Tunable magnetoben-optic modulation based on magnetically responsive nanostructured magnetic fluid

Magnetic fluid is a kind of functional composite material with nanosized structure and unique optical properties. The tunable magneto-optic modulation of magnetic fluid under external magnetic field, achieved by adjusting the polarization direction of incident light, is investigated theoretically and experimentally in this work. The corresponding modulation depth and response time are obtained. The accompanying mechanisms are clarified by using the theory of dichroism of magnetic fluid and the aggregation/disintegration processes of magnetic particles within magnetic fluid when the external magnetic field turns on/off.     

Novel optical devices based on the tunable refractive index of magnetic fluid and their characteristics

As a new type of functional material, magnetic fluid (MF) is a stable colloid of magnetic nanoparticles, dressed with surfactant and dispersed in the carrier liquid uniformly. The MF has many unique optical properties, and the most important one is its tunable refractive index property. This paper summarizes the properties of the MF refractive index and the related optical devices. The refractive index can be easily controlled by external magnetic field, temperature, and so on. But the tunable refractive index of MF has a relaxation effect. As a result, the response time is more than milliseconds and the MF is only suitable for low speed environment. Compared with the traditional optical devices, the magnetic fluid based optical devices have the tuning ability. Compared with the tunable optical devices (the electro-optic devices (LiNbO₃) of more than 10 GHz modulation speed, acoustic-optic devices (Ge) of more than 20 MHz modulation speed), the speed of the magnetic fluid based optical devices is low. Now there are many applications of magnetic fluid based on the refractive index in the field of optical information communication and sensing technology, such as tunable beam splitter, optical-fiber modulator, tunable optical gratings, tunable optical filter, optical logic device, tunable interferometer, and electromagnetic sensor. With the development of the research and application of magnetic fluid,a new method, structure and material to improve the response time can be found, which will play an important role in the fields of optical information communication and sensing technology.     

Mach–Zehnder interferometer by utilizing phase modulation of transmitted light through magnetic fluid films possessing tunable refractive index

Due to its diverse applications in photonics, bio-sensors, mechanics, etc., Mach–Zehnder interferometer becomes one of important devices. Hence, lots of efforts have been paid to develop advanced Mach–Zehnder interferometers. In this work, we explore new-model Mach–Zehnder interferometer, in which one of arm is consisted of magnetic fluid films. By utilizing the tunable refractive index of magnetic fluid films under external magnetic fields, the traveling phase of a propagating light through the magnetic fluid film is changed. This could lead to a variation in the interfered intensity of the Mach–Zehnder interferometer when an external magnetic field is applied. The modulation in the interfered intensity by the external magnetic field is demonstrated experimentally, and the relevant physical origin is also discussed.     

Optical relaxation properties of magnetic fluids under externally magnetic fields

The relaxation behavior (including the rising and falling relaxation processes) of the transmitted light after the magnetic fluid thin films under longitudinal and transverse magnetic fields is investigated, respectively. The physical mechanisms of the two different relaxation processes are discussed. The experimental data of the rising and falling relaxation processes are fitted by using two exponential functions to achieve the rising and falling response times. The relationship between the response time and the strength of applied magnetic field, the concentration of magnetic fluid is studied experimentally. The modulation depth of the transmitted light is researched quantificationally and the deepest modulation depth is obtained with Sample 3 (with volume fraction of 5.62%) in our experiments.     

Electrically tunable magnetic configuration on vacancy-doped GaSe monolayer

Group-IIIA metal-monochalcogenides with the enticing properties have attracted tremendous attention across various scientific disciplines. With the aim to satisfy the multiple demands of device applications, here we report a design framework on GaSe monolayer in an effort to tune the electronic and magnetic properties through a dual modulation of vacancy doping and electric field. A half-metallicity with a 100% spin polarization is generated in a Ga vacancy doped GaSe monolayer due to the nonbonding 4p electronic orbital of the surrounding Se atoms. The stability of magnetic moment is found to be determined by the direction of applied electric field. A switchable magnetic configuration in Ga vacancy doped GaSe monolayer is achieved under a critical electric field of 0.6 V/Å. Electric field induces redistribution of the electronic states. Finally, charge transfers are found to be responsible for the controllable magnetic structure in this system. The magnetic modulation on GaSe monolayer in this work offers some references for the design and fabrication of tunable two-dimensional spintronic device.     

Measurement of the magnetic field-dependent refractive index of magnetic fluids in bulk

An optical alignment-free and highly accurate method is employed to measure the magnetic field-dependent refractive index of magnetic fluid(MF) in bulk.The measured refractive index decreases significantly with the increasing magnetic strength and then tends to saturate in the high intensity range.By applying a tunable magnetic field ranging between 0 and 1661 Oe,the maximum shift of the refractive index of MF in bulk iS found to be 0.0231.     

