Correlation between the mechanical and magneto-transport properties of cobalt film on semiconducting substrate

We have investigated the mechanical and magneto-transport properties of electron beam evaporated Co film on p-Si(1 0 0) substrate. Real time intrinsic stress measurement of the Co film, measured using a cantilever beam technique, shows the evolution of a large tensile stress with the growth of the film on the Si substrate. The analysis of stress reveals a columnar type Volmer–Weber growth which is also confirmed by the atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements. The Co-film shows high positive (negative) magnetoresistance at all temperatures (below 10 K) on application of out-of-plane (in-plane) magnetic field.     

A model for an extensional mode resonator used as a frequency-adjustable vibration energy harvester

In an effort to identify techniques for harvesting energy from ambient vibrations, a prototype device that utilizes stretching piezoelectric film to support a proof mass, with an adjustable support that allows the resonant frequency of the device to be easily altered, has been developed. This extensional mode resonator (XMR) device is described by a model developed in this paper that predicts the power that is harvested as a function of the frequency and amplitude of the external vibration, the elastic and piezoelectric materials properties, and the device geometry. The model provides design guidelines for the effects of device geometry and applied tension through an adjustable support that suggest a strong dependence on mechanical damping and a weak dependence on frequency, as opposed to a bending cantilever device. The model predictions are compared to experimental measures from a prototype device for frequencies between 120 and 180 Hz, and at accelerations between 0.1 and 10 m/s². Up to 9 mW is generated from a device with a mass of ∼82 g, and over the range of frequencies tested the power harvested at 4 m/s² is between 3 and 4 mW.     

Photonic microwave reconfigurable filter based on a tunable polymeric ring resonator

An integrated photonic microwave reconfigurable filter was proposed and realized incorporating a tunable polymeric ring resonator. Its passband could be shaped electrically by shifting the resonant peaks of the resonator via the thermo-optic effect. As for the achieved performance, the center frequency was 20 GHz, the extinction ratio ∼15 dB, the bandwidth 2 GHz, and the corresponding quality factor 10. The microwave output within the passband was varied efficiently by ∼27 dB with the rate of ∼6.7 dB/mW, while the wavelength tuning rate of the resonator was −0.02 nm/mW.     

Features of laser radiation interaction with metals having cryogenic temperature

In this paper we determine the features of the thermophysical processes involved in the interaction of laser radiation with metals that have cryogenic temperature. To do so, we use a one-dimensional model that involves heating a semi-infinite solid by a point thermal source with a constant flux density. Temperature fields, heating and cooling rates in the laser-irradiated zone for iron and titanium at the ambient temperatures of 77 (liquid nitrogen), 293 and 573 K were calculated. The intensity of the laser irradiation enabled the melting temperatures of 1933 K and 1812 K on the Ti and Fe surface, respectively, to be reached. The duration of the laser pulse was 4.5 ms. We show that a drop in ambient temperature from 573 to 77 K leads to a rise in cooling rate from 3.25 × 10³ and 6.4 × 10⁶ K/s to 4.25 × 10³ and 1.3 × 10⁷ K/s in the Ti and Fe targets, respectively. Agreement was good between the calculated depths of melting and phase transformation isotherms and the experimental depths of the interfaces of melting and heat-affected zones.     

Emission spectroscopy of atmospheric pressure plasmas for bio-medical and environmental applications

The paper demonstrates several ways of use of the UV-vis optical emission spectroscopy of medium resolution for the diagnostics of atmospheric pressure air and nitrogen plasmas relevant to bio-medical and environmental applications. Plasmas generated by DC discharges (streamer corona, transient spark, and glow discharge), AC microdischarges in porous ceramics, and microwave plasma were investigated. Molecular (OH, NO, CN) and atomic (H, O, N) radicals, and other active species, e.g. N₂ (C, B, A), (B), were identified. The composition of the emission spectra gives insight in the ongoing plasma chemistry. Rotational, i.e. gas, and vibrational temperatures were evaluated by fitting experimental with simulated spectra. Streamer corona, transient spark and microdischarges generate cold, strongly non-equilibrium plasmas (300-550 K), glow discharge plasma is hotter, yet non-equilibrium (1900 K), and microwave plasma is very hot and thermal (∼3000-4000 K). Electronic excitation temperature and OH radical concentration were estimated in the glow discharge assuming the chemical equilibrium and Boltzmann distribution (9800 K, 3 × 10¹⁶ cm⁻³). Optical emission also provided the measurement of the active plasma size of the glow discharge, and enabled calculating its electron number density (10¹² cm⁻³).     

