Quasielastic neutron scattering in soft matter

The general trend in soft matter is to study systems of increasing complexity which are more technologically and biologically relevant. This is facilitated by the capability of quasielastic neutron scattering (QENS) to selectively probe spatially resolved dynamical modes at a molecular level. The large number of recent publications using QENS for investigating complex and multi-component soft matter systems, serves as recognition of the suitability of this technique by the scientific community. Exploiting its complementarity with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and other experimental techniques is the basis of a successful methodology for this scientific challenge. We illustrate the potential of QENS with three kinds of soft materials whose structural units increase in size/complexity: lipids, polymers and biomolecules.     

Qualitative analysis of trapped Dirac fermions in graphene

We study the confinement of Dirac fermions in graphene and in carbon nanotubes by an external magnetic field, mechanical deformations or inhomogeneities in the substrate. By applying variational principles to the square of the Dirac operator, we obtain sufficient and necessary conditions for confinement of the quasi-particles. The rigorous theoretical results are illustrated on the realistic examples of the three classes of traps.     

基于椭圆孔包层和微型双孔纤芯的新型高双折射光子晶体光纤

设计了一种新型高双折射光子晶体光纤,即其包层引入椭圆形空气孔,且以三角晶格方式周期排列,纤芯引入亚波长尺寸(~0.16 μm)的微型双孔结构阵列.采用全矢量有限元法和各向异性完美匹配层边界条件分析了该型光子晶体光纤的双折射特性和色散特性,详细介绍了该光子晶体光纤在不同的椭圆率、椭圆归一化面积、微型双孔孔径、两小孔之间间距的情况下双折射和限制损耗随波长的变化曲线.模拟结果表明,通过同时在包层和纤芯引入非对称性,获得了较高的双折射(~10^-3量级)和极低(~10^-4 dB/km)的限制损耗.提供了一种新的光子晶体光纤设计方法,即通过同时在包层和纤芯引入新结构来同时获得高双折射和低损耗.     

HL-2A装置的约束改善和边界净输入功率分析

在HL-2A装置孔栏位形放电的等离子体实验中,电子回旋辅助加热期间观察到了等离子体约束改善的现象,并对等离子体从低约束模式(L模)向约束改善模式转换时的等离子体线平均电子密度、等离子体储能、分界面内辐射功率、能量约束时间、H_α辐射等进行了研究。同时,分析了电子密度和等离子体辐射功率的空间分布随时间的演化。对改善约束的相关功率(辅助加热、欧姆加热功率和损失功率)进行了分析,并研究了等离子体约束改善转换时的边界净输入功率(阈值)与电子线平均密度和环向磁场的关系。     

基于小圆孔结构纤芯的高双折射光子晶体光纤

为了实现高双折射光子晶体光纤,提出了一种在纤芯中引入微小圆孔的方法.利用全矢量有限元方法和完美匹配层条件研究了基于圆孔微细结构纤芯的光子晶体光纤的双折射特性.讨论了纤芯圆孔数量、孔径、间隔距离对光纤双折射特性的影响;设计了一种双折射达到10－2量级的光子晶体光纤.模拟结果表明采用三个以上圆孔可以获得较大的双折射,增大外包层数目可以有效减小约束损耗.     

Studying phase separation in confinement

Cells organize their interior through membrane-bound organelles and through membraneless condensates that are formed by liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS). The complex process of coacervation that is involved in LLPS is challenging to study in living cells. Hence, studying coacervation in cell-mimicking synthetic containers can yield valuable insights. Here, we review recent progress with respect to studying LLPS (particularly coacervation) in artificial compartments, from water-in-oil droplets to membranous liposomes. We describe different strategies to form and control coacervates in microconfinements and to study their physicochemical and biological characteristics. We also describe how coacervation can itself be used in container formation. This review highlights the importance of in vitro coacervate studies for understanding cellular biology and for designing synthetic cells.     

Phonons in Ge/Si quantum dot structures: influence of growth temperature

In this paper we present the results of a Raman study of Ge/Si quantum dot (QD) superlattices grown with different thicknesses of a Si interlayer and at different substrate temperatures. The built-in strain and atomic intermixing in the QDs are deduced from an analysis of optical phonon frequencies of the QDs obtained from Raman spectra of the structures.     

On the linear dispersion-linear potential quantum oscillator

We solve the bi-linear quantum oscillator H = v|p| + F|x| both quasi-classically and numerically.     

基于限域特性的电催化剂调控

The development of highly efficient and low-cost electrocatalysts is important for both hydrogen- and carbon-based energy technologies. The electronic structure and coordination features, particularly the coordination environment and the amount of low-coordination atoms, of the catalyst are key factors that determine their catalytic activity and stability in a particular reaction. The regulation and rational design of catalytic materials at the molecular and atomic levels are crucial to achieving precise chemical synthesis at the atomic scale. Recently, significant efforts have been made to engineer coordination features and electronic structures by reducing the particle size, tuning the composition of the edges, and exposing specific planes of crystals. Among these representative strategies, the methods based on the confinement effect are most effective for achieving precise chemical synthesis with atomic precision at the molecular and atomic levels. Under molecular or atomic scale confinement, the physicochemical properties are largely altered, and the chemical reactions as well as the catalytic process are completely changed. The unique spatial and dimensional properties of the confinement regulate the molecular structure, atomic arrangement, electron transfer, and other properties of matter in space. It not only adjusts the coordination environments to control the formation mechanism of active centers, but also influences the structural and electronic properties of electrocatalysts. Therefore, the adsorption of catalytic intermediates is altered, and consequently, the catalytic activity and selectivity are changed. In a confined reaction, usually in suitable nano-reactors, the physicochemical properties of reaction products, such as the state of matter, solubility, dielectric constant, and molecular orbital, are finely modulated. Thus, the catalysts produced by confinement significantly differ from those produced in an open system. For example, atomic-layered metals with low coordination can be produced in a two-dimensional confined space. The nitrogen configurations of nitrogen-doped graphene can also be regulated in two-dimensional or three-dimensional confined systems. Herein, the confinement-induced methods, specifically the method used for atomic regulation, are reviewed, such as the control of molecular configuration, the modification of the coordination structure, and the alteration of charge transfer. Applications in the field of fuel cells and material energy conversion are also reviewed. In the next stage, it is important to conduct in-depth investigations of the constructed confinement environment by selecting different substrates for the regulation and rational design of confined catalytic materials. The investigation of the derived properties of the catalyst after release from the confinement is crucial for the development of uncommon catalytic properties.