Combined X-ray-electron imaging techniques: Limitations on lateral resolution

Capabilities of the imaging techniques, in which X-rays are converted to electrons and then the emitted electrons are registered by means of an electron microscope, are analyzed, the focus being on the factors limiting lateral resolution at the stage of electron emission. Bearing in mind the tendency to use harder synchrotron X-rays for some combined X-ray-electron microscopy methods, calculations were made for two significantly different X-ray energies: E = 1.828 keV (K-edge of Si) and E = 11.923 keV (L₃-edge of Au). By using Monte Carlo simulations of the electron trajectories beneath the surface of the sample we show that the radius of the spot from which photoelectrons are emitted could be as small as 1 nm. However, when proper account is taken of an entire electron cascade associated with the re-building of electron shells after photoelectron emission, spots more than one order of magnitude larger result, limiting the best lateral resolution to 20–30 nm.     

On a new system of nonlinear A-monotone multivalued variational inclusions

In this paper, we introduce and study a new system of nonlinear A-monotone multivalued variational inclusions in Hilbert spaces. By using the concept and properties of A-monotone mappings, and the resolvent operator technique associated with A-monotone mappings due to Verma, we construct a new iterative algorithm for solving this system of nonlinear multivalued variational inclusions associated with A-monotone mappings in Hilbert spaces. We also prove the existence of solutions for the nonlinear multivalued variational inclusions and the convergence of iterative sequences generated by the algorithm. Our results improve and generalize many known corresponding results.     

Development of a finite-element analysis methodology for the propagation of delaminations in composite structures

Analysing the collapse of skin-stiffened structures requires capturing the critical phenomenon of skin-stiffener separation, which can be considered analogous to interlaminar cracking. This paper presents the development of a numerical approach for simulating the propagation of interlaminar cracks in composite structures. A degradation methodology was introduced in MSC.Marc, which involved the modelling of a structure with shell layers connected by user-defined multiple-point constraints (MPCs). User subroutines were written that employ the virtual crack closure technique (VCCT) to determine the onset of crack growth and modify the properties of the user-defined MPCs to simulate crack propagation. Methodologies for the release of failing MPCs are presented and are discussed with reference to the VCCT assumption of self-similar crack growth. The numerical results obtained by using the release methodologies are then compared with experimental data for a double-cantilever beam specimen. Based on this comparison, recommendations for the future development of the degradation model are made, especially with reference to developing an approach for the collapse analysis of fuselage-representative structures. Russian translation published in Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 43, No. 1, pp. 15–42, January–February, 2007.     

Chemical imaging in biology and medicine using ion microscopy

The ability to quantitatively map the distribution of elements on the micrometer scale and smaller with high sensitivity and isotopic discrimination is unique to ion microscopy. The information contained in ion images can be crucial to the study of the solid state, where chemical heterogeneity is often directly related to observed behavior. The tools of digital image processing allow the extraction of quantitative information from the image data. These techniques coupled with improved instrumentation for the detection of ion images drastically increase the problem solving capabilities of the ion microscope. The use of such methods and instrumentation in the ion microscopic analyses of cell cultures and tissues of biological and biomedical relevance will be discussed.     

聚合物纳米孔隙增透膜制备工艺的研究

论述了聚合物纳米孔隙增透膜的制备工艺流程,分析了聚合物材料分子量、实验环境温度和湿度、溶剂挥发性等条件对纳米孔隙增透膜的影响。研究表明,聚合物材料分子量的增大、温度的降低、湿度的升高以及采用挥发性弱的溶剂都将导致增透膜孔隙尺寸的增大,孔隙越大其对光的散射损耗就会增大,所以增透膜的透过率就越低。通过大量的试验分析得出一组较理想的工艺参量:使用低分子量的聚合物材料(小于15 kg/mol),环境温度大于25℃、环境相对湿度小于30%,在采用低沸点的溶剂如四氢呋喃等措施下可有效降低增透膜散射损耗。     

An improved linearization strategy for zero-one quadratic programming problems

We present a new linearized model for the zero-one quadratic programming problem, whose size is linear in terms of the number of variables in the original nonlinear problem. Our derivation yields three alternative reformulations, each varying in model size and tightness. We show that our models are at least as tight as the one recently proposed in [7], and examine the theoretical relationship of our models to a standard linearization of the zero-one quadratic programming problem. Finally, we demonstrate the efficacy of solving each of these models on a set of randomly generated test instances.     

