Exploring maps with greedy navigators

During the last decade of network research focusing on structural and dynamical properties of networks, the role of network users has been more or less underestimated from the bird's-eye view of global perspective. In this era of global positioning system equipped smartphones, however, a user's ability to access local geometric information and find efficient pathways on networks plays a crucial role, rather than the globally optimal pathways. We present a simple greedy spatial navigation strategy as a probe to explore spatial networks. These greedy navigators use directional information in every move they take, without being trapped in a dead end based on their memory about previous routes. We suggest that the centralities measures have to be modified to incorporate the navigators' behavior, and present the intriguing effect of navigators' greediness where removing some edges may actually enhance the routing efficiency, which is reminiscent of Braess's paradox. In addition, using samples of road structures in large cities around the world, it is shown that the navigability measure we define reflects unique structural properties, which are not easy to predict from other topological characteristics. In this respect, we believe that our routing scheme significantly moves the routing problem on networks one step closer to reality, incorporating the inevitable incompleteness of navigators' information.     

Single-pulse coherent diffraction imaging using soft x-ray laser

We report a coherent diffraction imaging (CDI) using a single 8 ps soft x-ray laser pulse at a wavelength of 13.9 nm. The soft x-ray pulse was generated by a laboratory-scale intense pumping laser providing coherent x-ray pulses up to the level of 10(11) photons/pulse. A spatial resolution below 194 nm was achieved with a single pulse, and it was shown that a resolution below 55 nm is feasible with improved detector capability. The single-pulse CDI might provide a way to investigate dynamics of nanoscale molecules or particles.     

Surface-enhanced absorption by self-organized silver films with aciniform-like nanoaggregates at elevated temperatures

Morphological evolution of silver nanocomposite films prepared by the wet colloidal route and surface-enhanced phenomena on aggregate nanostructures evolved during annealing were investigated. Dramatic changes in morphologies of particles and pores incurred by rearragement, coarsening, premelting, and dewetting of the silver clusters at different concentrations (i.e., mass thicknesses). At a higher mass thickness, the morphological transitions from self-organized nanoaggregates with aciniform pattern at 300 °C to elongated and coarsened particles with circular holes at 400 °C to island clusters at 500 °C occurred in the films. The peculiar absorption with a much redder and broader surface plasmon feature, which gone far beyond the theoretical prediction, induced by the formation of aciniform nanoaggregates embedded in the porous polymer matrix at a critical mass thickness of 9.6 nm during partial degradation of the PVP polymer and rearrangement of silver clusters at 300 °C. The surface-enhanced absorption was dramatically reduced by the elemination of the aggregate nanostructures and the spontaneous formation of the silver nanoisland film at the dewetting temperature of 500 °C.     

Surface-adsorbate-induced fluorescence-type Raman background of Pb(Zr0.4Ti0.6)O3 nanotubes

We report the effects of adsorbates on the Raman spectra of Pb(Zr_0.4Ti_0.6)O₃ nanotubes (PZT-NTs). PZT-NTs with adsorbates were prepared by exposing PZT-NTs to air for 1 day. We found that the presence of surface adsorbates can cause an intense and broad Raman background that hinders the observation of the Raman vibrational modes of the PZT-NTs. This background can be suppressed by adjusting the Raman excitation wavelength from 514.5 nm to 414.6 nm. It can also be removed by post-annealing the PZT-NTs at 500 °C, but it returns readily after re-exposure to air. X-ray photoelectron and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopies show that hydroxyl and carbonate groups are adsorbed onto the surfaces of the PZT-NTs during exposure to air. Moreover, dispersive Raman spectra reveal that the background is a tail of a very broad band from 1000 to 4000 cm^?1, which corresponds to hydroxyl groups. These results suggest that the main contribution to the Raman background of the PZT-NTs is that of surface hydroxyl groups rather than carbonate groups.     

Chemical vapor sensing properties of graphene based on geometrical evaluation

Graphene is a promising candidate for chemical vapor sensing. We prepared graphene sheets from highly oriented pyrolytic graphite through mechanical cleavage in order to investigate their responses to NH₃ and NO₂ as electron donors and acceptors, respectively. We investigated how the geometric characteristics of graphene, such as length-to-width (L/w) ratio and number of layers, affect chemical sensing properties at room temperature and ambient atmosphere. In this study, the L/w ratio of an individual graphene sheet, which is related to graphene conductivity, dominated the NH₃ sensing characteristics, while the number of graphene layers had no significant effect. We also studied the effects of various thermal treatments on graphene sensitivity and recovery time in an ambient atmosphere. This study confirms the effects of geometry, operation temperature and gas concentration on the NH₃ and NO₂ sensing performances of graphene.     

Particle trapping induced by the interplay between coherence and decoherence

We propose a novel scheme to trap a particle based on a delicate interplay between coherence and decoherence. If the decoherence occurs as a particle is located in the scattering region and subsequently the appropriate destructive interference takes place, the particle can be trapped in the scattering area. We consider two possible experimental realizations of such trapping: a ring attached to a single lead and a ring attached to two leads. Our scheme has nothing to do with a quasi-bound state of the system, but has a close analogy with the weak localization phenomena in disordered conductors.     

Investigation on guided mode characteristics of hollow-core photonic band-gap fiber with interstitial holes from near-infrared to visible wavelengths

Guided-mode characteristics of a hollow-core photonic band-gap fiber (HC-PBGF) fabricated by the improved twice stack-and-draw technique are investigated from near-infrared to visible wavelengths. The Full-Vector Plane-Wave Method (FVPWM) is employed to analyze the transverse field distributions in near-infrared wavelengths. The propagation mode fields in visible wavelengths are experimentally observed. The influences of glass interstitial apexes and interstitial holes on photonic band gaps and mode characteristics are analyzed. The possible degenerate state and loss mechanism of guided modes in photonic band gaps are elementarily discussed.     

Synthesis and photovoltaic properties of novel organic sensitizers containing indolo[1,2-f]phenanthridine for solar cell

Organic dyes containing indolo[1,2-f]phenanthridine unit are a promising new class of sensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells, as a result of their broad and intense visible absorptions. Under standard global AM 1.5 solar condition, the JK-61 sensitized cell gave a short circuit photocurrent density (J_sc) of 15.81 mA cm⁻², an open circuit voltage (V_oc) of 0.73 V, a fill factor of 0.72, corresponding to an overall conversion efficiency of 8.34%.     

Organic dyes with a novel anchoring group for dye-sensitized solar cell applications

Two novel trialkylsilyl-containing organic sensitizers (JK-53 and JK-54) have been designed and synthesized. Nanocrystalline TiO₂–silica-based dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were fabricated using these dyes. Under standard global AM 1.5 solar conditions, the JK-53-sensitized cell gave a short-circuit photocurrent density (J_sc) of 6.37 mA cm^?2, an open-circuit voltage (V_oc) of 0.70 V, and a fill factor of 0.74. These values correspond to an overall conversion efficiency (η) of 3.31%. By comparison, the JK-54-sensitized cell resulted in a J_sc of 7.52 mA cm^?2, a V_oc of 0.71 V, and a fill factor of 0.75. These values give an overall conversion efficiency of 4.01%.