GROIN: a fast optical adjustment of a Kirkpatrick–Baez set‐up

A very simple and compact optical device aimed at the fast adjustment, alignment and bending of the mirrors of a Kirpatrick–Baez system used in the X‐ray domain is described.     

Photonic gap vanishing in one-dimensional photonic crystals with single-negative metamaterials

The properties of photonic band gap in one-dimensional photonic crystals composed of single-negative metamaterials are studied theoretically. Our study shows that the photonic gap will vanish at a certain incident angle when both the phase-match and impedance-match conditions are satisfied simultaneously, suggesting that the bandwidth and location of the photonic gap are strongly dependent on the incident angle and polarization. However, the photonic gap will not vanish and may become insensitive to the incident angle when the two match conditions cannot be met. Our study also shows that losses in metamaterials have little effect on the properties of the photonic gap.     

Advances on the Determination of the Astatine Pourbaix Diagram: Predomination of AtO(OH)2− over At− in Basic Conditions

It is generally assumed that astatide (At^?) is the predominant astatine species in basic aqueous media. This assumption is questioned in non‐complexing and non‐reductive aqueous solutions by means of high‐pressure anion‐exchange chromatography. Contrary to what is usually believed, astatide is found to be a minor species at pH=11. A different species, which also bears a single negative charge, becomes predominant when the pH is increased beyond 7. Using competition experiments, an equilibrium constant value of 10^?6.9 has been determined for the formation of this species from AtO(OH) with the exchange of one proton. The identification of this species, AtO(OH)₂^?, is achieved through relativistic quantum mechanical calculations, which rule out the significant formation of the AtO₂^? species, while leading to a hydrolysis constant of AtO(OH) in excellent agreement with experiment when the AtO(OH)₂^? species is considered. Beyond the completion of the Pourbaix diagram of astatine, this new information is of interest for the development of ²¹¹At radiolabeling protocols.     

Transmission phase lapses at zero energy in graphene quantum dots

We address theoretically the electronic transport through graphene quantum dots with the emphasis on the transmission phase. Analytical and numerical results are presented regarding the existence – or not – of a π lapse of the transmittance phase (and, consequentially, a Fano zero in the transmittance) at the charge neutrality point. A simple universal criterium is found, the phase lapses being always present if the contact sites belong to the same sub‐lattice. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Off-resonant activation of optical emission

Recent reports have identified a three-wave optically parametric mechanism for the active enhancement of fluorescence using off-resonant radiation. In this Letter it is shown by numerical simulation that the output of a laser system optically pumped just below threshold, can be strongly enhanced by this mechanism, using an ancillary beam of moderate intensity. The electrodynamics and kinetics of the nonlinear optical mechanism are analyzed, model calculations performed, and the output is illustrated graphically. The response demonstrates a novel method for achieving all-optical transistor action.     

Linear and Nonlinear Optical Absorptions of a Donor Impurity in Spherical Quantum Dots

An investigation of the optical properties of a hydrogenic donor in spherical parabolic quantum dots has been performed by using the matrix diagonalization method. The optical absorption coefficient between the ground （L = 0） and the first excited state （L = 1） have been examined based on the computed energies and wave functions. The results are presented as a function of the incident photon energy for the different values of the confinement strength. These results show the effects of the quantum size and the impurity on the optical absorption coefficient of a donor impurity quantum dot.     

Beam focusing through a tapered subwavelength aperture surrounded by dielectric surface gratings

A novel plasmonic nanolens formed by a tapered subwavelength metal slit surrounded by surface dielectric gratings is proposed and demonstrated numerically. By patterning surface corrugations on the output surface, the beam can be focused, by regulating the aperture, the focal length can be controlled effectively. Numerical simulations using Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) method coupled with anisotropic perfectly matched layer (APML) boundary conditions verify that the proposed metallic lens can focus the radiation on the scale of a wavelength below the substrate and the method is effective for the design of nano-optical devices such as optical microprobes.