Density functional theory calculations are used to investigate the energetics of protons crossing triple phase boundaries based on a metal catalyst, Pd or Ni, and barium zirconate. Our calculations show that the proton transfer reaction at these interfaces is controlled by the terminal layer of the electrolyte in contact with the metallic and gas phases. The hydrogen spilling process onto the e...

Hyperpolarized K-3He comagnetometers have been used for tests of fundamental physics and inertial rotation sensing. These experiments will demonstrate increased sensitivity if the 3He buffer gas is replaced with 21Ne. We measure the parameters necessary to realize implementation of an alkali-metal–21Ne comagnetometer for two promising alkali-metal species, Rb and K. The spin-exchange rate const...

We report a type of device that combines vertical arrays of one-dimensional (1D) pillar-superlattice (PSL) structures with 2D graphene sheets to yield a class of light emitting diode (LED) with interesting mechanical, optical, and electrical characteristics. In this application, graphene sheets coated with very thin metal layers exhibit good mechanical and electrical properties and an ability t...

Experimental results are presented for temperatures of two metal surfaces in sliding contact. Considerable fluctuations are observed. It is suggested that temperature gradients, set up by irregular heating at the surface, cause local thermal expansion at the areas of contact, thus perpetuating the irregular contact conditions. The system is limited by the wear at the areas of contact which even...

This article focuses on contact electrification from thermodynamic equilibration of the electrochemical potential of the electrons of two conductors upon contact. The contact potential difference generated in bimetallic macro- and nanosystems, the Fermi level after the contact, and the amount and location of the charge transferred from one metal to the other are discussed. The three geometries ...

A Schottky barrier can be formed at the interface between a metal electrode and a semiconductor. The current passing through the metal-semiconductor contact is mainly controlled by the barrier height and barrier width. In conventional nanodevices, Schottky contacts are usually avoided in order to enhance the contribution made by the nanowires or nanotubes to the detected signal. We present a ke...

We describe a method for contact printing metal patterns with nanometer features over large areas. This nanotransfer printing ~nTP! technique relies on tailored surface chemistries to transfer metal films from the raised regions of a stamp to a substrate when these two elements are brought into intimate physical contact. The printing is purely additive, fast ~,15 s contact time!, and it occurs ...

Surface interaction at the worksheet/worksheet interface during resistance spot welding of aluminium alloy 5182 with spherical tip electrodes was investigated. Oxide layer cracking and nugget formation were focused. Both experimental work and finite element analysis were employed to explain the contact behaviour at this interface. It was found that sheet separation and thus bending occurred dur...

We have investigated the influence of a contact etch-stop layer ~ESL! on the local mechanical stress in a deep sub-micrometer complementary metal oxide semiconductor ~CMOS! field-effect transistor using convergent-beam electron diffraction with nanoscale resolution. By introducing a thin buffer layer of SiOxNy underneath the Si3N4 contact ESL, we have shown that the compressive channel strain c...