Provided is a piezoelectric thin film device containing: a first electrode layer; and a piezoelectric thin film. The first electrode layer contains a metal Me having a crystal structure. The piezoelectric thin film contains aluminum nitride having a wurtzite structure. The aluminum nitride contains a divalent metal element Md and a tetravalent metal element Mt. [Al] is an amount of Al contained in the aluminum nitride, [Md] is an amount of Md contained in the aluminum nitride, [Mt] is an amount of Mt contained in the aluminum nitride, ([Md]+[Mt])/([Al]+[Md]+[Mt]) is 36 to 70 atom %. L.sub.ALN is a lattice length of the aluminum nitride in a direction that is approximately parallel to a surface of the first electrode layer with which the piezoelectric thin film is in contact, L.sub.METAL is a lattice length of Me in a direction, and L.sub.ALN is longer than L.sub.METAL.

A chemical mechanical polishing composition for polishing a substrate having a silicon oxygen material comprises, consists of, or consists essentially of a liquid carrier, cubiform ceria abrasive particles dispersed in the liquid carrier, and a cationic polymer having a charge density of greater than about 6 meq/g.

A chemical mechanical polishing composition for polishing a substrate having a silicon oxygen material comprises, consists of, or consists essentially of a liquid carrier, cubiform ceria abrasive particles dispersed in the liquid carrier, and a cationic polymer having a charge density of less than about 6 meq/g.

A chemical mechanical polishing composition for polishing a substrate having a silicon oxygen material includes a liquid carrier, cubiform ceria abrasive particles dispersed in the liquid carrier, and at least one of an anionic compound and a nonionic compound.

A chemical mechanical polishing composition for polishing a substrate having a silicon oxygen material comprises, consists of, or consists essentially of a liquid carrier, cubiform ceria abrasive particles dispersed in the liquid carrier, a self-stopping agent, and a cationic polymer.

A simple approach to produce mixed Cu/Cu.sub.2O nanocrystals having a specific morphology by controlling the reaction temperature during Cu/Cu.sub.2O nanocrystals synthesis. Other variables are kept constant, such as the amount of reactants, while the reaction temperatures is maintained at a predetermined temperature of 70 C., 30 C. or 0 C., which are used to produce different and controlled morphologies for the Cu/Cu.sub.2O nanocrystals. The reaction mixture includes a copper ion contributor, a capping agent, a pH adjustor, and reducing agent. The reaction mixture is held at the predetermined temperature for three hours to produce the Cu/Cu.sub.2O nanocrystals. The synthesis method has advantages such as mass production, easy operation, and high reproducibility.

The present invention relates to a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent, particularly a metal oxide nanoparticle-based T1-T2 dual-mode MRI contrast agent that can be used not only as a T1 MRI contrast agent but also as a T2 MRI contrast agent, and a method for producing the same. The metal oxide nanoparticle-based T1-T2 dual-mode MRI contrast agent can provide more accurate and detailed information associated with disease than single MRI contrast agent by the beneficial contrast effects in both T1 imaging with high tissue resolution and T2 imaging with high feasibility on detection of a lesion.

A lead-free lithium doped potassium sodium niobate piezoelectric ceramic material in powdered form and having a single crystalline phase and uses thereof are described. Methods of making the said piezoelectric ceramic material are also described.

A method for synthesizing ferroelectric nanoparticles comprises introducing solutions of Ba(NO.sub.3).sub.2 (1 mmol) in 5 ml of deionized water, NaOH (12.5 mmol) in 5 ml of deionized water, Ti(IV) n-butoxide (1 mmol) in 5 ml of 1-butanol, 2.5 ml of oleic acid, and 5 ml of 1-butanol into a Teflon-lined autoclave vessel; heating the vessel to 135 C. for 18 h, resulting in barium titanate nanoparticles; and ball-milling the barium titanate nanoparticles in a solution of oleic acid and heptane to create a colloidal suspension of nanoparticles. The weight ratio of barium titanate:oleic acid:heptane is 1:1:20. The ball-milling step may further comprise introducing a slurry comprising 0.1 g of synthesized BaTiO.sub.3 nanocubes, 0.1 g of oleic acid, and 15 mL of heptane into a ball-mill crucible filled with 2 mm ZrO.sub.2 balls; subjecting the slurry to rotation at 500 rpm for 5 hours; converting the resulting nanoparticle suspension to a powder using anhydrous ethanol with sequential washing/drying at ambient temperature.

The present invention provides carbon-based clathrate compounds, including a carbon-based clathrate compound that includes a clathrate lattice with atoms of at least one element selected from the group consisting of carbon and boron as a host cage structure; guest atoms encapsulated within the clathrate lattice; and, substitution atoms that may be substituted for at least one portion of the carbon and boron atoms that constitute the clathrate lattice. In one embodiment, the invention provides a carbon-based clathrate compound of the formula LaB.sub.3C.sub.3.