Propagation of optical vortices with fractional topological charge in free space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, Tamelia; Kreminska, Liubov; Golovin, Andrii B.; Crouse, David T.

2014-10-01

The behavior of the optical vortices with fractional topological charges in the far-field is assessed through numerical modeling and confirmed by experimental results. The generation of fractional topological charge variations of the phase within a Gaussian beam was achieved by using a liquid crystal spatial light modulator (LCoS SLM). It is shown that a laser beam carrying an optical vortex with a fractional topological charge evolves into a beam with a topological charge of integer value, specifically an integer value closer to the fractional number in the far field. A potential application of this work is for data transmission within optical telecommunication systems.

Diffractive optics for combined spatial- and mode- division demultiplexing of optical vortices: design, fabrication and optical characterization.

PubMed

Ruffato, Gianluca; Massari, Michele; Romanato, Filippo

2016-04-20

During the last decade, the orbital angular momentum (OAM) of light has attracted growing interest as a new degree of freedom for signal channel multiplexing in order to increase the information transmission capacity in today's optical networks. Here we present the design, fabrication and characterization of phase-only diffractive optical elements (DOE) performing mode-division (de)multiplexing (MDM) and spatial-division (de)multiplexing (SDM) at the same time. Samples have been fabricated with high-resolution electron-beam lithography patterning a polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) resist layer spun over a glass substrate. Different DOE designs are presented for the sorting of optical vortices differing in either OAM content or beam size in the optical regime, with different steering geometries in far-field. These novel DOE designs appear promising for telecom applications both in free-space and in multi-core fibers propagation.

Structured optical vortices with broadband comb-like optical spectra in Yb:Y3Al5O12/YVO4 Raman microchip laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Jun; Wang, Xiaolei; Zhang, Mingming; Wang, Xiaojie; He, Hongsen

2018-04-01

Structured optical vortices with 4 phase singularities have been generated in a laser diode pumped continuous-wave Yb:Y3Al5O12/YVO4 (Yb:YAG/YVO4) Raman microchip laser. The broadband comb-like first order Stokes laser emitting spectrum including 30 longitudinal modes covers from 1072.49 nm to 1080.13 nm with a bandwidth of 7.64 nm, which is generated with the Raman shift 259 cm-1 of the c-cut YVO4 crystal converted from the fundamental laser around 1.05 μm. Pump power dependent optical vortex beams are attributed to overlap of the Stokes laser field with the fundamental laser field caused by dynamically changing the coupling losses of the fundamental laser field. The maximum output power is 1.16 W, and the optical-to-optical efficiency is 18.4%. This work provides a method for generating structured optical vortices with an optical frequency comb in solid-state Raman microchip lasers, which have potential applications in quantum computations, micro-machining, and information processing.

Dynamic Control over the Optical Transmission of Nanoscale Dielectric Metasurface by Alkali Vapors.

PubMed

Bar-David, Jonathan; Stern, Liron; Levy, Uriel

2017-02-08

In recent years, dielectric and metallic nanoscale metasurfaces are attracting growing attention and are being used for variety of applications. Resulting from the ability to introduce abrupt changes in optical properties at nanoscale dimensions, metasurfaces enable unprecedented control over light's different degrees of freedom, in an essentially two-dimensional configuration. Yet, the dynamic control over metasurface properties still remains one of the ultimate goals of this field. Here, we demonstrate the optical resonant interaction between a form birefringent dielectric metasurface made of silicon and alkali atomic vapor to control and effectively tune the optical transmission pattern initially generated by the nanoscale dielectric metasurface. By doing so, we present a controllable metasurface system, the output of which may be altered by applying magnetic fields, changing input polarization, or shifting the optical frequency. Furthermore, we also demonstrate the nonlinear behavior of our system taking advantage of the saturation effect of atomic transition. The demonstrated approach paves the way for using metasurfaces in applications where dynamic tunability of the metasurface is in need, for example, for scanning systems, tunable focusing, real time displays, and more.

Vorticity generation and jetting caused by a laser-induced optical breakdown

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jonathan; Buchta, David; Freund, Jonathan

2017-11-01

A focused laser can cause optical breakdown of a gas that absorbs energy and can seed ignition. The local hydrodynamics are complex. The breakdown is observed to produce vorticity that subsequently collects into a jetting flow towards the laser source. The strength and the very direction of the jet is observed to be sensitive to the plasma kernel geometry. We use detailed numerical simulations to examine the short-time (< 1 μ s) dynamics leading to this vorticity and jetting. The simulation employs a two-temperature model, free-electron generation by multi-photon ionization, absorption of laser energy by inverse Bremsstrahlung, and 11 charged and neutral species for air. We quantify the early-time contributions of different thermodynamic and gas-dynamic effects to the baroclinic torque. It is found that the breakdown produces compression waves within the plasma kernel, and that the mismatch in their strengths precipitates the involution of the plasma remnants and yields the net vorticity that ultimately develops into the jet. We also quantify the temperature distribution and local strain rates and demonstrate their importance in seeding ignition in non-homogeneous hydrogen/air mixtures.

Nanoscale Optical Imaging and Spectroscopy from Visible to Mid-Infrared

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-11-13

field characterization of nanoscale materials, it also complements the near- field scanning optical microscope currently available in the PI’s lab...field scanning optical microscope currently available in the PI’s lab. This equipment will begin making major impacts on at least three current DoD...SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 1. REPORT DATE (DD-MM-YYYY) 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 12. DISTRIBUTION AVAILIBILITY STATEMENT 6

Nanoscale Probing of Thermal, Stress, and Optical Fields under Near-Field Laser Heating

PubMed Central

Tang, Xiaoduan; Xu, Shen; Wang, Xinwei

2013-01-01

Micro/nanoparticle induced near-field laser ultra-focusing and heating has been widely used in laser-assisted nanopatterning and nanolithography to pattern nanoscale features on a large-area substrate. Knowledge of the temperature and stress in the nanoscale near-field heating region is critical for process control and optimization. At present, probing of the nanoscale temperature, stress, and optical fields remains a great challenge since the heating area is very small (∼100 nm or less) and not immediately accessible for sensing. In this work, we report the first experimental study on nanoscale mapping of particle-induced thermal, stress, and optical fields by using a single laser for both near-field excitation and Raman probing. The mapping results based on Raman intensity variation, wavenumber shift, and linewidth broadening all give consistent conjugated thermal, stress, and near-field focusing effects at a 20 nm resolution (<λ/26, λ = 32 nm). Nanoscale mapping of near-field effects of particles from 1210 down to 160 nm demonstrates the strong capacity of such a technique. By developing a new strategy for physical analysis, we have de-conjugated the effects of temperature, stress, and near-field focusing from the Raman mapping. The temperature rise and stress in the nanoscale heating region is evaluated at different energy levels. High-fidelity electromagnetic and temperature field simulation is conducted to accurately interpret the experimental results. PMID:23555566

Topological charge algebra of optical vortices in nonlinear interactions.

PubMed

Zhdanova, Alexandra A; Shutova, Mariia; Bahari, Aysan; Zhi, Miaochan; Sokolov, Alexei V

2015-12-28

We investigate the transfer of orbital angular momentum among multiple beams involved in a coherent Raman interaction. We use a liquid crystal light modulator to shape pump and Stokes beams into optical vortices with various integer values of topological charge, and cross them in a Raman-active crystal to produce multiple Stokes and anti-Stokes sidebands. We measure the resultant vortex charges using a tilted-lens technique. We verify that in every case the generated beams' topological charges obey a simple relationship, resulting from angular momentum conservation for created and annihilated photons, or equivalently, from phase-matching considerations for multiple interacting beams.

Spatiotemporal dynamics and optical vortices in a photorefractive phase-conjugate resonator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Siuying Raymond; Indebetouw, Guy

1992-01-01

A truncated modal expansion approach is used to study the spatiotemporal dynamics of a phase-conjugate resonator as a function of Bragg detuning. The numerical results reveal a rich variety of behaviors. Emphasis is given to the spatial distribution of optical vortices, their trajectories and their relationship to the beam's spatial coherence. The limitations of the model are discussed and experimental results are presented for comparison with the model's predictions and assessment of its soundness.

Optical biosensors: a revolution towards quantum nanoscale electronics device fabrication.

PubMed

Dey, D; Goswami, T

2011-01-01

The dimension of biomolecules is of few nanometers, so the biomolecular devices ought to be of that range so a better understanding about the performance of the electronic biomolecular devices can be obtained at nanoscale. Development of optical biomolecular device is a new move towards revolution of nano-bioelectronics. Optical biosensor is one of such nano-biomolecular devices that has a potential to pave a new dimension of research and device fabrication in the field of optical and biomedical fields. This paper is a very small report about optical biosensor and its development and importance in various fields.

Imaging of super-fast dynamics and flow instabilities of superconducting vortices

DOE PAGES

Embon, L.; Anahory, Y.; Jelić, Ž. L.; ...

2017-07-20

Quantized magnetic vortices driven by electric current determine key electromagnetic properties of superconductors. And while the dynamic behavior of slow vortices has been thoroughly investigated, the physics of ultrafast vortices under strong currents remains largely unexplored. Here, we use a nanoscale scanning superconducting quantum interference device to image vortices penetrating into a superconducting Pb film at rates of tens of GHz and moving with velocities of up to tens of km/s, which are not only much larger than the speed of sound but also exceed the pair-breaking speed limit of superconducting condensate. These experiments reveal formation of mesoscopic vortex channelsmore » which undergo cascades of bifurcations as the current and magnetic field increase. Our numerical simulations predict metamorphosis of fast Abrikosov vortices into mixed Abrikosov-Josephson vortices at even higher velocities. Our work offers an insight into the fundamental physics of dynamic vortex states of superconductors at high current densities, crucial for many applications.« less

Magneto-optical observation of twisted vortices in type-II superconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Indenbom, M. V.; van der Beek, C. J.; Berseth, V.; Benoit, W.; D'Anna, G.; Erb, A.; Walker, E.; Flükiger, R.

1997-02-01

When magnetic flux penetrates a type-II superconductor, it does so as quantized flux lines or vortex lines, so called because each is surrounded by a supercurrent vortex. Interactions between such vortices lead to a very rich and well characterized phenomenology for this 'mixed state'. But an outstanding question remains: are individual vortex lines 'strong', or can they easily be cut and made to pass through one another? The concept of vortex cutting was originally proposed to account for dissipation observed in superconducting wires oriented parallel to an applied magnetic field, where the vortex lines and transport current should be in a force-free configuration1-6. Previous experiments, however, have been unable to establish the vortex topology in the force-free configuration or the size of the energy barrier for vortex cutting. Here we report magneto-optical images of YBa2Cu3O7-δ samples in the force-free configuration which show that thousands of vortex lines can twist together to form highly stable structures. In some cases, these 'vortex twisters' interact with one another to produce wave-like dynamics. Our measurements also determine directly the current required to initiate vortex cutting, and show that it is much higher than that needed to overcome the pinning of vortices by material defects. This implies that thermodynamic phases of entangled vortices7-10 are intrinsically stable and may occupy a significant portion of the mixed-state phase diagram for type-II superconductors.

Optical vortices as potential indicators of biophysical dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Majumdar, Anindya; Kirkpatrick, Sean J.

2017-03-01

Laser speckle patterns are granular patterns produced as a result of random interference of light waves. Optical vortices (OVs) are phase singularities in such speckle fields, characterized by zero intensity and an undefined phase. Decorrelation of the speckle fields causes these OVs to move in both time and space. In this work, a variety of parameters of these OVs have been studied. The speckle fields were simulated to undergo three distinct decorrelation behaviors- Gaussian, Lorentzian and constant decorrelations. Different decorrelation behaviors represent different dynamics. For example, Lorentzian and Gaussian decorrelations represent Brownian and ordered motions, respectively. Typical dynamical systems in biophysics are generally argued to be a combination of these. For each of the decorrelation behaviors under study, the vortex trails were tracked while varying the rate of decorrelation. Parameters such as the decorrelation length, average trail length and the deviation of the vortices as they traversed in the speckle field, were studied. Empirical studies were also performed to define the distinction between trails arising from different speckle decorrelation behaviors. The initial studies under stationary speckle fields were followed up by similar studies on shifting fields. A new idea to employ Poincaŕe plots in speckle analysis has also been introduced. Our studies indicate that tracking OVs can be a potential method to study cell and tissue dynamics.

Polarized vortices in optical speckle field: observation of rare polarization singularities.

PubMed

Dupont, Jan; Orlik, Xavier

2015-03-09

Using a recent method able to characterize the polarimetry of a random field with high polarimetric and spatial accuracy even near places of destructive interference, we study polarized optical vortices at a scale below the transverse correlation width of a speckle field. We perform high accuracy polarimetric measurements of known singularities described with an half-integer topological index and we study rare integer index singularities which have, to our knowledge, never been observed in a speckle field.

Plasma q -plate for generation and manipulation of intense optical vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qu, Kenan; Jia, Qing; Fisch, Nathaniel J.

2017-11-01

An optical vortex is a light wave with a twisting wavefront around its propagation axis and null intensity in the beam center. Its unique spatial structure of field lends itself to a broad range of applications, including optical communication, quantum information, superresolution microscopy, and multidimensional manipulation of particles. However, accessible intensity of optical vortices have been limited to material ionization threshold. This limitation might be removed by using the plasma medium. Here we propose the design of suitably magnetized plasmas which, functioning as a q -plate, leads to a direct conversion from a high-intensity Gaussian beam into a twisted beam. A circularly polarized laser beam in the plasma accumulates an azimuthal-angle-dependent phase shift and hence forms a twisting wavefront. Our three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations demonstrate extremely high-power conversion efficiency. The plasma q -plate can work in a large range of frequencies spanning from terahertz to the optical domain.

Plasma q -plate for generation and manipulation of intense optical vortices

DOE PAGES

Qu, Kenan; Jia, Qing; Fisch, Nathaniel J.

2017-11-28

An optical vortex is a light wave with a twisting wavefront around its propagation axis and null intensity in the beam center. Its unique spatial structure of field lends itself to a broad range of applications, including optical communication, quantum information, superresolution microscopy, and multidimensional manipulation of particles. However, accessible intensity of optical vortices have been limited to material ionization threshold. This limitation might be removed by using the plasma medium. Here in this paper, we propose the design of suitably magnetized plasmas which, functioning as a q-plate, leads to a direct conversion from a high-intensity Gaussian beam into amore » twisted beam. A circularly polarized laser beam in the plasma accumulates an azimuthal-angle-dependent phase shift and hence forms a twisting wavefront. Our three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations demonstrate extremely high-power conversion efficiency. The plasma q-plate can work in a large range of frequencies spanning from terahertz to the optical domain.« less

Plasma q -plate for generation and manipulation of intense optical vortices

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Qu, Kenan; Jia, Qing; Fisch, Nathaniel J.

An optical vortex is a light wave with a twisting wavefront around its propagation axis and null intensity in the beam center. Its unique spatial structure of field lends itself to a broad range of applications, including optical communication, quantum information, superresolution microscopy, and multidimensional manipulation of particles. However, accessible intensity of optical vortices have been limited to material ionization threshold. This limitation might be removed by using the plasma medium. Here in this paper, we propose the design of suitably magnetized plasmas which, functioning as a q-plate, leads to a direct conversion from a high-intensity Gaussian beam into amore » twisted beam. A circularly polarized laser beam in the plasma accumulates an azimuthal-angle-dependent phase shift and hence forms a twisting wavefront. Our three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations demonstrate extremely high-power conversion efficiency. The plasma q-plate can work in a large range of frequencies spanning from terahertz to the optical domain.« less

Plasmonic mode converter for controlling optical impedance and nanoscale light-matter interaction.

PubMed

Hung, Yun-Ting; Huang, Chen-Bin; Huang, Jer-Shing

2012-08-27

To enable multiple functions of plasmonic nanocircuits, it is of key importance to control the propagation properties and the modal distribution of the guided optical modes such that their impedance matches to that of nearby quantum systems and desired light-matter interaction can be achieved. Here, we present efficient mode converters for manipulating guided modes on a plasmonic two-wire transmission line. The mode conversion is achieved through varying the path length, wire cross section and the surrounding index of refraction. Instead of pure optical interference, strong near-field coupling of surface plasmons results in great momentum splitting and modal profile variation. We theoretically demonstrate control over nanoantenna radiation and discuss the possibility to enhance nanoscale light-matter interaction. The proposed converter may find applications in surface plasmon amplification, index sensing and enhanced nanoscale spectroscopy.

Nanoscale on-chip all-optical logic parity checker in integrated plasmonic circuits in optical communication range

PubMed Central

Wang, Feifan; Gong, Zibo; Hu, Xiaoyong; Yang, Xiaoyu; Yang, Hong; Gong, Qihuang

2016-01-01

The nanoscale chip-integrated all-optical logic parity checker is an essential core component for optical computing systems and ultrahigh-speed ultrawide-band information processing chips. Unfortunately, little experimental progress has been made in development of these devices to date because of material bottleneck limitations and a lack of effective realization mechanisms. Here, we report a simple and efficient strategy for direct realization of nanoscale chip-integrated all-optical logic parity checkers in integrated plasmonic circuits in the optical communication range. The proposed parity checker consists of two-level cascaded exclusive-OR (XOR) logic gates that are realized based on the linear interference of surface plasmon polaritons propagating in the plasmonic waveguides. The parity of the number of logic 1s in the incident four-bit logic signals is determined, and the output signal is given the logic state 0 for even parity (and 1 for odd parity). Compared with previous reports, the overall device feature size is reduced by more than two orders of magnitude, while ultralow energy consumption is maintained. This work raises the possibility of realization of large-scale integrated information processing chips based on integrated plasmonic circuits, and also provides a way to overcome the intrinsic limitations of serious surface plasmon polariton losses for on-chip integration applications. PMID:27073154

Nanoscale on-chip all-optical logic parity checker in integrated plasmonic circuits in optical communication range.

PubMed

Wang, Feifan; Gong, Zibo; Hu, Xiaoyong; Yang, Xiaoyu; Yang, Hong; Gong, Qihuang

2016-04-13

The nanoscale chip-integrated all-optical logic parity checker is an essential core component for optical computing systems and ultrahigh-speed ultrawide-band information processing chips. Unfortunately, little experimental progress has been made in development of these devices to date because of material bottleneck limitations and a lack of effective realization mechanisms. Here, we report a simple and efficient strategy for direct realization of nanoscale chip-integrated all-optical logic parity checkers in integrated plasmonic circuits in the optical communication range. The proposed parity checker consists of two-level cascaded exclusive-OR (XOR) logic gates that are realized based on the linear interference of surface plasmon polaritons propagating in the plasmonic waveguides. The parity of the number of logic 1s in the incident four-bit logic signals is determined, and the output signal is given the logic state 0 for even parity (and 1 for odd parity). Compared with previous reports, the overall device feature size is reduced by more than two orders of magnitude, while ultralow energy consumption is maintained. This work raises the possibility of realization of large-scale integrated information processing chips based on integrated plasmonic circuits, and also provides a way to overcome the intrinsic limitations of serious surface plasmon polariton losses for on-chip integration applications.

Chaotic oscillation and random-number generation based on nanoscale optical-energy transfer.

PubMed

Naruse, Makoto; Kim, Song-Ju; Aono, Masashi; Hori, Hirokazu; Ohtsu, Motoichi

2014-08-12

By using nanoscale energy-transfer dynamics and density matrix formalism, we demonstrate theoretically and numerically that chaotic oscillation and random-number generation occur in a nanoscale system. The physical system consists of a pair of quantum dots (QDs), with one QD smaller than the other, between which energy transfers via optical near-field interactions. When the system is pumped by continuous-wave radiation and incorporates a timing delay between two energy transfers within the system, it emits optical pulses. We refer to such QD pairs as nano-optical pulsers (NOPs). Irradiating an NOP with external periodic optical pulses causes the oscillating frequency of the NOP to synchronize with the external stimulus. We find that chaotic oscillation occurs in the NOP population when they are connected by an external time delay. Moreover, by evaluating the time-domain signals by statistical-test suites, we confirm that the signals are sufficiently random to qualify the system as a random-number generator (RNG). This study reveals that even relatively simple nanodevices that interact locally with each other through optical energy transfer at scales far below the wavelength of irradiating light can exhibit complex oscillatory dynamics. These findings are significant for applications such as ultrasmall RNGs.

Force-detected nanoscale absorption spectroscopy in water at room temperature using an optical trap

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parobek, Alexander; Black, Jacob W.; Kamenetska, Maria; Ganim, Ziad

2018-04-01

Measuring absorption spectra of single molecules presents a fundamental challenge for standard transmission-based instruments because of the inherently low signal relative to the large background of the excitation source. Here we demonstrate a new approach for performing absorption spectroscopy in solution using a force measurement to read out optical excitation at the nanoscale. The photoinduced force between model chromophores and an optically trapped gold nanoshell has been measured in water at room temperature. This photoinduced force is characterized as a function of wavelength to yield the force spectrum, which is shown to be correlated to the absorption spectrum for four model systems. The instrument constructed for these measurements combines an optical tweezer with frequency domain absorption spectroscopy over the 400-800 nm range. These measurements provide proof-of-principle experiments for force-detected nanoscale spectroscopies that operate under ambient chemical conditions.

Coherent Femtosecond Spectroscopy and Nonlinear Optical Imaging on the Nanoscale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kravtsov, Vasily

Optical properties of many materials and macroscopic systems are defined by ultrafast dynamics of electronic, vibrational, and spin excitations localized on the nanoscale. Harnessing these excitations for material engineering, optical computing, and control of chemical reactions has been a long-standing goal in science and technology. However, it is challenging due to the lack of spectroscopic techniques that can resolve processes simultaneously on the nanometer spatial and femtosecond temporal scales. This thesis describes the fundamental principles, implementation, and experimental demonstration of a novel type of ultrafast microscopy based on the concept of adiabatic plasmonic nanofocusing. Simultaneous spatio-temporal resolution on a nanometer-femtosecond scale is achieved by using a near-field nonlinear optical response induced by ultrafast surface plasmon polaritons nanofocused on a metal tip. First, we study the surface plasmon response in metallic structures and evaluate its prospects and limitations for ultrafast near-field microscopy. Through plasmon emission-based spectroscopy, we investigate dephasing times and interplay between radiative and non-radiative decay rates of localized plasmons and their modification due to coupling. We identify a new regime of quantum plasmonic coupling, which limits the achievable spatial resolution to several angstroms but at the same time provides a potential channel for generating ultrafast electron currents at optical frequencies. Next, we study propagation of femtosecond wavepackets of surface plasmon polaritons on a metal tip. In time-domain interferometric measurements we detect group delays that correspond to slowing of the plasmon polaritons down to 20% of the speed of light at the tip apex. This provides direct experimental verification of the plasmonic nanofocusing mechanism and suggests enhanced nonlinear optical interactions at the tip apex. We then measure a plasmon-generated third-order nonlinear optical

Rows of optical vortices from elliptically perturbing a high-order beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dennis, Mark R.

2006-05-01

An optical vortex (phase singularity) with a high topological strength resides on the axis of a high-order light beam. The breakup of this vortex under elliptic perturbation into a straight row of unit-strength vortices is described. This behavior is studied in helical Ince-Gauss beams and astigmatic, generalized Hermite-Laguerre-Gauss beams, which are perturbations of Laguerre-Gauss beams. Approximations of these beams are derived for small perturbations, in which a neighborhood of the axis can be approximated by a polynomial in the complex plane: a Chebyshev polynomial for Ince-Gauss beams, and a Hermite polynomial for astigmatic beams.

Nanoscale chromatin structure characterization for optical applications: a transmission electron microscopy study (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yue; Cherkezyan, Lusik; Zhang, Di; Almassalha, Luay; Roth, Eric; Chandler, John; Bleher, Reiner; Subramanian, Hariharan; Dravid, Vinayak P.; Backman, Vadim

2017-02-01

Structural and biological origins of light scattering in cells and tissue are still poorly understood. We demonstrate how this problem might be addressed through the use of transmission electron microscopy (TEM). For biological samples, TEM image intensity is proportional to mass-density, and thus proportional to refractive index (RI). By calculating the autocorrelation function (ACF) of TEM image intensity of a thin-section of cells, we essentially maintain the nanoscale ACF of the 3D cellular RI distribution, given that the RI distribution is statistically isotropic. Using this nanoscale 3D RI ACF, we can simulate light scattering through biological samples, and thus guiding many optical techniques to quantify specific structures. In this work, we chose to use Partial Wave Spectroscopy (PWS) microscopy as a one of the nanoscale-sensitive optical techniques. Hela cells were prepared using standard protocol to preserve nanoscale ultrastructure, and a 50-nm slice was sectioned for TEM imaging at 6 nm resolution. The ACF was calculated for chromatin, and the PWS mean sigma was calculated by summing over the power spectral density in the visible light frequency of a random medium generated to match the ACF. A 1-µm slice adjacent to the 50-nm slice was sectioned for PWS measurement to guarantee identical chromatin structure. For 33 cells, we compared the calculated PWS mean sigma from TEM and the value measured directly, and obtained a strong correlation of 0.69. This example indicates the great potential of using TEM measured RI distribution to better understand the quantification of cellular nanostructure by optical methods.

Characteristics and controllability of vortices in ferromagnetics, ferroelectrics, and multiferroics.

PubMed

Zheng, Yue; Chen, W J

2017-08-01

Topological defects in condensed matter are attracting e significant attention due to their important role in phase transition and their fascinating characteristics. Among the various types of matter, ferroics which possess a switchable physical characteristic and form domain structure are ideal systems to form topological defects. In particular, a special class of topological defects-vortices-have been found to commonly exist in ferroics. They often manifest themselves as singular regions where domains merge in large systems, or stabilize as novel order states instead of forming domain structures in small enough systems. Understanding the characteristics and controllability of vortices in ferroics can provide us with deeper insight into the phase transition of condensed matter and also exciting opportunities in designing novel functional devices such as nano-memories, sensors, and transducers based on topological defects. In this review, we summarize the recent experimental and theoretical progress in ferroic vortices, with emphasis on those spin/dipole vortices formed in nanoscale ferromagnetics and ferroelectrics, and those structural domain vortices formed in multiferroic hexagonal manganites. We begin with an overview of this field. The fundamental concepts of ferroic vortices, followed by the theoretical simulation and experimental methods to explore ferroic vortices, are then introduced. The various characteristics of vortices (e.g. formation mechanisms, static/dynamic features, and electronic properties) and their controllability (e.g. by size, geometry, external thermal, electrical, magnetic, or mechanical fields) in ferromagnetics, ferroelectrics, and multiferroics are discussed in detail in individual sections. Finally, we conclude this review with an outlook on this rapidly developing field.

Characteristics and controllability of vortices in ferromagnetics, ferroelectrics, and multiferroics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Yue; Chen, W. J.

2017-08-01

Topological defects in condensed matter are attracting e significant attention due to their important role in phase transition and their fascinating characteristics. Among the various types of matter, ferroics which possess a switchable physical characteristic and form domain structure are ideal systems to form topological defects. In particular, a special class of topological defects—vortices—have been found to commonly exist in ferroics. They often manifest themselves as singular regions where domains merge in large systems, or stabilize as novel order states instead of forming domain structures in small enough systems. Understanding the characteristics and controllability of vortices in ferroics can provide us with deeper insight into the phase transition of condensed matter and also exciting opportunities in designing novel functional devices such as nano-memories, sensors, and transducers based on topological defects. In this review, we summarize the recent experimental and theoretical progress in ferroic vortices, with emphasis on those spin/dipole vortices formed in nanoscale ferromagnetics and ferroelectrics, and those structural domain vortices formed in multiferroic hexagonal manganites. We begin with an overview of this field. The fundamental concepts of ferroic vortices, followed by the theoretical simulation and experimental methods to explore ferroic vortices, are then introduced. The various characteristics of vortices (e.g. formation mechanisms, static/dynamic features, and electronic properties) and their controllability (e.g. by size, geometry, external thermal, electrical, magnetic, or mechanical fields) in ferromagnetics, ferroelectrics, and multiferroics are discussed in detail in individual sections. Finally, we conclude this review with an outlook on this rapidly developing field.

Nanoscale live cell optical imaging of the dynamics of intracellular microvesicles in neural cells.

PubMed

Lee, Sohee; Heo, Chaejeong; Suh, Minah; Lee, Young Hee

2013-11-01

Recent advances in biotechnology and imaging technology have provided great opportunities to investigate cellular dynamics. Conventional imaging methods such as transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy are powerful techniques for cellular imaging, even at the nanoscale level. However, these techniques have limitations applications in live cell imaging because of the experimental preparation required, namely cell fixation, and the innately small field of view. In this study, we developed a nanoscale optical imaging (NOI) system that combines a conventional optical microscope with a high resolution dark-field condenser (Cytoviva, Inc.) and halogen illuminator. The NOI system's maximum resolution for live cell imaging is around 100 nm. We utilized NOI to investigate the dynamics of intracellular microvesicles of neural cells without immunocytological analysis. In particular, we studied direct, active random, and moderate random dynamic motions of intracellular microvesicles and visualized lysosomal vesicle changes after treatment of cells with a lysosomal inhibitor (NH4Cl). Our results indicate that the NOI system is a feasible, high-resolution optical imaging system for live small organelles that does not require complicated optics or immunocytological staining processes.

Active material, optical mode and cavity impact on nanoscale electro-optic modulation performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amin, Rubab; Suer, Can; Ma, Zhizhen; Sarpkaya, Ibrahim; Khurgin, Jacob B.; Agarwal, Ritesh; Sorger, Volker J.

2017-10-01

Electro-optic modulation is a key function in optical data communication and possible future optical compute engines. The performance of modulators intricately depends on the interaction between the actively modulated material and the propagating waveguide mode. While a variety of high-performance modulators have been demonstrated, no comprehensive picture of what factors are most responsible for high performance has emerged so far. Here we report the first systematic and comprehensive analytical and computational investigation for high-performance compact on-chip electro-optic modulators by considering emerging active materials, model considerations and cavity feedback at the nanoscale. We discover that the delicate interplay between the material characteristics and the optical mode properties plays a key role in defining the modulator performance. Based on physical tradeoffs between index modulation, loss, optical confinement factors and slow-light effects, we find that there exist combinations of bias, material and optical mode that yield efficient phase or amplitude modulation with acceptable insertion loss. Furthermore, we show how material properties in the epsilon near zero regime enable reduction of length by as much as by 15 times. Lastly, we introduce and apply a cavity-based electro-optic modulator figure of merit, Δλ/Δα, relating obtainable resonance tuning via phase shifting relative to the incurred losses due to the fundamental Kramers-Kronig relations suggesting optimized device operating regions with optimized modulation-to-loss tradeoffs. This work paves the way for a holistic design rule of electro-optic modulators for high-density on-chip integration.

Optical wireless link between a nanoscale antenna and a transducing rectenna.

PubMed

Dasgupta, Arindam; Mennemanteuil, Marie-Maxime; Buret, Mickaël; Cazier, Nicolas; Colas-des-Francs, Gérard; Bouhelier, Alexandre

2018-05-18

Initiated as a cable-replacement solution, short-range wireless power transfer has rapidly become ubiquitous in the development of modern high-data throughput networking in centimeter to meter accessibility range. Wireless technology is now penetrating a higher level of system integration for chip-to-chip and on-chip radiofrequency interconnects. However, standard CMOS integrated millimeter-wave antennas have typical size commensurable with the operating wavelength, and are thus an unrealistic solution for downsizing transmitters and receivers to the micrometer and nanometer scale. Herein, we demonstrate a light-in and electrical signal-out, on-chip wireless near-infrared link between a 220 nm optical antenna and a sub-nanometer rectifying antenna converting the transmitted optical energy into direct electrical current. The co-integration of subwavelength optical functional devices with electronic transduction offers a disruptive solution to interface photons and electrons at the nanoscale for on-chip wireless optical interconnects.

Optical Antenna-Based Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy to Probe the Nanoscale Dynamics of Biological Membranes.

PubMed

Winkler, Pamina M; Regmi, Raju; Flauraud, Valentin; Brugger, Jürgen; Rigneault, Hervé; Wenger, Jérôme; García-Parajo, María F

2018-01-04

The plasma membrane of living cells is compartmentalized at multiple spatial scales ranging from the nano- to the mesoscale. This nonrandom organization is crucial for a large number of cellular functions. At the nanoscale, cell membranes organize into dynamic nanoassemblies enriched by cholesterol, sphingolipids, and certain types of proteins. Investigating these nanoassemblies known as lipid rafts is of paramount interest in fundamental cell biology. However, this goal requires simultaneous nanometer spatial precision and microsecond temporal resolution, which is beyond the reach of common microscopes. Optical antennas based on metallic nanostructures efficiently enhance and confine light into nanometer dimensions, breaching the diffraction limit of light. In this Perspective, we discuss recent progress combining optical antennas with fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) to monitor microsecond dynamics at nanoscale spatial dimensions. These new developments offer numerous opportunities to investigate lipid and protein dynamics in both mimetic and native biological membranes.

Direct optical imaging of nanoscale internal organization of polymer films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suran, Swathi; Varma, Manoj

2018-02-01

Owing to its sensitivity and precise control at the nanoscale, polyelectrolytes have been immensely used to modify surfaces. Polyelectrolyte multilayers are generally water made and are easy to fabricate on any surface by the layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly process due to electrostatic interactions. Polyelectrolyte multilayers or PEMs can be assembled to form ultrathin membranes which can have potential applications in water filtration and desalination [1-3]. Hydration in PEMs is a consequence of both the bulk and surface phenomenon [4-7]. Bulk behavior of polymer membranes are well understood. Several techniques including reflectivity and contact angle measurements were used to measure the hydration in the bulk of polymer membranes [4, 8]. On the other hand their internal organization at the molecular level which can have a profound contribution in the transport mechanism, are not understood well. Previously, we engineered a technique, which we refer to as Bright-field Nanoscopy, which allows nanoscale optical imaging using local heterogeneities in a water-soluble germanium (Ge) thin film ( 25 nm thick) deposited on gold [8]. We use this technique to study the water transport in PEMs. It is understood that the surface charge and outer layers of the PEMs play a significant role in water transport through polymers [9-11]. This well-known `odd-even' effect arising on having different surface termination of the PEMs was optically observed with a spatial resolution unlike any other reported previously [12]. In this communication, we report that on increasing the etchant's concentration, one can control the lateral etching of the Ge film. This allowed the visualization of the nanoscale internal organization in the PEMs. Knowledge of the internal structure would allow one to engineer polymer membranes specific to applications such as drug delivering capsules, ion transport membranes and barriers etc. We also demonstrate a mathematical model involving a surface

Optical Materials and Device Fabrication for Chemical Sensing on the Nanoscale

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-07-15

science, and optical and laser spectroscopy during the past year. Ms. Aetna W. Wun , who hails from the University of California at San Diego, is a...Sensing on the Nanoscale" Aetna W. Wun , Preston T. Snee, YinThai Chan, Moungi G. Bawendi and Daniel G. Nocera, J Mater. Chem. 2005, Fluorescent... Ted Koppel: "Little Black Box", 25 August 2003. The show highlighted recent research advances from the Nocera group. In addition, the Nocera research

The life-cycle of Riemann-Silberstein electromagnetic vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nye, J. F.

2017-11-01

To study the singularities of a monochromatic electromagnetic wave field in free space, it is desirable to use a quantity that combines both the electric field E and the magnetic field B in equal measure. The Riemann-Silberstein (R-S) field is a way of doing this. It is based on the real physical E and B and one constructs from them the complex vector field {F}={E}+{{i}} {B}. Then, one constructs {F}\\cdot {F} and studies the optical vortices of this R-S complex scalar field. Unlike the better-known and much studied optical vortices of a monochromatic complex scalar field, which are stationary, these vortices are normally in continual motion; they oscillate at the optical frequency. We study their life cycle in the simplest model that is sufficiently generic, namely, fields generated by the interference of four randomly chosen plane elliptically polarised waves. The topological events in the life cycle do not repeat on a 3D space lattice in a stationary laboratory frame. In space-time, however, the R-S vortices are invariant under any Lorentz transformation, and because of this and the inherent time repetition there is a particular moving frame in space-time, reached by a Lorentz transformation, where there exists a repeating pattern of events in space. Its 4D unit cell constitutes, in effect, a description of the whole infinite pattern. Just because they are in constant motion, it is not surprising that the R-S vortex lines in the model make reconnections and appear as rings that either shrink to nothing or appear from nothing. However, these processes occur in groups of four, reflecting the fact that the unit cell is face-centred. What distinguishes the R-S field from the other complex scalar fields containing vortices is the existence of this face-centred repeating cell.

Fiber optical tweezers for microscale and nanoscale particle manipulation and force sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yuxiang

2011-12-01

Optical tweezers have been an important tool in biology and physics for studying single molecules and colloidal systems. Most of current optical tweezers are built with microscope objectives, which are: i) expensive, ii) bulky and hard to integrate, iii) sensitive to environmental fluctuations, iv) limited in terms of working distances from the substrate, and v) rigid with the requirements on the substrate (transparent substrate made with glass and with a fixed thickness). These limitations of objective-based optical tweezers prevent them from being miniaturized. Fiber optical tweezers can provide a solution for cost reduction and miniaturization, and these optical tweezers can be potentially used in microfluidic systems. However, the existing fiber optical tweezers have the following limitations: i) low trapping efficiency due to weakly focused beams, ii) lack of the ability to control the positions of multiple particles simultaneously, and iii) limited functionalities. The overall objective of this dissertation work is to further the fundamental understanding of fiber optical tweezers through experimental study and modeling, and to develop novel fiber optical tweezers systems to enhance the capability and functionalities of fiber optical tweezers as microscale and nanoscale manipulators/sensors. The contributions of this dissertation work are summarized as follows. i) An enhanced understanding of the inclined dual-fiber optical tweezers (DFOTs) system has been achieved. Stable three dimensional (3D) optical trapping of a single micron-sized particle has been experimentally demonstrated. This is the first time that the trapping efficiency has been calibrated and the stiffness of the trap has been obtained in the experiments, which has been carried out by using two methods: the drag force method and power spectrum analysis. Such calibration enables the system to be used as a picoNewton-level force sensor in addition to a particle manipulator. The influence of

Displacements and evolution of optical vortices in edge-diffracted Laguerre-Gaussian beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bekshaev, Aleksandr; Chernykh, Aleksey; Khoroshun, Anna; Mikhaylovskaya, Lidiya

2017-05-01

Based on the Kirchhoff-Fresnel approximation, we consider the behavior of optical vortices (OV) upon propagation of diffracted Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) beams with topological charge ∣m∣ = 1, 2. Under conditions of weak diffraction perturbation (i.e. the diffraction obstacle covers only the far transverse periphery of the incident LG beam), these OVs describe almost perfect 3D spirals within the diffracted beam body, which is an impressive demonstration of the helical nature of an OV beam. The far-field OV positions within the diffracted beam cross section depend on the wavefront curvature of the incident OV beam, so that the input wavefront curvature is transformed into the output azimuthal OV rotation. The results are expected to be useful in OV metrology and OV beam diagnostics.

