Research topics at Thales Research and Technology: Small pixels and third generation applications

Recent results obtained on building blocks for future third generation infrared focal plane arrays (FPAs) are presented. Our approach concerning the FPA performance assessment and small pixels modelling is exposed. We also demonstrate the ability of the quantum well infrared photodetector technology to answer the needs for compact (20 μm pitch) polarimetric FPAs. Finally, we present our first results on mid-wave infrared detectors at wavelengths below 4.2 μm.     

Enhanced quantum well infrared photodetector focal plane arrays for space applications

A 30 months European Space Agency project started in March 2008, whose overall purpose is to expand and assess the performance of broadband (11–15 μm) quantum detectors for spectro-imaging applications: Dispersive Spectrometers and Fourier Transform Spectrometers. We present here the technical requirements, the development approach chosen as well as preliminary experimental results. Our approach is fully compatible with the final array format (1024 × 256, pitch 50–60 μm). We expect the requested uniformity, operability and SNR levels to be achieved at temperatures close to the goal values. The performance level will be demonstrated on 256 × 256, 50 μm pitch arrays. Also, operability and uniformity issues will be addressed on large mechanical 1024 × 256 hybrid arrays.     

Influence of (phospho)lipases on properties of mica supported phospholipid layers

The effect of enzymes: lipase from Candida cylindracea (L_Cc), phospholipase A₂ from hog pancreas (PLA₂) and phospholipase C from Bacillus cereus (PLC) to modulate wetting properties of solid supported phospholipid bilayers was studied via advancing and receding contact angle measurements of water, formamide and diiodomethane, and calculation of the surface free energy and its components from van Oss et al. (LWAB) and contact angle hysteresis (CAH) approaches. Simultaneously, topography of the studied layers was determined by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). The investigated lipid bilayers were transferred on mica plates from subphase of pure water by means of Langmuir-Blodgett and Langmuir-Schaefer techniques. The investigated phospolipid layers were: saturated DPPC (1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine), unsaturated DOPC (1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine), and their mixture DPPC/DOPC. The obtained results revealed that the lipid membrane degradation by the enzymes caused increase in its surface free energy due to the amphiphilic hydrolysis products, which may accumulate in the lipid bilayer. In result activity of the enzymes may increase and then break down the bilayer structure takes place. It is likely that after dissolution of the hydrolysis reaction products in the bulk phase, patches of bare mica surface are accessible, which contribute to the apparent surface free energy changes. Comparison of AFM images and the free energy changes of the layers gives better insight into changes of their properties. The observed gradual increase in the layer surface free energy allows controlling of the hydrolysis process to obtain the surfaces of defined properties.     

DNA-assisted decoration of single-walled carbon nanotubes with gold nanoparticles for applications in surface-enhanced Raman scattering imaging of cells

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) are 1D nanostructures with distinct physical and chemical properties that have shown great promise for applications in many fields, including biomedicine. Since for biomedical application the water solubility is crucial and SWNTs have low solubility, various methods (including polymer and biopolymer wrapping, chemical modifications) have been developed to solubilize and disperse them in water. Due to their unique optical properties such as photoluminescence in the NIR and strong resonant Raman signatures, they can be used as nanoprobes in biomedical imaging and phototherapies. Furthermore, decoration of SWNTs with noble metal nanoparticles will induce an excellent surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) effect of the nanoparticles-SWNTs composites, with applications in cell imaging. Herein, we present a new and facile strategy for the DNA-assisted decoration of SWNTs with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and their application in SERS imaging. By ultrasonication at room temperature of SWNTs with AuNPs functionalized with synthetic DNA, SWNT-AuNPs nanocomposites with enhanced Raman signal were obtained. Among the important advantages of the proposed method are the presence of the free DNA overhangs around the SWNT-AuNPs suitable for post-synthetic modification of nanocomposite through hybridization of complementary DNA strands containing molecules of interest attached by well-developed bio-conjugation chemistry.

