Curvature investigation in tapered fibers and its application to sensing and mode conversion

Non-adiabatic tapered fibers are basic photonic components used in a wide range of applications. Here we investigate a way to increase their utility through the controllable bending of one of their tapered sections. The experiments carried out explain, for the first time, the mechanics of this approach showing how these tapers can be used to build more sensitive sensors. Their use as highly efficient mode converters is also discussed.     

A paper-based resonance energy transfer nucleic acid hybridization assay using upconversion nanoparticles as donors and quantum dots as acceptors

Monodisperse aqueous upconverting nanoparticles (UCNPs) were covalently immobilized on aldehyde modified cellulose paper via reduction amination to develop a luminescence resonance energy transfer (LRET)-based nucleic acid hybridization assay. This first account of covalent immobilization of UCNPs on paper for a bioassay reports an optically responsive method that is sensitive, reproducible and robust. The immobilized UCNPs were decorated with oligonucleotide probes to capture HPRT1 housekeeping gene fragments, which in turn brought reporter conjugated quantum dots (QDs) in close proximity to the UCNPs for LRET. This sandwich assay could detect unlabeled oligonucleotide target, and had a limit of detection of 13 fmol and a dynamic range spanning nearly 3 orders of magnitude. The use of QDs, which are excellent LRET acceptors, demonstrated improved sensitivity, limit of detection, dynamic range and selectivity compared to similar assays that have used molecular fluorophores as acceptors. The selectivity of the assay was attributed to the decoration of the QDs with polyethylene glycol to eliminate non-specific adsorption. The kinetics of hybridization were determined to be diffusion limited and full signal development occurred within 3 min.     

Fluorescence properties of riboflavin-functionalized mesoporous silica SBA-15 and riboflavin solutions in presence of different metal and organic cations

Riboflavin was covalently linked to mesoporous SBA-15 silica surface via grafting technique. Then fluorescence properties of the system obtained were analyzed in the presence of several metal and organic cations. Both quenching and strengthening of fluorescence as well as significant changes in the maximum fluorescence wavelength were observed. The results were compared with absorption and fluorescence data obtained for riboflavin water solutions.     

Autonomous system for data collection: Location and mapping issues in post-disaster environment

Disaster relief requires many resources. Depending on the circumstances of each event, it is important to rapidly choose the suitable means to respond to the emergency intervention. A brief review of the conditions and means demonstrated the usefulness of an autonomous stand-alone machine for these missions. If many techniques and technologies exist, their relevant combination to achieve such a system presents several challenges. This communication tries to outline the possible achievement of an autonomous vehicle under these particular circumstances. This paper focuses on the specific working conditions and welcomes future contributions from robotics and artificial intelligence.In the necessarily limited scope of this article, the authors focus on a particularly critical aspect: location. Indeed, this machine is intended to evolve in heterogeneous and dangerous environment and without any outside contacts that could last up to several days. This blackout, due to the propagation difficulties of electromagnetic waves in the ground, induces an independence of the localisation process and makes the use of any radio navigation support system (GNSS), most of the time, impossible. The knowledge of the position of the system, both for navigation of the autonomous system (Rover) and location of targets (victims buried under debris) must be able to be estimated without contributions from external systems. Inertial classical techniques, odometer, etc., have to be adapted to these conditions during a long period without external support. These techniques also have to take into account that energy optimisation requests the use of low-power processors. Consequently, only poor computing capacity is available on-board.The article starts with a presentation of the context of a post-disaster situation as well as the main missions of Search and Rescue (SaR). It is followed by the analysis of autonomous navigation located in a post-earthquake situation. We will then discuss means to determine the attitude of the autonomous system and its position. The interest of hybridisation with external systems – whenever possible –, will be evaluated with a view to correcting deviations suffered by the system during its mission. Finally, prospects and future work are presented.     