Creation and Manipulation of Stable Dark Solitons and Vortices in Microcavity Polariton Condensates.

PubMed

Ma, Xuekai; Egorov, Oleg A; Schumacher, Stefan

2017-04-14

Solitons and vortices obtain widespread attention in different physical systems as they offer potential use in information storage, processing, and communication. In exciton-polariton condensates in semiconductor microcavities, solitons and vortices can be created optically. However, dark solitons are unstable and vortices cannot be spatially controlled. In the present work we demonstrate the existence of stable dark solitons and vortices under nonresonant incoherent excitation of a polariton condensate with a simple spatially periodic pump. In one dimension, we show that an additional coherent light pulse can be used to create or destroy a dark soliton in a controlled manner. In two dimensions we demonstrate that a coherent light beam can be used to move a vortex to a specific position on the lattice or be set into motion by simply switching the periodic pump structure from two-dimensional (lattice) to one-dimensional (stripes). Our theoretical results open up exciting possibilities for optical on-demand generation and control of dark solitons and vortices in polariton condensates.

Circular heat and momentum flux radiated by magneto-optical nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ott, A.; Ben-Abdallah, P.; Biehs, S.-A.

2018-05-01

In the present article we investigate the heat and momentum fluxes radiated by a hot magneto-optical nanoparticle in its surroundings under the action of an external magnetic field. We show that the flux lines circulate in a confined region at a nanometric distance from the particle around the axis of the magnetic field in a vortexlike configuration. Moreover we prove that the spatial orientation of these vortices (clockwise or counterclockwise) is associated with the contribution of optical resonances with topological charges m =+1 or m =-1 to the thermal emission. This work paves the way for a geometric description of heat and momentum transport in lattices of magneto-optical particles. Moreover it could have important applications in the field of energy storage as well as in thermal management at nanoscale.

Planar Optical Nanoantennas Resolve Cholesterol-Dependent Nanoscale Heterogeneities in the Plasma Membrane of Living Cells.

PubMed

Regmi, Raju; Winkler, Pamina M; Flauraud, Valentin; Borgman, Kyra J E; Manzo, Carlo; Brugger, Jürgen; Rigneault, Hervé; Wenger, Jérôme; García-Parajo, María F

2017-10-11

Optical nanoantennas can efficiently confine light into nanoscopic hotspots, enabling single-molecule detection sensitivity at biological relevant conditions. This innovative approach to breach the diffraction limit offers a versatile platform to investigate the dynamics of individual biomolecules in living cell membranes and their partitioning into cholesterol-dependent lipid nanodomains. Here, we present optical nanoantenna arrays with accessible surface hotspots to study the characteristic diffusion dynamics of phosphoethanolamine (PE) and sphingomyelin (SM) in the plasma membrane of living cells at the nanoscale. Fluorescence burst analysis and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy performed on nanoantennas of different gap sizes show that, unlike PE, SM is transiently trapped in cholesterol-enriched nanodomains of 10 nm diameter with short characteristic times around 100 μs. The removal of cholesterol led to the free diffusion of SM, consistent with the dispersion of nanodomains. Our results are consistent with the existence of highly transient and fluctuating nanoscale assemblies enriched by cholesterol and sphingolipids in living cell membranes, also known as lipid rafts. Quantitative data on sphingolipids partitioning into lipid rafts is crucial to understand the spatiotemporal heterogeneous organization of transient molecular complexes on the membrane of living cells at the nanoscale. The proposed technique is fully biocompatible and thus provides various opportunities for biophysics and live cell research to reveal details that remain hidden in confocal diffraction-limited measurements.

Planar Optical Nanoantennas Resolve Cholesterol-Dependent Nanoscale Heterogeneities in the Plasma Membrane of Living Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Regmi, Raju; Winkler, Pamina M.; Flauraud, Valentin; Borgman, Kyra J. E.; Manzo, Carlo; Brugger, Jürgen; Rigneault, Hervé; Wenger, Jérôme; García-Parajo, María F.

2017-10-01

Optical nanoantennas can efficiently confine light into nanoscopic hotspots, enabling single-molecule detection sensitivity at biological relevant conditions. This innovative approach to breach the diffraction limit offers a versatile platform to investigate the dynamics of individual biomolecules in living cell membranes and their partitioning into cholesterol-dependent lipid nanodomains. Here, we present optical nanoantenna arrays with accessible surface hotspots to study the characteristic diffusion dynamics of phosphoethanolamine (PE) and sphingomyelin (SM) in the plasma membrane of living cells at the nanoscale. Fluorescence burst analysis and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy performed on nanoantennas of different gap sizes show that, unlike PE, SM is transiently trapped in cholesterol-enriched nanodomains of 10 nm diameter with short characteristic times around 100 {\\mu}s. The removal of cholesterol led to the free diffusion of SM, consistent with the dispersion of nanodomains. Our results are consistent with the existence of highly transient and fluctuating nanoscale assemblies enriched by cholesterol and sphingolipids in living cell membranes, also known as lipid rafts. Quantitative data on sphingolipids partitioning into lipid rafts is crucial to understand the spatiotemporal heterogeneous organization of transient molecular complexes on the membrane of living cells at the nanoscale. The proposed technique is fully biocompatible and thus provides various opportunities for biophysics and live cell research to reveal details that remain hidden in confocal diffraction-limited measurements.

Nonlinear Mixing of Optical Vortices with Fractional Topological Charges in Raman Sideband Generation.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strohaber, James; Boran, Yakup; Sayrac, Muhammed; Johnson, Lewis; Zhu, Feng; Kolomenskii, Alexandre; Schuessler, Hans

We studied the nonlinear parametric interaction of femtosecond fractionally-charged optical vortices in a Raman-active medium. Propagation of such beams is described using the Kirchhoff-Fresnel integrals by embedding a non-integer 2pi phase step in a Gaussian beam profile. When using fractionally-charged pump or Stokes beams, we observed the production of new topological charge and phase discontinuities in the Raman field. These newly generated fractionally-charged Raman vortex beams were found to follow the same orbital angular momentum algebra derived by for integer vortex beams. This work was funded by the Robert A. Welch Foundation, Grant No. A1546 and the Qatar Foundation under Grants No. NPRP 6-465-1-091.

Measurements of Vorticity Vectors in Couette Flow with the Vorticity Optical Probe

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-05-01

Web 1981). The three components of the vorticity vector are measured, any two of them quite accurately. Multipoint measurement arrangements have been...the distribution of trajectory lengths is given by POrN ) rN O<rN<R. fwio-R R -rN where R is the angular measure of the detector radius. (The random...orticitv were performed deep within the viscous sublaver v 2.3). .At y < 10. the fluctuating vortici, ,tatistics show good agreement with the simulatins of

Optical tracking of nanoscale particles in microscale environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mathai, P. P.; Liddle, J. A.; Stavis, S. M.

2016-03-01

The trajectories of nanoscale particles through microscale environments record useful information about both the particles and the environments. Optical microscopes provide efficient access to this information through measurements of light in the far field from nanoparticles. Such measurements necessarily involve trade-offs in tracking capabilities. This article presents a measurement framework, based on information theory, that facilitates a more systematic understanding of such trade-offs to rationally design tracking systems for diverse applications. This framework includes the degrees of freedom of optical microscopes, which determine the limitations of tracking measurements in theory. In the laboratory, tracking systems are assemblies of sources and sensors, optics and stages, and nanoparticle emitters. The combined characteristics of such systems determine the limitations of tracking measurements in practice. This article reviews this tracking hardware with a focus on the essential functions of nanoparticles as optical emitters and microenvironmental probes. Within these theoretical and practical limitations, experimentalists have implemented a variety of tracking systems with different capabilities. This article reviews a selection of apparatuses and techniques for tracking multiple and single particles by tuning illumination and detection, and by using feedback and confinement to improve the measurements. Prior information is also useful in many tracking systems and measurements, which apply across a broad spectrum of science and technology. In the context of the framework and review of apparatuses and techniques, this article reviews a selection of applications, with particle diffusion serving as a prelude to tracking measurements in biological, fluid, and material systems, fabrication and assembly processes, and engineered devices. In so doing, this review identifies trends and gaps in particle tracking that might influence future research.

Optical tracking of nanoscale particles in microscale environments

PubMed Central

Mathai, P. P.; Liddle, J. A.; Stavis, S. M.

2016-01-01

The trajectories of nanoscale particles through microscale environments record useful information about both the particles and the environments. Optical microscopes provide efficient access to this information through measurements of light in the far field from nanoparticles. Such measurements necessarily involve trade-offs in tracking capabilities. This article presents a measurement framework, based on information theory, that facilitates a more systematic understanding of such trade-offs to rationally design tracking systems for diverse applications. This framework includes the degrees of freedom of optical microscopes, which determine the limitations of tracking measurements in theory. In the laboratory, tracking systems are assemblies of sources and sensors, optics and stages, and nanoparticle emitters. The combined characteristics of such systems determine the limitations of tracking measurements in practice. This article reviews this tracking hardware with a focus on the essential functions of nanoparticles as optical emitters and microenvironmental probes. Within these theoretical and practical limitations, experimentalists have implemented a variety of tracking systems with different capabilities. This article reviews a selection of apparatuses and techniques for tracking multiple and single particles by tuning illumination and detection, and by using feedback and confinement to improve the measurements. Prior information is also useful in many tracking systems and measurements, which apply across a broad spectrum of science and technology. In the context of the framework and review of apparatuses and techniques, this article reviews a selection of applications, with particle diffusion serving as a prelude to tracking measurements in biological, fluid, and material systems, fabrication and assembly processes, and engineered devices. In so doing, this review identifies trends and gaps in particle tracking that might influence future research. PMID:27213022

Application of Spectroscopic Doppler Velocimetry for Measurement of Streamwise Vorticity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fagan, Amy; Zaman, Khairul B.; Elam, Kristie A.; Clem, Michelle M.

2013-01-01

A spectroscopic Doppler velocimetry technique has been developed for measuring two transverse components of velocity and hence streamwise vorticity in free jet flows. The nonintrusive optical measurement system uses Mie scattering from a 200 mW green continuous-wave laser interacting with dust and other tracer particulates naturally present in the air flow to measure the velocities. Scattered light is collected in two opposing directions to provide measurements of two orthogonal velocity components. An air-spaced Fabry-Perot interferometer is used for spectral analysis to determine the optical frequency shift between the incident laser light and the Mie scattered light. This frequency shift is directly proportional to the velocity component in the direction of the bisector of the incident and scattered light wave propagation vectors. Data were acquired for jet Mach numbers of 1.73 and 0.99 using a convergent 1.27-cm diameter round nozzle fitted with a single triangular "delta-tab". The velocity components and the streamwise vorticity calculated from the measurements are presented. The results demonstrate the ability of this novel optical system to obtain velocity and vorticity data without any artificial seeding and using a low power laser system.

High transmittance optical films based on quantum dot doped nanoscale polymer dispersed liquid crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gandhi, Sahil Sandesh; Chien, Liang-Chy

2016-04-01

We propose a simple way to fabricate highly transparent nanoscale polymer dispersed liquid crystal (nano-PDLC) films between glass substrates and investigate their incident angle dependent optical transmittance properties with both collimated and Lambertian intensity distribution light sources. We also demonstrate that doping nano-PDLC films with 0.1% InP/ZnS core/shell quantum dots (QD) results in a higher optical transmittance. This work lays the foundation for such nanostructured composites to potentially serve as roll-to-roll coatable light extraction or brightness enhancement films in emissive display applications, superior to complex nanocorrugation techniques proposed in the past.

Vectorial nanoscale mapping of optical antenna fields by single molecule dipoles.

PubMed

Singh, Anshuman; Calbris, Gaëtan; van Hulst, Niek F

2014-08-13

Optical nanoantennas confine light on the nanoscale, enabling strong light-matter interactions and ultracompact optical devices. Such confined nanovolumes of light have nonzero field components in all directions (x, y, and z). Unfortunately mapping of the actual nanoscale field vectors has so far remained elusive, though antenna hotspots have been explored by several techniques. In this paper, we present a novel method to probe all three components of the local antenna field. To this end a resonant nanoantenna is fabricated at the vertex of a scanning tip. Next, the nanoantenna is deterministically scanned in close proximity to single fluorescent molecules, whose fixed excitation dipole moment reads out the local field vector. With nanometer molecular resolution, we distinctly map x-, y-, and z-field components of the dipole antenna, i.e. a full vectorial mode map, and show good agreement with full 3D FDTD simulations. Moreover, the fluorescence polarization maps the localized coupling, with emission through the longitudinal antenna mode. Finally, the resonant antenna probe is used for single molecule imaging with 40 nm fwhm response function. The total fluorescence enhancement is 7.6 times, while out-of-plane molecules, almost undetectable in far-field, are made visible by the strong antenna z-field with a fluorescence enhancement up to 100 times. Interestingly, the apparent position of molecules shifts up to 20 nm depending on their orientation. The capability to resolve orientational information on the single molecule level makes the scanning resonant antenna an ideal tool for extreme resolution bioimaging.

Calculating forces on thin flat plates with incomplete vorticity-field data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Limacher, Eric; Morton, Chris; Wood, David

2016-11-01

Optical experimental techniques such as particle image velocimetry (PIV) permit detailed quantification of velocities in the wakes of bluff bodies. Patterns in the wake development are significant to force generation, but it is not trivial to quantitatively relate changes in the wake to changes in measured forces. Key difficulties in this regard include: (i) accurate quantification of velocities close to the body, and (ii) the effect of missing velocity or vorticity data in regions where optical access is obscured. In the present work, we consider force formulations based on the vorticity field, wherein mathematical manipulation eliminates the need for accurate near-body velocity information. Attention is restricted to nominally two dimensional problems, namely (i) a linearly accelerating flat plate, investigated using PIV in a water tunnel, and (ii) a pitching plate in a freestream flow, as investigated numerically by Wang & Eldredge (2013). The effect of missing vorticity data on the pressure side of the plate has a significant impact on the calculation of force for the pitching plate test case. Fortunately, if the vorticity on the pressure side remains confined to a thin boundary layer, simple corrections can be applied to recover a force estimate.

The vorticity of Solar photospheric flows on the scale of granulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pevtsov, A. A.

2016-12-01

We employ time sequences of images observed with a G-band filter (λ4305Å) by the Solar Optical Telescope (SOT) on board of Hinode spacecraft at different latitude along solar central meridian to study vorticity of granular flows in quiet Sun areas during deep minimum of solar activity. Using a feature correlation tracking (FCT) technique, we calculate the vorticity of granular-scale flows. Assuming the known pattern of vertical flows (upward in granules and downward in intergranular lanes), we infer the sign of kinetic helicity of these flows. We show that the kinetic helicity of granular flows and intergranular vortices exhibits a weak hemispheric preference, which is in agreement with the action of the Coriolis force. This slight hemispheric sign asymmetry, however, is not statistically significant given large scatter in the average vorticity. The sign of the current helicity density of network magnetic fields computed using full disk vector magnetograms from the Synoptic Optical Long-term Investigations of the Sun (SOLIS) does not show any hemispheric preference. The combination of these two findings suggests that the photospheric dynamo operating on the scale of granular flows is non-helical in nature.

Revealing the subfemtosecond dynamics of orbital angular momentum in nanoplasmonic vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spektor, G.; Kilbane, D.; Mahro, A. K.; Frank, B.; Ristok, S.; Gal, L.; Kahl, P.; Podbiel, D.; Mathias, S.; Giessen, H.; Meyer zu Heringdorf, F.-J.; Orenstein, M.; Aeschlimann, M.

2017-03-01

The ability of light to carry and deliver orbital angular momentum (OAM) in the form of optical vortices has attracted much interest. The physical properties of light with a helical wavefront can be confined onto two-dimensional surfaces with subwavelength dimensions in the form of plasmonic vortices, opening avenues for thus far unknown light-matter interactions. Because of their extreme rotational velocity, the ultrafast dynamics of such vortices remained unexplored. Here we show the detailed spatiotemporal evolution of nanovortices using time-resolved two-photon photoemission electron microscopy. We observe both long- and short-range plasmonic vortices confined to deep subwavelength dimensions on the scale of 100 nanometers with nanometer spatial resolution and subfemtosecond time-step resolution. Finally, by measuring the angular velocity of the vortex, we directly extract the OAM magnitude of light.

Towards a nanoscale mammographic contrast agent: development of a modular pre-clinical dual optical/x-ray agent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hill, Melissa L.; Gorelikov, Ivan; Niroui, Farnaz; Levitin, Ronald B.; Mainprize, James G.; Yaffe, Martin J.; Rowlands, J. A.; Matsuura, Naomi

2013-08-01

Contrast-enhanced digital mammography (CEDM) can provide improved breast cancer detection and characterization compared to conventional mammography by imaging the effects of tumour angiogenesis. Current small-molecule contrast agents used for CEDM are limited by a short plasma half-life and rapid extravasation into tissue interstitial space. To address these limitations, nanoscale agents that can remain intravascular except at sites of tumour angiogenesis can be used. For CEDM, this agent must be both biocompatible and strongly attenuate mammographic energy x-rays. Nanoscale perfluorooctylbromide (PFOB) droplets have good x-ray attenuation and have been used in patients for other applications. However, the macroscopic scale of x-ray imaging (50-100 µm) is inadequate for direct verification that PFOB droplets localize at sites of breast tumour angiogenesis. For efficient pre-clinical optimization for CEDM, we integrated an optical marker into PFOB droplets for microscopic assessment (≪50 µm). To develop PFOB droplets as a new nanoscale mammographic contrast agent, PFOB droplets were labelled with fluorescent quantum dots (QDs). The droplets had mean diameters of 160 nm, fluoresced at 635 nm and attenuated x-ray spectra at 30.5 keV mean energy with a relative attenuation of 5.6 ± 0.3 Hounsfield units (HU) mg-1 mL-1 QD-PFOB. With the agent loaded into tissue phantoms, good correlation between x-ray attenuation and optical fluorescence was found (R2 = 0.96), confirming co-localization of the QDs with PFOB for quantitative assessment using x-ray or optical methods. Furthermore, the QDs can be removed from the PFOB agent without affecting its x-ray attenuation or structural properties for expedited translation of optimized PFOB droplet formulations into patients.

All-optical nanoscale thermometry with silicon-vacancy centers in diamond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, Christian T.; Evans, Ruffin E.; Sipahigil, Alp; Bhaskar, Mihir K.; Sukachev, Denis D.; Agafonov, Viatcheslav N.; Davydov, Valery A.; Kulikova, Liudmila F.; Jelezko, Fedor; Lukin, Mikhail D.

2018-05-01

We demonstrate an all-optical thermometer based on an ensemble of silicon-vacancy centers (SiVs) in diamond by utilizing the sensitivity of the zero-phonon line wavelength to temperature, Δλ/ΔT =0.0124 (2 ) nm K-1 [6.8(1) GHz K-1]. Using SiVs in bulk diamond, we achieve 70 mK precision at room temperature with a temperature uncertainty σT=360 mK/√{H z } . Finally, we use SiVs in 200 nm nanodiamonds as local temperature probes with 521 mK/ √{H z } uncertainty and achieve sub-Kelvin precision. These properties deviate by less than 1% between nanodiamonds, enabling calibration-free thermometry for sensing and control of complex nanoscale systems.

WDM Nanoscale Laser Diodes for Si Photonic Interconnects

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-07-25

mounting on silicon. The nanoscale VCSELs can achieve small optical modes and present a compact laser diode that is also robust. In this work we have used...Distribution Unlimited UU UU UU UU 25-07-2016 1-Feb-2012 31-Dec-2015 Final Report: WDM Nanoscale Laser Diodes for Si Photonic Interconnects The views...P.O. Box 12211 Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2211 VCSEL, optical interconnect, laser diode , semiconductor laser, microcavity REPORT DOCUMENTATION

Generating atomically sharp p -n junctions in graphene and testing quantum electron optics on the nanoscale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bai, Ke-Ke; Zhou, Jiao-Jiao; Wei, Yi-Cong; Qiao, Jia-Bin; Liu, Yi-Wen; Liu, Hai-Wen; Jiang, Hua; He, Lin

2018-01-01

Creation of high-quality p -n junctions in graphene monolayer is vital in studying many exotic phenomena of massless Dirac fermions. However, even with the fast progress of graphene technology for more than ten years, it remains conspicuously difficult to generate nanoscale and atomically sharp p -n junctions in graphene. Here, we realized nanoscale p -n junctions with atomically sharp boundaries in graphene monolayer by using monolayer vacancy island of Cu surface. The generated sharp p -n junctions with the height as high as 660 meV isolate the graphene above the Cu monolayer vacancy island as nanoscale graphene quantum dots (GQDs) in a continuous graphene sheet. Massless Dirac fermions are confined by the p -n junctions for a finite time to form quasibound states in the GQDs. By using scanning tunneling microscopy, we observe resonances of quasibound states in the GQDs with various sizes and directly visualize effects of geometries of the GQDs on the quantum interference patterns of the quasibound states, which allow us to test the quantum electron optics based on graphene in atomic scale.

Optical properties of tetragonal and nanoscale BiFeO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, P.; Xu, X. S.; Musfeldt, J. L.; Santulli, A. C.; Koenigsmann, C.; Wong, S. S.; Podraza, N. J.; Melville, A.; Vlahos, E.; Gopalan, V.; Schlom, D. G.; Ramesh, R.

2010-03-01

We measured the optical properties of tetragonal thin film and nanoscale rhombohedral BiFeO3 in the range from near infrared to the near ultraviolet. The absorption spectrum in the tetragonal film is overall blue-shifted compared with that of the rhombohedral BiFeO3 film. It shows an absorption onset near 2.25 eV, a direct 3.1 eV band gap, and charge transfer excitations that are ˜0.4 eV higher than those of the rhombohedral counterpart. In the nanoparticles, the band gap decreases from 2.7 eV to ˜2.3 eV, and the well-known 3.2 and 4.5 eV charge transfer excitations split into multiplets. We discuss these results in terms of structural strain, surface strain, and local symmetry breaking.

The size-quantized oscillations of the optical-phonon-limited electron mobility in AlN/GaN/AlN nanoscale heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pokatilov, E. P.; Nika, D. L.; Askerov, A. S.; Zincenco, N. D.; Balandin, A. A.

2007-12-01

nanometer scale thickness by taking into account multiple quantized electron subbands and the confined optical phonon dispersion. It was shown that the inter-subband electronic transitions play an important role in limiting the electron mobility in the heterostructures when the energy separation between one of the size-quantized excited electron subbands and the Fermi energy becomes comparable to the optical phonon energy. The latter leads to the oscillatory dependence of the electron mobility on the thickness of the heterostructure conduction channel layer. This effect is observable at room temperature and over a wide range of the carrier densities. The developed formalism and calculation procedure are readily applicable to other material systems. The described effect can be used for fine-tuning the confined electron and phonon states in the nanoscale heterostructures in order to achieve performance enhancement of the nanoscale electronic and optoelectronic devices.

Geometrical optics of beams with vortices: Berry phase and orbital angular momentum Hall effect.

PubMed

Bliokh, Konstantin Yu

2006-07-28

We consider propagation of a paraxial beam carrying the spin angular momentum (polarization) and intrinsic orbital angular momentum (IOAM) in a smoothly inhomogeneous isotropic medium. It is shown that the presence of IOAM can dramatically enhance and rearrange the topological phenomena that previously were considered solely in connection to the polarization of transverse waves. In particular, the appearance of a new type of Berry phase that describes the parallel transport of the beam structure along a curved ray is predicted. We derive the ray equations demonstrating the splitting of beams with different values of IOAM. This is the orbital angular momentum Hall effect, which resembles the Magnus effect for optical vortices. Unlike the spin Hall effect of photons, it can be much larger in magnitude and is inherent to waves of any nature. Experimental means to detect the phenomena are discussed.

Vorticity Transfer in Shock Wave Interactions with Turbulence and Vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agui, J. H.; Andreopoulos, J.

1998-11-01

Time-dependent, three-dimensional vorticity measurements of shock waves interacting with grid generated turbulence and concentrated tip vortices were conducted in a large diameter shock tube facility. Two different mesh size grids and a NACA-0012 semi-span wing acting as a tip vortex generator were used to carry out different relative Mach number interactions. The turbulence interactions produced a clear amplification of the lateral and spanwise vorticity rms, while the longitudinal component remained mostly unaffected. By comparison, the tip vortex/shock wave interactions produced a two fold increase in the rms of longitudinal vorticity. Considerable attention was given to the vorticity source terms. The mean and rms of the vorticity stretching terms dominated by 5 to 7 orders of magnitude over the dilitational compression terms in all the interactions. All three signals of the stretching terms manifested very intermittent, large amplitude peak events which indicated the bursting character of the stretching process. Distributions of these signals were characterized by extremely large levels of flatness with varying degrees of skewness. These distribution patterns were found to change only slightly through the turbulence interactions. However, the tip vortex/shock wave interactions brought about significant changes in these distributions which were associated with the abrupt structural changes of the vortex after the interaction.

Light funneling from a photonic crystal laser cavity to a nano-antenna: overcoming the diffraction limit in optical energy transfer down to the nanoscale.

PubMed

Mivelle, Mathieu; Viktorovitch, Pierre; Baida, Fadi I; El Eter, Ali; Xie, Zhihua; Vo, Than-Phong; Atie, Elie; Burr, Geoffrey W; Nedeljkovic, Dusan; Rauch, Jean-Yves; Callard, Ségolène; Grosjean, Thierry

2014-06-16

We show that the near-field coupling between a photonic crystal microlaser and a nano-antenna can enable hybrid photonic systems that are both physically compact (free from bulky optics) and efficient at transferring optical energy into the nano-antenna. Up to 19% of the laser power from a micron-scale photonic crystal laser cavity is experimentally transferred to a bowtie aperture nano-antenna (BNA) whose area is 400-fold smaller than the overall emission area of the microlaser. Instead of a direct deposition of the nano-antenna onto the photonic crystal, it is fabricated at the apex of a fiber tip to be accurately placed in the microlaser near-field. Such light funneling within a hybrid structure provides a path for overcoming the diffraction limit in optical energy transfer to the nanoscale and should thus open promising avenues in the nanoscale enhancement and confinement of light in compact architectures, impacting applications such as biosensing, optical trapping, local heating, spectroscopy, and nanoimaging.

Nanoscale Membrane Curvature detected by Polarized Localization Microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelly, Christopher; Maarouf, Abir; Woodward, Xinxin

Nanoscale membrane curvature is a necessary component of countless cellular processes. Here we present Polarized Localization Microscopy (PLM), a super-resolution optical imaging technique that enables the detection of nanoscale membrane curvature with order-of-magnitude improvements over comparable optical techniques. PLM combines the advantages of polarized total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy and fluorescence localization microscopy to reveal single-fluorophore locations and orientations without reducing localization precision by point spread function manipulation. PLM resolved nanoscale membrane curvature of a supported lipid bilayer draped over polystyrene nanoparticles on a glass coverslip, thus creating a model membrane with coexisting flat and curved regions and membrane radii of curvature as small as 20 nm. Further, PLM provides single-molecule trajectories and the aggregation of curvature-inducing proteins with super-resolution to reveal the correlated effects of membrane curvature, dynamics, and molecular sorting. For example, cholera toxin subunit B has been observed to induce nanoscale membrane budding and concentrate at the bud neck. PLM reveals a previously hidden and critical information of membrane topology.

Initial Circulation and Peak Vorticity Behavior of Vortices Shed from Airfoil Vortex Generators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wendt, Bruce J.; Biesiadny, Tom (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

An extensive parametric study of vortices shed from airfoil vortex generators has been conducted to determine the dependence of initial vortex circulation and peak vorticity on elements of the airfoil geometry and impinging flow conditions. These elements include the airfoil angle of attack, chord length, span, aspect ratio, local boundary layer thickness, and free stream Mach number. In addition, the influence of airfoil-to-airfoil spacing on the circulation and peak vorticity has been examined for pairs of co-rotating and counter-rotating vortices. The vortex generators were symmetric airfoils having a NACA-0012 cross-sectional profile. These airfoils were mounted either in isolation, or in pairs, on the surface of a straight pipe. The turbulent boundary layer thickness to pipe radius ratio was about 17 percent. The circulation and peak vorticity data were derived from cross-plane velocity measurements acquired with a seven-hole probe at one chord-length downstream of the airfoil trailing edge location. The circulation is observed to be proportional to the free-stream Mach number, the angle-of-attack, and the span-to-boundary layer thickness ratio. With these parameters held constant, the circulation is observed to fall off in monotonic fashion with increasing airfoil aspect ratio. The peak vorticity is also observed to be proportional to the free-stream Mach number, the airfoil angle-of-attack, and the span-to-boundary layer thickness ratio. Unlike circulation, however, the peak vorticity is observed to increase with increasing aspect ratio, reaching a peak value at an aspect ratio of about 2.0 before falling off again at higher values of aspect ratio. Co-rotating vortices shed from closely spaced pairs of airfoils have values of circulation and peak vorticity under those values found for vortices shed from isolated airfoils of the same geometry. Conversely, counter-rotating vortices show enhanced values of circulation and peak vorticity when compared to values

Single molecules and single nanoparticles as windows to the nanoscale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caldarola, Martín; Orrit, Michel

2018-05-01

Since the first optical detection of single molecules, they have been used as nanometersized optical sensors to explore the physical properties of materials and light-matter interaction at the nanoscale. Understanding nanoscale properties of materials is fundamental for the development of new technology that requires precise control of atoms and molecules when the quantum nature of matter cannot be ignored. In the following lines, we illustrate this journey into nanoscience with some experiments from our group.

Superhydrophobic, Biomimetic Surfaces with High and Low Adhesion, Optical Transmittance, and Nanoscale Mechanical Wear Resistance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebert, Daniel R.

Superhydrophobic surfaces (defined as surfaces having water contact angle greater than 150°) show great promise for use in a rapidly growing number of engineering applications, ranging from biomedical devices to fluid drag reduction in pipelines. In nature, the surfaces of many organisms, such as certain plant leaves, are known to exhibit superhydrophobicity. In some cases, droplet adhesion is very low (droplet rolls away easily), while in other cases adhesion is high (droplet remains adhered when surface is inverted). The recent advent and development of microscopes with resolution down to a few nanometers (such as atomic force microscopes and scanning electron microscopes) has allowed for in-depth understanding of the micro- and nanoscale mechanisms employed by these plant leaves and other natural surfaces to achieve their particular wetting properties. Biomimetics (or "mimicking nature") is therefore a very promising approach for the development of engineering surfaces with desired wetting characteristics. However, research in creating biomimetic surfaces is still in its early stages, and many of the surfaces created thus far are not mechanically robust, which is required for many potential real-world applications. In addition, for applications such as self-cleaning windows and solar panels, optical transparency is required. In this thesis, a set of original studies are presented in which superhydrophobic surfaces were designed based on biomimetics and fabricated using a wide of variety of techniques. The surfaces were characterized with regard to wetting characteristics such as water contact angle and contact angle hysteresis, micro- and nanoscale mechanical durability, and in some cases optical transmittance. Theoretical wetting models served as guides both in the design and in the understanding of experimental results, especially in regard to different wetting regime and regime transition. This work provides important conclusions and valuable insight for

Nanoscale chemical mapping of laser-solubilized silk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryu, Meguya; Kobayashi, Hanae; Balčytis, Armandas; Wang, Xuewen; Vongsvivut, Jitraporn; Li, Jingliang; Urayama, Norio; Mizeikis, Vygantas; Tobin, Mark; Juodkazis, Saulius; Morikawa, Junko

2017-11-01

A water soluble amorphous form of silk was made by ultra-short laser pulse irradiation and detected by nanoscale IR mapping. An optical absorption-induced nanoscale surface expansion was probed to yield the spectral response of silk at IR molecular fingerprinting wavelengths with a high  ˜ 20 nm spatial resolution defined by the tip of the probe. Silk microtomed sections of 1-5 μm in thickness were prepared for nanoscale spectroscopy and a laser was used to induce amorphisation. Comparison of silk absorbance measurements carried out by table-top and synchrotron Fourier transform IR spectroscopy proved that chemical imaging obtained at high spatial resolution and specificity (able to discriminate between amorphous and crystalline silk) is reliably achieved by nanoscale IR. Differences in absorbance and spectral line-shapes of the bands are related to the different sensitivity of the applied methods to real and imaginary parts of permittivity. A nanoscale material characterization by combining synchrotron IR radiation and nano-IR is discussed.

A fusion-spliced near-field optical fiber probe using photonic crystal fiber for nanoscale thermometry based on fluorescence-lifetime measurement of quantum dots.

PubMed

Fujii, Takuro; Taguchi, Yoshihiro; Saiki, Toshiharu; Nagasaka, Yuji

2011-01-01

We have developed a novel nanoscale temperature-measurement method using fluorescence in the near-field called fluorescence near-field optics thermal nanoscopy (Fluor-NOTN). Fluor-NOTN enables the temperature distributions of nanoscale materials to be measured in vivo/in situ. The proposed method measures temperature by detecting the temperature dependent fluorescence lifetimes of Cd/Se quantum dots (QDs). For a high-sensitivity temperature measurement, the auto-fluorescence generated from a fiber probe should be reduced. In order to decrease the noise, we have fabricated a novel near-field optical-fiber probe by fusion-splicing a photonic crystal fiber (PCF) and a conventional single-mode fiber (SMF). The validity of the novel fiber probe was assessed experimentally by evaluating the auto-fluorescence spectra of the PCF. Due to the decrease of auto-fluorescence, a six- to ten-fold increase of S/N in the near-field fluorescence lifetime detection was achieved with the newly fabricated fusion-spliced near-field optical fiber probe. Additionally, the near-field fluorescence lifetime of the quantum dots was successfully measured by the fabricated fusion-spliced near-field optical fiber probe at room temperature, and was estimated to be 10.0 ns.

Phonovoltaic. I. Harvesting hot optical phonons in a nanoscale p -n junction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melnick, Corey; Kaviany, Massoud

2016-03-01

The phonovoltaic (pV) cell is similar to the photovoltaic. It harvests nonequilibrium (hot) optical phonons (Ep ,O) more energetic than the band gap (Δ Ee ,g) to generate power in a p-n junction. We examine the theoretical electron-phonon and phonon-phonon scattering rates, the Boltzmann transport of electrons, and the diode equation and hydrodynamic simulations to describe the operation of a pV cell and develop an analytic model predicting its efficiency. Our findings indicate that a pV material with Ep ,O≃Δ Ee ,g≫kBT , where kBT is the thermal energy, and a strong interband electron-phonon coupling surpasses the thermoelectric limit, provided the optical phonon population is excited in a nanoscale cell, enabling the ensuing local nonequilibrium. Finding and tuning a material with these properties is challenging. In Paper II [C. Melnick and M. Kaviany, Phys. Rev. B 93, 125203 (2016), 10.1103/PhysRevB.93.125203], we tune the band gap of graphite within density functional theory through hydrogenation and the application of isotropic strains. The band gap is tuned to resonate with its energetic optical phonon modes and calculate the ab initio electron-phonon and phonon-phonon scattering rates. While hydrogenation degrades the strong electron-phonon coupling in graphene such that the figure of merit vanishes, we outline the methodology for a continued material search.

Baroclinic Vortices in Rotating Stratified Shearing Flows: Cyclones, Anticyclones, and Zombie Vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hassanzadeh, Pedram

Large coherent vortices are abundant in geophysical and astrophysical flows. They play significant roles in the Earth's oceans and atmosphere, the atmosphere of gas giants, such as Jupiter, and the protoplanetary disks around forming stars. These vortices are essentially three-dimensional (3D) and baroclinic, and their dynamics are strongly influenced by the rotation and density stratification of their environments. This work focuses on improving our understanding of the physics of 3D baroclinic vortices in rotating and continuously stratified flows using 3D spectral simulations of the Boussinesq equations, as well as simplified mathematical models. The first chapter discusses the big picture and summarizes the results of this work. In Chapter 2, we derive a relationship for the aspect ratio (i.e., vertical half-thickness over horizontal length scale) of steady and slowly-evolving baroclinic vortices in rotating stratified fluids. We show that the aspect ratio is a function of the Brunt-Vaisala frequencies within the vortex and outside the vortex, the Coriolis parameter, and the Rossby number of the vortex. This equation is basically the gradient-wind equation integrated over the vortex, and is significantly different from the previously proposed scaling laws that find the aspect ratio to be only a function of the properties of the background flow, and independent of the dynamics of the vortex. Our relation is valid for cyclones and anticyclones in either the cyclostrophic or geostrophic regimes; it works with vortices in Boussinesq fluids or ideal gases, and non-uniform background density gradient. The relation for the aspect ratio has many consequences for quasi-equilibrium vortices in rotating stratified flows. For example, cyclones must have interiors more stratified than the background flow (i.e., super-stratified), and weak anticyclones must have interiors less stratified than the background (i.e., sub-stratified). In addition, this equation is useful to

Investigating Nanoscale Electrochemistry with Surface- and Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy.

