Design and performance of a compact superconducting duplexer at VHF-band

This paper presents the design, fabrication, and performance of a compact high temperature superconducting duplexer at VHF-band. The duplexer consists of a T-junction and two four-pole filters with an ultra-narrow bandwidth of 400 kHz at 216 MHz and 220 MHz, respectively. By using gap-coupled feedlines in the filter design procedure, the duplexer is constructed by connecting the two filters using a T-junction with short-length branches. The two filters are fabricated on separate substrates and are carefully packaged to achieve a high isolation between the duplexer channels. The duplexer has a compact size of 41.6 mm × 28 mm. The measured results at 73 K show a high performance. The return loss is −17 dB, the insertion losses of both channels are less than 0.16 dB, and the out-of-band rejections are higher than 60 dB. The isolation between the two channels is better than 76 dB.     

High-frequency ultrasonic transducer based on lead-free BSZT piezoceramics

This paper describes the fabrication and evaluation of a high-frequency (40 MHz) transducer based on lead-free piezoceramics for ultrasonic imaging. The transducer with an aperture size of 0.9 mm has been fabricated using barium strontium zirconate titanate ((Ba_0.95Sr_0.05)(Zr_0.05Ti_0.95)O₃, abbreviated as BSZT) ceramics. The lead-free BSZT has a piezoelectric d₃₃ coefficient of 300 pC/N and an electromechanical coupling factor k_t of 0.45. High-frequency ultrasound transducers were fabricated and a bandwidth of 76.4% has been achieved with an insertion loss of −26 dB. Applications in high resolution biological and medical imaging could be possible with this lead-free material.     

Characterization of two-emitter WOLED with no additional blocking layer

In this paper, white organic light emitting diodes (WOLEDs) utilizing two primary-color emitters with no additional blocking layer are fabricated. With a structure of ITO/2TNATA (20 nm)/NPB (20 nm)/NPB: rubrene (2%) (10 nm)/ADN (30 nm)/Alq₃ (20 nm)/LiF (1 nm)/Al (100 nm), a white light with CIE coordinates of (0.344, 0.372) is generated at a current density of 30 mA/cm² and the electroluminescence (EL) spectra consist of two broad bands around 456 nm (ADN) and 556 nm (NPB:rubrene). The device shows the low turn-on voltage and bright white emission with a power efficiency of 2.3 lm/W at a luminance of 100 cd/m². Through control of the location of the recombination zone and energy transfer, a stable white light emission is achieved. The maximum color shift is less than 0.02 units on the 1931 CIE x,y chromaticity diagram. Given the spectral power distribution of WOLED, the parameters of a light source (chromaticity coordinate, CCT, CRI, and the luminous efficacy) can be calculated. A MATLAB program for this purpose is developed in this paper. Based on this, the design of WOLED for an illumination and display system using a white emitter with color filter arrays is discussed.     

Field-compensated birefringent Fourier transform spectrometer

A field-compensation method applied for Savart birefringent Fourier transform spectrometer is presented. By using a combination of Savart plates fabricated from positive and negative birefringent materials, the useful solid angle of field of view can be increased by a large amount in broad spectral coverage. Compared to the conventional Fourier transform spectrometers, the compensated field angle has optical throughput higher by one order in magnitude. To demonstrate the effectiveness, a design example operating at 400-1100 nm with a large solid angle exceeding ± 40° is presented in detail.     

A Fabry-Perót type resonator tunable below 2 GHz for use in time domain rotational spectroscopy: Application to the measurement of the radio frequency spectra of bromobenzene and iodobenzene

Two aluminum mirrors with radii of 203.2 mm and radii of curvature also of 203.2 mm have been used to construct a tunable Fabry-Perót type resonator with Q values of ∼200 at frequencies as low as 500 MHz. The resonator has been incorporated into a pulsed nozzle, Fourier transform, Balle-Flygare spectrometer typically used for recording pure rotational spectra in the microwave region. The resonator design allows the instrument to access the radio frequency region (?3 GHz) of the electromagnetic spectrum. The spectrometer is of use in (i) recording low J transitions of large asymmetric molecules where the spectra are often greatly simplified compared to higher frequency regions; (ii) measuring hyperfine constants for heavy molecules with higher accuracy than may be obtained at higher frequencies where hyperfine structure may not be resolvable; and (iii) provides further synchronicity between laboratory based measurements and radio astronomy in the 30 cm region. The resonators use is illustrated by recording the rotational spectra of bromobenzene and iodobenzene. The lowest ΔJ = +1 transition for iodobenzene has been observed at 1130.5292(10) MHz.     

