Design Consideration for a Two-Distributed-Junction Tuning Circuit

We describe a novel method of designing a tuning circuit with two half-wave distributed junctions separated by a half-wavelength microstripline, which analytically determines the circuit parameters such as the minimum current density of the junctions and the characteristic impedances of the distributed junctions and the microstripline. The tuning circuit was approximated by simple transmission theory and then simplified with ideal circuit components for analysis. We applied Chebyshevs band-pass filter theory, in part, to optimize the circuit design. The analytical results revealed that a high characteristic-impedance ratio between the distributed junctions and the microstripline is necessary to obtain broadband matching using low-current-density junctions. The experimental results for all-NbN SIS mixers we designed with this method demonstrated double-sideband (DSB) receiver-noise temperatures of 6–10 quanta from 710 to 810 GHz for a mixer with a current density of only 4 kA/cm² (estimated C_JR_N product of 37 at 750 GHz). The RF bandwidth was broader than that of a conventional full-wave distributed SIS mixer with the same current density.     

Numerical simulations of the ignition of n-heptane droplets in the transition diameter range from heterogeneous to homogeneous ignition

Spontaneous ignition of single n-heptane droplets in a constant volume filled with air is numerically simulated with the spherical symmetry. The volume is closed against mass, species, and energy transfer. The numerical model is fully transient. It continues calculation even after the droplet has completely vaporized, and therefore can predict pre-vaporized ignition. Initial pressure and initial air temperature are fixed at 3 MPa and 773 K, respectively. The droplet is initially at room temperature, and its diameter is between 1 and 100 μm. When the overall equivalence ratio is fixed to be sufficiently large, there exists no ignition limit in terms of initial droplet diameter d₀, and the ignition delay takes a minimum value at certain d₀. In such a case, transition from the heterogeneous ignition to the homogeneous ignition with decreasing d₀ is observed. When d₀ is fixed to be so small that the ignition would not occur in an infinite volume of air, the ignition delay takes a minimum value at certain , which is less than unity. Two-stage ignition behavior is investigated with this model. Ignition delay of a cool flame has the dependence on d₀ that is similar to that of ignition delay of a hot flame when is unity. When is almost zero, the ignition limit for cool flame in terms of d₀ is not identified unlike that for hot flame.     

Electron-boson coupling and oxygen-isotope effect in the optical conductivity of high-Tc superconductors

We have investigated electron-boson coupling in the optical conductivity of high-T_c superconductors through the optical self-energy. The real part of the self-energy (ReΣ^op(ω)) of YBa₂Cu₃O_y (YBCO) shows a characteristic doping dependence. In the optimally doped YBCO, ReΣ^op(ω) has a single peak around 65 meV, which corresponds to the kink structure of the band dispersion. On the other hand, in the under-doped YBCO, the peak structure of ReΣ^op(ω) splits into two parts. To evaluate contribution from the phonons in electron-boson coupling, we have measured oxygen-isotope effects by substituting ¹⁶O→¹⁸O for the optimally doped and under-doped YBCO.     

Scanning ion conductance microscopy for imaging biological samples in liquid: a comparative study with atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy

The present study was designed to show the applicability of scanning ion conductance microscopy (SICM) for imaging different types of biological samples. For this purpose, we first applied SICM to image collagen fibrils and showed the usefulness of the approach-retract scanning (ARS)/hopping mode for such samples with steep slopes. Comparison of SICM images with those obtained by AFM revealed that the ARS/hopping SICM mode can probe the surface topography of collagen fibrils and chromosomes at nanoscale resolution under liquid conditions. In addition, we successfully imaged cultured HeLa cells, with 15 μm in height by ARS/hopping SICM mode. Because SICM can obtain non-contact (or force-free) images, delicate cellular projections were visualized on the surface of the fixed cell. SICM imaging of live HeLa cells further demonstrated its applicability to study the morphological dynamics associated with biological processes on the time scale of minutes under liquid conditions. We further applied SICM for imaging the luminal surface of the trachea and succeeded in visualizing the surface of both ciliated and non-ciliated cells. These SICM images were comparable with those obtained by scanning electron microscopy. Although the dynamic mode of AFM provides better resolution than the ARS/hopping mode of SICM in some samples, only the latter can obtain contact-free images of samples with steep slopes, rendering it an important tool for observing live cells as well as unfixed or fixed soft samples with complicated shapes. Taken together, we demonstrate that SICM imaging, especially using an ARS/hopping mode, is a useful technique with unique capabilities for imaging the three-dimensional topography of a range of biological samples under physiologically relevant aqueous conditions.     

Optical properties of six isomers of three dimensionally delocalized <Emphasis Type="Italic">π</Emphasis>-conjugated carbon nanocage

First-principles GW+Bethe-Salpeter method employing all-electron mixed basis approach is applied to hydrocarbon molecules consisting of 78–198 atoms and its theoretical accuracy and performance are evaluated. Based on the confirmed accuracy/reliability of our method, we simulated the UV–vis absorption spectra of previously reported six possible isomers [E. Kayahara et al., Nat. Chem. 4, 2694 (2013)]. We also attempted to identify the most stable isomers of recently synthesized ball-shaped carbon nanocages by taking into account available experimental spectra. The best agreement with the experiment is found for the most unstable isomer, labelled as T. Our simulation strongly suggests that the external experimental conditions such as solution and finite temperature affect stability.     

Simple and efficient quantum key distribution with parametric down-conversion

We propose an efficient quantum key distribution protocol based on the photon-pair generation from parametric down-conversion (PDC). It uses the same experimental setup as the conventional protocol, but a refined data analysis enables detection of photon-number splitting attacks by utilizing information from a built-in decoy state. Assuming the use of practical detectors, we analyze the unconditional security of the new scheme and show that it improves the secure key generation rate by several orders of magnitude at long distances, using a high intensity PDC source.     

Crystal growth of cyclodextrin‐based metal‐organic framework with inclusion of ferulic acid

The crystallization of γ‐cyclodextrin‐based metal‐organic framework (CD‐MOF) with inclusion of ferulic acid (FA) was carried out through vapor diffusion of methanol to the aqueous solution of γ‐cyclodextrin (γ‐CD), KOH and FA. Although the crystallization of pure CD was limited in highly basic solution of KOH (pH>13.0), the CD‐MOF with inclusion of FA (FA/CD‐MOF) was able to be formed at pH 6.8 after the neutralization of KOH by FA. The inclusion behavior of FA in CD‐MOF was studied by using differential scanning calorimetry. The data indicate the formation of the stable association between FA and γ‐CD in FA/CD‐MOF.     

Mechano-ions produced by mechanical fracture of solid polymers

It is said that the free radical caused by C-C-bond scission, homogeneous scission, is produced by mechanical degradation. In addition to free radicals, ionic species are produced due to the mechanical destruction of the polymers. Studies in our group concerning this problem are summarized. When the polymers were ground with tetracyanoethylene (TCNE) powder in a vibration glass ball mill in vacuum in the dark at 77 K, the TCNE anion radical (TCNE$ \bar . $) was detected by electron spin resonance (ESR) method. The TCNE$ \bar . $ is formed by the abstraction of electrons by TCNE from the anion produced by a heterogeneous bond scission of carboncarbon bonds in the polymer main chain. The identification of TCNE$ \bar . $ was carried out by the spectral simulation on the basis of an anisotropic hyperfine tensor including a forbidden transition term. Several polymers were examined; polyethylene, polypropylene, poly(tetrafluoroethylene) and poly(vinylidene fluoride). The ratio of ionic species and free radicals is discussed.