Bottom‐Up Synthesis of Carbon Quantum Dots With High Performance Photo‐ and Electroluminescence

Although carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are of great interest because of cost effectiveness and environmental compatibility with the facile tunability of their optical properties, poor photo‐ and electroluminescence (EL) of CQDs limits further implementation. Here, a novel bottom‐up synthetic route for fabricating highly crystalline CQDs suitable for high‐brightness blue light‐emitting diodes is demonstrated. The two‐step solution process is based on time‐controlled thermal carbonization of citric acid, followed by ligand exchange of the CQDs with oleylamine (OA) in solution. Carbonization allows for the nucleation and growth of crystalline CQDs, while OA treatment disperses the CQDs and stabilizes the solution, giving rise to CQDs with low structural defects and uniform sizes. The systematic study reveals the origin of the light emission of OA‐treated CQDs by photoluminescence (PL) analysis, which yields a high quantum efficiency of ≈30%. The photoluminescence‐optimized OA‐treated CQDs exhibit excellent blue EL performance with a low turn‐on voltage of ≈4 V and high brightness of 308 cd m⁻²; a negligible voltage‐dependent color shift when they are employed to an inverted light‐emitting diode.     

Ultra‐fast nano‐optics

Ultra‐fast nano‐optics is a comparatively young and rapidly growing field of research aiming at probing, manipulating and controlling ultrafast optical excitations on nanometer length scales. This ability to control light on nanometric length and femtosecond time scales opens up exciting possibilities for probing dynamic processes in nanostructures in real time and space. This article gives a brief introduction into the emerging research field of ultrafast nano‐optics and discusses recent progress made in it. A particular emphasis is laid on the recent experimental work performed in the authors' laboratories. We specifically discuss how ultrafast nano‐optical techniques can be used to probe and manipulate coherent optical excitations in individual and dipole‐coupled pairs of quantum dots, probe the dynamics of surface plasmon polariton excitations in metallic nanostructures, generate novel nanometer‐sized ultrafast light and electron sources and reveal the dipole interaction between excitons and surface plasmon polaritons in hybrid metal‐semiconductor nanostructures. Our results indicate that such hybrid nanostructures carry significant potential for realizing novel nano‐optical devices such as ultrafast nano‐optical switches as well as surface plasmon polariton amplifiers and lasers.     

Spectral engineering of coupled open‐access microcavities

Open‐access microcavities are emerging as a new approach to confine and engineer light at mode volumes down to the λ³ regime. They offer direct access to a highly confined electromagnetic field while maintaining tunability of the system and flexibility for coupling to a range of matter systems. This article presents a study of coupled cavities, for which the substrates are produced using Focused Ion Beam milling. Based on experimental and theoretical investigation the engineering of the coupling between two microcavities with radius of curvature of 6 m is demonstrated. Details are provided by studying the evolution of spectral, spatial and polarisation properties through the transition from isolated to coupled cavities. Normal mode splittings up to 20 meV are observed for total mode volumes around . This work is of importance for future development of lab‐on‐a‐chip sensors and photonic open‐access devices ranging from polariton systems to quantum simulators.

     

Scalable bottom‐up assembly of suspended carbon nanotube and graphene devices by dielectrophoresis

Bottom‐up assembly by dielectrophoresis (DEP) has emerged in recent years as a viable alternative to conventional top–down fabrication of electronic devices from nanomaterials, particularly carbon nanotubes and graphene. Here, we demonstrate how this technique can be extended to fabricate devices containing carbon nanotubes and graphene suspended between two electrodes over a back‐gate electrode. The suspended device geometry is critical for the development of nano‐electromechanical devices and to extract maximum performance out of electronic and optoelectronic devices. This technique allows for parallel assembly of devices over large scale. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Imaging interfacial micro‐ and nano‐bubbles by scanning transmission soft X‐ray microscopy

Synchrotron‐based scanning transmission soft X‐ray microscopy (STXM) with nanometer resolution was used to investigate the existence and behavior of interfacial gas nanobubbles confined between two silicon nitride windows. The observed nanobubbles of SF₆ and Ne with diameters smaller than 2.5 µm were quite stable. However, larger bubbles became unstable and grew during the soft X‐ray imaging, indicating that stable nanobubbles may have a length scale, which is consistent with a previous report using atomic force microscopy [Zhang et al. (2010), Soft Matter, 6 , 4515–4519]. Here, it is shown that STXM is a promising technique for studying the aggregation of gases near the solid/water interfaces at the nanometer scale.     