PubMed

Zaleski, Stephanie; Wilson, Andrew J; Mattei, Michael; Chen, Xu; Goubert, Guillaume; Cardinal, M Fernanda; Willets, Katherine A; Van Duyne, Richard P

2016-09-20

The chemical sensitivity of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) methodologies allows for the investigation of heterogeneous chemical reactions with high sensitivity. Specifically, SERS methodologies are well-suited to study electron transfer (ET) reactions, which lie at the heart of numerous fundamental processes: electrocatalysis, solar energy conversion, energy storage in batteries, and biological events such as photosynthesis. Heterogeneous ET reactions are commonly monitored by electrochemical methods such as cyclic voltammetry, observing billions of electrochemical events per second. Since the first proof of detecting single molecules by redox cycling, there has been growing interest in examining electrochemistry at the nanoscale and single-molecule levels. Doing so unravels details that would otherwise be obscured by an ensemble experiment. The use of optical spectroscopies, such as SERS, to elucidate nanoscale electrochemical behavior is an attractive alternative to traditional approaches such as scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM). While techniques such as single-molecule fluorescence or electrogenerated chemiluminescence have been used to optically monitor electrochemical events, SERS methodologies, in particular, have shown great promise for exploring electrochemistry at the nanoscale. SERS is ideally suited to study nanoscale electrochemistry because the Raman-enhancing metallic, nanoscale substrate duly serves as the working electrode material. Moreover, SERS has the ability to directly probe single molecules without redox cycling and can achieve nanoscale spatial resolution in combination with super-resolution or scanning probe microscopies. This Account summarizes the latest progress from the Van Duyne and Willets groups toward understanding nanoelectrochemistry using Raman spectroscopic methodologies. The first half of this Account highlights three techniques that have been recently used to probe few- or single-molecule electrochemical

Nanoscale superconducting memory based on the kinetic inductance of asymmetric nanowire loops

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy, Andrew; Averin, Dmitri V.; Bezryadin, Alexey

2017-06-01

The demand for low-dissipation nanoscale memory devices is as strong as ever. As Moore’s law is staggering, and the demand for a low-power-consuming supercomputer is high, the goal of making information processing circuits out of superconductors is one of the central goals of modern technology and physics. So far, digital superconducting circuits could not demonstrate their immense potential. One important reason for this is that a dense superconducting memory technology is not yet available. Miniaturization of traditional superconducting quantum interference devices is difficult below a few micrometers because their operation relies on the geometric inductance of the superconducting loop. Magnetic memories do allow nanometer-scale miniaturization, but they are not purely superconducting (Baek et al 2014 Nat. Commun. 5 3888). Our approach is to make nanometer scale memory cells based on the kinetic inductance (and not geometric inductance) of superconducting nanowire loops, which have already shown many fascinating properties (Aprili 2006 Nat. Nanotechnol. 1 15; Hopkins et al 2005 Science 308 1762). This allows much smaller devices and naturally eliminates magnetic-field cross-talk. We demonstrate that the vorticity, i.e., the winding number of the order parameter, of a closed superconducting loop can be used for realizing a nanoscale nonvolatile memory device. We demonstrate how to alter the vorticity in a controlled fashion by applying calibrated current pulses. A reliable read-out of the memory is also demonstrated. We present arguments that such memory can be developed to operate without energy dissipation.

Center vortices in confinement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alexandru, Viorel-Andrei

2001-11-01

The confinement property of quarks is still one of the puzzles of today's physics. Although QCD is believed to accurately describe the interaction between quarks, due to the peculiar nature of the theory we are still unable to prove that it confines the quarks. Most analytical efforts in QCD are based on perturbative techniques which are useless in studying confinement. Lattice gauge theory enables us to get non-perturbative results. We use lattice techniques to investigate one of the proposed mechanisms of quark confinement, namely the center vortex idea. We first present a cursory introduction to lattice theory and the methods used to detect confinement on the lattices. We then show how the center vortices are suppose to produce confinement using center vortices to study Z2 lattice gauge theory. A review of the current studies regarding the idea of center vortices follows. The last chapter is dedicated to studying a particular definition of center vortices due to Tomboulis. We show how to implement this definition of vortices in numerical simulations and use numerical simulations to check the assumptions underlying the formalism. We also compare Tomboulis definition with other methods used to identify vortices on lattice.

Stability of knotted vortices in wave chaos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, Alexander; Dennis, Mark

Large scale tangles of disordered filaments occur in many diverse physical systems, from turbulent superfluids to optical volume speckle to liquid crystal phases. They can exhibit particular large scale random statistics despite very different local physics. We have previously used the topological statistics of knotting and linking to characterise the large scale tangling, using the vortices of three-dimensional wave chaos as a universal model system whose physical lengthscales are set only by the wavelength. Unlike geometrical quantities, the statistics of knotting depend strongly on the physical system and boundary conditions. Although knotting patterns characterise different systems, the topology of vortices is highly unstable to perturbation, under which they may reconnect with one another. In systems of constructed knots, these reconnections generally rapidly destroy the knot, but for vortex tangles the topological statistics must be stable. Using large scale simulations of chaotic eigenfunctions, we numerically investigate the prevalence and impact of reconnection events, and their effect on the topology of the tangle.

Crossflow vorticity sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holmes, Bruce J. (Inventor); Carraway, Debra L. (Inventor); Holmes, Harlan K. (Inventor); Moore, Thomas C. (Inventor)

1988-01-01

A crossflow vorticity sensor for the detection of crossflow vorticity characteristics is described. The sensor is comprised of crossflow sensors which are noninvasively adhered to a swept wing laminar surface either singularly, in multi-element strips, in polar patterns, or in orthogonal patterns. These crossflow sensors are comprised of hot-film sensor elements which operate as a constant temperature anemometer circuit to detect heat transfer rate changes. Accordingly, crossflow vorticity characteristics are determined via cross-correlation. In addition, the crossflow sensors have a thickness which does not exceed a maximum value h in order to avoid contamination of downstream crossflow sensors.

Propagation dynamics of off-axis symmetrical and asymmetrical vortices embedded in flat-topped beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xu; Wang, Haiyan

2017-11-01

In this paper, propagation dynamics of off-axis symmetrical and asymmetrical optical vortices(OVs) embedded in flat-topped beams have been explored numerically based on rigorous scalar diffraction theory. The distribution properties of phase and intensity play an important role in driving the propagation dynamics of OVs. Numerical results show that the single off-axis vortex moves in a straight line. The displacement of the single off-axis vortex becomes smaller, when either the order of flatness N and the beam size ω0are increased or the off-axis displacement d is decreased. In addition, the phase singularities of high order vortex beams can be split after propagating a certain distance. It is also demonstrated that the movement of OVs are closely related with the spatial symmetrical or asymmetrical distribution of vortex singularities field. Multiple symmetrical and asymmetrical optical vortices(OVs) embedded in flat-topped beams can interact and rotate. The investment of the propagation dynamics of OVs may have many applications in optical micro-manipulation and optical tweezers.

Self-focusing of ultraintense femtosecond optical vortices in air.

PubMed

Polynkin, P; Ament, C; Moloney, J V

2013-07-12

Our experiments show that the critical power for self-focusing collapse of femtosecond vortex beams in air is significantly higher than that of a flattop beam and grows approximately linearly with the vortex order. With less than 10% of initial transverse intensity modulation of the beam profiles, the dominant mode of self-focusing collapse is the azimuthal breakup of the vortex rings into individual filaments, the number of which grows with the input beam power. The generated bottlelike distributions of plasma filaments rotate on propagation in the direction determined by the sense of vorticity.

Groove micro-structure optical fiber refractive index sensor with nanoscale gold film based on surface plasmon resonance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhen; Li, Shuguang; Liu, Qiang; Feng, Xinxing; Zhang, Shuhuan; Wang, Yujun; Wu, Junjun

2018-07-01

A groove micro-structure optical fiber refractive index sensor with nanoscale gold film based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) is proposed and analyzed by the finite element method (FEM). Numerical results show that the average sensitivity is 15,933 nm/refractive index unit (RIU) with the refractive index of analyte ranging from 1.40 to 1.43 and the maximum sensitivity is 28,600 nm/RIU and the resolution of the sensor is 3.50 × 10-8 RIU. The groove micro-structure optical fiber refractive index sensor do some changes on the D-shaped fiber sensor, compared with conventional D-shaped fiber sensor, it has a higher sensitivity and it is easier to produce than the traditional SPR sensor.

Characteristics of mesoscale vortices over China in 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shu, Yu; Sun, Jisong; Pan, Yinong

2017-12-01

Mesoscale vortices, which appear at middle and lower levels of rainstorms, are cyclonic circulations with a size ranging from tens of kilometers to several hundred kilometers. Mesoscale vortices often have close relationships with convective activities. The ERA-Interim dataset and an automatic vortex-searching method were used to identify the mesoscale vortices occurring over China in 2015 and their basic characteristics were analyzed. The mesoscale vortices are divided into three categories: mesoscale convective vortices, mesoscale stratiform vortices, and mesoscale dry vortices. The mesoscale convective vortices have the largest intensity, size, and duration, whereas the mesoscale dry vortices have the smallest. Mesoscale convective vortices are able to form in any direction of the parent mesoscale convective system, although the secondary convection tends to appear to the southeast of the parent vortices. The mesoscale vortices tend to generate in the transition area between high and low altitudes. The leeward side of the Tibetan Plateau is the main source region of mesoscale vortices in China. Most of vortices are generated at midday and midnight. The activities of mesoscale convective vortices and mesoscale stratiform vortices peak in summer, whereas those of the mesoscale dry vortices peak in winter.

Finiteness of corner vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalita, Jiten C.; Biswas, Sougata; Panda, Swapnendu

2018-04-01

Till date, the sequence of vortices present in the solid corners of steady internal viscous incompressible flows was thought to be infinite. However, the already existing and most recent geometric theories on incompressible viscous flows that express vortical structures in terms of critical points in bounded domains indicate a strong opposition to this notion of infiniteness. In this study, we endeavor to bridge the gap between the two opposing stream of thoughts by diagnosing the assumptions of the existing theorems on such vortices. We provide our own set of proofs for establishing the finiteness of the sequence of corner vortices by making use of the continuum hypothesis and Kolmogorov scale, which guarantee a nonzero scale for the smallest vortex structure possible in incompressible viscous flows. We point out that the notion of infiniteness resulting from discrete self-similarity of the vortex structures is not physically feasible. Making use of some elementary concepts of mathematical analysis and our own construction of diametric disks, we conclude that the sequence of corner vortices is finite.

Jupiter's Great Red Spot and other vortices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marcus, Philip S.

1993-01-01

A theoretical explanation of Jupiter's Great Red Spot (GRS) as the self-organization of vorticity in turbulence is presented. A number of properties of the GRS and other Jovian vortices that are unambiguous from the data are listed. The simplest possible model that explains these properties one at a time rather than in a difficult all-encompassing planetary global circulation model is presented. It is shown that Jovian vortices reflect the behavior of quasi-geostrophic (QG) vortices embedded in an east-west wind with bands of uniform potential vorticity. It is argued that most of the properties of the Jovian vortices can be easily explained and understood with QG theory. Many of the signatures of QG vortices are apparent on Voyager images. In numerical and laboratory experiments, QG vortices relax to approximately steady states like the Jovian vortices, rather than oscillating or rotating Kida ellipses.

Concentration of vorticity due to selective decay in doubly periodic vortices and a vortex pair

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hattori, Yuji

2018-01-01

Strong vortices like tornadoes, typhoons, and tropical cyclones are often created in geophysical flows. It is important to understand the mechanism for the creation of these strong vortices. Recently, we found a purely hydrodynamic mechanism for the concentration of vorticity: it is due to selective decay in which circulation decays faster than angular momentum and energy. In this paper, two problems are investigated by direct numerical simulation to seek universality of this mechanism: doubly periodic vortices disturbed by an unstable eigenmode and a vortex pair disturbed by localized disturbances. In the former case, concentration of vorticity occurs when the wavenumber of the eigenmode is large, while it does not occur for small wavenumbers. For small wavenumbers the disturbances grow to a large amplitude eventually destroying the base flow. For large wavenumber, on the other hand, the growth of the disturbances saturates before destroying the base flow. Selective decay of inviscid invariants is shown to be responsible for the concentration of vorticity as in the previous study. In the case of a vortex pair disturbed by localized disturbances concentration of vorticity occurs twice: the first concentration is not related to selective decay; however, the second weak concentration is most likely due to selective decay.

Direct Nanoscale Characterization of Submolecular Mobility in Complex Organic Non-linear Optical Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knorr, Daniel; Gray, Tomoko; Kim, Tae-Dong; Luo, Jingdong; Jen, Alex; Overney, Rene

2008-03-01

For organic non-linear optical (NLO) materials composed of intricate molecular building blocks, the challenge is to deduce meaningful molecular scale mobility information to understand complex relaxation and phase behavior. This is crucial, as the process of achieving a robust acentric alignment strongly depends on the availability of inter- and intra-molecular mobilities outside the temperature range of the device operation window. Here, we introduce a nanoscale methodology based on scanning probe microscopy that provides direct insight into structural relaxations and shows great potential to direct material design of sophisticated macromolecules. It also offers a means by which mesoscale dynamics and cooperativity involved in relaxation processes can be quantified in terms of dynamic entropy and enthalpy. This study demonstrates this methodology to describe the mesocale dynamics of two systems (1) organic networking dendronized NLO molecular glasses that self-assemble into physically linked polymers due to quadrupolar phenyl-perfluorophenyl interactions and (2) dendronized side-chain electro-optic (EO) polymers. For the self assembling glasses, the degree of intermolecular cooperativity can be deduced using this methodology, while for the dendronized side-chain polymers, specific side chain mobilities are exploited to improve EO properties.

FDTD based model of ISOCT imaging for validation of nanoscale sensitivity (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eid, Aya; Zhang, Di; Yi, Ji; Backman, Vadim

2017-02-01

Many of the earliest structural changes associated with neoplasia occur on the micro and nanometer scale, and thus appear histologically normal. Our group has established Inverse Spectroscopic OCT (ISOCT), a spectral based technique to extract nanoscale sensitive metrics derived from the OCT signal. Thus, there is a need to model light transport through relatively large volumes (< 50 um^3) of media with nanoscale level resolution. Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) is an iterative approach which directly solves Maxwell's equations to robustly estimate the electric and magnetic fields propagating through a sample. The sample's refractive index for every spatial voxel and wavelength are specified upon a grid with voxel sizes on the order of λ/20, making it an ideal modelling technique for nanoscale structure analysis. Here, we utilize the FDTD technique to validate the nanoscale sensing ability of ISOCT. The use of FDTD for OCT modelling requires three components: calculating the source beam as it propagates through the optical system, computing the sample's scattered field using FDTD, and finally propagating the scattered field back through the optical system. The principles of Fourier optics are employed to focus this interference field through a 4f optical system and onto the detector. Three-dimensional numerical samples are generated from a given refractive index correlation function with known parameters, and subsequent OCT images and mass density correlation function metrics are computed. We show that while the resolvability of the OCT image remains diffraction limited, spectral analysis allows nanoscale sensitive metrics to be extracted.

Von Karman Vortices

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

July 4th, 2002: Description: As air flows over and around objects in its path, spiraling eddies, known as Von Karman vortices, may form. The vortices in this image were created when prevailing winds sweeping east across the northern Pacific Ocean encountered Alaska’s Aleutian Islands. Source: Landsat 7 To learn more about the Landsat satellite go to: landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/

Fluid transport by dipolar vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

I, Eames; J.-B, Flór

1998-08-01

The transport properties of dipolar vortices propagating on an f-plane are studied experimentally by examining the distortion of a series of material surfaces. The observations are compared with a model based on characterising the flow around the dipole as irrotational flow past a rigid cylinder of volume V. Measurements made of the volume of fluid permanently displaced forward by the vortices, agree to within 20% of that predicted by the proposition of Darwin [Darwin, C., 1953. A note on hydrodynamics. Proc. Cambridge Philos. Soc., 49, 342-354], namely that the vortex will displace a volume CMV forward, where CM=1 for a Lamb's dipole. The results are applied to examine fluid transport by dipolar vortices propagating on the β-plane, where the ambient potential vorticity field causes easterly propagating dipolar vortices to meander sinusoidally between the North and South. We demonstrate that as the vortex moves between the North and South, it exchanges a volume CMV sin α by the drift effect (where α is the angle between the velocity of the dipole and the material surface), which is generally larger than that attributed to other mechanisms such as lobe shedding. The results are applied to give new insight to the effect of vortices in enhancing diffusion, and the secondary flow generated by the transport of ambient potential vorticity.

On Multiple-Layered Vortices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rossow, Vernon J.

2011-01-01

As part of an ongoing effort to find ways to make vortex flow fields decompose more quickly, photographs and observations are presented of vortex flow fields that indicate the presence of multiple layers of fluid rotating about a common axis. A survey of the literature indicates that multiple-layered vortices form in waterspouts, tornadoes and lift-generated vortices of aircraft. An explanation for the appearance of multiple-layered structures in vortices is suggested. The observations and data presented are intended to improve the understanding of the formation and persistence of vortex flow fields.

Nanoscale Ultrasound-Switchable FRET-Based Liposomes for Near-Infrared Fluorescence Imaging in Optically Turbid Media.

PubMed

Zhang, Qimei; Morgan, Stephen P; Mather, Melissa L

2017-09-01

A new approach for fluorescence imaging in optically turbid media centered on the use of nanoscale ultrasound-switchable FRET-based liposome contrast agents is reported. Liposomes containing lipophilic carbocyanine dyes as FRET pairs with emission wavelengths located in the near-infrared window are prepared. The efficacy of FRET and self-quenching for liposomes with a range of fluorophore concentrations is first calculated from measurement of the liposome emission spectra. Exposure of the liposomes to ultrasound results in changes in the detected fluorescent signal, the nature of which depends on the fluorophores used, detection wavelength, and the fluorophore concentration. Line scanning of a tube containing the contrast agents with 1 mm inner diameter buried at a depth of 1 cm in a heavily scattering tissue phantom demonstrates an improvement in image spatial resolution by a factor of 6.3 as compared with images obtained in the absence of ultrasound. Improvements are also seen in image contrast with the highest obtained being 9% for a liposome system containing FRET pairs. Overall the results obtained provide evidence of the potential the nanoscale ultrasound-switchable FRET-based liposomes studied here have for in vivo fluorescence imaging. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Dynamics of vortices in polariton quantum fluids : From full vortices, to half vortices and vortex pairs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deveaud-Plédran, Benoit

2012-02-01

Polariton quantum fluids may be created both spontaneously through a standard phase transition towards a Bose Einstein condensate, or may be resonantly driven with a well-defined speed. Thanks to the photonic component of polaritons, the properties of the quantum fluid may be accessed rather directly with in particular the possibility of detained interferometric studies. Here, I will detail the dynamics of vortices, obtained with a picosecond time resolution, in different configurations, with in particular their phase dynamics. I will show in particular the dynamics the dynamics of spontaneous creation of a vortex, the dissociation of a full vortex into two half vortices as well as the dynamics of the dissociation of a dark soliton line into a street of pairs of vortices. Work done at EPFL by a dream team of Postdocs PhD students and collaborators: K. Lagoudakis, G. Nardin, T. Paraiso, G. Grosso, F. Manni, Y L'eger, M. Portella Oberli, F. Morier-Genoud and the help of our friend theorists V, Savona, M. Vouters and T. Liew.

Plane mixing layer vortical structure kinematics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leboeuf, Richard L.

1993-01-01

The objective of the current project was to experimentally investigate the structure and dynamics of the streamwise vorticity in a plane mixing layer. The first part of this research program was intended to clarify whether the observed decrease in mean streamwise vorticity in the far-field of mixing layers is due primarily to the 'smearing' caused by vortex meander or to diffusion. Two-point velocity correlation measurements have been used to show that there is little spanwise meander of the large-scale streamwise vortical structure. The correlation measurements also indicate a large degree of transverse meander of the streamwise vorticity which is not surprising since the streamwise vorticity exists in the inclined braid region between the spanwise vortex core regions. The streamwise convection of the braid region thereby introduces an apparent transverse meander into measurements using stationary probes. These results corroborated with estimated secondary velocity profiles in which the streamwise vorticity produces a signature which was tracked in time.

Integrated Nanoscale Antenna-LED for On-Chip Optical Communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fortuna, Seth

Traditional semiconductor light emitting diodes (LEDs) have low modulation speed because of long spontaneous emission lifetime. Spontaneous emission in semiconductors (and indeed most light emitters) is an inherently slow process owing to the size mismatch between the dipole length of the optical dipole oscillators responsible for light emission and the wavelength of the emitted light. More simply stated: semiconductors behave as a poor antenna for its own light emission. By coupling a semiconductor at the nanoscale to an external antenna, the spontaneous emission rate can be dramatically increased alluding to the exciting possibility of an antenna-LED that can be directly modulated faster than the laser. Such an antenna-LED is well-suited as a light source for on-chip optical communication where small size, fast speed, and high efficiency are needed to achieve the promised benefit of reduced power consumption of on-chip optical interconnect links compared with less efficient electrical interconnect links. Despite the promise of the antenna-LED, significant challenges remain to implement an antenna-coupled device in a monolithically integrated manner. Notably, most demonstrations of antenna-enhanced spontaneous emission have relied upon optical pumping of the light emitting material which is useful for fundamental studies; however, an electrical injection scheme is required for practical implementation of an antenna-LED. In this dissertation, demonstration of an electrically-injected III-V antenna-LED is reported: an important milestone toward on-chip optical interconnects. In the first part of this dissertation, the general design principles of enhancing the spontaneous emission rate of a semiconductor with an optical antenna is discussed. The cavity-backed slot antenna is shown to be uniquely suited for an electrically-injected antenna-LED because of large spontaneous emission enhancement, simple fabrication, and directional emission of light. The design

Optical Rogue Waves in Vortex Turbulence.

PubMed

Gibson, Christopher J; Yao, Alison M; Oppo, Gian-Luca

2016-01-29

We present a spatiotemporal mechanism for producing 2D optical rogue waves in the presence of a turbulent state with creation, interaction, and annihilation of optical vortices. Spatially periodic structures with bound phase lose stability to phase unbound turbulent states in complex Ginzburg-Landau and Swift-Hohenberg models with external driving. When the pumping is high and the external driving is low, synchronized oscillations are unstable and lead to spatiotemporal vortex-mediated turbulence with high excursions in amplitude. Nonlinear amplification leads to rogue waves close to turbulent optical vortices, where the amplitude tends to zero, and to probability density functions (PDFs) with long tails typical of extreme optical events.

Monopolar vortices as relative equilibria and their dissipative decay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vandefliert, B. W.; Vangroesen, E. W. C.

1991-11-01

Families of confined rotating monopolar vortices are characterized using a variational formulation with the angular momentum as the driving force for confinement. The characterization for positive monopolar vortices given, can be extended to negative vortices or to vortices within a rotating frame of reference. Besides the uniform Kirchhoff paths, new branches of vorticity solutions are found restricting the dynamics to levelsets of both the angular momentum and the quadratic anisotropy. The rotation rate of the smooth vorticity structures depends on the vorticity profile. This is made perceptible by considering both minimum energy vortices and minimizing vortices, rotating counterclockwise and clockwise respectively. An approximation for the decay of the vortices due to dissipation is given in terms of the dissipation of the integrals in the inviscid system. This description enables us to consider dissipation of vortices without loss of confinement. The elliptical Kirchhoff patches are found to symmetrize into circular patches. The minimum energy vortices gradually diminish while expending their support, while the maximum energy vortices are unstable for the dissipative evolution.

Tomographic PIV Study of Hairpin Vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sabatino, Daniel; Rossmann, Tobias

2014-11-01

Tomographic PIV is used in a free surface water channel to quantify the flow behavior of hairpin vortices that are artificially generated in a laminar boundary layer. Direct injection from a 32:1 aspect ratio slot at low blowing ratios (0 . 1 < BR < 0 . 2) is used to generate an isolated hairpin vortex in a thick laminar boundary layer (485 < Reδ* < 600). Due to the large dynamic range of length and velocity scales (the resulting vortices have advection velocities 5X greater than their tangential velocities), a tailored optical arrangement and specialized post processing techniques are required to fully capture the small-scale behavior and long-time development of the flow field. Hairpin generation and evolution are presented using the λ2 criterion derived from the instantaneous, three-dimensional velocity field. The insight provided by the tomographic data is also compared to the conclusions drawn from 2D PIV and passive scalar visualizations. Finally, the three-dimensional behavior of the measured velocity field is correlated with that of a simultaneously imaged, passive scalar dye that marks the boundary of the injected fluid, allowing the examination of the entrainment behavior of the hairpin. Supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant CBET-1040236.

Review of vortices in wildland fire

Treesearch

Jason M. Forthofer; Scott L. Goodrick

2011-01-01

Vortices are almost always present in the wildland fire environment and can sometimes interact with the fire in unpredictable ways, causing extreme fire behavior and safety concerns. In this paper, the current state of knowledge of the interaction of wildland fire and vortices is examined and reviewed. A basic introduction to vorticity is given, and the two common...

Nanoscale chirality in metal and semiconductor nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Thomas, K. George

2016-01-01

The field of chirality has recently seen a rejuvenation due to the observation of chirality in inorganic nanomaterials. The advancements in understanding the origin of nanoscale chirality and the potential applications of chiroptical nanomaterials in the areas of optics, catalysis and biosensing, among others, have opened up new avenues toward new concepts and design of novel materials. In this article, we review the concept of nanoscale chirality in metal nanoclusters and semiconductor quantum dots, then focus on recent experimental and theoretical advances in chiral metal nanoparticles and plasmonic chirality. Selected examples of potential applications and an outlook on the research on chiral nanomaterials are additionally provided. PMID:27752651

Nanoscale chirality in metal and semiconductor nanoparticles.

PubMed

Kumar, Jatish; Thomas, K George; Liz-Marzán, Luis M

2016-10-18

The field of chirality has recently seen a rejuvenation due to the observation of chirality in inorganic nanomaterials. The advancements in understanding the origin of nanoscale chirality and the potential applications of chiroptical nanomaterials in the areas of optics, catalysis and biosensing, among others, have opened up new avenues toward new concepts and design of novel materials. In this article, we review the concept of nanoscale chirality in metal nanoclusters and semiconductor quantum dots, then focus on recent experimental and theoretical advances in chiral metal nanoparticles and plasmonic chirality. Selected examples of potential applications and an outlook on the research on chiral nanomaterials are additionally provided.

Nano-scale optical circuits and self-organized lightwave network (SOLNET) fabricated using sol-gel materials with photo-induced refractive index increase

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ono, Shigeru; Yoshimura, Tetsuzo; Sato, Tetsuo; Oshima, Juro

2009-02-01

Recently, Nissan Chemical Industries, LTD, developed the photo-induced refractive index variation sol-gel materials, in which the refractive index increases from 1.65 to 1.85 by ultra-violet (UV) light exposure and baking. The materials enable us to fabricate high-index-contract waveguides without developing/etching processes and strong-lightconfinement self-organized lightwave network (SOLNET). Therefore, the materials are expected promising for nanoscale optical circuits with self-alignment capability. Nano-scale optical circuits with core thickness of ~230 nm and core width of ~1 μm were fabricated. Propagation loss was 1.86 dB/cm for TE mode and 1.89 dB/cm for TM mode at 633 nm in wavelength, indicating that there were small polarization dependences. Spot sizes of guided beams along core width direction and along core thickness direction were respectively 0.6 μm and 0.3 μm for both TE and TM mode. Bending loss of S-bending waveguides was reduced from 0.44 dB to 0.24 dB for TE mode with increasing the bending curvature radius from 5 μm to 60 μm. Difference in bending loss between TM and TE mode was less than 10%. Branching loss of Y-branching waveguides was reduced from 1.33 dB to 0.08 dB for TE mode, and from 1.34 dB to 0.12 dB for TM mode with decreasing the branching angle from 80° to 20°. These results indicate that the photoinduced refractive index variation sol-gel materials can realize miniaturized optical circuits with sizes of several tens μm and guided beam confinement within a cross-section area less than 1.0 μm2 with small polarization dependences, suggesting potential applications to intra-chip optical interconnects. In addtion, we fabricated self-organized lightwave network (SOLNET) using the photo-induced refractive index variation sol-gel materials. When write beams of 405 nm in wavelength were introduced into the sol-gel thin film under baking at 200°C, self-focusing was induced, and SOLNET was formed. SOLNET fabricated by low write

A thermodynamically general theory for convective vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Renno, Nilton O.

2008-08-01

Convective vortices are common features of atmospheres that absorb lower-entropy-energy at higher temperatures than they reject higher-entropy-energy to space. These vortices range from small to large-scale and play an important role in the vertical transport of heat, momentum, and tracer species. Thus, the development of theoretical models for convective vortices is important to our understanding of some of the basic features of planetary atmospheres. The heat engine framework is a useful tool for studying convective vortices. However, current theories assume that convective vortices are reversible heat engines. Since there are questions about how reversible real atmospheric heat engines are, their usefulness for studying real atmospheric vortices is somewhat controversial. In order to reduce this problem, a theory for convective vortices that includes irreversible processes is proposed. The paper's main result is that the proposed theory provides an expression for the pressure drop along streamlines that includes the effects of irreversible processes. It is shown that a simplified version of this expression is a generalization of Bernoulli's equation to convective circulations. It is speculated that the proposed theory not only explains the intensity, but also sheds light on other basic features of convective vortices such as their physical appearance.

Tunneling decay of false vortices with gravitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dupuis, Éric; Gobeil, Yan; Lee, Bum-Hoon; Lee, Wonwoo; MacKenzie, Richard; Paranjape, Manu B.; Yajnik, Urjit A.; Yeom, Dong-han

2017-11-01

We study the effect of vortices on the tunneling decay of a symmetry-breaking false vacuum in three spacetime dimensions with gravity. The scenario considered is one in which the initial state, rather than being the homogeneous false vacuum, contains false vortices. The question addressed is whether, and, if so, under which circumstances, the presence of vortices has a significant catalyzing effect on vacuum decay. After studying the existence and properties of vortices, we study their decay rate through quantum tunneling using a variety of techniques. In particular, for so-called thin-wall vortices we devise a one-parameter family of configurations allowing a quantum-mechanical calculation of tunneling. Also for thin-wall vortices, we employ the Israel junction conditions between the interior and exterior spacetimes. Matching these two spacetimes reveals a decay channel which results in an unstable, expanding vortex. We find that the tunneling exponent for vortices, which is the dominant factor in the decay rate, is half that for Coleman-de Luccia bubbles. This implies that vortices are short-lived, making them cosmologically significant even for low vortex densities. In the limit of the vanishing gravitational constant we smoothly recover our earlier results for the decay of the false vortex in a model without gravity.

Laser Doppler velocimeter system simulation for sensing aircraft wake vortices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomson, J. A. L.; Meng, J. C. S.

1974-01-01

A hydrodynamic model of aircraft vortex wakes in an irregular wind shear field near the ground is developed and used as a basis for modeling the characteristics of a laser Doppler detection and vortex location system. The trailing vortex sheet and the wind shear are represented by discrete free vortices distributed over a two-dimensional grid. The time dependent hydrodynamic equations are solved by direct numerical integration in the Boussinesq approximation. The ground boundary is simulated by images, and fast Fourier Transform techniques are used to evaluate the vorticity stream function. The atmospheric turbulence was simulated by constructing specific realizations at time equal to zero, assuming that Kolmogoroff's law applies, and that the dissipation rate is constant throughout the flow field. The response of a simulated laser Doppler velocimeter is analyzed by simulating the signal return from the flow field as sensed by a simulation of the optical/electronic system.

Jovian vortices by simulated annealing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morrison, P. J.; Flierl, G. R.; Swaminathan, R. V.

2017-11-01

We explore the conditions required for isolated vortices to exist in sheared zonal flows and the stability of the underlying zonal winds. This is done using the standard 2-layer quasigeostrophic model with the lower layer depth becoming infinite; however, this model differs from the usual layer model because the lower layer is not assumed to be motionless but has a steady configuration of alternating zonal flows. Steady state vortices are obtained by a simulated annealing computational method introduced in, generalized and applied in in fluid flow, and used in the context of magnetohydrodynamics in. Various cases of vortices with a constant potential vorticity anomaly atop zonal winds and the stability of the underlying winds are considered using a mix of computational and analytical techniques. U.S. Department of Energy Contract DE-FG05-80ET-53088.

Democratization of Nanoscale Imaging and Sensing Tools Using Photonics

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Providing means for researchers and citizen scientists in the developing world to perform advanced measurements with nanoscale precision can help to accelerate the rate of discovery and invention as well as improve higher education and the training of the next generation of scientists and engineers worldwide. Here, we review some of the recent progress toward making optical nanoscale measurement tools more cost-effective, field-portable, and accessible to a significantly larger group of researchers and educators. We divide our review into two main sections: label-based nanoscale imaging and sensing tools, which primarily involve fluorescent approaches, and label-free nanoscale measurement tools, which include light scattering sensors, interferometric methods, photonic crystal sensors, and plasmonic sensors. For each of these areas, we have primarily focused on approaches that have either demonstrated operation outside of a traditional laboratory setting, including for example integration with mobile phones, or exhibited the potential for such operation in the near future. PMID:26068279

Democratization of Nanoscale Imaging and Sensing Tools Using Photonics.

PubMed

McLeod, Euan; Wei, Qingshan; Ozcan, Aydogan

2015-07-07

Providing means for researchers and citizen scientists in the developing world to perform advanced measurements with nanoscale precision can help to accelerate the rate of discovery and invention as well as improve higher education and the training of the next generation of scientists and engineers worldwide. Here, we review some of the recent progress toward making optical nanoscale measurement tools more cost-effective, field-portable, and accessible to a significantly larger group of researchers and educators. We divide our review into two main sections: label-based nanoscale imaging and sensing tools, which primarily involve fluorescent approaches, and label-free nanoscale measurement tools, which include light scattering sensors, interferometric methods, photonic crystal sensors, and plasmonic sensors. For each of these areas, we have primarily focused on approaches that have either demonstrated operation outside of a traditional laboratory setting, including for example integration with mobile phones, or exhibited the potential for such operation in the near future.

Applications of Nano-optics.

PubMed

Zhou, Changhe; Fainman, Yeshaiahu; Sheng, Yunlong

2011-11-01

As nanoscale fabrication techniques advance, nano-optics continues to offer enabling solutions to numerous practical applications for information optics. This Applied Optics feature issue focuses on the Application of Nano-optics. © 2011 Optical Society of America

Intensity of vortices: from soap bubbles to hurricanes

PubMed Central

Meuel, T.; Xiong, Y. L.; Fischer, P.; Bruneau, C. H.; Bessafi, M.; Kellay, H.

2013-01-01

By using a half soap bubble heated from below, we obtain large isolated single vortices whose properties as well as their intensity are measured under different conditions. By studying the effects of rotation of the bubble on the vortex properties, we found that rotation favors vortices near the pole. Rotation also inhibits long life time vortices. The velocity and vorticity profiles of the vortices obtained are well described by a Gaussian vortex. Besides, the intensity of these vortices can be followed over long time spans revealing periods of intensification accompanied by trochoidal motion of the vortex center, features which are reminiscent of the behavior of tropical cyclones. An analysis of this intensification period suggests a simple relation valid for both the vortices observed here and for tropical cyclones. PMID:24336410

Surfzone vorticity in the presence of extreme bathymetric variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, D.; Elgar, S.; Raubenheimer, B.

2014-12-01

Surfzone vorticity was measured at Duck, NC using a novel 5-m diameter vorticity sensor deployed in 1.75 m water depth. During the 4-week deployment the initially alongshore uniform bathymetry developed 200-m long mega-cusps with alongshore vertical changes of 1.5 m or more. When waves were small and the vorticity sensor was seaward of the surfzone, vorticity variance and mean vorticity varied with the tidally modulated water depth, consistent with a net seaward flux of surfzone-generated vorticity. Vorticity variance increased with incident wave heights up to 2-m. However, vorticity variance remained relatively constant for incident wave heights above 2-m, and suggests that eddy energy may become saturated in the inner surfzone during large wave events. In the presence of mega-cusps the mean vorticity (shear) is often large and generated by bathymetrically controlled rip currents, while vorticity variance remains strongly correlated with the incident wave height. Funded by NSF, ASD(R&E), and WHOI Coastal Ocean Institute.

Design of surface modifications for nanoscale sensor applications.

PubMed

Reimhult, Erik; Höök, Fredrik

2015-01-14

Nanoscale biosensors provide the possibility to miniaturize optic, acoustic and electric sensors to the dimensions of biomolecules. This enables approaching single-molecule detection and new sensing modalities that probe molecular conformation. Nanoscale sensors are predominantly surface-based and label-free to exploit inherent advantages of physical phenomena allowing high sensitivity without distortive labeling. There are three main criteria to be optimized in the design of surface-based and label-free biosensors: (i) the biomolecules of interest must bind with high affinity and selectively to the sensitive area; (ii) the biomolecules must be efficiently transported from the bulk solution to the sensor; and (iii) the transducer concept must be sufficiently sensitive to detect low coverage of captured biomolecules within reasonable time scales. The majority of literature on nanoscale biosensors deals with the third criterion while implicitly assuming that solutions developed for macroscale biosensors to the first two, equally important, criteria are applicable also to nanoscale sensors. We focus on providing an introduction to and perspectives on the advanced concepts for surface functionalization of biosensors with nanosized sensor elements that have been developed over the past decades (criterion (iii)). We review in detail how patterning of molecular films designed to control interactions of biomolecules with nanoscale biosensor surfaces creates new possibilities as well as new challenges.

Spatiotemporal characterization of ultrashort optical vortex pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miranda, Miguel; Kotur, Marija; Rudawski, Piotr; Guo, Chen; Harth, Anne; L'Huillier, Anne; Arnold, Cord L.

2017-12-01

We use a spiral phase plate to generate few-cycle optical vortices from an ultrafast titanium:sapphire oscillator and characterize them in the spatiotemporal domain with a recently introduced technique based on spatially resolved Fourier transform spectrometry. The performance of this simple approach to the generation of optical vortices is analysed from a wavelength-dependent perspective as well as in the spatiotemporal domain, allowing us to characterize ultrashort vortex pulses in space, frequency and time.

Optical and electrical properties of GaN-based light emitting diodes grown on micro- and nano-scale patterned Si substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiu, Ching-Hsueh; Lin, Chien-Chung; Deng, Dongmei; Kuo, Hao-Chung; Lau, Kei-May

2011-10-01

We investigate the optical and electrical characteristics of the GaN-based light emitting diodes (LEDs) grown on Micro and Nano-scale Patterned silicon substrate (MPLEDs and NPLEDs). The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images reveal the suppression of threading dislocation density in InGaN/GaN structure on nano-pattern substrate due to nanoscale epitaxial lateral overgrowth (NELOG). The plan-view and cross-section cathodoluminescence (CL) mappings show less defective and more homogeneous active quantum well region growth on nano-porous substrates. From temperature dependent photoluminescence (PL) and low temperature time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) measurement, NPLEDs has better carrier confinement and higher radiative recombination rate than MPLEDs. In terms of device performance, NPLEDs exhibits smaller electroluminescence (EL) peak wavelength blue shift, lower reverse leakage current and decreases efficiency droop compared with the MPLEDs. These results suggest the feasibility of using NPSi for the growth of high quality and power LEDs on Si substrates.

