Quark models of nuclear isobaric energy differences

We study the energy differences between mirror nuclei in both nonrelativistic (NR) and relativistic quark models based on the one-gluon exchange interaction. Both six-quark (6q) and resonating-group (RG) methods are used to treat the effects of overlapping nucleons in nuclei. The 6q method is simple and useful, but it can give only qualitative results because of a lack of precision and the neglect of non-(1s)⁶ configurations. It is used here to compare bag and potential models of quarks and to study the effects of kinetic energy, quark-quark interaction and nucleon size. Six-quark results show that the usual Breit-Fermi NR reduction has serious limitations in treating quark masses and nucleon sizes. In contrast, the RG method is much more complete, but it is also much harder to use. It is used here with simple NR potential models to study the effects of complicated 6q configurations, nucleon size and nucleon-nucleon short-range correlations. We find that NR potential models tend to give Nolan-Schiffer anomalies larger than experimental results, while bag models give too small results, especially if the bag radius is as small as 0.6 fm.     

Formaldehyde sensor using interband cascade laser based quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy

A novel continuous-wave mid-infrared distributed feedback interband cascade laser was utilized to detect and quantify formaldehyde (H₂CO) using quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy. The laser was operated at liquid-nitrogen temperatures and provided single-mode output powers of up to 12 mW at 3.53 m (2832.5 cm^-1). The noise equivalent (1) detection sensitivity of the sensor was measured to be 2.2×10^-8 cm^-1W(Hz)^-1/2 for H₂CO in ambient air, which corresponds to a detection limit of 0.6 parts in 10⁶ by volume (ppmv) for a 10 s sensor time constant and 3.4 mW laser power delivered to the sensor module. PACS 42.62.Fi; 72.50.+b     

On-chip optical filters with designable characteristics based on an interferometer with embedded silicon photonic structures

We demonstrate chip-scale flat-top filters at near-IR wavelengths using negative index photonic crystal based Mach-Zehnder interferometers. Supported by full three-dimensional numerical simulations, we experimentally demonstrate a new approach for engineering high-pass, low-pass, bandpass, and band-reject filters, based on designing the photonic band diagram both within the bandgap frequency region and away from it. We further show that our approach can be used to design filters that have tunable multilevel response for different sections of the spectrum and for different polarizations. This configuration enables deterministic control of the bandwidth and the rejection ratio of filters for integrated photonic circuits.     

Analysis of retroreflector-introduced spectrum distortion in birefringent crystal-based interleaver filters

Spectrum distortion in a birefringent crystal-based interleaver filter introduced by the right-angle total internal reflection retroreflector is studied. The phase shift between two perpendicularly polarized components of the polarized light incident onto the retroreflector is calculated. The sensitivity of the phase shift to the incident angle for different materials from which the retroreflector is made is also considered. This study indicates that the phase shift is less sensitive to the incident angle for retroreflectors having a higher index of refraction, suggesting a fixed-phase compensator that can be used to cancel out the phase shift introduced by the retroreflector to recover the interleaver filter's spectrum. The fold-back 50 GHz channel spacing birefringent crystal interleaver filter is fabricated to demonstrate that the spectrum distortion due to the phase shift introduced by retroreflector can be eliminated by a phase compensator.     

Six‐wave mixing induced by free‐carrier plasma in silicon nanowire waveguides

Nonlinear wave mixing in mesoscopic silicon structures is a fundamental nonlinear process with broad impact and applications. Silicon nanowire waveguides, in particular, have large third‐order Kerr nonlinearity, enabling salient and abundant four‐wave‐mixing dynamics and functionalities. Besides the Kerr effect, in silicon waveguides two‐photon absorption generates high free‐carrier densities, with corresponding fifth‐order nonlinearity in the forms of free‐carrier dispersion and free‐carrier absorption. However, whether these fifth‐order free‐carrier nonlinear effects can lead to six‐wave‐mixing dynamics still remains an open question until now. Here we report the demonstration of free‐carrier‐induced six‐wave mixing in silicon nanowires. Unique features, including inverse detuning dependence of six‐wave‐mixing efficiency and its higher sensitivity to pump power, are originally observed and verified by analytical prediction and numerical modeling. Additionally, asymmetric sideband generation is observed for different laser detunings, resulting from the phase‐sensitive interactions between free‐carrier six‐wave‐mixing and Kerr four‐wave‐mixing dynamics. These discoveries provide a new path for nonlinear multi‐wave interactions in nanoscale platforms.

     

Excellent passivation of thin silicon wafers by HF‐free hydrogen plasma etching using an industrial ICPECVD tool

In this work, hydrogen plasma etching of surface oxides was successfully accomplished on thin (～100 µm) planar n‐type Czochralski silicon wafers prior to intrinsic hydrogenated amorphous silicon [a‐Si:H(i)] deposition for heterojunction solar cells, using an industrial inductively coupled plasma‐enhanced chemical vapour deposition (ICPECVD) platform. The plasma etching process is intended as a dry alternative to the conventional wet‐chemical hydrofluoric acid (HF) dip for solar cell processing. After symmetrical deposition of an a‐Si:H(i) passivation layer, high effective carrier lifetimes of up to 3.7 ms are obtained, which are equivalent to effective surface recombination velocities of 1.3 cm s^–1 and an implied open‐circuit voltage (V_oc) of 741 mV. The passivation quality is excellent and comparable to other high quality a‐Si:H(i) passivation. High‐resolution transmission electron microscopy shows evidence of plasma‐silicon interactions and a sub‐nanometre interfacial layer. Using electron energy‐loss spectroscopy, this layer is further investigated and confirmed to be hydrogenated suboxide layers. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)