Physics of transparent conductors

Transparent conductors (TCs) are materials, which are characterized by high transmission of light and simultaneously very high electrical DC conductivity. These materials play a crucial role, and made possible numerous applications in the fields of electro-optics, plasmonics, biosensing, medicine, and “green energy”. Modern applications, for example in the field of touchscreen and flexible displays, require that TCs are also mechanically strong and flexible. TC can be broadly classified into two categories: uniform and non-uniform TC. The uniform TC can be viewed as conventional metals (or electron plasmas) with plasma frequency located in the infrared frequency range (e.g. transparent conducting oxides), or ultra-thin metals with large plasma frequency (e.g. graphen). The physics of the nonuniform TC is much more complex, and could involve transmission enhancement due to refraction (including plasmonic), and exotic effects of electron transport, including percolation and fractal effects. This review ties the TC performance to the underlying physical phenomena. We begin with the theoretical basis for studying the various phenomena encountered in TC. Next, we consider the uniform TC, and discuss first the conventional conducting oxides (such as indium tin oxide), reviewing advantages and limitations of these classic uniform electron plasmas. Next, we discuss the potential of single- and multiple-layer graphene as uniform TC. In the part of the paper dealing with non-uniform metallic films, we begin with the review of random metallic networks. The transparency of these networks could be enhanced beyond the classical shading limit by the plasmonic refractive effects. The electrical conduction strongly depends on the network type, and we review first networks made of individual metallic nanowires, where conductivity depends on the inter-wire contact, and the percolation effects. Next, we review the uniform metallic film networks, which are free of the percolation effects and contact problems. In applications that require high-quality electric contact of a TC to an active substrate (such as LED or solar cells), the network performance can be optimized by employing a quasi-fractal structure of the network. We also consider the periodic metallic networks, where active plasmonic refraction leads to the phenomenon of the extraordinary optical transmission. We review the relevant literature on this topic, and demonstrate networks, which take advantage of this strategy (the bio-inspired leaf venation (LV) network, hybrid networks, etc.). Finally, we review “smart” TCs, with an added functionality, such as light interference, metamaterial effects, built-in semiconductors, and their junctions.     

Effect of ZnAl2O4 coating on the compressive behaviors of aluminum borate whiskers-reinforced aluminum composites at elevated temperatures

Aluminum borate whiskers (ABOw) with or without ZnAl₂O₄ coating reinforced pure aluminum composites (ABOw/Al, ABOw/ZnAl₂O₄/Al) were fabricated by squeeze casting. The effects of ZnAl₂O₄ coating on the compressive behaviors, microstructures, and matrix textures of the composites were investigated at different temperatures and strain rates. The results indicate that the maximum compressive flow stress of the composites almost linearly decreases with the increase in temperature. The maximum compressive flow stress of ABOw/ZnAl₂O₄/Al composite is higher than that of ABOw/Al composite at the same temperature when the strain rate is larger, however, it is reversed when the strain rate is smaller. It is more serious for the fracture of whiskers in ABOw/ZnAl₂O₄/Al composite than that in ABOw/Al composite at the high compressive strain rate. However, the average length of whiskers in ABOw/ZnAl₂O₄/Al composite is larger than that in ABOw/Al composite at the low compressive strain rate. The strong matrix texture in ABOw/ZnAl₂O₄/Al composite appears at the high compressive strain rate, however, it is observed in ABOw/Al composite at the low compressive strain rate.     

Convergence Rate of Solutions to a Hyperbolic Equation with $p(x)$-Laplacian Operator and Non-Autonomous Damping

This paper concerns the convergence rate of solutions to a hyperbolic equation with $p(x)$-Laplacian operator and non-autonomous damping. We apply the Faedo-Galerkin method to establish the existence of global solutions, and then use some ideas from the study of second order dynamical system to get the strong convergence relationship between the global solutions and the steady solution. Some differential inequality arguments and a new Lyapunov functional are proved to show the explicit convergence rate of the trajectories.     

Thermodynamical behavior of E′ centers in quartz from sediments: Potential for paleothermometry and geochronometry

The thermodynamical behaviors of E′ centers in 8 quartz samples from core XJ33-2-1 recovered in the Zhujiang Mouth Basin were measured by electron spin resonance (ESR) technique. The E′ ESR spectral intensity of samples before any laboratory treatment was measured and expressed asI ₁. The samples were then annealed at 300°C or 350°C for 60 min. The E′ ESR spectral intensity measured after this procedure is expressed asI ₂. The ratios ofI ₁, toI ₂ for the samples increase with the sample depth (from 320 to 3972 m), showing that there is a correlation between this ratio and the storage temperature of samples. Therefore the ratio ofI ₁/I ₂ can be used as an ESR paleothermometer. Besides the temperature, we must take into account the period of time for which the samples have been buried since their deposition, because we find that the ratiosI ₁/I ₂ (from 0.293 to 0.941) are closely related to the sediment ages (from 1.5 to 27.5 Ma), with a correlation coefficient of 0.98 or 0.99 obtained by linear or exponential regression, respectively. This relation can be explained by the increase of E′ center concentration in quartz samples with the sedimentation age.     

Novel Microstrip Photonic Bandgap Cell Structures

In general, a planar microstrip photonic bandgap (PBG) structure os a periodic array of holes etched in the ground plane of a microstrip line. To use a circuit with a PBG, the PBG structure cannot be fixed on a metal base and needs to be shielded. In this paper, two kinds of novel microstrip PBG unit cells with special patterns etched in the strip line, which can be used as the conventional microstrip circuits, are proposed and analyzed in detail. The results show that the transmission line theory is valid for the theoretic analysis of PBG circuits.     

牙冠表面三维光学测量和重建方法

选取光栅变形条纹直接分析方法,采用自制的牙冠表面形状三维测量仪和精密可调转台获得了上颌中切牙和下颌磨牙牙冠各个面的三维测量数据,将各面数据在UniGraphic软件平台上通过旋转坐标拍的方法实现数据拼合,重建了牙冠表面的三维形态,生成了牙冠实体模型。     

ULTRAHIGH DATA DENSITY STORAGE WITH SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPY

Ultrahigh density data storage devices made by scanning probe techniques based on various recording media and their corresponding recording mechanisms, have attracted much attention recently, since they ensure a high data density in a non-volatile, erasable form in some kinds of ways. It is of particular interest to employ organic polymers with novel functional properties within a single molecule (or a single molecular complex) for fabricating electronic devices on a single molecular scale. Here, it is reported that a new process for ultrahigh density and erasable data storage, namely, molecular bistability on an organic charge transfer complex of 3-nitrobenzal malononitrile and 1,4-phenylenediamine (NBMN-pDA) switched by a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). Data density exceeds 10¹³ bits/cm² with a writing time per bit of ～1μs. Current-voltage (I/V) measurements before and after the voltage pulse from the STM tip, together with optical absorption spectroscopy and macroscopic four-probe I/V measurements demonstrate that the writing mechanism is conductance transition in the organic complex. This mechanism offers an attractive combination of ultrahigh data density coupled with high speed. The ultimate bit density achievable appears to be limited only by the size of the organic complex, which is less than 1nm in our case, corresponding to 10¹⁴ bits/cm². We believe that provided the lifetime can be improved, molecular bistability may represent a practical route for ultrahigh density data storage devices.     

锗硅合金脊形光波导的优化分析与设计

根据脊形光波导的基本设计要求，分析了锗硅合金脊形波导的结构参数对其光传播特性的影响，并优化设计了结构参数，其合理性得到了实验验证。