The influence of long range interparticle correlations on the magnetically induced optical anisotropy in magnetic colloids

In this paper we develop a theoretical model for the magnetically induced optical anisotropy in dense magnetic colloids made of spherical and un-aggregated magnetic monodomain nanoparticles. Both dipole-field and dipole-dipole magnetic and electric interactions between the magnetic monodomain particles are taken into account in the Hamiltonian of the system. Using the pair correlation function in a colloidal suspension of magnetic nanoparticles developed by Ivanov and Kuznetsova (2001) [11], the complex dielectric constant of a magnetic colloid is modeled as a function of the light polarization direction, the magnetic field intensity and magnetic particle concentration and diameter. The two main features of the model are that, on the one hand, it predicts the possibility of magnetically induced optical anisotropy in dense magnetic colloids made of spherical and un-aggregated monodomain nanoparticles, and on the other hand, unlike the existing models for diluted samples, it predicts a non-linear dependence of dichroism and birefringence on magnetic particle concentration.     

Experimental evidence of zero forward scattering by magnetic spheres

Magnetically induced diffraction patterns by micron sized magnetic spheres dispersed in a ferrofluid disappear at a certain critical magnetic field. This critical field is found to depend on the concentration of the ferrofluid and on the volume of the magnetic spheres. We attribute this effect to the zero forward scattering by magnetic spheres as predicted by Kerker, Wang, and Giles [J. Opt. Soc. Am. 73, 765 (1983)]. We suggest that such a dispersion can be used to study the optical analogues of localization of electrons in condensed matter, the Hall effect, and the anisotropic diffusion, etc. The combination of the micron sized magnetic spheres and the ferrofluid will also be useful to design magnetically tunable photonic devices.     

Reciprocity of Faraday effect in ferrofluid: Comparison with magneto-optical glass

The transmission light intensity method is carried out on a classical platform to study the reciprocity of Faraday effect in water-based Fe₃O₄ ferrofluid and its diluents. Setting the polarization direction of the analyzer at an angle of 45° to that of the polarizer, the switchable DC magnetic field and the alternating magnetic field are imposed to ferrofluid. The ferrofluid film is replaced by magneto-optical glass for contrastive experiments. The results indicate that ferrofluid is different with magneto-optical glass. Even though the direction of magnetic field is reversed, the rotation direction of the polarized light does not change for ferrofluid. The theoretical model of magneto-optical rotation was used to describe the origin of the reciprocity of Faraday effect in ferrofluid and the non-reciprocity in magneto-optical glass. These findings suggest that the magnetic moments of nanoparticles in ferrofluid tend to the same orientation with the magnetic field because of the rotation of particles.     

Comparison of light scattering from self assembled array of nanoparticle chains with cylinders

We use a magnetic field to generate array of linear chains of magnetic nanoparticles in a magnetically polarizable nanofluid. The scattered patterns by these chains are described by electromagnetic wave scattering from an infinite cylinder. Comparison of the incident angle dependent scattered patterns from the linear chains of nanoparticles and macroscopic cylinders show a striking similarity. But, unlike the diffraction fringes of different orders observed on the cone of scattered light from macroscopic cylinder, the observed scattered cone from the field induced nanostructures is diffused. The observed optical patterns for micron sized cylinder are a simultaneous manifestation of both scattering and diffraction due to the interaction of light with cylindrical surfaces, whereas for nanoparticle chains it is mainly due to scattering. The diameters of the cylinders are precisely calculated from the best fit on the experimental diffraction intensity pattern. These results are important for better understanding of self assembled nanostructures for applications.     

Modeling and simulation of polarization errors in Sagnac fiber optic current sensor

Sagnac fiber optic current sensor (S-FOCS) is a kind of optical interferometer based on Sagnac structure, optical polarization states of sensing light wave in Sagnac fiber optic current sensor are limited. However, several factors induce optical polarization error, and non-ideal polarized light waves cause the interference signal crosstalk in sensor, including polarizer, quarter-wave retarder, splice angular, birefringence and so on. With these errors, linearly polarized light wave in PM fiber and circularly polarized light wave in sensing fiber become elliptically polarized light wave, then, nonreciprocal phase shift induced by magnetic field of the current is interrupted by wrong polarization state. To clarify characteristics of optical polarization error in fiber optic current sensor, we analyze the evolution process of random optical polarization state, linear optical polarization state and circular optical polarization state in Sagnac fiber optic current sensor by using Poincare sphere, then, build optical polarization error models by using Jones matrix. Based on models of polarization state in Sagnac fiber optic current sensor, we investigate the influence of several main error factors on optical polarization error characteristics theoretically, including extinction ratio in polarizer, phase delay in quarter-wave retarder, splice angular between quarter-wave retarder and polarization maintaining fiber. Finally, we simulate and quantify nonreciprocal phase shift to be detected in fiber optic current sensor related with optical polarization errors. In the end, we demonstrate S-FOCS in test. The results show that transfer matrix errors are induced by inaccurate polarization properties during polarization state conversion, then, the stability and accuracy of the S-FOCS are affected, and it is important to control the polarization properties at each step of the polarization state conversion precisely.     

