Disordered RuO2 exhibits two dimensional, low-mobility transport and a metal-insulator transition

The discovery of low-dimensional metallic systems such as high-mobility metal oxide field-effect transistors, the cuprate superconductors, and conducting oxide interfaces (e.g., LaAlO₃/SrTiO₃) has stimulated research into the nature of electronic transport in two-dimensional systems given that the seminal theory for transport in disordered metals predicts that the metallic state cannot exist in two dimensions (2D). In this report, we demonstrate the existence of a metal–insulator transition (MIT) in highly disordered RuO₂ nanoskins with carrier concentrations that are one-to-six orders of magnitude higher and with mobilities that are one-to-six orders of magnitude lower than those reported previously for 2D oxides. The presence of an MIT and the accompanying atypical electronic characteristics place this form of the oxide in a highly diffusive, strong disorder regime and establishes the existence of a metallic state in 2D that is analogous to the three-dimensional case.

Porous Silicon-Based Quantum Dot Broad Spectrum Radiation Detector

Silicon is a convenient and inexpensive platform for radiation detection, but has low stopping power for x-rays and gamma-rays with high energy (e.g., 100 keV, as used in computed tomography and digital radiography, or 1 MeV, as desired for detection of nuclear materials). We have effectively increased the stopping power of silicon detectors by producing a layer of porous or micro-machined silicon, and infusing this layer with semiconductor quantum dots made of electron-dense materials. Results of prototype detectors show sensitivity to infrared, visible light, and x-rays, with dark current of less than 1 nA/mm².

Kinetics, Products, and Stereochemistry of the Reaction of Chlorine Atoms with cis- and trans-2-Butene in 10−700 Torr of N2 or N2/O2 Diluent at 297 K

The reactions of Cl atoms with cis- and trans-2-butene have been studied using FTIR and GC analyses. The rate constant of the reaction was measured using the relative rate technique. Rate constants for the cis and trans isomers are indistinguishable over the pressure range 10-900 Torr of N2 or air and agree well with previous measurements at 760 Torr. Product yields for the reaction of cis-2-butene with Cl in N2 at 700 Torr are meso-2,3-dichlorobutane (47%), DL-2,3-dichlorobutane (18%), 3-chloro-1-butene (13%), cis-1-chloro-2-butene (13%), trans-1-chloro-2-butene (2%), and trans-2-butene (8%). The yields of these products depend on the total pressure. For trans-2-butene, the product yields are as follows: meso-2,3-dichlorobutane (48%), dl-2,3-dichlorobutane (17%), 3-chloro-1-butene (12%), cis-1-chloro-2-butene (2%), trans-1-chloro-2-butene (16%), and cis-2-butene (2%). The products are formed via addition, addition-elimination from a chemically activated adduct, and abstraction reactions. These reactions form (1) the stabilized 3-chloro-2-butyl radical, (2) the chemically activated 3-chloro-2-butyl radical, and (3) the methylallyl radical. These radicals subsequently react with Cl2 to form the products via a proposed chemical mechanism, which is discussed herein. This is the first detailed study of stereochemical effects on the products of a gas-phase Cl+olefin reaction. FTIR spectra (0.25 cm(-1) resolution) of meso- and DL-2,3-dichlorobutane are presented. The relative rate technique was used (at 900 Torr and 297 K) to measure: k(Cl + 3-chloro-1-butene) = (2.1 +/- 0.4) x 10(-10), k(Cl + 1-chloro-2-butene) = (2.2 +/- 0.4) x 10(-10), and k(Cl + 2,3-dichlorobutane) = (1.1 +/- 0.2) x 10(-11) cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1).