Generalized Fourth-Order Decompositions of Imaginary Time Path Integral: Implications of the Harmonic Oscillator

The imaginary time path integral formalism offers a powerful numerical tool for simulating thermodynamic properties of realistic systems. We show that, when second-order and fourth-order decompositions are employed, they share a remarkable unified analytic form for the partition function of the harmonic oscillator. We are then able to obtain the expression of the thermodynamic property and the leading error terms as well. In order to obtain reasonably optimal values of the free parameters in the generalized symmetric fourth-order decomposition scheme, we eliminate the leading error terms to achieve the accuracy of desired order for the thermodynamic property of the harmonic system. Such a strategy leads to an efficient fourth-order decomposition that produces third-order accurate thermodynamic properties for general systems.     

Study on backward-facing step flow and heat transfer characteristics of hybrid nanofluids

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - As high heat dissipation has increasingly become the primary factor restricting the capability of electronic elements, and the high temperature of the...     

Recent progress on the mechanics of sharply bent DNA

Despite extensive studies on the mechanics of DNA under external constrains, such as tension, torsion, and bending, several important aspects have remained poorly understood. One biologically important example is the mechanics of DNA under sharp bending conditions, which has been debated for a decade without thorough comprehension. The debate is about the interesting phenomenon raised from a series of different experiments: sharply bent DNA has a surprisingly high apparent bending flexibility that deviates from the canonical bending elasticity of DNA. This finding has motivated various theoretical models, which mainly incorporate the excitation of mechanical defects inside severely bent DNA molecules. Here, we review the recent progress on the understanding of the mechanics of sharply bent DNA and provide our view on this important question by interrogating the theoretical foundation of these experimental measurements.     

Flux vector formulation for photon propagation in the biological tissue

We present a generalized delta-Eddington phase function to simplify the radiative transfer equation to an integral equation with respect to the photon flux vector. The solution of the integral equation is highly accurate to model the photon propagation in the biological tissue over a broad range of optical parameters, especially in the visible light spectrum where the diffusion approximation breaks down. The methodology is validated in the Monte Carlo simulation and can be applied in various optical imaging applications.     

Glow Discharge Characteristics of Hollow Needle-Plate Electrode in Atmospheric Pressure ArgonSCIEI北大核心CSCD

Atmosphere pressure uniform plasma has the broad application prospect in the industrial field. Using hollow needle cathode - plate anode device excited by direct-current voltage, a uniform and stable glow discharge is generated at atmospheric pressure in ambient air with argon used as working gas. The influence of the experimental parameters (including gas flow rate and the gas gap width) on discharge has been investigated by optical method. It can be found that a glow-discharge plasma column can bridge the two electrodes. The plasma column is uniform, and no filaments can be discerned. Near the plate electrode, the diameter of the plasma column is largest of all positions. The maximal diameter of the plasma column increases with increasing the discharge current or the gas flow rate. Through electrical method, the voltage-current characteristic has been investigated. It has been found that the discharge voltage decreases with increasing the current which is similar with the characteristic of glow discharge in low pressure. It increases with increasing the gas gap width or the gas flow rate. By analyzing the optical emission spectrum scanning from 330 to 450 nm emitted from the direct-current glow discharge, the molecular vibrational temperature and the intensity ratio of spectral lines I-391.4/I-337.1 have been investigated as functions of the gas flow rate and gas gap width. Results indicate that both the vibrational temperature and the intensity ratio of spectral lines I-391.4/I-337.1 decrease with increasing the gas flow rate or the gas gap width. In addition, the molecular vibrational temperature and the intensity ratio of spectral lines I-391.4/I-337.1 have been investigated in spatial resolution along the direction of gas flow(plasma column axial), and give a qualitative analysis as well. It is found that the vibrational temperature and the average electron energy increase with increasing the distance from the hollow needle cathode. These results are important to the industrial applications of glow discharge.     

通过双Σ型激光方案控制振动态布居转移

通过使用含时量子波包方法,对HF分子该类型的布居转移动力学进行了研究. 提出双Σ型激光控制方案,用于控制布居从|v=16>能级向|v=0>能级进行转移. 该方案的第一步是将布居从|v=16>经过中间能级|v=11>向|v=7>转移,第二步是将布居从|v=7>经过中间能级|v=3>向|v=0>转移. 在每一个步骤中,三个振动能级在两束重叠的激光脉冲作用下形成一个Σ型的布居转移路径. 通过优化激光的强度、频率和延迟时间,得到了最大的布居转移效率. 计算并比较了正序脉冲和反序脉冲两种情况,在这两种情况下,布居都可以超过90%从|v=16>能级向|v=0>能级进行转移.     

Morphological transformations of nonequilibrium assemblies of amphiphilic diblock copolymer

Amphiphilic diblock copolymer polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene oxide) (PS-PEO) assembled into nonequilibrium bicontinuous structures or mixture of vesicles, bilayers and nanorods upon rapid micellization induced by rapid addition of selective solvent (water) into the PS-PEO solutions in a common solvent (dimethyl formamide) with different concentrations. These kinetically trapped assemblies were unstable and slowly evolved into thermodynamically favorable spheres and vesicles. The addition of non-ionic surfactant Pluronic P123 upon rapid micellization generated novel nanocages and flower-like vesicles. The nanocages spontaneously transformed into tubules capped with vesicles. These novel assemblies are beyond the classic phase diagram of block copolymer self-assemblies, especially for those primarily based on thermodynamics.     

Supercapacitive Swing Adsorption of Carbon Dioxide

An electrical effect, the supercapacitive swing adsorption (SSA) effect is reported, which allows for reversible adsorption and desorption of carbon dioxide by capacitive charge and discharge of electrically conducting porous carbon materials. The SSA effect can be observed when an electrically conducting, nanoporous carbon material is brought into contact with carbon dioxide gas and an aqueous electrolyte. Charging the supercapacitor electrodes initiates the spontaneous organization of electrolyte ions into an electric double layer at the surface of each porous electrode. The presence of this double layer leads to reversible, selective uptake and release of the CO₂ as the supercapacitor is charged and discharged.