Frequency shifts of cantilever in AFM

The frequency shift and frequency shift image of cantilever in AFM have been studied by numerical integration of the equation of motion of cantilever for silicon tip with rutile TiO₂(0 0 1) surface in UHV conditions and by the Hamaker summation method for the tip-surface interaction forces. The effects of the excitation frequency at the cantilever base and the equilibrium position of the tip on the frequency shift have been calculated and the results showed the same phenomena as those measured, e.g., the frequency shift increased dramatically or rapidly before the contact point and was then almost level off after the contact point. The effects of scanning speed and the initial closest distance of tip to the contact point have been calculated at different excitation frequencies at the cantilever base and the results showed that proper frequency shift image could be obtained either by noncontact mode at the excitation frequency slightly less than the resonance frequency of free cantilever, or by tapping mode at the excitation frequency a few times smaller than the resonance frequency of free cantilever.     

Electric power generation using vibration of a polyurea piezoelectric thin film

An energy harvesting system is proposed, in which mechanical energy is converted to electrical energy through the piezoelectric effect of a polymer polyurea film on the device. Electrical energy harvesting methods that use piezoelectric elements have been reported by several groups, and lead zirconate titanate (PZT) is predominantly employed as the piezoelectric material. An energy harvesting device with a polyurea thin film formed through vapor deposition polymerization with 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanete (MDI) and 4,4′-diamino diphenyl ether (ODA). The conversion efficiency from mechanical to electrical energy was calculated using finite elemental analysis (FEA) of the cantilever configuration. Higher conversion efficiency was obtained using a thinner and shorter cantilever configuration with increased resonance frequency of the device. Experiments were conducted using an electric power generation device with a 3 μm thick polyurea thin film attached to a 0.1-mm-thick, 18-mm-long beryllium copper cantilever. Vibration in the vertical direction, which induces the bending vibration on the cantilever, was applied to the device and the output voltage was measured by connecting load resistances. The output power was measured with a change in the load resistance from 10 kΩ to 10 MΩ, and an optimum output was obtained at 1 MΩ, which corresponds to the value calculated using FEA. The conversion efficiency was improved by changing the cantilever length and an efficiency of 0.233% was obtained with a 4-mm-long cantilever.     

Hydrothermal preparation and photoluminescent properties of MgAl2O4: Eu spinel nanocrystals

Nanoplates of the MgAl₂O₄ spinel doped with Eu³⁺ ions were prepared by a microwave assisted hydrothermal method. Structural properties of the precursor calcined at 700 and 1000 ^oC powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). According to the obtained XRD patterns the formation of single-phase spinels after calcination was confirmed. The average spinel particle size was determined to be 11 nm after calcination at 700 °C and it increased up to 14 nm after calcination at 1000 °C. The photoluminescent properties of prepared powders with different Eu³⁺ ion concentrations (0-5% mol) were investigated using excitation and emission spectroscopy at room and low temperatures (77 K).     

Exchange bias in thin-film (Co/Pt)3/Cr2O3 multilayers

We have fabricated exchange-biased Co/Pt layers ((0.3 nm/1.5 nm)×3) on (0 0 1)-oriented Cr₂O₃ thin films. The multilayered films showed extremely smooth surfaces and interfaces with root mean square roughness of ≈0.3 nm for 10 μm×10 μm area. The Cr₂O₃ films display sufficient insulation with a relative low leakage current (1.17×10⁻² A/cm² at 380 MV/m) at room temperature which allowed us to apply electric field as high as 77 MV/m. We find that the sign of the exchange bias and the shape of the hysteresis loops of the out-of-plane magnetized Co/Pt layers can be delicately controlled by adjusting the magnetic field cooling process through the Néel temperature of Cr₂O₃. No clear evidence of the effect of electric field and the electric field cooling was detected on the exchange bias for fields as high as 77 MV/m. We place the upper bound of the shift in exchange bias field due to electric field cooling to be 5 Oe at 250 K.     

