Measurability of vacuum fluctuations and dark energy

Vacuum fluctuations of the electromagnetic field induce current fluctuations in resistively shunted Josephson junctions that are measurable in terms of a physically relevant power spectrum. In this paper we investigate under which conditions vacuum fluctuations can be gravitationally active, thus contributing to the dark energy density of the universe. Our central hypothesis is that vacuum fluctuations are gravitationally active if and only if they are measurable   in terms of a physical power spectrum in a suitable macroscopic or mesoscopic detector. This hypothesis is consistent with the observed dark energy density in the universe and offers a resolution of the cosmological constant problem. Using this hypothesis we show that the observable vacuum energy density _ρvac${\rho }_{\mathit{vac}}$ in the universe is related to the largest possible critical temperature _Tc$T_c$ of superconductors through _ρvac=σ·(_kTc)⁴/?³c³${\rho }_{\mathit{vac}}=\sigma ·({\mathit{kT}}_c{)}^4/{?}^3{c}^3$, where σ$\sigma$ is a small constant of the order 10^-3${10}^{-3}$. This relation can be regarded as an analog of the Stefan–Boltzmann law for dark energy. Our hypothesis is testable in Josephson junctions where we predict there should be a cutoff in the measured spectrum at 1.7 THz if the hypothesis is true.     

A Feasible and Quantitative Encoding Method for Microbeads with Multicolor Quantum Dots

Multicolor encoded beads were achieved by incorporating two color core-shell quantum dots (QDs) (CdSe/ZnS) to commercial polystyrene (PS) beads. By controlling the concentration ratios of the two quantum dots (QDs) in doping solutions, a series of codes with different intensity ratios were obtained. Based on the multiple encoded carboxylic modified polystyrene beads, fluorescent dyes labeled antibodies were distinguished successfully on the beads’ surface. It suggests that the encoded beads from this method have the practicability in biological applications and chemical analysis. Hai-Qiao Wang and Zhen-Li Huang authors contribute equally to this work     

一种车用单刀双掷开关的质检仪器研发

介绍了一种车用单刀双掷开关质量检测仪器的研发,包括检测系统的硬件设计、检测原理以及算法软件开发。首先,根据单刀双掷开关的工作原理及质量检测要求,开发了检测手指触觉压力的机械装置,以及控制开关通道切换的继电器控制电路;在此基础上,开发了相应的检测算法,可实现对开关切换状态、电压差以及手指触觉压力进行自动化的数据采集、分析、检测和判断,从而挑选出合格的开关;最后,设计了触屏人机交互界面,可实时显示产品检测的参数。该检测设备在某自动化生产线上经过近一年时间的检测验证,证明系统运行平稳,检测效果良好、误检率低,可以完全取代传统的人工检测方式,提高了开关的检测效率,降低了检测人员的工作量。     

Efficiency assessment of primary care providers: A conditional nonparametric approach

This paper uses a fully nonparametric approach to estimate efficiency measures for primary care units incorporating the effect of (exogenous) environmental factors. This methodology allows us to account for different types of variables (continuous and discrete) describing the main characteristics of patients served by those providers. In addition, we use an extension of this nonparametric approach to deal with the presence of undesirable outputs in data, represented by the rates of hospitalization for ambulatory care sensitive condition (ACSC). The empirical results show that all the exogenous variables considered have a significant and negative effect on efficiency estimates.     

Dielectric mismatch and shallow donor impurities in GaN/HfO2 quantum wells

In this work we investigate electron–impurity binding energy in GaN/HfO₂ quantum wells. The calculation considers simultaneously all energy contributions caused by the dielectric mismatch: (i) image self-energy (i.e., interaction between electron and its image charge), (ii) the direct Coulomb interaction between the electron–impurity and (iii) the interactions among electron and impurity image charges. The theoretical model account for the solution of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation and the results shows how the magnitude of the electron–impurity binding energy depends on the position of impurity in the well-barrier system. The role of the large dielectric constant in the barrier region is exposed with the comparison of the results for GaN/HfO₂ with those of a more typical GaN/AlN system, for two different confinement regimes: narrow and wide quantum wells.     

The beneficial effects of a p-type GaInN spacer layer on the efficiency of GaInN/GaN light-emitting diodes

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with a Mg-doped p-type Ga_1−xIn_xN (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.07) spacer layer located between an undoped GaN spacer layer and the electron blocking layer are investigated. The LEDs are found to have comparable peak efficiency but less efficiency droop when the crystal quality of the p-type Ga_1−xIn_xN spacer layer is well-controlled by lowering the growth temperature and by using a suitable In composition and Mg doping concentration. All LED samples with the p-type spacer layer show a smaller efficiency droop compared to a reference LED having an undoped GaN spacer. Among the sample sets investigated, an optical power enhancement of 12% at 111 A/cm² is obtained when inserting a 5 nm-thick p-type Ga_0.97In_0.03N spacer layer. The results support that carrier transport is the key factor in the efficiency droop observed in GaN-based LEDs.     

Development of Graphene/CdSe Quantum Dots‐Co Phthalocyanine Nanocomposite for Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Nanocomposites containing CdSe quantum dots, tetra(4‐(4,6‐diaminopyrimidin‐2‐ylthio) phthalocyaninatocobalt(II)) (CoPyPc) and reduced graphene nanosheets (rGNS) were devoloped and used for the modification of a glassy carbon electrode. Characterization of the nanocomposites was done by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) was used for electrochemical characterization of the prepared nanocomposite for oxygen reduction reaction. The oxygen reduction activity for rGNS/CdSe‐CoPyPc nanocomposite was found to be superior over the individual nanomaterials in this study. The activity of the nanocomposite towards oxygen reduction was also tested for tolerance to methanol crossover effect using chronoamperometry (CA) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) studies.     

Topological bulk-edge effects in quantum graph transport

We examine quantum transport in periodic quantum graphs with a vertex coupling non-invariant with respect to time reversal. It is shown that the graph topology may play a decisive role in the conductivity properties illustrating this claim with two examples. In the first, the transport is possible at high energies in the bulk only being suppressed at the sample edges, while in the second one the situation is opposite, the transport is possible at the edge only.