基于磁流体光子晶体的可调谐近似零折射率研究

基于典型水基Fe_3O_4磁流体,建立了工作频率可调的近似零折射率磁流体光子晶体的理论模型.这种近似零折射率材料具有与自由空间阻抗相匹配的优点,更重要的是其工作频率可由外磁场的大小来调节.在满足等效折射率的绝对值小于0.05的条件下,材料的归一化工作频率可由0.716变化到0.750.     

Tunable diffraction of magnetic fluid films and its potential application in coarse wavelength-division multiplexing

When an external magnetic field is applied parallel to the film surface of a magnetic fluid film, a high-quality one-dimensional periodic chain structure is formed when the field strength reaches a certain level. With a periodic chain structure in the magnetic fluid film, an incident light is diffracted onto the magnetic thin film. The results show that the one-dimensional periodic chain structure in the magnetic fluid film can serve as an optical grating. Further investigations reveal the feasibility of developing tunable coarse wavelength-division multiplexing by utilizing a periodic chain structure.     

Polarization in D-shaped fiber modulated by magneto-optical dichroism of magnetic fluid

The polarization of a D-shaped fiber is modulated after immersing it in magnetic fluid(MF)and applying a magnetic field.Theoretical analysis predicts that magneto-optical dichroism of MF plays a key role in light polarization modulation.During light polarization modulation,the evanescent wave polarized parallel to the magnetic field has greater loss than its orthogonal component.Light polarization of a D-shaped fiber with a wide polished surface can be modulated easily.High concentration MF and a large magnetic field all have great ability to modulate light polarization.     

Tuning the band gap of self-assembled superparamagnetic photonic crystals in colloidal magnetic fluids using external magnetic fields

The model of tunable superparamagnetic photonic crystals self-assembled in colloidal magnetic fluids under externally applied magnetic fields is established. The mechanisms, which are in charge of the tunability of the band gaps with magnetic fields are clarified. The band structures of the triangularly-arrayed two-dimensional photonic crystals with limited heights of magnetic columns are calculated with the experimental data of structures and refractive indices in the literatures. The field-dependent properties of the first band gaps are gained for the z-odd and z-even modes, respectively. Simulation results indicate that the mid frequencies of the first band gaps of the z-odd modes can be easily tuned by the external magnetic fields, while those of the z-even modes bear relatively weak dependence on the external magnetic fields. Simultaneously, the first band gaps of both kinds of modes become wide along with the increase of the magnetic fields. The results presented in this work give a guideline for realizing the tunable photonic crystals with magnetically colloidal materials and magnetic stimuli.     

可调谐射频磁探针研究

提出了一种利用可调谐变压器提高磁探针灵敏度的方法。可调谐射频变压器采用在原线圈并联可变电容及在副线圈串联可变电容的结构,用平面分立式法拉第屏蔽抑制变压器原、副线圈间寄生的容性耦合。测量结果表明：在采用中心抽头变压器及法拉第屏蔽的情况下,磁探针的容性耦合大幅度降低;当调节并联或串联电容时,磁探针输出电压均出现共振现象;调节并联电容得到的共振输出电压高于调节串联电容时的对应值;在典型条件下,共振输出电压幅值比无可变电容磁探针提高了约一个量级。建立了探针电路模型,计算结果与测量结果符合较好。     

Rigidly connected magnetic lines: twisting and winding of magnetic lines

The dynamical process of magnetic flux variation in a fluid’s stream tube is described by constructing \(1+1+ (2)\) decomposition of the gradient of fluid’s 4-velocity. The necessary and sufficient conditions are obtained for a spacelike congruence to be a congruence of rigidly connected spacelike curves. The evolution of magnetic flux in a magnetic tube is explored under the assumptions that magnetic lines are rigidly connected and the chemical potential of the fluid is constant along a magnetic tube. The interplay between magnetic and stream tubes is demonstrated. It is shown that the growth of magnetic energy in a magnetic tube cannot exceed to that of a stream tube. It is found that the proper time variation of twist of magnetic lines is caused by gravitation inside a neutron star if magnetic lines are rigidly connected and charge neutrality condition holds. Helmholtz-like magnetic vorticity flux conservation in a magnetic tube constituted by rigidly connected geodetic magnetic lines is derived under the assumption that the charge neutrality condition holds. It is shown that the winding of frozen-in poloidal magnetic field due to differential rotation requires meridional circulation in an axisymmetric stationary hydromagnetic configuration.     

Localized and delocalized motion of colloidal particles on a magnetic bubble lattice

We study the motion of paramagnetic colloidal particles placed above magnetic bubble domains of a uniaxial garnet film and driven through the lattice by external magnetic field modulation. An external tunable precessing field propels the particles either in localized orbits around the bubbles or in superdiffusive or ballistic motion through the bubble array. This motion results from the interplay between the driving rotating signal, the viscous drag force and the periodic magnetic energy landscape. We explain the transition in terms of the incommensurability between the transit frequency of the particle through a unit cell and the modulation frequency. Ballistic motion dynamically breaks the symmetry of the array and the phase locked particles follow one of the six crystal directions.     

