Dust ion‐acoustic solitons collision in weakly relativistic plasmas with superthermality‐distributed electrons and positrons: Higher‐order phase shifts

The higher‐order (H‐O) phase shift of dust ion‐acoustic solitons (DIASs) in a weakly relativistic plasma is examined considering the influence of both superthermality‐distributed electrons and positrons. Employing the extended Poincaré–Lighthill–Kuo method (EPLKM), the Korteweg–de Vries equations (KdVEs) and the deviation in trajectories of DIASs (i.e., phase shifts) are obtained after the collision. For obtaining H‐O phase shifts of DIASs, the fifth‐order dispersion terms are added into KdVEs. The effects of the relativistic factor for a weakly relativistic regime and the superthermality of both electrons and positrons on the H‐O phase shifts are discussed. Numerical analysis gives rise to important highlights on the excitation and the collision of DIASs in astrophysical situations such as a pulsar magnetosphere.     

Lower‐ and Higher‐Order Nonclassical Properties of Photon Added and Subtracted Displaced Fock States

Nonclassical properties of photon added and subtracted displaced Fock states are studied using various witnesses of lower‐ and higher‐order nonclassicality. Compact analytic expressions are obtained for the nonclassicality witnesses. Using those expressions, it is established that these states and the states that can be obtained as their limiting cases (except coherent states) are highly nonclassical as they show the existence of lower‐ and higher‐order antibunching and sub‐Poissonian photon statistics, in addition to the nonclassical features revealed through the Mandel $Q_M$ parameter, zeros of Q function, Klyshko's criterion, and Agarwal–Tara criterion. Further, some comparison between the nonclassicality of photon added and subtracted displaced Fock states have been performed using witnesses of nonclassicality. This has established that between the two types of non‐Gaussianity inducing operations (i.e., photon addition and subtraction) used here, photon addition influences the nonclassical properties more strongly. Further, optical designs for the generation of photon added and subtracted displaced Fock states from squeezed vacuum state have also been proposed.     

Cornell and Coulomb interactions for the D‐dimensional Klein‐Gordon equation

We investigate the D‐dimensional Klein‐Gordon equation in the presence of both Coulomb and Cornell potentials by quasi‐exact methodology. The Coulomb potential yields a degenerate result as the dimension increases, i.e. the quantum number l plays no role in the energy relation. For the Cornell potential, however, the behavior is different and no degeneracy exists. Closed form of eigenfunctions is reported and the energy behavior for different states is numerically discussed.     

Mach's principle and higher‐dimensional dynamics

We briefly discuss the current status of Mach's principle in general relativity and point out that its last vestige, namely, the gravitomagnetic field associated with rotation, has recently been measured for the earth in the GP‐B experiment. Furthermore, in his analysis of the foundations of Newtonian mechanics, Mach provided an operational definition for inertial mass and pointed out that time and space are conceptually distinct from their operational definitions by means of masses. Mach recognized that this circumstance is due to the lack of any a priori connection between the inertial mass of a body and its Newtonian state in space and time. One possible way to improve upon this situation in classical physics is to associate mass with an extra dimension. Indeed, Einstein's theory of gravitation can be locally embedded in a Ricci‐flat 5D manifold such that the 4D energy‐momentum tensor appears to originate from the existence of the extra dimension. An outline of such a 5D Machian extension of Einstein's general relativity is presented.     

Hollow Silica Spheres Embedded in a Porous Carbon Matrix and Its Superior Performance as the Anode for Lithium‐Ion Batteries

Silica (SiO₂) is regarded as one of the most promising anode materials for lithium‐ion batteries due to the high theoretical specific capacity and extremely low cost. However, the low intrinsic electrical conductivity and the big volume change during charge/discharge cycles result in a poor electrochemical performance. Here, hollow silica spheres embedded in porous carbon (HSS–C) composites are synthesized and investigated as an anode material for lithium‐ion batteries. The HSS–C composites demonstrate a high specific capacity of about 910 mA h g^?1 at a rate of 200 mA g^?1 after 150 cycles and exhibit good rate capability. The porous carbon with a large surface area and void space filled both inside and outside of the hollow silica spheres acts as an excellent conductive layer to enhance the overall conductivity of the electrode, shortens the diffusion path length for the transport of lithium ions, and also buffers the volume change accompanied with lithium‐ion insertion/extraction processes.     

