Stable multiwavelength fiber ring laser with equalized power spectrum based on a semiconductor optical amplifier

We experimentally demonstrated a new structure of a multiwavelength semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) ring laser based on a fiber Sagnac loop filter that can generate up to 25 stable output lasing wavelengths at room temperature. By varying the length of a polarization-maintaining (PM) fiber within the Sagnac loop filter, the wavelength spacing between the output lasing wavelengths can be changed to a desired value. By tuning a polarization controller (PC) within the Sagnac loop filter, stable multiwavelength 1550-nm operation with up to 17 lasing lines within 3 dB power level variation and with a wavelength spacing of ∼0.8 nm was achieved. The optical signal-to-noise ratios (OSNRs) of all the lasing wavelengths are greater than 40 dB.     

Anisotropic partial differential equation noise-reduction algorithm based on fringe feature for ESPI

Noise reduction is one of the most exciting problems in electronic speckle pattern interferometry. We present a new anisotropic partial differential equation noise-reduction algorithm based on fringe orientation for interferometric fringe patterns. The proposed equation performs diffusion along the two directions of fringe gradient and isophote line, which are extracted accurately according to fringe feature. By restriction of diffusion in the gradient direction of fringe patterns, this method can provide optimal results in denoising but does not destroy fringe edges. The experimental results show that this technique is more capable of significantly improving the quality of the fringe patterns than the classical anisotropic diffusion equation proposed by Perona and Malik. Based on our filtered fringe patterns, the phase map obtained by phase-shifting technique can be extracted more accurately. It is an effective pre-processing method for electronic speckle pattern interferometry.     

Three-dimensional contrast-enhanced ultrasound of the liver: Experience of 92 cases

Three-dimensional contrast-enhanced ultrasound (3D-CEUS) is a combination of three-dimensional ultrasound (3DUS) and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). To evaluate the feasibility of 3D-CEUS in liver imaging, investigate possible influencing factors to its image quality, and evaluate the influence of 3D-CEUS to clinical outcome, low acoustic power (mechanical index, 0.08-0.13) 3D-CEUS was carried out in 102 focal liver lesions in 92 patients by using the LOGIQ 9 ultrasound scanner and a volume transducer (frequency range, 2-5 MHz; focusing ability, 2-25 cm in depth; azimuth aperture 5.9 cm). The lesions were classified into two groups: group 1 (n = 51) for characterization and group 2 (n = 51) for local treatment response evaluation. The factors that influenced the image quality of 3D-CEUS were analyzed. The image quality and usefulness of 3D-CEUS between the two groups were compared by using the χ²-test. The results showed that the lesion diameter, location, and scanning route had no significant influence on the image quality in both groups, whereas interfering factors damaged the image quality in group 1. In group 1, during arterial phase, high image quality was more frequently found in hyperenhanced and hypo- or non-enhanced lesions compared with isoenhanced lesions. In group 2, interfering factor and local treatment response had no obvious influence on the image quality. The visualization rate of high image quality was 94.1% (48/51) in group 2 vs. 72.6% (37/51) in group 1 (P = 0.012). The investigators found that 3D-CEUS improved confidence but made no change in diagnosis in 19 (37.3%) of 51 lesions in group 1, whereas 41 (80.4%) of 51 lesions in group 2 (P = 0.000). 3D-CEUS tends to obtain better image quality and lead to higher diagnostic confidence in the lesions for local treatment response evaluation, and perhaps is more useful in this aspect in future clinical settings.     

Effect of sputtering power on surface topography of dc magnetron sputtered Ti thin films observed by AFM

Titanium films were deposited on glass substrates at room temperature by direct current (dc) magnetron sputtering at fixed Ar pressure of 1.7 Pa and sputtering time of 4 min with different sputtering power ranging from 100 to 300 W. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to study topographic characteristics of the films, including crystalline feature, grain size, clustering and roughening. The amorphous-like microstructure feature has been observed at 100-150 W and the transition of crystal microstructure from amorphous-like to crystalline state occurs at 200 W. The increase in grain size of Ti films with the sputtering power (from 200 to 300 W) has been confirmed by AFM characterization. In addition, higher sputtering power (300 W) leads to the transformation of crystal texture from globular-like to hexagonal type. The study has shown that higher sputtering power results in the non-linear increase in deposition rate of Ti films. Good correlativity between the surface roughness parameters including root mean square (RMS) roughness, surface mean height (Ra) and maximum peak to valley height (P-V) for evaluating the lateral feature of the films has been manifested. Surface roughness has an increasing trend at 100-250 W, and then drops up to 300 W.     

Surface analysis of long-distance oxygen plasma sterilized PTFE film

The influence of long-distance oxygen plasma sterilization on surface properties of substrate material, i.e., medical poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE), and aging effect of these sterilized PTFE film surfaces were investigated by contact angle measurement, mass loss determination, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) as well as bacterial adhesion and platelet adhesion measurements in vitro, respectively. The changes in chemical structure of sterilized PTFE film were followed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). As a result of plasma sterilization oxygen-containing functional groups (such as CO and CO), especially the CO group are introduced into PTFE surfaces, and thus pronounced increases of surface free energy and surface wettability are presented when the sample positions are within 0-40 cm. The film surface wettability degrades little as the aging time continued as long as 190 days. At the same time, the minimal surface degradation and damage occur on the sterilized PTFE when the sample position is at 40 cm. Moreover, the antibacterial adhesion and blood compatibility of sterilized PTFE surface are enhanced and the optimal effects are also obtained at 40 cm. The essential reason may be due to the optimal equilibrium between surface wettability and surface damage, which is achieved at 40 cm. Overall, of the surface properties of long-distance oxygen plasma sterilized PTFE analyzed, the sterilization at 40 cm is optimal.     