Numerical study of vorticity-enhanced heat transfer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xiaolin; Alben, Silas

2013-11-01

Vortices produced by vibrated reeds and flapping foils can improve heat transfer efficiency in electronic hardware. Vortices enhance forced convection by boundary layer separation and thermal mixing in the bulk flow. In this work, we modeled and simulated the fluid flow and temperature in a 2-D channel flow with vortices injected at the upstream boundary. We classified four types of vortex streets depending on the Reynolds number and vortices' strengths and spacings, and studied the different vortex dynamics in each situation. We then used Lagrangian coherent structures (LCS) to study the effect of the vortices on mixing and determined how the Nusselt number and Coefficients of performance vary with flow parameters and Peclet numbers.

What causes Mars' annular polar vortices?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toigo, A. D.; Waugh, D. W.; Guzewich, S. D.

2017-01-01

A distinctive feature of the Martian atmosphere is that the winter polar vortices exhibit annuli of high potential vorticity (PV) with a local minimum near the pole. These annuli are seen in observations, reanalyses, and free-running general circulation model simulations of Mars, but are not generally a feature of Earth's polar vortices, where there is a monotonic increase in magnitude of PV with latitude. The creation and maintenance of the annular polar vortices on Mars are not well understood. Here we use simulations with a Martian general circulation model to the show that annular vortices are related to another distinctive, and possibly unique in the solar system, feature of the Martian atmosphere: the condensation of the predominant atmospheric gas species (CO2) in polar winter regions. The latent heat associated with CO2 condensation leads to destruction of PV in the polar lower atmosphere, inducing the formation of an annular PV structure.

Modeling of oceanic vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cushman-Roisin, B.

Following on a tradition of biannual meetings, the 5th Colloquium on the Modeling of Oceanic Vortices was held May 21-23, 1990, at the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H. The colloquium series, sponsored by the Office of Naval Research, is intended to gather oceanographers who contribute to our understanding of oceanic mesoscale vortices via analytical, numerical and experimental modeling techniques.

The gravitational redshift of a optical vortex being different from that of an gravitational redshift plane of an electromagnetic wave

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Portnov, Yuriy A.

2018-06-01

A hypothesis put forward in late 20th century and subsequently substantiated experimentally posited the existence of optical vortices (twisted light). An optical vortex is an electromagnetic wave that in addition to energy and momentum characteristic of flat waves also possesses angular momentum. In recent years optical vortices have found wide-ranging applications in a number of branches including cosmology. The main hypothesis behind this paper implies that the magnitude of gravitational redshift for an optical vortex will differ from the magnitude of gravitational redshift for flat light waves. To facilitate description of optical vortices, we have developed the mathematical device of gravitational interaction in seven-dimensional time-space that we apply to the theory of electromagnetism. The resulting equations are then used for a comparison of gravitational redshift in optical vortices with that of normal electromagnetic waves. We show that rotating bodies creating weak gravitational fields result in a magnitude of gravitational redshift in optical vortices that differs from the magnitude of gravitational redshift in flat light waves. We conclude our paper with a numerical analysis of the feasibility of detecting the discrepancy in gravitational redshift between optical vortices and flat waves in the gravitational fields of the Earth and the Sun.

Analysis of vortical structures in turbulent natural convection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Sangro; Lee, Changhoon

2014-11-01

Natural convection of fluid within two parallel walls, Rayleigh-Bénard convection, is studied by direct numerical simulation using a spectral method. The flow is in soft turbulence regime with Rayleigh number 106, 107, 108, Prandtl number 0 . 7 and aspect ratio 4. We investigate the relations between thermal plumes and vortical structures through manipulating the evolution equations of vorticity and velocity gradient tensor. According to simulation results, horizontal vorticity occurs near the wall and changes into vertical vorticity by vertical stretching of fluid element which is caused by vertical movement of the thermal plume. Additionally, eigenvalues, eigenvectors and invariants of velocity gradient tensor show the topologies of vortical structures, including how vortical structures are tilted or stretched. Difference of velocity gradient tensor between inside thermal plumes and background region is also investigated, and the result indicates that thermal plumes play an important role in changing the distribution of vortical structures. The results of this study are consistent with other researches which suggest that vertical vorticity is stronger in high Rayleigh number flows. Details will be presented in the meeting.

Plasmonic Nanostructures for Nano-Scale Bio-Sensing

PubMed Central

Chung, Taerin; Lee, Seung-Yeol; Song, Eui Young; Chun, Honggu; Lee, Byoungho

2011-01-01

The optical properties of various nanostructures have been widely adopted for biological detection, from DNA sequencing to nano-scale single molecule biological function measurements. In particular, by employing localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), we can expect distinguished sensing performance with high sensitivity and resolution. This indicates that nano-scale detections can be realized by using the shift of resonance wavelength of LSPR in response to the refractive index change. In this paper, we overview various plasmonic nanostructures as potential sensing components. The qualitative descriptions of plasmonic nanostructures are supported by the physical phenomena such as plasmonic hybridization and Fano resonance. We present guidelines for designing specific nanostructures with regard to wavelength range and target sensing materials. PMID:22346679

Combustor with multistage internal vortices

DOEpatents

Shang, Jer Y.; Harrington, Richard E.

1989-01-01

A fluidized bed combustor is provided with a multistage arrangement of vortex generators in the freeboard area. The vortex generators are provided by nozzle means which extend into the interior of the freeboard for forming vortices within the freeboard area to enhance the combustion of particulate material entrained in product gases ascending into the freeboard from the fluidized bed. Each of the nozzles are radially inwardly spaced from the combustor walls defining the freeboard to provide for the formation of an essentially vortex-free, vertically extending annulus about the vortices whereby the particulate material centrifuged from the vortices against the inner walls of the combustor is returned through the annulus to the fluidized bed. By adjusting the vortex pattern within the freeboard, a significant portion of the full cross-sectional area of the freeboard except for the peripheral annulus can be contacted with the turbulent vortical flow for removing the particulate material from the gaseous products and also for enhancing the combustion thereof within the freeboard.

Gaseous Vortices in Barred Spiral Galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

England, Martin N.; Hunter, James H., Jr.

1995-01-01

During the course of examining many two-dimensional, as well as a smaller sample of three-dimensional, models of gas flows in barred spiral galaxies, we have been impressed by the ubiquitous presence fo vortex pairs, oriented roughly perpendicular to their bars, with one vortex on each side. The vortices are obvious only when viewed in the bar frame, and the centers of their velocity fields usually are near Lagrangian points L(sub 4,5). In all models that we have studied, the vortices form on essentially the same time scale as that for the development of gaseous spiral arms, typically two bar rotations. Usually the corotation radius, r(sub c), lies slightly beyond the end of the bar. Depending upon the mass distributions of the various components, gas spirals either into, or out of, the vortices: In the former case, the vortices become regions of high density, whereas the opposite is true if the gas spirals out of a vortex. The models described in this paper have low-density vortices, as do most of the models we have studied. Moreover, usually the vortex centers lie approximately within +/- 15 deg of L(sub 4,5). In the stellar dynamic limit, when pressure and viscous forces are absent, short-period orbits exist, centered on L(sub 4,5). These orbits need not cross and therefore their morphology is that of gas streamlines, that is, vortices. We believe that the gas vortices in our models are hydrodynamic analogues of closed, short-period, libration orbits centered on L(sub 4,5).

Scattering on two Aharonov-Bohm vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bogomolny, E.

2016-12-01

The problem of two Aharonov-Bohm (AB) vortices for the Helmholtz equation is examined in detail. It is demonstrated that the method proposed by Myers (1963 J. Math. Phys. 6 1839) for slit diffraction can be generalised to obtain an explicit solution for AB vortices. Due to the singular nature of AB interaction the Green function and scattering amplitude for two AB vortices obey a series of partial differential equations. Coefficients entering these equations, fulfil ordinary non-linear differential equations whose solutions can be obtained by solving the Painlevé III equation. The asymptotics of necessary functions for very large and very small vortex separations are calculated explicitly. Taken together, this means that the problem of two AB vortices is exactly solvable.

Two applications of potential vorticity thinking

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robinson, Walter A.

1987-01-01

The phenomena of dissipative destabilization of external Rossby waves and the acceleration of the zonal mean jet during baroclinic life cycles are described in terms of potential vorticity. The main principle of the potential temperature variations at rigid boundaries have the same effect on the interior flow as do sheets of potential vorticity located just within the boundaries. It is noted that the potential vorticity theory is useful for understanding the dynamical behavior of meterological phenomena.

Probing and manipulating magnetization at the nanoscale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samarth, Nitin

2012-02-01

Combining semiconductors with magnetism in hetero- and nano-structured geometries provides a powerful means of exploring the interplay between spin-dependent transport and nanoscale magnetism. We describe two recent studies in this context. First, we use spin-dependent transport in ferromagnetic semiconductor thin films to provide a new window into nanoscale magnetism [1]: here, we exploit the large anomalous Hall effect in a ferromagnetic semiconductor as a nanoscale probe of the reversible elastic behavior of magnetic domain walls and gain insight into regimes of domain wall behavior inaccessible to more conventional optical techniques. Next, we describe novel ways to create self-assembled hybrid semiconductor/ferromagnet core-shell nanowires [2] and show how magnetoresistance measurements in single nanowires, coupled with micromagnetic simulations, can provide detailed insights into the magnetization reversal process in nanoscale ferromagnets [3]. The work described here was carried out in collaboration with Andrew Balk, Jing Liang, Nicholas Dellas, Mark Nowakowski, David Rench, Mark Wilson, Roman Engel-Herbert, Suzanne Mohney, Peter Schiffer and David Awschalom. This work is supported by ONR, NSF and the NSF-MRSEC program.[4pt] [1] A. L. Balk et al., Phys. Rev.Lett. 107, 077205 (2011).[0pt] [2] N. J. Dellas et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 97, 072505 (2010).[0pt] [3] J. Liang et al., in preparation.

Numerical studies of interacting vortices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, G. C.; Hsu, C. H.

1985-01-01

To get a basic understanding of the physics of flowfields modeled by vortex filaments with finite vortical cores, systematic numerical studies of the interactions of two dimensional vortices and pairs of coaxial axisymmetric circular vortex rings were made. Finite difference solutions of the unsteady incompressible Navier-Stokes equations were carried out using vorticity and stream function as primary variables. Special emphasis was placed on the formulation of appropriate boundary conditions necessary for the calculations in a finite computational domain. Numerical results illustrate the interaction of vortex filaments, demonstrate when and how they merge with each other, and establish the region of validity for an asymptotic analysis.

Vortices at Microwave Frequencies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva, Enrico; Pompeo, Nicola; Dobrovolskiy, Oleksandr V.

2017-11-01

The behavior of vortices at microwave frequencies is an extremely useful source of information on the microscopic parameters that enter the description of the vortex dynamics. This feature has acquired particular relevance since the discovery of unusual superconductors, such as cuprates. Microwave investigation then extended its field of application to many families of superconductors, including the artificially nanostructured materials. It is then important to understand the basics of the physics of vortices moving at high frequency, as well as to understand what information the experiments can yield (and what they can not). The aim of this brief review is to introduce the readers to some basic aspects of the physics of vortices under a microwave electromagnetic field, and to guide them to an understanding of the experiment, also by means of the illustration of some relevant results.

Quantification of nanoscale density fluctuations by electron microscopy: probing cellular alterations in early carcinogenesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pradhan, Prabhakar; Damania, Dhwanil; Joshi, Hrushikesh M.; Turzhitsky, Vladimir; Subramanian, Hariharan; Roy, Hemant K.; Taflove, Allen; Dravid, Vinayak P.; Backman, Vadim

2011-04-01

Most cancers are curable if they are diagnosed and treated at an early stage. Recent studies suggest that nanoarchitectural changes occur within cells during early carcinogenesis and that such changes precede microscopically evident tissue alterations. It follows that the ability to comprehensively interrogate cell nanoarchitecture (e.g., macromolecular complexes, DNA, RNA, proteins and lipid membranes) could be critical to the diagnosis of early carcinogenesis. We present a study of the nanoscale mass-density fluctuations of biological tissues by quantifying their degree of disorder at the nanoscale. Transmission electron microscopy images of human tissues are used to construct corresponding effective disordered optical lattices. The properties of nanoscale disorder are then studied by statistical analysis of the inverse participation ratio (IPR) of the spatially localized eigenfunctions of these optical lattices at the nanoscale. Our results show an increase in the disorder of human colonic epithelial cells in subjects harboring early stages of colon neoplasia. Furthermore, our findings strongly suggest that increased nanoscale disorder correlates with the degree of tumorigenicity. Therefore, the IPR technique provides a practicable tool for the detection of nanoarchitectural alterations in the earliest stages of carcinogenesis. Potential applications of the technique for early cancer screening and detection are also discussed. Originally submitted for the special focus issue on physical oncology.

Strategies for Controlled Placement of Nanoscale Building Blocks

PubMed Central

2007-01-01

The capability of placing individual nanoscale building blocks on exact substrate locations in a controlled manner is one of the key requirements to realize future electronic, optical, and magnetic devices and sensors that are composed of such blocks. This article reviews some important advances in the strategies for controlled placement of nanoscale building blocks. In particular, we will overview template assisted placement that utilizes physical, molecular, or electrostatic templates, DNA-programmed assembly, placement using dielectrophoresis, approaches for non-close-packed assembly of spherical particles, and recent development of focused placement schemes including electrostatic funneling, focused placement via molecular gradient patterns, electrodynamic focusing of charged aerosols, and others. PMID:21794185

Vorticity and Λ polarization in baryon rich matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baznat, Mircea; Gudima, Konstantin; Prokhorov, George; Sorin, Alexander; Teryaev, Oleg; Zakharov, Valentin

2018-02-01

The polarization of Λ hyperons due to axial chiral vortical effect is discussed. The effect is proportional to (strange) chemical potential and is pronounced at lower energies in baryon-rich matter. The polarization of ¯ has the same sihn and larger magnitude. The emergence of vortical structures is observed in kinetic QGSM models. The hydrodynamical helicity separation receives the contribution of longitudinal velocity and vorticity implying the quadrupole structure of the latter. The transition from the quark vortical effects to baryons in confined phase may be achieved by exploring the axial charge. At the hadronic level the polarization corresponds to the cores of quantized vortices in pionic superfluid. The chiral vortical effects may be also studied in the frmework of Wigner function establishing the relation to the thermodynamical approach to polarization.

Design of Surface Modifications for Nanoscale Sensor Applications

PubMed Central

Reimhult, Erik; Höök, Fredrik

2015-01-01

Nanoscale biosensors provide the possibility to miniaturize optic, acoustic and electric sensors to the dimensions of biomolecules. This enables approaching single-molecule detection and new sensing modalities that probe molecular conformation. Nanoscale sensors are predominantly surface-based and label-free to exploit inherent advantages of physical phenomena allowing high sensitivity without distortive labeling. There are three main criteria to be optimized in the design of surface-based and label-free biosensors: (i) the biomolecules of interest must bind with high affinity and selectively to the sensitive area; (ii) the biomolecules must be efficiently transported from the bulk solution to the sensor; and (iii) the transducer concept must be sufficiently sensitive to detect low coverage of captured biomolecules within reasonable time scales. The majority of literature on nanoscale biosensors deals with the third criterion while implicitly assuming that solutions developed for macroscale biosensors to the first two, equally important, criteria are applicable also to nanoscale sensors. We focus on providing an introduction to and perspectives on the advanced concepts for surface functionalization of biosensors with nanosized sensor elements that have been developed over the past decades (criterion (iii)). We review in detail how patterning of molecular films designed to control interactions of biomolecules with nanoscale biosensor surfaces creates new possibilities as well as new challenges. PMID:25594599

Network community-based model reduction for vortical flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gopalakrishnan Meena, Muralikrishnan; Nair, Aditya G.; Taira, Kunihiko

2018-06-01

A network community-based reduced-order model is developed to capture key interactions among coherent structures in high-dimensional unsteady vortical flows. The present approach is data-inspired and founded on network-theoretic techniques to identify important vortical communities that are comprised of vortical elements that share similar dynamical behavior. The overall interaction-based physics of the high-dimensional flow field is distilled into the vortical community centroids, considerably reducing the system dimension. Taking advantage of these vortical interactions, the proposed methodology is applied to formulate reduced-order models for the inter-community dynamics of vortical flows, and predict lift and drag forces on bodies in wake flows. We demonstrate the capabilities of these models by accurately capturing the macroscopic dynamics of a collection of discrete point vortices, and the complex unsteady aerodynamic forces on a circular cylinder and an airfoil with a Gurney flap. The present formulation is found to be robust against simulated experimental noise and turbulence due to its integrating nature of the system reduction.

Combustor with multistage internal vortices

DOEpatents

Shang, Jer Yu; Harrington, R.E.

1987-05-01

A fluidized bed combustor is provided with a multistage arrangement of vortex generators in the freeboard area. The vortex generators are provided by nozzle means which extend into the interior of the freeboard for forming vortices within the freeboard areas to enhance the combustion of particulate material entrained in product gases ascending into the freeboard from the fluidized bed. Each of the nozzles are radially inwardly spaced from the combustor walls defining the freeboard to provide for the formation of an essentially vortex-free, vertically extending annulus about the vortices whereby the particulate material centrifuged from the vortices against the inner walls of the combustor is returned through the annulus to the fluidized bed. By adjusting the vortex pattern within the freeboard, a significant portion of the full cross-sectional area of the freeboard except for the peripheral annulus can be contacted with the turbulent vortical flow for removing the particulate material from the gaseous products and also for enhancing the combustion thereof within the freeboard. 2 figs.

Einstein–Bose condensation of Onsager vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valani, Rahil N.; Groszek, Andrew J.; Simula, Tapio P.

2018-05-01

We have studied statistical mechanics of a gas of vortices in two dimensions. We introduce a new observable—a condensate fraction of Onsager vortices—to quantify the emergence of the vortex condensate. The condensation of Onsager vortices is most transparently observed in a single vortex species system and occurs due to a competition between solid body rotation (see vortex lattice) and potential flow (see multiple quantum vortex state). We propose an experiment to observe the condensation transition of the vortices in such a single vortex species system.

Box 6: Nanoscale Defects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alves, Eduardo; Breese, Mark

Defects affect virtually all properties of crystalline materials, and their role is magnified in nanoscale structures. In this box we describe the different type of defects with particular emphasis on point and linear defects. Above zero Kelvin all real materials have a defect population within their structure, which affects either their crystalline, electronic or optical properties. It is common to attribute a negative connotation to the presence of defects. However, a perfect silicon crystal or any other defect-free semiconductor would have a limited functionality and might even be useless.

Brillouin gain enhancement in nano-scale photonic waveguide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nouri Jouybari, Soodabeh

2018-05-01

The enhancement of stimulated Brillouin scattering in nano-scale waveguides has a great contribution in the improvement of the photonic devices technology. The key factors in Brillouin gain are the electrostriction force and radiation pressure generated by optical waves in the waveguide. In this article, we have proposed a new scheme of nano-scale waveguide in which the Brillouin gain is considerably improved compared to the previously-reported schemes. The role of radiation pressure in the Brillouin gain was much higher than the role of the electrostriction force. The Brillouin gain strongly depends on the structural parameters of the waveguide and the maximum value of 12127 W-1 m-1 is obtained for the Brillouin gain.

Synthesis and characterization of attosecond light vortices in the extreme ultraviolet

PubMed Central

Géneaux, R.; Camper, A.; Auguste, T.; Gobert, O.; Caillat, J.; Taïeb, R.; Ruchon, T.

2016-01-01

Infrared and visible light beams carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM) are currently thoroughly studied for their extremely broad applicative prospects, among which are quantum information, micromachining and diagnostic tools. Here we extend these prospects, presenting a comprehensive study for the synthesis and full characterization of optical vortices carrying OAM in the extreme ultraviolet (XUV) domain. We confirm the upconversion rules of a femtosecond infrared helically phased beam into its high-order harmonics, showing that each harmonic order carries the total number of OAM units absorbed in the process up to very high orders (57). This allows us to synthesize and characterize helically shaped XUV trains of attosecond pulses. To demonstrate a typical use of these new XUV light beams, we show our ability to generate and control, through photoionization, attosecond electron beams carrying OAM. These breakthroughs pave the route for the study of a series of fundamental phenomena and the development of new ultrafast diagnosis tools using either photonic or electronic vortices. PMID:27573787

Observation of dynamical vortices after quenches in a system with topology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fläschner, N.; Vogel, D.; Tarnowski, M.; Rem, B. S.; Lühmann, D.-S.; Heyl, M.; Budich, J. C.; Mathey, L.; Sengstock, K.; Weitenberg, C.

2018-03-01

Topological phases constitute an exotic form of matter characterized by non-local properties rather than local order parameters1. The paradigmatic Haldane model on a hexagonal lattice features such topological phases distinguished by an integer topological invariant known as the first Chern number2. Recently, the identification of non-equilibrium signatures of topology in the dynamics of such systems has attracted particular attention3-6. Here, we experimentally study the dynamical evolution of the wavefunction using time- and momentum-resolved full state tomography for spin-polarized fermionic atoms in driven optical lattices7. We observe the appearance, movement and annihilation of dynamical vortices in momentum space after sudden quenches close to the topological phase transition. These dynamical vortices can be interpreted as dynamical Fisher zeros of the Loschmidt amplitude8, which signal a so-called dynamical phase transition9,10. Our results pave the way to a deeper understanding of the connection between topological phases and non-equilibrium dynamics.

Magnetic gates and guides for superconducting vortices

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vlasko-Vlasov, V. K.; Colauto, F.; Buzdin, A. I.

Here, we image the motion of superconducting vortices in niobium film covered with a regular array of thin permalloy stripes. By altering the magnetization orientation in the stripes using a small in-plane magnetic field, we can tune the strength of interactions between vortices and the stripe edges, enabling acceleration or retardation of the superconducting vortices in the sample and consequently introducing strong tunable anisotropy into the vortex dynamics. We discuss our observations in terms of the attraction/repulsion between point magnetic charges carried by vortices and lines of magnetic charges at the stripe edges, and derive analytical formulas for the vortex-magneticmore » stripes coupling. Our approach demonstrates the analogy between the vortex motion regulated by the magnetic stripe array and electric carrier flow in gated semiconducting devices. Scaling down the geometrical features of the proposed design may enable controlled manipulation of single vortices, paving the way for Abrikosov vortex microcircuits and memories.« less

Magnetic gates and guides for superconducting vortices

DOE PAGES

Vlasko-Vlasov, V. K.; Colauto, F.; Buzdin, A. I.; ...

2017-04-04

Here, we image the motion of superconducting vortices in niobium film covered with a regular array of thin permalloy stripes. By altering the magnetization orientation in the stripes using a small in-plane magnetic field, we can tune the strength of interactions between vortices and the stripe edges, enabling acceleration or retardation of the superconducting vortices in the sample and consequently introducing strong tunable anisotropy into the vortex dynamics. We discuss our observations in terms of the attraction/repulsion between point magnetic charges carried by vortices and lines of magnetic charges at the stripe edges, and derive analytical formulas for the vortex-magneticmore » stripes coupling. Our approach demonstrates the analogy between the vortex motion regulated by the magnetic stripe array and electric carrier flow in gated semiconducting devices. Scaling down the geometrical features of the proposed design may enable controlled manipulation of single vortices, paving the way for Abrikosov vortex microcircuits and memories.« less

Origin and Future of Plasmonic Optical Tweezers

PubMed Central

Huang, Jer-Shing; Yang, Ya-Tang

2015-01-01

Plasmonic optical tweezers can overcome the diffraction limits of conventional optical tweezers and enable the trapping of nanoscale objects. Extension of the trapping and manipulation of nanoscale objects with nanometer position precision opens up unprecedented opportunities for applications in the fields of biology, chemistry and statistical and atomic physics. Potential applications include direct molecular manipulation, lab-on-a-chip applications for viruses and vesicles and the study of nanoscale transport. This paper reviews the recent research progress and development bottlenecks and provides an overview of possible future directions in this field. PMID:28347051

Origin and Future of Plasmonic Optical Tweezers.

PubMed

Huang, Jer-Shing; Yang, Ya-Tang

2015-06-12

Plasmonic optical tweezers can overcome the diffraction limits of conventional optical tweezers and enable the trapping of nanoscale objects. Extension of the trapping and manipulation of nanoscale objects with nanometer position precision opens up unprecedented opportunities for applications in the fields of biology, chemistry and statistical and atomic physics. Potential applications include direct molecular manipulation, lab-on-a-chip applications for viruses and vesicles and the study of nanoscale transport. This paper reviews the recent research progress and development bottlenecks and provides an overview of possible future directions in this field.

Martian Polar Vortices: Comparison of Reanalyses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waugh, D. W.; Toigo, A. D.; Guzewich, S. D.; Greybush, S. J.; Wilson, R. J.; Montabone, L.

2016-01-01

The structure and evolution of the Martian polar vortices is examined using two recently available reanalysis systems: version 1.0 of the Mars Analysis Correction Data Assimilation (MACDA) and a preliminary version of the Ensemble Mars Atmosphere Reanalysis System (EMARS). There is quantitative agreement between the reanalyses in the lower atmosphere, where Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) data are assimilated, but there are differences at higher altitudes reflecting differences in the free-running general circulation model simulations used in the two reanalyses. The reanalyses show similar potential vorticity (PV) structure of the vortices: There is near-uniform small PV equatorward of the core of the westerly jet, steep meridional PV gradients on the polar side of the jet core, and a maximum of PV located off of the pole. In maps of 30 sol mean PV, there is a near-continuous elliptical ring of high PV with roughly constant shape and longitudinal orientation from fall to spring. However, the shape and orientation of the vortex varies on daily time scales, and there is not a continuous ring of PV but rather a series of smaller scale coherent regions of high PV. The PV structure of the Martian polar vortices is, as has been reported before, very different from that of Earth's stratospheric polar vortices, but there are similarities with Earth's tropospheric vortices which also occur at the edge of the Hadley Cell, and have near-uniform small PV equatorward of the jet, and a large increase of PV poleward of the jet due to increased stratification.

Martian polar vortices: Comparison of reanalyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waugh, D. W.; Toigo, A. D.; Guzewich, S. D.; Greybush, S. J.; Wilson, R. J.; Montabone, L.

2016-09-01

The structure and evolution of the Martian polar vortices is examined using two recently available reanalysis systems: version 1.0 of the Mars Analysis Correction Data Assimilation (MACDA) and a preliminary version of the Ensemble Mars Atmosphere Reanalysis System (EMARS). There is quantitative agreement between the reanalyses in the lower atmosphere, where Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) data are assimilated, but there are differences at higher altitudes reflecting differences in the free-running general circulation model simulations used in the two reanalyses. The reanalyses show similar potential vorticity (PV) structure of the vortices: There is near-uniform small PV equatorward of the core of the westerly jet, steep meridional PV gradients on the polar side of the jet core, and a maximum of PV located off of the pole. In maps of 30 sol mean PV, there is a near-continuous elliptical ring of high PV with roughly constant shape and longitudinal orientation from fall to spring. However, the shape and orientation of the vortex varies on daily time scales, and there is not a continuous ring of PV but rather a series of smaller scale coherent regions of high PV. The PV structure of the Martian polar vortices is, as has been reported before, very different from that of Earth's stratospheric polar vortices, but there are similarities with Earth's tropospheric vortices which also occur at the edge of the Hadley Cell, and have near-uniform small PV equatorward of the jet, and a large increase of PV poleward of the jet due to increased stratification.

EDITORIAL: The plurality of optical singularities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berry, Michael; Dennis, Mark; Soskin, Marat

2004-05-01

This collection of papers arose from an Advanced Research Workshop on Singular Optics, held at the Bogolyubov Institute in Kiev, Ukraine, during 24-28 June 2003. The workshop was generously financed by NATO, with welcome additional support from Institute of Physics Publishing and the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. There had been two previous international meetings devoted to singular optics, in Crimea in 1997 and 2000, reflecting the strong involvement of former Soviet Union countries in this research. Awareness of singular optics is growing within the wider optics community, indicated by symposia on the subject at several general optics meetings. As the papers demonstrate, the field of singular optics has reached maturity. Although the subject originated in an observation on ultrasound, it has been largely theory-driven until recently. Now, however, there is close contact between theory and experiment, and we speculate that this is one reason for its accelerated development. To single out particular papers for mention here would be invidious, and since the papers speak for themselves it is not necessary to describe them all. Instead, we will confine ourselves to a brief description of the main areas included in singular optics, to illustrate the broad scope of the subject. Optical vortices are lines of phase singularity: nodal lines where the intensity of the light, represented by a complex scalar field, vanishes. The subject has emerged from flatland, where the vortices are points characterized by topological charges, into the much richer world of vortex lines in three dimensions. By combining Laguerre-Gauss or Bessel beams, or reflecting light from plates with spiral steps, intricate arrangements can be generated, with vortices that are curved, looped, knotted, linked or braided. With light whose state of polarization varies with position, different singularities occur, associated with the vector nature of light. These are also lines, on which the

Optical Properties of Nanoscale Bismuth Selenide and Its Heterocrystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vargas, Anthony

Over the past 12 years since the groundbreaking work on graphene, the field of 2D layered materials has grown by leaps and bounds as more materials are theoretically predicted and experimentically verified. These materials and their unique electronic, optical, and mechanical properties have inspired the scientific community to explore and investigate novel, fundamental physical phenomena as well create and refine technological devices which leverage the host of unique benefits which these materials possess. In the past few years, this burgeoning field has heavily moved towards combining layers of various materials into novel heterostructures. These heterostructures are an exciting area of research because of the plethora of exciting possibilities and results which arise due to the large number of heterostructure combinations and configurations. Particularly, the research into the optical properties of these layered materials and their heterostructures under confinement provides another exciting avenue for developing optoelectric devices. In this dissertation, I present work on the synthesis of Bi2Se 3 nanostructures via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and the study of the optical properties of these nanostructures and their heterostructures with MoS2. The bulk of the current published work on Bi2Se 3 has focused on the exotic topological properties of its surface states, both interesting fundamental physics purposes as well as for studying avenues for spintronics. In contrast, the work presented here focuses on studying the optical properties of Bi2Se3 nanostructures and how these properties evolve when subjected to confinement. Specifically, the absorbance of singlecrystal Bi2Se3 with sizes tailored down to a few nanometers in diameter and a few quintuple layers (QLs) in thickness. We find a dramatically large bandgap, Eg ≥ 2.5 eV, in the smallest particles which is much higher than that seen in 1QL measurements taken with ARPES. Additionally, utilizing

A factor involved in efficient breakdown of supersonic streamwise vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hiejima, Toshihiko

2015-03-01

Spatially developing processes in supersonic streamwise vortices were numerically simulated at Mach number 5.0. The vortex evolution largely depended on the azimuthal vorticity thickness of the vortices, which governs the negative helicity profile. Large vorticity thickness greatly enhanced the centrifugal instability, with consequent development of perturbations with competing wavenumbers outside the vortex core. During the transition process, supersonic streamwise vortices could generate large-scale spiral structures and a number of hairpin like vortices. Remarkably, the transition caused a dramatic increase in the total fluctuation energy of hypersonic flows, because the negative helicity profile destabilizes the flows due to helicity instability. Unstable growth might also relate to the correlation length between the axial and azimuthal vorticities of the streamwise vortices. The knowledge gained in this study is important for realizing effective fuel-oxidizer mixing in supersonic combustion engines.

A vorticity budget for the Gulf Stream

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le Bras, Isabela; Toole, John

2017-04-01

We develop a depth-averaged vorticity budget framework to diagnose the dynamical balance of the Gulf Stream, and apply this framework to observations and the ECCO state estimate (Wunsch and Heimbach 2013) above the thermocline in the subtropical North Atlantic. Using the hydrographic and ADCP data along the WOCE/CLIVAR section A22 and a variety of wind stress data products, we find that the advective vorticity flux out of the western region is on the same order as the wind stress forcing over the eastern portion of the gyre. This is consistent with a large-scale balance between a negative source of vorticity from wind stress forcing and a positive source of vorticity in the western region. Additionally, the form of the vorticity flux indicates that the Gulf Stream has a significant inertial component. In the ECCO state estimate, we diagnose a seasonal cycle in advective vorticity flux across a meridional section associated with seasonal fluctuations in Gulf Stream transport. This vorticity flux is forced by wind stress over the eastern subtropical North Atlantic and balanced by lateral friction with the western boundary. The lateral friction in ECCO is a necessary parameterization of smaller scale processes that occur in the real ocean, and quantifying these remains an open and interesting question. This simplified framework provides a means to interpret large scale ocean dynamics. In our application, it points to wind stress forcing over the subtropical North Altantic as an important regulator of the Gulf Stream and hence the climate system.

Hairpin vortices in turbulent boundary layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eitel-Amor, G.; Örlü, R.; Schlatter, P.; Flores, O.

2015-02-01

The present work presents a number of parallel and spatially developing simulations of boundary layers to address the question of whether hairpin vortices are a dominant feature of near-wall turbulence, and which role they play during transition. In the first part, the parent-offspring regeneration mechanism is investigated in parallel (temporal) simulations of a single hairpin vortex introduced in a mean shear flow corresponding to either turbulent channels or boundary layers (Reτ ≲ 590). The effect of a turbulent background superimposed on the mean flow is considered by using an eddy viscosity computed from resolved simulations. Tracking the vortical structure downstream, it is found that secondary hairpins are only created shortly after initialization, with all rotational structures decaying for later times. For hairpins in a clean (laminar) environment, the decay is relatively slow, while hairpins in weak turbulent environments (10% of νt) dissipate after a couple of eddy turnover times. In the second part, the role of hairpin vortices in laminar-turbulent transition is studied using simulations of spatial boundary layers tripped by hairpin vortices. These vortices are generated by means of specific volumetric forces representing an ejection event, creating a synthetic turbulent boundary layer initially dominated by hairpin-like vortices. These hairpins are advected towards the wake region of the boundary layer, while a sinusoidal instability of the streaks near the wall results in rapid development of a turbulent boundary layer. For Reθ > 400, the boundary layer is fully developed, with no evidence of hairpin vortices reaching into the wall region. The results from both the parallel and spatial simulations strongly suggest that the regeneration process is rather short-lived and may not sustain once a turbulent background is developed. From the transitional flow simulations, it is conjectured that the forest of hairpins reported in former direct numerical

Quantification of Nanoscale Density Fluctuations in Biological Cells/Tissues: Inverse Participation Ratio (IPR) Analysis of Transmission Electron Microscopy Images and Implications for Early-Stage Cancer Detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pradhan, Prabhakar; Damania, Dhwanil; Joshi, Hrushikesh; Taflove, Allen; Roy, Hemant; Dravid, Vinayak; Backman, Vadim

2010-03-01

We report a study of the nanoscale mass density fluctuations of biological cells and tissues by quantifying their nanoscale light-localization properties. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) images of human cells and tissues are used to construct corresponding effective disordered optical lattices. Light-localization properties are studied by statistical analysis of the inverse participation ratio (IPR) of the eigenfunctions of these optical lattices at the nanoscales. Our results indicate elevation of the nanoscale disorder strength (e.g., refractive index fluctuations) in early carcinogenesis. Importantly, our results demonstrate that the increase in the nanoscale disorder represents the earliest structural alteration in cells undergoing carcinogenesis known to-date. Potential applications of the technique for early stage cancer detection will be discussed.

Polarization in heavy-ion collisions: magnetic field and vorticity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baznat, M.; Gudima, K.; Prokhorov, G.; Sorin, A.; Teryaev, O.; Zakharov, V.

2017-12-01

The polarization of hyperons due to axial chiral vortical effect is discussed. The effect is proportional to (strange) chemical potential and is pronounced at lower energies, contrary to that of magnetic field. The polarization of antihyperons has the same sign and larger magnitude. The emergence of vortical structures is observed in kinetic QGSM models. The hydrodynamical helicity separation receives the contribution of longitudinal velocity and vorticity implying the quadrupole structure of the latter. The transition from the quark vortical effects to baryons in confined phase may be achieved by exploring the axial charge. At the hadronic level the polarization corresponds to the cores of quantized vortices in pionic superfluid. The chiral vortical effects may be also studied in the frmework of Wigner function establishing the relation to the thermodynamical approach to polarization.

A Family of Vortices to Study Axisymmetric Vortex Breakdown and Reconnection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, Larry A.

2007-01-01

A new analytic model describing a family of vortices has been developed to study some of the axisymmetric vortex breakdown and reconnection fluid dynamic processes underlying body-vortex interactions that are frequently manifested in rotorcraft and propeller-driven fixed-wing aircraft wakes. The family of vortices incorporates a wide range of prescribed initial vorticity distributions -- including single or dual-core vorticity distributions. The result is analytical solutions for the vorticity and velocities for each member of the family of vortices. This model is of sufficient generality to further illustrate the dependence of vortex reconnection and breakdown on initial vorticity distribution as was suggested by earlier analytical work. This family of vortices, though laminar in nature, is anticipated to provide valuable insight into the vortical evolution of large-scale rotor and propeller wakes.

Three-dimensional flow visualization and vorticity dynamics in revolving wings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Bo; Sane, Sanjay P.; Barbera, Giovanni; Troolin, Daniel R.; Strand, Tyson; Deng, Xinyan

2013-01-01

We investigated the three-dimensional vorticity dynamics of the flows generated by revolving wings using a volumetric 3-component velocimetry system. The three-dimensional velocity and vorticity fields were represented with respect to the base axes of rotating Cartesian reference frames, and the second invariant of the velocity gradient was evaluated and used as a criterion to identify two core vortex structures. The first structure was a composite of leading, trailing, and tip-edge vortices attached to the wing edges, whereas the second structure was a strong tip vortex tilted from leading-edge vortices and shed into the wake together with the vorticity generated at the tip edge. Using the fundamental vorticity equation, we evaluated the convection, stretching, and tilting of vorticity in the rotating wing frame to understand the generation and evolution of vorticity. Based on these data, we propose that the vorticity generated at the leading edge is carried away by strong tangential flow into the wake and travels downwards with the induced downwash. The convection by spanwise flow is comparatively negligible. The three-dimensional flow in the wake also exhibits considerable vortex tilting and stretching. Together these data underscore the complex and interconnected vortical structures and dynamics generated by revolving wings.

High-power, continuous-wave, tunable mid-IR, higher-order vortex beam optical parametric oscillator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aadhi, A.; Sharma, Varun; Samanta, G. K.