基于几何遮蔽效应和法拉第旋光效应耦合的磁流体偏振光透过率

根据几何遮蔽效应和法拉第旋光效应耦合原理给出的解析表达式,通过数值模拟计算,研究了磁流体的纵场诱导偏振光透过率及磁流体的浓度、液态介电常量、磁性颗粒磁偶极矩热能比和单位磁性颗粒团聚体所含磁性颗粒数量四个参量的变化对其偏振光透过率的影响.结果表明,磁流体的浓度、液态介电常量和磁性颗粒磁偶极矩热能比对其偏振光透过率有显著影响,低浓度样品的偏振光透过率随着纵向磁场强度的增大而线性增加,而高浓度样品则随着纵向磁场强度的增大呈现振荡变化的特性.在一定范围内,磁流体偏振光透过率随其液态介电常量ε_liquid和磁性颗粒磁偶极矩热能比μ_d/(kT)的变大而增加.而单位磁性颗粒团聚体所含磁性颗粒数量对其偏振光透过率没有影响,磁流体参量依赖的偏振光透过率在低磁场区域和高磁场区域有明显区别.提出了磁流体纵场诱导偏振光透过率在几类光子器件中的可能应用.     

基于几何遮蔽效应和法拉第旋光效应耦合的磁流体偏振光透过率

根据几何遮蔽效应和法拉第旋光效应耦合原理给出的解析表达式,通过数值模拟计算,研究了磁流体的纵场诱导偏振光透过率及磁流体的浓度、液态介电常量、磁性颗粒磁偶极矩热能比和单位磁性颗粒团聚体所含磁性颗粒数量四个参量的变化对其偏振光透过率的影响.结果表明,磁流体的浓度、液态介电常量和磁性颗粒磁偶极矩热能比对其偏振光透过率有显著影响,低浓度样品的偏振光透过率随着纵向磁场强度的增大而线性增加,而高浓度样品则随着纵向磁场强度的增大呈现振荡变化的特性.在一定范围内,磁流体偏振光透过率随其液态介电常量εliquid和磁性颗粒磁偶极矩热能比μd/(kT)的变大而增加.而单位磁性颗粒团聚体所含磁性颗粒数量对其偏振光透过率没有影响,磁流体参量依赖的偏振光透过率在低磁场区域和高磁场区域有明显区别.提出了磁流体纵场诱导偏振光透过率在几类光子器件中的可能应用.     

Light scattering from a magnetically tunable dense random medium with dissipation: ferrofluid

We present a semi-phenomenological treatment of light transmission through and its reflection from a ferrofluid which we regard as a magnetically tunable system of dense random dielectric scatterers with dissipation. Partial spatial ordering is introduced by the application of a transverse magnetic field that superimposes a periodic modulation on the dielectric randomness. This causes Bragg scattering that effectively enhances the scattering due to the disorder alone, and thus reduces the elastic mean free path towards Anderson localization. A theoretical treatment, based on invariant imbedding, gives a simultaneous decrease of the transmission and the reflection without change of incident linear polarisation as the spatial order is tuned magnetically to the Bragg condition, namely the light wave vector being equal to half the Bragg vector (Q). Our experimental observations are in qualitative agreement with these results. We have also given expressions for the transit (sojourn) time of the light, and for the light energy stored in the random medium under a steady illumination. The ferrofluid thus provides an interesting physical realization of effectively a “Lossy Anderson-Bragg” (LAB) cavity with which to study the effect of interplay of the spatial disorder, partial order and the dissipation on light transport. Given current interests in the light propagation, optical limiting and the storage of light in ferrofluids, the present work seems topical.     

Rheological properties of a γ-Fe2O3 paraffin-based ferrofluid

A stable γ-Fe₂O₃ paraffin-based ferrofluid was prepared via high energy milling. The magnetic particles were characterized using X-ray diffraction, dynamic light scattering and vibrating sample magnetometer techniques. The rheological properties of the ferrofluid were studied using a standard rotating rheometer. The magnetoviscous effect and thixotropy in the ferrofluid were studied. The formation and destruction of magnetically induced structures and the interactions of nanoparticles and aggregates are discussed.     

