Flexible Structures Based on a Short Pitch Cholesteric Liquid Crystals

We report on the realization and characterization of electro-responsive and pressure sensitive polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) conductive photonic structures combined with the reconfigurable properties of short pitch cholesteric liquid crystals (aligned in Grandjean configuration). By combining ion-implantation process and surface chemistry functionalization, we have overcome the insulating properties of PDMS and induced long range organization of cholesteric liquid crystals, thus controlling both diffraction and selective Bragg reflection of light by means of external perturbations (electric field, pressure). We have characterized our devices in terms of morphological, optical and electro-optical properties.     

Dielectric and optical properties of polymer-liquid crystal composite

Dielectric properties of polymer-liquid crystal mixture, having constituent polymer, poly-butyl methacrylate (PBMA) and liquid crystal, cholesteryl nonanoate, are reported as a function of frequency and temperature. The measurement has been done in a temperature range of 300-375 K and frequency range of 100 Hz-10 MHz. The dielectric permittivity and dielectric loss shows significant changes with the addition of polymer molecules in liquid crystal. The significant feature of composite formation is that the pure liquid crystal and polymer do not show dielectric relaxation in the frequency range covered, while the composite shows relaxation peak at a particular frequency. The optical transmittance of pure liquid crystal and composite has also been measured and compared.     

Collisional excitation of Na-Rydberg atoms

The scattering of heavy ion with a multilevel Rydberg atom in the presence of an electromagnetic field is studied. The interaction of Rydberg atom and the e.m field is explored using non-perturbative quasi-energy technique. Although the results are presented for selected excitations but in actual calculations we have included many levels of the atom. The effect of various parameters are shown on collisional excitation process. As an illustration detailed calculations are performed for the inelastic proton-Na Rydberg atom collision accompanied by the transfer of photons and the effects of dressing due to the field are considered. The emphasis of the present work is on collision induced transitions especially the case that involves change of orbital as well as principal quantum number. Received 26 December 2001 / Received in final form 8 April 2002 Published online 19 July 2002     

ω-meson photoproduction on nucleons in the near-threshold region

The European Physical Journal A - The ω-meson photoproduction, γ + p→p + ω, is studied in the framework of a model, containing π-meson exchange in t-channel and...     

Ferromagnetism at 300 K in spin-coated films of Co doped anatase and rutile-TiO2

Thin films of Ti_1−xCo_xO₂ (x=0 and 0.03) have been prepared on sapphire substrates by spin-on technique starting from metalorganic precursors. When heat treated in air at 550 and 700 °C, respectively, these films present pure anatase and rutile structures as shown both by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. Optical absorption indicate a high degree of transparency in the visible region. Such films show a very small magnetic moment at 300 K. However, when the anatase and the rutile films are annealed in a vacuum of 1×10⁻⁵ Torr at 500 and 600 °C, respectively, the magnetic moment, at 300 K, is strongly enhanced reaching 0.36μ_B/Co for the anatase sample and 0.68μ_B/Co for the rutile one. The ferromagnetic Curie temperature of these samples is above 350 K.     

Electrical properties of neodymium doped CaBi4Ti4O15 ceramics

Neodymium doped bismuth layer structure ferroelectrics (BLSFs) ceramics CaBi_4−xNd_xTi₄O₁₅ (x=0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75) were prepared by solid-state reaction method. X-ray diffraction pattern showed that single phase was formed when x=0-0.75. The refined lattice parameters showed that a (b) axes decrease at x=0.25 and increase with more Nd³⁺ dopant. The effects of Nd³⁺ doping on the dielectric and ferroelectric properties of CaBi₄Ti₄O₁₅ ceramics are studied. Nd³⁺ dopant decreased the Curie temperature linearly, and the dielectric loss, tan δ, as well. The remnant polarization of Nd³⁺ doped CaBi₄Ti₄O₁₅ ceramics was increased by 80% at x=0.25, while more Nd³⁺ dopant decreased the remnant polarization. CaBi_3.75Nd_0.25Ti₄O₁₅ ceramics had the largest piezoelectric constant d₃₃. The structure and properties of CaBi_4−xNd_xTi₄O₁₅ ceramics showed that Nd³⁺ may occupy different crystal locations when Nd³⁺ content x is less than 0.25 and more than 0.50.     

Enhanced ferroelectric properties of vanadium doped bismuth titanate (BTV) thin films grown by pulsed laser ablation technique

Bi_3.99Ti_2.97V_0.03O₁₂ (BTV) thin films were grown by pulsed laser deposition at substrate temperatures ranging between 650 and 750 °C. The structural phase, and orientation of the deposited films were investigated in order to understand the effect of the deposition parameters on the properties of the BTV films. As the substrate temperature was increased to 700 °C, the films started showing a tendency of assuming a c-axis preferred orientation, while at lower temperatures polycrystalline films were formed. The Au/BTV/Pt capacitor showed an interesting dependence of the remnant polarization (P_r) as well as dc leakage current values on the growth temperature. The film deposited at 675 °C showed a very large 2P_r of 42 μC cm⁻², which is the largest for BTV thin films among the values reported so far.     

Stationary entanglement between macroscopic mechanical oscillators

We show that the optomechanical coupling between an optical cavity mode and two movable cavity mirrors is able to entangle two different macroscopic oscillation modes of the mirrors. This continuous variable entanglement is maintained by the light bouncing between the mirrors and is robust against thermal noise. In fact, it could be experimentally demonstrated using present technology. Received 2 September 2002 / Received in final form 10 October 2002 Published online 7 January 2003     

电子束蒸发制备HfO_2高k薄膜的结构特性

使用高真空电子束蒸发在p型Si(1 0 0 )衬底上制备了高kHfO2 薄膜 .俄歇电子能谱证实薄膜组分符合化学配比 ;x射线衍射测量表明刚沉积的薄膜是近非晶的 ,高温退火后发生部分晶化 ;原子力显微镜和扫描电子显微镜检测显示在高温退火前后薄膜均具有相当平整的表面 ,表明薄膜具有优良的热稳定性 ;椭偏测得在 6 0 0nm处薄膜折射率为 2 0 9;电容 电压测试得到的薄膜介电常数为 1 9.这些特性表明高真空电子束蒸发是一种很有希望的制备作为栅介质的HfO2 薄膜的方法     

Frequency Selectivity Behaviour in the Auditory Midbrain： Implications of Model Study

By numerical simulations on frequency dependence of the spiking threshold, i.e. on the critical amplitude of periodic stimulus, for a neuron to fire, we find that bushy cells in the cochlear nuclear exhibit frequency selec- tivity behaviour. However, the selective frequency band of a bushy cell is far away from that of the preferred spectral range in human and mammal auditory perception. The mechanism underlying this neural activity is also discussed. Further studies show that the ion channel densities have little impact on the selective frequency band of bushy cells. These findings suggest that the neuronal behaviour of frequency selectivity in bushy cells at both the single cell and population levels may be not functionally relevant to frequency discrimination. Our results may reveal a neural hint to the reconsideration on the busily cell functional role in auditory information processing of sound frequency.