Germanium samples were implanted with a splitting dose of 5 x 10(16) H(2)(+) cm(-2) at 180 keV and a two-step anneal was performed. Surface roughness and x-ray diffraction pattern

measurements, combined with cross-sectional TEM analysis of hydrogen-implanted Selleck AMN-107 germanium samples were carried out in order to understand the exfoliation mechanism as a function of the thermal budget. It is shown that the first anneal performed at low temperature (<= 150 degrees C for 22 h) enhances the nucleation of hydrogen platelets significantly. The second anneal is performed at 300 degrees C for 5 min and is shown to complete the exfoliation process by triggering the formation of extended platelets. Two key results are highlighted: (i) in a reduced thermal budget approach, the transfer of hydrogen-implanted germanium is found to follow a mechanism similar to the transfer of hydrogen-implanted InP and GaAs, (ii) such a low thermal

budget (<300 degrees C) is found to be suitable for directly bonded heterogeneous substrates, such as germanium bonded to silicon, where different thermal expansion coefficients are involved. SB273005 clinical trial (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3326942]“
“Among numerous emerging systemic inflammatory biomarkers for atherosclerotic disease and coronary heart disease in particular, experimental and epidemiologic data suggest that enzymes of the superfamily

of phospholipase A(2), especially secretory phospholipase A(2) and lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A(2), represent promising candidates. Owing to their ability to hydrolyze the ester bonds of phospholipid molecules, yielding the generation of potent proinflammatory and proatherogenic molecules such as GS-7977 lysophosphatidylcholine and oxidized free fatty acids, lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A(2) and secretory phospholipase A(2) could represent a link between lipid metabolism and inflammatory response, and might be directly involved in atherosclerotic plaque development and progression. Current research focuses on their potential role to aid in risk stratification as a possible surrogate marker of atherosclerosis and, since specific inhibitors of the enzymes are available, on the inhibition of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A(2) and secretory phospholipase A(2), which may represent a novel strategy to decrease residual risk in patients with a large atherosclerotic burden.”
“We have explored defect annealing in radiation damaged silicon in a regime characterized by defect clusters and higher doping. Several types of pnp and npn Si bipolar transistors have been irradiated with ions and neutrons, then isochronally annealed from 300 to 600 K to study the evolution of deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) defect signatures.