Polydispersity effects on the magnetization of diluted ferrofluids: a lognormal analysis

Based on a lognormal particle size distribution, this paper makes a model analysis on the polydispersity effects on the magnetization behaviour of diluted ferrofluids. Using a modified Langevin relationship for the lognormal dispersion, it first performs reduced calculations without material parameters. From the results, it is extrapolated that for the ferrofluid of lognormal polydispersion, in comparison with the corresponding monodispersion, the saturation magnetization is enhanced higher by the particle size distribution. It also indicates that in an equivalent magnetic field, the lognormally polydispersed ferrofluid is magnetically saturated faster than the corresponding monodispersion. Along the theoretical extrapolations, the polydispersity effects are evaluated for a typical ferrofluid of magnetite, with a dispersity of σ =0.20. The results indicate that the lognormal polydispersity leads to a slight increase of the saturation magnetization, but a noticeable increase of the speed to reach the saturation value in an equivalent magnetic field.     

Synthesis and rheological properties of an iron oxide ferrofluid

A ferrofluid (FF) was synthesized in air using a co-precipitation method. Some rheological properties and magnetoviscous effects of this sample were studied. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used for characterization of the solid particles, and the rheological properties were investigated with a special rheometer with variable magnetic field. Magnetic particles with mean particle size of 10.6 nm were obtained. Rheological results show that the shear thinning behavior in the absence and presence of magnetic field is different from that based fluid behavior. Moreover, contrary to expectation, the magnetoviscous effect showed an initial increase at low shear rates (near 15 s⁻¹) and decrease at higher shear rates. The rheological properties of FF depend on the rearrangement of nanoparticles. In addition, time is an effective factor in the formation and destruction of magnetically induced structures.     

梯度磁场作用下光纤中磁流体光透射特性研究的建模与分析

对光纤中磁流体在梯度磁场作用下的光透射特性进行了研究,提出光纤中磁流体的光透射率变化主要来源于梯度磁场引起的磁流体密度分布变化。根据郎之万函数和流体理论,推导了光纤中磁流体在梯度磁场作用下的密度分布,并根据Beer-Lambert定律,得到磁流体光功率透射衰减和纳米粒子局部密度的关系,从而建立光纤中磁流体在梯度磁场作用下光透射特性的理论模型。进而对光纤中磁流体在不同梯度磁场作用下的光透射功率进行数值分析,得到不同磁场强度和磁场梯度下光纤中磁流体透射功率的变化规律。最后将数值分析的结果和实验数据进行对比,验证了模型的合理性, 同时也验证了梯度磁场作用下磁流体光透射功率的变化主要来源于磁流体密度分布变化的推论。     

On the time evolution of transmittivity in magnetic fluids

When a magnetic fluid is subjected to a magnetic field, a part of the magnetic particles in the fluid agglomerates to form chains. Thus, the ferrofluid becomes optically anisotropic. In this work we describe optically observed patterns in some magnetic fluid films in applied parallel magnetic fields and optical effects of these, especially the optical transmittance. The most interesting experimental observation is that concerning the time dependence of relative transmittivity . For kerosene base ferrofluids relax rapidly at coupling and decoupling magnetic field, but for a transformer-oil magnetic fluid the relaxation times can attain (5–10) minutes, depending on the intensity of applied magnetic field.     

Longitudinal field-induced polarized light transmittance of magnetic fluids

The complete optical transmittance for a polarized light passing through the magnetic fluids is investigated theoretically and experimentally, when the externally magnetic field is applied along the propagation direction of the incident light. Hybrid effects due to the geometric shadowing and Faraday rotation are considered simultaneously. The Langevin-like functions are employed to describe the magnetic-field-dependent volume concentration of the particle-aggregation (φ′) and the approximate number of magnetic nanoparticles in the particle-aggregation (βN₀). Based on the experiments on the geometric shadowing effect of our magnetic fluid sample, the analytical expression for the total transmitted power with externally magnetic field after an analyzer is derived. Theoretical simulations disclose the influence of certain critical parameters of the magnetic fluids on the field-dependent optical transmittance. For the entire polarized light transmittance, qualitative agreement between the calculations and the experiments is achieved. Applications of magnetic fluids to several polarized devices operating in longitudinal field arrangement are proposed and discussed. The results presented in this work may be useful for designing the corresponding magnetic-fluid-based optical devices.     

