Symmetric and antisymmetric nonlinear modes supported by dual local gain in lossy lattices

We introduce a discrete lossy system, into which a double “hot spot” (HS) is inserted, i.e., two mutually symmetric sites carrying linear gain and cubic nonlinearity. The system can be implemented as an array of optical or plasmonic waveguides, with a pair of amplified nonlinear cores embedded into it. We focus on the case of self-defocusing nonlinearity and cubic losses acting at the HSs. Symmetric localized modes pinned to the double HS are constructed in an implicit analytical form, which is done separately for the cases of odd and even numbers of intermediate sites between the HSs. In the former case, some stationary solutions feature a W-like shape, with a low peak at the central site, added to tall peaks at the positions of the embedded HSs. The special case of two adjacent HSs is considered too. Stability of the solution families against small perturbations is investigated in a numerical form, which reveals stable and unstable subfamilies. The instability generated by an isolated positive eigenvalue leads to a spontaneous transformation into a co-existing stable antisymmetric mode, while a pair of complex-conjugate eigenvalues gives rise to persistent breathers. This article is a contribution to the volume dedicated to Professor Helmut Brand on the occasion of his 60th birhday.     

Improved charge collection efficiency of hollow sphere/nanoparticle composite TiO2 electrodes for solid state dye sensitized solar cells

The photoanodes of solid state dye sensitized solar cells (ss-DSCs) embedded with different contents of TiO₂ hollow spheres (HSs) were prepared and the photovoltaic performances were systematically characterized. TiO₂ hollow spheres were synthesized by a facile sacrificial templating method, grounded and added in different ratios to TiO₂ nanoparticle (NP) paste, from which composite HS/NP electrodes were fabricated. The composite photoanodes include hollow spheres of 300–700 nm with enhanced light scattering characteristics in visible range which leads to improved light absorption in conventional thin film electrodes of ss-DSC. By optimizing the amount of HSs in the paste, 40% improvement in efficiency was obtained in comparison to ss-DSC utilized pure NP electrodes. By increasing the fraction of HSs in the electrode the current density increased by 56% (from 2.5 to 3.9 mA cm^?2). The improved photovoltaic performance of ss-DSC is primarily due to different morphology and altered charged trap distribution in HSs in comparison to NP which leads to significant enhancement in electron transport time and electron lifetime as well as charge collection efficiency and light absorption properties.     

Epitaxial ferromagnetic thin films and heterostructures of Mn-based metallic and semiconducting compounds on GaAs

We present two approaches to integrate magnetic materials with III–V semiconductors. One is epitaxial ferromagnetic metallic films and heterostructures on GaAs (0 0 1) substrates. Although crystal structure, lattice constant, chemical bonding and other properties are dissimilar, ferromagnetic hexagonal MnAs thin films and MnAs/NiAs ferromagnet/nonmagnet heterostructures (HSs) are grown on GaAs by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). Multi-stepped magnetic hysteresis are controllably realized in MnAs/NiAs HSs, making this material promising for the application to multi-level nonvolatile recording on semiconductors. The other approach is to prepare a new class of GaAs based magnetic semiconductor, GaMnAs, by low-temperature molecular beam epitaxy (LT-MBE) on GaAs (0 0 1). New III–V based superlattices consisting of ferromagnetic semiconductor GaMnAs and nonmagnetic semiconductor AlAs are also successfully grown. Structural and magnetic properties of these new heterostructures are presented.     

