Mach–Zehnder interferometers in photonic crystals

Photonic crystal technology allows the creation of optical waveguides with low sharp-bending losses as well as ultra-low group velocity. This last property is particularly interesting to develop highly-compact optical devices based on the controlled modification of the optical phase of the signals traveling through the waveguides. Among these devices, the Mach–Zehnder interferometer acquires fundamental importance because it can be used as a building block of more complex optical devices and functionalities such as optical filters, wavelength demultiplexers, channels interleavers, intensity modulators, switches and optical gates. In this paper, the performance of a Mach–Zehnder interferometer consisting of two coupled-cavity waveguides with different lengths created in a two-dimensional photonic crystal is theoretically analyzed. We also provide simulation results using a finite-difference time-domain code that confirm the theoretical analysis. The main limitations in the performance of the structure are addressed and discussed.     

Synthesis and characterization of silicon-doped gallium oxide nanowires for optoelectronic UV applications

Silicon-doped gallium oxide nanowires have been synthesized by thermal methods using either a mixture of gallium oxide and silicon powders or metallic gallium with silicon powder as precursor materials. The growth mechanism has been found to be a vapour–liquid–solid (VLS) or vapour–solid (VS) process, respectively, depending on the precursor used. In the former case, silicon oxide droplets at the end of the nanowires have been observed. Their possible role during the growth of the nanostructures is discussed. Structural and morphological characterization of the doped nanowires has been performed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results show a high crystalline quality and a uniform distribution of silicon along the nanowires. Room temperature cathodoluminescence (CL) in the SEM shows that slight variations in the composed UV–blue emission band appear due to the influence of Si impurities in the oxygen vacancy defect structure.     

A computational modeling approach of the jet-like acoustic streaming and heat generation induced by low frequency high power ultrasonic horn reactors

High power ultrasound reactors have gained a lot of interest in the food industry given the effects that can arise from ultrasonic-induced cavitation in liquid foods. However, most of the new food processing developments have been based on empirical approaches. Thus, there is a need for mathematical models which help to understand, optimize, and scale up ultrasonic reactors. In this work, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was developed to predict the acoustic streaming and induced heat generated by an ultrasonic horn reactor. In the model it is assumed that the horn tip is a fluid inlet, where a turbulent jet flow is injected into the vessel. The hydrodynamic momentum rate of the incoming jet is assumed to be equal to the total acoustic momentum rate emitted by the acoustic power source. CFD velocity predictions show excellent agreement with the experimental data for power densities higher than W(0)/V ≥ 25kWm(-3). This model successfully describes hydrodynamic fields (streaming) generated by low-frequency-high-power ultrasound.     

Sub-wavelength and non-periodic holes array based fully lensless imager

We present a novel concept for microscopic imaging. The proposed microscope-like device does not include an objective lens neither a condenser. Instead, a metallic plate of sub-wavelength hole-array with a varying pitch is used to illuminate the inspected object that is mounted very close to it. As a result, the transmitted spectrum through each hole differs from the others and therefore, each spot of the detected object is illuminated with a unique spectrum. By measuring a single spectrum that is the sum of all the spectra that are transmitted through the sample and by using spectral decomposition algorithms, the spatial transmission pattern of the object can be extracted.     

Wavelet-based ultra-high compression of multidimensional NMR data sets

The application of a lossy data compression algorithm based on wavelet transform to 2D NMR spectra is presented. We show that this algorithm affords rapid and extreme compression ratios (e.g., 800:1), providing high quality reconstructed 2D spectra. The algorithm was evaluated to ensure that qualitative and quantitative information are retained in the compressed NMR spectra. Whilst the maximum compression ratio that can be achieved depends on the number of signals and on the difference between the most and the least intense peaks (dynamic range), a compression ratio of 80:1 is affordable even for the challenging case of homonuclear 2D experiments of large biomolecules.     

Design of two-dimensional random surfaces with specified scattering properties

A method is proposed for designing a two-dimensional randomly rough Dirichlet surface that, when illuminated at normal incidence, scatters a scalar plane wave with a specified angular distribution of its intensity. The method is validated by computer simulation calculations.     

Measurement of RLT and ATL in the 4He(e, e’p)3H reaction at pmiss of 130-300 MeV/ c

We have measured the ⁴He(e, ep)³H reaction at missing momenta of 130-300 MeV/c using the three-spectrometer facility at the Mainz microtron MAMI. Data were taken in perpendicular kinematics to allow us to determine the response function R_LT and the asymmetry term A_TL. The data are compared to both relativistic and non-relativistic calculations.     

Higgs–Dilaton cosmology: Are there extra relativistic species?

Recent analyses of cosmological data suggest the presence of an extra relativistic component beyond the Standard Model content. The Higgs–Dilaton cosmological model predicts the existence of a massless particle – the dilaton – associated with the spontaneous symmetry breaking of scale invariance and undetectable by any accelerator experiment. Its ultrarelativistic character makes it a suitable candidate for contributing to the effective number of light degrees of freedom in the Universe. In this Letter we analyze the dilaton production at the (p)reheating stage right after inflation and conclude that no extra relativistic degrees of freedom beyond those already present in the Standard Model are expected within the simplest Higgs–Dilaton scenario. The elusive dilaton remains thus essentially undetectable by any particle physics experiment or cosmological observation.     

A Geometric Approach to Integrability of Abel Differential Equations

A geometric approach is used to study the Abel first-order differential equation of the first kind. The approach is based on the recently developed theory of quasi-Lie systems which allows us to characterise some particular examples of integrable Abel equations. Second order Abel equations will be discussed and the inverse problem of the Lagrangian dynamics is analysed: the existence of two alternative Lagrangian formulations is proved, both Lagrangians being of a non-natural class. The study is carried out by means of the Darboux polynomials and Jacobi multipliers.