Scaling and universality of integer quantum Hall plateau-to-plateau transitions

We have investigated the integer quantum Hall plateau-to-plateau transition in two-dimensional electrons confined to AlxGa(1-x)As-Al0.33Ga0.67As heterostructures over a broad range of Al concentration x. For x between 0.65% and 1.6%, where the dominant contribution to disorder is from the short-range alloy potential fluctuations, we observe a perfect power-law scaling in the temperature range from 30 mK to 1 K with a critical exponent kappa = 0.42 +/- 0.01.     

Experimental observation of classical subwavelength interference with a pseudothermal light source

We report the experimental observation of classical subwavelength double slit interference with a pseudothermal light source. The experimental results are in good agreement with the theoretical simulation using the second order correlation function for the thermal light.     

Delocalized fermions in underdoped cuprate superconductors

Low-temperature heat transport was used to investigate the ground state of high-purity single crystals of the lightly doped cuprate YBa2Cu3O6.33. Samples were measured with doping concentrations on either side of the superconducting phase boundary. We report the observation of delocalized fermionic excitations at zero energy in the nonsuperconducting state, which shows that the ground state of underdoped cuprates is a thermal metal. Its low-energy spectrum appears to be similar to that of the d-wave superconductor, i.e., nodal. The insulating ground state observed in underdoped La2-xSrxCuO4 is attributed to the competing spin-density-wave order.     

Reduction of RF-induced sample heating with a scroll coil resonator structure for solid-state NMR probes

Heating due to high power 1H decoupling limits the experimental lifetime of protein samples for solid-state NMR (SSNMR). Sample deterioration can be minimized by lowering the experimental salt concentration, temperature or decoupling fields; however, these approaches may compromise biological relevance and/or spectroscopic resolution and sensitivity. The desire to apply sophisticated multiple pulse experiments to proteins therefore motivates the development of probes that utilize the RF power more efficiently to generate a high ratio of magnetic to electric field in the sample. Here a novel scroll coil resonator structure is presented and compared to a traditional solenoid. The scroll coil is demonstrated to be more tolerant of high sample salt concentrations and cause less RF-induced sample heating. With it, the viable experimental lifetime of a microcrystalline ubiquitin sample has been extended by more than an order of magnitude. The higher B1 homogeneity and permissible decoupling fields enhance polarization transfer efficiency in 15N-13C correlation experiments employed for protein chemical shift assignments and structure determination.     

Mathematical model for characterizing noise transmission into finite cylindrical structures

This work presents a theoretical study of the sound transmission into a finite cylinder under coupled structural and acoustic vibration. Particular attention of this study is focused on evaluating a dimensionless quantity, "noise reduction," for characterizing noise transmission into a small cylindrical enclosure. An analytical expression of the exterior sound pressure resulting from an oblique plane wave impinging upon the cylindrical shell is first presented, which is approximated from the exterior sound pressure for an infinite cylindrical structure. Next, the analytical solution of the interior sound pressure is computed using modal-interaction theory for the coupled structural acoustic system. These results are then used to derive the analytical formula for the noise reduction. Finally, the model is used to predict and characterize the sound transmission into a ChamberCore cylindrical structure, and the results are compared with experimental data. The effects of incidence angle and internal acoustic damping on the sound transmission into the cylinder are also parametrically studied.     

Short-length microstructured phosphate glass fiber lasers with large mode areas

We report fabrication and testing of the first phosphate glass microstructured fiber lasers with large Er-Yb-codoped cores. For an 11-cm-long cladding-pumped fiber laser, more than 3 W of continuous wave output power is demonstrated, and near single-mode beam quality is obtained for an active core area larger than 400 microm2.     

Continuous focus tracking for real-time optical coherence tomography

We report an approach to achieving continuous focus tracking and a depth-independent transverse resolution for real-time optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging. Continuous real-time focus tracking is permitted by use of a lateral-priority image acquisition sequence in which the depth-scanning rate is equivalent to the imaging frame rate. Real-time OCT imaging with continuous focus tracking is performed at 1 frame/s by reciprocal translation of a rapid lateral-scanning miniature imaging probe (e.g., an endoscope). The optical path length in the reference arm is scanned synchronously to ensure that the coherence gate coincides with the imaging beam focus. The image quality improvement is experimentally demonstrated by imaging a tissue phantom embedded with polystyrene microspheres and rabbit esophageal tissues.     

Intensity Correlation Function of a Single-Mode Laser Driven by Colored Cross-Correlation Noises in Modulation of a Bias Signal

By using the linear approximation method, the intensity correlation function is calculated for a single-mode laser modulated by a bias signal and driven by colored pump and quantum noises with colored cross-correlation. We found that, when the correlation time between the two noises is very short, the behavior of the intensity correlation function versus the time, in addition to decreasing monotonously, also exhibits several cases, such as one maximum, one minimum, and two extrema. When the correlation time between the two noises is very long, the behavior of the intensity correlation function exhibits oscillation and the envelope is similar to the case of short cross-correlation time.     

Effect on Intensity Correlation Time by Input Signal in a Single-Mode Laser with Bias Signal Modulation

The effect on intensity correlation time T by input signal is studied for gain-noise model of a single-mode laser driven by colored pump noise and colored quantum noise with colored cross-correlation with a bias signal modulation in this paper. By using the linear approximation method, we detect that there exists maximum (i.e., resonance) in the curve of the intensity correlation time T upon bias-current i0 when the noise correlation coefficient λ is positive; and there exists minimum (i.e., suppression) in the T-i0 curve when λ is negative. And when λ is zero, T increases monotonously with increasing i0. Furthermore, the curve of T upon the signal frequency Ω is also studied. Our study shows that no matter what the value ofλ is, there exists minimum (i.e., suppression) in the T-Ω curve.     

Studies of the third-order nonlinear optical susceptibility for InxGa1−xN/GaN cylinder quantum dots

The resonant third-order susceptibilities at various directions (both parallel and vertical to Z-axis) in self-assembled quantum dots (QDs) have been investigated. The nonlinear susceptibilities associated with the intraband transition in the conduction band are theoretically calculated for wurtzite In_xGa_1−xN/GaN-strained cylinder QDs. The confined wave functions and energies of electrons in the dots have been calculated in the effective-mass approximation by solving the 3D Schrödinger equation, in which a strong built-in electric field effect due to the piezoelectricity and spontaneous polarization has been taken into account. Furthermore, it is shown that the magnitude and the resonant position of the nonlinear susceptibility χ⁽³⁾(3ω) strongly depend on the dots’ size as well as size distribution.