Oxygen vacancy‐induced microstructural changes of annealed CeO2−x nanocrystals

Nanocrystalline ceria (CeO₂) is known for its ionic conductivity and oxygen storage properties, which depend on the presence of oxygen ion vacancies. The vacancies cause several important changes in CeO₂ involving microstrain, electronic structure, magnetic properties, etc. In this article, we focus our attention to the microstructural changes of nanocrystalline CeO_2−x annealed at different temperatures in the range 200–500 °C. Structural and vibrational properties were investigated by X‐ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. It was observed that the content of oxygen vacancies changed significantly with increasing annealing temperature, which plays an important role in the observed microstructural changes of the annealed samples. We demonstrate that the observed microstrain changes, because of variable defect content, dominate over the crystallite size effect. This finding is opposite to the conclusions made by several other authors. A new mode, classified as a probable surface mode, was observed in the Raman spectra at ∼480 cm⁻¹, the appearance of which can be explained by the large defective structure and disorder in the ceria lattice. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

On the determination of diameter distribution in multi‐wall carbon nanotubes by Raman spectroscopy: issues related to excitation laser energy

Multi‐wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) produced by the arc discharge between two graphite rods in liquid nitrogen have been investigated with the use of Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The effects of the applied voltage on the structural properties of the produced MWCNTs have been observed, in particular, as it concerns the size of the innermost and outermost diameters. The apparent discrepancies observed between the Raman and TEM results are explained through the observation of a selective response of the MWCNTs to the excitation laser energy in Raman spectroscopy, similar to the case of single‐wall CNTs. Electronic structure calculations correlate such behavior with optical transitions, in the presence of strong electronic localizations, spatially confined in a few neighboring walls. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

SESAM‐free mode‐locked semiconductor disk laser

Experimental demonstration of semiconductor saturable absorber‐free mode‐locked optically pumped semiconductor disk laser is presented. The origin of pulsed operation is attributed to the intensity dependent Kerr lens effect arising in the semiconductor gain medium. Achieved results represent a novel method to mode‐lock this type of laser opening new application opportunities. The laser worked stably in both hard and soft aperture configurations. No semiconductor saturable absorber was used in the laser cavity and the operation was self‐starting. The laser was mode‐locked at 210 MHz repetition rate with 1.5 W average output power and 930 fs pulse width at 985 nm. A record high 6.8 kW peak power was achieved. Measured data is presented along with a discussion of the Kerr lens effect in the cavity.     

Wetting mode transition of nanoliter scale water droplets during evaporation on superhydrophobic surfaces with random roughness structure

During evaporation, shape changes of nanoliter-scale (80-100 nL) water droplets were evaluated on two superhydrophobic surfaces with different random roughness (nm-coating, μm-coating). The square of the contact radius and the square of the droplet height decreased linearly with evaporation time. However, trend changes were observed at around 170 s (nm-coating) and around 150 s (μm-coating) suggesting a wetting mode transition. The calculated droplet radii for the wetting mode transition from the average roughness distance and the average roughness height of these surface structures were approximately equal to the experimental values at these trend changes. A certain level of correlation between the roughness size and droplet radius at the wetting mode transition was confirmed on surfaces with random roughness.     

Aberrant default mode network in subjects with amnestic mild cognitive impairment using resting-state functional MRI

Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) is a syndrome associated with faster memory decline than normal aging and frequently represents the prodromal phase of Alzheimer's disease. When a person is not actively engaged in a goal-directed task, spontaneous functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) signals can reveal functionally connected brain networks, including the so-called default mode network (DMN). To date, only a few studies have investigated DMN functions in aMCI populations. In this study, group-independent component analysis was conducted for resting-state fMRI data, with slices acquired perpendicular to the long axis of the hippocampus, from eight subjects with aMCI and eight normal control subjects. Subjects with aMCI showed an increased DMN activity in middle cingulate cortex, medial prefrontal cortex and left inferior parietal cortex compared to the normal control group. Decreased DMN activity for the aMCI group compared to the normal control group was noted in lateral prefrontal cortex, left medial temporal lobe (MTL), left medial temporal gyrus, posterior cingulate cortex/retrosplenial cortex/precuneus and right angular gyrus. Although MTL volume difference between the two groups was not statistically significant, a decreased activity in left MTL was observed for the aMCI group. Positive correlations between the DMN activity and memory scores were noted for left lateral prefrontal cortex, left medial temporal gyrus and right angular gyrus. These findings support the premise that alterations of the DMN occur in aMCI and may indicate deficiencies in functional, intrinsic brain architecture that correlate with memory function, even before significant MTL atrophy is detectable by structural MRI.     