Free‐space coupling of nanoantennas and whispering‐gallery microcavities with narrowed linewidth and enhanced sensitivity

Due to the broad scattering spectral profiles, localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) of Pd nanoparticles have low resolution and limited sensitivity for hydrogen detection. In this work, we use a simple light‐irradiation method to demonstrate that free‐space light can be efficiently coupled into and from the microfiber whispering‐gallery modes (WGMs) by the Pd nanoantennas. The nanoantenna–microfiber cavity system provides strong intermodal coupling between LSPRs and WGMs, and induces significant modulation of the scattering spectra. A measured full width at half‐maximum of 3.2 nm at 622.7 nm is obtained, which is the narrowest in Pd nanoparticle‐based LSPR structures reported up to now. The ultranarrow resonances offer enhanced sensitivity to hydrogen gas detection with a figure of merit reaching ∼2.22. Other advantages of the Pd nanoantenna–microfiber cavity system including independence of precise alignment of excitation light, large tunability of the resonant wavelengths, easy and low‐cost fabrication of the system, have also been demonstrated.

     

The Wall Stresses and Insert Load in a Two‐Dimensional Flat‐bottomed Bin with an Equilateral Triangle Insert

The wall stresses and insert load in a two‐dimensional flat‐bottomed bin with a flow corrective insert were investigated. The static wall stress distributions produced by the granular solids were measured and compared with the theoretical prediction using the differential slice method. The variations in the dynamic wall stresses and the dynamic response of the insert load with time were obtained. The comparison of the experimental insert load to the theoretical prediction was demonstrated. In addition, the effect of the flow corrective insert upon the wall stress and insert load was investigated. As the insert half‐angle increases, the effect of disrupting the contact force network above the insert decreases, and the insert load produced by the granular solids increases. Employing the results obtained using stress measurements, the pulsation phenomena of wall stress and insert load in a bin with a triangle flow corrective insert may be further understood.     

Symmetry Reductions,Group‐Invariant Solutions,and Conservation Laws of a (2+1)‐Dimensional Nonlinear Schrödinger Equation in a Heisenberg Ferromagnetic Spin Chain

Nonlinear spin excitations in ferromagnetic spin chains are studied for spintronic and magnetic devices including magnetic‐field sensors and for high‐density data storage. Here, (2+1)‐dimensional nonlinear Schrödinger equation is investigated, which describes the nonlinear spin dynamics for a Heisenberg ferromagnetic spin chain. Lie point symmetry generators and Lie symmetry groups of that equation are derived. Lie symmetry groups are related to the time, space, scale, rotation transformations, and Galilean boosts of that equation. Certain solutions, which are associated with the known solutions, are constructed. Based on the Lie symmetry generators, the reduced systems of such an equation are obtained. Based on the polynomial expansion and through one of the reduced systems, group‐invariant solutions are constructed. Soliton‐type group‐invariant solutions are graphically investigated and effects of the magnetic coupling coefficients, that is, α₁, α₂, α₃, and α₄, on the soliton's amplitude, width, and velocity are discussed. It is seen that α₁, α₂, α₃, and α₄ have no influence on the soliton's amplitude, but can affect the soliton's velocity and width. Lax pair and conservation laws of such an equation are derived.     

Kirkpatrick–Baez mirrors to focus hard X‐rays in two dimensions as fabricated,tested and installed at the Advanced Photon Source

The micro‐focusing performance for hard X‐rays of a fixed‐geometry elliptical Kirkpatrick–Baez (K–B) mirrors assembly fabricated, tested and finally implemented at the micro‐probe beamline 8‐BM of the Advanced Photon Source is reported. Testing of the K–B mirror system was performed at the optics and detector test beamline 1‐BM. K–B mirrors of length 80 mm and 60 mm were fabricated by profile coating with Pt metal to produce focal lengths of 250 mm and 155 mm for 3 mrad incident angle. For the critical angle of Pt, a broad bandwidth of energies up to 20 keV applies. The classical K–B sequential mirror geometry was used, and mirrors were mounted on micro‐translation stages. The beam intensity profiles were measured by differentiating the curves of intensity data measured using a wire‐scanning method. A beam size of 1.3 µm (V) and 1.2 µm (H) was measured with monochromatic X‐rays of 18 keV at 1‐BM. After installation at 8‐BM the measured focus met the design requirements. In this paper the fabrication and metrology of the K–B mirrors are reported, as well as the focusing performances of the full mirrors‐plus‐mount set‐up at both beamlines.     

