Thermo-mechanical dynamics of nanoimprinting anti-reflective structures onto small-core mid-IR chalcogenide fibers [Invited]

Thermal nanoimprinting is a fast and versatile method for transferring the anti-reflective properties of subwavelength nanostructures onto the surface of highly reflective substrates, such as chalcogenide glass optical fiber end faces. In this paper, the technique is explored experimentally on a range of different types of commercial and custom-drawn optical fibers to evaluate the influence of geometric design, core/cladding material, and thermo-mechanical properties. Up to32.4% increased transmission and 88.3% total transmission are demonstrated in the 2–4.3 μm band using a mid-infrared(IR) supercontinuum laser.     

Synchrotron X-ray Electron Density Analysis of Chemical Bonding in the Graphitic Carbon Nitride Precursor Melamine

Melamine is a precursor and building block for graphitic carbon nitride (g-CN) materials, a group of layered materials showing great promise for catalytic applications. The synthetic pathway to g-CN includes a polycondensation reaction of melamine by evaporation of ammonia. Melamine molecules in the crystal organize into wave-like planes with an interlayer distance of 3.3 Å similar to that of g-CN. Here we present an extensive investigation of the experimental electron density of melamine obtained from modelling of synchrotron radiation X-ray single-crystal diffraction data measured at 25 K with special focus on the molecular geometry and intermolecular interactions. Both intra- and interlayer structures are dominated by hydrogen bonding and π-interactions. Theoretical gas-phase optimizations of the experimental molecular geometry show that bond lengths and angles for atoms in the same chemical environment (C−N bonds in the ring, amine groups) differ significantly more for the experimental geometry than for the gas-phase-optimized geometries, indicating that intermolecular interactions in the crystal affects the molecular geometry. In the experimental crystal geometry, one amine group has significantly more sp³-like character than the others, hinting at a possible formation mechanism of g-CN. Topological analysis and energy frameworks show that the nitrogen atom in this amine group participates in weak intralayer hydrogen bonding. We hypothesize that melamine condenses to g-CN within the layers and that the unique amine group plays a key role in the condensation process.     

Über die Auswertung der Quantenintegrale für den unsymmetrischen Kreisel

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Das Atomgewicht des Aluminiums

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Electrical fixing in near-stoichiometric lithium niobate crystals

Photorefractive gratings are recorded in lithium niobate crystals in the presence of externally applied electric fields close to the coercive field. After optical erasure a voltage pulse above the poling threshold is applied, and by these means a photorefractive grating reappears that can be erased optically. The results point to electrical fixing, i.e., ferroelectric domain reversal induced by a space-charge field.     

High-energy phonon branches of an individual metallic carbon nanotube

We present excitation-energy dependent Raman measurements between 2.05 and 2.41 eV on the same individual carbon nanotube. We find a change in the Raman frequencies of both the D mode (63 cm(-1)/eV) and the high-energy modes. The observed frequencies of the modes at approximately 1600 cm(-1) as a function of laser-energy map the phonon dispersion relation of a metallic tube near the Gamma point of the Brillouin zone. Our results prove the entire first-order Raman spectrum in single-wall carbon nanotubes to originate from double-resonant scattering. Moreover, we confirm experimentally the phonon softening in metallic tubes by a Peierls-like mechanism.     

On the performance of automated porpoise-click-detectors in experiments with captive harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena)

Recently, automated porpoise-click-detectors (T-PODs, Chelonia-Marine-Research) have been used intensively in monitoring harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) in the wild. However, the automated click-detection-mechanism of the T-POD leads to questions on the characteristics of the detection process. We undertook experiments with six captive harbor porpoises (four subadult males in one pool, two adult males in another) at the Dolfinarium Harderwijk (Netherlands). One T-POD was placed for over a week in each pool, while the behavior of the porpoises was logged by visual observation. Data were analyzed using the T-POD software. A total of 725 431 clicks in 30 090 trains were recorded with 32% of the trains classified as CET HI, 27% as CET LO, and 41% as DOUBTFUL. All three train classes differed significantly in all parameters, except for click duration. We conclude that T-PODs perform generally well in detecting click trains of harbor porpoises but that in any future study trains classified as being of lower probability should be investigated very carefully to avoid the risk of losing valuable information.     

Surface-directed capillary system; theory, experiments and applications

We present a capillary flow system for liquid transport in microsystems. Our simple microfluidic system consists of two planar parallel surfaces, separated by spacers. One of the surfaces is entirely hydrophobic, the other mainly hydrophobic, but with hydrophilic pathways defined on it by photolithographic means. By controlling the wetting properties of the surfaces in this manner, the liquid can be confined to certain areas defined by the hydrophilic pathways. This technique eliminates the need for alignment of the two surfaces. Patterned plasma-polymerized hexafluoropropene constitutes the hydrophobic areas, whereas the untreated glass surface constitutes the hydrophilic pathways. We developed a theoretical model of the capillary flow and obtained analytical solutions which are in good agreement with the experimental results. The capillarity-driven microflow system was also used to pattern and immobilize biological material on planar substrates: well-defined 200 microm wide strips of human cells (HeLa) and fluorescence labelled proteins (fluorescein isothiocyanate-labelled bovine serum albumin, i.e., FITC-BSA) were fabricated using the capillary flow system presented here.