Few layer graphene matrix for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

We present the employment of few layer graphene (FLG) as a matrix for the analysis of low molecular weight polymeric compounds using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). The practicality of FLG as a matrix for MALDI experiments is demonstrated by analyzing low molecular weight polymers, polar polyethylene glycol (PEG) of 1000 Da and nonpolar polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) of 650 Da. The high quality MS spectra without low-mass interference signals without any further sampling procedure were acquired.

Temperature-controlled growth of ZnO nanowires and nanoplates in the temperature range 250-300 degrees C.

Starting from a mixture of Zn and BiI3, we grew nanowires and nanoplates on an oxidized Si substrate at relatively low temperatures of 250 and 300 degrees C, respectively. The ZnO nanowires had diameters of approximately 40 nm and grew along the [110] direction rather than the conventional [0001] direction. The nanoplates had thicknesses of approximately 40 nm and lateral dimensions of 3-4 microm. The growth of both the nanowires and nanoplates is dominated by the synergy of vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) and direction conducting. Analysis of photoluminescence spectra suggested that the nanoplates contain more oxygen vacancies and have higher surface-to-volume ratios than the nanowires. The present results clearly demonstrate that the shapes of ZnO nanostructures formed by using BiI3 can be controlled by varying the temperature in the range 250-300 degrees C.

Doping of Si into GaN nanowires and optical properties of resulting composites.

Doping of Si into GaN nanowires has been successfully attained via thermal evaporation in the presence of a suitable gas atmosphere. Analysis indicated that the Si-doped GaN nanowire is a single crystal with a hexagonal wurtzite structure, containing 2.2 atom % of Si. The broadening and the shift of Raman peak to lower frequency are observed, which may be attributed to surface disorder and various strengths of the stress. The band-gap emission (358 nm) of Si-doped GaN nanowires relative to that (370 nm) of GaN nanowires has an apparent blue shift (approximately 12 nm), which can be ascribed to doping impurity Si.