Experimental investigations on the weakening effect of magnetic fields on surface‐enhanced Raman scattering

Currently, because of the wide use of magnetic/metal hybrid materials in the field of surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), magnetic fields (MFs) as a kind of surrounding environments of SERS substrates have been not ignored. And enormous attentions for the effect of MFs on SERS are very necessary. Our analysis from previous reports shows SERS signals are closely associated with MFs; yet the study of the exact effect of MFs on SERS is still in need of detail and broadening. In this work, we demonstrate that the use of Ni/Au microparticles (MPs) and Au hollow spheres (HSs) to study the effect of MFs on SERS signals. The experiments are preformed from three aspects, including the comparison of SERS signals of Ni/Au MPs with different Ms values, the comparison of SERS signals of Au HSs and Ni/Au MPs under different external MFs, and the comparison of SERS signals of single Au HS particle and single Ni/Au particle in the absence and presence of an external MF. Thereinto, under different external MFs from 0, 0.01, 0.02, 0.04 to 0.08 T, SERS signals of Au HSs and Ni/Au MPs are gradually weaker. According to the experiments, the weakening effect of MFs on SERS is confirmed. It is suggested that the weakening effect is originated from the blue‐shift of surface plasmon resonance and the locking of charge‐transfer from Au to probe molecules. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hierarchical Co<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript>@C hollow microspheres with high capacity as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries

Three-dimensional hierarchical Co₃O₄@C hollow microspheres (Co₃O₄@C HSs) are successfully fabricated by a facile and scalable method. The Co₃O₄@C HSs are composed of numerous Co₃O₄ nanoparticles uniformly coated by a thin layer of carbon. Due to its stable 3D hierarchical hollow structure and uniform carbon coating, the Co₃O₄@C HSs exhibit excellent electrochemical performance as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The Co₃O₄@C HSs electrode delivers a high reversible specific capacity, excellent cycling stability (1672 mAh g^?1 after 100 cycles at 0.2 A g^?1 and 842.7 mAh g^?1 after 600 cycles at 1 A g^?1), and prominent rate performance (580.9 mAh g^?1 at 5 A g^?1). The excellent electrochemical performance makes this 3D hierarchical Co₃O₄@C HS a potential candidate for the anode materials of the next-generation LIBs. In addition, this simple synthetic strategy should also be applicable for synthesizing other 3D hierarchical metal oxide/C composites for energy storage and conversion.     

Solitons pinned to hot spots

We generalize a recently proposed model based on the cubic complex Ginzburg-Landau (CGL) equation, which gives rise to stable dissipative solitons supported by localized gain applied at a “hot spot” (HS), in the presence of the linear loss in the bulk. We introduce a model with the Kerr nonlinearity concentrated at the HS, together with the local gain and, possibly, with the local nonlinear loss. The model, which may be implemented in laser cavities based on planar waveguides, gives rise to exact solutions for pinned dissipative solitons. In the case when the HS does not include the localized nonlinear loss, numerical tests demonstrate that these solitons are stable/unstable if the localized nonlinearity is self-defocusing/focusing. Another new setting considered in this work is a pair of two symmetric HSs. We find exact asymmetric solutions for it, although they are unstable. Numerical simulations demonstrate that stable modes supported by the HS pair tend to be symmetric. An unexpected conclusion is that the interaction between breathers pinned to two broad HSs, which are the only stable modes in isolation in that case, transforms them into a static symmetric mode.     

Effect of Symmetry and H‐bond Strength of Hard Segments on the Structure‐Property Relationships of Segmented,Nonchain Extended Polyurethanes and Polyureas

Segmented, nonchain extended polyurethanes and polyureas based on PTMO soft segments (SS) and hard segments (HSs) based on only single molecules of a diisocyanate were synthesized. Type and nature of the diisocyanate was systematically varied in order to analyze the effect of HS symmetry and type of linkage between the HS and SS on the structure‐property relationship of these segmented copolymers. Results showed that the increased symmetry of the diisocyanates allows a more efficient packing of the HSs which leads to a microphase‐separated structure with the crystalline hard ribbon or thread‐like domains percolated throughout the SS matrix, even with a low HS content (ca. 13 wt.%). The service window of these segmented copolymers was significantly influenced by the symmetry and type of linkage between the HS and SS. Most copolymers also showed evidence of strain hardening accented by the strain induced crystallization of the PTMO SS.     

