Characterization of piezoelectric materials with large piezoelectric and electromechanical coupling coefficients

The relaxor based ferroelectric (1-x)Pb(Zn(1/3)Nb(2/3))O(3)-xPbTiO(3) and (1-x)Pb(Mg(1/3)Nb(2/3))O(3)-xPbTiO(3) single crystals provided new challenges in property characterization because their extraordinarily large piezoelectric coefficients and electromechanical coupling coefficients. Large errors may occur in some of the derived material constants using conventional characterization techniques. This paper will analyze the inadequacy of the traditional characterization methods and provide some basic guidelines for properly characterizing piezoelectric materials with extremely high piezoelectric and electromechanical coupling coefficients.     

Ultracompact high-efficiency polarizing beam splitter with a hybrid photonic crystal and conventional waveguide structure

We propose an ultracompact high-efficiency polarizing beam splitter that operates over a wide wavelength range and is based on a hybrid photonic crystal and a conventional waveguide structure. Within a small area (15 microm x 10 microm), this polarizing beam splitter separates TM- and TE-polarized modes into orthogonal output waveguides. Results of simulations with the two-dimensional finite-difference time-domain method show that 99.3% of TM-polarized light is deflected by the photonic crystal structure (with a 28.0-dB extinction ratio), whereas 99.0% of TE-polarized light propagates through the structure (with a 32.2-dB extinction ratio). Wave vector diagrams are employed to explain the operation of a polarizing beam splitter. Tolerance analysis reveals a large tolerance to fabrication errors.     

Ultralow-jitter, 1550-nm mode-locked semiconductor laser synchronized to a visible optical frequency standard

Using high-bandwidth feedback, we have synchronized the pulse train from a mode-locked semiconductor laser to an external optical atomic clock signal and achieved what is to our knowledge the lowest timing jitter to date (22 fs, integrated from 1 Hz to 100 MHz) for such devices. The performance is limited by the intrinsic noise of the phase detector used for timing-jitter measurement. We expect such a highly stable device to play an important role in fiber-network-based precise time/frequency distribution.     

Probing the spin state of a single electron trap by random telegraph signal

We have studied the random telegraph signal (RTS) generated by a single paramagnetic spin center adjacent to a submicrometer silicon metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor. An in-plane magnetic field induces a substantial change in the statistics of the RTS. We show that a model using the grand partition theorem can qualitatively explain the change in statistics of the RTS as a function of the applied magnetic field. While the data at high temperatures can be well described by this simple model, quantitative discrepancy increases as the temperature is lowered.     

Quantum interference in carbon-nanotube electron resonators

A new mechanism is proposed to explain the slow conductance fluctuations in the conductance-gate voltage plot observed in the nanotube electron resonators. It is found that the slow conductance fluctuation is an intrinsic quantum interference phenomenon and exists in all metallic nanotube resonators except zigzag ones. Analytical expressions for both slow and rapid oscillation periods of the conductance fluctuations have been derived, which are well consistent with the existing experiments. It is predicted that the ratio of the slow oscillation period to the rapid one is independent of the gate-voltage efficiency, and determined only by the nanotube length used in experiments.     

Improved direct measurement of the parity-violation parameter Ab using a mass tag and momentum-weighted track charge

We present an improved direct measurement of the parity-violation parameter A(b) in the Z boson-b-quark coupling using a self-calibrating track-charge technique applied to a sample enriched in Z-->bb events via the topological reconstruction of the B hadron mass. Manipulation of the Stanford Linear Collider electron-beam polarization permits the measurement of A(b) to be made independently of other Z-pole coupling parameters. From the 1996-1998 sample of 400,000 hadronic Z decays, produced with an average beam polarization of 73.4%, we find A(b)=0.906+/-0.022(stat)+/-0.023(syst).     