Improvement to the exchange field acting upon Tb ions in TbIG

The spin fluctuations of the magnetic ions play an important role on the magnetic properties of the crystals and lead to a new mechanism for the Curie-Weiss susceptibility. The exchange field H_exch acting on the rare-earth ions in Tb:YIG is improved based on the temperature dependence of the spin fluctuations, which is expressed as H_exch=n₀(1+γT+βT⁻²)M_YIG. By means of the improved exchange field, the magnetic and magneto-optical properties of Tb³⁺ ions in Tb:YIG are calculated. The calculated results are in good agreement with the measured data in the temperature range from 40 to 300 K.     

Phononic band structure in a two-dimensional hybrid triangular graphite lattice

The propagation of acoustic wave in a two-dimensional phononic crystal of a hybrid triangular graphite array is investigated by the plane wave expansion (PWE) method. Our numerical results show that the location and width of the band gaps can be tuned by altering the radii of scatters at different positions.     

Effect of secondary phases evolution in the first sintering process on the critical current density of Bi-2223/Ag tapes

Effect of the evolution of the secondary phases in the first sintering process on the microstructure and critical current density of Bi-2223/Ag tapes has been studied. The amount and grain size of secondary phases were characterized by XRD and SEM/EDS. It has been found that both the microstructure and critical current of the fully reacted tapes depended strongly on the secondary phases formed in the first sintering process. The (Ca,Sr)₂CuO₃ and (Ca,Sr)₁₄Cu₂₄O₄₁ phases were easily formed and to be stable at higher temperature, however, at lower temperature, the CuO particles appeared easily and keeping stable with dwelling time. The best conversion to Bi-2223, together with the lowest amount of the total secondary phases was achieved when samples treated at 830 °C in 8.5% O₂. Samples with the lowest amount and minimum size of secondary phase produced in the first sintering process will obtain the best performance of the fully reacted tapes. The optimum sintering parameters are obtained by controlling the evolution of the secondary phases during the first sintering process.     

Electronic properties of iron arsenic high temperature superconductors revealed by angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES)

We present an overview of the electronic properties of iron arsenic high temperature superconductors with emphasis on low energy band dispersion, Fermi surface and superconducting gap. ARPES data is compared with full-potential linearized plane wave (FLAPW) calculations. We focus on single layer NdFeAsO_0.9F_0.1 (R1111) and two layer Ba_1?xK_xFe₂As₂ (B122) compounds. We find general similarities between experimental data and calculations in terms of character of Fermi surface pockets, and overall band dispersion. We also find a number of differences in details of the shape and size of the Fermi surfaces as well as the exact energy location of the bands, which indicate that magnetic interaction and ordering significantly affects the electronic properties of these materials. The Fermi surface consists of several hole pockets centered at Γ and electron pockets located in zone corners. The size and shape of the Fermi surface changes significantly with doping. Emergence of a coherent peak below the critical temperature T_c and diminished spectral weight at the chemical potential above T_c closely resembles the spectral characteristics of the cuprates, however the nodeless superconducting gap clearly excludes the possibility of d-wave order parameter. Instead it points to s-wave or extended s-wave symmetry of the order parameter.     

中药提取过程在线紫外动态趋势回归分析及终点判定

随着中药生产行业的转变,中药生产过程现代化成为了必然趋势。而目前由于缺乏有效的在线检测手段,中药生产检测滞后性大,产品质量参差不齐。针对中药提取过程在线监控及终点判定的问题,基于朗伯比尔定律及中药提取动力学方程建立提取液紫外吸光度随时间变化模型,并提出动态分析及终点判断方法, 该方法包括紫外吸光度序列拟合、稳健性分析以及终点计算。以千年健提取过程为例,使用本实验室自主研发的中药提取液在线采样系统进行光谱收集,并对离线样本求取其有效固体物质含量作为参考。分析过程中,首先对实时检测的光谱进行插值及滤波处理,计算230.2～400 nm紫外谱区的吸光度均值并结合前期数据组成吸光度均值序列;随后,进行了该吸光度序列与提取液固体含量之间的相关分析,得到线性相关系数r2=0.9828,证明二者存在较强的线性关系;最终对吸光度均值序列进行动态模型稳健回归及提取终点判定。结果表明：回归过程通过稳健性分析能够充分识别出测量异常点,提高了拟合曲线与原始吸光度的复相关系数,使其达到0.99,并通过终点判定将千年健提取时间由最初人工设定的180 min缩短至122 min。实验证明,紫外在线监控方法实现了提取过程的在线监控及终点判定,对稳定产品质量、提高经济效益具有重要意义。