Singlemode surface emitting laser using partial mirror disordering

A vertical cavity surface emitting semiconductor laser is described which uses zinc diffusion and partial disordering of the epitaxial output mirror to provide waveguiding for lateral mode control. Mode suppression ratios against higher order transverse modes as high as 36 dB have been observed.<>     

Low threshold distributed Bragg reflector surface emitting laser diode with semiconductor air-bridge-supported top mirror

A surface emitting laser diode (SELD) with two distributed Bragg reflectors (DBR) and semiconductor multilayer air-bridge-supported top mirror is fabricated. A low threshold current of 1.5 mA is achieved under room temperature CW operation. The spectrum shows a strong peak at 891 nm with a FWHM of 10 AA. With light emission from the top Bragg reflector instead of from the back side of the substrate, laser arrays are easily formed with this novel structure.<>     

Studies upon Qualification of Meat from Animals Irradiated and Contaminated with Radiocaesium

Abstract

The problem concerning qualification of food originated from animals irradiated and contaminated with ¹³⁷caesium appeared especially after the Chernobyl accident. So, it was a reason to undertake respective studies on 108 rabbits divided into three groups: group I – non-irradiated rabbits, group II – irradiated with a dose of 103 mCkg^?1 (400 R), group III – irradiated with a dose of 206 mCkg^?1 (800 R). All animals were contaminated intragastrically with an aqueous solution of ¹³⁷CsCl. After slaughter samples of the muscles were cured in 1, 3, 5, 10, and 15% brine or were cooked for 2 hrs. In the case of curing the radioactivities of meat and brine, and the concentrations of salt in cured meat were estimated after 7, 14, and 21 days. The radioactivities of cooked meat, broth, and condensed water vapour were estimated after 1 and 2 hrs. Taking into account the decrease of the radioactivities, duration of curing, and concentrations of salt in cured meat the optimum results were achieved when the meat from non-irradiated rabbits was cured for 7 days in 3% brine, and that of irradiated rabbits in 5% brine with regard to a lower stability of this meat. The decontamination effectiveness of cooking was similar in all examined rabbits. Radiocaesium penetrates into the brine or broth and escapes with water vapour thereafter.     

Bistable operation of two semiconductor lasers in an external cavity: Rate-equation analysis

The steady-state and dynamic behavior of a bistable laser resonator containing two semiconductor elements is examined theoretically. We derive necessary conditions for the bistable operation of the cavity and the constraints on the amplifier and absorber element characteristics imposed by these conditions. Our rate equation model demonstrates turn-on and turn-off of the output via current pulses, overshoot and ringing using fast rise time pulses, and critical slowing down when either the absorber or amplifier is switched. We give numerical results on switching.     

Large CW power, very-low-threshold, single transverse modeoperation of vertical cavity mushroom structure surface emitting lasers

Summary form only given. Continuous-wave GaAs mushroom structure surface emitting laser (MSEL) operation at a threshold current as low as 1.6 mA, an output power >2.0 mW, and a single transverse mode up to three times threshold current is reported. The relatively large CW output power was achieved by reducing the series resistance using a selective zinc diffusion. The low threshold current and single-mode operation are attributed to good lateral current confinement in a small constricted region formed by mesa undercutting. The complete device was mounted junction-side up on a chip carrier and tested CW at room temperature. Some results are given     

Deactivation of carbon supported palladium catalyst in direct formic acid fuel cell

A new carbon black supported palladium catalyst for direct formic acid fuel cell applications has been prepared and characterized by X-ray diffraction. Bi-modal distribution of Pd crystallite sizes was observed. The average Pd size for crystallites in small size and large size ranges were about 2.7 nm and 11.2 nm, respectively. The initial activity of the catalyst in the oxidation of formic acid tested in a fuel cell was similar to a commercial well dispersed 20 wt.% Pd/Vulcan. The rates of the fuel cell power decay were measured for formic acid of two purities for various current loadings. The results showed that various mechanisms contribute to the decrease of cell power with time. In direct formic acid fuel cell (DFAFC) fed with a very pure HCOOH accumulation of CO₂ gas bubbles in anode catalyst layer is responsible for observed power decay. In DFAFC fed with a pure for analysis (p.a.) grade formic acid the formation of CO_ads poison from the formic acid impurities is the main deactivation reason.     

Preparation and properties of silica–gold core–shell particles

Silica-metal core–shell particles, as for instance those having siliceous core and nanostructured gold shell, attracted a lot of attention because of their unique properties resulting from combination of mechanical and thermal stability of silica and magnetic, electric, optical and catalytic properties of metal nanocrystals such as gold, silver, platinum and palladium. Often, the shell of the core–shell particles consists of a large number of metal nanoparticles deposited on the surface of relatively large silica particles, which is the case considered in this work. Namely, silica particles having size of about 600 nm were subjected to surface modification with 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane. This modification altered the surface properties of silica particles, which was demonstrated by low pressure nitrogen adsorption at ?196 °C. Next, gold nanoparticles were deposited on the surface of aminopropyl-modified silica particles using two strategies: (i) direct deposition of gold nanoparticles having size of about 10 nm, and (ii) formation of gold nanoparticles by adsorption of tetrachloroauric acid on aminopropyl groups followed by its reduction with formaldehyde.The overall morphology of silica–gold particles and the distribution of gold nanoparticles on the surface of modified silica colloids were characterized by scanning electron microscopy. It was shown that direct deposition of colloidal gold on the surface of large silica particles gives more regular distribution of gold nanopartciles than that obtained by reduction of tetrachloroauric acid. In the latter case the gold layer consists of larger nanoparticles (size of about 50 nm) and is less regular. Note that both deposition strategies afforded silica–gold particles having siliceous cores covered with shells consisting of gold nanoparticles of tunable concentration.     

Beyond mean field and plane wave theories of bistable semiconductor lasers

The steady-state output of semiconductor lasers containing saturable absorbers is calculated using a model that includes transverse mode variation, high gain and absorption coefficient, and high mirror transmission. The results are compared to the predictions of the mean field theory, and they show that the mean field formulas underestimate the amount of hysteresis and overestimate the required amount of absorption compared to the high gain formulas.     

Single-mode operation of mushroom structure surface emitting lasers

Mushroom structure vertical cavity surface emitting lasers with a 0.6-μm GaAs active layer sandwiched by two Al_0.6Ga_0.4 As-Al_0.08Ga_0.92As multilayers as top and bottom mirrors are discussed. The lasers exhibit a 15-mA pulses threshold current at 880 nm. Single longitudinal and single transverse mode operation was achieved on lasers with a 5-μm-diameter active region of current levels near 2×l_th. The light output above threshold current was linearly polarized with a polarization ratio of 25:1