Dual-facing-target-sputtered amorphous CoMoN/CN compound soft-X-ray multilayers: structures and thermal stability

Amorphous CoMoN/CN compound soft-X-ray multilayers were fabricated by dual-facing-target sputtering. Their structural thermal stability has been investigated by monitoring the structural evolutions of CN and CoMoN sublayers at annealing temperatures up to 800 °C using complementary measurement techniques, and measuring the coefficient of interfacial diffusion at annealing temperatures below 300 °C. The period expansion at annealing temperatures below 600 °C, which is usually observed in annealed metal/carbon soft-X-ray multilayers, is only 5%. The enhanced sp² to sp³ bond ratio caused by the incorporation annealing effect of nitrogen [1] is thought to be responsible for the improved thermal stability of CN sublayers. Mo addition greatly suppresses the structural thermal evolution of CoMoN sublayers. XPS and TEM analyses indicate that the strong chemical bonding between N and Co atoms and Mo nitride aggregation in the grain boundary of cobalt are the main mechanisms for the high thermal stability of CoMoN sublayers. The layered structure of the CoMoN/CN multilayers still exists at the annealing temperature of 800 °C, while Co/C and CoN/CN multilayers have already been destroyed at this temperature. Compared with Co/C and CoN/CN multilayers, the smaller negative interdiffusivity measured by X-ray diffraction reveals the stable interfaces of CoMoN/CN multilayers. These results illustrate that refractory metal incorporation and strong chemical bond establishment are quite effective in obtaining thermally highly stable compound soft-X-ray optical multilayers . PACS 68.65+g; 68.55.Ln; 68.35.Fx; 68.60.Dv     

Selective rearrangements of quadruply hydrogen-bonded dimer driven by donor-acceptor interaction

A general method has been developed to control the selective rearrangement of Meijer's AADD quadruply hydrogen-bonded homodimers by introducing an additional donor-acceptor interaction. Therefore, one donor-assembling monomer, 1, in which the electron-rich bis(p-phenylene)-34-crown-10 moiety is connected to the hydrogen-bonding moiety, and two acceptor-assembling monomers, 2 and 3, in which the electron-deficient pyromellitic diimide or naphthalene diimide group is incorporated, respectively, are synthesized and characterized. 1H NMR and 2D-NOESY studies show that all these compounds exist as stable homodimers in chloroform. Mixing 1 equiv of 1 with 1 equiv of 2 in chloroform leads to the formation of heterodimers 1.2 in approximately 60 % yield, as a result of the electrostatic interaction between the bis(p-phenylene)-34-crown-10 moiety of 1 and the pyromellitic diimide group of 2. Selective formation of heterodimer 1.3 (>97 %) was achieved by mixing 1 equiv of 1 with 1 equiv of 3 in chloroform which resulted in a strengthened electrostatic interaction between the bis(p-phenylene)-[34]crown-10 moiety of 1 and the naphthalene diimide group of 3. The structures of heterodimers 1.2 and 1.3, which have been characterized by 1H NMR and UV/Vis experiments, reveal a remarkable promoting effect between the donor-acceptor interaction and intermolecular hydrogen-bonding. 1H NMR studies also reveal that heterodimers 1.2 and 1.3 can be fully and partially dissociated by addition of heterocycle 29, leading to the formation of new more robust heterodimers 1.29 and 2.29, or 3.29,respectively, and partially regenerated by subsequent addition of heterocyclic compound 30 through the formation of a new heterodimer 29.30. Heterodimers 1.2 and 1.3 represent a novel class of pseudo[2]rotaxanes constructed by two different noncovalent interactions.     

Stereoselective synthesis of tetrahydropyran-3-ones by rearrangement of oxonium ylides generated from metal carbenoids

The synthesis of tetrahydropyran-3-ones by copper-catalysed reactions of diazo ketone tethered allylic ethers has been explored. Product distribution can be explained by the intermediacy of a free ylide or direct rearrangement of a metal-bound ylide equivalent.