Experimental study on the flow field behind a backward-facing step using a detonation-driven shock tunnel

The supersonic combustion RAM jet (SCRAM jet) engine is expected to be used in next-generation space planes and hypersonic airliners. To develop the engine, stabilized combustion in a supersonic flow field must be attained even though the residence time of flow is extremely short. A mixing process for breathed air and fuel injected into the supersonic flow field is therefore one of the most important design problems. Because the flow inside the SCRAM jet engine has high enthalpy, an experimental facility is required to produce the high-enthalpy flow field. In this study, a detonation-driven shock tunnel was built to produce a high-enthalpy flow, and a model SCRAM jet engine equipped with a backward-facing step was installed in the test section of the facility to visualize flow fields using a color schlieren technique and high-speed video camera. The fuel was injected perpendicularly to a Mach 3 flow behind the backward-facing step. The height of the step, the injection distance and injection pressure were varied to investigate the effects of the step on air/fuel mixing characteristics. The results show that the recirculation region increases as the fuel injection pressure increases. For injection behind the backward-facing step, mixing efficiency is much higher than with a flat plate. Also, the injection position has a significant influence on the size of the recirculation region generated behind the backward-facing step. The schlieren photograph and pressure histories measured on the bottom wall of the SCRAM jet engine model show that the fuel was ignited behind the step.Communicated by K. Takayama PACS 47.40.Ki     

Coherence three-dimensional imaging spectrometry based on measurement of rotated-hyperbolic volume interferograms

A new interferometric technique to obtain three-dimensional multispectral images of spatially incoherent polychromatic-source distributions is investigated. This technique is based on the measurement of a new type of volume interferogram, herein called the rotated-hyperbolic volume interferogram, which can be obtained by existing interferometer together with a novel aperture synthesis. This paper reports the first demonstration of the method: measurement of a monochromatic point source. The results obtained from this measurement included three-dimensional spatial information and spectral information corresponding to the impulse response function defined over a four-dimensional space. These experimental results confirmed that the imaging characteristics, particularly depth resolution, of the new method are superior to those of previous methods.     

Highly phosphorescent iridium complexes containing both tridentate bis(benzimidazolyl)-benzene or -pyridine and bidentate phenylpyridine: synthesis, photophysical properties, and theoretical study of Ir-bis(benzimidazolyl)benzene complex

Novel mixed-ligand Ir(III) complexes, [Ir(L)(NwedgeC)X]n+ (L = N/\C/\N or N/\N/\N; X = Cl, Br, I, CN, CH3CN, or -CCPh; n = 0 or 1), were synthesized, where N/\CwedgeN = bis(N-methylbenzimidazolyl)benzene (Mebib) and bis(N-phenylbenzimidazolyl)benzene (Phbib), N/\N/\N = bis(N-methylbenzimidazolyl)pyridine (Mebip), and N/\C = phenylpyridine (ppy) derivatives. The X-ray crystal structures of [Ir(Phbib)(ppy)Cl] and [Ir(Mebib)(mppy)Cl] [mppy = 5-methyl-2-(2'-pyridyl)phenyl] indicate that the nitrogen atom of the ppy ligand is located trans to the coordinating carbon atom in Me- or Phbib, while the coordinating carbon atom in ppy occupies the trans position of Cl. [Ir(Mebip)(ppy)Cl]+ showed a quasireversible Ir(III/IV) oxidation wave at +1.05 V, while the Ir complexes, [Ir(Mebib)(ppy)Cl], were oxidized at +0.42 V versus Fc/Fc+. The introduction of an Ir-C bond in [Ir(Mebib)(ppy)Cl] induces a large potential shift of 0.63 V in a negative direction. Further, the oxidation potential of [Ir(Mebib)(Rppy)X] was altered by the substitution of R, R', and X groups. Compared to the oxidation potential, the first reduction potential revealed an almost constant value at -2.36 to -2.46 V for [Ir(L)(ppy)Cl] (L = Mebib and Phbib) and -1.52 V for [Ir(Mebip)(ppy)Cl. The UV-vis spectra of [Ir(Mebib)(R-ppy)X] show a clear singlet metal-to-ligand charge-transfer transition around 407 approximately 425 nm and a triplet metal-to-ligand charge-transfer transition at 498 approximately 523 nm. [Ir(Mebip)(ppy)Cl]+ emits at 610 nm with a luminescent quantum yield of Phi = 0.16 at room temperature. The phosphorescence of [Ir(Mebib)(ppy)X] was observed at 526 nm for X = CN and 555 nm for X = Cl with the high luminescent quantum yields, Phi = 0.77 approximately 0.86, at room temperature. [Ir(Phbib)(ppy)Cl] shows the emission at 559 nm with a luminescent quantum yield of Phi = 0.95, which is an unprecedentedly high value compared to those of other emissive metal complexes. Compared to the luminescent quantum yields of the Ir(ppy)2(L) derivatives and [Ir(Mebip)(ppy)Cl]+, the neutral Ir complexes, [Ir(L)(R-ppy)X] (L = Me- or Phbib), reveal very high quantum yields and large radiative rate constants (kr) ranging from 3.4 x 10(5) to 5.5 x 10(5) s(-1). The density functional theory calculation suggests that these Ir complexes possess dominantly metal-to-ligand charge-transfer and halide-to-ligand charge-transfer excited states. The mechanism for a high phosphorescence yield in [Ir(bib)(ppy)X] is discussed herein from the perspective of the theoretical consideration of radiative rate constants using perturbation theory and a one-center spin-orbit coupling approximation.     

