Four-channel coarse WDM for inter- and intra-satellite optical communications

A polymer volume grating-based four-channel coarse wavelength division multiplexer (WDM) for inter- and intra-satellite optical communication application is reported for the first time. This compact four-channel WDM device working at 0.83, 1.06, 1.34 and 1.55 μm is designed to build a complete optical link between two satellites, where wavelengths of 0.83 and 1.55 μm are used for data stream channels, 1.06 and 1.34 μm are used for inter- and intra-satellite connection. It is for the first time reported that a WDM device can cover such a large wavelength range in a single substrate. For transverse electric (TE) wave, the channel efficiencies at 0.83, 1.06, 1.34 and 1.55 μm are 55%, 40%, 35% and 45%, respectively. Channel efficiencies for transverse magnetic (TM) waves are 20% lower than those of TE waves on average. Wavelength shifts due to Doppler effect, temperature variations and radiation effects in space can be adequately accommodated.     

Preconditioning methods for discontinuous Galerkin solutions of the Navier–Stokes equations

A Newton–Krylov method is developed for the solution of the steady compressible Navier–Stokes equations using a discontinuous Galerkin (DG) discretization on unstructured meshes. Steady-state solutions are obtained using a Newton–Krylov approach where the linear system at each iteration is solved using a restarted GMRES algorithm. Several different preconditioners are examined to achieve fast convergence of the GMRES algorithm. An element Line-Jacobi preconditioner is presented which solves a block-tridiagonal system along lines of maximum coupling in the flow. An incomplete block-LU factorization (Block-ILU(0)) is also presented as a preconditioner, where the factorization is performed using a reordering of elements based upon the lines of maximum coupling. This reordering is shown to be superior to standard reordering techniques (Nested Dissection, One-way Dissection, Quotient Minimum Degree, Reverse Cuthill–Mckee) especially for viscous test cases. The Block-ILU(0) factorization is performed in-place and an algorithm is presented for the application of the linearization which reduces both the memory and CPU time over the traditional dual matrix storage format. Additionally, a linear p-multigrid preconditioner is also considered, where Block-Jacobi, Line-Jacobi and Block-ILU(0) are used as smoothers. The linear multigrid preconditioner is shown to significantly improve convergence in term of number of iterations and CPU time compared to a single-level Block-Jacobi or Line-Jacobi preconditioner. Similarly the linear multigrid preconditioner with Block-ILU smoothing is shown to reduce the number of linear iterations to achieve convergence over a single-level Block-ILU(0) preconditioner, though no appreciable improvement in CPU time is shown.     

Study of plasma parameter’s distribution upon electrical wire explosion

Experimental results on electrical explosion of wires in vacuum with current density  A/m², current rise rate (dI/dt) ~ 50 A/ns and current pulse with amplitude ∼10 kA are presented. The structure of the discharge channels in vacuum has been studied using laser shadow and schlieren imaging with 7 ns frames, UV pinhole images with 5 ns frames and X pinch X-ray backlighting. The information on the dense core material and the conducting plasma distributions was obtained in our experiments by analyzing and comparing the results obtained from all diagnostics.     

Young’s modulus and internal friction of the SiC/Si biomorphic composite based on the sapele wood precursor

The effect of the vibrational strain amplitude on the Young’s modulus and ultrasound absorption (internal friction) of a SiC/Si biomorphic composite prepared by pyrolysis of sapele wood followed by infiltration of silicon were investigated. The studies were conducted in air and in vacuum by the acoustic resonance method with the use of a composite vibrator in longitudinal vibrations at frequencies of about 100 kHz. Measurements performed on sapele wood-based bio-SiC/Si samples revealed a substantial effect of adsorption-desorption of molecules contained in air on the effective elasticity modulus and elastic vibration decrement. Microplastic characteristics of the SiC/Si composites prepared from wood of different tree species were compared.     

The third-order nonlinear optical properties in polymer ferroelectrics

The third-order susceptibility of vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene (VDF-TrFE) copolymer are analyzed by using the z-scan technique with a nanosecond laser as an excitation source. It is established that optical transmittance of the VDF-TrFE samples decreases after their polarization in an electric field.     

