We measured the elastic properties and intrinsic breaking strength of free-standing monolayer graphene membranes by nanoindentation in an atomic force microscope. The force-displacement behavior is interpreted within a framework of nonlinear elastic stress-strain response, and yields second- and third-order elastic stiffnesses of 340 newtons per meter (N m(-1)) and -690 Nm(-1), respectively. The breaking strength is 42 N m(-1) and represents the intrinsic strength of a defect-free sheet. These quantities correspond to a Young's modulus of E = 1.0 terapascals, third-order elastic stiffness of D = -2.0 terapascals, and intrinsic strength of sigma(int) = 130 gigapascals for bulk graphite. These experiments establish graphene as the strongest material ever measured, and show that atomically perfect nanoscale materials can be mechanically tested to deformations well beyond the linear regime.

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Measurement of the Elastic Properties and Intrinsic Strength of Monolayer Graphene

The semiconductor ZnO has gained substantial interest in the research community in part because of its large exciton binding energy (60meV) which could lead to lasing action based on exciton recombination even above room temperature. Even though research focusing on ZnO goes back many decades, the renewed interest is fueled by availability of high-quality substrates and reports of p-type conduction and ferromagnetic behavior when doped with transitions metals, both of which remain controversial. It is this renewed interest in ZnO which forms the basis of this review. As mentioned already, ZnO is not new to the semiconductor field, with studies of its lattice parameter dating back to 1935 by Bunn [Proc. Phys. Soc. London 47, 836 (1935)], studies of its vibrational properties with Raman scattering in 1966 by Damen et al. [Phys. Rev. 142, 570 (1966)], detailed optical studies in 1954 by Mollwo [Z. Angew. Phys. 6, 257 (1954)], and its growth by chemical-vapor transport in 1970 by Galli and Coker [Appl. Phys. ...

/pdf/a-comprehensive-review-of-zno-materials-and-devices-21a3zjadem.pdf

A comprehensive review of zno materials and devices

A quantal system in an eigenstate, slowly transported round a circuit C by varying parameters R in its Hamiltonian Ĥ(R), will acquire a geometrical phase factor exp{iγ(C)} in addition to the familiar dynamical phase factor. An explicit general formula for γ(C) is derived in terms of the spectrum and eigenstates of Ĥ(R) over a surface spanning C. If C lies near a degeneracy of Ĥ, γ(C) takes a simple form which includes as a special case the sign change of eigenfunctions of real symmetric matrices round a degeneracy. As an illustration γ(C) is calculated for spinning particles in slowly-changing magnetic fields; although the sign reversal of spinors on rotation is a special case, the effect is predicted to occur for bosons as well as fermions, and a method for observing it is proposed. It is shown that the Aharonov-Bohm effect can be interpreted as a geometrical phase factor.

Quantal phase factors accompanying adiabatic changes

Conventional optical components rely on gradual phase shifts accumulated during light propagation to shape light beams. New degrees of freedom are attained by introducing abrupt phase changes over the scale of the wavelength. A two-dimensional array of optical resonators with spatially varying phase response and subwavelength separation can imprint such phase discontinuities on propagating light as it traverses the interface between two media. Anomalous reflection and refraction phenomena are observed in this regime in optically thin arrays of metallic antennas on silicon with a linear phase variation along the interface, which are in excellent agreement with generalized laws derived from Fermat’s principle. Phase discontinuities provide great flexibility in the design of light beams, as illustrated by the generation of optical vortices through use of planar designer metallic interfaces.

http://www.zenogaburro.it/papers/LightPropagation.pdf

Light Propagation with Phase Discontinuities: Generalized Laws of Reflection and Refraction

We present a comprehensive, up-to-date compilation of band parameters for the technologically important III–V zinc blende and wurtzite compound semiconductors: GaAs, GaSb, GaP, GaN, AlAs, AlSb, AlP, AlN, InAs, InSb, InP, and InN, along with their ternary and quaternary alloys. Based on a review of the existing literature, complete and consistent parameter sets are given for all materials. Emphasizing the quantities required for band structure calculations, we tabulate the direct and indirect energy gaps, spin-orbit, and crystal-field splittings, alloy bowing parameters, effective masses for electrons, heavy, light, and split-off holes, Luttinger parameters, interband momentum matrix elements, and deformation potentials, including temperature and alloy-composition dependences where available. Heterostructure band offsets are also given, on an absolute scale that allows any material to be aligned relative to any other.

Band parameters for III–V compound semiconductors and their alloys

The paper attempts to relate four recent sets of measurements on the flow laws of ice: (1) Glen’s laboratory compression tests, (2) Gerrard, Perutz & Roch’s pipe experiment on the Jungfraufirn, (3) measurements of contraction rate in a tunnel in Skauthoe Glacier by McCall, and (4) measurements of contraction rate in tunnels in the Z’Mutt and Arolla Glaciers reported by Haefeli & Kasser. When they are analyzed within the framework of a general flow theory, satisfactory agreement is found between all these results, with one exception: the reported rate of collapse of the Arolla tunnel is faster than would be given by the present theory. The paper includes the theory of the slow collapse of a cylindrical or a spherical hole in a medium showing non-Newtonian viscosity.