Effect of polarization roughness scattering (PRS) on two-dimensional electron transport of MgZnO/ZnO heterostructures

Quantum transport properties of two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in undoped MgZnO/ZnO heterostructures with polarization charge effect have been investigated theoretically. Polarization roughness scattering (PRS) combining polarization charge and interface roughness scattering was proposed as a new scattering mechanism. It was found that the carriers confined in the heterostructures (HSs) would be scattered from polarization charges when they were moving along the in-plane and PRS played a very important role for the low-temperature electron mobility when the electron density N_s exceeded 1.0e11 cm⁻², especially in a higher electron density region. With PRS, the experimental data on the density dependence of 2DEG mobility in the MgZnO/ZnO HSs under study can be well reproduced. The study indicates that the improved processing techniques providing a smooth interface and a good separation between the 2DEG electrons and the polarization charges should be significant for the quantum device’s performance.     

Constructing amorphous RuxOy on CuO/Cu2O nanowire arrays for improved oxygen evolution

More than 50% of engineered nanomaterials released into the environment contain silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs). The mobility, bioavailability, and toxicity of engineered Ag-NPs are known to depend on their properties and the environmental conditions. However, almost nothing is known about the fate of naturally occurring Ag-NPs, which are formed during the reduction of Ag⁺ by natural organic matter, primarily humic substances (HSs). The aim of this work was to study the interaction of soils and plants with simulated natural Ag-NPs, i.e., Ag-NPs stabilized with HSs (Ag-HS-NPs). To reach this goal, Ag-HS-NPs were synthesized, and their sorption-desorption behavior on two contrasting soils (a mineral soil and one rich in organic matter) was evaluated, including alterations in the mineral composition of the soil solution. In parallel, the influence of Ag-HS-NPs on wheat seedling growth was estimated. Introduction of Ag-HS-NPs into the soils resulted in a 1.3- to 2-fold or greater increase in the concentration of many elements in the soil solution (Al, Cr, Cu, Fe, etc.), and this effect was more pronounced for the organic soil than for the mineral soil. To explain this effect, we hypothesized that this phenomenon was due to the partial dissolution of Ag-HS-NPs leading to the production of Ag⁺ that could be further reduced by soil organic matter, which was correspondingly oxidized. Therefore, the partial breaking of soil aggregates because of the decomposition of soil organic matter in the presence of Ag-HS-NPs could be expected. Plants treated with Ag-HS-NPs demonstrated a lower rate of water uptake, which decreased by over 81%. The shoot and root biomass decreased by 15–17% and by 13–15%, respectively. This study clearly demonstrates an underestimated hazard of Ag-NPs formed in nature in terms of their ability to adversely affect the environment.

     

Efficient photoluminescence from triangular quantum wells at the interface of an InP/In0.53Ga0.47As heterostructure

Efficient photoluminescence (PL) with quantum yield close to 1 from InP/In_0.53Ga_0.47As heterostructures (HSs) at temperatures 77–300 K and low excitation levels is observed and investigated. The PL is due to a quasi-triangular quantum well (TQW) located at the HS interface and consists of two spectrally similar lines: InGaAs interband emission and emission from the bottom level of the TQW. It is found that as the temperature increases, the intersubband emission rises, while the TQW radiation is quenched. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 67, No. 10, 783–787 (25 May 1998)     

Emerging quasi-0D states at vanishing total entropy of the 1D hard sphere system: A coarse-grained similarity to the car parking problem

A coarse-grained system of one-dimensional (1D) hard spheres (HSs) is created using the Delaunay tessellation, which enables one to define the quasi-0D state. It is found from comparing the quasi-0D and 1D free energy densities that a frozen state due to the emergence of quasi-0D HSs is thermodynamically more favorable than fluidity with a large-scale heterogeneity above crossover volume fraction of ${\varphi }_c=e/(1+e)=0.731\cdots$ , at which the total entropy of the 1D state vanishes. The Delaunay-based lattice mapping further provides a similarity between the dense HS system above ${\varphi }_c$ and the jamming limit in the car parking problem.     

