Accurate method for measuring the thermal coefficient of group birefringence of polarization-maintaining fibers

We present a method to accurately measure the group birefringence variation with temperature in high-birefringence polarization-maintaining (PM) fibers using a distributed polarization analyzer. By analyzing polarization cross-talk peaks purposely induced at both ends of a PM fiber, the temperature coefficient of group birefringence can be accurately obtained. We confirm the theoretical prediction that the group birefringence of PANDA and TIGER PM fibers decrease linearly with temperature from -40 °C to 80 °C, and find that the temperature coefficients are -5.93 × 10(-7) °C(-1) and -5.29 × 10(-7) °C(-1) for two types of PANDA fibers, and -5.36 × 10(-7) °C(-1) for a TIGER fiber.     

A simple pathway to ordered silica nanopattern from self-assembling of block copolymer containing organic silicon block

Self-assembly of block copolymer is an effective strategy to prepare periodic structures at nanoscale. In this paper an unique and very simple method to prepare inorganic silica nanopattern is demonstrated from self-assembling of poly(styrene-block-dimethylsiloxane) (PS-b-PDMS) on the surface of silicon wafer. To simplify the patterning process, at first we obtain highly ordered PDMS microdomains, which are covered with PS layer by controlling solvent vapor annealing conditions. Following exposure to UV/O₃ irradiation, nanopatterned surface consisting of silicon oxide is fabricated directly via selectively etching PS phase and converting PDMS phase into silicon oxide. As tuning the composition of the block copolymer, hexagonally packing dot and straight stripe pattern can be obtained. Finally, the time evolution from spheres morphology to aligned long cylinders is discussed. These results hold promise for nanolithography and the fabrication of nanodevices.     

Quantum Hadamard Operators and Their Decomposition Derived by Virtue of IWOP Technique

We introduce the quantum Hadamard operator in continuum state vector space and find that it can be decomposed into a single-mode squeezing operator and a position-momentum mutual transform operator. The two-mode Hadamard operator in bipartite entangled state representation is also introduced, which involves the two-mode squeezing operator and [η〉 ←→｜ξ〉 mutual transformation operator, where [η〉 and ｜ξ〉 are mutual conjugate entangled states. All the discussions are proceeded by virtue of the IWOP technique.     

Husimi Function of Excited Squeezed Vacuum State

The q-p phase-space distribution function is a popular tool to study semiclassical physics and to describe the quantum aspects of a system. In this paper by using the pure state density operator formula of the Husimi operator Δ_h(q,p;κ)=|p,q〉_κκ〈p,q| we deduce the Husimi function of the excited squeezed vacuum state. Then we study the behavior of Husimi distribution graphically.     

Nonvolatile bipolar resistance switching effects in multiferroic BiFeO3 thin films on LaNiO3-electrodized Si substrates

We report on reversible bipolar resistance switching effects in multiferroic BiFeO₃ thin films without electroforming. The BiFeO₃ thin films with (110) preferential orientation were prepared on LaNiO₃-electrodized Si substrates with a Pt/BiFeO₃/LaNiO₃ device configuration. The resistance ratio of high resistance state (HRS) to low resistance state (LRS) of the devices was as high as three orders of magnitude. The dominant conduction mechanisms of LRS and HRS were dominated by ohmic behavior and trap-controlled space charge limited current, respectively. The resistance switching mechanism of the devices was discussed using a modified Schottky-like barrier model taking into account the movement of oxygen vacancies.     

Structural transformation of Ge dimers on Ge（001） surfaces induced by bias voltage

Scanning tunnelling microscopy is utilized to investigate the local bias voltage tunnelling dependent transformation between （2×1） and c（4×2） structures on Ge（001） surfaces, which is reversibly observed at room temperature and a critical bias voltage of -0.80 V. Similar transformation is also found on an epitaxial Ce islands but at a slightly different critical bias voltage of -1.00V. It is found that the interaction between the topmost atoms on the STM tip and the atoms of the dimers, and the pinning effect induced by Sb atoms, the nacancies or the epitaxial clusters, can drive the structural transformation at the critical bias voltage.     

Surface modification of pitch-based spherical activated carbon by CVD of NH3 to improve its adsorption to uric acid

Surface chemistry of pitch-based spherical activated carbon (PSAC) was modified by chemical vapor deposition of NH₃ (NH₃-CVD) to improve the adsorption properties of uric acid. The texture and surface chemistry of PSAC were studied by N₂ adsorption, pH_PZC (point of zero charge), acid-base titration and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). NH₃-CVD has a limited effect on carbon textural characteristics but it significantly changed the surface chemical properties, resulting in positive effects on uric acid adsorption. After modification by NH₃-CVD, large numbers of nitrogen-containing groups (especially valley-N and center-N) are introduced on the surface of PSAC, which is responsible for the increase of pH_PZC, surface basicity and uric acid adsorption capacity. Pseudo-second-order kinetic model can be used to describe the dynamic adsorption of uric acid on PSAC, and the thermodynamic parameters show that the adsorption of uric acid on PSAC is spontaneous, endothermic and irreversible process in nature.     

Blue luminescence of nanocrystalline CaZrO3:Tm phosphors synthesized by a modified Pechini sol-gel method

This paper reports the photoluminescence (PL) properties of nanocrystalline CaZrO₃:Tm phosphor synthesized by the polymerizable complex method based on the Pechini-type reaction. Nanosized phosphors with paving stone morphology were prepared at a relatively low temperature about 800 °C with the particle size being about 30 nm. The transmission electron microscope (TEM) images showed that further heat treatment at higher temperature could increase the particle size to 50 nm, but its morphology remained unchanged. The luminescence spectra indicated that the blue emission of CaZrO₃:Tm could be produced by four kinds of excitation energies, i.e. the charge transfer (CTS) between Tm³⁺-O²⁻, band-band absorption of host, the absorption defects in the host and the ³H₆-¹D₂ transition. The luminescent mechanism of CaZrO₃:Tm was deduced tentatively based on the luminescence spectra.     

Optimal approach to rotational state reconstruction of linear molecules

We present a simulation for the reconstruction of the rotational quantum state of linear molecules to retrieve the density matrix. An optimal approach in the sense of minimal error limit is proposed, in which a variable set of angular frequency is properly chosen and the least square inversion is then applied. This approach of reconstruction from time-dependent molecular-axis angular distribution is proved adaptable for various object states, which has a good numerical stability independent of the selected rotational space.