2018-05-01

We report on a novel experimental scheme to generate continuous-wave (cw), high power, and higher-order optical vortices tunable across mid-IR wavelength range. Using cw, two-crystal, singly resonant optical parametric oscillator (T-SRO) and pumping one of the crystals with Gaussian beam and the other crystal with optical vortices of orders, lp = 1 to 6, we have directly transferred the vortices at near-IR to the mid-IR wavelength range. The idler vortices of orders, li = 1 to 6, are tunable across 2276-3576 nm with a maximum output power of 6.8 W at order of, li = 1, for the pump power of 25 W corresponding to a near-IR vortex to mid-IR vortex conversion efficiency as high as 27.2%. Unlike the SROs generating optical vortices restricted to lower orders due to the elevated operation threshold with pump vortex orders, here, the coherent energy coupling between the resonant signals of the crystals of T-SRO facilitates the transfer of pump vortex of any order to the idler wavelength without stringent operation threshold condition. The generic experimental scheme can be used in any wavelength range across the electromagnetic spectrum and in all time scales from cw to ultrafast regime.

On the motion of multiple helical vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wood, D. H.; Boersma, J.

2001-11-01

The analysis of the self-induced velocity of a single helical vortex (Boersma & Wood 1999) is extended to include equally spaced multiple vortices. This arrangement approximates the tip vortices in the far wake of multi-bladed wind turbines, propellers, or rotors in ascending, descending, or hovering flight. The problem is reduced to finding, from the Biot Savart law, the additional velocity of a helix due to an identical helix displaced azimuthally. The resulting Biot Savart integral is further reduced to a Mellin Barnes integral representation which allows the asymptotic expansions to be determined for small and for large pitch. The Biot Savart integral is also evaluated numerically for a total of two, three and four vortices over a range of pitch values. The previous finding that the self-induced velocity at small pitch is dominated by a term inversely proportional to the pitch carries over to multiple vortices. It is shown that a far wake dominated by helical tip vortices is consistent with the one-dimensional representation that leads to the Betz limit on the power output of wind turbines. The small-pitch approximation then allows the determination of the blade&s bound vorticity for optimum power extraction. The present analysis is shown to give reasonable estimates for the vortex circulation in experiments using a single hovering rotor and a four-bladed propeller.

Experimental demonstration of free-space optical vortex transmutation with polygonal lenses.

PubMed

Gao, Nan; Xie, Changqing

2012-08-01

Vortex transmutation was predicted to take place when vortices interact with systems possessing discrete rotational symmetries of finite order [Phys. Rev. Lett.95, 123901 (2005)]. Here we report what is believed to be the first experimental demonstration of vortex transmutation. We show that in free space, by simply inserting polygonal lenses into the optical path, the central vorticity of a coaxially incident optical vortex can be changed following the modular transmutation rule. We generate the wavefront at the exit face of the lenses with computer generated holograms and measure the output vorticity using the interference patterns at the focal plane. The results agree well with theoretical predictions.

Nonlinear dynamics of nanoscale systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hodas, Nathan Oken

This work builds theoretical tools to better understand nanoscale systems, and it ex- plores experimental techniques to probe nanoscale dynamics using nonlinear optical microscopy. In both the theory and experiment, this work harnesses nonlinearity to explore new boundaries in the ongoing attempts to understand the amazing world that is much smaller than we can see. In particular, the first part of this work proves the upper-bounds on the number and quality of oscillations when the sys- tem in question is homogeneously driven and has discrete states, a common way of describing nanoscale motors and chemical systems, although it has application to networked systems in general. The consequences of this limit are explored in the context of chemical clocks and limit cycles. This leads to the analysis of sponta- neous oscillations in GFPmut2, where we postulate that the oscillations must be due to coordinated rearrangement of the beta-barrel. Next, we utilize nonlinear optics to probe the constituent structures of zebrafish muscle. By comparing experimental observations with computational models, we show how second harmonic generation differs from fluorescence for confocal imaging. We use the wavelength dependence of the second harmonic generation conversion efficiency to extract information about the microscopic organization of muscle fibers, using the coherent nature of second ix harmonic generation as an analytical probe. Finally, existing experiments have used a related technique, sum-frequency generation, to directly probe the dynamics of free OH bonds at the water-vapor boundary. Using molecular dynamic simulations of the water surface and by designating surface-sensitive free OH bonds on the water surface, many aspects of the sum-frequency generation measurements were calcu- lated and compared with those inferred from experiment. The method utilizes results available from independent IR and Raman experiments to obtain some of the needed quantities, rather than

Stability and nonlinear adjustment of vortices in Keplerian flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bodo, G.; Tevzadze, A.; Chagelishvili, G.; Mignone, A.; Rossi, P.; Ferrari, A.

2007-11-01

Aims:We investigate the stability, nonlinear development and equilibrium structure of vortices in a background shearing Keplerian flow Methods: We make use of high-resolution global two-dimensional compressible hydrodynamic simulations. We introduce the concept of nonlinear adjustment to describe the transition of unbalanced vortical fields to a long-lived configuration. Results: We discuss the conditions under which vortical perturbations evolve into long-lived persistent structures and we describe the properties of these equilibrium vortices. The properties of equilibrium vortices appear to be independent from the initial conditions and depend only on the local disk parameters. In particular we find that the ratio of the vortex size to the local disk scale height increases with the decrease of the sound speed, reaching values well above the unity. The process of spiral density wave generation by the vortex, discussed in our previous work, appear to maintain its efficiency also at nonlinear amplitudes and we observe the formation of spiral shocks attached to the vortex. The shocks may have important consequences on the long term vortex evolution and possibly on the global disk dynamics. Conclusions: Our study strengthens the arguments in favor of anticyclonic vortices as the candidates for the promotion of planetary formation. Hydrodynamic shocks that are an intrinsic property of persistent vortices in compressible Keplerian flows are an important contributor to the overall balance. These shocks support vortices against viscous dissipation by generating local potential vorticity and should be responsible for the eventual fate of the persistent anticyclonic vortices. Numerical codes have be able to resolve shock waves to describe the vortex dynamics correctly.

Numerical Capture of Wing-tip Vortex Using Vorticity Confinement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Baili; Lou, Jing; Kang, Chang Wei; Wilson, Alexander; Lundberg, Johan; Bensow, Rickard

2012-11-01

Tracking vortices accurately over large distances is very important in many areas of engineering, for instance flow over rotating helicopter blades, ship propeller blades and aircraft wings. However, due to the inherent numerical dissipation in the advection step of flow simulation, current Euler and RANS field solvers tend to damp these vortices too fast. One possible solution to reduce the unphysical decay of these vortices is the application of vorticity confinement methods. In this study, a vorticity confinement term is added to the momentum conservation equations which is a function of the local element size, the vorticity and the gradient of the absolute value of vorticity. The approach has been evaluated by a systematic numerical study on the tip vortex trailing from a rectangular NACA0012 half-wing. The simulated structure and development of the wing-tip vortex agree well with experiments both qualitatively and quantitatively without any adverse effects on the global flow field. It is shown that vorticity confinement can negate the effect of numerical dissipation, leading to a more or less constant vortex strength. This is an approximate method in that genuine viscous diffusion of the vortex is not modeled, but it can be appropriate for vortex dominant flows over short to medium length scales where viscous diffusion can be neglected.

Coupled Control of Flow Separation and Streamwise Vortical Structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burrows, Travis; Vukasinovic, Bojan; Glezer, Ari

2017-11-01

The flow in offset diffusers of modern propulsion systems are dominated by streamwise vorticity concentrations that advect of low-momentum fluid from the flow boundaries into the core flow and give rise to flow distortion and losses at the engine inlet. Because the formation of these vortices is strongly coupled to trapped vorticity concentrations within locally-separated flow domains over concave surfaces of the diffuser bends, this coupling is exploited for controlling the streamwise evolution of the vortices and thereby significantly reduce the flow distortion and losses. The scale and topology of the trapped vorticity are manipulated at an operating throat Mach number of 0.64 by using a spanwise array of fluidic oscillating jets that are placed upstream of the separation domain. The present investigations demonstrate that the actuation alters the structure of both the trapped and streamwise vortices. In particular, the distribution of the streamwise vortices is altered and their strength is diminished by actuation-induced streamwise vorticity concentrations of opposite sense. As a result, the actuation leads to significant suppression of pressure distortion at the engine inlet (by as much as 60%) at an actuation level that utilizes less than 0.4% of the diffuser's mass flow rate. Supported by ONR.

On relation between scalar interfaces and vorticity in inviscid flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramesh, O. N.; Patwardhan, Saurabh

2013-11-01

A great variety of applications like pollutant mixing in the atmosphere, mixing of reactants in combustion highlight the importance of passive scalar dynamics in fluid flows. The other dynamically important variable in the study of fluid flow is the vorticity. Vorticity though, unlike a passive scalar, does affect the fluid motion. The dynamics of scalar (linear) and vorticity (non-linear) are governed by the equations which inherently have different characteristics. This paper addresses the question of the faithfulness of representation of vorticity by scalar marker and the motivation for this comes from the experiment of Head and Bandyopadhyay (1981) which showed the existence of coherent vortices by using smoke flow visualization in a turbulent boundary layer. We will show analytically in regions where the molecular diffusion effects are negligible, the vorticity and scalar gradients are orthogonal to each other. The iso- surface of scalar follows the vorticity in an inviscid situation. Also, we will demonstrate that in the case of unsteady burgers vortex and vortex shedding behind a finite circular cylinder, the scalar gradient is orthogonal to vorticity and inner product of vorticity and scalar gradients is zero in regions away from the wall.

Vorticity Probes and the Characterization of Vortices in the Kelvin Helmholtz Instability in the LAPD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horton, W.; Perez, J. C.; Bengtson, R. D.; Carter, T. A.; Gekelman, W.; Fassler, M.

2003-10-01

A new five-pin probe design called the Vorticity Probe is presented that explicitly measures the vorticity in the ExB flow from the floating potentials independent on any absolute calibration errors. The five Tantulum probe tips are arranged in a diamond pattern with 5mm tip spacing. The fluctuating floating potential at each tip is measured and used to compute a finite-difference approximation of the ExB vorticity. The probe is tested in the LAPD device run with a variable bias between the anode and the chamber wall that creates a sharply localized Er-profile at 30cm from the axis of the 100cm diameter chamber. The fluctuations observed are peaked in the shear flow layer and are being correlated with theoretical calculations of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability for this plasma. Nonlinear calculations are presented and test particle motion in the mixture of waves and vortices are described. The spectrum at 15 to 30 kHz matches the theoretical prediction from the measured dEr/dr gradient that reaches 17kV/m^2 in the B=0.2T axial magnetic field. The parallel wavelength and azimuthal mode numbers are being measured for further comfirmation of the of the mode classification.

Nanoscale Rheology and Anisotropic Diffusion Using Single Gold Nanorod Probes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Molaei, Mehdi; Atefi, Ehsan; Crocker, John C.

2018-03-01

The complex rotational and translational Brownian motion of anisotropic particles depends on their shape and the viscoelasticity of their surroundings. Because of their strong optical scattering and chemical versatility, gold nanorods would seem to provide the ultimate probes of rheology at the nanoscale, but the suitably accurate orientational tracking required to compute rheology has not been demonstrated. Here we image single gold nanorods with a laser-illuminated dark-field microscope and use optical polarization to determine their three-dimensional orientation to better than one degree. We convert the rotational diffusion of single nanorods in viscoelastic polyethylene glycol solutions to rheology and obtain excellent agreement with bulk measurements. Extensions of earlier models of anisotropic translational diffusion to three dimensions and viscoelastic fluids give excellent agreement with the observed motion of single nanorods. We find that nanorod tracking provides a uniquely capable approach to microrheology and provides a powerful tool for probing nanoscale dynamics and structure in a range of soft materials.

Topological vortices in gauge models of graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xin-Hui; Li, Xueqin; Hao, Jin-Bo

2018-06-01

Graphene-like structure possessing the topological vortices and knots, and the magnetic flux of the vortices configuration quantized, are proposed in this paper. The topological charges of the vortices are characterized by Hopf indices and Brower degrees. The Abelian background field action (BF action) is a topological invariant for the knot family, which is just the total sum of all the self-linking numbers and all the linking numbers. Flux quantization opens the possibility of having Aharonov-Bohm-type effects in graphene without external electromagnetic field.

Streamwise vortices destabilize swimming bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus).

PubMed

Maia, Anabela; Sheltzer, Alex P; Tytell, Eric D

2015-03-01

In their natural environment, fish must swim stably through unsteady flows and vortices, including vertical vortices, typically shed by posts in a flow, horizontal cross-flow vortices, often produced by a step or a waterfall in a stream, and streamwise vortices, where the axis of rotation is aligned with the direction of the flow. Streamwise vortices are commonly shed by bluff bodies in streams and by ships' propellers and axial turbines, but we know little about their effects on fish. Here, we describe how bluegill sunfish use more energy and are destabilized more often in flow with strong streamwise vorticity. The vortices were created inside a sealed flow tank by an array of four turbines with similar diameter to the experimental fish. We measured oxygen consumption for seven sunfish swimming at 1.5 body lengths (BL) s(-1) with the turbines rotating at 2 Hz and with the turbines off (control). Simultaneously, we filmed the fish ventrally and recorded the fraction of time spent maneuvering side-to-side and accelerating forward. Separately, we also recorded lateral and ventral video for a combination of swimming speeds (0.5, 1.5 and 2.5 BL s(-1)) and turbine speeds (0, 1, 2 and 3 Hz), immediately after turning the turbines on and 10 min later to test for accommodation. Bluegill sunfish are negatively affected by streamwise vorticity. Spills (loss of heading), maneuvers and accelerations were more frequent when the turbines were on than in the control treatment. These unsteady behaviors, particularly acceleration, correlated with an increase in oxygen consumption in the vortex flow. Bluegill sunfish are generally fast to recover from roll perturbations and do so by moving their pectoral fins. The frequency of spills decreased after the turbines had run for 10 min, but was still markedly higher than in the control, showing that fish partially adapt to streamwise vorticity, but not completely. Coping with streamwise vorticity may be an important energetic

Vorticity imbalance and stability in relation to convection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Read, W. L.; Scoggins, J. R.

1977-01-01

A complete synoptic-scale vorticity budget was related to convection storm development in the eastern two-thirds of the United States. The 3-h sounding interval permitted a study of time changes of the vorticity budget in areas of convective storms. Results of analyses revealed significant changes in values of terms in the vorticity equation at different stages of squall line development. Average budgets for all areas of convection indicate systematic imbalance in the terms in the vorticity equation. This imbalance resulted primarily from sub-grid scale processes. Potential instability in the lower troposphere was analyzed in relation to the development of convective activity. Instability was related to areas of convection; however, instability alone was inadequate for forecast purposes. Combinations of stability and terms in the vorticity equation in the form of indices succeeded in depicting areas of convection better than any one item separately.

Interaction of vortices with flexible piezoelectric beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goushcha, Oleg; Akaydin, Huseyin Dogus; Elvin, Niell; Andreopoulos, Yiannis

2012-11-01

A cantilever piezoelectric beam immersed in a flow is used to harvest fluidic energy. Pressure distribution induced by naturally present vortices in a turbulent fluid flow can force the beam to oscillate producing electrical output. Maximizing the power output of such an electromechanical fluidic system is a challenge. In order to understand the behavior of the beam in a fluid flow where vortices of different scales are present, an experimental facility was set up to study the interaction of individual vortices with the beam. In our set up, vortex rings produced by an audio speaker travel at specific distances from the beam or impinge on it, with a frequency varied up to the natural frequency of the beam. Depending on this frequency both constructive and destructive interactions between the vortices and the beam are observed. Vortices traveling over the beam with a frequency multiple of the natural frequency of the beam cause the beam to resonate and larger deflection amplitudes are observed compared to excitation from a single vortex. PIV is used to compute the flow field and circulation of each vortex and estimate the effect of pressure distribution on the beam deflection. Sponsored by NSF Grant: CBET #1033117.

Theory of free electron vortices

PubMed Central

Schattschneider, P.; Verbeeck, J.

2011-01-01

The recent creation of electron vortex beams and their first practical application motivates a better understanding of their properties. Here, we develop the theory of free electron vortices with quantized angular momentum, based on solutions of the Schrödinger equation for cylindrical boundary conditions. The principle of transformation of a plane wave into vortices with quantized angular momentum, their paraxial propagation through round magnetic lenses, and the effect of partial coherence are discussed. PMID:21930017

Nanoscale Cu{sub 2}O films: Radio-frequency magnetron sputtering and structural and optical studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kudryashov, D. A., E-mail: kudryashovda@apbau.ru; Gudovskikh, A. S.; Babichev, A. V.

2017-01-15

Nanoscale copper (I) oxide layers are formed by magnetron-assisted sputtering onto glassy and silicon substrates in an oxygen-free environment at room temperature, and the structural and optical properties of the layers are studied. It is shown that copper oxide formed on a silicon substrate exhibits a lower degree of disorder than that formed on a glassy substrate, which is supported by the observation of a higher intensity and a smaller half-width of reflections in the diffraction pattern. The highest intensity of reflections in the diffraction pattern is observed for Cu{sub 2}O films grown on silicon at a magnetron power ofmore » 150 W. The absorption and transmittance spectra of these Cu{sub 2}O films are in agreement with the well-known spectra of bulk crystals. In the Raman spectra of the films, phonons inherent in the crystal lattice of cubic Cu{sub 2}O crystals are identified.« less

Numerical evaluation of gas core length in free surface vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cristofano, L.; Nobili, M.; Caruso, G.

2014-11-01

The formation and evolution of free surface vortices represent an important topic in many hydraulic intakes, since strong whirlpools introduce swirl flow at the intake, and could cause entrainment of floating matters and gas. In particular, gas entrainment phenomena are an important safety issue for Sodium cooled Fast Reactors, because the introduction of gas bubbles within the core causes dangerous reactivity fluctuation. In this paper, a numerical evaluation of the gas core length in free surface vortices is presented, according to two different approaches. In the first one, a prediction method, developed by the Japanese researcher Sakai and his team, has been applied. This method is based on the Burgers vortex model, and it is able to estimate the gas core length of a free surface vortex starting from two parameters calculated with single-phase CFD simulations. The two parameters are the circulation and the downward velocity gradient. The other approach consists in performing a two-phase CFD simulation of a free surface vortex, in order to numerically reproduce the gas- liquid interface deformation. Mapped convergent mesh is used to reduce numerical error and a VOF (Volume Of Fluid) method was selected to track the gas-liquid interface. Two different turbulence models have been tested and analyzed. Experimental measurements of free surface vortices gas core length have been executed, using optical methods, and numerical results have been compared with experimental measurements. The computational domain and the boundary conditions of the CFD simulations were set consistently with the experimental test conditions.

Anomaly inflow on QCD axial domain-walls and vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fukushima, Kenji; Imaki, Shota

2018-06-01

We study the chiral effective theory in the presence of quantum chromodynamics (QCD) vortices. Gauge invariance requires novel terms from vortex singularities in the gauged Wess-Zumino-Witten action, which incorporate anomaly-induced currents along the vortices. We examine these terms for systems with QCD axial domain-walls bounded by vortices (vortons) under magnetic fields. We discuss how the baryon and electric charge conservations are satisfied in these systems through interplay between domain-walls and vortices, manifesting Callan-Harvey's mechanism of anomaly inflow.

Plasmofluidics: Merging Light and Fluids at the Micro-/Nanoscale.

PubMed

Wang, Mingsong; Zhao, Chenglong; Miao, Xiaoyu; Zhao, Yanhui; Rufo, Joseph; Liu, Yan Jun; Huang, Tony Jun; Zheng, Yuebing

2015-09-16

Plasmofluidics is the synergistic integration of plasmonics and micro/nanofluidics in devices and applications in order to enhance performance. There has been significant progress in the emerging field of plasmofluidics in recent years. By utilizing the capability of plasmonics to manipulate light at the nanoscale, combined with the unique optical properties of fluids and precise manipulation via micro/nanofluidics, plasmofluidic technologies enable innovations in lab-on-a-chip systems, reconfigurable photonic devices, optical sensing, imaging, and spectroscopy. In this review article, the most recent advances in plasmofluidics are examined and categorized into plasmon-enhanced functionalities in microfluidics and microfluidics-enhanced plasmonic devices. The former focuses on plasmonic manipulations of fluids, bubbles, particles, biological cells, and molecules at the micro/nanoscale. The latter includes technological advances that apply microfluidic principles to enable reconfigurable plasmonic devices and performance-enhanced plasmonic sensors. The article is concluded with perspectives on the upcoming challenges, opportunities, and possible future directions of the emerging field of plasmofluidics. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Cloud vortices

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-11-02

Cloud vortices off Heard Island, south Indian Ocean. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this true-color image of sea ice off Heard Island on Nov 2, 2015 at 5:02 AM EST (09:20 UTC). Credit: NASA/GSFC/Jeff Schmaltz/MODIS Land Rapid Response Team

Nanoscale simultaneous chemical and mechanical imaging via peak force infrared microscopy

PubMed Central

Wang, Le; Wang, Haomin; Wagner, Martin; Yan, Yong; Jakob, Devon S.; Xu, Xiaoji G.

2017-01-01

Nondestructive chemical and mechanical measurements of materials with ~10-nm spatial resolution together with topography provide rich information on the compositions and organizations of heterogeneous materials and nanoscale objects. However, multimodal nanoscale correlations are difficult to achieve because of the limitation on spatial resolution of optical microscopy and constraints from instrumental complexities. We report a novel noninvasive spectroscopic scanning probe microscopy method—peak force infrared (PFIR) microscopy—that allows chemical imaging, collection of broadband infrared spectra, and mechanical mapping at a spatial resolution of 10 nm. In our technique, chemical absorption information is directly encoded in the withdraw curve of the peak force tapping cycle after illumination with synchronized infrared laser pulses in a simple apparatus. Nanoscale phase separation in block copolymers and inhomogeneity in CH3NH3PbBr3 perovskite crystals are studied with correlative infrared/mechanical nanoimaging. Furthermore, we show that the PFIR method is sensitive to the presence of surface phonon polaritons in boron nitride nanotubes. PFIR microscopy will provide a powerful analytical tool for explorations at the nanoscale across wide disciplines. PMID:28691096

Helical vortices: linear stability analysis and nonlinear dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selçuk, C.; Delbende, I.; Rossi, M.

2018-02-01

We numerically investigate, within the context of helical symmetry, the dynamics of a regular array of two or three helical vortices with or without a straight central hub vortex. The Navier-Stokes equations are linearised to study the instabilities of such basic states. For vortices with low pitches, an unstable mode is extracted which corresponds to a displacement mode and growth rates are found to compare well with results valid for an infinite row of point vortices or an infinite alley of vortex rings. For larger pitches, the system is stable with respect to helically symmetric perturbations. In the nonlinear regime, we follow the time-evolution of the above basic states when initially perturbed by the dominant instability mode. For two vortices, sequences of overtaking events, leapfrogging and eventually merging are observed. The transition between such behaviours occurs at a critical ratio involving the core size and the vortex-separation distance. Cases with three helical vortices are also presented.

Intelligent Design of Nano-Scale Molecular Imaging Agents

PubMed Central

Kim, Sung Bae; Hattori, Mitsuru; Ozawa, Takeaki

2012-01-01

Visual representation and quantification of biological processes at the cellular and subcellular levels within living subjects are gaining great interest in life science to address frontier issues in pathology and physiology. As intact living subjects do not emit any optical signature, visual representation usually exploits nano-scale imaging agents as the source of image contrast. Many imaging agents have been developed for this purpose, some of which exert nonspecific, passive, and physical interaction with a target. Current research interest in molecular imaging has mainly shifted to fabrication of smartly integrated, specific, and versatile agents that emit fluorescence or luminescence as an optical readout. These agents include luminescent quantum dots (QDs), biofunctional antibodies, and multifunctional nanoparticles. Furthermore, genetically encoded nano-imaging agents embedding fluorescent proteins or luciferases are now gaining popularity. These agents are generated by integrative design of the components, such as luciferase, flexible linker, and receptor to exert a specific on–off switching in the complex context of living subjects. In the present review, we provide an overview of the basic concepts, smart design, and practical contribution of recent nano-scale imaging agents, especially with respect to genetically encoded imaging agents. PMID:23235326

Intelligent design of nano-scale molecular imaging agents.

PubMed

Kim, Sung Bae; Hattori, Mitsuru; Ozawa, Takeaki

2012-12-12

Visual representation and quantification of biological processes at the cellular and subcellular levels within living subjects are gaining great interest in life science to address frontier issues in pathology and physiology. As intact living subjects do not emit any optical signature, visual representation usually exploits nano-scale imaging agents as the source of image contrast. Many imaging agents have been developed for this purpose, some of which exert nonspecific, passive, and physical interaction with a target. Current research interest in molecular imaging has mainly shifted to fabrication of smartly integrated, specific, and versatile agents that emit fluorescence or luminescence as an optical readout. These agents include luminescent quantum dots (QDs), biofunctional antibodies, and multifunctional nanoparticles. Furthermore, genetically encoded nano-imaging agents embedding fluorescent proteins or luciferases are now gaining popularity. These agents are generated by integrative design of the components, such as luciferase, flexible linker, and receptor to exert a specific on-off switching in the complex context of living subjects. In the present review, we provide an overview of the basic concepts, smart design, and practical contribution of recent nano-scale imaging agents, especially with respect to genetically encoded imaging agents.

Three-dimensional nanoscale imaging by plasmonic Brownian microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Labno, Anna; Gladden, Christopher; Kim, Jeongmin; Lu, Dylan; Yin, Xiaobo; Wang, Yuan; Liu, Zhaowei; Zhang, Xiang

2017-12-01

Three-dimensional (3D) imaging at the nanoscale is a key to understanding of nanomaterials and complex systems. While scanning probe microscopy (SPM) has been the workhorse of nanoscale metrology, its slow scanning speed by a single probe tip can limit the application of SPM to wide-field imaging of 3D complex nanostructures. Both electron microscopy and optical tomography allow 3D imaging, but are limited to the use in vacuum environment due to electron scattering and to optical resolution in micron scales, respectively. Here we demonstrate plasmonic Brownian microscopy (PBM) as a way to improve the imaging speed of SPM. Unlike photonic force microscopy where a single trapped particle is used for a serial scanning, PBM utilizes a massive number of plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) under Brownian diffusion in solution to scan in parallel around the unlabeled sample object. The motion of NPs under an evanescent field is three-dimensionally localized to reconstruct the super-resolution topology of 3D dielectric objects. Our method allows high throughput imaging of complex 3D structures over a large field of view, even with internal structures such as cavities that cannot be accessed by conventional mechanical tips in SPM.

Collision dynamics of two-dimensional non-Abelian vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mawson, Thomas; Petersen, Timothy C.; Simula, Tapio

2017-09-01

We study computationally the collision dynamics of vortices in a two-dimensional spin-2 Bose-Einstein condensate. In contrast to Abelian vortex pairs, which annihilate or pass through each other, we observe non-Abelian vortex pairs to undergo rungihilation—an event that converts the colliding vortices into a rung vortex. The resulting rung defect subsequently decays to another pair of non-Abelian vortices of different type, accompanied by a magnetization reversal.

Nanoscale NMR spectroscopy and imaging of multiple nuclear species.

PubMed

DeVience, Stephen J; Pham, Linh M; Lovchinsky, Igor; Sushkov, Alexander O; Bar-Gill, Nir; Belthangady, Chinmay; Casola, Francesco; Corbett, Madeleine; Zhang, Huiliang; Lukin, Mikhail; Park, Hongkun; Yacoby, Amir; Walsworth, Ronald L

2015-02-01

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provide non-invasive information about multiple nuclear species in bulk matter, with wide-ranging applications from basic physics and chemistry to biomedical imaging. However, the spatial resolution of conventional NMR and MRI is limited to several micrometres even at large magnetic fields (>1 T), which is inadequate for many frontier scientific applications such as single-molecule NMR spectroscopy and in vivo MRI of individual biological cells. A promising approach for nanoscale NMR and MRI exploits optical measurements of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) colour centres in diamond, which provide a combination of magnetic field sensitivity and nanoscale spatial resolution unmatched by any existing technology, while operating under ambient conditions in a robust, solid-state system. Recently, single, shallow NV centres were used to demonstrate NMR of nanoscale ensembles of proton spins, consisting of a statistical polarization equivalent to ∼100-1,000 spins in uniform samples covering the surface of a bulk diamond chip. Here, we realize nanoscale NMR spectroscopy and MRI of multiple nuclear species ((1)H, (19)F, (31)P) in non-uniform (spatially structured) samples under ambient conditions and at moderate magnetic fields (∼20 mT) using two complementary sensor modalities.

Synthesis and characterization of attosecond light vortices in the extreme ultraviolet

DOE PAGES

Géneaux, R.; Camper, A.; Auguste, T.; ...

2016-08-30

Infrared and visible light beams carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM) are currently thoroughly studied for their extremely broad applicative prospects, among which are quantum information, micromachining and diagnostic tools. Here we extend these prospects, presenting a comprehensive study for the synthesis and full characterization of optical vortices carrying OAM in the extreme ultraviolet (XUV) domain. We confirm the upconversion rules of a femtosecond infrared helically phased beam into its high-order harmonics, showing that each harmonic order carries the total number of OAM units absorbed in the process up to very high orders (57). This allows us to synthesize and characterizemore » helically shaped XUV trains of attosecond pulses. To demonstrate a typical use of these new XUV light beams, we show our ability to generate and control, through photoionization, attosecond electron beams carrying OAM. Furthermore, these breakthroughs pave the route for the study of a series of fundamental phenomena and the development of new ultrafast diagnosis tools using either photonic or electronic vortices.« less

The role of surface vorticity during unsteady separation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melius, Matthew S.; Mulleners, Karen; Cal, Raúl Bayoán

2018-04-01

Unsteady flow separation in rotationally augmented flow fields plays a significant role in a variety of fundamental flows. Through the use of time-resolved particle image velocimetry, vorticity accumulation and vortex shedding during unsteady separation over a three-dimensional airfoil are examined. The results of the study describe the critical role of surface vorticity accumulation during unsteady separation and reattachment. Through evaluation of the unsteady characteristics of the shear layer, it is demonstrated that the buildup and shedding of surface vorticity directly influence the dynamic changes of the separation point location. The quantitative characterization of surface vorticity and shear layer stability enables improved aerodynamic designs and has a broad impact within the field of unsteady fluid dynamics.

Dynamics of circular arrangements of vorticity in two dimensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swaminathan, Rohith V.; Ravichandran, S.; Perlekar, Prasad; Govindarajan, Rama

2016-07-01

The merger of two like-signed vortices is a well-studied problem, but in a turbulent flow, we may often have more than two like-signed vortices interacting. We study the merger of three or more identical corotating vortices initially arranged on the vertices of a regular polygon. At low to moderate Reynolds numbers, we find an additional stage in the merger process, absent in the merger of two vortices, where an annular vortical structure is formed and is long lived. Vortex merger is slowed down significantly due to this. Such annular vortices are known at far higher Reynolds numbers in studies of tropical cyclones, which have been noticed to a break down into individual vortices. In the preannular stage, vortical structures in a viscous flow are found here to tilt and realign in a manner similar to the inviscid case, but the pronounced filaments visible in the latter are practically absent in the former. Five or fewer vortices initially elongate radially, and then reorient their long axis closer to the azimuthal direction so as to form an annulus. With six or more vortices, the initial alignment is already azimuthal. Interestingly at higher Reynolds numbers, the merger of an odd number of vortices is found to proceed very differently from that of an even number. The former process is rapid and chaotic whereas the latter proceeds more slowly via pairing events. The annular vortex takes the form of a generalized Lamb-Oseen vortex (GLO), and diffuses inward until it forms a standard Lamb-Oseen vortex. For lower Reynolds number, the numerical (fully nonlinear) evolution of the GLO vortex follows exactly the analytical evolution until merger. At higher Reynolds numbers, the annulus goes through instabilities whose nonlinear stages show a pronounced difference between even and odd mode disturbances. Here again, the odd mode causes an early collapse of the annulus via decaying turbulence into a single central vortex, whereas the even mode disturbance causes a more

Airfoil Drag Reduction using Controlled Trapped Vorticity Concentrations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desalvo, Michael; Glezer, Ari

2017-11-01

The aerodynamic performance of a lifting surface at low angles of attack (when the base flow is fully attached) is improved through fluidic modification of its ``apparent'' shape by superposition of near-surface trapped vorticity concentrations. In the present wind tunnel investigations, a controlled trapped vorticity concentration is formed on the pressure surface of an airfoil (NACA 4415) using a hybrid actuator comprising a passive obstruction of scale O(0.01c) and an integral synthetic jet actuator. The jet actuation frequency [Stact O(10)] is selected to be at least an order of magnitude higher than the characteristic unstable frequency of the airfoil wake, thereby decoupling the actuation from the global instabilities of the base flow. Regulation of vorticity accumulation in the vicinity of the actuator by the jet effects changes in the local pressure, leading in turn to changes in the airfoil's drag and lift. Trapped vorticity can lead to a significant reduction in drag and reduced lift (owing to the sense of the vorticity), e.g. at α =4° and Re = 6.7 .105 the drag and lift reductions are 14% and 2%, respectively. PIV measurements show the spatial variation in the distribution of vorticity concentrations and yield estimates of the corresponding changes in circulation.

Numerical analysis of propeller induced ground vortices by actuator disk model.

PubMed

Yang, Y; Veldhuis, L L M; Eitelberg, G

2018-01-01

During the ground operation of aircraft, the interaction between the propulsor-induced flow field and the ground may lead to the generation of ground vortices. Utilizing numerical approaches, the source of vorticity entering ground vortices is investigated. The results show that the production of wall-parallel components of vorticity has a strong contribution from the wall-parallel components of the pressure gradient on the wall, which is generated by the action of the propulsor. This mechanism is a supplementation for the vorticity transported from the far-field boundary layer, which has been assumed the main vorticity source in a number of previous publications. Furthermore, the quantitative prediction of the occurrence of ground vortices is performed from the numerical results. As the distance of the propeller form the ground decreases, and as the thrust of the propeller increases, ground vortices are generated from the ground and enter the propeller. In addition, the vortices which exist near the ground but does not enter the propeller plane are observed and visualized by three-dimensional data.

Prescribed Velocity Gradients for Highly Viscous SPH Fluids with Vorticity Diffusion.

PubMed

Peer, Andreas; Teschner, Matthias

2017-12-01

Working with prescribed velocity gradients is a promising approach to efficiently and robustly simulate highly viscous SPH fluids. Such approaches allow to explicitly and independently process shear rate, spin, and expansion rate. This can be used to, e.g., avoid interferences between pressure and viscosity solvers. Another interesting aspect is the possibility to explicitly process the vorticity, e.g., to preserve the vorticity. In this context, this paper proposes a novel variant of the prescribed-gradient idea that handles vorticity in a physically motivated way. In contrast to a less appropriate vorticity preservation that has been used in a previous approach, vorticity is diffused. The paper illustrates the utility of the vorticity diffusion. Therefore, comparisons of the proposed vorticity diffusion with vorticity preservation and additionally with vorticity damping are presented. The paper further discusses the relation between prescribed velocity gradients and prescribed velocity Laplacians which improves the intuition behind the prescribed-gradient method for highly viscous SPH fluids. Finally, the paper discusses the relation of the proposed method to a physically correct implicit viscosity formulation.

Non-Abelian statistics of vortices with non-Abelian Dirac fermions.

PubMed

Yasui, Shigehiro; Hirono, Yuji; Itakura, Kazunori; Nitta, Muneto

2013-05-01

We extend our previous analysis on the exchange statistics of vortices having a single Dirac fermion trapped in each core to the case where vortices trap two Dirac fermions with U(2) symmetry. Such a system of vortices with non-Abelian Dirac fermions appears in color superconductors at extremely high densities and in supersymmetric QCD. We show that the exchange of two vortices having doublet Dirac fermions in each core is expressed by non-Abelian representations of a braid group, which is explicitly verified in the matrix representation of the exchange operators when the number of vortices is up to four. We find that the result contains the matrices previously obtained for the vortices with a single Dirac fermion in each core as a special case. The whole braid group does not immediately imply non-Abelian statistics of identical particles because it also contains exchanges between vortices with different numbers of Dirac fermions. However, we find that it does contain, as its subgroup, genuine non-Abelian statistics for the exchange of the identical particles, that is, vortices with the same number of Dirac fermions. This result is surprising compared with conventional understanding because all Dirac fermions are defined locally at each vortex, unlike the case of Majorana fermions for which Dirac fermions are defined nonlocally by Majorana fermions located at two spatially separated vortices.

Crystallized and amorphous vortices in rotating atomic-molecular Bose-Einstein condensates

PubMed Central

Liu, Chao-Fei; Fan, Heng; Gou, Shih-Chuan; Liu, Wu-Ming

2014-01-01

Vortex is a topological defect with a quantized winding number of the phase in superfluids and superconductors. Here, we investigate the crystallized (triangular, square, honeycomb) and amorphous vortices in rotating atomic-molecular Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) by using the damped projected Gross-Pitaevskii equation. The amorphous vortices are the result of the considerable deviation induced by the interaction of atomic-molecular vortices. By changing the atom-molecule interaction from attractive to repulsive, the configuration of vortices can change from an overlapped atomic-molecular vortices to carbon-dioxide-type ones, then to atomic vortices with interstitial molecular vortices, and finally into independent separated ones. The Raman detuning can tune the ratio of the atomic vortex to the molecular vortex. We provide a phase diagram of vortices in rotating atomic-molecular BECs as a function of Raman detuning and the strength of atom-molecule interaction. PMID:24573303

Quantum mechanical modeling the emission pattern and polarization of nanoscale light emitting diodes.

PubMed

Wang, Rulin; Zhang, Yu; Bi, Fuzhen; Frauenheim, Thomas; Chen, GuanHua; Yam, ChiYung

2016-07-21

Understanding of the electroluminescence (EL) mechanism in optoelectronic devices is imperative for further optimization of their efficiency and effectiveness. Here, a quantum mechanical approach is formulated for modeling the EL processes in nanoscale light emitting diodes (LED). Based on non-equilibrium Green's function quantum transport equations, interactions with the electromagnetic vacuum environment are included to describe electrically driven light emission in the devices. The presented framework is illustrated by numerical simulations of a silicon nanowire LED device. EL spectra of the nanowire device under different bias voltages are obtained and, more importantly, the radiation pattern and polarization of optical emission can be determined using the current approach. This work is an important step forward towards atomistic quantum mechanical modeling of the electrically induced optical response in nanoscale systems.

