Terahertz Dual-Band Near-Zero Effective Index Metamaterial Based on Double-Sided Metal Microstructure

Journal of Russian Laser Research - The zero-refractive-index metamaterials have excellent electromagnetic properties, which provide new ideas and methods to realize the control of electromagnetic...     

Exploring the latest Pantheon SN Ia dataset by using three kinds of statistics techniques

In this work, we explore the cosmological consequences of the latest Type Ia supernova (SN Ia)dataset, Pantheon, by adopting the wCDM model. The Pantheon dataset currently contains the largest number of SN Ia samples, which contains 1048 supernovae on the redshift range0 z 2.3. Here we take into account three kinds of SN Ia statistics techniques, including:(1) magnitude statistics (MS), which is the traditional SN Ia statistics technique;(2) flux statistics(FS), which is based on the flux-averaging (FA) method; and (3) improved flux statistics (IFS),which combines the advantages of MS and FS. It should be mentioned that the IFS technique needs to scan the (zcut,Δz) parameters plane, where zcutandΔz are redshift cut-off and redshift interval of FA, respectively. The results are as follows.(1) Using the SN dataset only, the best FA recipe for IFS is (zcut,Δz)=(0.1, 0.08);(2) comparing to the old SN dataset, JLA, adopting the Pantheon dataset can reduce the 2σerror bars of equation of state w by 38%, 47%and 53%for MS, FS and IFS, respectively;(3) FS gives closer results to other observations, such as Baryon acoustic oscillations and cosmic microwave background;(4) compared with FS and IFS,MS more favors a Universe that will end in a ‘big rip’.     

Record-high near-band-edge optical nonlinearities and two-level model correction of poled polymers by spectroscopic electromodulation and ellipsometry

The determination of nonlinearities near the band edge of organic and polymeric electro-optic(EO)materials is important from the viewpoint of molecular nonlinear optics(NLO)and photonic device applications.Based on transmission-mode Stark effect electromodulation(EM)spectroscopy,we study the electric-field-induced changes in optical absorption and refraction of newly developed EO polymers from the visible to near-infrared(NIR)wavelengths and report record-high near-band-edge complex EO effects from poled thin films.Values ofΔn andΔk up to 10^-3 and 10^-2 are found at an applied electric field of 2.0×10⁵-3.0×10⁵V/cm.The study of linear optical properties of poled films by spectroscopic ellipsometry shows large polinginduced birefringence and a nearly two-fold increase in the extinction coefficients at the extraordinary polarization.Through the Kramers-Kronig analysis,we obtained the real and imaginary second-order nonlinear coefficients up to~3,500 and~5,600 pm/V,respectively,which are believed to be the highest NLO coefficients of poled polymers through the resonance enhancement.Our approach goes beyond the previous works,applicable only to several discrete wavelengths,to a full-spectral analysis with independent verification of slab waveguide measurements.By considering both the electroabsorption and electrorefraction effects,our study overcomes the limitation of the classic qualitative two-level model and provides a quantitative understanding of near-resonance optical nonlinearities of organic EO materials.It can inspire the exploration of high-speed,absorptive,or phase-shifting light-modulators using EO polymers for on-chip applications.     

Chemical Constituents of Corydalis saxicola

Chemistry of Natural Compounds -     

Conjugated polymer nanoparticles with aggregation induced emission characteristics for intracellular Fe3+ sensing

In this article, a novel zwitterionic conjugated polyelectrolyte containing tetraphenylethene unit was synthesized via Pd‐catalyzed Sonogashira reaction. The resulting polymer (P2), which exhibited typical aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) properties, was weakly fluorescent in dilute DMSO solution and showed bright fluorescence emissions when aggregated in DMSO/water mixtures or fabricated into conjugated polymer nanoparticles (CPNs). The nanoparticles from P2 could be prepared by reprecipitation method with an average diameter around 23 nm. Notably, the cell‐staining efficiencies of lipid‐P2 nanoparticles could be enhanced with lipid encapsulation and these nanoparticles were endocytosed via caveolae‐mediated and clathrin‐mediated endocytosis pathways. Furthermore, the lipid‐P2 nanoparticles with low cytotoxicity, high photostability and efficient cell staining ability could be employed for in vitro detection of Fe³⁺ ions in A549 cells. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 1686–1693     

In situ fabrication of paclitaxel‐loaded core‐crosslinked micelles via thiol‐ene “click” chemistry for reduction‐responsive drug release

In this study, a facile method to fabricate reduction‐responsive core‐crosslinked micelles via in situ thiol‐ene “click” reaction was reported. A series of biodegradable poly(ether‐ester)s with multiple pendent mercapto groups were first synthesized by melt polycondensation of diol poly(ethylene glycol), 1,4‐butanediol, and mercaptosuccinic acid using scandium trifluoromethanesulfonate [Sc(OTf)₃] as the catalyst. Then paclitaxel (PTX)‐loaded core‐crosslinked (CCL) micelles were successfully prepared by in situ crosslinking hydrophobic polyester blocks in aqueous media via thiol‐ene “click” chemistry using 2,2′‐dithiodiethanol diacrylate as the crosslinker. These PTX‐loaded CCL micelles with disulfide bonds exhibited reduction‐responsive behaviors in the presence of dithiothreitol (DTT). The drug release profile of the PTX‐loaded CCL micelles revealed that only a small amount of loaded PTX was released slowly in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) without DTT, while quick release was observed in the presence of 10.0 mM DTT. Cell count kit (CCK‐8) assays revealed that the reduction‐sensitive PTX‐loaded CCL micelles showed high antitumor activity toward HeLa cells, which was significantly higher than that of reduction‐insensitive counterparts and free PTX. This kind of biodegradable and biocompatible CCL micelles could serve as a bioreducible nanocarrier for the controlled antitumor drug release. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 99–107     

Recent developments of di-amide/imide-containing small molecular non-fullerene acceptors for organic solar cells

Non-fullerene organic solar cells have received increasing attentions in these years, and great progresses have been made since 2013. Among them, aromatic di-amide/imide-containing frameworks have shown promising applications. The outstanding properties of them are highly associated with their unique electronic and structural features, such as strong electron-withdrawing nature, broad absorption in UV-visible region, tunable HOMO/LUMO energy levels, easy modifications, and excellent chemical, thermal and photochemical stabilities. In this review, we give an overview of recent developments of aromatic diamide/imide-containing small molecules used as electron acceptors for organic solar cells.     

Ambiguous anti-fouling surfaces: Facile synthesis by light-mediated radical polymerization

In an attempt to create a polymer brush-based platform for the systematic study for anti-biofouling surfaces, the benefits of surface initiated, visible light-mediated radical polymerization are utilized to fabricate well-defined, chemically ambiguously patterned surfaces. A variety of analytical tools are used to illustrate the precise tuning of surface chemistry and thoroughly characterize spatially well-defined, hydrophilic/hydrophobic surfaces composed of poly(ethylene glycol methacrylate) and poly(trifluoroethyl methacrylate) with chemical definition on the micron scale. Advantages of both visible light-mediated photopolymerization and traditional copper-catalyzed atom transfer radical polymerization are combined to achieve both high spatial control and expanded monomer tolerance. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016, 54, 253–262