Control of Spectral Extreme Events in Ultrafast Fiber Lasers by a Genetic Algorithm

Extreme wave events or rogue waves (RWs) are both statistically rare and of exceptionally large amplitude. They are observed in many complex systems ranging from oceanic and optical environments to financial models and Bose–Einstein condensates. As they appear from nowhere and disappear without a trace, their emergence is unpredictable and non-repetitive, which makes them particularly challenging to control. Here, the use of genetic algorithms (GAs), which are exclusively designed for searching and optimizing stationary or repetitive processes in nonlinear optical systems, is extended to the active control of extreme events in a fiber laser cavity. Feeding real-time spectral measurements into a GA controlling the electronics to optimize the cavity parameters, the wave events are able to be triggered in the cavity that have the typical statistics of RWs in the frequency domain. The intensity of the induced RWs can also be tailored. This accurate control enables the generation of optical RWs with a spectral peak intensity 32.8 times higher than the significant intensity threshold. A rationale is proposed and confirmed by numerical simulations of the laser model for the related frequency up- and downshifting of the optical spectrum that are experimentally observed.     

A Study of Graphene‐Based Copper Catalysts: Copper(I) Nanoplatelets for Batch and Continuous‐Flow Applications

The use of graphene derivatives as supports improves the properties of heterogeneous catalysts, with graphene oxide (GO) being the most frequently employed. To explore greener possibilities as well as to get some insights into the role of the different graphenic supports (GO, rGO, carbon black, and graphite nanoplatelets), we prepared, under the same standard conditions, a variety of heterogeneous Cu catalysts and systematically evaluated their composition and catalytic activity in azide–alkyne cycloadditions as a model reaction. The use of sustainable graphite nanoplatelets (GNPs) afforded a stable Cu^I catalyst with good recyclability properties, which are compatible with flow conditions, and able to catalyze other reactions such as the regio‐ and stereoselective sulfonylation of alkynes (addition reaction) and the Meerwein arylation (single electron transfer process).     

Persistent currents and induced magnetization in presence of external magnetic field and transition probabilities in presence of combined laser pulse and external magnetic field for a confined hydrogen atom

In this work we propose to study an atom confined in a potential which consists of a Hulthén potential plus a ring-shaped potential. The atom is further subjected to a spherical confinement. The time-independent Schrödinger equation (TISE) of the system is solved numerically. Exact energy levels are obtained. The persistent current and induced magnetic field of such a confined atom is evaluated. Finally, the atomic system in this potential and confinement is subjected to short electromagnetic pulses, which are shown to induce enormous currents.     

金属-介质-金属渔网超表面结构调控的荧光辐射：空间选择性激发和双增强

增强荧光辐射在生物成像、高灵敏探测、集成光源等方面都具有重要的应用价值.金属纳米颗粒的周围或者金属纳米结构的间隙都可以产生强的电磁场,相应的,这些结构附近的局域态密度也被极大地增强.虽然增强荧光辐射已经在多种金属纳米颗粒和颗粒对中被证明,但是利用金属纳米结构对荧光分子的吸收和辐射过程同时进行调制仍然是一个有挑战的问题.本文研究了金属-介质-金属超表面对荧光辐射的调控,其中局域表面等离激元(LSP)和磁等离激元(MPP)分別与于分子的吸收和辐射过程发中耦合相互作用.对于吸收过程,LSP的耦合作用使得可以通过旋转泵浦激光的偏振态来实现荧光分子的空间选择激发.此外,MPP模式的偏振依赖特性使得矩形渔网结构中的荧光分子的辐射波长和偏振态也受到调控.实验观测结果经过了时域有限差分模拟的验证.本文报道的纳米结构在光辐射器件和纳米尺度集成光源等方面都具有潜在的应用价值.     

Monitoring of Pollutants Content in Bottled and Tap Drinking Water in Italy

The concentration levels of thirteen organic pollutants and selected heavy metals were investigated in 40 plastics bottled and tap water samples. Some of the selected contaminants have an ascertained or suspected endocrine disrupting activity, such as Bisphenol A (BPA) and its analogs, and Bis 2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), which are used by industries as plasticizers. The most frequently detected pollutants were Bisphenol AF (BPAF) (detection frequency (DF) = 67.5%, mean 387.21 ng L⁻¹), DEHP (DF = 62.5%, mean 46.19 µg L⁻¹) and BPA (DF = 60.0%, mean 458.57 ng L⁻¹), with higher concentration levels found in tap waters. Furthermore, a possible level of exposure to thirteen pollutants via drinking water intake was calculated. Our findings show that, even though the occurrence of contaminants and heavy metals in drinking waters does not pose an immediate, acute health risk for the population, their levels should be constantly monitored and “hard-wired” into everyday practice. Indeed, the health impact to the continuous and simultaneous intake of a huge variety of xenobiotics from various sources by humans is complex and still not fully understood.