Effective medium representation and complex modes in 3D periodic metamaterials made of cubic resonators with large permittivity at mid-infrared frequencies

We review some of the techniques that lead to the effective medium representation of a three-dimensional (3D) periodic metamaterial. We consider a 3D lattice of lead telluride cubic resonators at mid-infrared (MIR) frequencies. Each cubic resonator is modeled with both an electric and a magnetic dipole, through a method called the dual dipole approximation. The electric and magnetic polarizabilities of a cubic resonator are computed via full-wave simulations by mapping the resonator's scattered field under electric/magnetic excitation only to the field radiated by an equivalent electric/magnetic dipole. We then analyze the allowed modes in the lattice, with transverse polarization and complex wavenumber, highlighting the attenuation that each mode experiences after one free space wavelength. We observe the presence of two modes with low attenuation constant, dominant in different frequency ranges, able to propagate inside the lattice: this allows the treatment of the metamaterial as a homogeneous material with effective parameters, evaluated by using various techniques. We then show that the metamaterial under analysis allows for the generation of artificial magnetism (i.e., relative effective permeability different than unity, including negative permeability with low losses) at MIR frequencies.     

About different types of water in swollen polyelectrolyte multilayers

The review addresses swelling of polyelectrolyte multilayers in water. Different models for the determination of the water content are compared. It is clearly shown that voids under dry conditions present cavities for water which contribute to the water content of the multilayer in the swollen state. This so-called “void water” does not lead to any changes in thickness but in scattering length density during swelling. The “swelling water” leads to both changes in scattering length density and in thickness. Depending on the preparation conditions like the type polymers, polymer charge density, ionic strength and type of salt the ratio of “void water” differs between 1 and 15 vol.% while the amount of “swelling water” is of several ten's of vol.%.     

Characterization of an Algerian diatomite by inverse gas chromatography: Specific and non-specific contribution and Lewis acid–base parameters

The fundamental understanding of the behavior of a solid is intimately related to the understanding of the interactions on the surface of the latter, a major challenge in particular if the material is natural and ecological. The infinite dilution-inverse gas chromatography was used to evaluate the surface thermodynamic properties of several phases (grafted and/or coated) diatomite. A series of non- or polar-solute probes were injected at temperatures of 45?°C and 90?°C. The dispersive surface free energies values of the supports decrease with increasing temperature and their active surface is amphoteric with predominantly acidic character.     

Investigation of a UV-laser generated waveguide in a planar polymer chip using an improved interferometric method

Polymeric integrated-optical waveguides are prepared in a planar polymer chip by UV-laser lithographic methods. The waveguide samples are irradiated by an excimer laser at a wavelength Λ=248 nm with various irradiation parameters (different fluencies and irradiation doses). Mach-Zehnder interferometer is employed and the refractive index depth profiles of the waveguide samples are obtained. This profile covers two regions having exponential and Gaussian shapes. The model field distributions strongly depend on the refractive index of each region. The mode field distribution and the effective mode indices for each region have been calculated on the basis of a theoretical model and the experimentally measured data.     

Challenge and Solution of Characterizing Glass Transition Temperature for Conjugated Polymers by Differential Scanning Calorimetry

Thermomechanical properties of polymers highly depend on their glass transition temperature (T _g). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) is commonly used to measure T _g of polymers. However, many conjugated polymers (CPs), especially donor–acceptor CPs (D–A CPs), do not show a clear glass transition when measured by conventional DSC using simple heat and cool scan. In this work, we discuss the origin of the difficulty for measuring T _g in such type of polymers. The changes in specific heat capacity (Δc _p) at T _g were accurately probed for a series of CPs by DSC. The results showed a significant decrease in Δc _p from flexible polymer (0.28 J g^?1 K^?1 for polystyrene) to rigid CPs (10^?3 J g^?1 K^?1 for a naphthalene diimide‐based D–A CP). When a conjugation breaker unit (flexible unit) is added to the D–A CPs, we observed restoration of the Δc _p at T _g by a factor of 10, confirming that backbone rigidity reduces the Δc _p. Additionally, an increase in the crystalline fraction of the CPs further reduces Δc _p. We conclude that the difficulties of determining T _g for CPs using DSC are mainly due to rigid backbone and semicrystalline nature. We also demonstrate that physical aging can be used on DSC to help locate and confirm the glass transition for D‐A CPs with weak transition signals. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2019 , 57, 1635–1644     