Cooling of a nanomechanical resonator in presence of a single diatomic molecule

We propose a theoretical scheme for coupling a nanomechanical resonator to a single diatomic molecule via microwave cavity mode of a driven LC$LC$ resonator. We describe the diatomic molecule by a Morse potential and find the corresponding equations of motion of the hybrid system by using Fokker–Planck formalism. Analytical expressions for the effective frequency and the effective damping of the nanomechanical resonator are obtained. We analyze the ground state cooling of the nanomechanical resonator in presence of the diatomic molecule. The results confirm that presence of the molecule improves the cooling process of the mechanical resonator. Finally, the effect of molecule’s parameters on the cooling mechanism is studied.     

Specific mass shift of potassium 5P1/2 state

We have measured the isotope shift between ⁴¹K and ³⁹K in the 4s_1/2 → 5p_1/2 transition at 405 nm using saturation spectroscopy. Our measured isotope shift is 456.1 ± 0.8 MHz, implying a residual isotope shift (sum of specific mass shift and field shift) of −52.7 ± 0.8 MHz. We deduce a specific mass shift of −40 ± 5 MHz, which would imply that the 5p_1/2 state has a considerably larger specific mass shift than the 4p_1/2 state. We have in addition measured the 5p_1/2 hyperfine splitting for ⁴¹K.     

Performance of a Herriott cell, designed for variable temperatures between 296 and 20 K

We designed, fabricated and tested a multipath Herriott cell (or off-axis spherical mirror interferometer) to achieve low temperature absorption measurements. The cell is fabricated entirely from copper, and the 15 cm radius of curvature copper mirrors have gold coated reflective surfaces. The cell was tested at temperatures between 296 and 20 K with a folded absorption path length of 5.37 m utilizing a lead salt tunable diode laser. Short term temperature stability (1 h) of the Herriott cell is better than 0.005 K under normal operating conditions with a temperature uniformity better than 0.01 K (not measurable). The cell was tested by performing collisional cooling experiments on ¹³C¹⁶O₂ in helium at temperatures between 70 and 20 K and by performing more traditional pressure broadening and shift measurements on molecular infrared absorption lines at temperatures between 300 and about 80 K on ¹³C¹⁶O₂ and methane.     

Annealing effect on planar waveguides in LiNbO3 produced by oxygen ion implantation

We reported on planar waveguides in stoichiometric lithium niobate fabricated by 4.5 MeV oxygen ion implantation with a dose of 6 × 10¹⁴ ions/cm² at room temperature. After ion implantation, these samples were annealed at 240 °C, 260 °C, and 300 °C for 30 min. We investigated annealing effect on the guiding modes and near-field images in the waveguides by prism-coupling method and end-face coupling method respectively. We found that for the extraordinary refractive index a positive alternation occurred in the near-surface region while a negative alternation happened at the end of ion track. Moreover, we measured the transmission spectra for the pure sample and implanted samples before and after annealed at different temperatures, and we observed an absorption peak at ∼480 nm (2.6 eV) in all of these SLN samples.     

Photonic generation of a microwave signal by employing a microfiber ring resonator

A novel approach to generate microwave signals is presented by employing a microfiber ring resonator. The microfiber ring resonator is assembled with a microfiber fabricated by heating and drawing standard single-mode fiber. By cascading microfiber ring resonator acted as a comb filter with a tunable bandpass filter, a wavelength-tunable dual-wavelength single longitudinal-mode laser is achieved. A microwave signal at 15.57 GHz with the linewidth of less than 21 kHz is demonstrated by beating the two wavelengths at a photodetector.     

Thermoelectric properties of Bi0.9Sb0.1 prepared by high pressure

The Bi_0.9Sb_0.1 powders were prepared by mechanical alloying and then pressed under 6 GPa at different pressing temperatures. X-ray diffraction spectra showed that the single phase was formed. The nanostructure of grain was observed by bright-field imaging. Electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, and thermal conductivity had been investigated in the temperature range of 80-300 K. The absolute Seebeck coefficient value of 120.3 μV/K was measured at 130 K. The figure-of-merit reached a maximum value of 0.90×10⁻³ K⁻¹ at 140 K.     

