Interface and defects engineering for multilayer laser coatings

High-reflective multilayer laser coatings are widely used in advanced optical systems from high power laser facilities to high precision metrology systems. However, the real interface quality and defects will significantly affect absorption/scattering losses and laser induced damage thresholds of multilayer coatings. With the recent advances in the control of coating design and deposition processes, these coating properties can be significantly improved when properly engineered the interface and defects. This paper reviews the recent progress in the physics of laser damage, optical losses and environmental stability involved in multilayer reflective coatings for high power nanosecond near-infrared lasers. We first provide an overview of the layer growth mechanisms, ways to control the microstructures and reduce layer roughness, as well as the nature of defects which are critical to the optical loss and laser induced damage. Then an overview of interface engineering based on the design of coating structure and the regulation of deposition materials reveals their ability to improve the laser induced damage threshold, reduce the backscattering, and realize the desirable properties of environmental stability and exceptional multifunctionality. Moreover, we describe the recent progress in the laser damage and scattering mechanism of nodule defects and give the approaches to suppress the defect-induced damage and scattering of the multilayer laser coatings. Finally, the present challenges and limitations of high-performance multilayer laser coatings are highlighted, along with the comments on likely trends in future.     

Hitherto-Unexplored Photodynamic Therapy of Ag2S and Enhanced Regulation Based on Polydopamine In Vitro and Vivo

Given their superior penetration depths, photosensitizers with longer absorption wavelengths present broader application prospects in photodynamic therapy (PDT). Herein, Ag₂S quantum dots were discovered, for the first time, to be capable of killing tumor cells through the photodynamic route by near-infrared light irradiation, which means relatively less excitation of the probe compared with traditional photosensitizers absorbing short wavelengths. On modification with polydopamine (PDA), PDA-Ag₂S was obtained, which showed outstanding capacity for inducing reactive oxygen species (increased by 1.69 times). With the addition of PDA, Ag₂S had more opportunities to react with surrounding O₂, which was demonstrated by typical triplet electron spin resonance (ESR) analysis. Furthermore, the PDT effects of Ag₂S and PDA-Ag₂S achieved at longer wavelengths were almost identical to the effects produced at 660 nm, which was proved by studies in vitro. PDA-Ag₂S showed distinctly better therapeutic effects than Ag₂S in experiments in vivo, which further validated the enhanced regulatory effect of PDA. Altogether, a new photosensitizer with longer absorption wavelength was developed by using the hitherto-unexplored photodynamic function of Ag₂S quantum dots, which extended and enhanced the regulatory effect originating from PDA.     

Orientation dependent size effects in thermal buckling and post-buckling of nanoplates with cubic anisotropy

In this work, a continuum model is presented for size and orientation dependent thermal buckling and post-buckling of anisotropic nanoplates considering surface and bulk residual stresses. The model with von-Karman nonlinear strains and material cubic anisotropy of single crystals contains two parameters that reflect the orientation effects. Using Ritz method, closed form solutions are given for buckling temperature and post-buckling deflections. Regarding self-instability states of nanoplates and their recovering at higher temperatures, an experiment is discussed based on low pressurized membranes to verify the predictions. For simply supported nanoplates, the size effects are lowest when they are aligned in [100] direction. When the edges get clamped, the orientation dependence is ignorable and the behavior becomes symmetric about [510] axis. The surface residual stress makes drastic increase in buckling temperature of thinner nanoplates for which a minimum thickness is pointed to stay far from material softening at higher temperatures. Deflection of [100]-oriented buckled nanoplates is higher than [110] ones but this reverses at higher temperatures. The results for long nanoplates show that the buckling mode numbers are changed by orientation which is verified by FEM.     

Defects related emission and nanosecond optical power limiting in CuS quantum dots

We report optical and nonlinear optical properties of CuS quantum dots and nanoparticles prepared through a nontoxic, green, one-pot synthesis method. The presence of surface states and defects in the quantum dots are evident from the luminescent behavior and enhanced nonlinear optical properties measured using the open aperture Z-scan, employing 5 ns laser pulses at 532 nm. The quantum dots exhibit large effective third order nonlinear optical coefficients with a relatively lower optical limiting threshold of 2.3 J cm⁻², and the optical nonlinearity arises largely from absorption saturation and excited state absorption. Results suggest that these materials are potential candidates for designing efficient optical limiters with applications in laser safety devices.     