Numerical studies of the margin of vortices with decaying cores

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, G. C.; Ting, L.

1986-01-01

The merging of vortices to a single one is a canonical incompressible viscous flow problem. The merging process begins when the core sizes or the vortices are comparable to their distances and ends when the contour lines of constant vorticity lines are circularized around one center. Approximate solutions to this problem are constructed by adapting the asymptotic solutions for distinct vortices. For the early stage of merging, the next-order terms in the asymptotic solutions are added to the leading term. For the later stage of merging, the vorticity distribution is reinitialized by vortices with overlapping core structures guided by the 'rule of merging' and the velocity of the 'vortex centers' are then defined by a minimum principle. To show the accuracy of the approximate solution, it is compared with the finite-difference solution.

Vortices and turbulence in trapped atomic condensates

PubMed Central

White, Angela C.; Anderson, Brian P.; Bagnato, Vanderlei S.

2014-01-01

After more than a decade of experiments generating and studying the physics of quantized vortices in atomic gas Bose–Einstein condensates, research is beginning to focus on the roles of vortices in quantum turbulence, as well as other measures of quantum turbulence in atomic condensates. Such research directions have the potential to uncover new insights into quantum turbulence, vortices, and superfluidity and also explore the similarities and differences between quantum and classical turbulence in entirely new settings. Here we present a critical assessment of theoretical and experimental studies in this emerging field of quantum turbulence in atomic condensates. PMID:24704880

Constructive spin-orbital angular momentum coupling can twist materials to create spiral structures in optical vortex illumination

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barada, Daisuke; Center for Optical Research and Education; Juman, Guzhaliayi

It was discovered that optical vortices twist isotropic and homogenous materials, e.g., azo-polymer films to form spiral structures on a nano- or micro-scale. However, the formation mechanism has not yet been established theoretically. To understand the mechanism of the spiral surface relief formation in the azo-polymer film, we theoretically investigate the optical radiation force induced in an isotropic and homogeneous material under irradiation using a continuous-wave optical vortex with arbitrary topological charge and polarization. It is revealed that the spiral surface relief formation in azo-polymer films requires the irradiation of optical vortices with a positive (negative) spin angular momentum andmore » a positive (negative) orbital angular momentum (constructive spin-orbital angular momentum coupling), i.e., the degeneracy among the optical vortices with the same total angular momentum is resolved.« less

Computation of design parameters and visualization of Goertler vortices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Verma, Alok K.

1984-01-01

A method for analyzing an airfoil regarding Goertler type instability was presented. A model for the visualizatin of Goertler vortices was designed and fabricated. A smoke generating apparatus was made to be used in the experiment. Experiments were conducted to photograph the vortices, however, the smoke generated was not enough to bring out the vortices.

Observations of ionospheric convection vortices - Signatures of momentum transfer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mchenry, M. A.; Clauer, C. R.; Friis-Christensen, E.; Kelly, J. D.

1988-01-01

Several classes of traveling vortices in the dayside ionospheric flow have been detected and tracked using the Greenland magnetometer chain. One class observed during quiet times consists of a continuous series of vortices moving generally antisunward for several hours at a time. Assuming each vortex to be the convection pattern produced by a small field aligned current moving across the ionosphere, the amount of field aligned current was found by fitting a modeled ground magnetic signature to measurements from the chain of magnetometers. The calculated field aligned current is seen to be steady for each vortex and neighboring vortices have currents of opposite sign. Low altitude DMSP observations indicate the vortices are on field lines which map to the inner edge of the low latitude boundary layer. Because the vortices are conjugate to the boundary layer, repeat in a regular fashion and travel antisunward, it is argued that this class of vortices is caused by surface waves at the magnetopause. No strong correlations between field aligned current strength and solar wind density, velocity, or Bz is found.

Dynamics of Three Vortices on a Sphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borisov, Alexey V.; Mamaev, Ivan S.; Kilin, Alexander A.

2018-01-01

This paper is concerned with the dynamics of vortices on a sphere. It is shown that, as a result of reduction, the problem reduces to investigating a system with a nonlinear Poisson bracket. The topology of a symplectic leaf in the case of three vortices is studied.

Observation of Polarization Vortices in Momentum Space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yiwen; Chen, Ang; Liu, Wenzhe; Hsu, Chia Wei; Wang, Bo; Guan, Fang; Liu, Xiaohan; Shi, Lei; Lu, Ling; Zi, Jian

2018-05-01

The vortex, a fundamental topological excitation featuring the in-plane winding of a vector field, is important in various areas such as fluid dynamics, liquid crystals, and superconductors. Although commonly existing in nature, vortices were observed exclusively in real space. Here, we experimentally observed momentum-space vortices as the winding of far-field polarization vectors in the first Brillouin zone of periodic plasmonic structures. Using homemade polarization-resolved momentum-space imaging spectroscopy, we mapped out the dispersion, lifetime, and polarization of all radiative states at the visible wavelengths. The momentum-space vortices were experimentally identified by their winding patterns in the polarization-resolved isofrequency contours and their diverging radiative quality factors. Such polarization vortices can exist robustly on any periodic systems of vectorial fields, while they are not captured by the existing topological band theory developed for scalar fields. Our work provides a new way for designing high-Q plasmonic resonances, generating vector beams, and studying topological photonics in the momentum space.

Observation of Polarization Vortices in Momentum Space.

PubMed

Zhang, Yiwen; Chen, Ang; Liu, Wenzhe; Hsu, Chia Wei; Wang, Bo; Guan, Fang; Liu, Xiaohan; Shi, Lei; Lu, Ling; Zi, Jian

2018-05-04

The vortex, a fundamental topological excitation featuring the in-plane winding of a vector field, is important in various areas such as fluid dynamics, liquid crystals, and superconductors. Although commonly existing in nature, vortices were observed exclusively in real space. Here, we experimentally observed momentum-space vortices as the winding of far-field polarization vectors in the first Brillouin zone of periodic plasmonic structures. Using homemade polarization-resolved momentum-space imaging spectroscopy, we mapped out the dispersion, lifetime, and polarization of all radiative states at the visible wavelengths. The momentum-space vortices were experimentally identified by their winding patterns in the polarization-resolved isofrequency contours and their diverging radiative quality factors. Such polarization vortices can exist robustly on any periodic systems of vectorial fields, while they are not captured by the existing topological band theory developed for scalar fields. Our work provides a new way for designing high-Q plasmonic resonances, generating vector beams, and studying topological photonics in the momentum space.

Non-Abelian vortices of higher winding numbers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eto, Minoru; Konishi, Kenichi; Vinci, Walter

2006-09-15

We make a detailed study of the moduli space of winding number two (k=2) axially symmetric vortices (or equivalently, of coaxial composite of two fundamental vortices), occurring in U(2) gauge theory with two flavors in the Higgs phase, recently discussed by Hashimoto and Tong and by Auzzi, Shifman, and Yung. We find that it is a weighted projective space WCP{sub (2,1,1)}{sup 2}{approx_equal}CP{sup 2}/Z{sub 2}. This manifold contains an A{sub 1}-type (Z{sub 2}) orbifold singularity even though the full moduli space including the relative position moduli is smooth. The SU(2) transformation properties of such vortices are studied. Our results are thenmore » generalized to U(N) gauge theory with N flavors, where the internal moduli space of k=2 axially symmetric vortices is found to be a weighted Grassmannian manifold. It contains singularities along a submanifold.« less

A hard X-ray nanoprobe beamline for nanoscale microscopy

PubMed Central

Winarski, Robert P.; Holt, Martin V.; Rose, Volker; Fuesz, Peter; Carbaugh, Dean; Benson, Christa; Shu, Deming; Kline, David; Stephenson, G. Brian; McNulty, Ian; Maser, Jörg

2012-01-01

The Hard X-ray Nanoprobe Beamline (or Nanoprobe Beamline) is an X-ray microscopy facility incorporating diffraction, fluorescence and full-field imaging capabilities designed and operated by the Center for Nanoscale Materials and the Advanced Photon Source at Sector 26 of the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. This facility was constructed to probe the nanoscale structure of biological, environmental and material sciences samples. The beamline provides intense focused X-rays to the Hard X-ray Nanoprobe (or Nanoprobe) which incorporates Fresnel zone plate optics and a precision laser sensing and control system. The beamline operates over X-ray energies from 3 to 30 keV, enabling studies of most elements in the periodic table, with a particular emphasis on imaging transition metals. PMID:23093770

A hard X-ray nanoprobe beamline for nanoscale microscopy.

PubMed

Winarski, Robert P; Holt, Martin V; Rose, Volker; Fuesz, Peter; Carbaugh, Dean; Benson, Christa; Shu, Deming; Kline, David; Stephenson, G Brian; McNulty, Ian; Maser, Jörg

2012-11-01

The Hard X-ray Nanoprobe Beamline (or Nanoprobe Beamline) is an X-ray microscopy facility incorporating diffraction, fluorescence and full-field imaging capabilities designed and operated by the Center for Nanoscale Materials and the Advanced Photon Source at Sector 26 of the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. This facility was constructed to probe the nanoscale structure of biological, environmental and material sciences samples. The beamline provides intense focused X-rays to the Hard X-ray Nanoprobe (or Nanoprobe) which incorporates Fresnel zone plate optics and a precision laser sensing and control system. The beamline operates over X-ray energies from 3 to 30 keV, enabling studies of most elements in the periodic table, with a particular emphasis on imaging transition metals.

Coherent Manipulation of Phonons at the Nanoscale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Shangjie; Ouyang, Min

Phonons play a key role in almost every physical process, including for example dephasing phenomena of electronic quantum states, electric and heat transports. Therefore, understanding and even manipulating phonons represent a pre-requisite for tailoring phonons-mediated physical processes. In this talk, we will first present how to employ ultrafast optical spectroscopy to probe acoustic phonon modes in colloidal metallic nanoparticles. Furthermore, we have developed various phonon manipulation schemes that can be achieved by a train of optical pulses in time domain to allow selective control of phonon modes. Our theoretical modeling and simulation demonstrates an excellent agreement with experimental results, thus providing a future guideline on more complex phononic control at the nanoscale.

EDITORIAL: Nanoscale metrology Nanoscale metrology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klapetek, P.; Koenders, L.

2011-09-01

This special issue of Measurement Science and Technology presents selected contributions from the NanoScale 2010 seminar held in Brno, Czech Republic. It was the 5th Seminar on Nanoscale Calibration Standards and Methods and the 9th Seminar on Quantitative Microscopy (the first being held in 1995). The seminar was jointly organized with the Czech Metrology Institute (CMI) and the Nanometrology Group of the Technical Committee-Length of EURAMET. There were two workshops that were integrated into NanoScale 2010: first a workshop presenting the results obtained in NANOTRACE, a European Metrology Research Project (EMRP) on displacement-measuring optical interferometers, and second a workshop about the European metrology landscape in nanometrology related to thin films, scanning probe microscopy and critical dimension. The aim of this workshop was to bring together developers, applicants and metrologists working in this field of nanometrology and to discuss future needs. For more information see www.co-nanomet.eu. The articles in this special issue of Measurement Science and Technology cover some novel scientific results. This issue can serve also as a representative selection of topics that are currently being investigated in the field of European and world-wide nanometrology. Besides traditional topics of dimensional metrology, like development of novel interferometers or laser stabilization techniques, some novel interesting trends in the field of nanometrology are observed. As metrology generally reflects the needs of scientific and industrial research, many research topics addressed refer to current trends in nanotechnology, too, focusing on traceability and improved measurement accuracy in this field. While historically the most studied standards in nanometrology were related to simple geometric structures like step heights or 1D or 2D gratings, now we are facing tasks to measure 3D structures and many unforeseen questions arising from interesting physical

Identification of vortices in complex flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chakraborty, P.; Balachandar, S.; Adrian, R. J.

2007-12-01

Dating back to Leonardo da Vinci's famous sketches of vortices in turbulent flows, fluid dynamicists for over five centuries have continued to visualize and interpret complex flows in terms of motion of vortices. Nevertheless, much debate surrounds the question of how to unambiguously define vortices in complex flows. This debate has resulted in the availability of many vortex identification criteria---mathematical statements of what constitutes a vortex. Here we review the popularly used local or point- wise vortex identification criteria. Based on local flow kinematics, we describe a unified framework to interpret the similarities and differences in the usage of these criteria. We discuss the limitations on the applicability of these criteria when there is a significant component of vortex interactions. Finally, we provide guidelines for applying these criteria to geophysical flows.

Nanoscale Kerr Nonlinearity Enhancement Using Spontaneously Generated Coherence in Plasmonic Nanocavity

PubMed Central

Chen, Hongyi; Ren, Juanjuan; Gu, Ying; Zhao, Dongxing; Zhang, Junxiang; Gong, Qihuang

2015-01-01

The enhancement of the optical nonlinear effects at nanoscale is important in the on-chip optical information processing. We theoretically propose the mechanism of the great Kerr nonlinearity enhancement by using anisotropic Purcell factors in a double-Λ type four-level system, i.e., if the bisector of the two vertical dipole moments lies in the small/large Purcell factor axis in the space, the Kerr nonlinearity will be enhanced/decreased due to the spontaneously generated coherence accordingly. Besides, when the two dipole moments are parallel, the extremely large Kerr nonlinearity increase appears, which comes from the double population trapping. Using the custom-designed resonant plasmonic nanostructure which gives an anisotropic Purcell factor environment, we demonstrate the effective nanoscale control of the Kerr nonlinearity. Such controllable Kerr nonlinearity may be realized by the state-of-the-art nanotechnics and it may have potential applications in on-chip photonic nonlinear devices. PMID:26670939

Nanoscale optical interferometry with incoherent light

PubMed Central

Li, Dongfang; Feng, Jing; Pacifici, Domenico

2016-01-01

Optical interferometry has empowered an impressive variety of biosensing and medical imaging techniques. A widely held assumption is that devices based on optical interferometry require coherent light to generate a precise optical signature in response to an analyte. Here we disprove that assumption. By directly embedding light emitters into subwavelength cavities of plasmonic interferometers, we demonstrate coherent generation of surface plasmons even when light with extremely low degrees of spatial and temporal coherence is employed. This surprising finding enables novel sensor designs with cheaper and smaller light sources, and consequently increases accessibility to a variety of analytes, such as biomarkers in physiological fluids, or even airborne nanoparticles. Furthermore, these nanosensors can now be arranged along open detection surfaces, and in dense arrays, accelerating the rate of parallel target screening used in drug discovery, among other high volume and high sensitivity applications. PMID:26880171

Nanoscale optical interferometry with incoherent light.

PubMed

Li, Dongfang; Feng, Jing; Pacifici, Domenico

2016-02-16

Optical interferometry has empowered an impressive variety of biosensing and medical imaging techniques. A widely held assumption is that devices based on optical interferometry require coherent light to generate a precise optical signature in response to an analyte. Here we disprove that assumption. By directly embedding light emitters into subwavelength cavities of plasmonic interferometers, we demonstrate coherent generation of surface plasmons even when light with extremely low degrees of spatial and temporal coherence is employed. This surprising finding enables novel sensor designs with cheaper and smaller light sources, and consequently increases accessibility to a variety of analytes, such as biomarkers in physiological fluids, or even airborne nanoparticles. Furthermore, these nanosensors can now be arranged along open detection surfaces, and in dense arrays, accelerating the rate of parallel target screening used in drug discovery, among other high volume and high sensitivity applications.

Electromagnetohydrodynamic vortices and corn circles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kikuchi, H.

A novel type of large-scale vortex formation has theoretically been found in helical turbulence in terms of hydrodynamic, electric, magnetic, and space charge fields in an external electric (and magnetic) field. It is called 'electro-MHD (EMHD) vortices' and is generated as a result of self-organization processes in nonequilibrium media by the transfer of energy from small- to large-scale sizes. Explanations for 'corn circles', circular symmetric ground patterns found in a corn field in southern England, are provided on the basis of a new theory of the EMHD vortices under consideration.

Spatially-partitioned many-body vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klaiman, S.; Alon, O. E.

2016-02-01

A vortex in Bose-Einstein condensates is a localized object which looks much like a tiny tornado storm. It is well described by mean-field theory. In the present work we go beyond the current paradigm and introduce many-body vortices. These are made of spatially- partitioned clouds, carry definite total angular momentum, and are fragmented rather than condensed objects which can only be described beyond mean-field theory. A phase diagram based on a mean-field model assists in predicting the parameters where many-body vortices occur. Implications are briefly discussed.

Slowly-growing gap-opening planets trigger weaker vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hammer, Michael; Kratter, Kaitlin M.; Lin, Min-Kai

2017-04-01

The presence of a giant planet in a low-viscosity disc can create a gap edge in the disc's radial density profile sharp enough to excite the Rossby wave instability. This instability may evolve into dust-trapping vortices that might explain the 'banana-shaped' features in recently observed asymmetric transition discs with inner cavities. Previous hydrodynamical simulations of planet-induced vortices have neglected the time-scale of hundreds to thousands of orbits to grow a massive planet to Jupiter size. In this work, we study the effect of a giant planet's runaway growth time-scale on the lifetime and characteristics of the resulting vortex. For two different planet masses (1 and 5 Jupiter masses) and two different disc viscosities (α = 3 × 10-4 and 3 × 10-5), we compare the vortices induced by planets with several different growth time-scales between 10 and 4000 planet orbits. In general, we find that slowly-growing planets create significantly weaker vortices with lifetimes and surface densities reduced by more than 50 per cent. For the higher disc viscosity, the longest growth time-scales in our study inhibit vortex formation altogether. Additionally, slowly-growing planets produce vortices that are up to twice as elongated, with azimuthal extents well above 180° in some cases. These unique, elongated vortices likely create a distinct signature in the dust observations that differentiates them from the more concentrated vortices that correspond to planets with faster growth time-scales. Lastly, we find that the low viscosities necessary for vortex formation likely prevent planets from growing quickly enough to trigger the instability in self-consistent models.

Background-Free 3D Nanometric Localization and Sub-nm Asymmetry Detection of Single Plasmonic Nanoparticles by Four-Wave Mixing Interferometry with Optical Vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zoriniants, George; Masia, Francesco; Giannakopoulou, Naya; Langbein, Wolfgang; Borri, Paola

2017-10-01

Single nanoparticle tracking using optical microscopy is a powerful technique with many applications in biology, chemistry, and material sciences. Despite significant advances, localizing objects with nanometric position precision in a scattering environment remains challenging. Applied methods to achieve contrast are dominantly fluorescence based, with fundamental limits in the emitted photon fluxes arising from the excited-state lifetime as well as photobleaching. Here, we show a new four-wave-mixing interferometry technique, whereby the position of a single nonfluorescing gold nanoparticle of 25-nm radius is determined with 16 nm precision in plane and 3 nm axially from rapid single-point measurements at 1-ms acquisition time by exploiting optical vortices. The precision in plane is consistent with the photon shot-noise, while axially it is limited by the nano-positioning sample stage, with an estimated photon shot-noise limit of 0.5 nm. The detection is background-free even inside biological cells. The technique is also uniquely sensitive to particle asymmetries of only 0.5% ellipticity, corresponding to a single atomic layer of gold, as well as particle orientation. This method opens new ways of unraveling single-particle trafficking within complex 3D architectures.

Weak solutions of the three-dimensional vorticity equation with vortex singularities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Winckelmans, G.; Leonard, A.

1988-01-01

The extension of the concept of vortex singularities, developed by Saffman and Meiron (1986) for the case of two-dimensional point vortices in an incompressible vortical flow, to the three-dimensional case of vortex sticks (vortons) is investigated analytically. The derivation of the governing equations is explained, and it is demonstrated that the formulation obtained conserves total vorticity and is a weak solution of the vorticity equation, making it an appropriate means for representing three-dimensional vortical flows with limited numbers of vortex singularities.

Quantized vortices and superflow in arbitrary dimensions: structure, energetics and dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldbart, Paul M.; Bora, Florin

2009-05-01

The structure and energetics of superflow around quantized vortices, and the motion inherited by these vortices from this superflow, are explored in the general setting of a superfluid in arbitrary dimensions. The vortices may be idealized as objects of codimension 2, such as one-dimensional loops and two-dimensional closed surfaces, respectively, in the cases of three- and four-dimensional superfluidity. By using the analogy between the vortical superflow and Ampère-Maxwell magnetostatics, the equilibrium superflow containing any specified collection of vortices is constructed. The energy of the superflow is found to take on a simple form for vortices that are smooth and asymptotically large, compared with the vortex core size. The motion of vortices is analyzed in general, as well as for the special cases of hyper-spherical and weakly distorted hyper-planar vortices. In all dimensions, vortex motion reflects vortex geometry. In dimension 4 and higher, this includes not only extrinsic but also intrinsic aspects of the vortex shape, which enter via the first and second fundamental forms of classical geometry. For hyper-spherical vortices, which generalize the vortex rings of three-dimensional superfluidity, the energy-momentum relation is determined. Simple scaling arguments recover the essential features of these results, up to numerical and logarithmic factors.

Vorticity Distributions in Unsteady Flow Separation

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-11-08

a significant result, which was presented at the Unsteady Separated Flow Workshop at the Air Force Academy last July, and which is ready for...i~~A’I C amsi4 61102F 2307 A2 11 Ti-,LE (Incluce Security Claw fication) Vorticity Distributions in Unsteady Flow Separation 12 PERSONAL AUTHOR(S...LSIIAINO HSPG / UNCLASSIFIED Report MEUA-IT-88-2 VORTICITY DISTRIBUTIONS IN UNSTEADY FLOW SEPARATION Frederick S. Sherman Department of Mechanical

Hybrid Manipulation of Streamwise Vorticity in a Diffuser Boundary Layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gissen, Abraham; Vukasinovic, Bojan; Culp, John; Glezer, Ari

2010-11-01

The formation of streamwise vorticity concentrations by exploiting the interaction of surface-mounted passive (micro-vanes) and active (synthetic jets) flow control elements with the cross flow is investigated experimentally in a small-scale serpentine duct at high subsonic speeds (up to M = 0.6). Streamwise vortices can be a key element in the mitigation of the adverse effects on pressure recovery and distortion caused by the naturally occurring secondary flows in embedded propulsion systems with complex inlet geometries. Counter rotating and single-sense vortices are formed using conventional passive micro-vanes and active high-power synthetic jet actuators. Interaction of the flow control elements is examined through a hybrid actuation scheme whereby synthetic jet actuation augments the primary vanes' vortices resulting in dynamic enhancement of their strength. It is shown that such sub-boundary layer individual vortices can merge and evolve into duct-scale vortical structures that counteract the inherent secondary flow and mitigates global flow distortion.

Interactions and scattering of quantum vortices in a polariton fluid.

PubMed

Dominici, Lorenzo; Carretero-González, Ricardo; Gianfrate, Antonio; Cuevas-Maraver, Jesús; Rodrigues, Augusto S; Frantzeskakis, Dimitri J; Lerario, Giovanni; Ballarini, Dario; De Giorgi, Milena; Gigli, Giuseppe; Kevrekidis, Panayotis G; Sanvitto, Daniele

2018-04-13

Quantum vortices, the quantized version of classical vortices, play a prominent role in superfluid and superconductor phase transitions. However, their exploration at a particle level in open quantum systems has gained considerable attention only recently. Here we study vortex pair interactions in a resonant polariton fluid created in a solid-state microcavity. By tracking the vortices on picosecond time scales, we reveal the role of nonlinearity, as well as of density and phase gradients, in driving their rotational dynamics. Such effects are also responsible for the split of composite spin-vortex molecules into elementary half-vortices, when seeding opposite vorticity between the two spinorial components. Remarkably, we also observe that vortices placed in close proximity experience a pull-push scenario leading to unusual scattering-like events that can be described by a tunable effective potential. Understanding vortex interactions can be useful in quantum hydrodynamics and in the development of vortex-based lattices, gyroscopes, and logic devices.

Aerodynamics and vortical structures in hovering fruitflies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meng, Xue Guang; Sun, Mao

2015-03-01

We measure the wing kinematics and morphological parameters of seven freely hovering fruitflies and numerically compute the flows of the flapping wings. The computed mean lift approximately equals to the measured weight and the mean horizontal force is approximately zero, validating the computational model. Because of the very small relative velocity of the wing, the mean lift coefficient required to support the weight is rather large, around 1.8, and the Reynolds number of the wing is low, around 100. How such a large lift is produced at such a low Reynolds number is explained by combining the wing motion data, the computed vortical structures, and the theory of vorticity dynamics. It has been shown that two unsteady mechanisms are responsible for the high lift. One is referred as to "fast pitching-up rotation": at the start of an up- or downstroke when the wing has very small speed, it fast pitches down to a small angle of attack, and then, when its speed is higher, it fast pitches up to the angle it normally uses. When the wing pitches up while moving forward, large vorticity is produced and sheds at the trailing edge, and vorticity of opposite sign is produced near the leading edge and on the upper surface, resulting in a large time rate of change of the first moment of vorticity (or fluid impulse), hence a large aerodynamic force. The other is the well known "delayed stall" mechanism: in the mid-portion of the up- or downstroke the wing moves at large angle of attack (about 45 deg) and the leading-edge-vortex (LEV) moves with the wing; thus, the vortex ring, formed by the LEV, the tip vortices, and the starting vortex, expands in size continuously, producing a large time rate of change of fluid impulse or a large aerodynamic force.

Topological transformation of fractional optical vortex beams using computer generated holograms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maji, Satyajit; Brundavanam, Maruthi M.

2018-04-01

Optical vortex beams with fractional topological charges (TCs) are generated by the diffraction of a Gaussian beam using computer generated holograms embedded with mixed screw-edge dislocations. When the input Gaussian beam has a finite wave-front curvature, the generated fractional vortex beams show distinct topological transformations in comparison to the integer charge optical vortices. The topological transformations at different fractional TCs are investigated through the birth and evolution of the points of phase singularity, the azimuthal momentum transformation, occurrence of critical points in the transverse momentum and the vorticity around the singular points. This study is helpful to achieve better control in optical micro-manipulation applications.

Hidden vorticity in binary Bose-Einstein condensates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brtka, Marijana; Gammal, Arnaldo; Malomed, Boris A.

We consider a binary Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) described by a system of two-dimensional (2D) Gross-Pitaevskii equations with the harmonic-oscillator trapping potential. The intraspecies interactions are attractive, while the interaction between the species may have either sign. The same model applies to the copropagation of bimodal beams in photonic-crystal fibers. We consider a family of trapped hidden-vorticity (HV) modes in the form of bound states of two components with opposite vorticities S{sub 1,2}={+-}1, the total angular momentum being zero. A challenging problem is the stability of the HV modes. By means of a linear-stability analysis and direct simulations, stability domains aremore » identified in a relevant parameter plane. In direct simulations, stable HV modes feature robustness against large perturbations, while unstable ones split into fragments whose number is identical to the azimuthal index of the fastest growing perturbation eigenmode. Conditions allowing for the creation of the HV modes in the experiment are discussed too. For comparison, a similar but simpler problem is studied in an analytical form, viz., the modulational instability of an HV state in a one-dimensional (1D) system with periodic boundary conditions (this system models a counterflow in a binary BEC mixture loaded into a toroidal trap or a bimodal optical beam coupled into a cylindrical shell). We demonstrate that the stabilization of the 1D HV modes is impossible, which stresses the significance of the stabilization of the HV modes in the 2D setting.« less

Generating and Separating Twisted Light by gradient-rotation Split-Ring Antenna Metasurfaces.

PubMed

Zeng, Jinwei; Li, Ling; Yang, Xiaodong; Gao, Jie

2016-05-11

Nanoscale compact optical vortex generators promise substantially significant prospects in modern optics and photonics, leading to many advances in sensing, imaging, quantum communication, and optical manipulation. However, conventional vortex generators often suffer from bulky size, low vortex mode purity in the converted beam, or limited operation bandwidth. Here, we design and demonstrate gradient-rotation split-ring antenna metasurfaces as unique spin-to-orbital angular momentum beam converters to simultaneously generate and separate pure optical vortices in a broad wavelength range. Our proposed design has the potential for realizing miniaturized on-chip OAM-multiplexers, as well as enabling new types of metasurface devices for the manipulation of complex structured light beams.

EDITORIAL: Nanoscale metrology Nanoscale metrology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Picotto, G. B.; Koenders, L.; Wilkening, G.

2009-08-01

Instrumentation and measurement techniques at the nanoscale play a crucial role not only in extending our knowledge of the properties of matter and processes in nanosciences, but also in addressing new measurement needs in process control and quality assurance in industry. Micro- and nanotechnologies are now facing a growing demand for quantitative measurements to support the reliability, safety and competitiveness of products and services. Quantitative measurements presuppose reliable and stable instruments and measurement procedures as well as suitable calibration artefacts to ensure the quality of measurements and traceability to standards. This special issue of Measurement Science and Technology presents selected contributions from the Nanoscale 2008 seminar held at the Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica (INRIM), Torino, in September 2008. This was the 4th Seminar on Nanoscale Calibration Standards and Methods and the 8th Seminar on Quantitative Microscopy (the first being held in 1995). The seminar was jointly organized by the Nanometrology Group within EUROMET (The European Collaboration in Measurement Standards), the German Nanotechnology Competence Centre 'Ultraprecise Surface Figuring' (CC-UPOB), the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) and INRIM. A special event during the seminar was the 'knighting' of Günter Wilkening from PTB, Braunschweig, Germany, as the 1st Knight of Dimensional Nanometrology. Günter Wilkening received the NanoKnight Award for his outstanding work in the field of dimensional nanometrology over the last 20 years. The contributions in this special issue deal with the developments and improvements of instrumentation and measurement methods for scanning force microscopy (SFM), electron and optical microscopy, high-resolution interferometry, calibration of instruments and new standards, new facilities and applications including critical dimension (CD) measurements on small and medium structures and nanoparticle

Spiral vortices and Taylor vortices in the annulus between rotating cylinders and the effect of an axial flow.

PubMed

Hoffmann, Ch; Lücke, M; Pinter, A

2004-05-01

We present numerical simulations of vortices that appear via primary bifurcations out of the unstructured circular Couette flow in the Taylor-Couette system with counter rotating as well as with corotating cylinders. The full, time dependent Navier Stokes equations are solved with a combination of a finite difference and a Galerkin method for a fixed axial periodicity length of the vortex patterns and for a finite system of aspect ratio 12 with rigid nonrotating ends in a setup with radius ratio eta=0.5. Differences in structure, dynamics, symmetry properties, bifurcation, and stability behavior between spiral vortices with azimuthal wave numbers M=+/-1 and M=0 Taylor vortices are elucidated and compared in quantitative detail. Simulations in axially periodic systems and in finite systems with stationary rigid ends are compared with experimental spiral data. In a second part of the paper we determine how the above listed properties of the M=-1, 0, and 1 vortex structures are changed by an externally imposed axial through flow with Reynolds numbers in the range -40< or =Re< or =40. Among other things we investigate when left handed or right handed spirals or toroidally closed vortices are preferred.

Pressure measurements of wake vortices near the ground

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1972-04-30

It has been known since the beginning of air flight that an : aircraft leaves in its wake a pair of highly concentrated, : counter-rotating trailing vortices. With the introduction of : jumbo jets, the vortices generated by these aircraft can become ...

Static and dynamic properties of heavily doped quantum vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pshenichnyuk, I. A.

2017-10-01

Quantum vortices in superfluids may capture matter and deposit it inside their core. By doping vortices with foreign particles one can effectively visualize them and study them experimentally. To acquire a better understanding of the interaction between quantum vortices and matter, and clarify the details of recent experiments, the properties of doped vortices are investigated here theoretically in the regimes where the doping mass becomes close to the total mass of superfluid particles forming a vortex. Such formations are dynamically stable and, possessing both vorticity and enhanced inertia, demonstrate properties that are different from the pure vortex case. The goal of this paper is to define and investigate the universal aspects of heavily doped vortex behavior, which can be realized in different types of quantum mixtures. The proposed 3D model is based on a system of coupled semiclassical matter wave equations that are solved numerically in a wide range of physical parameters. The size, geometry and binding energy of dopants in different regimes are discussed. The coupled motion of a vortex-dopant complex and decoupling conditions are studied. The reconnection of vortices, taken as an example of a fundamental process responsible for the evolution of a quantum turbulent state, is modeled to illustrate the difference between the light and heavy doping cases.

The structure of intense vorticity in homogeneous isotropic turbulence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jimenez, J.; Wray, A. A.; Saffman, P. G.; Rogallo, R. S.

1992-01-01

The structure of the intense vorticity regions is studied in numerically simulated homogeneous, isotropic, equilibrium turbulent flow fields at four different Reynolds numbers in the range Re(sub lambda) = 36-171. In accordance with previous investigators, this vorticity is found to be organized in coherent, cylindrical or ribbon-like, vortices ('worms'). A statistical study suggests that they are just especially intense features of the background, O(omega'), vorticity. Their radii scale with the Kolmogorov microscale and their lengths with the integral scale of the flow. An interesting observation is that the Reynolds number based on the circulation of the intense vortices, gamma/nu, increases monotonically with Re(sub lambda), raising the question of the stability of the structures in the limit of Re(sub lambda) approaching infinity. One and two-dimensional statistics of vorticity and strain are presented; they are non-gaussian, and the behavior of their tails depends strongly on the Reynolds number. There is no evidence of convergence to a limiting distribution in our range of Re(sub lambda), even though the energy spectra and the energy dissipation rate show good asymptotic properties in the higher Reynolds number cases. Evidence is presented to show that worms are natural features of the flow and that they do not depend on the particular forcing scheme.

Axisymmetric Vortices with Swirl

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elcrat, A.

2007-11-01

This talk is concerned with finding solutions of the Euler equations by solving elliptic boundary value problems for the Bragg-Hawthorne equation L u= -urr -(1/r)ur - = r^2f (u) + h(u). Theoretical results have been given for previously (Elcrat and Miller, Differential and Integral Equations 16(4) 2003, 949-968) for problems with swirl and general classes of profile functions f, h by iterating Lu(n+1)= rf(u)n)) + h(u(n)), and showing u(n) converges montonically to a solution. The solutions obtained depend on the initial guess, which can be thought of as prescribing level sets of the vortex. When a computational program was attempted these monotone iterations turned out to be numerically unstable, and a stable computation was acheived by fixing the moment of the cross section of a vortex in the merideanal plane. (This generalizes previous computational results in Elcrat, Fornberg and Miller, JFM 433 2001, (315-328) We obtain famillies of vortices related to vortex rings with swirl, Moffatt's generalization of Hill's vortex and tubes of vorticity with swirl wrapped around the symmetry axis. The vortices are embedded in either an irrotational flow or a flow with shear, and we deal with the transition form no swirl in the vortex to flow with only swirl, a Beltrami flow.

Nanoscale hotspots due to nonequilibrium thermal transport.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sinha, Sanjiv; Goodson, Kenneth E.

2004-01-01

Recent experimental and modeling efforts have been directed towards the issue of temperature localization and hotspot formation in the vicinity of nanoscale heat generating devices. The nonequilibrium transport conditions which develop around these nanoscale devices results in elevated temperatures near the heat source which can not be predicted by continuum diffusion theory. Efforts to determine the severity of this temperature localization phenomena in silicon devices near and above room temperature are of technological importance to the development of microelectronics and other nanotechnologies. In this work, we have developed a new modeling tool in order to explore the magnitude of themore » additional thermal resistance which forms around nanoscale hotspots from temperatures of 100-1000K. The models are based on a two fluid approximation in which thermal energy is transferred between ''stationary'' optical phonons and fast propagating acoustic phonon modes. The results of the model have shown excellent agreement with experimental results of localized hotspots in silicon at lower temperatures. The model predicts that the effect of added thermal resistance due to the nonequilibrium phonon distribution is greatest at lower temperatures, but is maintained out to temperatures of 1000K. The resistance predicted by the numerical code can be easily integrated with continuum models in order to predict the temperature distribution around nanoscale heat sources with improved accuracy. Additional research efforts also focused on the measurements of the thermal resistance of silicon thin films at higher temperatures, with a focus on polycrystalline silicon. This work was intended to provide much needed experimental data on the thermal transport properties for micro and nanoscale devices built with this material. Initial experiments have shown that the exposure of polycrystalline silicon to high temperatures may induce recrystallization and radically increase the thermal

Vorticity dynamics in an intracranial aneurysm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le, Trung; Borazjani, Iman; Sotiropoulos, Fotis

2008-11-01

Direct Numerical Simulation is carried out to investigate the vortex dynamics of physiologic pulsatile flow in an intracranial aneurysm. The numerical solver is based on the CURVIB (curvilinear grid/immersed boundary method) approach developed by Ge and Sotiropoulos, J. Comp. Physics, 225 (2007) and is applied to simulate the blood flow in a grid with 8 million grid nodes. The aneurysm geometry is extracted from MRI images from common carotid artery (CCA) of a rabbit (courtesy Dr.Kallmes, Mayo Clinic). The simulation reveals the formation of a strong vortex ring at the proximal end during accelerated flow phase. The vortical structure advances toward the aneurysm dome forming a distinct inclined circular ring that connects with the proximal wall via two long streamwise vortical structures. During the reverse flow phase, the back flow results to the formation of another ring at the distal end that advances in the opposite direction toward the proximal end and interacts with the vortical structures that were created during the accelerated phase. The basic vortex formation mechanism is similar to that observed by Webster and Longmire (1998) for pulsed flow through inclined nozzles. The similarities between the two flows will be discussed and the vorticity dynamics of an aneurysm and inclined nozzle flows will be analyzed.This work was supported in part by the University of Minnesota Supercomputing Institute.

On the link between martian total ozone and potential vorticity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewis, S.; Holmes, J.; Patel, M.

2016-12-01

We demonstrate for the first time that total ozone in the martian atmosphere is highly correlated with the dynamical tracer, potential vorticity, under certain conditions. The degree of correlation is investigated using a Mars global circulation model including a photochemical model. Potential vorticity is the quantity of choice to explore the dynamical nature of polar vortices because it contains information on winds and temperature in a single scalar variable.The correlation is found to display a distinct seasonal variation, with a strong positive correlation in both northern and southern winter at poleward latitudes in the northern and southern hemisphere respectively. The identified strong correlation implies variations in polar total ozone during winter are predominantly controlled by dynamical processes in these spatio-temporal regions. The weak correlation in northern and southern summer is due to the dominance of photochemical reactions resulting from extended exposure to sunlight. The total ozone/potential vorticity correlation is slightly weaker in southern winter due to topographical variations and the preference for ozone to accumulate in Hellas basin. In northern winter, total ozone can be used to track the polar vortex edge. The ozone/potential vorticity ratio is calculated for both northern and southern winter on Mars for the first time. Using the strong correlation in total ozone and potential vorticity in northern winter inside the polar vortex, it is shown that potential vorticity can be used as a proxy to deduce the distribution of total ozone where satellites cannot observe for the majority of northern winter. Where total ozone observations are available on the fringes of northern winter at poleward latitudes, the strong relationship of total ozone and potential vorticity implies that total ozone anomalies in the surf zone can be of use to investigate the origin of potential vorticity filaments.