VUV spectroscopy of pure and Tm-doped LicaAlF6 crystals

Nominally pure and Tm³⁺-doped LiCaAlF₆ crystals were grown by the Czochralski technique in a reducing atmosphere. The optical properties of transparent single crystals were studied using absorption and time-resolved luminescence spectroscopy in the VUV spectral range (330-100 nm). The strongest VUV emission peaking at 60 800 cm⁻¹ with a decay time of 5.6 μs (7 μs) at 300 K (7.4 K) was assigned to the spin-forbidden 4f¹¹5d-4f¹² transition of Tm³⁺. The fine structure observed in the VUV emission and corresponding excitation spectra indicate intermediate strength of electron-phonon coupling in this system. The efficient excitation of f-f emissions above 72 000 cm⁻¹, higher than the onset of f-d absorption at 63 000 cm⁻¹, is mainly caused by the F⁻ to Tm³⁺ charge transfer absorption. The nature of various host-related excitation processes in the energy transfer to the Tm³⁺ ions is discussed.     

UV cathodoluminescence of crystalline α-quartz at low temperatures

Two luminescence bands in the UV range were detected in crystalline α-quartz under electron beam excitation (6 kV, 3-5 μA). One band is situated at 5 eV and could be observed in pure samples. Its intensity increases with cooling below 100 K and undergoes saturation below 40 K alongside a slow growth with the time of irradiation at 9 K. The decay curve of the band at 5 eV contains two components, a fast (<10 ns) and a slow one in the range of 200 μs. The photoluminescence band at 5 eV with a similar temperature dependence was found in previously neutron-irradiated crystalline α-quartz. Therefore, the band at 5 eV was attributed to host material defects in both irradiation cases. The creation mechanism of such defects by electrons, the energy of which is lower than the threshold for a knock-out mechanism of defect creation, is discussed. Another band at 6 eV, containing subbands in different samples, appears in the samples containing aluminum, lithium and sodium ions. This luminescence is ascribed to a tunnel radiative transition in an association of (alkali atom)⁰-[AlO₄]⁺ that is formed after the trapping of an electron and a hole by Li⁺ (or Na⁺) and AlO₄.     

Gaussian soliton generation using a 1.3 μm optical pulse in a micro-ring resonator for a new DWDM enhancement

We present a novel system of a Gaussian soliton generation using a 1.30 μm optical pulse in a nonlinear micro-ring resonator system, which can be used to form the soliton pulse trains within the new wavelength band. By using the suitable parameters, the soliton pulse trains with the center wavelength at 1.30 μm can be generated after the intense Gaussian pulse is input into the nonlinear micro-ring resonator system. The initial pulse bandwidth is enlarged and the signal amplified by the nonlinear Kerr effects type within the ring resonator. The simulation values are used associating with the practical device parameters, whereas the obtained results have shown that the wavelength enhancement of the center wavelength can be achieved. Furthermore, the maximum soliton output power of 12 W is obtained, which is available to perform the long-distance communication link. The common problem of soliton dispersion is minimized by the zero dispersion condition in this case. The major advantage of the proposed system is that the dense wavelength division of the center wavelength with the spectral width of 7.0 pm (10⁻¹⁵ m) and the free spectrum range of 400 pm can be generated and achieved. This is available for the used/installed wavelength enhancement, which can provide more available channel capacity in the existed public optical network.     

Ti-sapphire femtosecond pulse pumped laser emission from all-plastic organic waveguide with distributed feedback resonator

We demonstrated the spectrally narrowed laser emission from all-plastic organic waveguide with the distributed feedback (DFB) resonator pumped by Ti-sapphire femtosecond laser. We fabricated the DFB resonator on a surface of a photoresist polymer using an interference of laser beams. All-plastic waveguide with organic dyes dispersed in poly(N-vinylcarbazole) and polystyrene matrix was spin-coated on a DFB resonator. Very narrow full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 0.15 nm in emission wavelength was observed, whereas an excitation laser of Ti-sapphire femtosecond laser has broad FWHM of 14 nm.     

An open-air infrasonic thermoacoustic engine

A low-frequency open-air thermoacoustic engine in a Helmholtz resonator has been constructed. Tests indicate that the system resonates in the Helmholtz mode for modest thermoacoustic stack temperature differences using stacks of varying type and pore size located within the neck of the Helmholtz resonator. The maximum acoustic pressure radiated from the open end of the resonator corresponds to 81 dB-SPL ref 20 μPa at a stack temperature difference of 185 K and an input electric power of 276 W. The system is well characterized by a numerical model of a representative stack.