Tens of GHz Tantalum pentoxide‐based micro‐ring all‐optical modulator for Si photonics

A tantalum pentoxide‐based (Ta₂O₅‐based) micro‐ring all‐optical modulator was fabricated. The refractive index inside the micro‐ring cavity was modified using the Kerr effect by injecting a pumped pulse. The transmittance of the ring resonator was controlled to achieve all‐optical modulation at the wavelength of the injected probe. When 12 GHz pulses with a peak power of 1.2 W were coupled in the ring cavity, the transmission spectrum of the Ta₂O₅ resonator was red‐shifted by 0.04 nm because of the Kerr effect. The relationship between the modulation depth and gap of the Ta₂O₅ directional coupler is discussed. An optimized gap of 1100 nm was obtained, and a maximum buildup factor of 11.7 with 84% modulation depth was achieved. The nonlinear refractive index of Ta₂O₅ at 1.55 μm was estimated as 3.4 × 10^?14 cm²/W based on the Kerr effect, which is almost an order of magnitude higher than that of Si₃N₄. All results indicate that Ta₂O₅ has potential for use in nonlinear waveguide applications with modulation speeds as high as tens of GHz.

     

Effect of bromine substituent on optical properties of aryl compounds

Substituents significantly affect optical properties of organic compounds. In this study, a series of organic compounds were synthesized. Ultraviolet‐visible and cyclic voltammetry spectra were determined. The relationships between the number of π electron in an aryl ring and the redshift (and molecular orbital energy levels) were studied. To investigate mechanisms of the bromine substituent effects, theoretical calculations were carried out. Ultraviolet‐visible spectra of bromine‐containing compounds exhibit obvious redshifts (0.04‐0.17 eV) of the maximal absorption wavelengths and enhanced absorbance (11%‐57%) compared with corresponding reference compounds. The lowest unoccupied and highest occupied molecular orbital energy levels of compounds containing bromine substituents are 0.05 to 0.60 and 0.02 to 0.40 eV lower than that of corresponding reference compounds. On the whole, the redshifts and the reduced molecular orbital energy levels caused by bromine substituent decrease with the increase in the number of π electron in an aryl ring. The effects would be attributed to strong p‐π conjugation between p electron in the bromine substituent and π electrons in aryl rings. Therefore, this paper suggests a useful way for tuning optical absorption and molecular orbital energy levels of aryl compounds.     

Yolk–Shell‐Structured Cu/Fe@γ‐Fe2O3 Nanoparticles Loaded Graphitic Porous Carbon for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Core–shell Cu/γ‐Fe₂O₃@C and yolk–shell‐structured Cu/Fe@γ‐Fe₂O₃@C particles are prepared by a facile synthesis method using copper oxide as template particles, resorcinol‐formaldehyde as the carbon precursor, and iron nitrate solution as the iron source via pyrolysis. With increasing carbonization temperature and time, solid γ‐Fe₂O₃ cores are formed and then transformed into Fe@γ‐Fe₂O₃ yolk–shell‐structured particles via Ostwald ripening under nitrogen gas flow. The composition variations are studied, and the formation mechanism is proposed for the generation of the hollow and yolk–shell‐structured metal and metal oxides. Moreover, highly graphitic carbons can be obtained by etching the metal and metal oxide nanoparticles through an acid treatment. The electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction reaction is investigated on Cu/γ‐Fe₂O₃@C, Cu/Fe@γ‐Fe₂O₃@C, and graphitic carbons, indicating comparable or even superior performance to other Fe‐based nanocatalysts.     

降雨对532nm和1064nm激光传输的衰减特性研究

降雨会对激光信号产生严重的衰减,从而给激光目标探测的应用带来一定影响.激光在降雨中的传输衰减已在红外波段做了大量的实验研究,而可见光波段激光在雨中的传输衰减特性还未见报道.基于夫琅禾费衍射和几何光学散射理论,建立雨滴对532 nm绿激光和1064 nm近红外激光光束的传输衰减模型,对比分析两波长激光在不同降雨量下的衰减...     

响应面方法计算HTR-10余热排出系统物理过程的失效概率

在核电站安全研究中，概率安全评价方法已经得到了广泛的应用.但是对于采用非能动设计的核电站系统，其可靠性分析的研究还处于初级阶段.非能动系统的失效不但要考虑常规可靠性分析中考虑的设备失效，还要考虑物理过程的失效.物理过程失效概率的计算方法和能动系统可靠性分析方法完全不同.本文给出物理过程失效的数学描述，介绍了一次二阶矩法、响应面方法，并且应用响应面方法计算了清华大学核能技术设计研究院10MW高温气冷实验堆(HTR-10)余热排出系统失效概率的近似值. 关键词： 概率安全评价 非能动系统 可靠性 响应面     