On the link between martian total ozone and potential vorticity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holmes, James A.; Lewis, Stephen R.; Patel, Manish R.

2017-01-01

We demonstrate for the first time that total ozone in the martian atmosphere is highly correlated with the dynamical tracer, potential vorticity, under certain conditions. The degree of correlation is investigated using a Mars global circulation model including a photochemical model. Potential vorticity is the quantity of choice to explore the dynamical nature of polar vortices because it contains information on winds and temperature in a single scalar variable. The correlation is found to display a distinct seasonal variation, with a strong positive correlation in both northern and southern winter at poleward latitudes in the northern and southern hemisphere respectively. The identified strong correlation implies variations in polar total ozone during winter are predominantly controlled by dynamical processes in these spatio-temporal regions. The weak correlation in northern and southern summer is due to the dominance of photochemical reactions resulting from extended exposure to sunlight. The total ozone/potential vorticity correlation is slightly weaker in southern winter due to topographical variations and the preference for ozone to accumulate in Hellas basin. In northern winter, total ozone can be used to track the polar vortex edge. The ozone/potential vorticity ratio is calculated for both northern and southern winter on Mars for the first time. Using the strong correlation in total ozone and potential vorticity in northern winter inside the polar vortex, it is shown that potential vorticity can be used as a proxy to deduce the distribution of total ozone where satellites cannot observe for the majority of northern winter. Where total ozone observations are available on the fringes of northern winter at poleward latitudes, the strong relationship of total ozone and potential vorticity implies that total ozone anomalies in the surf zone of the northern polar vortex can potentially be used to determine the origin of potential vorticity filaments.

A study of the temporal stability of multiple cell vortices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khorrami, Mehdi R.

1989-01-01

The effect of initial mean velocity field on the stability characteristics of longitudinal vortices is documented in detail. The temporal stability of isolated multiple cell vortices is considered. The types of vortices studied include single cell as well as two and three cell vortices. It is shown that cell multiplicity in the vortex core has drastic effects on the stability characteristics. On the basis of numerical calculations, it is concluded that the growth rates of instabilities in multiple cell vortices are substantially larger (two to threefold increases are observed) than those of a single cell vortex. It is also determined that there is a substantial increase in the effective range of axial and azimuthal wavenumbers where instabilities are present. But most importantly, there is the appearance of a variety of viscous modes of instability. In the case of vortices, these latter instabilities which highlight the importance of viscous forces have never been reported before. These effects are discussed in detail for the case of a two cell vortex.

Growth and wall-transpiration control of nonlinear unsteady Görtler vortices forced by free-stream vortical disturbances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marensi, Elena; Ricco, Pierre

2017-11-01

The generation, nonlinear evolution, and wall-transpiration control of unsteady Görtler vortices in an incompressible boundary layer over a concave plate is studied theoretically and numerically. Görtler rolls are initiated and driven by free-stream vortical perturbations of which only the low-frequency components are considered because they penetrate the most into the boundary layer. The formation and development of the disturbances are governed by the nonlinear unsteady boundary-region equations with the centrifugal force included. These equations are subject to appropriate initial and outer boundary conditions, which account for the influence of the upstream and free-stream forcing in a rigorous and mutually consistent manner. Numerical solutions show that the stabilizing effect on nonlinearity, which also occurs in flat-plate boundary layers, is significantly enhanced in the presence of centrifugal forces. Sufficiently downstream, the nonlinear vortices excited at different free-stream turbulence intensities Tu saturate at the same level, proving that the initial amplitude of the forcing becomes unimportant. At low Tu, the disturbance exhibits a quasi-exponential growth with the growth rate being intensified for more curved plates and for lower frequencies. At higher Tu, in the typical range of turbomachinery applications, the Görtler vortices do not undergo a modal stage as nonlinearity saturates rapidly, and the wall curvature does not affect the boundary-layer response. Good quantitative agreement with data from direct numerical simulations and experiments is obtained. Steady spanwise-uniform and spanwise-modulated zero-mass-flow-rate wall transpiration is shown to attenuate the growth of the Görtler vortices significantly. A novel modified version of the Fukagata-Iwamoto-Kasagi identity, used for the first time to study a transitional flow, reveals which terms in the streamwise momentum balance are mostly affected by the wall transpiration, thus

Self-Assembled Epitaxial Au–Oxide Vertically Aligned Nanocomposites for Nanoscale Metamaterials

DOE PAGES

Li, Leigang; Sun, Liuyang; Gomez-Diaz, Juan Sebastian; ...

2016-05-17

Metamaterials made of nanoscale inclusions or artificial unit cells exhibit exotic optical properties that do not exist in natural materials. Promising applications, such as super-resolution imaging, cloaking, hyperbolic propagation, and ultrafast phase velocities have been demonstrated based on mostly micrometer-scale metamaterials and few nanoscale metamaterials. To date, most metamaterials are created using costly and tedious fabrication techniques with limited paths toward reliable large-scale fabrication. In this work, we demonstrate the one-step direct growth of self-assembled epitaxial metal–oxide nanocomposites as a drastically different approach to fabricating large-area nanostructured metamaterials. Using pulsed laser deposition, we fabricated nanocomposite films with vertically aligned goldmore » (Au) nanopillars (~20 nm in diameter) embedded in various oxide matrices with high epitaxial quality. Strong, broad absorption features in the measured absorbance spectrum are clear signatures of plasmon resonances of Au nanopillars. By tuning their densities on selected substrates, anisotropic optical properties are demonstrated via angular dependent and polarization resolved reflectivity measurements and reproduced by full-wave simulations and effective medium theory. Our model predicts exotic properties, such as zero permittivity responses and topological transitions. In conclusion, our studies suggest that these self-assembled metal–oxide nanostructures provide an exciting new material platform to control and enhance optical response at nanometer scales.« less

Mars' Annular Polar Vortices and their Response to Atmospheric Dust Opacity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guzewich, S.; Waugh, D.; Toigo, A. D.

2016-12-01

The potential vorticity structure of the martian polar vortices is distinct from Earth's stratospheric or tropospheric vortices. Rather than exhibiting monotonically increasing potential vorticity toward the geographic pole, as on Earth, the martian fall and winter polar vortices are annular with the potential vorticity maximum situated off the pole and a local minimum in potential vorticity at the pole. Using the MarsWRF general circulation model (GCM), we perform a series of simulations to examine the source of this annular structure. We find that latent heat exchange from the formation of CO2 ice aerosols within the vortex, in a region very near the geographic pole, destroys potential vorticity and creates the annular structure. Furthermore, we describe Mars Climate Sounder and Thermal Emission Spectrometer observations of "transient vortex warming" events, where the air inside the northern hemisphere winter polar vortex is briefly warmed. During the Mars Year 28 (2007) global dust storm, the temperature inside the vortex increased by 70 K and dust directly entered the vortex. Using additional GCM simulations, we diagnose the dynamical changes associated with these transient vortex warming events and find that poleward expansion of the descending branch of the meridional overturning circulation during periods of increased dust opacity disrupts the northern hemisphere winter polar vortex. These increased temperatures also suppress CO2 condensation at the pole, creating a more Earth-like polar vortex where potential vorticity is maximized near the geographic pole.

Towards laboratory detection of topological vortices in superfluid phases of QCD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Arpan; Dave, Shreyansh S.; de, Somnath; Srivastava, Ajit M.

2017-10-01

Topological defects arise in a variety of systems, e.g. vortices in superfluid helium to cosmic strings in the early universe. There is an indirect evidence of neutron superfluid vortices from the glitches in pulsars. One also expects that the topological defects may arise in various high baryon density phases of quantum chromodynamics (QCD), e.g. superfluid topological vortices in the color flavor locked (CFL) phase. Though vastly different in energy/length scales, there are universal features in the formation of all these defects. Utilizing this universality, we investigate the possibility of detecting these topological superfluid vortices in laboratory experiments, namely heavy-ion collisions (HICs). Using hydrodynamic simulations, we show that vortices can qualitatively affect the power spectrum of flow fluctuations. This can give an unambiguous signal for superfluid transition resulting in vortices, allowing for the check of defect formation theories in a relativistic quantum field theory system, and the detection of superfluid phases of QCD. Detection of nucleonic superfluid vortices in low energy HICs will give opportunity for laboratory controlled study of their properties, providing crucial inputs for the physics of pulsars.

A method for modeling finite-core vortices in wake-flow calculations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stremel, P. M.

1984-01-01

A numerical method for computing nonplanar vortex wakes represented by finite-core vortices is presented. The approach solves for the velocity on an Eulerian grid, using standard finite-difference techniques; the vortex wake is tracked by Lagrangian methods. In this method, the distribution of continuous vorticity in the wake is replaced by a group of discrete vortices. An axially symmetric distribution of vorticity about the center of each discrete vortex is used to represent the finite-core model. Two distributions of vorticity, or core models, are investigated: a finite distribution of vorticity represented by a third-order polynomial, and a continuous distribution of vorticity throughout the wake. The method provides for a vortex-core model that is insensitive to the mesh spacing. Results for a simplified case are presented. Computed results for the roll-up of a vortex wake generated by wings with different spanwise load distributions are presented; contour plots of the flow-field velocities are included; and comparisons are made of the computed flow-field velocities with experimentally measured velocities.

Lithographically Patterned Nanoscale Electrodeposition of Plasmonic, Bimetallic, Semiconductor, Magnetic, and Polymer Nanoring Arrays

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Large area arrays of magnetic, semiconducting, and insulating nanorings were created by coupling colloidal lithography with nanoscale electrodeposition. This versatile nanoscale fabrication process allows for the independent tuning of the spacing, diameter, and width of the nanorings with typical values of 1.0 μm, 750 nm, and 100 nm, respectively, and was used to form nanorings from a host of materials: Ni, Co, bimetallic Ni/Au, CdSe, and polydopamine. These nanoring arrays have potential applications in memory storage, optical materials, and biosensing. A modified version of this nanoscale electrodeposition process was also used to create arrays of split gold nanorings. The size of the split nanoring opening was controlled by the angle of photoresist exposure during the fabrication process and could be varied from 50% down to 10% of the ring circumference. The large area (cm2 scale) gold split nanoring array surfaces exhibited strong polarization-dependent plasmonic absorption bands for wavelengths from 1 to 5 μm. Plasmonic nanoscale split ring arrays are potentially useful as tunable dichroic materials throughout the infrared and near-infrared spectral regions. PMID:25553204

Capacity and Wake Vortices

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-09-08

Aircraft wake vortices can pose a threat, especially in the terminal environment where aircraft operate in close proximity. Vortex separation standards preclude hazardous encounters, but are oftentimes very conservative. A key to increasing airport c...

Nano-Scale Fabrication Using Optical-Near-Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yatsui, Takashi; Ohtsu, Motoichi

This paper reviews the specific nature of nanophotonics, i.e., a novel optical nano-technology, utilizing dressed photon excited in the nano-material. As examples of nanophotnic fabrication, optical near-field etching and increased spatial homogeneity of contents in compound semiconductors is demonstrated with a self-organized manner.

Spanwise Spacing Effects on the Initial Structure and Decay of Axial Vortices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wendt, B. J.; Reichert, B. A.

1996-01-01

The initial structure and axial decay of an array of streamwise vortices embedded in a turbulent pipe boundary layer is experimentally investigated. The vortices are shed in counter-rotating fashion from an array of equally-spaced symmetric airfoil vortex generators. Vortex structure is quantified in terms of crossplane circulation and peak streamwise vorticity. Flow conditions are subsonic and incompressible. The focus of this study is on the effect of the initial spacing between the parent vortex generators. Arrays with vortex generators spaced at 15 and 30 degrees apart are considered. When the spacing between vortex generators is decreased the circulation and peak vorticity of the shed vortices increases. Analysis indicates this strengthening results from regions of fluid acceleration in the vicinity of the vortex generator array. Decreased spacing between the constituent vortices also produces increased rates of circulation and peak vorticity decay.

A new diagnostic of stratospheric polar vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gimeno, Luis; de La Torre, Laura; Nieto, Raquel; Gallego, David; Ribera, Pedro; García-Herrera, Ricardo

2007-11-01

We studied the main climatological features of the Arctic and Antarctic stratospheric vortices, using a new approach based on defining the vortex edge as the 50 hPa geostrophic streamline of maximum average velocity at each hemisphere. Given the use of NCAR-NCEP reanalysis data, it was thought advisable to limit the study to the periods 1958 2004 for the Northern Hemisphere (NH) and 1979 2004 for the Southern Hemisphere (SH). After describing the method and testing sample results with those from other approaches, we analysed the climatological means and trends of the four most distinctive characteristics of the vortices: average latitude, strength, area, and temperature. In general terms, our results confirm most of what is already known about the stratospheric vortices from previous studies that used different data and approaches. In addition, the new methodology provides some interesting new quantifications of the dominant wavenumber and its interannual variability, as well as the principal variability modes through an empirical orthogonal function analysis that was performed directly over the vortex trajectories. The main drawbacks of the methodology, such as noticeable problems characterising highly disturbed stratospheric structures as multiple or off-pole vortices, are also identified.

Measurements of Supersonic Wing Tip Vortices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smart, Michael K.; Kalkhoran, Iraj M.; Benston, James

1994-01-01

An experimental survey of supersonic wing tip vortices has been conducted at Mach 2.5 using small performed 2.25 chords down-stream of a semi-span rectangular wing at angle of attack of 5 and 10 degrees. The main objective of the experiments was to determine the Mach number, flow angularity and total pressure distribution in the core region of supersonic wing tip vortices. A secondary aim was to demonstrate the feasibility of using cone probes calibrated with a numerical flow solver to measure flow characteristics at supersonic speeds. Results showed that the numerically generated calibration curves can be used for 4-hole cone probes, but were not sufficiently accurate for conventional 5-hole probes due to nose bluntness effects. Combination of 4-hole cone probe measurements with independent pitot pressure measurements indicated a significant Mach number and total pressure deficit in the core regions of supersonic wing tip vortices, combined with an asymmetric 'Burger like' swirl distribution.

Development of Hairpin Vortices in Turbulent Spots and End-Wall Transition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Charles R.

2007-01-01

The end-stage phase of boundary layer transition is characterized by the development of hairpin-like vortices which evolve rapidly into patches of turbulent behavior. In general, the characteristics of the evolution form this hairpin stage to the turbulent stage is poorly understood, which has prompted the present experimental examination of hairpin vortex development and growth processes. Two topics of particular relevance to the workshop focus will be covered: 1) the growth of turbulent spots through the generatio and amalgamation of hairpin-like vortices, and 2) the development of hairpin vortices during transition in an end-wall junction flow. Brief summaries of these studies are described below. Using controlled generation of hairpin vortices by surface injection in a critical laminar boundary layer, detailed flow visualization studies have been done of the phases of growth of single hairpin vortices, from the initial hairgin generation, through the systematic generation of secondary hairpin-like flow structures, culminating in the evolution to a turbulent spot. The key to the growth process is strong vortex-surface interactions, which give rise to strong eruptive events adjacent to the surface, which results in the generation of subsequent hairpin vortex structures due to inviscid-viscuous interactions between the eruptive events and the free steam fluid. The general process of vortex-surface fluid interaction, coupled with subsequent interactions and amalgamation of the generated multiple hairpin-type vortices, is demonstrated as a physical mechanism for the growth and development of turbulent spots. When a boundary layer flow along a surface encounters a bluff body obstruction extending from the surface (such as cylinder or wing), the strong adverse pressure gradients generated by these types of flows result in the concentration of the impinging vorticity into a system of discrete vortices near the end-wall juncture of the obstruction, with the extensions

Comparing the dynamics of skyrmions and superconducting vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olson Reichhardt, C. J.; Lin, S. Z.; Ray, D.; Reichhardt, C.

2014-08-01

Vortices in type-II superconductors have attracted enormous attention as ideal systems in which to study nonequilibrium collective phenomena, since the self-ordering of the vortices competes with quenched disorder and thermal effects. Dynamic effects found in vortex systems include depinning, nonequilibrium phase transitions, creep, structural order-disorder transitions, and melting. Understanding vortex dynamics is also important for applications of superconductors which require the vortices either to remain pinned or to move in a controlled fashion. Recently, topological defects called skyrmions have been realized experimentally in chiral magnets. Here we highlight similarities and differences between skyrmion dynamics and vortex dynamics. Many of the previous ideas and experimental setups that have been applied to superconducting vortices can also be used to study skyrmions. We also discuss some of the differences between the two systems, such as the potentially large contribution of the Magnus force in the skyrmion system that can dramatically alter the dynamics and transport properties.

Cosmic Vorticity and the Origin Halo Spins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Libeskind, Noam I.; Hoffman, Yehuda; Steinmetz, Matthias; Gottlöber, Stefan; Knebe, Alexander; Hess, Steffen

2013-04-01

In the standard model of cosmology, structure emerges out of a non-rotational flow and the angular momentum of collapsing halos is induced by tidal torques. The growth of angular momentum in the linear and quasi-linear phases is associated with a shear, curl-free, flow and it is well described within the linear framework of tidal torque theory (TTT). However, TTT ceases to be applicable as halos approach turnaround when their ambient flow field becomes rotational. Subsequently, halos become embedded in a vortical flow field and the growth of their angular momentum is affected by the vorticity of their ambient velocity field. Using a cosmological simulation, we have examined the importance of the curl of the velocity field in determining halo spin, finding a significant alignment between the two: the vorticity tends to be perpendicular to the axis of the fastest collapse of the velocity shear tensor (e 1). This is independent of halo masses and cosmic web environment. Our results agree with previous findings on the tendency of halo spin to be perpendicular to e 1, and of the spin of (simulated) halos and (observed) galaxies to be aligned with the large-scale structure. It follows that angular momentum growth proceeds in two distinct phases. First, the angular momentum emerges out of a shear, curl-free, potential flow, as described by TTT. In the second phase, in which halos approach virialization, the angular momentum emerges out of a vortical flow and halo spin becomes partially aligned with the vorticity of the ambient flow field.

FINAL REPORT: Scalable Methods for Electronic Excitations and Optical Responses of Nanostructures: Mathematics to Algorithms to Observables

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chelikowsky, James R.

2013-04-01

Work in nanoscience has increased substantially in recent years owing to its potential technological applications and to fundamental scientific interest. A driving force for this activity is to capitalize on new phenomena that occurs at the nanoscale. For example, the physical confinement of electronic states, i.e., quantum confinement, can dramatically alter the electronic and optical properties of matter. A prime example of this occurs for the optical properties of nanoscale crystals such as those composed of elemental silicon. Silicon in the bulk state is optically inactive due to the small size of the optical gap, which can only be accessedmore » by indirect transitions. However, at the nanoscale, this material becomes optically active. The size of the optical gap is increased by confinement and the conservation of crystal momentum ceases to hold, resulting in the viability of indirect transitions. Our work associated with this grant has focused on developing new scalable algorithms for describing the electronic and optical properties of matter at the nanoscale such as nano structures of silicon and related semiconductor properties.« less

Voltage noise of current-driven vortices in disordered Josephson junction arrays.

PubMed

He, G L; Zhao, Z G; Liu, S; Yang, Y H; Liu, M; Xing, D Y

2006-08-16

Dynamical phenomena of moving vortices and voltage noise spectra are studied in disordered Josephson junction arrays (JJAs). The plastic motion of vortices, smectic flow, and moving Bragg glass phases are separated by two dynamic melting transitions driven by current. From the voltage noise spectra of moving vortices, it is found that the driving current plays an important role in the melting of pinning vortices glass and ordering of moving vortices. The features of noise spectra obtained in the disordered JJA model have been observed recently in the high-temperature superconductor Bi(2)Sr(2)CaCu(2)O(y) near the first-order melting transition, indicating that both of them are related to each other.

Vorticity field measurement using digital inline holography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mallery, Kevin; Hong, Jiarong

2017-11-01

We demonstrate the direct measurement of a 3D vorticity field using digital inline holographic microscopy. Microfiber tracer particles are illuminated with a 532 nm continuous diode laser and imaged using a single CCD camera. The recorded holographic images are processed using a GPU-accelerated inverse problem approach to reconstruct the 3D structure of each microfiber in the imaged volume. The translation and rotation of each microfiber are measured using a time-resolved image sequence - yielding velocity and vorticity point measurements. The accuracy and limitations of this method are investigated using synthetic holograms. Measurements of solid body rotational flow are used to validate the accuracy of the technique under known flow conditions. The technique is further applied to a practical turbulent flow case for investigating its 3D velocity field and vorticity distribution.

Fiber-Optic/Photoelastic Flow Sensors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wesson, Laurence N.; Cabato, Nellie L.; Brooks, Edward F.

1995-01-01

Simple, rugged, lightweight transducers detect periodic vortices. Fiber-optic-coupled transducers developed to measure flows over wide dynamic ranges and over wide temperature ranges in severe environments. Used to measure flows of fuel in advanced aircraft engines. Feasibility of sensors demonstrated in tests of prototype sensor in water flowing at various temperatures and speeds. Particularly attractive for aircraft applications because optical fibers compact and make possible transmission of sensor signals at high rates with immunity from electromagnetic interference at suboptical frequencies. Sensors utilize optical-to-optical conversion via photoelastic effect.

Localized dark solitons and vortices in defocusing media with spatially inhomogeneous nonlinearity.

PubMed

Zeng, Jianhua; Malomed, Boris A

2017-05-01

Recent studies have demonstrated that defocusing cubic nonlinearity with local strength growing from the center to the periphery faster than r^{D}, in space of dimension D with radial coordinate r, supports a vast variety of robust bright solitons. In the framework of the same model, but with a weaker spatial-growth rate ∼r^{α} with α≤D, we test here the possibility to create stable localized continuous waves (LCWs) in one-dimensional (1D) and 2D geometries, localized dark solitons (LDSs) in one dimension, and localized dark vortices (LDVs) in two dimensions, which are all realized as loosely confined states with a divergent norm. Asymptotic tails of the solutions, which determine the divergence of the norm, are constructed in a universal analytical form by means of the Thomas-Fermi approximation (TFA). Global approximations for the LCWs, LDSs, and LDVs are constructed on the basis of interpolations between analytical approximations available far from (TFA) and close to the center. In particular, the interpolations for the 1D LDS, as well as for the 2D LDVs, are based on a deformed-tanh expression, which is suggested by the usual 1D dark-soliton solution. The analytical interpolations produce very accurate results, in comparison with numerical findings, for the 1D and 2D LCWs, 1D LDSs, and 2D LDVs with vorticity S=1. In addition to the 1D fundamental LDSs with the single notch and 2D vortices with S=1, higher-order LDSs with multiple notches are found too, as well as double LDVs, with S=2. Stability regions for the modes under consideration are identified by means of systematic simulations, the LCWs being completely stable in one and two dimensions, as they are ground states in the corresponding settings. Basic evolution scenarios are identified for those vortices that are unstable. The settings considered in this work may be implemented in nonlinear optics and in Bose-Einstein condensates.

Localized dark solitons and vortices in defocusing media with spatially inhomogeneous nonlinearity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Jianhua; Malomed, Boris A.

2017-05-01

Recent studies have demonstrated that defocusing cubic nonlinearity with local strength growing from the center to the periphery faster than rD, in space of dimension D with radial coordinate r , supports a vast variety of robust bright solitons. In the framework of the same model, but with a weaker spatial-growth rate ˜rα with α ≤D , we test here the possibility to create stable localized continuous waves (LCWs) in one-dimensional (1D) and 2D geometries, localized dark solitons (LDSs) in one dimension, and localized dark vortices (LDVs) in two dimensions, which are all realized as loosely confined states with a divergent norm. Asymptotic tails of the solutions, which determine the divergence of the norm, are constructed in a universal analytical form by means of the Thomas-Fermi approximation (TFA). Global approximations for the LCWs, LDSs, and LDVs are constructed on the basis of interpolations between analytical approximations available far from (TFA) and close to the center. In particular, the interpolations for the 1D LDS, as well as for the 2D LDVs, are based on a deformed-tanh expression, which is suggested by the usual 1D dark-soliton solution. The analytical interpolations produce very accurate results, in comparison with numerical findings, for the 1D and 2D LCWs, 1D LDSs, and 2D LDVs with vorticity S =1 . In addition to the 1D fundamental LDSs with the single notch and 2D vortices with S =1 , higher-order LDSs with multiple notches are found too, as well as double LDVs, with S =2 . Stability regions for the modes under consideration are identified by means of systematic simulations, the LCWs being completely stable in one and two dimensions, as they are ground states in the corresponding settings. Basic evolution scenarios are identified for those vortices that are unstable. The settings considered in this work may be implemented in nonlinear optics and in Bose-Einstein condensates.

A Laboratory Study of Vortical Structures in Rotating Convection Plumes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Hao; Sun, Shiwei; Wang, Yuan; Zhou, Bowen; Thermal Turbulence Research Team

2015-11-01

A laboratory study of the columnar vortex structure in rotating Rayleigh-Bénard convection is conducted. A rectangular water tank is uniformly heated from below and cooled from above, with Ra = (6 . 35 +/- 0 . 77) ×107 , Ta = 9 . 84 ×107 , Pr = 7 . 34 . The columnar vortices are vertically aligned and quasi steady. Two 2D PIV systems were used to measure velocity field. One system performs horizontal scans at 9 different heights every 13.6s, covering 62% of the total depth. The other system scans vertically to obtain the vertical velocity profile. The measured vertical vorticity profiles of most vortices are quasi-linear with height while the vertical velocities are nearly uniform with only a small curvature. A simple model to deduce vertical velocity profile from vertical vorticity profile is proposed. Under quasi-steady and axisymmetric conditions, a ``vortex core'' assumption is introduced to simplify vertical vorticity equation. A linear ODE about vertical velocity is obtained whenever a vertical vorticity profile is given and solved with experimental data as input. The result is approximately in agreement with the measurement. This work was supported by Undergraduates Training Project (J1103410).

Numerical simulation of the vortical flow around a pitching airfoil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Xiang; Li, Gaohua; Wang, Fuxin

2017-04-01

In order to study the dynamic behaviors of the flapping wing, the vortical flow around a pitching NACA0012 airfoil is investigated. The unsteady flow field is obtained by a very efficient zonal procedure based on the velocity-vorticity formulation and the Reynolds number based on the chord length of the airfoil is set to 1 million. The zonal procedure divides up the whole computation domain in to three zones: potential flow zone, boundary layer zone and Navier-Stokes zone. Since the vorticity is absent in the potential flow zone, the vorticity transport equation needs only to be solved in the boundary layer zone and Navier-Stokes zone. Moreover, the boundary layer equations are solved in the boundary layer zone. This arrangement drastically reduces the computation time against the traditional numerical method. After the flow field computation, the evolution of the vortices around the airfoil is analyzed in detail.

Experimental Study of Lift-Generated Vortices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rossow, Vernon J.; Nixon, David (Technical Monitor)

1998-01-01

The flow fields of vortices, whether bouyancy-driven or lift-generated, are fascinating fluid-dynamic phenomena which often possess intense swirl velocities and complex time-dependent behavior. As part of the on-going study of vortex behavior, this paper presents a historical overview of the research conducted on the structure and modification of the vortices generated by the lifting surfaces of subsonic transport aircraft. It is pointed out that the characteristics of lift-generated vortices are related to the aerodynamic shapes that produce them and that various arrangements of surfaces can be used to produce different vortex structures. The primary purpose of the research to be described is to find a way to reduce the hazard potential of lift-generated vortices shed by subsonic transport aircraft in the vicinity of airports during landing and takeoff operations. It is stressed that lift-generated vortex wakes are so complex that progress towards a solution requires application of a combined theoretical and experimental research program because either alone often leads to incorrect conclusions. It is concluded that a satisfactory aerodynamic solution to the wake-vortex problem at airports has not yet been found but a reduction in the impact of the wake-vortex hazard on airport capacity may become available in the foreseeable future through wake-vortex avoidance concepts currently under study. The material to be presented in this overview is drawn from aerospace journals that are available publicly.

Toward modeling wingtip vortices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zeman, O.

1993-01-01

Wingtip vortices are generated by lifting airfoils; their salient features are compactness and relatively slow rate of decay. The principal motivation for studying the far field evolution of wingtip vortices is the need to understand and predict the extent of the vortex influence during aircraft take-off or landing. On submarines a wingtip vortex ingested into a propeller can be a source of undesirable noise. The main objectives of this research are (1) to establish theoretical understanding of the principal mechanisms that govern the later (diffusive) stages of a turbulent vortex, (2) to develop a turbulence closure model representing the basic physical mechanisms that control the vortex diffusive stage, and further (3) to investigate coupling between the near and far field evolutions; in other words, to study the effect of initial conditions on the vortex lifetime and the ultimate state.

Multilayered metal-insulator nanocavities: toward tunable multi-resonance nano-devices for integrated optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Junyeob; Zhou, Wei

2017-02-01

Plasmonic nanocavities can control light flows and enhance light-mater interactions at subwavelength scale, and thus can potentially be used as nanoscale components in integrated optics systems either for passive optical coupling, or for active optical modulation and emission. In this work, we investigated a new type of multilayered metal-insulator optical nanocavities that can support multiple localized plasmon resonances with ultra-small mode volumes. The total number of resonance peaks and their resonance wavelengths can be freely and accurately controlled by simple geometric design rules. Multi-resonance plasmonic nanocavities can serve as a nanoscale wavelength-multiplexed optical components in integrated optics systems, such as optical couplers, light emitters, nanolasers, optical sensors, and optical modulators.

COSMIC VORTICITY AND THE ORIGIN HALO SPINS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Libeskind, Noam I.; Steinmetz, Matthias; Gottloeber, Stefan

2013-04-01

In the standard model of cosmology, structure emerges out of a non-rotational flow and the angular momentum of collapsing halos is induced by tidal torques. The growth of angular momentum in the linear and quasi-linear phases is associated with a shear, curl-free, flow and it is well described within the linear framework of tidal torque theory (TTT). However, TTT ceases to be applicable as halos approach turnaround when their ambient flow field becomes rotational. Subsequently, halos become embedded in a vortical flow field and the growth of their angular momentum is affected by the vorticity of their ambient velocity field.more » Using a cosmological simulation, we have examined the importance of the curl of the velocity field in determining halo spin, finding a significant alignment between the two: the vorticity tends to be perpendicular to the axis of the fastest collapse of the velocity shear tensor (e{sub 1}). This is independent of halo masses and cosmic web environment. Our results agree with previous findings on the tendency of halo spin to be perpendicular to e{sub 1}, and of the spin of (simulated) halos and (observed) galaxies to be aligned with the large-scale structure. It follows that angular momentum growth proceeds in two distinct phases. First, the angular momentum emerges out of a shear, curl-free, potential flow, as described by TTT. In the second phase, in which halos approach virialization, the angular momentum emerges out of a vortical flow and halo spin becomes partially aligned with the vorticity of the ambient flow field.« less

Quantized vortices in arbitrary dimensions and the normal-to-superfluid phase transition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bora, Florin

The structure and energetics of superflow around quantized vortices, and the motion inherited by these vortices from this superflow, are explored in the general setting of a superfluid in arbitrary dimensions. The vortices may be idealized as objects of co-dimension two, such as one-dimensional loops and two-dimensional closed surfaces, respectively, in the cases of three- and four-dimensional superfluidity. By using the analogy between vortical superflow and Ampere-Maxwell magnetostatics, the equilibrium superflow containing any specified collection of vortices is constructed. The energy of the superflow is found to take on a simple form for vortices that are smooth and asymptotically large, compared with the vortex core size. The motion of vortices is analyzed in general, as well as for the special cases of hyper-spherical and weakly distorted hyper-planar vortices. In all dimensions, vortex motion reflects vortex geometry. In dimension four and higher, this includes not only extrinsic but also intrinsic aspects of the vortex shape, which enter via the first and second fundamental forms of classical geometry. For hyper-spherical vortices, which generalize the vortex rings of three dimensional superfluidity, the energy-momentum relation is determined. Simple scaling arguments recover the essential features of these results, up to numerical and logarithmic factors. Extending these results to systems containing multiple vortices is elementary due to the linearity of the theory. The energy for multiple vortices is thus a sum of self-energies and power-law interaction terms. The statistical mechanics of a system containing vortices is addressed via the grand canonical partition function. A renormalization-group analysis in which the low energy excitations are integrated approximately, is used to compute certain critical coefficients. The exponents obtained via this approximate procedure are compared with values obtained previously by other means. For dimensions higher

Crosswind Shear Gradient Affect on Wake Vortices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Proctor, Fred H.; Ahmad, Nashat N.

2011-01-01

Parametric simulations with a Large Eddy Simulation (LES) model are used to explore the influence of crosswind shear on aircraft wake vortices. Previous studies based on field measurements, laboratory experiments, as well as LES, have shown that the vertical gradient of crosswind shear, i.e. the second vertical derivative of the environmental crosswind, can influence wake vortex transport. The presence of nonlinear vertical shear of the crosswind velocity can reduce the descent rate, causing a wake vortex pair to tilt and change in its lateral separation. The LES parametric studies confirm that the vertical gradient of crosswind shear does influence vortex trajectories. The parametric results also show that vortex decay from the effects of shear are complex since the crosswind shear, along with the vertical gradient of crosswind shear, can affect whether the lateral separation between wake vortices is increased or decreased. If the separation is decreased, the vortex linking time is decreased, and a more rapid decay of wake vortex circulation occurs. If the separation is increased, the time to link is increased, and at least one of the vortices of the vortex pair may have a longer life time than in the case without shear. In some cases, the wake vortices may never link.

Dynamically stable multiply quantized vortices in dilute Bose-Einstein condensates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huhtamaeki, J. A. M.; Virtanen, S. M. M.; Moettoenen, M.

2006-12-15

Multiquantum vortices in dilute atomic Bose-Einstein condensates confined in long cigar-shaped traps are known to be both energetically and dynamically unstable. They tend to split into single-quantum vortices even in the ultralow temperature limit with vanishingly weak dissipation, which has also been confirmed in the recent experiments [Y. Shin et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 160406 (2004)] utilizing the so-called topological phase engineering method to create multiquantum vortices. We study the stability properties of multiquantum vortices in different trap geometries by solving the Bogoliubov excitation spectra for such states. We find that there are regions in the trap asymmetry andmore » condensate interaction strength plane in which the splitting instability of multiquantum vortices is suppressed, and hence they are dynamically stable. For example, the doubly quantized vortex can be made dynamically stable even in spherical traps within a wide range of interaction strength values. We expect that this suppression of vortex-splitting instability can be experimentally verified.« less

Controlled vortical flow on delta wings through unsteady leading edge blowing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, K. T.; Roberts, Leonard

1990-01-01

The vortical flow over a delta wing contributes an important part of the lift - the so called nonlinear lift. Controlling this vortical flow with its favorable influence would enhance aircraft maneuverability at high angle of attack. Several previous studies have shown that control of the vortical flow field is possible through the use of blowing jets. The present experimental research studies vortical flow control by applying a new blowing scheme to the rounded leading edge of a delta wing; this blowing scheme is called Tangential Leading Edge Blowing (TLEB). Vortical flow response both to steady blowing and to unsteady blowing is investigated. It is found that TLEB can redevelop stable, strong vortices even in the post-stall angle of attack regime. Analysis of the steady data shows that the effect of leading edge blowing can be interpreted as an effective change in angle of attack. The examination of the fundamental time scales for vortical flow re-organization after the application of blowing for different initial states of the flow field is studied. Different time scales for flow re-organization are shown to depend upon the effective angle of attack. A faster response time can be achieved at angles of attack beyond stall by a suitable choice of the initial blowing momentum strength. Consequently, TLEB shows the potential of controlling the vortical flow over a wide range of angles of attack; i.e., in both for pre-stall and post-stall conditions.

Self-Similar Compressible Free Vortices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

vonEllenrieder, Karl

1998-01-01

Lie group methods are used to find both exact and numerical similarity solutions for compressible perturbations to all incompressible, two-dimensional, axisymmetric vortex reference flow. The reference flow vorticity satisfies an eigenvalue problem for which the solutions are a set of two-dimensional, self-similar, incompressible vortices. These solutions are augmented by deriving a conserved quantity for each eigenvalue, and identifying a Lie group which leaves the reference flow equations invariant. The partial differential equations governing the compressible perturbations to these reference flows are also invariant under the action of the same group. The similarity variables found with this group are used to determine the decay rates of the velocities and thermodynamic variables in the self-similar flows, and to reduce the governing partial differential equations to a set of ordinary differential equations. The ODE's are solved analytically and numerically for a Taylor vortex reference flow, and numerically for an Oseen vortex reference flow. The solutions are used to examine the dependencies of the temperature, density, entropy, dissipation and radial velocity on the Prandtl number. Also, experimental data on compressible free vortex flow are compared to the analytical results, the evolution of vortices from initial states which are not self-similar is discussed, and the energy transfer in a slightly-compressible vortex is considered.

Experiments on tip vortices interacting with downstream wings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, C.; Wang, Z.; Gursul, I.

2018-05-01

The interaction of meandering tip vortices shed from a leading wing with a downstream wing was investigated experimentally in a water tunnel using flow visualization, particle image velocimetry measurements, and volumetric velocity measurements. Counter-rotating upstream vortices may exhibit sudden variations of the vortex core location when the wing-tip separation is within approximately twice the vortex core radius. This is caused by the formation of vortex dipoles near the wing tip. In contrast, co-rotating upstream vortices do not exhibit such sensitivity. Large spanwise displacement of the trajectory due to the image vortex is possible when the incident vortex is further inboard. For both co-rotating and counter-rotating vortices, as long as there is no direct impingement upon the wing, there is a little change in the structure of the time-averaged vortex past the wing, even though the tip vortex shed from the downstream wing may be substantially weakened or strengthened. In the absence of the downstream wing, as well as for weak interactions, the most energetic unsteady modes represent the first helical mode | m| = 1, which is estimated from the three-dimensional Proper Orthogonal Decomposition modes and has a very large wavelength, on the order of 102 times the vortex core radius, λ/ a = O(102). Instantaneous vorticity measurements as well as flow visualization suggest the existence of a smaller wavelength, λ/ a = 5-6, which is not among the most energetic modes. These two-orders of magnitude different wavelengths are in agreement with the previous measurements of tip vortices and also exhibit qualitative agreement with the transient energy growth analysis. The very long wavelength mode in the upstream vortex may persist during the interaction, and reveal coupling with the trailing vortex as well as increased meandering.

