Current and frequency modulation characteristics for continuous-wave quantum cascade lasers at 9.06 μm

We report the characteristics of current induced frequency modulation (FM) for two continuous-wave quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) at 9.06 μm. Both the frequency tuning rate and the phase shift between intensity modulation and FM are measured at different modulation frequencies from 10 Hz to 200 kHz. The frequency tuning rate of the QCLs depends on both the modulation frequency and amplitude. The tested QCL has been used to detect ambient water vapor with wavelength modulation spectroscopy for validation with a numerical model.     

The work function of hydrothermally synthesized UO2 and the implications for semiconductor device fabrication

The photoelectric work function of nearly stoichiometric (111) and (100) hydrothermally grown UO₂ was measured to be 6.28 ± 0.36 eV and 5.80 ± 0.36 eV, respectively. Candidate metals for electrical contacts are identified for both rectifying and non‐rectifying contacts based on work function, lattice compatibility, and electrical conductivity.     

Comparative study of different Schlieren diffracting elements

This paper presents an analysis of diffraction effects taking place at different Schlieren diffracting elements. Two types of diffraction effects are prominent in the Schlieren schemes. One is diffraction of direct light (source image) at the Schlieren element, which limits the sensitivity and resolution of Schlieren systems. The second type is the diffraction of light deflected from the test object at the Schlieren-diffracting element. This second type of diffraction degrades the quality of Schlieren results. Experimental results showing the effect of diffraction of light deflected from the test object at a phase knife-edge, corner of a square phase aperture and an optical fiber tip as Schlieren diffracting elements have been presented and discussed.      

Phenomenon of labyrinth seal with low static pressure difference and large clearance

This paper discusses the straight-through type labyrinth seal. This labyrinth seal is used for axial flow fans, which h ave an outer ring at the blade tip to seal the clearance between the ring tip and the fan shroud, in order to prevent the reverse flow or leakage. These fans are used for the cooling of automobile radiators . In these cases, the labyrinth seal is used in an extremely low static pressure difference and a large clearance . A significant decrease of the leakage rate was reported even when the labyrinth seal rotated in comparatively low speed in this unique condition according to the authors’ former report. However, this phenomen on is differ ent from past research. Further more the cause of th is phenomenon has not been determined. Therefore, the internal flow was depicted with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) in or der to clarify the ca use of this phenomenon. The results of CFD show that the leakage rate decreases significantly because the carry -over flow is intercepted in the expansion groove. This is the newly discovered phenomenon which occurs under the unique condition of an extremely low differential pressure. It has not been pointed out before as the reason why the rotation decreases the leakage rate.     

Preparation of nano-hydroxyapatite/poly(<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-lactide) biocomposite microspheres

Nano-hydroxyapatite (HA)/poly(l-lactide) (PLLA) composite microspheres with relatively uniform size distribution were prepared by a solid-in-oil-in-water (s/o/w) emusion solvent evaporation method. The encapsulation of the HA nanopaticles in microshperes was significantly improved by grafting PLLA on the surface of the HA nanoparticles (p-HA) during emulsion process. This procedure gave a possibility to obtain p-HA/PLLA composite microspheres with uniform morphology and the encapsulated p-HA nanoparticle loading reached up to 40 wt% (33 wt% of pure HA) in the p-HA/PLLA composite microspheres. The microstructure of composite microspheres from core-shell to single phase changed with the variation of p-HA to PLLA ratios. p-HA/PLLA composite microspheres with the diameter range of 2–3 μm were obtained. The entrapment efficiency of p-HA in microspheres could high up to 90 wt% and that of HA was only 13 wt%. Surface and bulk characterizations of the composite microspheres were performed by measurements such as wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).     

