Numerical simulation of partially coherent broadband optical imaging using the finite-difference time-domain method

Rigorous numerical modeling of optical systems has attracted interest in diverse research areas ranging from biophotonics to photolithography. We report the full-vector electromagnetic numerical simulation of a broadband optical imaging system with partially coherent and unpolarized illumination. The scattering of light from the sample is calculated using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) numerical method. Geometrical optics principles are applied to the scattered light to obtain the intensity distribution at the image plane. Multilayered object spaces are also supported by our algorithm. For the first time, numerical FDTD calculations are directly compared to and shown to agree well with broadband experimental microscopy results.     

Measurement of the spatial backscattering impulse-response at short length scales with polarized enhanced backscattering

In this Letter, we describe an easy to implement technique to measure the spatial backscattering impulse-response at length scales shorter than a transport mean free path with resolution of better than 10 μm using the enhanced backscattering phenomenon. This technique enables spectroscopic measurements throughout the visible range and sensitivity to all polarization channels. Through a combination of Monte Carlo simulations and experimental measurements of latex microspheres, we explore the various sensitivities of our technique to both intrinsic sample properties and extrinsic instrumental properties. We conclude by demonstrating the extraordinary sensitivity of our technique to the shape of the scattering phase function, including higher order shape parameters than the anisotropy factor (or first moment).     

Arnol′d Diffusion in a Pendulum Lattice

The main model studied in this paper is a lattice of pendula with a nearest‐neighbor coupling. If the coupling is weak, then the system is near‐integrable and KAM tori fill most of the phase space. For all KAM trajectories the energy of each pendulum stays within a narrow band for all time. Still, we show that for an arbitrarily weak coupling of a certain localized type, the neighboring pendula can exchange energy. In fact, the energy can be transferred between the pendula in any prescribed way. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Deep generative models for vehicle speed trajectories

Generating realistic vehicle speed trajectories is a crucial component in evaluating vehicle fuel economy and in predictive control of self-driving cars. Traditional generative models rely on Markov chain methods and can produce accurate synthetic trajectories but are subject to the curse of dimensionality. They do not allow to include conditional input variables into the generation process. In this paper, we show how extensions to deep generative models allow accurate and scalable generation. Proposed architectures involve recurrent and feed-forward layers and are trained using adversarial techniques. Our models are shown to perform well on generating vehicle trajectories using a model trained on GPS data from Chicago metropolitan area.     

Operationally convenient asymmetric synthesis of (S)-2-amino-3,3-bis-(4-fluorophenyl)propanoic acid

This study demonstrated that alkylation of chiral glycine Schiff base 3 with chloride 4 can be efficiently conducted in acetonitrile as a solvent using commercial-grade potassium tert-butoxide as a base. High reaction rate (1 h) chemical (>90%) and stereochemical (>95% de) outcomes of the alkylation step render this procedure reliable and operationally convenient for multi-gram synthesis of enantiomerically pure amino acid 1. Due to the simplicity of experimental procedures and commercial availability all reagents involved, this procedure can be easily reproduced in regular biochemistry laboratories allowing for systematic biological studies and medicinal applications of compound 1.     

Markov processes of infinitely many nonintersecting random walks

Consider an N-dimensional Markov chain obtained from N one-dimensional random walks by Doob h-transform with the q-Vandermonde determinant. We prove that as N becomes large, these Markov chains converge to an infinite-dimensional Feller Markov process. The dynamical correlation functions of the limit process are determinantal with an explicit correlation kernel. The key idea is to identify random point processes on ${\mathbb Z}$ with q-Gibbs measures on Gelfand–Tsetlin schemes and construct Markov processes on the latter space. Independently, we analyze the large time behavior of PushASEP with finitely many particles and particle-dependent jump rates (it arises as a marginal of our dynamics on Gelfand–Tsetlin schemes). The asymptotics is given by a product of a marginal of the GUE-minor process and geometric distributions.     

Room‐temperature terahertz emission from ZnSe‐based quantum cascade structures: A simulation study

We identified conditions for room‐temperature operation of terahertz quantum cascade lasers (THz QCLs) where variable barrier heights are used on ZnSe/Zn_1–xMg_x Se material systems. The THz QCL devices are based on three‐level two‐well design schemes. The THz QCL lasers with alternating quantum barriers with different heights were compared with THz QCL laser structures with fixed quantum barrier heights. It is found that the THz QCL device with novel design employing variable barrier heights achieved the terahertz emission of about 1.45 THz at room‐temperature (300 K), and has improved laser performance due to the suppression of thermally activated carrier leakage via higher‐energy parasitic levels. Thus, THz QCL devices employing the design with variable barrier heights may lead to future improvements of the operating temperature and performance of THz QCL lasers. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Coexistence of self-organized criticality and intermittent turbulence in the solar corona

An extended data set of extreme ultraviolet images of the solar corona provided by the SOHO spacecraft is analyzed using statistical methods common to studies of self-organized criticality (SOC) and intermittent turbulence (IT). The data exhibit simultaneous hallmarks of both regimes: namely, power-law avalanche statistics as well as multiscaling of structure functions for spatial activity. This implies that both SOC and IT may be manifestations of a single complex dynamical process entangling avalanches of magnetic energy dissipation with turbulent particle flows.     

The reduction of Ag(I) by α‐silylamines R2NCH2SiX3

The introduction of the organosilicon substituent into the α‐position of an amino group results in cardinal change of the amine reactivity irrespective of the coordination state of silicon. Amines R₂NCH₂SiX₃ [R = Me, Et, PhCH₂, CH₂SiX₃; SiX₃ = SiMe₃, Si(OEt)₃, Si(OCH₂CH₂)₃N] easily react with AgNO₃, to give the corresponding ammonium salts (R₂NH⁺ CH₂SiX₃)·NO₃^?. At the same time, Ag(I) is reduced to Ag(0). The interaction of N‐methyl‐N,N‐bis(silatranylmethyl)amine with AgNO₃ has been investigated by EPR spectroscopy. It was proven that the reaction involved a single electron transfer stage with the formation of cation radical of this amine. A mechanism of the reaction is proposed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.