The effect of adding aluminum and iron to Tb–Dy–Ho–Co multicomponent alloys on their structure and magnetic and magnetocaloric properties

A comprehensive analysis of the structure, phase composition, surface topology features, and magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of Tb_0.3Dy_0.35Ho_0.35Co_1.75 T _0.25 (T = Al, Fe) multicomponent alloys has been performed. The specifics of variations in the structure and functional properties induced by the partial substitution of cobalt atoms in the 3d sublattice of RCo₂ with aluminum or iron atoms have been determined.     

Effect of Eu doping and partial oxygen isotope substitution on magnetic phase transitions in (Pr1 − y Eu y )0.7Ca0.3CoO3 cobaltites

We study experimentally and theoretically the effect of Eu doping and partial oxygen isotope substitution on the transport and magnetic characteristics and spin-state transitions in (Pr_{1 ? y} Eu _y )_0.7Ca_0.3CoO₃ cobaltites. The Eu doping level y is chosen in the range of the phase diagram near the crossover between the ferromagnetic and spin-state transitions (0.10 < y < 0.20). We prepared a series of samples with different degrees of enrichment by the heavy oxygen isotope ¹⁸O, namely, with 90, 67, 43, 17, and 0% of ¹⁸O. Based on the measurements of the ac magnetic susceptibility χ(T) and electrical resistivity ρ(T), we analyze the evolution of the sample properties with a change of the Eu and ¹⁸O content. It is demonstrated that the effect of increasing the ¹⁸O content on the system is similar to that of increasing the Eu content. The band structure calculations of the energy gap between t _2g and e _g bands including the renormalization of this gap due to the electron-phonon interaction reveals the physical mechanisms underlying this similarity.     

Isochronal synchronization in networks and chaos-based TDMA communication

Pairs of delay-coupled chaotic systems were shown to be able to achieve isochronal synchronization under bidirectional coupling and self-feedback. Such identical-in-time behavior was demonstrated to be stable under a set of conditions and to support simultaneous bidirectional communication between pairs of chaotic oscillators coupled with time-delay. More recently, it was shown that isochronal synchronization can emerge in networks with several hundreds of oscillators, which allows its exploitation for communication in distributed systems. In this paper, we introduce a conceptual framework for the application of isochronal synchronization to TDMA communication in networks of delay-coupled chaotic oscillators. On the basis of the stable and identical-in-time behavior of delay-coupled chaotic systems, the chaotic dynamics of distributed oscillators is used to support and sustain coordinate communication among nodes over the network. On the basis of the unique features of chaotic systems in isochronal synchronization, the chaotic signals are used to timestamp clock readings at the physical layer such that logical clock synchronization among the nodes (a prerequisite for TDMA) can be exploited using the same basic structure. The result is a standalone network communication scheme that can be advantageously applied in the context of ad-hoc networks or alike, especially short-ranged ones that yield low values of time-delay. As explored to its depths in practical implementations, this conceptual framework is argued to have potential to provide gain in simplicity, security and efficiency in communication schemes for autonomous/standalone network applications.     

Observation of magnetization step at order–disorder transition in MgB2 single crystals

We have studied the order–disorder transition in high quality MgB₂ single crystals, using a torque magnetometry combined with a ‘vortex shaking’ technique. In the wide range of temperature T, field H and the H direction, we succeed in obtaining reversible magnetization curves M_rev(T, H) by shaking the pinned vortices. Especially at low temperatures below 25 K and high fields, where the irreversible magnetization curve exhibits the peak effect due to the order–disorder transition, it is found that the peak is transformed into the clear step in M_rev(H). Similar step-like behavior is also observed in the temperature dependence of magnetization M_rev(T). These results give direct evidence that the order–disorder transition, which is hidden by the large hysteresis of magnetization, has the nature of first-order transition.     

Magneto-optical Kerr effect enhancement at the Wood's anomaly in magnetoplasmonic crystals

Magneto-optical Kerr effect enhancement in longitudinal and transversal configurations is systematically studied in one- and two-dimensional magnetoplasmonic crystals based on the nanostructured nickel films. Spectral dependences of magneto-optical effects demonstrate resonant features with the Fano-type lineshape in the spectral vicinity of the Wood's anomaly associated with excitation of surface magnetoplasmons in Voigt and Faraday configurations, respectively.