Single-mode low threshold current multi-hole vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

A multi-hole vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser(VCSEL) operating in stable single mode with a low threshold current was produced by introducing multi-leaf scallop holes on the top distributed Bragg-reflector of an oxidationconfined 850 nm VCSEL.The single-mode output power of 2.6 mW,threshold current of 0.6 mA,full width of half maximum lasing spectrum of less than 0.1 nm,side mode suppression ratio of 28.4 dB,and far-field divergence angle of about 10 are obtained.The effects of different hole depths on the optical characteristics are simulated and analysed,including far-field divergence,spectrum and lateral cavity mode.The single-mode performance of this multi-hole device is attributed to the large radiation loss from the inter-hole spacing and the scattering loss at the bottom of the holes,particularly for higher order modes.     

双间隙同轴腔加载波导滤波器输出回路设计

采用高次模同轴输出腔结构和双间隙耦合谐振腔电路结构是提高速调管频率、功率和带宽的两个重要方式。将这两种电路形式相结合,利用等效电路法推导了滤波器加载双间隙耦合输出回路的间隙阻抗实部计算公式。通过等效电路分析和3维电磁场计算软件模拟,研究了降低高次模式双间隙耦合输出回路外观品质因数的方法。最终设计加载滤波器使得输出回路模型带宽达到9.7%。     

空气包层大模场面积掺镱光子晶体光纤研究

采用改进的化学气相沉积法和气相液相混合掺杂技术制备大芯径掺镱石英光纤预制棒, 以此作为有源纤芯制备了纤芯直径约90 μm的掺镱双包层光子晶体光纤, 纤芯组分为镱铝磷共掺.双包层光子晶体光纤的模场面积约1330 μm², 纤芯数值孔径0.065,包层数值孔径0.5.首次实现了国产掺镱光子晶体光纤的高功率高效率激光输出, 1 m长的光子晶体光纤激光器实现102 W 激光输出,斜率效率76%.     

脉冲序列控制电流断续模式Buck变换器的动力学建模与边界碰撞分岔

通过建立一个开关周期内输出电容电荷变化量对应的输出电压变化量, 建立了工作于电感电流断续模式(discontinuous conduction mode, DCM)的脉冲序列(pulse train, PT)控制Buck变换器的近似离散时间模型, 研究了负载电阻及输入电压变化时PT控制DCM Buck变换器的边界碰撞分岔行为. 通过构造相应的迭代映射曲线, 分别分析了不同负载电阻时PT控制DCM Buck变换器的周期1、周期2和周期3运行轨迹的不动点稳定性, 揭示了PT控制DCM Buck变换器在不同周期态时的边界碰撞分岔的形成机理. 研究结果表明, 随参数变化, PT控制DCM Buck变换器始终运行在不同的周期态, 各周期态的切换由边界碰撞分岔引起, 李雅谱诺夫指数始终小于零. 利用PSIM电路仿真软件, 给出了不同负载电阻时的时域波形和相轨图. 实验结果验证了理论分析和仿真结果的正确性, 同时说明了本文动力学建模的可行性.     

Generation of Vibrational Entangled Coherent States of Two Trapped Ions

We propose a scheme for the generation of entangled coherent states for the center-of-mass and relative vibrational modes of two trapped ions. In the scheme the ions are simultaneously illuminated by a single standing-wave laser tuned to the carrier. The scheme allows the production of an entangled coherent states with a considerably high speed as long as a laser field of sufficiently high intensity is available.