Acoustic and aerodynamic design and characterization of a small-scale aeroacoustic wind tunnel

The aeroacoustic wind tunnel at Brandenburg University of Technology at Cottbus is a newly commissioned research facility for the experimental study of sound generation from bodies immersed in a fluid flow. The paper discusses the design criteria for the open jet wind tunnel that provides a maximum wind speed of 72 m/s at continuous operation and may be operated with nozzles of different dimension between 35 cm diameter (circular nozzle) and 12 cm by 14.7 cm (rectangular nozzle). Experiments may be performed either in a reverberant or in an anechoic environment. Both the aerodynamic and the acoustic design of the wind tunnel components are discussed in detail. Background noise measurements in the completed facility revealed very low levels comparable to other wind tunnels. The results of aerodynamic wind tunnel calibration confirmed a uniform flow quality in the jet and a very low axial turbulence intensity which is less than 0.2% for the 35 cm nozzle and less than 0.1% for the other nozzles. A final benchmark is provided by results of successful trailing edge noise measurements on an SD7003 airfoil that are presented and compared to results from the literature.     

Design of wide-spectrum polymer Mach-Zehnder interferometer electro-optic switches using two symmetric N-th order phase-generating couplers

To enlarge the output spectrum, a novel reasonable structure of one kind of Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) electro-optic (EO) switches containing two symmetric N-th order phase generating couplers (PGCs) is presented, and thorough model, analysis and design technique are proposed. A non-linear least square method is investigated for optimizing the PGC structure to eliminate the phase difference error caused by the wavelength variation. Under the central wavelength of 1550 nm, optimization and simulation are performed on three MZI EO switches using two first, second and third order PGCs, respectively. The switches exhibit a low switching voltage of 1.156 V with an active region length of 4 mm. The output spectrums covering the whole S-C-L bands are as wide as 320, 390 and more than 435 nm, respectively, the insertion loss are less than 5.57, 5.98 and 7.90 dB, respectively, and the crosstalk is less than −30 dB over the wide wavelength ranges, for the three designed switches. The design technique is supported to be feasible by the comparison with beam propagation method (BPM).     

Microwave spectrum and structure of methyl phosphonic difluoride

The rotational spectrum of methyl phosphonic difluoride has been reinvestigated using a pulsed-molecular-beam Fabry-Perot cavity microwave spectrometer. The enhanced resolution of the Fourier transform microwave (FTMW) spectrometer (compared to the original work done in a conventional Stark spectrometer) has allowed the measurement of small A-E splittings of many of the rotational transitions caused by the internal rotation of the methyl top. The barrier to internal rotation, V₃ = 676 (25) cm⁻¹, has been determined experimentally from the A-E splittings of the rotational transitions in the ground vibrational state. This barrier height is substantially lower than the previously determined value for the barrier, which was 1252 (14) cm⁻¹. High-level ab initio calculations at the MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ level predict a barrier to internal rotation of 638 cm⁻¹, in agreement with the experimentally determined value found here. The high sensitivity of the FTMW spectrometer has also permitted the measurement of the ¹³C and ¹⁸O isotopomers in natural abundance. The addition of these two isotopomers has allowed an improved structural determination.     

A polymeric optical switch array based on arrayed waveguide grating structure

A novel 1 × N optical switch array based on arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) structure is presented in this paper. The device is designed for polymeric materials with a large negative thermooptic (TO) coefficient, which is employed to change the imaging effect and to realize optical switching. When input wavelength is located in a special waveband, the optical signal will image at different output channel as temperature changes. The two-dimensional finite difference beam propagation method (FD-BPM) has been used to simulate a 1 × 9 optical switch array. The insertion loss of this switch array is below 1.37 dB and the extinction ratio is better than 31 dB at 1550 nm, when the coupling and propagation loss is neglected. The optimum design and the simulation results show that this structure could be a multiple wavelengths switching at the same time.     

Experimental study of Love-wave immunosensors based on ZnO/LiTaO3 structures

Experimental study of Love-mode immunosensors based on structures of ZnO/36°YX-LiTaO₃ is presented, in which the ZnO films with c-axis (0 0 2) orientation have been successfully grown on the 36°YX-LiTaO₃ substrates by RF magnetron sputtering technique. Then the Love-mode immunosensors based on the ZnO/36°YX-LiTaO₃ structures and monitoring antibody-antigen immunoreactions in aqueous solutions in real time are fabricated. The experimental results show that the optimal thickness of ZnO layers is about 1.20 μm in the structures deposited on 36°YX-LiTaO₃ substrates, which is much less than that of SiO₂ overlayers about 6 μm. The antibody-antigen immunoreaction experiments also show that the frequency shifts of the sensors with 1.33 μm ZnO films are proportional to the concentration of antigen in solution as the concentration range less than 100 μg/ml.     