Nuclear vibrations and rotations of like nucleons in the same shell in even-even nuclei

The vibrational and rotational motions in even nuclei are considered. A microscopic study of these motions leads to a relation between the vibrational motion in spherical nuclei and the rotational motion in deformed nuclei. Nuclei with like nucleons in the same shell are considered. The quadrupole two-body interactions are used in the large singlej-shell of even nuclei. The energies and transition operators of nuclei in the nuclear rotational region are calculated using this microscopic method. Quadrupole moments are also calculated. These calculations are compared with the rotational model of the aligned coupling scheme. The present calculations are in good agreement with previous calculations.     

Vapour and plasma ignition thresholds for visible pulsed-laser ablation of metallic targets

The coupling of visible nanosecond laser pulses to metallic targets irradiated in vacuum is studied. The expressions of the vapour and plasma ignition times are obtained. Two cases for vapour breakdown in the plasma ignition process are considered. The first case is that 40 generations of new electrons are born in vapour generation time before plasma formation as assumed in the literature. The second case is that 10 generations of new electrons are born in vapour generation time. Molybdenum (Mo), niobium (Nb) and aluminium (Al) targets are considered for illustrations of our results. The expression of the plasma ignition time for the Al target is substantially different from that reported in the literature. The vapour and plasma ignition threshold laser intensities are calculated and compared with those reported in the literature. Reasons for disagreement are discussed. The plasma ignition threshold estimated in the second case is noted to be in good agreement with the reported experimental result.     

Stokes eigenmodes in square domain and the stream function–vorticity correlation

The Stokes eigenmodes in the square are numerically determined and their symmetry properties are identified. The spectra evolution laws are in excellent qualitative agreement with the theoretical asymptotic predictions proposed by Constantin and Foias (in “Navier–Stokes equations”, University of Chicago Press, 1988), . The slopes are reported here and are found to be specific to the eigenmodes symmetry family. The dynamic equilibria are analyzed and show a linear relationship between the vorticity and the stream function in the core of the eigenmodes. These features of the Stokes eigenmodes confined in the square are shared by the fully periodic Stokes eigenmodes.     

高精度保偏光纤偏振测试系统的设计

介绍了保偏光纤的偏振串音和h参数以及它们的相互关系。给出了高精度起偏系统和检偏系统的光路结构。对影响测试精度的各种因素进行了详细分析,并使用自制的测试系统对国内几个单位生产的保偏光纤进行了测试,得到了理想的测试结果。其中,2m长的保偏光纤的偏振串音达到了-50dB以下,其测试精度达到了国际先进水平。     

Mean-field theories of spin glasses

Different kinds of mean-field theories (MFT) of spin glasses (SG) are reviewed. A brief introductory review of major experimental results, which have to be explained theoretically, is presented in the beginning. Marshall-Klein-Brout type random local field theories are described qualitatively. Edwards-Anderson MFT of SG transition is introduced after defining the various relevant order parameters. Almost all the static and dynamic approaches to the solution of the Sherrington-Kirkpatrick model are reviewed in detail. The existence of mixed phase(s) in the MFT of vector SG is examined critically in the light of recent theories and experiments. The existence of macroscopic anisotropy energy in SG and their microscopic origin are mentioned. The upper and lower critical dimensionalities obtained by different authors are enlisted. The concept of frustration and its deeper connection with other branches of human knowledge are indicated. Nonlinear susceptibilities, spin wave and relaxational modes in SG are also reviewed. The two-level-system picture of SG, its physical basis and important consequences are presented. The Tholence-Tournier-Wohlfarth phenomenological cluster model of SG is discussed with a stress on the role of measurement time. SG transition has been described as percolation and localization-delocalization problems. Some special features of the local field distribution in SG are mentioned. Some results of computer simulation on the various models of SG are summarized. The theories of the transport properties of SG are enlisted. Recent trends in the theory of SG are indicated at the end.     