Strategies for synthesizing non-bioaccumulable alternatives to PFOA and PFOS

This minireview describes the strategies for synthesis of fiuorinated surfactants potentially nonbioaccumulable.Various strategies have been focused on(Ⅰ) reducing the length of the perfluorocarbon chain,(Ⅱ) introducing hetero atoms into the fluorocarbon chain,(Ⅲ) introducing branch(herein and after branch means the fluoro-carbon chain section is not straight).In most cases,the surface tensions versus the surfactant concentrations have been assessed.These above strategies led to various highly fiuorinated(perfluorinated or not perfluorinated) surfactants whose chemical changes enabled to obtain novel alternatives to perfluorooctanoic acid(PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulphonate(PFOS).     

Setting local rank constraints by orthogonal projections for image resolution analysis: Application to the determination of a low dose pharmaceutical compound

Raman chemical imaging provides chemical and spatial information about pharmaceutical drug product. By using resolution methods on acquired spectra, the objective is to calculate pure spectra and distribution maps of image compounds. With multivariate curve resolution-alternating least squares, constraints are used to improve the performance of the resolution and to decrease the ambiguity linked to the final solution. Non negativity and spatial local rank constraints have been identified as the most powerful constraints to be used.     

Immobilizing redox enzymes at mesoporous and nanostructured electrodes

Three key challenges are stimulating intensive research in the development of productive direct electron transfer mode enzyme electrodes: proper enzyme orientation, high enzyme loading, and full retention of enzyme activity. In this review, we summarize some significant advances that have been reported in the last years on the design of mesoporous and nanostructured electrodes as enzyme scaffolds and of innovative methodologies for wiring enzymes to electrodes. Particular attention is given to investigations on physical factors that determine a favorable enzyme immobilization, to provide rational guidelines for the design of productive enzymatic electrodes. Finally, some emerging trends focused on the spatial organization of either single enzymes or enzyme cascades are also briefly addressed.     

A survey of surface tension,molar volume and density for Sn–Ag–Cu–Bi–Sb quinary alloys as lead-free solders

ABSTRACT

By applying the geometric models and the theoretical equation, the surface tension, the molar volume and the density were studied. The empirical calculations were carried out in temperature range 623?K?≤?T?≤?1123?K. Only few thermophysical properties were estimated for eight quinary alloys: Sn3.55Ag0.5Cu3Bi3Sb, Sn3.48Ag0.5Cu3Bi5Sb, Sn3.48 Ag0.5Cu5Bi3Sb, Sn3.40 Ag0.5Cu5Bi5Sb, Sn3.53Ag1Cu3Bi3Sb, Sn3.46Ag1Cu3Bi5Sb, Sn3.46Ag1Cu5Bi3Sb, Sn3.38Ag1Cu5Bi5Sb. The results show that surface tension and density have a linear appearance for all temperatures. We have also studied the influence of the composition and temperature in the studied alloys. The obtained theoretical results are compared with the experimental ones and with the conventional Pb–Sn welds.     

The single-polarization filter composed of gold-coated photonic crystal fiber

A single-polarization filter comprising a gold-coated photonic crystal fiber based on surface plasmon resonance is designed and investigated. The pattern matching and coupled polarization characteristics analyzed by the full-vector finite element method (FEM) and losses at 1,540 nm are achieved to 1,016.01739 dB/cm (x-pol core mode) and 33.81917 dB/cm (y-pol core mode). The crosstalk (CT) value of the 1,540 nm band is ?853.12653 dB for fiber length $L=1,000\mathrm{\mu }\text{m}$ and the bandwidth is 850 nm. The working wavelength of the filter ranges from 1,280 nm to 1,540 nm by varying the diameter of outer air holes ($d_1$), the diameter of inner air holes ($d_4$), the metal film thickness (t), as well as the liquid refractive index (n).