Symplectic and hyperkähler structures in a dimensional reduction of the Seiberg-Witten equations with a Higgs field

In this paper we show that the dimensionally reduced Seiberg-Witten equations lead to a Higgs field and we study the resulting moduli spaces. The moduli space arising out of a subset of the equations, shown to be non-empty for a compact Riemann surface of genus g ≥ 1, gives rise to a family of moduli spaces carrying a hyperkähler structure. For the full set of equations the corresponding moduli space does not have the aforementioned hyperkähler structure but has a natural symplectic structure. For the case of the torus, g = 1, we show that the full set of equations has a solution, different from the “vortex solutions”.     

Selective Etching of N‐Doped Graphene Meshes as Metal‐Free Catalyst with Tunable Kinetics,High Activity and the Origin of New Catalytic Behaviors

New N‐doped reduced graphene oxide (N‐RGO) meshes are facile fabricated by selective etching of 3–5 nm nanopores, with controllable doping of N dopants at an ultrahigh N/C ratio up to 15.6 at%, from pristine graphene oxide sheets in one‐pot hydrothermal reaction. The N‐RGO meshes are illustrated to be an efficient metal‐free catalyst toward hydrogenation of 4‐nitrophenol, with new catalytic behaviors emerging in following three aspects: (i) tunable kinetics following pseudofirst order from commonly observed pseudozero order; (ii) strikingly improved activity with 26‐fold increased rate constant (1.0 s⁻¹ g⁻¹ L); (iii) no induction time required prior to reaction due to depressed back conversion, and dramatically decreased apparent activation energy (E_a) (17 kJ mol⁻¹). The origin of these new catalytic properties can be assigned to the synergetic effects between graphitic N doping and structural defects arising from nanopores. Deeper understanding unveils that the concentration of graphitic N is inverse proportion to E_a, while the pyrrolic N has no impact on this reaction, and oxygenate groups hampers it. The porous nature allows the N‐RGO meshes to conduct catalyze reactions in continuous flow fashion.     

Nitrogen‐Doped Carbon with Mesopore Confinement Efficiently Enhances the Tolerance,Sensitivity, and Stability of a Pt Catalyst for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) present some of the most challenging vulnerability issues reducing ORR performance and shortening their practical lifetime. Fuel crossover resistance, selective activity, and catalytic stability of ORR catalysts are still to be addressed. Here, a facile and in situ template‐free synthesis of Pt‐containing mesoporous nitrogen‐doped carbon composites (Pt‐m‐N‐C) is designed and specifically developed to overcome its drawback as an electrocatalyst for ORR, while its high activity is sustained. The as‐prepared Pt‐m‐N‐C catalyst exhibits high electrocatalytic activity, dominant four‐electron oxygen reduction pathway, superior stability, fuel crossover resistance, and selective activity to a commercial Pt/C catalyst in 0.1 m KOH aqueous solution. Such excellent performance benefits from in situ covalent incorporation of Pt nanoparticles with optimal size into N‐doped carbon support, dense active catalytic sites on surface, excellent electrical contacts between the catalytic sites and the electron‐conducting host, and a favorable mesoporous structure for the stabilization of the Pt nanoparticles by pore confinement and diffusion of oxygen molecules.     

Chromatographic paper embedded with silver nanostructure as a disposable substrate for surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy and catalytic reactor

The high cost of regular diagnostic kits severely impeded its uses for routine clinical assay and fieldworks. A cost‐effective chromatography paper is chemically modified with Ag nanostructures using the simple electroless silver deposition, producing a scalable and disposable substrate for surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy, as well as a large scale of catalytic active sites over many chemical reactions. Synergetic measurement including surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy and laser desorption ionization‐mass spectrometry is performed on Ag decorated filter paper using a thiol containing compound as indicator, allowing for the acquisition of spatially correlated spectroscopy in the tandem mode. In addition, hydrophilic porous cellulose network that contains a certain amount of liquid naturally served as a chemical reactor for molecular transport and reaction. Positive results from catalytic reaction on metallized paper convincingly demonstrated that total microanalysis system on paper (μ‐TASoP), as a compelling alternative would find a wide breadth of applications in developing disposable medical devices and customary laboratory assays. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.