Two-phase mixture model simulation of the hydro-thermal behavior of an electrical conductive ferrofluid in the presence of magnetic fields

This paper presents a numerical investigation of the hydro-thermal behavior of a ferrofluid (sea water and 4 vol% Fe₃O₄) in a rectangular vertical duct in the presence of different magnetic fields, using two-phase mixture model and control volume technique. Considering the electrical conductivity of the ferrofluid, in addition to the ferrohydrodynamics principles, the magnetohydrodynamics principles have also been taken into account. Three cases for magnetic field have been considered to study mixed convection of the ferrofluid: non-uniform axial field (negative and positive gradient), uniform transverse field and another case when both fields are applied simultaneously. The results indicate that negative gradient axial field and uniform transverse field act similarly and enhance both the Nusselt number and the friction factor, while positive gradient axial field decreases them. It is also concluded that, under the influence of both fields by increasing the intensity of uniform transverse field the effect of non-uniform axial fields decrease.     

Vacuum ultra-violet spectroscopic ellipsometry study of sputtered BeZnO thin films

This paper reports on a systematic investigation of the optical properties of BeZnO thin films fabricated by radio frequency reactive magnetron sputtering technique using vacuum ultraviolet spectroscopic ellipsometry (VUV-SE). The thicknesses and optical constants of the thin films were determined in the wavelength range 138–1650 nm, using VUV-SE through the Tauc–Lorentz and Gaussian models. Refractive indices and extinction coefficients of the thin films were determined to be in the range n = 1.58–1.99 and κ = 1.0 × 10⁻²⁷–0.37, respectively. The absorption coefficient and the optical bandgap energy were then calculated. Measurement of the polarized optical properties reveals a high transmissivity (>90%) and very low absorptivity (<4%) for BeZnO films in the visible and near infrared regions at different angles of incidence. From the angle dependence of the p-polarized reflectivity we deduced a Brewster angle of about 58.5°.     

Experimental investigation of magnetically induced unusual emission of light from a ferrodispersion

An unusual emission of light is observed when a coherent light beam is passed through a mixture of a magnetorheological suspension and a ferrofluid that is subjected to a critical magnetic field. When first the incident light is removed and then the field is switched off, a flash of light is observed. In this Letter certain characteristics of this unusual emission are reported. Our findings suggest that a part of the incident light energy is magnetically trapped within the medium. Upon removal of the field, the same is released. Several physical phenomena that may give rise to such emission are discussed. The magnetically tunable emission will be useful to develop photonic devices.     

Optical bistability at angular incidence in a one-dimensional photonic crystal containing single negative materials

Nonlinear wave propagation is studied theoretically in a one-dimensional photonic band gap structure containing single negative materials. It is found that Kerr nonlinearity is greatly enhanced near the lower edge of a recently explored angular gap for transverse magnetic polarized light. Consequently, optical bistability is achieved at very low values of input intensity in a periodic structure composed of only a few repeating units. The characteristics of optical bistability are affected only slightly with the variation of the incident angle and thickness ratio of the layers. The effect of losses is also found to be relatively insignificant in such a small structure.     

A polarimetric glucose sensor using a liquid-crystal polarization modulator driven by a sinusoidal signal

Rather than using a conventional Faraday modulator, this study adopts a liquid-crystal based rotator to modulate the azimuth of the linear polarized light in a sinusoidal signal for the measurement of glucose concentrations. The tilt angle of the LC director would vary as a sinusoidal-like function; however the modulating frequency in the sensing system is the double of the driving signal. A new signal demodulation algorithm, therefore, is developed that enables the polarization rotation angle corresponding to the glucose concentration to be derived. The standard deviation in rotation angle level of 0.00551° has been obtained, with a 0.998773 correlation coefficient between the reference and the measured values. The proposed measurement method has a minimum resolvable concentration of 0.2 g/dl. Compared to its conventional counterparts, the developed polarimeter potentially has a simpler structure, fewer optical elements, and a cheaper modulator component.     

Laser-polarization-dependent and magnetically controlled optical bistability in diamond nitrogen-vacancy centers

We explore laser-polarization-dependent and magnetically controlled optical bistability (OB) in an optical ring cavity filled with diamond nitrogen-vacancy (NV) defect centers under optical excitation. The shape of the OB curve can be significantly modified in a new operating regime from the previously studied OB case, namely, by adjusting the intensity of the external magnetic field and the polarization of the control beam. The influences of the intensity of the control beam, the frequency detuning, and the cooperation parameter on the OB behavior are also discussed in detail. These results are useful in real experiments for realizing an all-optical bistate switching or coding element in a solid-state platform.