Dual switchable six-ring bent-core liquid crystals with azo linkages exhibiting B1 and B2 mesophases

A new series of asymmetric bent-core compounds were synthesised using azo linkages with equal as well as unequal terminal alkyl chains and their photo and electrical switching properties investigated. The mesomorphic properties were characterised using polarised optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry. The lower homologues of the series of compounds show a B₁ phase whereas higher homologues exhibit a B₂ phase. The B₂ phase shows an anticlinic-antiferroelectric switching behaviour during electro-optic measurements. The photo-switching properties of the azobenzene containing bent-core molecules were investigated using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. The trans to cis photo isomerisation was observed at 25 s whereas reverse processes took 14 h in chloroform.     

Solvent‐Induced Helical Assembly and Reversible Chiroptical Switching of Chiral Cyclic‐Dipeptide‐Functionalized Naphthalenediimides

Understanding the roles of various parameters in orchestrating the preferential chiral molecular organization in supramolecular self‐assembly processes is of great significance in designing novel molecular functional systems. Cyclic dipeptide (CDP) chiral auxiliary‐functionalized naphthalenediimides (NCDPs 1 – 6 ) have been prepared and their chiral self‐assembly properties have been investigated. Detailed photophysical and circular dichroism (CD) studies have unveiled the crucial role of the solvent in the chiral aggregation of these NCDPs. NCDPs 1 – 3 form supramolecular helical assemblies and exhibit remarkable chiroptical switching behaviour (M‐ to P‐type) depending on the solvent composition of HFIP and DMSO. The strong influence of solvent composition on the supramolecular chirality of NCDPs has been further corroborated by concentration and solid‐state thin‐film CD studies. The chiroptical switching between supramolecular aggregates of opposite helicity (M and P) has been found to be reversible, and can be achieved through cycles of solvent removal and redissolution in solvent mixtures of specific composition. The control molecular systems (NCDPs 4 – 6 ), with an achiral or D ‐isomer second amino acid in the CDP auxiliary, did not show chiral aggregation properties. The substantial roles of hydrogen bonding and π–π interactions in the assembly of the NCDPs have been validated through nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), photophysical, and computational studies. Quantum chemical calculations at the ab initio, semiempirical, and density functional theory levels have been performed on model systems to understand the stabilities of the right (P‐) and left (M‐) handed helical supramolecular assemblies and the nature of the intermolecular interactions. This study emphasizes the role of CDP chiral auxiliaries on the solvent‐induced helical assembly and reversible chiroptical switching of naphthalenediimides.     

Dynamic output feedback consensus of continuous‐time networked multiagent systems

This article addresses the dynamic output feedback consensus problem of continuous‐time networked multiagent systems. Both a fixed topology and Markovian switching topologies are considered. The consensus algorithms are on the base of the output information of each agent's itself and its neighbors. Some sufficient conditions for consensus of multiagent systems are obtained in forms of bilinear matrix inequalities. The algorithm based on the homotopy continuation method is given to compute the feasible controller gains. Numerical simulations are given to show the effectiveness of the proposed results. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity 20: 35–42, 2015     

Significant nonlinear‐optical switching capacity in atomic clusters built from silicon and lithium: A combined ab initio and density functional study

Starting from a hypothetical but fundamental charge/discharge sequence, the topic of nonlinear optical switching in atomic clusters built from silicon and alkali metals is opened up. The outcomes presented in this work, obtained with ab initio methods of exceptional predictive capabilities, offer strong evidences that sizable hyperpolarizability contrasts between neutral and charged alkali metal doped cluster forms might be simultaneously accomplished. The observed switching procedure involves redox polyatomic clusters formed by Si atoms. These centers function as electron acceptors at the ground state and as electron donors at the excited states facilitating low energy charge transfer transitions upon electronic excitation. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

柱切换液相色谱法快速定量检测参附注射液中乌头碱类生物碱和人参皂苷

利用柱切换液相色谱,建立了参附注射液中苯甲酰新乌头原碱、苯甲酰乌头原碱、苯甲酰次乌头原碱、新乌头碱、次乌头碱和乌头碱6种乌头碱类生物碱,以及Rg1、Re、Rf、Rb1、Rc、Ro、Rb2、Rb3、Rd 9种人参皂苷的分析方法。首先利用强阳离子交换的在线固相小柱选择性富集和净化样品中生物碱类成分,优化了色谱条件;并采用EC－C18柱作为人参皂苷的分析柱,通过优化实验条件,结合柱切换方式,去除了样品中辅料等大极性基质成分对色谱柱的污染,实现了生物碱分析和人参皂苷分析的自动切换。结果显示,样品中的生物碱和人参皂苷分离良好,线性相关系数（r2）均大于0.999,连续进样精密度的相对标准偏差（RSD） < 2.0%,重复性的RSD < 2.0%;其中6种生物碱的平均回收率为95.1%～98.6%,检出限为4.0～8.2 ng/mL;9种人参皂苷的平均回收率为91.7%～104%。所构建的基于柱切换液相色谱技术的在线固相萃取方法能够有效去除样品中的基质干扰,快速完成参附注射液中3种单酯型生物碱和9种人参皂苷的快速定量,同时也可对3种双酯型生物碱进行限量检测,可应用于药物的质量评价。     