Spectroscopic characteristics of argon plasma produced bymultistage pseudospark discharges

A measurement is made of the spectroscopic characteristics of argon plasma produced by multistage pseudospark discharges in a peculiar geometry which has not yet been reported in literature. High electron temperature, high peak current density, and a high degree of ionization are demonstrated in such a device. The population number density of the upper and lower levels of 488.0, 476.6, 514.5, 351.1, and 363.8 nm transitions in ArII and ArIII are measured. The ultraviolet emission characteristics of pure Ar and Ar/He mixture plasmas are compared. An appreciable increase is observed in peak intensities of ArIII lines when nitrogen is added to Ar     

Tuneabilities of localized electromagnetic modes in random nanostructures for random lasing

The modal characteristics of localized electromagnetic waves inside random nanostructures are theoretically presented. It is crucial to know the tuneabilities of the localized modes systematically for demonstrating a specific random lasing application. By use of FDTD (Finite-Difference Time-Domain) method, we investigated the impulse response of two-dimensional random nanostructures consisting of closely packed cylindrical dielectric columns, and precisely analyzed the localized modes. We revealed the tuneability of the frequency of the localized modes by controlling the medium configurations: diameter, spatial density, and refractive index of the cylinders. Furthermore, it is found to be able to tune the Q (quality) factors of the localized modes dramatically by controlling simply the system size of the entire medium. The observed Q factors of approximately 1.6×10⁴ were exhibited in our random disordered structures.     

Order to disorder optical phase transition in random photonic crystals

Transition process of optical modal properties induced by the introduction of randomness into random photonic crystals is investigated by a computational method. We analyze an impulse response of two-dimensional triangular photonic crystals, in which the positions of the air holes are slightly deviated to random directions. It is shown that the appropriate degree of random departure from a perfect crystal state gives rise to multiple scattering of low group velocity band-edge modes and supports their strong Anderson localization. The achieved confinement efficiency of light exceeds the one obtained in the perfect photonic crystal state.     

Effects of pressure characteristics on transfection efficiency in laser-induced stress wave-mediated gene delivery

The astrolabe is an ancient analogue astronomical computing device used for calculations relating to position and time of the observer’s location. In its most common form (the planispheric astrolabe), it consists of an engraved plate or series of plates held together and pinned in a housing, the assembly usually being made of brass. The present study describes the use of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) in a synchrotron to elucidate the composition of, and fabrication techniques used for, the major component parts of the astrolabe. The synchrotron XRF studies are compared to similar studies made with a handheld XRF instrument and the advantages and disadvantages of both approaches are discussed.     

Ab initio molecular orbital calculation of fe-porphine with a double zeta basis set

An ab initio LCAO SCF MO calculation was performed on planar Fe-porphine with a double zeta basis set consisting of 300 CGTO 's. SCF wave functions of several states of Fe-porphine and its cation were obtained. The net charge of Fe is in the range of 1.39 to 1.53. The highest occupied orbital is ascertained to be a pure porphine π-MO , 1a_1u. The calculated ionization potentials of the two highest occupied orbitals, 1a_1u and 5a_2u are 5.98 and 6.43 eV, respectively. They are in good agreement with experiments. The role of the porphine macrocycle on the oxidation of Fe is discussed in terms of gross atomic populations and with contour maps of the density difference.