Optimizing the resolution of nanohole arrays in metal films for refractive-index sensing

We optimized the resolution of nanohole arrays in metal films for refractive-index sensing by increasing the sensitivity with modifications to the hole-array parameters and by increasing the signal to noise ratio of the sensor system. The nanohole-array parameters (including film thickness, periodicity and diameter) were first optimized by finite-difference time-domain simulations, and then the arrays were fabricated and tested, showing good agreement between the two cases (theory and experiment) in terms of optimal parameters. To improve the sensitivity and to reduce the noise, the laser source wavelength was optimized (including the efficiency of the camera for detection) and the intensity was increased. A?bulk resolution of 6×10^?7 refractive-index units was demonstrated. Due to the collinear microscope geometry and potential for multiplexing of nanohole arrays, these results are encouraging for future biosensing applications.     

Surface plasmon-quantum dot coupling from arrays of nanoholes

The coupling of semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) to the surface plasmon (SP) modes of nanohole arrays in a metal film was demonstrated for the first time, showing enhancement in the spontaneous emission by 2 orders of magnitude. The SP-enhanced transmission resonances of the nanohole arrays were tuned around the photoluminescence (PL) peak of polystyrene-b-poly(acrylic acid) (PS-b-PAA)-stabilized cadmium sulfide (CdS) quantum dots (QDs) in contact with the arrays. As a result the overall PL from the SP-QD system was enhanced by 2 orders of magnitude, even after excluding the enhanced transmission of the nanohole array without the QDs. The maximum enhancement occurred when the resonance from the nanohole array matched the QD PL spectrum. Time-resolved PL measurements were used to estimate the relative contribution of different physical mechanisms to the enhanced spontaneous emission. The increased spontaneous emission in the SP-QD system is promising for prospective plasmonic light-emitting devices incorporating QDs.     

Application of the cross-entropy method to clustering and vector quantization

We apply the cross-entropy (CE) method to problems in clustering and vector quantization. The CE algorithm for clustering involves the following iterative steps: (a) generate random clusters according to a specified parametric probability distribution, (b) update the parameters of this distribution according to the Kullback–Leibler cross-entropy. Through various numerical experiments, we demonstrate the high accuracy of the CE algorithm and show that it can generate near-optimal clusters for fairly large data sets. We compare the CE method with well-known clustering and vector quantization methods such as K-means, fuzzy K-means and linear vector quantization, and apply each method to benchmark and image analysis data.     

Propagation of the two-frequency coherence function in an inhomogeneous background random medium

The spatial and temporal structures of time-dependent signals can be appreciably affected by random changes of the parameters of the medium characteristic of almost all geophysical environments. The dispersive properties of random media cause distortions in the propagating signal, particularly in pulse broadening and time delay. When there is also spatial variation of the background refractive index, the observer can be accessed by a number of background rays. In order to compute the pulse characteristics along each separate ray, there is a need to know the behaviour of the two-frequency mutual coherence function. In this work, we formulate the equation of the two-frequency mutual coherence function along a curved background ray trajectory. To solve this equation, a recently developed reference-wave method is applied. This method is based on embedding the problem into a higher dimensional space and is accompanied by the introduction of additional coordinates. Choosing a proper transform of the extended coordinate system allows us to emphasize 'fast' and 'slow' varying coordinates which are consequently normalized to the scales specific to a given type of problem. Such scaling usually reveals the important expansion parameters defined as ratios of the characteristic scales and allows us to present the proper ordering of terms in the desired equation. The performance of the main order solution is demonstrated for the homogeneous background case when the transverse structure function of the medium can be approximated by a quadratic term.     

Local ratio with negative weights

We present local ratio interpretations of known algorithms for minimums-tcut and the assignment problem. Our interpretations are the first application of local ratio with negative weights. These interpretations lead to primal-dual analyses that are based on new IP formulations.     

Notes on Metric Independent Analysis of Classical Fields

A metric independent geometric framework for some fundamental objects of continuum mechanics is presented. In the geometric setting of general differentiable manifolds, balance principles for extensive properties are formulated and Cauchy's theorem for fluxes is proved. Fluxes in an n‐dimensional space are represented as differential (n ? 1)‐forms. In an analogous formulation of stress theory, a distinction is made between the traction stress, enabling the evaluation of the traction on the boundaries of the various regions, and the variational stress, which acts on the derivative of a virtual velocity field to produce the virtual power density. The relation between the two stress fields is examined as well as the resulting differential balance law. As an application, metric‐invariant aspects of electromagnetic theory are presented within the framework of the foregoing flux and stress theory. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.