Investigation of interactions of nano‐particles within cells using micro‐beam imaging techniques

A new approach was employed to investigate the interactions between cells and metal ions at the single cell level. Mouse macrophages were cultured and exposed to solutions with different concentrations of metals and exposure times. A focused beam from a synchrotron radiation source and an electron probe microanalyzer were used for elemental imaging of the cells. It was found that the intensity and distribution of the matrix elements in a single cell are closely related to the uptake of metals. Furthermore, the variation of the density the matrix elements and their localization in the cell are influenced by the uptake of metals. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Development of micro‐XANES mapping in the diamond anvil cell

Energy‐dispersive X‐ray absorption spectroscopy is now a well established method that has been applied to a broad range of applications. At the energy‐dispersive EXAFS beamline of the ESRF, ID24, the recently achieved 5 × 5 µm focal spot combined with fast acquisition has allowed complex and non‐uniform samples to be mapped and images to be obtained where each pixel contains full XAS information. This method has been applied to a study under extreme conditions of pressure and temperature in a diamond anvil cell in transmission mode. The case study was the investigation of the Fe K‐edge XANES of (Mg,Fe)SiO₃‐perovskite and (Mg,Fe)O‐ferropericlase on decomposition of the spinel‐structured olivine [γ‐(Mg,Fe)₂SiO₄] at 78 (3) GPa after laser heating at 2200 (100) K.     

单点金刚石机床及其在光学工程领域的应用

介绍了单点金刚石车床概念,总结回顾了单点金刚石车床在国防和商业领域内的发展状况,给出了目前商用单点金刚石车床的典型产品。对单点金刚石车床的关键零部件和核心技术,如空气静压主轴、液压导轨、直流电机、对刀装置、误差补偿和自适应控制等进行了分析。最后,介绍了适宜单点金刚石车削加工的材料,分析了快刀伺服和慢刀伺服在光学元件中的应用以及所加工的光学元件在国防和商用光电产品中的应用,并以主次镜望远镜系统和精密光学系统无调整装配为例,说明了单点金刚石车削在光电产品中的重要作用。     

单点金刚石机床及其在光学工程领域的应用

介绍了单点金刚石车床概念,总结回顾了单点金刚石车床在国防和商业领域内的发展状况,给出了目前商用单点金刚石车床的典型产品。对单点金刚石车床的关键零部件和核心技术,如空气静压主轴、液压导轨、直流电机、对刀装置、误差补偿和自适应控制等进行了分析。最后,介绍了适宜单点金刚石车削加工的材料,分析了快刀伺服和慢刀伺服在光学元件中的应用以及所加工的光学元件在国防和商用光电产品中的应用,并以主次镜望远镜系统和精密光学系统无调整装配为例,说明了单点金刚石车削在光电产品中的重要作用。     

Tuning the phase transition of ZnO thin films through lithography: an integrated bottom‐up and top‐down processing

An innovative approach towards the physico‐chemical tailoring of zinc oxide thin films is reported. The films have been deposited by liquid phase using the sol–gel method and then exposed to hard X‐rays, provided by a synchrotron storage ring, for lithography. The use of surfactant and chelating agents in the sol allows easy‐to‐pattern films made by an organic–inorganic matrix to be deposited. The exposure to hard X‐rays strongly affects the nucleation and growth of crystalline ZnO, triggering the formation of two intermediate phases before obtaining a wurtzite‐like structure. At the same time, X‐ray lithography allows for a fast patterning of the coatings enabling microfabrication for sensing and arrays technology.     

A confocal set‐up for micro‐XRF and XAFS experiments using diamond‐anvil cells

A confocal set‐up is presented that improves micro‐XRF and XAFS experiments with high‐pressure diamond‐anvil cells (DACs). In this experiment a probing volume is defined by the focus of the incoming synchrotron radiation beam and that of a polycapillary X‐ray half‐lens with a very long working distance, which is placed in front of the fluorescence detector. This set‐up enhances the quality of the fluorescence and XAFS spectra, and thus the sensitivity for detecting elements at low concentrations. It efficiently suppresses signal from outside the sample chamber, which stems from elastic and inelastic scattering of the incoming beam by the diamond anvils as well as from excitation of fluorescence from the body of the DAC.     