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The Distribution of the Free Path Lengths in the Periodic Two-Dimensional Lorentz Gas in the Small-Scatterer Limit

We study the free path length and the geometric free path length in the model of the periodic two-dimensional Lorentz gas (Sinai billiard). We give a complete and rigorous proof for the existence of their distributions in the small-scatterer limit and explicitly compute them. As a corollary one gets a complete proof for the existence of the constant term in the asymptotic formula of the KS entropy of the billiard map in this model, as conjectured by P. Dahlqvist.In memory of Walter Philipp     

Directionality of Gaussian Schell-model beams propagating in atmospheric turbulence

It is known that some partially coherent Gaussian Shell-model beams may generate, in free space, the same angular distribution of radiant intensity as a fully coherent laser beam. We show that this result also holds even if the beams propagate in atmospheric turbulence, irrespective of the particular model of turbulence used. The result is illustrated by an example.     

Effects of spatial coherence on near-field spectra

Expressions are derived for the spectrum of the field generated by a planar, homogeneous, secondary source of any spectral distribution and of any state of spatial coherence. It is shown that the state of coherence affects the contributions of the homogeneous as well as the evanescent waves of the emitted field. The near-field spectra are studied in detail. The analysis is illustrated by examples.     

Diamond hydrocarbons revisited: partitioned formula tables of diamondoids

Isomeric diamondoids with the same number $n$ of adamantane units (or cells), which share the same molecular formula $\text{ C}_\mathrm{Q}(\text{ CH})_\mathrm{T}(\text{ CH}_{2})_\mathrm{S}$ , can be divided into valence isomers by partitioning the number $C $ of their carbon atoms according to whether they are Quaternary, Tertiary, or Secondary: $C =Q +T +S$ . Each [ $n$ ]diamondoid has a dualist (or inner dual) with $n$ vertices (situated at centers of adamantane units), and edges connecting vertices of adjacent adamantane units sharing a chair-shaped hexagon of carbon atoms. Such a dualist is characterized by a quadruplet of indices (denoted as p, s, t, q for primary, secondary, tertiary, or quaternary) specifying again the connectivity of each vertex by assimilating it with a virtual carbon atom. The diamond lattice is self-dual. Dualists help in classifying diamondoids as catamantanes with acyclic dualists, perimantanes with dualists having chair-shaped six-membered rings, or coronamantanes with dualists having only higher-membered rings. In turn, catamantanes can be either regular when they have formulas $\text{ C}_{4n+6}\text{ H}_{4n+12}$ , or irregular when the numbers of carbon and hydrogen atoms are lower than the above values for the given numbers $n$ of adamantane units. Regular catamantanes can have branched or non-branched dualists and they are isomeric when having the same $n$ . Partitioned formulas reflect the branching patterns, encoded in their dualists. Partition formulas and codes are presented for all possible diamondoids with up to 7 adamantane units. A remarkable symmetry is observed for the table of partition periodic table of regular catamantanes with up to 7 adamantane units. Isomeric irregular catamantanes with six or more adamantane units may be valence-isomeric (or homomeric, sharing both the molecular and the partitioned formulas), or heteromeric when they have different partitioned formulas.     

Morpho-structural and luminescence investigations on yttrium silicate based phosphors prepared with different precipitating agents

Yttrium silicate doped with cerium (Y₂SiO₅:Ce) was obtained from Y-Ce-Si based precursors prepared by the simultaneous addition of reagents (SimAdd) technique. The synthesis of the precursors was done in well controlled conditions using ammonium oxalate, ammonium carbonate or urea as precipitating agents. Results regarding the influence of precipitating agents on the morpho structural and photoluminescent characteristics of Y₂SiO₅:Ce are reported. The TG analysis in correlation with EGA, FT-IR and XRD investigations reveals the formation of oxalate, hydroxy-carbonate or hydroxy-nitrate based compounds, the same as the conversion of the precursors to well crystallized yttrium silicate. XRD patterns show that the precursors are amorphous except for the sample prepared with ammonium oxalate. Depending on the precipitation conditions, the phosphors phase composition varies from single phase (X2-Y₂SiO₅) to a mixture of phases (X2-Y₂SiO₅, X1-Y₂SiO₅, Y₂O₃). Under UV excitation, phosphors exhibit the specific blue emission of cerium with an intensity that varies from 175.8% (urea) to 96.0% (ammonium carbonate) and to 78.5% (ammonium oxalate). The emission intensity depends on the phase purity and order degree of the phosphors. PACS Classification codes:78.55 Hx, 81.20Fw