Compact and efficient coupler to interface hybrid dielectric-loaded plasmonic waveguide with silicon photonic slab waveguide

A coupler is proposed to interface a hybrid dielectric-loaded plasmonic waveguide (HDLPW) with a silicon photonic slab waveguide. The HDLPW is firstly designed and optimized to attain the best tradeoff between the mode confinement and the propagation distance. The designed coupler is inspired from the taper configuration and numerically modeled through finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation. The results demonstrate that a high confinement and low loss of the energy is achieved from a silicon photonic slab waveguide into the dielectric slot of area 50×200 nm² in the HDLPW. The transmission attained through the coupler with a compact size of 400 nm is found to be as high as 80% (1 dB). Further, the planar nature of taper configuration makes the coupler easy to fabricate using the state-of-the-art CMOS facilities. The proposed coupler is useful in enabling the integration between photonic and hybrid plasmonic waveguides and thus realizing on-chip hybrid integrated circuits.     

Using high haze (> 90%) light-trapping film to enhance the efficiency of a-Si:H solar cells

The high haze light-trapping (LT) film offers enhanced scattering of light and is applied to a-Si:H solar cells. UV glue was spin coated on glass, and then the LT pattern was imprinted. Finally, a UV lamp was used to cure the UV glue on the glass. The LT film effectively increased the Haze ratio of glass and decreased the reflectance of a-Si:H solar cells. Therefore, the photon path length was increased to obtain maximum absorption by the absorber layer. High Haze LT film is able to enhance short circuit current density and efficiency of the device, as partial composite film generates broader scattering light, thereby causing shorter wave length light to be absorbed by the P layer so that the short circuit current density decreases. In case of lab-made a-Si:H thin film solar cells with v-shaped LT films, superior optoelectronic performances have been found (V_oc = 0.74 V, J_sc = 15.62 mA/cm², F.F. = 70%, and η = 8.09%). We observed ~ 35% enhancement of the short-circuit current density and ~ 31% enhancement of the conversion efficiency.     

Domain,dielectric and optical studies in antiferroelectric (Pb,La) (Zr,Sn, Ti)O3 single crystals

Antiferroelectric (Pb, La) (Zr, Sn, Ti)O₃ (PLZST) single crystals have been successfully grown by flux method using PbO–PbF₂–B₂O₃ as the flux. The obtained crystals are pale yellow in color and translucent. Domain structures, dielectric constants and optical transmission measurements have been performed on the 〈001〉-oriented PLZST single crystals. Two types of domains, namely, 90° and 180° domains, are observed. The extinction of 90° domains at P/A: 0° reveals a tetragonal structure in the crystal. The sequence of phase transitions from antiferroelectric to ferroelectric and then paraelectric has been established with increasing temperature. According to the modified Curie–Weiss relationship, the PLZST crystal is in an intermediate state between normal and relaxor antiferroelectrics. The broad optical transparent region (from 0.4 to 7.0 μm) and high optical transmittance (up to 65%) indicate that PLZST crystals are promising for optical uses.     

Laser spot position dependence in photothermal mode cooling of a microcantilever

We explore the laser spot position (LSP) dependence of photothermal mode cooling in a microcantilever-based Fabry-Perot cavity. Experiments on photothermal cooling demonstrate that the direction of photothermal backaction on the first two cantilever modes is LSP dependent, which can be either parallel or antiparallel. A theoretical analysis of this LSP-dependent effect identifies the parallel and the antiparallel coupling regions along the lever. Simulation results are in quantitative agreement with our experimental observations. We conclude that the cooling limit imposed by photothermal mode coupling can be surmounted by operating in the parallel coupling region.     

Coherent detection of THz waves based on THz-induced time-resolved luminescence quenching in bulk gallium arsenide

A kind of photoluminescence quenching, in which the time-resolved photoluminescence is modulated by a THz pulse, has been theoretically investigated by performing the ensemble Monte Carlo method in bulk gallium arsenide (GaAs) at room temperature. The quenching ratio could reach up to 50% under a strong THz field (100 kV/cm). The range in which luminescence quenching is linearly proportional to the THz field could be over 60 kV/cm. On the basis of these results, a principle for THz modulation and coherent detection is proposed.     

Derivation of the near-surface dielectric function of amorphous silicon from photoelectron loss spectra

The near-surface dielectric function ε(?ω) of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) films has been derived from X-ray photoelectron energy-loss spectra, over the energy range 0–40 eV. Removal of low lying single-electron excitations is a prerequisite step to proceed to the derivation of the single plasmon energy loss function Im[? 1/ε(?ω)] due to collective electron oscillations. Several methods are compared to separate interband transitions from bulk or surface plasmons excitation. The shape of interband excitation loss in the range 1–10 eV can be described by a Henke function; alternatively, its removal using a sigmoid weighting function is a low-noise and reliable method. After deconvolution of multiple plasmon losses and self-consistent elimination of surface plasmon excitation, the single plasmon loss distribution allows recovery of optical (ellipsometry) data measured in the near-UV to visible range.     

Consolidation and mechanical properties of Cu46Zr42Al7Y5 metallic glass by spark plasma sintering

Cu₄₆Zr₄₂Al₇Y₅ metallic glass with nearly 100% relative density was obtained by spark plasma sintering (SPS) with a diameter of 15 mm, which was larger than the largest size of 10 mm for the as-cast specimen. The fracture strength of the sintered specimen reached 2044 MPa, which was 15% higher than that of the as-cast Cu₄₆Zr₄₂Al₇Y₅ glassy specimen. The densification and compressive properties of the sintered specimens were related to sintering temperature. Structural changes of the specimens sintered at various sintering temperatures resulted in the difference of macro-mechanical properties.     

快速床动力学统一模型Ⅱ:上部稀相与下部浓相固含率的预报

在前文建立的分相共存快速床动力学模型的基础上,对分相模型中存在颗粒团聚物时的上升稀相进行了受力分析。以有限直径提升管中颗粒终端速度的修正,导出了上升稀相受力关于等效管径与浓稀相滑移速度的修正表达式。将本模型预报的上部稀相固含率与已有的实验数据经验关联式进行了对比,并根据所得结果初步优化了模型参数(k=8,n=6)。进而,根据所得模型参数计算了下部浓相固含率随曳力函数f(ε)的变化规律;与李佑楚经验关联式相比,同样具有合理的一致性。本文工作进一步验证了快速床动力学统一模型的整体合理性。     

A sensitive fluorescence strategy for telomerase detection in cancer cells based on T7 exonuclease-assisted target recycling amplification

A sensitive fluorescence strategy based on T7 exonuclease-assisted target recycling amplification was developed for telomerase detection in cancer cells. The novel strategy improved the fluorescence signal and sensitivity compared with the previously reported methods.     

Fluorescence turn-on detection of hypochlorous acid via HOCl-promoted dihydrofluorescein-ether oxidation and its application in vivo

We report three new water-soluble dihydrofluorescein-ether probes FCN1, FCN2 and FCN3 for the detection of hypochlorous acid (HOCl), which were designed on the basis of a specific HOCl-promoted oxidation reaction. This work also provided a useful method to monitor the accumulated HOCl in specific organelles using a zebrafish model.