The Effect of Growth Parameters on Electrophysical and Memristive Properties of Vanadium Oxide Thin Films

We have experimentally studied the influence of pulsed laser deposition parameters on the morphological and electrophysical parameters of vanadium oxide films. It is shown that an increase in the number of laser pulses from 10,000 to 60,000 and an oxygen pressure from 3 × 10⁻⁴ Torr to 3 × 10⁻² Torr makes it possible to form vanadium oxide films with a thickness from 22.3 ± 4.4 nm to 131.7 ± 14.4 nm, a surface roughness from 7.8 ± 1.1 nm to 37.1 ± 11.2 nm, electron concentration from (0.32 ± 0.07) × 10¹⁷ cm⁻³ to (42.64 ± 4.46) × 10¹⁷ cm⁻³, electron mobility from 0.25 ± 0.03 cm²/(V·s) to 7.12 ± 1.32 cm²/(V·s), and resistivity from 6.32 ± 2.21 Ω·cm to 723.74 ± 89.21 Ω·cm. The regimes at which vanadium oxide films with a thickness of 22.3 ± 4.4 nm, a roughness of 7.8 ± 1.1 nm, and a resistivity of 6.32 ± 2.21 Ω·cm are obtained for their potential use in the fabrication of ReRAM neuromorphic systems. It is shown that a 22.3 ± 4.4 nm thick vanadium oxide film has the bipolar effect of resistive switching. The resistance in the high state was (89.42 ± 32.37) × 10⁶ Ω, the resistance in the low state was equal to (6.34 ± 2.34) × 10³ Ω, and the ratio R_HRS/R_LRS was about 14,104. The results can be used in the manufacture of a new generation of micro- and nanoelectronics elements to create ReRAM of neuromorphic systems based on vanadium oxide thin films.     

用于红外激光防护的高开关率VO2薄膜

采用反应离子束溅射和后退火处理技术在石英玻璃基底上制备了具有纳米粒子的二氧化钒(VO₂)薄膜. 该薄膜具有半导体-金属相变特性,在3 μm处的开关率达到76.6%。 热致相变实验结果给出了准确的最佳退火温度为465 ℃. 仿真、热致相变和光致相变实验都显示VO₂薄膜在红外波段具有很高的光学开关特性. 光电池防护实验结果显示VO₂薄膜将硅光电池的抗干扰能力提升了2.6倍, 证明了VO₂在激光防护中的适用性. 采用连续可调节系统研究得到VO₂在室温条件下的相变阈值功率密度为4.35 W/cm², 损伤阈值功率密度为404 W/cm²。 低相变阈值和高损伤阈值都进一步证明VO₂薄膜适用于激光防护系统。本实验制备的VO₂薄膜在光开关、光电存储器、智能窗等方面也具有广泛的应用价值.     

Electro‐optic switching with liquid crystal graphene

Graphene oxide (GO) particles in aqueous dispersions can form liquid crystal (LC) phases at extremely low concentrations due to the extremely high aspect ratio of the flakes and noticeably, they possess an extremely large Kerr coefficient attractive for low power consumption electro‐optic devices. Reduced graphene does not easily form LC phases in water due to its hydrophobic nature but here we show that stable dispersions of reduced graphene oxide can be realized with surfactants and that they exhibit birefringence upon shearing as well as under application of electric fields. The performance of the system is largely superior to GO LC possessing longer time stability and drastically improved electro‐optic properties with an induced birefringence twice as large at the same field strength thanks to the almost recovery of graphene properties upon reduction. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A study of threshold switching of NbO2 using atom probe tomography and transmission electron microscopy

Threshold switching is a phenomenon where the resistivity of an insulating material changes and the insulator exhibits metallic behavior. This could be explained by phase transformation in oxide materials; however, this behavior is also seen in amorphous insulators. In this study, through an ex-situ experiment using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), we proved that threshold switching of amorphous NbO₂ accompanies local crystallization. The change in I–V characteristics after electroforming was examined by evaluating the concentration profile. Atom probe tomography (APT) combined with in-situ TEM probing technique was performed to understand the threshold switching in amorphous NbO₂. The local crystallization in amorphous NbO₂ was validated by the observed difference in time-of-flight (ToF) between amorphous and crystalline NbO₂. We concluded that the slower ToF of amorphous NbO₂ (a-NbO₂) compared with crystalline NbO₂ (c-NbO₂) is due to the resistivity difference and trap-assisted recombination.     

一种改进的AUVs变结构滑模控制策略研究

针对现有的变结构滑模控制切换面单一性会导致系统状态在原点处收敛缓慢的缺陷,对自主式水下机器人(AUVs)变结构滑模控制设计了折线型的切换面,并且进一步改进实现了速度控制和定点定速控制。改进的切换面由斜率不同的自线段构成,并在拐点处通过S型函数光滑过渡。将切换面的斜率减小到0时,则可以实现速度控制,同时为了消除速度控制的稳态误差,引进了采用能智积分方法的积分项。最后在某AUV上进行仿真实验,结果证实了应用折线型切换面可以减少控制系统的上升时间,提高反应速度;速度控制的稳态误差接近0,并很好地实现定点定速的控制效果。该方法可以有效用于AUVs的控制。