Phase-coupling-induced ultraslow light propagation in solids at room temperature

We show that the group velocities of light pulses can be decelerated dramatically by the use of a dispersive phase-coupling effect through a wave mixing process. We have observed experimentally such a phase-coupling-induced ultraslow light propagation with a group velocity as low as 0.05 m/s in a photorefractive Bi12SiO20 crystal at room temperature. Moreover, the ultraslow light is amplified in the Bi12SiO20 crystal because of the unidirectional energy transfer from a coupling beam to the ultraslow light. This technique to produce ultraslow light propagation is valid for all nonlinear wave mixing processes with a dispersive phase-coupling effect.     

Controllable ultraslow light propagation in highly-doped erbium fiber

We report on slow light propagation induced by the coherent population oscillation in an erbium-doped optical fiber (EDOF). The slowdown of group velocity of light is demonstrated in a solid-state material at room temperature. We observe a maximum fractional delay of 0.129 and a maximum delay of 8.75 ms corresponding to a group velocity as low as 228.57 m/s in a sinusoid-like modulated waveform. We study in details the influences of the erbium ion density and the length of fiber on the fractional delay and the slow light propagation. The data show that the fractional delay can be increased using the fiber with high erbium ions density or long interaction length.     

Real-space observation of ultraslow light in photonic crystal waveguides

We show the real-space observation of fast and slow pulses propagating inside a photonic crystal waveguide by time-resolved near-field scanning optical microscopy. Local phase and group velocities of modes are measured. For a specific optical frequency we observe a localized pattern associated with a flat band in the dispersion diagram. During at least 3 ps, movement of this field is hardly discernible: its group velocity would be at most c/1000. The huge trapping times without the use of a cavity reveal new perspectives for dispersion and time control within photonic crystals.     

Luminescence of AgCl crystals at room temperature after ruby laser excitation

Emission spectrum of pure AgCl crystals at room temperature after ruby laser excitation was measured. The emission consists of a continuous fluorescence band with the maximum at about 460 nm which is at sufficiently high excitation intensities covered with characteristic line structure emission. The appearance of continous emission at this temperature was in accordance with experimental results explained by the increase of the radiative transition probability in AgCl crystals.     

Observation of relaxation modes in room temperature ferroelectric liquid crystal mixtures

The dielectric measurements in SmC* and SmA phases of a room temperature ferroelectric liquid crystal mixture FLC-6980 in the cells of different thickness in planer alignment have been carried out in the frequency range 100 Hz to 1 MHz. A relaxation mode (called NRM) whose dielectric increment is less than the Goldstone mode has been observed in the SmC* phase. This mode appears due to the surface effect. Goldstone mode and the soft mode was observable in the vicinity of SmC*-SmA transition temperature (T _C*A). The dielectric parameters of the Goldstone mode, new mode and the soft mode have been studied as a function of frequency and temperature. The calculated values for f_NRM, δε^NRM and distribution parameter α_NRM are found to be 325 kHz, 6 and 0.156 for 5μm thick planer cell at 37°C. It is seen that in the vicinity of theT _C*A, soft mode obeys the Curie-Weiss law given by mean field theory. The results have been compared with materials of large spontaneous polarization.     

Observation of Kerr nonlinearity in microcavities at room temperature

We have devised and experimentally verified a method for observation of the optical Kerr effect in microcavities at room temperature. The technique discriminates against the much larger and typically dominant thermal component of nonlinearity by using its relatively slow frequency response. Measurement of the Kerr coefficient or equivalently of the third-order nonlinear susceptibility of the cavity material is demonstrated for a silica microcavity. With this approach, useful information about the characteristic thermal response time in microresonators can also be acquired.     

Observation of exciton surface polaritons at room temperature

10 new cw far infrared laser lines have been observed by optically pumping the CD₃ deformation vibration band of CD₃OH with 9 μm CO₂-laser lines     

Entangled femtosecond free induction signals in a cadmium sulfide crystal at room temperature

Entangled free induction decay (EFID) femtosecond signals are experimentally observed for the first time at a wavelength of 790 nm in a cadmium sulfide (CdS) crystal in the two-photon absorption (TPA) regime upon excitation by two crossed (angle, 60°) laser beams. The sample emitted two EFID signals simultaneously in opposite directions. The signals were diffracted by nonequilibrium electric polarization gratings induced by two laser beams in accordance with the laws of energy and momentum conservation. The possibility of exciting EFID signals in the three-photon absorption regime is discussed.     

Quantum mechanical single-gold-nanocluster electroluminescent light source at room temperature

Electrically contacted gold-nanocluster arrays formed within electromigration-induced break junctions exhibit bright, field-dependent electroluminescence in the near infrared (650-800 nm). Intensity autocorrelation of spatially isolated individual nanocluster emission driven at high electrical frequency (f(ac)= approximately 200 MHz) reveals antibunched electroluminescence at room temperature. These results demonstrate the single quantum nature of several-atom gold molecules and suggest their use as room-temperature electrically driven single-photon sources.     

Observation of long spin-relaxation times in bilayer graphene at room temperature

We report on the first systematic study of spin transport in bilayer graphene (BLG) as a function of mobility, minimum conductivity, charge density, and temperature. The spin-relaxation time τ(s) scales inversely with the mobility μ of BLG samples both at room temperature (RT) and at low temperature (LT). This indicates the importance of D'yakonov-Perel' spin scattering in BLG. Spin-relaxation times of up to 2 ns at RT are observed in samples with the lowest mobility. These times are an order of magnitude longer than any values previously reported for single-layer graphene (SLG). We discuss the role of intrinsic and extrinsic factors that could lead to the dominance of D'yakonov-Perel' spin scattering in BLG. In comparison to SLG, significant changes in the carrier density dependence of τ(s) are observed as a function of temperature.     

