Abstract: The invention relates to carbon surfaces modified with one or more azide groups. The invention also relates to methods of modifying carbon surfaces with one or more azide groups.

Abstract: A photoelectrochemical regenerative photovoltaic cell is provided that includes an electrode structure having a semiconductor photoelectrode layer, and a pinhole-free metal oxide layer disposed on the semiconductor photoelectrode layer forming the electrode structure, where the pinhole-free metal oxide layer is less than 10 nm in thickness, where the thickness of the pinhole-free metal oxide layer protects the semiconductor photoelectrode layer from i) oxidation, ii) dissolution, or i) and ii) when in contact with an electrolyte solution, where the pinhole-free metal oxide layer has a band gap that is transparent to solar radiation and provides band offsets that permit facile electron or hole transport between the electrolyte solution and the semiconducting photoelectrode.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure include an anode, devices and systems including the anode (e.g., electrochemical devices and photo-electrochemical devices), methods of using the anode, methods of producing H2 and O2 from H2O, Cl2, oxidixed organic feedstocks, oxidation for the detection and quantification of chemical species, and the like.

Abstract: The invention relates to carbon surfaces modified with one or more azide groups. The invention also relates to methods of modifying carbon surfaces with one or more azide groups.

Abstract: A silicon wafer having microscopic defects is immersed into the diluted hydrofluoric acid with spiking metal salt such as CuSO4.5H2O for 1 to 3 minutes. After immersing, metals which have selectively deposited on the microscopic defects are detected by using particle counters.

Abstract: A method for producing a molecular layer of a selected molecular moiety (44) on a silicon surface (40) is provided in which a silicon surface (10) is etched to form a hydrogenated silicon surface and combined with a free radical-producing compound, where the free radical produced by the free radical-producing compound corresponds to the selected molecular moiety (44). The combined silicon surface and free radical-producing compound is then heated to sufficient temperature to initiate reaction between the free radical-producing compound and the hydrogenated silicon surface.

Abstract: This invention embodies an optical medium which consists of polar, multi-monomolecular layers of organic dye molecules with a net polar orientation, considerable second order optical nonlinearity, and excellent thermal stability. The medium is prepared by repeated sequential depositions on a surface of multivalent metal ions, e.g. Zr.sup.4+, and organic dyes terminated with an acidic functionality, e.g. a phosphonic acid, followed by activation of the surface for the next deposition sequence. The monolayers are deposited in the form of a multilayer film containing up to 1000 or more monolayers. The monolayers are deposited from liquid solutions; therefore they may be deposited on substrates having diverse topography and configurations. Second harmonic generation (SHG) analysis establishes that the multilayers have uniform polar order which does not decrease with increasing numbers of monolayers in the film.

Abstract: This invention embodies an optical medium which consists of polar, multi-monomolecular layers of organic dye molecules with a net polar orientation, considerable second order optical nonlinearity, and excellent thermal stability. The medium is prepared by repeated sequential depositions on a surface of multivalent metal ions, e.g. Zr.sup.4+, and organic dyes terminated with an acidic functionality, e.g. a phosphonic acid, followed by activation of the surface for the next deposition sequence. The monolayers are deposited in the form of a multilayer film containing up to 1000 or more monolayers. The monolayers are deposited from liquid solutions; therefore they may be deposited on substrates having diverse topography and configurations. Second harmonic generation (SHG) analysis establishes that the multilayers have uniform polar order which does not decrease with increasing numbers of monolayers in the film.

Abstract: Transition-metal-coated metallic elements, such as electrical contacts, are protected from corrosion by a novel surface treatment. In one embodiment, the treatment involves application of a phosphonate solution, optionally preceded by application of a chromatic solution phosphonate.