Theory of infra-red and optical spectra of antiferromagnets

The contributions of magnons to the optical properties of antiferromagnets having the rutile structure are discussed. The properties considered are electric-dipole active two-magnon absorption in the infra-red, and magnon sidebands on sharp-line exciton transitions in the visible. The discussion is based on a thorough treatment of the properties of excitons and magnons in the antiferromagnetically ordered state. The site-group and space-group symmetries of the magnetic excitations are derived and the selection rules for electric and magnetic dipole transitions are determined. The occurrence of magnetic Davydov splittings of the excitons is investigated, and their symmetry properties throughout the Brillouin zone are derived. The functional dependences of exciton energy on wave vector are calculated. Applications of the theory are made to experimental results on excitons and magnons in MnF₂, FeF₂ and CoF₂.

The possible mechanisms for two-magnon and magnon-sideband absorption are discussed, and the influence of crystal symmetry on these mechanisms is described. The two-magnon state responsible for electric-dipole absorption is identified and selection rules for electric-dipole activity are presented. A spin Hamiltonian for the two-magnon process is set up and used to derive expressions for absorption coefficients for electric vector parallel and perpendicular to the crystal c-axis. Comparison with experiment for MnF₂ yields numerical values for the parameters of the basic coupling mechanism. The exciton-magnon states which give rise to magnon-sideband absorption are explicitly constructed and electric-dipole selection rules are derived for all possible types of sideband. Spin Hamiltonians for the various magnonsideband absorption processes are presented and used to derive expressions for sideband shapes. The results are applied to the experimental spectra for MnF₂ and FeF₂ and the sideband shapes in MnF₂ are calculated numerically. The sideband shapes observable in emission spectra are also briefly discussed.     

Quantum theory of stimulated raman scattering in an inhomogeneously broadened three-level gaseous system

A quantum-statistical treatment of stimulated Raman scattering in a gaseous system is presented using a density-matrix formalism. The molecular (atomic) system is described by three energy levels. Both atomic system and the radiation fields are quantized. The effects of atomic motion and detuning are incorporated in the analysis. Higher order nonlinearities and loss terms are included to render the problem more realistic. The equations of motion describing the photonstatistics of pump and Stokes fields are obtained. The equation, without detailed balance, is solved in the steady-state by a slowly varying function technique in the case of two variables. The steady state characteristics of the Stokes field are studied. The coherence properties, occurrence of antibunching phenomena are studied for different initial distributions.     

用于高速数据通信的梯度塑料光纤

概述了梯度塑料光纤的开发历史和现状。从应用于高速数据通信的角度 ,介绍了聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯(PMMA)、全氘化和全氟化梯度塑料光纤的损耗、带宽、稳定性和寿命。详细介绍了梯度塑料光纤的损耗光谱和损耗机制 ,介绍了制作梯度塑料光纤的界面凝胶聚合技术和两种扩散法 ,分析了梯度塑料光纤的制作方法同折射率剖面和带宽的关系 ,讨论了梯度塑料光纤的稳定性同掺杂物质的关系。同时介绍了高稳定性梯度塑料光纤的研究进展及今后的发展动向     

Propagation and scattering of light in stratified media

The propagation and scattering of light in stratified media are considered. Based on the Maxwell equations, the present approaches to the solution of these problems are formulated in a unified way. The particular features of the wave propagation in stratified media are discussed. Scalar and vector fields are considered. Media with small-and large-scale regular inhomogeneities are examined. The construction of the Green’s function of the wave equation in a spatially homogeneous medium is discussed. Stratified isotropic and anisotropic media are analyzed. The scattering of light in a stratified medium is studied with emphasis on the Kirchhoff method, as this makes it possible to obtain calculation formulas in a form convenient for comparing the theory with the experiment. The propagation of waves in photonic crystals and the formation of forbidden zones in such objects are briefly considered.