Semiparametric Bayesian inference for mean-covariance regression models

In this paper, we propose a Bayesian semiparametric mean-covariance regression model with known covariance structures. A mixture model is used to describe the potential non-normal distribution of the regression errors. Moreover, an empirical likelihood adjusted mixture of Dirichlet process model is constructed to produce distributions with given mean and variance constraints. We illustrate through simulation studies that the proposed method provides better estimations in some non-normal cases. We also demonstrate the implementation of our method by analyzing the data set from a sleep deprivation study.     

Characterization of bronze Roman coins of the fifth century called <Emphasis Type=Italic>nummi</Emphasis> through different analytical techniques

Mixing of different organic charge-transfer-complexes (CT-complexes) might allow the adjustment of the optical and morphological properties of the resulting material system. In this work, a study of two CT-complexes, mixed by thermal coevaporation at different concentrations by substituting only the acceptor molecules, is presented. Electron diffraction patterns, which were collected on samples of the ternary system of the prototypical CT-complexes DBTTF-TCNQ and DBTTF-F₄TCNQ do not show any indication of a mixed crystalline phase or novel crystalline order. X-ray diffraction measurements additionally confirm the phase separation in the ternary system. However, upon mixing of the complexes, the degree of crystallinity of the individual phases is reduced. This effect correlates with the mixing ratio of the CT-complexes in the ternary compound. Furthermore, we do not observe a shift or the appearance of new peaks in the infrared spectra of (DBTTF-TCNQ) _x :(DBTTF-F₄TCNQ)_1?x . Hence, there is no indication for a pronounced or novel chemical interaction between the individual CT-complexes in the mixed compound.     

Spatial correlations in condensed phase reactions

Abstract

Spatial correlations among reacting species in condensed media result from an interplay of reaction (which tends to lead to negative correlations), replacement or dissociation (which tend to produce positive correlations), and diffusion (which tends to smooth correlations out). Where correlations are high associative reactions are generally rapid. Where they are low the associative reaction is generally diminished. These characteristics of condensed phase processes have important consequences in a wide range of situations. In this paper, I review several examples drawn from radiation-physics, -chemistry, and -biochemistry of how spatial correlations determine the kinetics of reaction. Utilizing this theme, I also present two new results. I discuss a model of defect production in collision cascades in which the collective excitations during the cooling of the cascade contribute to defect recombination. A quantitative comparison with experiment is made. Lastly, I show how the kinetics of a diffusion-limited reversible reaction differ from a model which tacitly assumes that the spatial correlations which prevail are those of the irreversible reaction. A connection is drawn between these models and the observed kinetics of thermal donor formation.     

Luminescent ‘On-Off’ CdSe/ZnS Quantum Dot Chemodosimeter for Hydroxide Based on Photoinduced Electron Transfer from a Carboxylate Moiety

A CdSe-ZnS quantum dot (QD) has been surface functionalised by a place exchange reaction with p-mercaptomethyl benzoate synthesized by a three-step procedure. The resulting lumophore-spacer-receptor QD-conjugate was characterized by IR, UV-visible and fluorescence spectroscopy. The emission profile of the QD reveals a narrow emission peak centred at 542 nm. Addition of hydroxide to the solution containing the QD-conjugate results in quenching of the original fluorescence, which is attributed to a photoinduced electron transfer reaction from the electron-rich benzoate moiety to the QD valence band. This is the first reported example of fluorescent quenching of a CdSe-ZnS QD luminescence by an aryl carboxylate moiety.     

The Conformation of Sterically Congested Seven-Membered Rings Containing Tetracoordinate Germanium(IV): A First X-Ray Crystallographic Structure Determination

The X-ray crystallographic analysis of 6,6-dimethyl-2,4,8,10-tetra-tert-octyl-dibenzo[d,f][1,3,2]dioxagermepin, 1 is reported. In the solid-state conformation of 1, the dihedral angle about the C─C sp²-sp ² σ bond connecting the two aryl rings is 50.1°. The observed C₂ symmetry in the solid-state conformation of 1 is consistent with the previously suggested solution conformation.