60-GHz oxygen band: precise broadening and central frequencies of fine-structure lines, absolute absorption profile at atmospheric pressure, and revision of mixing coefficients

The 60-GHz band of ¹⁶O₂ was studied at room temperature and at low (up to 4 Torr) and atmospheric pressures. Precision measurement of central frequencies, self-broadening, and N₂-broadening parameters of fine-structure transitions up to N = 27 was performed by use of a spectrometer with radio-acoustic detection (RAD). The measured parameters are compared with GEISA/HITRAN databanks, MPM92, and other known data. An improved set of the oxygen fine-structure spectroscopic constants is obtained. The absorption profile was recorded in the range 45-96 GHz for laboratory air and pure oxygen at atmospheric pressure by use of a resonator spectrometer with noise level of about ± 0.05 dB/km, and used for deducing the first-order line mixing coefficients and for quantitative assessment of second-order mixing effects. A refined set of MPM parameters is derived from the new data and presented here.     

Design of off-axis reflective projection lens using spherical Fresnel surface

In this paper, an off-axis reflective projection lens with single Fresnel reflective surface and three aspheric surfaces were designed. The design method of reflective lens using spherical Fresnel surface is discussed. The MTF (Modulation Transfer Function) of the off-axis reflective lens, with optical magnification 100×, F-number 2.5 and field of view 120°, is over 40% at 0.6 lp/mm on the image side, the distortion is less than 2%. This design method can provide reference for application of Fresnel surface in wide field of view imaging, and possesses a bright future with the continuous development of fabrication technique.     

Static Fourier-transform spectrometer based on Wollaston prism

The development of a static Fourier-transform spectrometer based on a Wollaston prism, two polarizers, and a CCD detector is described. The elimination of moving parts from the design makes the recorded interferogram inherently stable. The spectrometer operates in the visible region of the spectrum, has a resolution of 81 cm⁻¹, an aperture of 20 mm, and a field of view of ±2.5°. Some experimental results are presented.     

Lineshape analysis of the J = 3 ← 2 and J = 5 ← 4 rotational transitions of room temperature CO broadened by N2, O2, CO2 and noble gases

Collisional relaxation has been considered for millimeter lines of carbon monoxide at room temperature. Accurate measurements of carbon dioxide- and rare gases-broadened widths have been performed on the J = 3 ← 2 rotational line of ¹²CO by using a video-type spectrometer. Measurements of nitrogen-, oxygen-, and xenon-broadened widths of the J = 5 ← 4 rotational line of ¹³CO were also carried by using a frequency-modulated spectrometer. A lineshape study performed on all the investigated binary systems provide confirmation that Voigt profile is not a suitable model to analyse experimental lines in the millimeter-waves region. On one hand, using this profile in the low pressure range, i.e. in the Doppler regime, the retrieved collisional linewidths do not follow a linear variation with the perturbing gas pressure. On the other hand, regardless of the pressure, lineshapes exhibit a narrowed profile. An accurate analysis of the pressure dependence of relaxation rates show that the Galatry profile is not appropriate and that experimental lineshapes are actually Speed Dependent Voigt profiles. Accurate broadening parameters were retrieved from this profile and compared to previous reported values and predictions calculated from the Robert-Bonamy formalism. Finally a variation of the ratio of relaxation speed dependence to broadening parameters versus relative masses of the collision partners is presented.     

Design and fabrication of ultra-high precision thin-film polarizing beam splitter

An ultra-high precision thin-film polarizing beam splitter (PBS) has been designed and fabricated. Using Needle optimization technology, we design the thin-film polarizing beam splitter that is transparent for P polarization and reflective for S polarization with ultra-high precision at 64.8° angle of incidence and 632.8 ± 10 nm wavelength band. The experiments with the fabricated thin-film PBS demonstrate that both the reflectance of P polarization and transmittance of S polarization at 64.8° angle of incidence and 632.8 nm wavelength point are less than 0.02%, which is ultra-high for reported PBSs.     

ICLAS of weak transitions of water between 11 300 and 12 850 cm: Comparison with FTS databases

Very weak water vapor absorption lines have been investigated by intracavity laser absorption spectroscopy (ICLAS) in the 11 335-11 947 and 12 336-12 843 cm⁻¹ spectral regions dominated by the ν₁ + 3ν₂ + ν₃ and ν₂ + 3ν₃ bands, respectively. A detectivity on the order of α_min ∼ 10⁻⁹ cm⁻¹ was achieved with an ICLAS spectrometer based on a Ti: Sapphire laser. It allowed detecting transitions with an intensity down to 5 × 10⁻²⁸ cm/molecule which is about 10 times lower than the weakest line intensities previously detected in the considered region. A line list corresponding to 1281 transitions with intensity lower than 5 × 10⁻²⁶ cm/molecule has been generated. A detailed comparison with the line lists provided by the HITRAN database and by recent investigations by Fourier transform spectroscopy associated with very long multi pass cell is presented. The rovibrational assignment performed on the basis of the ab initio calculations of Schwenke and Partridge, has allowed for determining 176 new energy levels belonging to a total of 16 vibrational states.     

