No abstract

A method is presented for patterning polymers with nanoscale gold networks and using the pattern to measure strain in the polymer. A gold film is first coated on a porous alumina template. After coating, the template is impressed into a polymer, and the template is dissolved to leave a continuous metal network on or slightly below the surface of the polymer. The network has a random structure and is electrically conductive and has potential applicability to structural health monitoring. We show that it can be used as a means of measuring deformation through changes in electrical conductivity and continuity and also as a means to measure local material response during controlled loading.

No abstract

Local recombination properties of threading screw and edge dislocations in 4H-SiC epitaxial layers have been studied using electron beam induced current ͑EBIC͒. The minority carrier diffusion length in the vicinity of dislocations was found to vary with dislocation type. Screw dislocations had a more pronounced impact on diffusion length than the edge dislocations, evidencing stronger recombination activity. Temperature dependence of EBIC contrast of dislocations suggests that their recombination activity is controlled by deep energy levels in the vicinity of dislocation cores. This paper shows that the type of dislocation ͑screw or edge͒ can be identified from analysis of EBIC contrast.

No abstract