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Notes: Hafnium and zirconium silicate (HfSixOy and ZrSixOy, respectively) gate dielectric films with metal contents ranging from ∼3 to 30 at. % Hf, or 2 to 27 at. % Zr (±1 at. % for Hf and Zr, respectively, within a given film), have been investigated, and films with ∼2–8 at. % Hf or Zr exhibit excellent electrical properties and high thermal stability in direct contact with Si. Capacitance–voltage measurements show an equivalent oxide thickness tox of about 18 Å (21 Å) for a 50 Å HfSixOy (50 Å ZrSixOy) film deposited directly on a Si substrate. Current–voltage measurements show for the same films a leakage current of less than 2×10−6 A/cm2 at 1.0 V bias. Hysteresis in these films is measured to be less than 10 mV, the breakdown field is measured to be EBD∼10 MV/cm, and the midgap interface state density is estimated to be Dit∼1–5×1011 cm−2 eV−1. Au electrodes produce excellent electrical properties, while Al electrodes produce very good electrical results, but also react with the silicates, creating a lower ε layer at the metal interface. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicate that the dielectric films are amorphous silicates, rather than crystalline or phase-separated silicide and oxide structures. TEM shows that these films remain amorphous and stable up to at least 1050 °C in direct contact with Si substrates. © 2000 American Institute of Physics.

Notes: An optical sensor containing polarizing optical components has been constructed to monitor fluorescence anisotropy during polymer processing and to carry out remote sensing of polymer products doped with fluorescent dyes. The sensor is a compact unit that is used to polarize incident excitation light as well as to analyze the polarization of generated fluorescent light. Optical fibers are used to carry light between the sensor head and the light source and detecting equipment. The anisotropy measurement yields information about the orientation of a fluorescent dye molecule that has been doped into polymer matrix. Fluorescent dyes that have geometrical asymmetry in their molecular structure are used. Experiments are described for which the sensor is positioned in line during extrusion, during specimen extension, and where the sensor is used to carry out area scans of films and sheets. Measurements were made on polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polybutadiene resins that contained a low concentration of fluorescent dye.

Notes: In this study we examine whether stabilization of denuded coastal foredunes in southeastern Australia with the exotic grass species Ammophila arenaria (marram grass) restores plant and ground-active arthropod assemblages characteristic of undisturbed foredunes. Vascular plants and arthropods were sampled from foredunes that had been stabilized with marram grass in 1982, and from foredunes with no obvious anthropogenic disturbance (control dunes). All arthropods collected were sorted to Order, and ants (81.5% of all specimens) were further sorted to morphospecies. Abundance within arthropod Orders, as well as richness, composition, and structure of the plant and ant assemblages from control and stabilized dunes, were compared. The abundance of Diptera was significantly greater on stabilized dunes, while the abundance of Isopoda was significantly greater on control dunes. There were no significant differences in morphospecies richness or composition of ant assemblages on the two dunes types, although some differences in the abundances of individual morphospecies were observed. By contrast, stabilized dunes exhibited lower plant species richness and highly significant differences in plant species composition, due mainly to the large projected foliage cover of marram grass. The study revealed that after 12 years, the vegetation composition and structure of stabilized dunes was still dominated by marram grass and, as a result, invertebrate assemblages had not been restored to those characteristic of undisturbed foredunes.