Quantification of low fat contents: a comparison of MR imaging and spectroscopy methods at 1.5 and 3 T

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) has long been considered the golden standard for non-invasive measurement of tissue fat content. With improved techniques for fat/water separation, imaging has become an alternative to MRS for fat quantification. Several imaging models have been proposed, but their performance relative to MRS at very low fat contents is yet not fully established. In this work, imaging and spectroscopy were compared at 1.5 T and 3 T in phantoms with 0-3% fat fraction (FF). We propose a multispectral model with individual a priori R₂ relaxation rates for water and fat, and a common unknown R₂′ relaxation. Magnitude and complex image reconstructions were also compared. Best accuracy was obtained with the imaging method at 1.5 T. At 3 T, the FFs were underestimated due to larger fat-water phase shifts. Agreement between measured and true FF was excellent for the imaging method at 1.5 T (imaging: FF_meas= 0.98 FF_true− 0.01%, spectroscopy: FF_meas= 0.77 FF_true+ 0.08%), and fair at 3 T (imaging: FF_meas= 0.91 FF_true− 0.19%, spectroscopy: FF_meas= 0.79 FF_true+ 0.02%). The imaging method was able to quantify FFs down to approx. 0.5%. We conclude that the suggested imaging model is capable of fat quantification with accuracy and precision similar to or better than spectroscopy and offers an improvement vs. a model with a common R₂* relaxation only.     

Lead-free KNLNT piezoelectric ceramics for high-frequency ultrasonic transducer application

This paper presents the latest development of a lead-free piezoelectric ceramic and its application to transducers suitable for high-frequency ultrasonic imaging. A lead-free piezoelectric ceramic with formula of (K_0.5Na_0.5)_0.97Li_0.03(Nb_0.9 Ta_0.1)O₃ (abbreviated as KNLNT-0.03/0.10) was fabricated and characterized. The material was found to have a clamped dielectric constant ε₃₃^S/ε₀ = 890, piezoelectric coefficient d₃₃ = 245 pC/N, electromechanical coupling factor k_t = 0.42 and Curie temperature T_c > 300 °C. High-frequency (40 MHz) ultrasound transducers were successfully fabricated with the lead-free material. A representative lead-free transducer had a bandwidth of 45%, two-way insertion loss of -18 dB. This performance is comparable to reported performances of popular lead-based transducers. The comparison results suggest that the lead-free piezoelectric material may serve as an alternative to lead-based piezoelectric materials for high-frequency ultrasonic transducer applications.     

Biological functionalization and patterning of porous silicon prepared by Pt-assisted chemical etching

Porous silicon fabricated via Pt-assisted chemical etching of p-type Si (1 0 0) in 1:1:1 EtOH/HF/H₂O₂ solution possesses a longer durability in air and in aqueous media than anodized one, which is advantageous for biomedical applications. Its surface SiHx (x = 1 and 2) species can react with 10-undecylenic acid completely under microwave irradiation, and subsequent derivatizations of the end carboxylic acid result in affinity capture of proteins. We applied two approaches to produce protein microarrays: photolithography and spotting. The former provides a homogeneous microarray with a very low fluorescence background, while the latter presents an inhomogeneous microarray with a high noise background.     

Microscopic scattering imaging measurement and digital evaluation system of defects for fine optical surface

According to ISO10110-7 and the engineering standards of Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF), this paper presents a microscopic scattering imaging and analyzing system which allows one to automatically evaluate defects in random distributions and shapes on the surface of fine optical components of large aperture. The annularly disposed multi-beam fiber light sources illuminate the target surface with a special angle. The image, which has bright defects on black background, is suitable for digital image processing. With XY-scanning system, the defect information of full aperture can be obtained by stitching the sub-aperture image array, according to the algorithms of template matching. The full aperture image is divided into N × N sub-apertures, each of which has view field of approximate 3 mm × 4 mm. Image processing software for image recognition has been established using mathematical morphology with high computing efficiency and friendly graphics user interface. A group of standard reticules fabricated by binary optics can scale defects for calibration. As a result the lateral resolution of the system is better than sub-micrometer while the total view field can be hundreds of millimeters. The comparison quantitative data results between the experiment and standard demonstrate the system is competent for the digital evaluation of defect characterization of fine optical surfaces, especially for the ones with large aperture.