On-Chip Tightly Confined Guiding and Splitting of Surface Acoustic Waves Using Line Defects in Phononic Crystals

Phononic crystals (PnCs) exhibit acoustic properties that are not usually found in natural materials, which leads to the possibility of new devices for the complex manipulation of acoustic waves. In this article, a micron-scale phononic waveguide constructed by line defects in PnCs to achieve on-chip, tightly confined guiding, bending, and splitting of surface acoustic waves (SAWs) is reported. The PnC is made of a square lattice of periodic nickel pillars on a piezoelectric substrate. The PnC lattice constant, pillar diameter, and pillar height are set to 10, 7.5, and 3.2 µm, respectively, leading to a complete bandgap centered at 195 MHz. Interdigitated transducers are monolithically integrated on the same substrate for SAW excitation. The guiding, bending, and splitting of SAWs in the phononic waveguide are experimentally observed through measurement of the out-of-plane displacement fields using a scanning optical interferometer. The combination of destructive interference due to the Bragg bandgap and the interaction of the propagating wave with the pillars around the channel results in a tight confinement of the displacement field. The proposed phononic waveguides demonstrate the feasibility of precise local manipulation of SAW that is essential for emerging frontier applications, notably for phonon-based classical and quantum information processing.     

Multi-dimensional Capon spectral estimation using discrete Zhang neural networks

The minimum variance spectral estimator, also known as the Capon spectral estimator, is a high resolution spectral estimator used extensively in practice. In this paper, we derive a novel implementation of a very computationally demanding matched filter-bank based a spectral estimator, namely the multi-dimensional Capon spectral estimator. To avoid the direct computation of the inverse covariance matrix used to estimate the Capon spectrum which can be computationally very expensive, particularly when the dimension of the matrix is large, we propose to use the discrete Zhang neural network for the online covariance matrix inversion. The computational complexity of the proposed algorithm for one-dimensional (1-D), as well as for two-dimensional (2-D) and three-dimensional (3-D) data sequences is lower when a parallel implementation is used.     

Transmission loss of periodically stiffened laminate composite panels: shear deformation and in-plane interaction effects

This paper investigates the transmission loss of symmetric and asymmetric laminate composite panels periodically reinforced by composite stiffeners. A comprehensive model based on periodic structure theory is developed. First order shear deformation theory is used and the coupling of the in-plane motion of the panel with its out-of-plane motion is taken into account. Stiffeners interact with the panel through three forces (two in-plane, one out-of-plane) and a torsion moment. Three types of cross sections are investigated for the composite stiffeners: I-shaped, C-shaped, and omega-shaped cross-sections. The model is validated numerically by comparison with the finite element/boundary element method. Experimental validations are also conducted. In both cases, excellent agreement is obtained. Numerical results show that the in-plane coupling effect is increased by increasing the panel thickness and the stiffener's eccentricity. The in-plane coupling effect is also found to increase with frequency.     

Dynamic and acoustic response of bidirectionally stiffened plates with eccentric stiffeners subject to airborne and structure-borne excitations

An analytical method based on the modal expansion technique was developed to predict the vibro-acoustic response of both unidirectionally and bidirectionally stiffened flat panel. This paper presents the response to diffuse acoustic field (DAF) and turbulent boundary layer (TBL) excitations in terms of their joint acceptance. Numerical results for the dynamic and acoustic responses are compared with finite element method (FEM) and boundary element (BEM) results for stiffened panel with complex and eccentrically shaped stiffeners subject to point force excitation. A theoretical prediction of the transmission loss (TL) is also compared with laboratory measurements conducted on flat panels representing aircraft models as well as with hybrid statistical energy analysis (SEA)-FEM periodic model. The results confirm that the stiffened panel has the same acoustic response as the skin without stiffeners at frequencies where the structural wavelengths are equal to the spacing between the stiffeners. In addition, the transmission loss is lowered by the presence of the stiffeners at some particular region of frequencies below the critical frequency with respect to the unstiffened panel.     

Numerical and experimental studies of molten pool formation during an interaction of a pulse laser (Nd:YAG) with a magnesium alloy

A pulse laser (Nd:YAG) interaction with an AZ91 magnesium alloy has been experimentally and numerically studied. A two-dimensional (2D) axisymmetric model of a molten pool created by a laser heat source has been developed. The elaborated model solves the coupled equations of a laminar fluid flow and heat transfer to demonstrate the flow behavior in the pool. This model takes into account the coupled effects of buoyancy and Marangoni forces, the thermophysic variation properties with temperature, and the radiation and convection heat losses. Concerning numerical results, the molten temperature distribution, velocity field and molten shape were discussed. It was noted that the Marangoni flow significantly alters the characteristics of the thawing and solidifying processes, and makes the molten pool wider and shallower. On the other hand, the experimental results showed that the material thermal properties have significant effects on the transport phenomena which takes place in the molten pool, and consequently on the formation as well as the shape of the pool. Finally, a comparison between the numerical and experimental results exhibited a good agreement.     

