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This paper discusses the electronic properties of molecular devices made using covalently bonded molecular layers on carbon surfaces with evaporated silicon top contacts. The Cu "top contact" of previously reported carbon/molecule/Cu devices was replaced with e-beam deposited Si in order to avoid Cu oxidation or electromigration, and provide further insight into electron transport mechanisms. The fabrication and characterization of the devices is detailed, including a spectroscopic assessment of the molecular layer integrity after top contact deposition. The electronic, optical, and structural properties of the evaporated Si films are assessed in order to determine the optical gap, work function, and film structure, and show that the electron beam evaporated Si films are amorphous and have suitable conductivity for molecular junction fabrication. The electronic characteristics of Si top contact molecular junctions made using different molecular layer structures and thicknesses are used to evaluate electron transport in these devices. Finally, carbon/molecule/silicon devices are compared to analogous carbon/molecule/metal junctions and the possible factors that control the conductance of molecular devices with differing contact materials are discussed.

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The investigators have tried to know the awareness and practices of Postgraduate students studying in various streams of education at the University of Balasore, Odisha, India in reducing carbon footprint. In this study investigators used the stratified random sampling method to select the sample consisted of 180 students, comprising both female and male students. In the study data was collected by using Carbon footprint awareness test and Carbon footprint practices scale constructed by the investigators themselves. The findings revealed that more than half of the students had low level of carbon footprint awareness; whereas no significant difference was found between female and male students in their level of carbon footprint awareness; however students who followed different academic courses had varying degrees of awareness of their carbon footprint. The findings also revealed that half of the students had low level of carbon footprint practices and there exists a statistically significant difference in the mean carbon footprint practice scores of postgraduate students from different streams of education. There is a correlation between carbon footprint awareness and carbon footprint practices as viewed by the postgraduate students. Thus, it can be inferred that as the awareness of carbon footprint increases among postgraduate students, their implementation of practices to reduce carbon footprint also increases.