Notes: Objectives 1. To determine the prevalence of endometrial hyperplasia in postmenopausal women taking standard proprietary regimens of sequential oestrogen/progestogen; 2. to determine the effects of nine months treatment with an oral continuous combined regimen of 2 mg 17ß-oestradiol and 1 mg norethisterone acetate (Kliofem [Kliogest outside the UK]; Novo Nordisk, Denmark) on endometrial histology in postmenopausal women.Design An open, prospective study in postmenopausal women.Setting Fifty-four menopause clinics in the UK.Participants 2028 postmenopausal women: 1312 (Group A) taking sequential oestrogen-progestogen hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and 716 (Group B) not taking HRT, were recruited. In Group A, 388 women took preparations containing 10 days of progestogen, 921 had 12 days, and 3 had 13 days per cycle.Methods Endometrial aspiration biopsies were taken towards the end of a three-month run-in period (Group A) or at study entry (Group B), before administration of the continuous combined HRT regimen. Biopsies were repeated at the end of the nine month treatment period.Main outcome measure Endometrial histology.Results Initial endometrial biopsy data were available for 1106 women in Group A, who by the time of endometrial investigation had been taking HRT for a median duration of 2.56 years (5th to 95th centiles: 0.77 to 8.49 years). Data were available for 661 untreated women, who had no bleeding and had not taken HRT within the last year (Group B). Complex hyperplasia was found in 59 women (5.3%), and atypical hyperplasia in a further eight (0.7%) in Group A. In Group B there were no cases with complex hyperplasia, but one woman showed atypical hyperplasia (0.2%). At the end of the nine months of continuous combined therapy there was no case of hyperplasia among 1196 biopsies (upper 95% confidence limit of risk 0.31%) in women completing the study. Within this Group all of the women with complex hyperplasia arising during previous sequential HRT and who completed the study (n= 38) reverted to normal endometrial patterns. There was no case of endometrial carcinoma during the study.Conclusions Despite taking standard regimens of sequential HRT containing at least 10 days of progestogen, there was a 5.3% prevalence of complex endometrial hyperplasia, and a 0.7% prevalence of atypical hyperplasia. However, continuous combined HRT (Kliofem) containing daily progestogen is not associated with an increased risk of hyperplasia and will convert the endometrium to normal in those with complex hyperplasia arising during previous sequential HRT.

Notes: Abstract Ice particles found within polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) and upper tropospheric cirrus clouds can dramatically impact the chemistry and climate of the Earth's atmosphere. The formation of PSCs and the subsequent chemical reactions that occur on their surfaces are key components of the massive ozone hole observed each spring over Antarctica. Cirrus clouds also provide surfaces for heterogeneous reactions and significantly modify the Earth's climate by changing the visible and infrared radiation fluxes. Although the role of ice particles in climate and chemistry is well recognized, the exact mechanisms of cloud formation are still unknown, and thus it is difficult to predict how anthropogenic activities will change cloud abundances in the future. This article focuses on the nucleation, chemistry, and microphysical properties of ice particles composing PSCs and cirrus clouds. A general overview of the current state of research is presented along with some unresolved issues facing scientists in the future.

Notes: Results are presented of a study of the UV photofragmentation patterns of the doubly charged complexes [Cu.(pyridine)n]2+ and [Ag.(pyridine)n]2+ for n=4–7. The two systems behave very differently, with Ag(II) being dominated by the presence of charge transfer products at small values of n. This ease of reduction of Ag(II) can be equated to behavior seen in the condensed phase. At all values of n both types of complex display a remarkable tendency to fragment to the most stable configuration, which can correspond to either a singly or doubly charged ion. © 2000 American Institute of Physics.

Notes: Rate constants and branching ratios have been measured for the reactions of N2+ with CO2 and SO2 in a high-temperature flowing afterglow from 300–1400 K. The rate constants have also been measured as a function of kinetic energy in a selected ion flow drift tube at 298 K for the reaction of N2+ with CO2. The rate constants for the reaction of N2+ with CO2 in the selected ion flow drift tube (SIFDT) and high temperature flowing afterglow (HTFA) both decrease monotonically with increasing energy. The rate constants at high temperatures have a large fraction of the available energy in internal energy (rotational and vibrational). Compared to the SIFDT rate constants with most of the energy in translation, internal energy hinders the reactivity more than translational energy. The rate constants for the reaction of N2+ with SO2 also decrease with increasing energy up to around 0.4 eV. The rate constants increase above 0.4 eV when an endothermic dissociative charge-transfer channel forming SO+ becomes important. Comparing the HTFA results with previous flow drift tube measurements shows that translational, rotational, and vibrational energy affect the reactivity identically at low energy where the SO2+ channel dominates. It appears that N2+ vibrational excitation is mainly responsible for the SO+ channel, consistent with a previous study. The results for the N2+ reactions are compared to the energetically similar reactions of Ar+ with CO2 and SO2. © 2000 American Institute of Physics.