Soliton-like propagation of light pulses in a nonlinear photonic crystal

On the basis of computer simulation, we analyze the dynamics of interaction of subpulses localized inside certain layers of a one-dimensional nonlinear photonic crystal. Localized subpulses are shown to move and interact like solitons. Possible scenarios of their interaction are described: a spatially periodic regime, the merging of several subpulses with similar characteristics into a single higher intensity and more slowly propagating subpulse, and the formation of an immovable pulse in a layer of the photonic crystal. To verify the results of the computer simulation and to elucidate the nature of spatially localized structures forming, a comparison with the analytical solution for a medium with cubic nonlinearity is performed.     

Observation of post-bombardment segregation in an Au-Cu alloy at room temperature

Post-bombardment segregation of gold in Au_0.5Cu_0.5 alloy has been observed at room temperature. The segregation is caused by the redistribution of atoms in the disordered subsurface created by Ar⁺ ion bombardment at energies of 0.5–3 keV in order to lower the free energy. Such an observation demonstrates that post-bombardment segregation takes place not only in the two-phase alloy, but also in a single-phase system such as the Au-Cu alloy, which is not in agreement with previous observations. It is also demonstrated that when the bombardment is stopped at room temperature the concentration gradients between the outermost layer and the second layer as well as in the near-surface region remain rather than rapidly disperse, which is in contrast to the assumption suggested recently. An enrichment of gold at the outermost layer as well as in the subsurface caused by Ar⁺ ion bombardment at energies below 1 keV made the post-bombardment segregation clearly observable, but the severe depletion of gold beneath the outermost layer created by the pre-bombardment at energies above 1 keV rendered the apparent segregation less clear. All of these facts lend further support to the point of view which suggests that the bombardment-induced segregation and diffusion play an important role in the determination of the surface composition of a sputtered alloy even at room temperature.     

Observation of magnetic domains in undoped ZnO grains at room temperature

The present study reports the room temperature ferromagnetism in undoped ZnO thin films grown by PVD method. The 500 nm film with small (90 nm) ZnO grains possess isolated magnetic domains with coercivity of 520 Oe. However, long range magnetic ordering with smaller coercivity of 230 Oe is observed for 1000 nm film. The long range ordering is caused by the reduction in domain wall pinning effect due to the presence of bigger (270 nm) ZnO grains. PL measurements show that these grains are semiconducting in nature. Results presented here suggest that oxygen vacancies at the surface may be responsible for the observed ferromagnetism.     

Inverted EPR signal from nitrogen defects in a synthetic diamond single crystal at room temperature

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) in diamond single crystals was studied. The crystals were grown using apparatuses of the “split-sphere” type in a Ni-Fe-C system using the temperature gradient method with a subsequent high-temperature high-pressure treatment. It was found that, after the high-temperature high-pressure treatment of a diamond sample, the EPR signal from the lattice defects containing nitrogen atoms became inverted with the growth of the microwave power in an H₁₀₂ resonator. In a constant polarizing magnetic field, when the microwave power applied to the diamond was low, a resonance absorption by the nitrogen defects took place, whereas, when the microwave power was high, an emission was observed. The inversion of the EPR lines of a single nitrogen atom substituting for a carbon atom at a diamond lattice site could be caused by the presence of a nickel atom with an uncompensated magnetic moment at the adjacent tetrahedral interstitial site. In synthetic diamond crystals that were not subjected to high-temperature high-pressure treatment, the inversion of the EPR signal from nitrogen atoms (P1 centers, nitrogen in the C form) was absent.     

Observation of exciton quenching in GaAs at room temperature using electrolyte electroreflectance

We have observed pronounced excitonic effects at room temperature near the E₀ transition (direct gap at k = 0) of GaAs, using the electrolyte electroreflectance technique. The large changes in the spectral lineshape are interference phenomena due to exciton quenching in the high electric fields of the space charge region. Support for this model is provided by an analysis of the lineshape variation, which is periodic in the width of the space charge region.     

Observation of room temperature photoluminescence in proton irradiated SrTiO3 single crystal

We have irradiated SrTiO₃ single crystal with 3 MeV-proton (H⁺) beam and found that blue -, green - and infrared - frequency photoluminescence (PL) are induced simultaneously at room temperature. TEM and EELS analyses show that an oxygen-deficient amorphous layer is formed at the crystal surface by the proton irradiation. Possible origin of the PL-effect is discussed.     

Time-bandwidth problem in room temperature slow light

For many applications of slow or stopped light, the delay-time-bandwidth product is a fundamental issue. So far, however, slow-light demonstrations do not show a large delay-time-bandwidth product, especially in room temperature solids. Here we demonstrate that the use of artificial inhomogeneous broadening has the potential to solve this problem. A proof-of-principle experiment is done using slow light produced by two-beam coupling in a photorefractive crystal Ce:BaTiO3 where Bragg selection is used to provide the artificial inhomogeneity. Examples of how to generalize this concept for use with other room temperature slow-light solids are also given.     

Electronic properties of dislocations introduced mechanically at room temperature on a single crystal silicon surface

This paper focuses on the effects of temperature and environment on the electronic properties of dislocations in n-type single crystal silicon near the surface. Deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) analyses were carried out with Schottky electrodes and p⁺–n junctions. The trap level, originally found at E_C−0.50 eV (as commonly reported), shifted to a shallower level at E_C−0.23 eV after a heat treatment at 350 K in an inert environment. The same heat treatment in lab air, however, did not cause any shift. The trap level shifted by the heat treatment in an inert environment was found to revert back to the original level when the specimens were exposed to lab air again. Therefore, the intrinsic trap level is expected to occur at E_C−0.23 eV and shift sensitively with gas adsorption in air.