An evaluation method for measuring SPL and mode shape of tire cavity resonance by using multi-microphone system

This paper presents an evaluation method for measuring the sound pressure level and mode shapes of tire cavity resonance by using a multi-microphone system. Two commercial tires were evaluated to compare abilities of noise suppression by means of this method in the range of the first resonance from 200 to 260 Hz. One tire was a special tire that suppresses tire cavity resonance with polyurethane foam mounted on the tire’s inner liner. The other tire was a normal tire with no polyurethane foam. The mode shape change from vertical to horizontal direction in both tires. However, the sound pressure level of the special tire was lower than the normal tire at all frequencies.     

Synthesis of Dual Mode Logic

In recent years, the major focus of VLSI design has shifted from high-speed to low-power consumption. While standard CMOS-based digital design provides substantial flexibility during pre-silicon design phases, the characteristics of the gates are set by fabrication variations and environmental conditions and cannot easily be changed at runtime. The recently proposed Dual Mode Logic (DML) family provides a novel approach to provide this capability by introducing two configurable operating modes, static and dynamic, that enable fine-grained control of the power-performance tradeoff of a logic path. However, the introduction of a new topology requires the development of both a design methodology and techniques for integration in a robust design automation flow. Standard synthesis tools do not support dynamic gates, and in particular, dual-characteristic gates. Therefore, until now, DML has been limited to small, custom-made blocks and components. In this paper, we present a novel approach for the integration of DML into standard electronic design automation tools, as part of the standard digital design flow. The development of this approach and the accompanying design methodology enables DML to be used in larger designs, such as state-of-the-art, high-speed and/or low-power SoCs. We demonstrate the employment of the proposed approach in order to benefit from DML properties, and reduce the power consumption, while simultaneously improving the operating frequency of a number of test designs.     

Dynamics of the rotational degrees of freedom in an undercooled crystal of cyanoadamantane

Results of molecular dynamics are presented for a simple model of cyanoadamantane crystal. Rotator cubic phase was simulated over a wide range of temperatures. In this system, glass formation is not induced by quenched diluted disorder, but it occurs similarly to conventional glasses. Simulations have shown that the system evolves from free small-step rotational diffusion to jump like motion. The results obtained with this model are used to discuss the validity of the Mode Coupling Theory (MCT) predictions.     

Solvation Dynamics of a Radical Ion Pair in Micro‐Heterogeneous Binary Solvents: A Semi‐Quantitative Study Utilizing MARY Line‐Broadening Experiments

This work aims at elucidating the mechanism of solvation of a radical ion pair (RIP) in a micro‐heterogeneous binary solvent mixture using magnetically affected reaction yield (MARY) spectroscopy. For the exciplex‐forming 9,10‐dimethylanthracene/N,N‐dimethylaniline system a comparative, composition‐dependent MARY line‐broadening study is undertaken in a heterogeneous (toluene/dimethylsulfoxide) and a quasi‐homogenous (propyl acetate/butyronitrile) solvent mixture. The half‐saturation field extrapolated to zero‐quencher concentration, B_1/2, and the self‐exchange rate constants are analyzed in the light of solvent dynamical properties of the mixtures and a dielectric continuum solvation model. The dependence of B_1/2 on the solvent composition is explained by cluster formation giving rise to shortened RIP lifetimes. The results are in qualitative agreement with the continuum solvation model suggesting that it could serve as a theoretical basis for quantitative modeling.     

The Effect of Temperature and Standings Can Cause Deviations in Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) Assays

Abstract

Blood samples were assayed for PSA values immediately after sampled or by standing for an assigned period. Variation of the free‐ (f), total‐ (t) values, and the free to total (f/t) ratios were determined. Mathematical models were used to interpret the phenomena of deviation. Smaller values of PSA values changed randomly with time and temperature of standings, resulting in varying f/t ratios, while larger initial PSA values were relatively unaffected to any significant extent.

Model interpreted that the changes of PSA values might be caused by higher temperature and time of standings, and conformational participation was also possible.