Luminescent properties of Ce in MSO4 (M: Ca, Sr and Ba) and the effect of Na co-doping

The optical properties of Ce³⁺ in CaSO₄, SrSO₄ and BaSO₄ are reported. The Ce³⁺ ion shows 4f⁰5d¹→²F_5/2,²F_7/2 luminescence in all three sulphates. Co-doping with Na⁺ does not change the local surrounding of the Ce³⁺ ion, but enhances the amount of Ce³⁺ ions built in. Under optical excitation, besides the typical Ce³⁺ doublet emission in the ultraviolet spectral region, band emission around 445 nm was observed. This band emission was not assigned to emission from a Ce³⁺ centre, but to emission from an impurity-trapped exciton. Under X-ray excitation, both Ce³⁺ emission and an emission band around 380 nm was observed. This band was assigned to emission from a self-trapped exciton.     

Fiber torsion sensor demodulated by a high-birefringence fiber Bragg grating

A new high-birefringence (Hi-Bi) fiber torsion sensor demodulated by a Hi-Bi fiber Bragg grating (FBG) is proposed in this study. The twisted Hi-Bi fiber sensor characteristics are analyzed using the Jones matrix. The intensity ratio from two reflected Bragg wavelengths is associated with the twist angle of the measured Hi-Bi fiber. It is found that the twist angle resolution is estimated at around 0.3° under ±0.1 dB readout from an optical spectrum analyzer if the polarization state of the light source is stable. The advantages of this new torsion sensor are: (1) insensitivity to intensity variations from the light source, (2) insensitivity to the torsion gauge length, and (3) absolute measurement in the twist angle. However, the polarization state of light in the proposed method needs to be controlled, and any birefringence change in the twisted Hi-Bi fiber needs to be prevented.     

Photoluminescence linewidth broadening due to alloy/thickness fluctuation of CdxZn1 − xSe/ZnSe triple quantum wells

Photoluminescence (PL) linewidth broadening of Cd_xZn_{1 − x}Se/ZnSe triple quantum wells, grown on GaAs substrates by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), has been investigated. Various quantum well (QW) samples have been prepared with different QW thickness and composition (Cd-composition). Measured and calculated PL linewidth are compared. Both composition and thickness fluctuations are considered for the calculation with the parameters such as the volume of exciton, nominal thickness and composition of QWs. Surface roughness measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM) is used to estimate the interface roughness. Results show that when Cd-composition increases additional linewidth broadening due to Zn/Cd interdiffusion is enhanced.     

Fiber-Optic Chemical Sensor for Detection of NO2 Using Poly (3-Octylthiophene)

A fiber-optic chemical sensor (FOCS) for detection of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) molecules is reported. The FOCS presents an optropode structure because of the transmission properties of the sensitive material. The NO₂ FOCS is activated by using the semiconductor polymer: regioregular head-to-tail poly(3-octylthiophene-2,5-diyl). The operation wavelength of the sensor is 543.5 nm such that a simple LED and detector can be used for the design of this device. The sensor response decreases after each exposure, demonstrating the reduction in sensitivity as well as irreversibility lower than 5%. However, its properties such as rapid response, high selectivity, high sensitivity (0.43 ± 0.01 muW/ppm), hygroscopic properties, and its operation at room temperature make this kind of FOCS a good alternative for NO₂ toxic gas detection.     

三核铜（I）配合物的合成与荧光光谱

室温下，通过双核配合物[Cu(dppm)(NO3)]2(dppm=双二苯基膦甲烷)与四苯基硼钠在甲醇和二氯甲烷混合溶剂中反应制备了三核铜(I)配合物[Cu3(dppm)3(NO3)(OH)](NO3)，经过红外光谱、热重分析、核磁和ES-MS等现代分析手段表征了配合物的物理化学性质，并进一步研究了配合物在室温下的荧光光谱特征。     

Highly enantioselective fluorescent recognition of α-amino acid derivatives

Bisbinaphthyl-based macrocycles are found to carry out enantioselective fluorescent recognition of α-amino acid derivatives. It is observed that one enantiomer of a N-protected phenyl glycine can increase the fluorescence intensity of the binaphthyl fluorophores by over 4-fold but the other enantiomer does not cause much fluorescence enhancement. This highly enantioselective fluorescent response makes the binaphthyl macrocycles practically useful for the enantioselective fluorescent recognition of the amino acid substrate.