Abstract: We evaluate the use of the thick buried oxide (BOX) of Fully Depleted Silicon-on-Insulator (FD-SOI) transistors for Total Ionizing Dose (TID) measurements in a radiotherapy application. The devices were fabricated with a custom process in UniversitC) Catholique de Louvain (UCL) which allows to make accumulation mode PMOS transistors and inversion mode NMOS transistors. We characterized the temperature behavior of these devices and the response under X-ray radiation produced by an Elekta radiotherapy linear accelerator, and compared the obtained dose sensitivity to other published works. Taking advantage of these devices, an ultra low power MOS ionizing dose sensor, or MOS dosimeter, with inherent temperature compensation is presented. This dosimeter achieved a sensitivity of 154 mV/Gy with a temperature error factor of 13 mGy/°C and a current consumption below 1 nA.

Abstract: The local modification of an insulating GdBa2Cu3O6.5 thin film, made superconducting by illumination with a near-field scanning optical microscope (NSOM), is reported. A 100-nm aperture NSOM probe acts as a sub- wavelength light source of wavelength ?(exc)=480-650 nm, locally generating photocarriers in an otherwise insulating GdBa2-Cu3O6.5 thin film. Of the photogenerated electron-hole pairs, electrons are trapped in the crystallographic lattice, defining an electrostatic confining potential to enable the holes to move. Reflectance measurements at ? = 1.55 ?m at room temperature show that photocarriers can be induced and constrained to move on a ?? 200 nm scale for all investigated ?(exc). Photogenerated wires present a superconducting critical temperature T(c) = 12 K with a critical current density J(c) = 104 A cm-2. Exploiting the flexibility provided by photodoping through a NSOM probe, a junction was written by photodoping a wire with a narrow (? 50 nm) under-illuminated gap. The strong magnetic field modulation of the critical current provides a clear signature of the existence of a Josephson effect in the junction.

Abstract: A recent study of CeTiGe identified this compound as a paramagnetic heavy Fermion system where the full J = 5/2 multiplet is involved in the formation of the ground state. Here we present a preliminary investigation of the dc-magnetization M_dc(H) and of the magnetoresistance ρ(H) of polycrystalline CeTiGe samples in applied magnetic fields up to μ₀H = 14 T. The results reveal a pronounced metamagnetic transition at a critical field μ₀H_c ≈ 13.5 T at low temperatures, with a step like increase in M_dc(H) of at least 0.6 μ_B/Ce. The metamagnetic transition leads to a strong decrease in ρ(H). A clear hysteresis in M_dc(H) and ρ(H) indicate that in CeTiGe these metamagnetic features correspond to a true thermodynamic, first order type transition in contrast to the critical behavior observed in the canonical system CeRu₂Si₂. Measurements at higher temperatures showed a continuous suppression of the metamagnetic transition with increasing T, which vanishes at T ∼ 30 K. © 2010 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Abstract: In CeSc1-xTixGe, Ti-alloying reduces the record-high antiferromagnetic (AFM) ordering temperature found in CeScGe at TN=46K and induces ferromagnetism for x≥0.5. In this work we focus on the AFM side, i.e. Sc-rich samples, and study their thermopower S(T) and magnetoresistance ρ(H,T). The measured S(T) is small in comparison with the thermopower of other Ce-systems and shows some features that are compatible with a weak hybridization between the 4f and band states. This is a further hint pointing to the local character of magnetism in this alloy. Magnetic fields up to 16T have a minor effect on the electrical resistivity of stoichiometric CeScGe. On the other hand, for x=0.65, we find that fields above 4T suppress the hump in ρ(T). Furthermore, the 4.2K magnetoresistance displays a strong decrease in the same field range, also in coincidence with magnetization results from the literature. Our results indicate that ρ(T,H) is a proper tool to assess the H−T phase diagram of this system.