大气消光特性与机载激光雷达眼睛安全关系的研究

依据美国ANSI标准，定量分析了气溶胶、卷云和沙尘的垂直消光特性对机载激光雷达激光脉冲眼睛安全最大阈值能量的影响；以地基激光雷达探测得到的合肥上空沙尘暴为例，定量给出了大气中各成分消光特性对飞机眼睛安全最低高度的影响；模拟计算了各种大气成分的消光特性对激光脉冲眼睛安全系数的影响随高度的变化规律。计算结果表明：沙尘层对激光脉冲眼睛安全最大阈值能量的影响幅度可达几十毫焦。该结果为我国第一台机载大气探测激光雷达激光脉冲能量设置提供了基本依据。     

Raman spectroscopy based on a single-crystal sapphire fiber

We demonstrate the advantages of using a single-crystal sapphire fiber to perform Raman spectroscopy over using a standard glass fiber. The narrow Raman peaks and the low background signal of a single-crystal sapphire fiber allow for the detection of weaker Raman signals or Raman signals much closer to the incident laser wavelength than with a standard glass fiber, which has a strong broadband Raman spectrum of its own. The Raman spectra of calcite, single-walled carbon nanotubes, and aqueous sodium carbonate solution were collected using a 50 cm long, 200 μm diameter sapphire fiber, and then they were compared with the results using a 50 cm long, 100 μm diameter glass fiber. The Raman spectrum of each tested material becomes indistinguishable due to the background Raman signal of the glass fiber but can easily be seen using the sapphire fiber, which has only a few narrow Raman peaks of its own.     

Optical waveguide double-ring sensor using intensity interrogation with a low-cost broadband source

A highly sensitive optical waveguide sensor based on simple intensity interrogation with a broadband light source is proposed and investigated. It consists of two cascaded microring resonators with the same or slightly different free spectral ranges. The variation of the refractive index of the analyte sample results in a large shift in the envelope function of the transmission peaks of the sensor, and, consequently, a large change in the transmitted power. The low-cost sensing scheme can achieve an ultrahigh sensitivity of 2 × 10? dB/RIU. Experimental results on the intensity interrogated double-ring sensor using a broadband source are presented, demonstrating its operation principle and potential for low-cost practical applications.     

Ankyrin repeat and SOCS box containing protein 4 (Asb-4) colocalizes with insulin receptor substrate 4 (IRS4) in the hypothalamic neurons and mediates IRS4 degradation

Background

Cigarette smoking enhances the risk of stroke. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are largely unknown. The present study established an in vivo rat secondhand cigarette smoking (SHS) model and examined the hypothesis that SHS upregulates endothelin receptors with increased cerebrovascular contraction via the Raf/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)/mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) pathway.

Results

Rats were exposed to SHS for up to 8 weeks. The cerebral artery vasoconstriction was recorded by a sensitive myograph. The mRNA and protein expressions for endothelin receptors in cerebral arteries were studied by real-time PCR and Western blot. Compared to fresh air exposed rats, cerebral arteries from SHS rats exhibited stronger contractile responses (P < 0.05) mediated by endothelin type A (ET_A) receptors. The expressions of mRNA and protein for ET_A receptors in the cerebral arteries from SHS rats were higher (P < 0.05) than that in control. SHS did not affect endothelin type B (ET_B) receptor-mediated contractions, mRNA or protein levels. The results suggest that SHS upregulates ET_A, but not ET_B receptors in vivo. After SHS exposure, the mRNA levels of Raf-1 and ERK1/2, the protein expression of phosphorylated (p)-Raf-1 and p-ERK1/2 were increased (P < 0.05). Raf-1 inhibitor, GW5074 suppressed the enhanced ET_A receptor-mediated contraction, mRNA and protein levels induced by SHS. In addition, GW5074 inhibited the SHS-caused increased mRNA and phosphorylated protein levels of Raf-1 and ERK1/2, suggesting that SHS induces activation of the Raf/ERK/MAPK pathway.

Conclusions

SHS upregulates cerebrovascular ET_A receptors via the Raf/ERK/MAPK pathway, which provides novel understanding of mechanisms involved in SHS-associated stroke.     

All fiber supercontinuum light source using photonic crystal fibers pumped by nanosecond fiber laser pulses

A novel compact supercontinuum (SC) source using the single mode photonic crystal fibers (PCF) pumped with an all fiber MOPA fiber laser is demonstrated experimentally. A bandwidth of 700 nm is achieved by operating the pumping fiber laser at a wavelength of 1064 nm, pulse duration of 10 ns, repetition rate of 50 kHz and peak power of 1 kW. The SC generation is initiated through modulation instability (MI) which breakups the nanosecond pump pulses into picosecond or femtosecond pulses, and further broadened through nonlinear effects of PCF.