and crude oil on quartz surface against engineered water consist of monovalent (NaCl) and divalent (MgSO4) salts in various compositions (NaCl:MgSO4: 100:0; NaCl:MgSO4: 0:100; NaCl:MgSO4: 75:25; NaCl:MgSO4: 50:50; NaCl:MgSO4: 25:75). The variables under investigation include temperature (25 to 65°C), pure hydrocarbons (toluene, n‐heptane), crude oil (Indian offshore), and brine (B1 to B5) with concentration (0 to 20,000 ppm). The findings show that when brine solution contains solely NaCl salt at a concentration of 2000 ppm, n‐heptane exhibits a minimum contact angle on quartz plate. Contrarily, toluene exhibits a low contact angle with a brine solution that only contains MgSO4 salt at a concentration of 2000 ppm. The intriguing finding is that when monovalent and divalent salts are equal (NaCl:MgSO4: 50:50) in the brine, crude oil exhibits the smallest contact angle on quartz. Additionally, temperature and contact angle are directly related for all oil types. The optimal brine for achieving the minimum contact angle on quartz surface is (B1)2000 for n‐heptane, (B2)2000 for toluene, and (B4)2000 for crude oil for the current study. The study findings indicate that the alteration in wettability due to brine composition and salinity varies among different oil samples, characterized by purely aliphatic, aromatic, and mixed components, and it depends on the type of salt compositions. Higher salts concentration minimally affects n‐heptane but influences toluene and crude oil contact angles.