The Flow Law of Ice from Measurements in Glacier Tunnels, Laboratory Experiments and the Jungfraufirn Borehole Experiment

A block of ice resting upon a rough slope forms a theoretical model of a glacier or an ice-sheet, the sides of the glacier valley being ignored. Previous papers have described two types of steady flow in this model: ( a ) laminar flow, in which the longitudinal velocity gradient r is zero, and ( b ) extending or compressive flow, in which r is non-zero, ( a ) was derived under the assumption of a general flow law for ice, but ( b ) was only derived under the assumption of perfect plasticity. In the present paper a general flow law is used throughout, and the equations for steady flow, with r allowed to be non-zero, are found. The previous results ( a ) and ( b ) appear as special cases. Possible variations of density, temperature or flow law with depth are allowed for. If the density and the flow law are known as functions of depth in any region, and if the surface slope, the surface velocity, and the value of r are known, the equations give the stresses and velocity as functions of depth. The borehole experiment on the Jungfraufirn (1948-50) allows an experimental test. From the observed value of r , and Glen’s laboratory flow law for ice, a theoretical curve for the result of the experiment is calculated which is compared with the experimental curve. At a depth of 50 m the effect of ignoring r , as has been done hitherto, is to underestimate the shear rate by a factor of 50; on the present theory it is overestimated by a factor of 1∙33. The remaining discrepancy is probably mainly due to the effect of the glacier sides.

The Distribution of Stress and Velocity in Glaciers and Ice-Sheets

Numerical solutions are found for the steady rectilinear flow of ice, obeying Glen’s non-linear flow law, down uniform cylindrical channels of rectangular, semi-elliptic and parabolic cross-section. The results are also directly applicable to the pumping of a non-Newtonian fluid down a pipe. There is assumed to be no slip of the ice on the channel surface. Certain results on the centre-line velocity in symmetrical channels may be derived purely from dimensional and symmetry principles. An analytical solution due to Dr. W. Chester is given for a semi-elliptic channel section which departs only slightly from a semi-circle. Contrary to a view sometimes held, the maximum shear stress at the ice surface in a parabolic channel and in some elliptical channels does not always occur at the edge. With the flow law, strain-rate proportional to (stress)3, the velocity averaged across the ice surface, which is easily measured with a line of stakes, is close to the average velocity over the whole section for a wide range of parabolic sections; the hydrological importance of this result is that the discharge may be inferred without the need to measure the velocity at depth. Arguments are given to show that the result still holds when there is slipping on the bed and when the power in the flow law differs somewhat from 3, Depending on the amount of bed slip and the shape of the channel section, the kinematic wave velocity for a range of parabolic channels is between 2.0 and 2.3 times the centre-line velocity of the ice, and between 2.0 and 3.5 times the mean surface velocity of the ice.

The flow of a glacier in a channel of rectangular, elliptic or parabolic cross-section

A quantitative study of the mechanical properties of two-dimensional bubble rafts has been made. The elastic properties have been used to check the theory of the interaction of the bubbles, and reasonable agreement is obtained. The plastic properties are the main subject of this paper. Plastic deformation proceeds by the motion of dislocations, and we have taken advantage of the possibility of making absolutely perfect crystalline rafts to study the production of dislocations. They are produced either in pairs in the body of the rafts, or singly from the edges. The shear strain required to produce them varies from 7 degrees for bubbles of 2 mm. diameter to a fraction of a degree for bubbles of less than 0$\cdot $5 mm. diameter. The analogy with metals is best for bubbles of about 1$\cdot $2 mm. diameter; for these the critical shear strain is about 3 degrees. The observed shear strains can be explained in terms of the forces between the bubbles, and so it seems that the very low shear strengths of metallic single crystals cannot be explained in terms of dislocation creation, but must be a consequence of the initial presence of faults of some kind.

A dynamical model of a crystal structure

Prospect. Part 1 Caustics: Natural focusing. Folds and cusps in three dimensions. Caustics of codimension three. Part 2 The wavelength scale: Dislocations in scalar wavefields. Diffraction. Part 3 Higher catastrophes, networks and statistics: Higher caustics as organizing centres. The high catastrophe X^O9. Network patters of catastrophes. Statistics of caustics and twinkling. Generalisation to propagation in a general medium. Part 4 Polarization singularities: Singularities in paraxial electromagnetic waves. Singularities in waves travelling in many directions. Retrospect. References. Index.

John F. Nye

Papers

The Flow Law of Ice from Measurements in Glacier Tunnels, Laboratory Experiments and the Jungfraufirn Borehole Experiment

The Distribution of Stress and Velocity in Glaciers and Ice-Sheets

The flow of a glacier in a channel of rectangular, elliptic or parabolic cross-section

A dynamical model of a crystal structure

Natural focusing and fine structure of light: caustics and wave dislocations