Fabrication and characterization of a PbTe quantum dots multilayer structure

Multilayer PbTe quantum dots (QDs) and SiO₂ were grown by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) and Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) techniques. The crystalline structure, QD size and size dispersion were observed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) measurements. This technique allows one to grow PbTe QDs as small as 1.8 nm diameter and 0.6 nm size dispersion. The whole structure can be used in a Fabry–Perot cavity for an optical device operating at the mid-infrared region.     

Magnetic poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) microspheres by dispersion and inverse emulsion polymerization

The aim of this study was to develop novel thermally responsive polymer microspheres with magnetic properties. Dispersion and inverse emulsion copolymerization of N‐isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) and N,N′‐methylenebisacrylamide (MBAAm) was investigated in the presence of γ‐Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles. The resulting microspheres were characterized in terms of morphology, size, polydispersity, iron content, and temperature‐dependent swelling using optical microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, QELS, and AAS. The effects of several variables, such as the concentration of γ‐Fe₂O₃, MBAAm crosslinking agent, Span 80 surfactant, 2,2′‐azobis(2‐methyloctanenitrile) (AMON) initiator, and polymerization temperature on the properties of the microspheres were studied. Swelling and thermoresponsive behavior of the microspheres containing γ‐Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles were also investigated. The microspheres contained about 8 wt % of iron. The presence of magnetic nanoparticles and their concentration changes did not have any significant effect on the temperature sensitivity of the composites. The particles gradually shrink into an increasingly collapsed state when the temperature is raised to 40 °C since the increase in temperature weakens the hydration and PNIPAAm chains gradually become more hydrophobic, which leads to the collapse of the particles. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 5884–5898, 2007     

Influence of transition metal ions on the textural properties of alumina and aluminasilicates

Accelerated phase transformations and chemical reactions of metastable aluminas and kaolinite, doped with Cu^{2 +}, Mn^{3 +}/Mn^{2 +} and Fe^{3 +}/Fe^{2 +} ions, are accompanied with accelerated decrease of surface area and pore volume values. The phenomena in metal ion doped samples are explained by a catalytic mechanism, in terms of the Jahn-Teller effect. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Anti-BZ-Structure in Effect Algebras

The definitions of sharply approximating effect algebras, anti-BZ-effect algebras, central approximating effect algebras, and S-anti-BZ-effect algebras are given, the relationships between sharply approximating effect algebras and anti-BZ-effect algebras, between central approximating effect algebras and anti-BZ-effect algebras are established, and the set of anti-BZ-sharp elements in S-anti-BZ-effect algebras is proved to be an orthomodular lattice.     

Bounds to optimal burn‐in and optimal work size

Burn‐in is a widely used method to improve the quality of products or systems after they have been produced. In this paper, we consider the problem of determining the optimal burn‐in time and optimal work size maximizing the long‐run average amount of work saved per time unit in the computer applications. Assuming that the underlying lifetime distribution of the computer has an initially decreasing or/and eventually increasing failure rate function, an upper bound for the optimal burn‐in time is derived for each fixed work size and a uniform (with respect to the burn‐in time) upper bound for the optimal work size is also obtained. Furthermore, it is shown that a non‐trivial lower bound for the optimal burn‐in time can be derived if the underlying lifetime distribution has a large initial failure rate. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Equivariant Spectral Triples on the Quantum SU(2) Group

We characterize all equivariant odd spectral triples for the quantum SU(2) group acting on its L ₂-space and having a nontrivial Chern character. It is shown that the dimension of an equivariant spectral triple is at least three, and given any element of the K-homology group of SU_q(2), there is an equivariant odd spectral triple of dimension 3 inducing that element. The method employed to get equivariant spectral triples in the quantum case is then used for classical SU(2), and we prove that for p < 4, there does not exist any equivariant spectral triple with nontrivial K-homology class and dimension p acting on the L ₂-space.The first author would like to acknowledge support from the National Board of Higher Mathematics, India.     

Stationary entanglement between macroscopic mechanical oscillators

We show that the optomechanical coupling between an optical cavity mode and two movable cavity mirrors is able to entangle two different macroscopic oscillation modes of the mirrors. This continuous variable entanglement is maintained by the light bouncing between the mirrors and is robust against thermal noise. In fact, it could be experimentally demonstrated using present technology. Received 2 September 2002 / Received in final form 10 October 2002 Published online 7 January 2003     

Photorefractive Four-Wave Mixing Switches Utilizing Pockels Effect -Longitudinal and Lateral Switches-

We carried out detailed calculations for photorefractive wave-mixing switches based on one of three crystals with high electro-optic coefficients, namely, BaTiO₃, Strontium Barium Niobate (SBN (0.75)), and Potasium Sodium Strontium Barium Niobate (KNSBN). A comparison of results for the three crystals shows that a 0_-cut BaTiO³ crystal is suitable for a longitudinal switch and requires a voltage of about 80 for a 2-mm-thick crystal to induce sufficient phase mismatch. The electrodes must be transparent for the incident and diffracted beams. A 45_-cut SBN (0.75) crystal, however, is suitable for a lateral switch and requires a voltage of about 150 for a 1-mm-wide crystal. The electrodes do not need to be transparent.     

Negative luminescence in semiconductors: a retrospective view

Twenty-five years ago, we introduced the phenomenon of negative luminescence (NL) into semiconductor physics. This paper provides an overview of work conducted to develop this fundamental concept. Initially, we consider the first-principle approach to radiation interaction with basic matter and the major properties of NL. Then we describe the problems of NL direct measurements in homogeneous materials and structures. Finally, we emphasize the use of NL approach in applications involving devices for infrared (IR) wavelength (3–12 μm) high-temperature (300–400 K) optoelectronics. Our subjects will include NL IR emitting diodes, radiative coolers, IR dynamic scene simulators, light up-conversion devices, and the Stealth effect in IR.     

Ultrafast softening in InMnAs

We have used two-color time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect spectroscopy to manipulate and detect dynamic processes of spin/magnetic order in a ferromagnetic semiconductor InMnAs. We observed ultrafast photo-induced “softening” (i.e., transient decrease of coercivity) due to spin-polarized transient carriers. This transient softening persists only during the carrier lifetime (2 ps) and returns to its original value as soon as the carriers recombine to disappear. Our data clearly demonstrates that magnetic properties, e.g., coercivity, can be strongly and reversibly modified in an ultrafast manner. We attribute the origin of this unusual phenomenon to carrier-mediated ferromagnetic exchange interactions between Mn ions. We discuss the dependence of data on the pump polarization, pump intensity, and sample temperature. Our observation opens up new possibilities for ultrafast optical manipulation of ferromagnetic order as well as providing a new avenue for studying the dynamics of long-range collective order in strongly correlated many-body systems.