基于DNA自组装的金属纳米结构制备及相关纳米光子学研究

纳米光子学是研究光在纳米尺度下的行为以及光和纳米材料相互作用的一门科学.金属纳米材料凭借其独特的表面等离子体效应,可以在衍射极限以下对光进行传递和聚焦,因而是纳米光子学研究的重点.大量研究表明,通过调控金属纳米材料的形貌和成分可以控制表面等离子体的性质,从而对光进行可控调节.近年来,随着DNA纳米技术的发展,又为纳米光子学的发展带来了新的机遇.首先,人们发现不同的DNA序列可以调控金属纳米颗粒的成长,从而影响金属纳米颗粒的形貌和成分.此外,利用DNA自组装技术,可以将金属纳米颗粒组装成为有序可控的纳米结构.因此,基于DNA的纳米光子学研究近年来发展十分迅速.在此背景下,本文对相关研究进行归纳与总结,以期吸引更多研究人员的关注,推动该领域的进一步发展.本文首先介绍了金属纳米结构基于表面等离体实现突破光学衍射极限的原理,然后按照DNA对金属纳米结构的形貌或成分影响方式的不同分成若干部分,对基于DNA的纳米光子学做了系统的综述,最后展望了未来可能的发展方向.     

Thorough small‐angle X‐ray scattering analysis of the instability of liquid micro‐jets in air

Liquid jets are of interest, both for their industrial relevance and for scientific applications (more important, in particular for X‐rays, after the advent of free‐electron lasers that require liquid jets as sample carrier). Instability mechanisms have been described theoretically and by numerical simulation, but confirmed by few experimental techniques. In fact, these are mainly based on cameras, which is limited by the imaging resolution, and on light scattering, which is hindered by absorption, reflection, Mie scattering and multiple scattering due to complex air/liquid interfaces during jet break‐up. In this communication it is demonstrated that synchrotron small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS) can give quantitative information on liquid jet dynamics at the nanoscale, by detecting time‐dependent morphology and break‐up length. Jets ejected from circular tubes of different diameters (100–450 µm) and speeds (0.7–21 m s^?1) have been explored to cover the Rayleigh and first wind‐induced regimes. Various solvents (water, ethanol, 2‐propanol) and their mixtures have been examined. The determination of the liquid jet behaviour becomes essential, as it provides background data in subsequent studies of chemical and biological reactions using SAXS or X‐ray diffraction based on synchrotron radiation and free‐electron lasers.     

Opportunities for wavelength conversion with on‐chip diamond ring resonators

Recent progress in the fabrication of high‐quality synthetic diamond and of diamond waveguide structures has enabled photonics researchers to start exploiting the unique optical properties of diamond for various applications. In this article the promise of on‐chip diamond ring resonators for wavelength conversion based on Kerr and Raman‐resonant four‐wave mixing is numerically demonstrated. After examining to what extent both dispersion‐engineered phase‐matching and “automatic” quasi‐phase‐matching can be established in diamond ring converters, it is shown that such a “double‐matching” approach can yield high conversion efficiencies for a wide range of wavelengths in the near‐infrared/mid‐infrared domain, as well as in the ultraviolet/visible domain.     

Polycapillary‐optics‐based micro‐XANES and micro‐EXAFS at a third‐generation bending‐magnet beamline

A focusing system based on a polycapillary half‐lens optic has been successfully tested for transmission and fluorescence µ‐X‐ray absorption spectroscopy at a third‐generation bending‐magnet beamline equipped with a non‐fixed‐exit Si(111) monochromator. The vertical positional variations of the X‐ray beam owing to the use of a non‐fixed‐exit monochromator were shown to pose only a limited problem by using the polycapillary optic. The expected height variation for an EXAFS scan around the Fe K‐edge is approximately 200 µm on the lens input side and this was reduced to ～1 µm for the focused beam. Beam sizes (FWHM) of 12–16 µm, transmission efficiencies of 25–45% and intensity gain factors, compared with the non‐focused beam, of about 2000 were obtained in the 7–14 keV energy range for an incoming beam of 0.5 × 2 mm (vertical × horizontal). As a practical application, an As K‐edge µ‐XANES study of cucumber root and hypocotyl was performed to determine the As oxidation state in the different plant parts and to identify a possible metabolic conversion by the plant.     

