A stable dual-wavelength fiber laser with tunable wavelength spacing using a polarization-maintaining linear cavity

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a stable dual-wavelength erbium-doped polarization-maintaining (PM) fiber laser with tunable wavelength spacing using an all-PM linear cavity that makes use of two reflection peaks from the PM fiber Bragg grating (PM-FBG). Experimental results show stable dual lasing lines with a wavelength separation of ∼0.22 nm and a large optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) of over 40 dB under room temperature. By applying axial strain to the PM-FBG, the center wavelengths of the two lasing lines can be tuned over several nanometers and the wavelength separation between the lasing lines can also be tuned to as small as 0.05 nm, which, to our knowledge, is the smallest wavelength spacing ever obtained from a stable room-temperature dual-wavelength fiber laser. The proposed laser configuration has the advantages of simple structure, low loss, stable dual-wavelength operation and a very small lasing linewidth of ∼5 kHz . PACS 42.55.Wd; 42.81.-i; 42.81.Gs     

2-(diphenylphosphinoyl) pyrrolidines; versatile reagents for the synthesis of heterocyclic enamines and enamides.

A method is described for the preparation of N-substituted 2-(diphenylphosphinoyl) pyrrolidines. Application of these phosphine oxides in the Horner-Wittig reaction affords heterocyclic enamines and enamides in good yields.     

Thermally switchable and discretely tunable comb filter with a linearly chirped fiber Bragg grating

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a novel switchable and discretely tunable comb filter based on a thermally induced linearly chirped fiber Bragg grating. Experimentally we achieved a thermally induced optical bandpass filter that has eight switchable passband peaks with peak separations of 1.6 and 3.2 nm, a very narrow bandwidth (as small as 10 pm) of each peak, a tunable range of 16.5 nm, and a greater than 25 dB rejection ratio. Two spectral peaks separated by only 0.8 nm were also obtained with this comb filter. This filter provides the unique advantages of an all-fiber structure, switchable spectral peaks, independent tuning of the center wavelength and wavelength spacing of the spectral peaks, low polarization sensitivity, simple structure, ease of fabrication, and low cost.     

Smoothed performance guarantees for local search

We study popular local search and greedy algorithms for standard machine scheduling problems. The performance guarantee of these algorithms is well understood, but the worst-case lower bounds seem somewhat contrived and it is questionable whether they arise in practical applications. To find out how robust these bounds are, we study the algorithms in the framework of smoothed analysis, in which instances are subject to some degree of random noise. While the lower bounds for all scheduling variants with restricted machines are rather robust, we find out that the bounds are fragile for unrestricted machines. In particular, we show that the smoothed performance guarantee of the jump and the lex-jump algorithm are (in contrast to the worst case) independent of the number of machines. They are  \(\Theta (\phi )\) and  \(\Theta (\log \phi )\) , respectively, where  \(1/\phi \) is a parameter measuring the magnitude of the perturbation. The latter immediately implies that also the smoothed price of anarchy is  \(\Theta (\log \phi )\) for routing games on parallel links. Additionally, we show that for unrestricted machines also the greedy list scheduling algorithm has an approximation guarantee of   \(\Theta (\log \phi )\) .     

Electrochemical C−H/N−H Activation by Water‐Tolerant Cobalt Catalysis at Room Temperature

Electrochemistry enabled C?H/N?H functionalizations at room temperature by external oxidant‐free cobalt catalysis. Thus, the sustainable cobalt electrocatalysis manifold proceeds with excellent levels of chemoselectivity and positional selectivity, and with ample scope, thus allowing electrochemical C?H activation under exceedingly mild reaction conditions at room temperature in water.     

Quantization and representation theory of finiteW algebras

In this paper we study the finitely generated algebras underlyingW algebras. These so called finiteW algebras are constructed as Poisson reductions of Kirillov Poisson structures on simple Lie algebras. The inequivalent reductions are labeled by the inequivalent embeddings ofsl ₂ into the simple Lie algebra in question. For arbitrary embeddings a coordinate free formula for the reduced Poisson structure is derived. We also prove that any finiteW algebra can be embedded into the Kirillov Poisson algebra of a (semi)simple Lie algebra (generalized Miura map). Furthermore it is shown that generalized finite Toda systems are reductions of a system describing a free particle moving on a group manifold and that they have finiteW symmetry. In the second part we BRST quantize the finiteW algebras. The BRST cohomology is calculated using a spectral sequence (which is different from the one used by Feigin and Frenkel). This allows us to quantize all finiteW algebras in one stroke. Examples are given. In the last part of the paper we study the representation theory of finiteW algebras. It is shown, using a quantum version of the generalized Miura transformation, that the representations of finiteW algebras can be constructed from the representations of a certain Lie subalgebra of the original simple Lie algebra. As a byproduct of this we are able to construct the Fock realizations of arbitrary finiteW algebras.     

Renewable resources for sustainable metallaelectro-catalysed C–H activation

The necessity for more sustainable industrial chemical processes has internationally been agreed upon. During the last decade, the scientific community has responded to this urgent need by developing novel sustainable methodologies targeted at molecular transformations that not only produce reduced amounts of byproducts, but also by the use of cleaner and renewable energy sources. A prime example is the electrochemical functionalization of organic molecules, by which toxic and costly chemicals can be replaced by renewable electricity. Unrivalled levels of resource economy can thereby be achieved via the merger of metal-catalyzed C–H activation with electrosynthesis. This perspective aims at highlighting the most relevant advances in metallaelectro-catalysed C–H activations, with a particular focus on the use of green solvents and sustainable wind power and solar energy until June 2020.

The merger of C–H activation with electrosynthesis, powered by renewable energies and resources, will guide towards a sustainable future.     

Chirped fiber Bragg gratings with arbitrary group delay responses using stepped-stretching fiber method

We present the design and development of piece-wise stepped-chirp fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) with arbitrary group delay responses using a uniform phase mask in a pre-stretched fiber. The method involves writing a series of sub-gratings on a pre-stretched fiber whose length is varied during the UV exposure process. Two motorized stages are employed to control the length of the pre-stretched fiber in order to adjust the grating pitch at each writing step to achieve piece-wise stepped chirping of the FBG. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the method to produce chirped FBGs with arbitrary group delay responses, a linear-chirp FBG and a quadratic-chirp FBG were fabricated, and their measured performances agree well with analytical predictions. PACS 42.81.-i; 42.79.Dj; 42.79.Ci