Vibro-acoustic response of orthogonally stiffened panels: The effects of finite dimensions

This paper investigates the effects of finite dimensions on the vibro-acoustic response of orthogonally stiffened panels. Three types of excitations are considered: acoustical excitation, point force excitation and random excitation by a turbulent boundary layer. In each case, a spatially windowed periodic model is compared with a Rayleigh-Ritz model where the modes of the un-stiffened panel are used as the basis functions. The latter model accounts for the reflected wave field generated at the boundaries by assuming that the panel is simply supported. On the contrary, the windowed periodic model only accounts for finiteness on sound radiation (the assumption of an infinite periodic structure is used to calculate the panel response). Numerical studies show that when the bending wavelength becomes comparable or smaller than the stiffener spacing, the periodic model is able to reproduce the results obtained with the Rayleigh-Ritz model. To complement the study, the developed models are compared with numerical simulations (finite element method) and with experimental results.     

A correlation for crystallite size of undoped ZnO thin film with the band gap energy – precursor molarity – substrate temperature

Transparent conducting undoped zinc oxide thin films were deposited on glass substrate by ultrasonic spray and spray pyrolysis techniques. The thin films were deposited at different substrate temperatures ranging between 300 and 450 °C with various precursor molarities. The correlation between the structural and optical properties suggests that the crystallites sizes of the films are predominantly influenced by the band gap energy of the thin films. The data of the correlation is suspected of involving some experimental measurement errors and therefore discarded in the development of the present correlation. The coefficient of correction is equal to 0.01, indicating high quality representation of data based on Eq. (1). The correlation also indicates that the crystallites sizes of the films are predominantly influenced by the band gap energy and the precursor molarity of the thin films. The model proposed of undoped ZnO thin film with substrate temperature was investigated.     

Antifungal activity and phytochemical screening of extracts from Phoenix dactylifera L. cultivars

In this study, the rachis extracts of eight date palm Phoenix dactylifera L. cultivars were analysed by phytochemical screening and bioautography on Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. albedinis (Foa). The choice of cultivars was based on their reaction to Foa (resistant, tolerant and sensitive). Phytochemical screening was realised for flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids and coumarins. Antifungal effects were mostly represented by dichloromethanic extracts (seven out of nine inhibition zones). The best results were represented by the dichloromethanic extract of the cultivar 'Bent-Cherk' rachis (6.50?±?1.41?mm) and the ethyl acetate extract of the cultivar 'Rotbi' rachis (6.00?±?1.41?mm). The date palm cultivars presented some similarities concerning phytochemical screening results related to their resistance or sensibility to Foa. From the correlation between phytochemical screening and bioautography, it was observed that the majority of bioactive compounds against Foa seem to be polyphenols. Thus, the natural defence mechanism in vivo against Foa is probably related to the action of polyphenols. The difference between resistant, tolerant and sensitive cultivars is related to their mechanism of action.     

A Nitrite Electrochemical Sensor Based on Boron‐Doped Diamond Planar Electrochemical Microcells Modified with a Monolacunary Silicotungstate Polyoxoanion

A new boron doped diamond microcells (BDD) was modified, for rapid, selective and highly sensitive determination of nitrite, using a coating film of polyoxometalates (POMs), formed by cyclic voltammetry on the molecular p‐phenylenediamine (PPD) functionalized BDD. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) technique was used to examine the morphology of (PPD/SiW₁₁) modified (BDD) electrode. It was found that (SiW₁₁) layer was uniformly formed on the electrode surface. It was observed that (BDD/PPD/SiW₁₁) showed excellent electrocatalytic activities towards nitrite ion. Under the selected conditions, the anodic peak maximum at ?0.6 V was linear versus nitrite concentration in the 40 µM–4 mM range, and the detection limit obtained was 20 µM. The newly developed electrode has been successfully applied to the determination of nitrite content in real river water samples.     

Novel palladium nanoparticles supported on mesoporous natural phosphate: Catalytic ability for the preparation of aromatic hydrocarbons from natural terpenes

Various ratios of palladium nanoparticles supported on mesoporous natural phosphate (Pd@NP) were prepared using the wetness impregnation method. The prepared catalysts were characterized by IR, XRD, CV, SEM, EDX, XRF, TEM and BET analysis. The reduction and preparation of the palladium nanoparticles afford a crystallite size of 10.88 nm. The performance of the synthesized catalyst was investigated in the solvent-free dehydroaromatization of α-, β- and γ-himachalene mixture from Cedrus atlantica oil as a model substrate. In order to achieve an efficient and selective catalysis, the catalytic dehydroaromatization of various terpenes such as limonene, limonaketone, carvone, carveol and perillyl alcohol was studied. The Pd@NP catalyst performed a high catalytic activity, selectivity and recyclability in the terpenes dehydroaromatization reaction.