用于双光子激发荧光寿命显微成像的高重复频率皮秒扫描相机

建立了一台基于新研制的高重复频率皮秒扫描相机的双光子激发荧光寿命显微成像系统,重点介绍所研制的高重复频率皮秒扫描相机。为了在高时间分辨力的同时扩大时间测量范围,实现大面积两维空间高时间分辨取样测量,从而提高采样速率和更有效地发挥扫描相机的作用,设计和研制了一种大面积、高时间分辨力扫描变像管和一种重复频率高达1MHz的斜坡电压扫描电路。基于上述关键部件所研制的扫描相机具有重复频率高、扫描速度可调、时间分辨力高、工作面积大、非线性低、触发晃动小等优点。用钛宝石飞秒激光器作为激光脉冲源,通过脉冲提取器将76MHz的高重复频率降低为1MHz,采用可调延时器和标准具对扫描相机的时间分辨力、扫描速度和非线性进行标定。该系统的时间分辨力达到6.5ps,非线性为2.60%,可测量的时间范围从十几皮秒到几十纳秒。测量了若丹明6G和香豆素314两种标准荧光染料的荧光寿命,取得了与参考文献一致的实验结果。     

InAs/GaSb superlattice focal plane arrays for high-resolution thermal imaging

The first fully operational mid-IR (3–5 μm) 256×256 IR-FPA camera system based on a type-II InAs/GaSb short-period superlattice showing an excellent noise equivalent temperature difference below 10 mK and a very uniform performance has been realized. We report on the development and fabrication of the detecor chip, i.e., epitaxy, processing technology and electro-optical characterization of fully integrated InAs/GaSb superlattice focal plane arrays. While the superlattice design employed for the first demonstrator camera yielded a quantum efficiency around 30%, a superlattice structure grown with a thicker active layer and an optimized V/III BEP ratio during growth of the InAs layers exhibits a significant increase in quantum efficiency. Quantitative responsivity measurements reveal a quantum efficiency of about 60% for InAs/GaSb superlattice focal plane arrays after implementing this design improvement. The paper presented there appears in Infrared Photoelectronics, edited by Antoni Rogalski, Eustace L. Dereniak, Fiodor F. Sizov, Proc. SPIE Vol. 5957, 595707 (2005).     

Comparison between Eulerian and Lagrangian semi-analytical models to simulate the pollutant dispersion in the PBL

In this work we display a numerical comparison, under statistical and computational point of view, between semi-analytical Eulerian and Lagrangian dispersion models to simulate the ground-level concentration values of a passive pollutant released from a low height source. The Eulerian approach is based on the solution of the advection–diffusion equation by the Laplace transform technique. The Lagrangian approach is based on solution of the Langevin equation through the Picard’s Iterative Method. Turbulence inputs are calculated according to a parameterization capable of generating continuous values in all stability conditions and in all heights of the Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL). Numerical simulations and comparisons show a good agreement between predicted and observed concentrations values. The comparison reveals the main advantages and disadvantages between the models.     

Simultaneous imaging of the structure and fluorescence of a supramolecular nanostructure formed by the coupling of π‐conjugated polymer chains in the intermolecular interaction

We fabricated a micrometer‐long supramolecular chain in which π‐conjugated polyrotaxane was coupled. A new experimental setup was designed and constructed, and the simultaneous direct imaging of the structure and fluorescent function was achieved. Furthermore, we identified the formation of a polymer intertwined network and observed novel fluorescence due to a long‐range interaction via this intertwined network over a distance of 5 μm or more without quenching over 15 min in the near field. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 801–809, 2006