Periodic microstructuring of iron cylinder surface in nitric acid in a magnetic field

The periodic surface microstructure of an iron cylinder is revealed under its corrosion in a solution of nitric acid in a constant magnetic field. The temporary dependencies of the microstructure parameters have been obtained for the cylinders with different diameters and lengths. The effect of microstructuring is a new example of nonlinear self-organization in a magnetic field. The results of the paper can be used for controlled etching of metallic surfaces with the help of a magnetic field application.     

Structural and magnetic properties of size-controlled Mn<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>Zn<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>Fe<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> nanoparticles and magnetic fluids

Mn_0.5Zn_0.5Fe₂O₄ ferrite nanoparticles with tunable Curie temperature and saturation magnetization are synthesized using hydrothermal co-precipitation method. Particle size is controlled in the range of 54 to 135 Å by pH and incubation time of the reaction. All the particles exhibit super-paramagnetic behaviour at room temperature. Langevin’s theory incorporating the interparticle interaction was used to fit the virgin curve of particle magnetization. The low-temperature magnetization follows Bloch spin wave theory. Curie temperature derived from magnetic thermogravimetric analysis shows that Curie temperature increases with increasing particle size. Using these particles magnetic fluid is synthesized and magnetic characterization is reported. The monolayer coating of surfactant on particle surface is confirmed using thermogravimetric measurement. The same technique can be extended to study the magnetic phase transition. The Curie temperature derived using this measurement complies with the low-temperature magnetic measurement. The room-temperature and high-temperature magnetization measurements are also studied for magnetic fluid systems. The magnetic parameters derived for fluid are in good agreement with those obtained for the particle system.     

Elasticity of a magnetic fluid in a strong magnetic field

Complex measurements of the following elastic-magnetic parameters of a magnetic fluid suspended by magnetic levitation within a horizontal tube in a strong magnetic field were performed: the oscillation frequency and decay coefficient; the static, ponderomotive, and dynamic elasticity coefficients; the fluid displacement under hydrostatic pressure; magnetization curve; and the magnetic field strength and gradient. Calculations based on a model of ponderomotive elasticity with correction for the resistance of a viscous fluid in motion and on the fluid column displacement for two magnetic fluid samples agree well with the experimental magnetization curve. The discussed technique holds promise for research into magnetophoresis and nanoparticle aggregation in magnetic colloids.     

Experimental investigation of the dilute magnetic fluid transparency in a permanent magnetic field

The variation of light transmission in a magnetite-like magnetic fluid diluted in kerosene under the action of a permanent magnetic field is studied. The change in the optical density versus the field strength for light directed normally and parallel to the field, as well as the dependence of this change versus the angle between the light and field directions, is found experimentally. The variation of the optical density is shown to be related to aggregates present in the magnetic fluid. The magnetic moment of the aggregate is calculated from the experimental data. The calculation results are supported by dynamic light scattering measurements.     

Simulation study on microstructure formations in magnetic fluids

We propose the Langevin-type microscopic equations of motion for magnetic fluids. Magnetic fluids are modeled as an ensemble of interacting ferromagnetic nanoparticles suspended in a viscous fluid. The present model is described in terms of position vectors of nanoparticles and orientation vectors of their magnetic dipole moments. In this model, forces and torques arising from the magnetic origin and the surrounding fluid flow are included. Effects of non-spherical particle shape are also taken into account. From the Brownian dynamics simulations of the model, it is found that the present model exhibits various microstructure formation processes in magnetic fluids.     

Magneto-optic fiber Sagnac modulator based on magnetic fluids

A magneto-optic modulator with a magnetic fluid film inserted into an optical fiber Sagnac interferometer is proposed. The magnetic fluid exhibits variable birefringence and Faraday effect under external magnetic field that will lead to a phase difference and polarization state rotation in the Sagnac interferometer. As a result, the intensity of the output light is modulated under the external magnetic field. Moreover, the modulator has a high extinction ratio and can easily be integrated in a single-mode fiber system. The performance of the modulator is not affected by ambient temperature variation from room temperature to 40 °C.     

Optical transmission resonances tuned by external static magnetic field in an n-doped semiconductor grating with subwavelength slits

Transmission behavior of light through a grating consisting of n-doped semiconductor with subwavelength slits under the application of external static magnetic fields is investigated. As dielectric constant of n-doped semiconductor can be substantially altered by applied magnetic field, in the Voigt configuration and for TM-polarized illumination, two transmission resonance peaks associated with localized waveguide modes of slits are significantly shifted toward the lower frequency regime with the increase of the applied magnetic field. These characteristics can be assigned to a reduction of effective plasma frequency of n-doped semiconductor under the applied magnetic field. Our findings may provide possibility for achieving tunable transmission resonance spectrum.