Investigation on porosity changes of Lecce stone due to conservation treatments by means of x‐ray nano‐ and improved micro‐computed tomography: preliminary results

Cultural heritage materials are subject to continuous chemical and physical changes depending on the establishment of a dynamic equilibrium with the environment in which they are placed. In particular, different phenomena can take place, such as formation of black crusts, corrosion of the material, internal cracks. Lecce stone, a biocalcarenite mainly used for historical buildings in South Italy, has a high total porosity. In order to prevent its deterioration, different kinds of hydrophobic organic products are applied on the surface of the restored artefacts. Since the efficacy of the treatments depends mostly on the penetration depth and the distribution of the products in the pores, porosity and internal structure of the stone material were mainly investigated in this research. Micro x‐ray computed tomography (µ‐CT) has been used to study and characterize the internal structure of different samples, untreated and treated with protective products. The porosity and other parameters of the rock were then calculated and compared, before and after the conservation treatment, in order to highlight the changes due to the application of the product. On the other hand, small pieces of the untreated and treated samples were analysed by sub‐micron resolution x‐ray tomography where it was possible to see the distribution of the products inside the pores. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ultra‐sharp boron interfaces for delta doped diamond structures

Delta doping of diamond constitutes a very promising route to fabricate novel generation of high power and high frequency electronic devices. However, the achievement of abrupt interfaces between highly boron doped and undoped layers requires the shortest residence times of reactive species in the substrate vicinity. We report here on an innovative gas injection system especially designed to reduce this residence time. This technique was applied to fabricate sharp rising and decaying boron interfaces. According to SIMS profiles, the sharpest profiles were obtained on decaying interfaces exhibiting doping gradients close to 1.5 nm per decade over five decades of boron concentrations, namely from 10¹⁶ to 10²¹ atoms/cm³. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Facile fabrication of forest‐like ZnO hierarchical structures on conductive fabric substrate

Forest‐like ZnO hierarchical structures were synthesized on the conductive fabric substrate via a simple one‐step electrochemical deposition process. By applying externally a high cathodic voltage to the samples, ZnO microrods were aligned on the seed coated layer and then ZnO branches were formed on the pillars of ZnO microrods, which was caused by the strong deposition potential between the pillars of ZnO microrods and the Zn²⁺ dissolved in growth solution. At the external cathodic voltage of –3 V, the optimized forest‐like ZnO hierarchical structures exhibited high density, high porosity, and good crystallinity. These fabricated forest‐like ZnO hierarchical structures are potentially useful for electronic and chemical sensing applications. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Primary Break‐up of a Viscous Liquid Jet in a Cross Airflow

This article presents an experimental study of the primary break‐up of a viscous liquid jet interacting with a cross airflow. This experiment was carried out in an open circuit wind tunnel. The measurement test section was made of clear acrylic resin to allow optical access for visualizing and imaging the jet break‐up in the cross airflow. The working liquid used in the present experiment was the aero‐engine lubrication oil, which was injected at 90° into the airflow, via a nozzle from the top wall of the test‐section. The effects of liquid viscosity, and the jet and cross airflow velocities on the primary break‐up mechanisms of the jet were studied. The main results showed that different break‐up regimes were identified; column break‐up and bag break‐up separated by a transition zone, and new correlations have been proposed for predicting the jet transverse and streamwise penetrations before break‐up.     

Lessons from nature: biomimetic subwavelength structures for high‐performance optics

In nature, optical structures in the subwavelength range have been evolved over millions of years. For example, in the form of ‘moth‐eye’ structures they show a strong anti‐reflective effect on the compound eyes of night‐active insects and therefore offer a successful protection over predators. In this contribution the advantages and challenges to transfer this natural concept of subwavelength structured optical interfaces to high‐end optical systems are discussed. Here, in comparison to alternative conventional multilayer systems, the bioinspired anti‐reflective structures offer a wide wavelength range and a broad angle dependency. Additionally, adhesion problems are reduced drastically. Simultaneously to the theoretical consideration of the best profile form of the subwavelength structures, appropriate realization technologies have been developed in recent years, where both top‐down and bottom‐up approaches have been investigated. Depending on the choice of the structuring technique, anti‐reflective subwavelength structures are applicable to a wide spectrum of optical elements ranging from micro‐optical components to aspheres for applications in imaging and also illumination setups of high‐end optical instruments.