The motion of wake vortices in the terminal environment

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1974-11-12

The phenomenon of aircraft wake vortices has been known since the beginning of powered flight. However, the potential danger of encountering wake vortices has only recently become apparent. Within a few years, a significant fraction of the civil air ...

Characterization of aircraft dynamic wake vortices and atmospheric turbulence by coherent doppler lidar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Songhua; Zhai, Xiaochun; Liu, Bingyi; Liu, Jintao

2018-04-01

Field observations for the wake vortices by Coherent Doppler Lidar (CDL) have been carried out at the Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA) and Tianjin Binhai International Airport (TBIA) to investigate the wake vortices evolution characteristics and the near-ground effect. This paper introduces the dynamic wake vortices and atmospheric turbulence monitoring technique, successfully demonstrating that the CDL can capture the key characteristics of wake vortices in real-time, including wake vortices intensity, spatial-temporal evolution and so forth.

Visualizing nanoscale excitonic relaxation properties of disordered edges and grain boundaries in monolayer molybdenum disulfide

DOE PAGES

Bao, Wei; Borys, Nicholas J.; Ko, Changhyun; ...

2015-08-13

The ideal building blocks for atomically thin, flexible optoelectronic and catalytic devices are two-dimensional monolayer transition metal dichalcogenide semiconductors. Although challenging for two-dimensional systems, sub-diffraction optical microscopy provides a nanoscale material understanding that is vital for optimizing their optoelectronic properties. We use the ‘Campanile’ nano-optical probe to spectroscopically image exciton recombination within monolayer MoS2 with sub-wavelength resolution (60 nm), at the length scale relevant to many critical optoelectronic processes. Moreover, synthetic monolayer MoS2 is found to be composed of two distinct optoelectronic regions: an interior, locally ordered but mesoscopically heterogeneous two-dimensional quantum well and an unexpected ~300-nm wide, energetically disorderedmore » edge region. Further, grain boundaries are imaged with sufficient resolution to quantify local exciton-quenching phenomena, and complimentary nano-Auger microscopy reveals that the optically defective grain boundary and edge regions are sulfur deficient. In conclusion, the nanoscale structure–property relationships established here are critical for the interpretation of edge- and boundary-related phenomena and the development of next-generation two-dimensional optoelectronic devices.« less

Vortices in rotating superfluid 3He.

PubMed

Lounasmaa, O V; Thuneberg, E

1999-07-06

In this review we first present an introduction to 3He and to the ROTA collaboration under which most of the knowledge on vortices in superfluid 3He has been obtained. In the physics part, we start from the exceptional properties of helium at millikelvin temperatures. The dilemma of rotating superfluids is presented. In 4He and in 3He-B the problem is solved by nucleating an array of singular vortex lines. Their experimental detection in 3He by NMR is described next. The vortex cores in 3He-B have two different structures, both of which have spontaneously broken symmetry. A spin-mass vortex has been identified as well. This object is characterized by a flow of spins around the vortex line, in addition to the usual mass current. A great variety of vortices exist in the A phase of 3He; they are either singular or continuous, and their structure can be a line or a sheet or fill the whole liquid. Altogether seven different types of vortices have been detected in 3He by NMR. We also describe briefly other experimental methods that have been used by ROTA scientists in studying vortices in 3He and some important results thus obtained. Finally, we discuss the possible applications of experiments and theory of 3He to particle physics and cosmology. In particular, we report on experiments where superfluid 3He-B was heated locally by absorption of single neutrons. The resulting events can be used to test theoretical models of the Big Bang at the beginning of our universe.

Vortices and antivortices in two-dimensional ultracold Fermi gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bighin, G.; Salasnich, L.

2017-04-01

Vortices are commonly observed in the context of classical hydrodynamics: from whirlpools after stirring the coffee in a cup to a violent atmospheric phenomenon such as a tornado, all classical vortices are characterized by an arbitrary circulation value of the local velocity field. On the other hand the appearance of vortices with quantized circulation represents one of the fundamental signatures of macroscopic quantum phenomena. In two-dimensional superfluids quantized vortices play a key role in determining finite-temperature properties, as the superfluid phase and the normal state are separated by a vortex unbinding transition, the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition. Very recent experiments with two-dimensional superfluid fermions motivate the present work: we present theoretical results based on the renormalization group showing that the universal jump of the superfluid density and the critical temperature crucially depend on the interaction strength, providing a strong benchmark for forthcoming investigations.

Vortices and antivortices in two-dimensional ultracold Fermi gases

PubMed Central

Bighin, G.; Salasnich, L.

2017-01-01

Vortices are commonly observed in the context of classical hydrodynamics: from whirlpools after stirring the coffee in a cup to a violent atmospheric phenomenon such as a tornado, all classical vortices are characterized by an arbitrary circulation value of the local velocity field. On the other hand the appearance of vortices with quantized circulation represents one of the fundamental signatures of macroscopic quantum phenomena. In two-dimensional superfluids quantized vortices play a key role in determining finite-temperature properties, as the superfluid phase and the normal state are separated by a vortex unbinding transition, the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition. Very recent experiments with two-dimensional superfluid fermions motivate the present work: we present theoretical results based on the renormalization group showing that the universal jump of the superfluid density and the critical temperature crucially depend on the interaction strength, providing a strong benchmark for forthcoming investigations. PMID:28374762

Vorticity Dynamics in Axial Compressor Flow Diagnosis and Design.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Jie-Zhi; Yang, Yan-Tao; Wu, Hong; Li, Qiu-Shi; Mao, Feng; Zhou, Sheng

2007-11-01

It is well recognized that vorticity and vortical structures appear inevitably in viscous compressor flows and have strong influence on the compressor performance. But conventional analysis and design procedure cannot pinpoint the quantitative contribution of each individual vortical structure to the integrated performance of a compressor, such as the stagnation-pressure ratio and efficiency. We fill this gap by using the so-called derivative-moment transformation which has been successfully applied to external aerodynamics. We show that the compressor performance is mainly controlled by the radial distribution of azimuthal vorticity, of which an optimization in the through-flow design stage leads to a simple Abel equation of the second kind. Solving the equation yields desired circulation distribution that optimizes the blade geometry. The advantage of this new procedure is demonstrated by numerical examples, including the posterior performance check by 3-D Navier-Stokes simulation.

Observation of nanoscale magnetic fields using twisted electron beams

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Grillo, Vincenzo; Harvey, Tyler R.; Venturi, Federico

Electron waves give an unprecedented enhancement to the field of microscopy by providing higher resolving power compared to their optical counterpart. Further information about a specimen, such as electric and magnetic features, can be revealed in electron microscopy because electrons possess both a magnetic moment and charge. In-plane magnetic structures in materials can be studied experimentally using the effect of the Lorentz force. On the other hand, full mapping of the magnetic field has hitherto remained challenging. Here we measure a nanoscale out-of-plane magnetic field by interfering a highly twisted electron vortex beam with a reference wave. We implement amore » recently developed holographic technique to manipulate the electron wavefunction, which gives free electrons an additional unbounded quantized magnetic moment along their propagation direction. Our finding demonstrates that full reconstruction of all three components of nanoscale magnetic fields is possible without tilting the specimen.« less

Observation of nanoscale magnetic fields using twisted electron beams

DOE PAGES

Grillo, Vincenzo; Harvey, Tyler R.; Venturi, Federico; ...

2017-09-25

Electron waves give an unprecedented enhancement to the field of microscopy by providing higher resolving power compared to their optical counterpart. Further information about a specimen, such as electric and magnetic features, can be revealed in electron microscopy because electrons possess both a magnetic moment and charge. In-plane magnetic structures in materials can be studied experimentally using the effect of the Lorentz force. On the other hand, full mapping of the magnetic field has hitherto remained challenging. Here we measure a nanoscale out-of-plane magnetic field by interfering a highly twisted electron vortex beam with a reference wave. We implement amore » recently developed holographic technique to manipulate the electron wavefunction, which gives free electrons an additional unbounded quantized magnetic moment along their propagation direction. Our finding demonstrates that full reconstruction of all three components of nanoscale magnetic fields is possible without tilting the specimen.« less

Layer specific optical band gap measurement at nanoscale in MoS{sub 2} and ReS{sub 2} van der Waals compounds by high resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dileep, K., E-mail: dileep@jncasr.ac.in, E-mail: ranjan@jncasr.ac.in; Sahu, R.; Datta, R., E-mail: dileep@jncasr.ac.in, E-mail: ranjan@jncasr.ac.in

2016-03-21

Layer specific direct measurement of optical band gaps of two important van der Waals compounds, MoS{sub 2} and ReS{sub 2}, is performed at nanoscale by high resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy. For monolayer MoS{sub 2}, the twin excitons (1.8 and 1.95 eV) originating at the K point of the Brillouin zone are observed. An indirect band gap of 1.27 eV is obtained from the multilayer regions. Indirect to direct band gap crossover is observed which is consistent with the previously reported strong photoluminescence from the monolayer MoS{sub 2}. For ReS{sub 2}, the band gap is direct, and a value of 1.52 andmore » 1.42 eV is obtained for the monolayer and multilayer, respectively. The energy loss function is dominated by features due to high density of states at both the valence and conduction band edges, and the difference in analyzing band gap with respect to ZnO is highlighted. Crystalline 1T ReS{sub 2} forms two dimensional chains like superstructure due to the clustering between four Re atoms. The results demonstrate the power of HREELS technique as a nanoscale optical absorption spectroscopy tool.« less

Classical emergence of intrinsic spin-orbit interaction of light at the nanoscale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vázquez-Lozano, J. Enrique; Martínez, Alejandro

2018-03-01

Traditionally, in macroscopic geometrical optics intrinsic polarization and spatial degrees of freedom of light can be treated independently. However, at the subwavelength scale these properties appear to be coupled together, giving rise to the spin-orbit interaction (SOI) of light. In this work we address theoretically the classical emergence of the optical SOI at the nanoscale. By means of a full-vector analysis involving spherical vector waves we show that the spin-orbit factorizability condition, accounting for the mutual influence between the amplitude (spin) and phase (orbit), is fulfilled only in the far-field limit. On the other side, in the near-field region, an additional relative phase introduces an extra term that hinders the factorization and reveals an intricate dynamical behavior according to the SOI regime. As a result, we find a suitable theoretical framework able to capture analytically the main features of intrinsic SOI of light. Besides allowing for a better understanding into the mechanism leading to its classical emergence at the nanoscale, our approach may be useful to design experimental setups that enhance the response of SOI-based effects.

Vorticity and divergence in the solar photosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, YI; Noyes, Robert W.; Tarbell, Theodore D.; Title, Alan M.

1995-01-01

We have studied an outstanding sequence of continuum images of the solar granulation from Pic du Midi Observatory. We have calculated the horizontal vector flow field using a correlation tracking algorithm, and from this determined three scalar field: the vertical component of the curl; the horizontal divergence; and the horizontal flow speed. The divergence field has substantially longer coherence time and more power than does the curl field. Statistically, curl is better correlated with regions of negative divergence - that is, the vertical vorticity is higher in downflow regions, suggesting excess vorticity in intergranular lanes. The average value of the divergence is largest (i.e., outflow is largest) where the horizontal speed is large; we associate these regions with exploding granules. A numerical simulation of general convection also shows similar statistical differences between curl and divergence. Some individual small bright points in the granulation pattern show large local vorticities.

Investigation of the Structural, Electrical, and Optical Properties of the Nano-Scale GZO Thin Films on Glass and Flexible Polyimide Substrates

PubMed Central

Wang, Fang-Hsing; Chen, Kun-Neng; Hsu, Chao-Ming; Liu, Min-Chu; Yang, Cheng-Fu

2016-01-01

In this study, Ga2O3-doped ZnO (GZO) thin films were deposited on glass and flexible polyimide (PI) substrates at room temperature (300 K), 373 K, and 473 K by the radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering method. After finding the deposition rate, all the GZO thin films with a nano-scale thickness of about 150 ± 10 nm were controlled by the deposition time. X-ray diffraction patterns indicated that the GZO thin films were not amorphous and all exhibited the (002) peak, and field emission scanning electron microscopy showed that only nano-scale particles were observed. The dependences of the structural, electrical, and optical properties of the GZO thin films on different deposition temperatures and substrates were investigated. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) was used to measure the elemental composition at the chemical and electronic states of the GZO thin films deposited on different substrates, which could be used to clarify the mechanism of difference in electrical properties of the GZO thin films. In this study, the XPS binding energy spectra of Ga2p3/2 and Ga2p1/2 peaks, Zn2p3/2 and Zn2p1/2 peaks, the Ga3d peak, and O1s peaks for GZO thin films on glass and PI substrates were well compared. PMID:28335216

A carbon nanotube optical rectenna

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Asha; Singh, Virendra; Bougher, Thomas L.; Cola, Baratunde A.

2015-12-01

An optical rectenna—a device that directly converts free-propagating electromagnetic waves at optical frequencies to direct current—was first proposed over 40 years ago, yet this concept has not been demonstrated experimentally due to fabrication challenges at the nanoscale. Realizing an optical rectenna requires that an antenna be coupled to a diode that operates on the order of 1 PHz (switching speed on the order of 1 fs). Diodes operating at these frequencies are feasible if their capacitance is on the order of a few attofarads, but they remain extremely difficult to fabricate and to reliably couple to a nanoscale antenna. Here we demonstrate an optical rectenna by engineering metal-insulator-metal tunnel diodes, with a junction capacitance of ˜2 aF, at the tip of vertically aligned multiwalled carbon nanotubes (˜10 nm in diameter), which act as the antenna. Upon irradiation with visible and infrared light, we measure a d.c. open-circuit voltage and a short-circuit current that appear to be due to a rectification process (we account for a very small but quantifiable contribution from thermal effects). In contrast to recent reports of photodetection based on hot electron decay in a plasmonic nanoscale antenna, a coherent optical antenna field appears to be rectified directly in our devices, consistent with rectenna theory. Finally, power rectification is observed under simulated solar illumination, and there is no detectable change in diode performance after numerous current-voltage scans between 5 and 77 °C, indicating a potential for robust operation.

A carbon nanotube optical rectenna.

PubMed

Sharma, Asha; Singh, Virendra; Bougher, Thomas L; Cola, Baratunde A

2015-12-01

An optical rectenna--a device that directly converts free-propagating electromagnetic waves at optical frequencies to direct current--was first proposed over 40 years ago, yet this concept has not been demonstrated experimentally due to fabrication challenges at the nanoscale. Realizing an optical rectenna requires that an antenna be coupled to a diode that operates on the order of 1 PHz (switching speed on the order of 1 fs). Diodes operating at these frequencies are feasible if their capacitance is on the order of a few attofarads, but they remain extremely difficult to fabricate and to reliably couple to a nanoscale antenna. Here we demonstrate an optical rectenna by engineering metal-insulator-metal tunnel diodes, with a junction capacitance of ∼2 aF, at the tip of vertically aligned multiwalled carbon nanotubes (∼10 nm in diameter), which act as the antenna. Upon irradiation with visible and infrared light, we measure a d.c. open-circuit voltage and a short-circuit current that appear to be due to a rectification process (we account for a very small but quantifiable contribution from thermal effects). In contrast to recent reports of photodetection based on hot electron decay in a plasmonic nanoscale antenna, a coherent optical antenna field appears to be rectified directly in our devices, consistent with rectenna theory. Finally, power rectification is observed under simulated solar illumination, and there is no detectable change in diode performance after numerous current-voltage scans between 5 and 77 °C, indicating a potential for robust operation.

Aircraft Wake Vortices : An Assessment of the Current Situation

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1991-01-01

The state of knowledge about aircraft wake vortices in the summer of 1990 is summarized. With the advent of a new FAA wake vortex program, the current situation was assessed by answering five questions: (1) What do we know about wake vortices, (2) wh...

Experimental investigation of large-scale vortices in a freely spreading gravity current

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Yeping; Horner-Devine, Alexander R.

2017-10-01

A series of laboratory experiments are presented to compare the dynamics of constant-source buoyant gravity currents propagating into laterally confined (channelized) and unconfined (spreading) environments. The plan-form structure of the spreading current and the vertical density and velocity structures on the interface are quantified using the optical thickness method and a combined particle image velocimetry and planar laser-induced fluorescence method, respectively. With lateral boundaries, the buoyant current thickness is approximately constant and Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities are generated within the shear layer. The buoyant current structure is significantly different in the spreading case. As the current spreads laterally, nonlinear large-scale vortex structures are observed at the interface, which maintain a coherent shape as they propagate away from the source. These structures are continuously generated near the river mouth, have amplitudes close to the buoyant layer thickness, and propagate offshore at speeds approximately equal to the internal wave speed. The observed depth and propagation speed of the instabilities match well with the fastest growing mode predicted by linear stability analysis, but with a shorter wavelength. The spreading flows have much higher vorticity, which is aggregated within the large-scale structures. Secondary instabilities are generated on the leading edge of the braids between the large-scale vortex structures and ultimately break and mix on the lee side of the structures. Analysis of the vortex dynamics shows that lateral stretching intensifies the vorticity in the spreading currents, contributing to higher vorticity within the large-scale structures in the buoyant plume. The large-scale instabilities and vortex structures observed in the present study provide new insights into the origin of internal frontal structures frequently observed in coastal river plumes.

Analysis of propeller-induced ground vortices by particle image velocimetry.

PubMed

Yang, Y; Sciacchitano, A; Veldhuis, L L M; Eitelberg, G

2018-01-01

The interaction between a propeller and its self-induced vortices originating on the ground is investigated in a scaled experiment. The velocity distribution in the flow field in two different planes containing the self-induced vortices is measured by particle image velocimetry (PIV). These planes are a wall-parallel plane in close proximity to the ground and a wall-normal plane just upstream of the propeller. Based on the visualization of the flow field in these two planes, the occurrence of ground vortices and its domain boundary are analysed. The elevation of the propeller from the ground and the thrust of the propeller are two parameters that determine the occurrence of ground vortices. The main features of the propeller inflow in the presence of the ground vortices are highlighted. Moreover, the analysis of the non-uniform inflow in the azimuthal direction shows that with increasing the propeller thrust coefficient and decreasing the elevation of the propeller above the ground, the variation of the inflow angle of the blade increases.

EFFECTS OF DUST FEEDBACK ON VORTICES IN PROTOPLANETARY DISKS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fu, Wen; Liang, Edison; Li, Hui

2014-11-10

We carried out two-dimensional, high-resolution simulations to study the effect of dust feedback on the evolution of vortices induced by massive planets in protoplanetary disks. Various initial dust to gas disk surface density ratios (0.001-0.01) and dust particle sizes (Stokes number 4 × 10{sup –4}-0.16) are considered. We found that while dust particles migrate inward, vortices are very effective at collecting them. When dust density becomes comparable to gas density within the vortex, a dynamical instability is excited and it alters the coherent vorticity pattern and destroys the vortex. This dust feedback effect is stronger with a higher initial dust/gasmore » density ratio and larger dust grain. Consequently, we found that the disk vortex lifetime can be reduced up to a factor of 10. We discuss the implications of our findings on the survivability of vortices in protoplanetary disks and planet formation.« less

Inward propagating chemical waves in Taylor vortices.

PubMed

Thompson, Barnaby W; Novak, Jan; Wilson, Mark C T; Britton, Melanie M; Taylor, Annette F

2010-04-01

Advection-reaction-diffusion (ARD) waves in the Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction in steady Taylor-Couette vortices have been visualized using magnetic-resonance imaging and simulated using an adapted Oregonator model. We show how propagating wave behavior depends on the ratio of advective, chemical and diffusive time scales. In simulations, inward propagating spiral flamelets are observed at high Damköhler number (Da). At low Da, the reaction distributes itself over several vortices and then propagates inwards as contracting ring pulses--also observed experimentally.

The balance of dynamic vorticity for the Presidents' Day storm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zapotocny, Tom Harmon

1990-06-01

The maintenance of isentropic dynamic vorticity, defined as the vertical component of the curl of momentum, is examined for the life cycle of the Presidents'Day storm. Dynamic vorticity and its tendency are also compared to the more commonly used kinematic vorticity and its tendency. Diagnostics are first performed on an inviscid numerical simulation of an amplifying baroclinic disturbance by a hybrid isentropic-sigma coordinate channel model. The main purpose for studying a simulation with the channel model is to examine the first-order balance of dynamic vorticity during development under simplified conditions. A more in-depth evaluation of dynamic vorticity is presented for an excellent numerical simulation of the Presidents' Day storm of 18 to 20 February 1979. Dynamic vorticity diagnostics for the Presidents' Day storm reveal the importance of mass asymmetries within an isentropic layer and also document the effect of weak static stability. Prior to cyclogenesis, a strong cyclonic circulation tendency exists from both the vertical advection of vorticity and tilting terms. Another important feature is the merging of two synoptic scale short waves; one propagating southeast from the Great Lakes states, the other moving northeast from the Gulf of Mexico. Cyclogenesis is initiated by the latter of these two short waves, while rapid development occurs when the Great Lakes short waves reaches the Middle Atlantic states. During rapid development, an assessment of the ageostrophic component on spin-up is obtained from a balance of the divergence term and pressure stresses. Spin-up from the ageostrophic component is largest ahead of the lower tropospheric warm front. The impact of an 80 m/s subtropical jet streak, which enhances upper tropospheric processes during development, is also examined.

Comparison of optical vortex detection methods for use with a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor.

PubMed

Murphy, Kevin; Dainty, Chris

2012-02-27

In this paper we compare experimentally two methods of detecting optical vortices from Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor (SHWFS) data, the vortex potential and the contour sum methods. The experimental setup uses a spatial light modulator (SLM) to generate turbulent fields with vortices. In the experiment, many fields are generated and detected by a SHWFS, and data is analysed by the two vortex detection methods. We conclude that the vortex potential method is more successful in locating vortices in these fields.

Influence of Initial Vorticity Distribution on Axisymmetric Vortex Breakdown and Reconnection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, Larry A.

2007-01-01

An analytical treatment has been developed to study some of the axisymmetric vortex breakdown and reconnection fluid dynamic processes underlying body-vortex interactions that are frequently manifested in rotorcraft and propeller-driven fixed-wing aircraft wakes. In particular, the presence of negative vorticity in the inner core of a vortex filament (one example of which is examined in this paper) subsequent to "cutting" by a solid body has a profound influence on the vortex reconnection, leading to analog flow behavior similar to vortex breakdown phenomena described in the literature. Initial vorticity distributions (three specific examples which are examined) without an inner core of negative vorticity do not exhibit vortex breakdown and instead manifest diffusion-like properties while undergoing vortex reconnection. Though this work focuses on laminar vortical flow, this work is anticipated to provide valuable insight into rotary-wing aerodynamics as well as other types of vortical flow phenomena.

Decay of Far-Flowfield in Trailing Vortices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baldwin, B. S.; Chigier, N. A.; Sheaffer, Y. S.

1973-01-01

Methods for reduction of velocities in trailing vortices of large aircraft are of current interest for the purpose of shortening the waiting time between landings at central airports. We have made finite-difference calculations of the flow in turbulent wake vortices as an aid to interpretation of wind-tunnel and flight experiments directed toward that end. Finite-difference solutions are capable of adding flexibility to such investigations if they are based on an adequate model of turbulence. Interesting developments have been taking place in the knowledge of turbulence that may lead to a complete theory in the future. In the meantime, approximate methods that yield reasonable agreement with experiment are appropriate. The simplified turbulence model we have selected contains features that account for the major effects disclosed by more sophisticated models in which the parameters are not yet established. Several puzzles are thereby resolved that arose in previous theoretical investigations of wake vortices.

Faults Get Colder Through Transient Granular Vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Einav, I.; Rognon, P.; Miller, T.; Sulem, J.

2018-03-01

Fault temperatures govern their weakening and control the dynamics of earthquakes during slip. Despite predictions of significant temperature rise within fault gouges during earthquake events, observations of frictional melting zones along exhumed faults are relatively rare. Could there be a heat transfer mechanism, previously not considered, that results in ubiquitously colder faults during earthquakes? We demonstrate that the remarkable, previously neglected mechanism of heat transfer through transient granular vortices may be at the core of this. We present and analyze results from perpetual simple shear experiments on a system of granular disks with which we are able to quantify the sizes and lifetimes of granular vortices within fault gouges during earthquakes. We then develop a formula that captures the contribution these vortices have on heat transfer. Using this formula, we show that crustal faults such as those in the San Andreas system may experience a maximum temperature rise 5 to 10 times lower than previously thought.

Confirmation of the modified Bean model from simulations of superconducting vortices

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Richardson, R.A.; Pla, O.; Nori, F.

From a very simple description of vortices and pinning centers, we obtain nonlinear density profiles of vortices in type-II dirty superconductors that result from changing an external magnetic field. The results confirm a modified Bean model description of these systems, following the Kim empirical form that relates the current inside the material to the local magnetic field. We also obtain realistic magnetization hysteresis loops and examine the discrete evolution of the density profiles in our systems. This evolution is not continuous, but takes place by the occurrence of avalanches of vortices promoted by the addition or extraction of vortices frommore » the edges of the system.« less

Vortices in rotating superfluid 3He

PubMed Central

Lounasmaa, Olli V.; Thuneberg, Erkki

1999-01-01

In this review we first present an introduction to 3He and to the ROTA collaboration under which most of the knowledge on vortices in superfluid 3He has been obtained. In the physics part, we start from the exceptional properties of helium at millikelvin temperatures. The dilemma of rotating superfluids is presented. In 4He and in 3He-B the problem is solved by nucleating an array of singular vortex lines. Their experimental detection in 3He by NMR is described next. The vortex cores in 3He-B have two different structures, both of which have spontaneously broken symmetry. A spin-mass vortex has been identified as well. This object is characterized by a flow of spins around the vortex line, in addition to the usual mass current. A great variety of vortices exist in the A phase of 3He; they are either singular or continuous, and their structure can be a line or a sheet or fill the whole liquid. Altogether seven different types of vortices have been detected in 3He by NMR. We also describe briefly other experimental methods that have been used by ROTA scientists in studying vortices in 3He and some important results thus obtained. Finally, we discuss the possible applications of experiments and theory of 3He to particle physics and cosmology. In particular, we report on experiments where superfluid 3He-B was heated locally by absorption of single neutrons. The resulting events can be used to test theoretical models of the Big Bang at the beginning of our universe. PMID:10393895

Towards a theory of stochastic vorticity-augmentation. [tornado model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, V. C.

1977-01-01

A new hypothesis to account for the formation of tornadoes is presented. An elementary one-dimensional theory is formulated for vorticity transfer between an ambient sheared wind and a transverse penetrating jet. The theory points out the relevant quantities to be determined in describing the present stochastic mode of vorticity augmentation.

Vortical susceptibility of finite-density QCD matter

DOE PAGES

Aristova, A.; Frenklakh, D.; Gorsky, A.; ...

2016-10-07

Here, the susceptibility of finite-density QCD matter to vorticity is introduced, as an analog of magnetic susceptibility. It describes the spin polarization of quarks and antiquarks in finite-density QCD matter induced by rotation. We estimate this quantity in the chirally broken phase using the mixed gauge-gravity anomaly at finite baryon density. It is proposed that the vortical susceptibility of QCD matter is responsible for the polarization of Λ and Λ¯ hyperons observed recently in heavy ion collisions at RHIC by the STAR collaboration.

Bacterial aggregation and biofilm formation in a vortical flow

PubMed Central

Yazdi, Shahrzad; Ardekani, Arezoo M.

2012-01-01

Bacterial aggregation and patchiness play an important role in a variety of ecological processes such as competition, adaptation, epidemics, and succession. Here, we demonstrate that hydrodynamics of their environment can lead to their aggregation. This is specially important since microbial habitats are rarely at rest (e.g., ocean, blood stream, flow in porous media, and flow through membrane filtration processes). In order to study the dynamics of bacterial collection in a vortical flow, we utilize a microfluidic system to mimic some of the important microbial conditions at ecologically relevant spatiotemporal scales. We experimentally demonstrate the formation of “ring”-shaped bacterial collection patterns and subsequently the formation of biofilm streamers in a microfluidic system. Acoustic streaming of a microbubble is used to generate a vortical flow in a microchannel. Due to bacteria's finite-size, the microorganisms are directed to closed streamlines and trapped in the vortical flow. The collection of bacteria in the vortices occurs in a matter of seconds, and unexpectedly, triggers the formation of biofilm streamers within minutes. Swimming bacteria have a competitive advantage to respond to their environmental conditions. In order to investigate the role of bacterial motility on the rate of collection, two strains of Escherichia coli bacteria with different motilities are used. We show that the bacterial collection in a vortical flow is strongly pronounced for high motile bacteria. PMID:24339847

Vorticity Transport on a Flexible Wing in Stall Flutter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akkala, James; Buchholz, James; Farnsworth, John; McLaughlin, Thomas

2014-11-01

The circulation budget within dynamic stall vortices was investigated on a flexible NACA 0018 wing model of aspect ratio 6 undergoing stall flutter. The wing had an initial angle of attack of 6 degrees, Reynolds number of 1 . 5 ×105 and large-amplitude, primarily torsional, limit cycle oscillations were observed at a reduced frequency of k = πfc / U = 0 . 1 . Phase-locked stereo PIV measurements were obtained at multiple chordwise planes around the 62.5% and 75% spanwise locations to characterize the flow field within thin volumetric regions over the suction surface. Transient surface pressure measurements were used to estimate boundary vorticity flux. Recent analyses on plunging and rotating wings indicates that the magnitude of the pressure-gradient-driven boundary flux of secondary vorticity is a significant fraction of the magnitude of the convective flux from the separated leading-edge shear layer, suggesting that the secondary vorticity plays a significant role in regulating the strength of the primary vortex. This phenomenon is examined in the present case, and the physical mechanisms governing the growth and evolution of the dynamic stall vortices are explored. This work was supported by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research through the Flow Interactions and Control Program monitored by Dr. Douglas Smith, and through the 2014 AFOSR/ASEE Summer Faculty Fellowship Program (JA and JB).

Nanoscale materials for hyperthermal theranostics

DOE PAGES

Smith, Bennett E.; Roder, Paden B.; Zhou, Xuezhe; ...

2015-03-18

Recently, the use of nanoscale materials has attracted considerable attention with the aim of designing personalized therapeutic approaches that can enhance both spatial and temporal control over drug release, permeability, and uptake. Potential benefits to patients include the reduction of overall drug dosages, enabling the parallel delivery of different pharmaceuticals, and the possibility of enabling additional functionalities such as hyperthermia or deep-tissue imaging (LIF, PET, etc.) that complement and extend the efficacy of traditional chemotherapy and surgery. Our mini review is focused on an emerging class of nanometer-scale materials that can be used both to heat malignant tissue to reducemore » angiogenesis and DNA-repair while simultaneously offering complementary imaging capabilities based on radioemission, optical fluorescence, magnetic resonance, and photoacoustic methods.« less

Nanoscale solid-state quantum computing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ardavan, A.; Austwick, M.; Benjamin, S.C.; Briggs, G.A.D.; Dennis, T.J.S.; Ferguson, A.; Hasko, D.G.; Kanai, M.; Khlobystov, A.N.; Lovett, B.W.; Morley, G.W.; Oliver, R.A.; Pettifor, D.G.; Porfyrakis, K.; Reina, J.H.; Rice, J.H.; Smith, J.D.; Taylor, R.A.; Williams, D.A.; Adelmann, C.; Mariette, H.; Hamers, R.J.

2003-07-01

Most experts agree that it is too early to say how quantum computers will eventually be built, and several nanoscale solid-state schemes are being implemented in a range of materials. Nanofabricated quantum dots can be made in designer configurations, with established technology for controlling interactions and for reading out results. Epitaxial quantum dots can be grown in vertical arrays in semiconductors, and ultrafast optical techniques are available for controlling and measuring their excitations. Single-walled carbon nanotubes can be used for molecular self-assembly of endohedral fullerenes, which can embody quantum information in the electron spin. The challenges of individual addressing in such tiny structures could rapidly become intractable with increasing numbers of qubits, but these schemes are amenable to global addressing methods for computation.

Nanoscale materials for hyperthermal theranostics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Bennett E.; Roder, Paden B.; Zhou, Xuezhe; Pauzauskie, Peter J.

2015-04-01

Recently, the use of nanoscale materials has attracted considerable attention with the aim of designing personalized therapeutic approaches that can enhance both spatial and temporal control over drug release, permeability, and uptake. Potential benefits to patients include the reduction of overall drug dosages, enabling the parallel delivery of different pharmaceuticals, and the possibility of enabling additional functionalities such as hyperthermia or deep-tissue imaging (LIF, PET, etc.) that complement and extend the efficacy of traditional chemotherapy and surgery. This mini-review is focused on an emerging class of nanometer-scale materials that can be used both to heat malignant tissue to reduce angiogenesis and DNA-repair while simultaneously offering complementary imaging capabilities based on radioemission, optical fluorescence, magnetic resonance, and photoacoustic methods.

The flow separation delay in the boundary layer by induced vortices.

PubMed

Chaudhry, Ishtiaq A; Sultan, Tipu; Siddiqui, Farrukh A; Farhan, M; Asim, M

2017-01-01

A series of experiments involving the particle image velocimetry technique are carried out to analyse the quantitative effectiveness of the synthesized vortical structures towards actual flow separation control. The streamwise vortices are synthesized from the synthetic jet actuator and introduced into the attached and separating boundary layer developed on the flat plate surface. Two types of actuators with different geometrical set-ups are used to analyse the evolution of vortical structures in the near wall region and their impact towards achieving separation delay in the boundary layer. First, a single circular jet is synthesized by varying actuator operating parameters and issued into the boundary layer to evaluate the dynamics of the interaction between the vortical structures and the near wall low momentum fluid in the separated region. Second, an array of jets has been issued into the artificially separated region to assess the effectiveness of various vortical structures towards achieving the reattachment of the separated flow in the streamwise direction.

Numerical simulation of vortical ideal fluid flow through curved channel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moshkin, N. P.; Mounnamprang, P.

2003-04-01

A numerical algorithm to study the boundary-value problem in which the governing equations are the steady Euler equations and the vorticity is given on the inflow parts of the domain boundary is developed. The Euler equations are implemented in terms of the stream function and vorticity. An irregular physical domain is transformed into a rectangle in the computational domain and the Euler equations are rewritten with respect to a curvilinear co-ordinate system. The convergence of the finite-difference equations to the exact solution is shown experimentally for the test problems by comparing the computational results with the exact solutions on the sequence of grids. To find the pressure from the known vorticity and stream function, the Euler equations are utilized in the Gromeka-Lamb form. The numerical algorithm is illustrated with several examples of steady flow through a two-dimensional channel with curved walls. The analysis of calculations shows strong dependence of the pressure field on the vorticity given at the inflow parts of the boundary. Plots of the flow structure and isobars, for different geometries of channel and for different values of vorticity on entrance, are also presented.

On the dynamics of small-scale vorticity in isotropic turbulence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jimenez, Javier; Wray, A. A.

1994-01-01

It was previously shown that the strong vorticity in isotropic turbulence is organized into tubular vortices ('worms') whose properties were characterized through the use of full numerical simulations at several Reynolds numbers. At the time most of the observations were kinematic, and several scaling laws were discovered for which there was no theoretical explanation. In the meantime, further analysis of the same fields yielded new information on the generation of the vortices, and it was realized that even if they had to be formed by stretching, they were at any given moment actually compressed at many points of their axes. This apparent contradiction was partially explained by postulating axial inertial waves induced by the nonuniformity of the vortex cores, which helped to 'spread' the axial strain and allowed the vortices to remain compact even if not uniformly stretched. The existence of such solutions was recently proved numerically. The present report discusses a set of new numerical simulations of isotropic turbulence, and a reanalysis of the old ones, in an effort to prove or disprove the presence of these waves in actual turbulent flows and to understand the dynamics, as opposed to the kinematics, of the vortices.

The Born-Infeld vortices induced from a generalized Higgs mechanism.

PubMed

Han, Xiaosen

2016-04-01

We construct self-dual Born-Infeld vortices induced from a generalized Higgs mechanism. Two specific models of the theory are of focused interest where the Higgs potential is either of a | ϕ | 4 - or | ϕ | 6 -type. For the | ϕ | 4 -model, we obtain a sharp existence and uniqueness theorem for doubly periodic and planar vortices. For doubly periodic solutions, a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence is explicitly derived in terms of the vortex number, the Born-Infeld parameter, and the size of the periodic lattice domain. For the | ϕ | 6 -model, we show that both topological and non-topological vortices are present. This new phenomenon distinguishes the model from the classical Born-Infeld-Higgs theory studied earlier in the literature. A series of results regarding doubly periodic, topological, and non-topological vortices in the | ϕ | 6 -model are also established.

Nanoscale Characterization of Carrier Dynamic and Surface Passivation in InGaN/GaN Multiple Quantum Wells on GaN Nanorods.

PubMed

Chen, Weijian; Wen, Xiaoming; Latzel, Michael; Heilmann, Martin; Yang, Jianfeng; Dai, Xi; Huang, Shujuan; Shrestha, Santosh; Patterson, Robert; Christiansen, Silke; Conibeer, Gavin

2016-11-23

Using advanced two-photon excitation confocal microscopy, associated with time-resolved spectroscopy, we characterize InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells on nanorod heterostructures and demonstrate the passivation effect of a KOH treatment. High-quality InGaN/GaN nanorods were fabricated using nanosphere lithography as a candidate material for light-emitting diode devices. The depth- and time-resolved characterization at the nanoscale provides detailed carrier dynamic analysis helpful for understanding the optical properties. The nanoscale spatially resolved images of InGaN quantum well and defects were acquired simultaneously. We demonstrate that nanorod etching improves light extraction efficiency, and a proper KOH treatment has been found to reduce the surface defects efficiently and enhance the luminescence. The optical characterization techniques provide depth-resolved and time-resolved carrier dynamics with nanoscale spatially resolved mapping, which is crucial for a comprehensive and thorough understanding of nanostructured materials and provides novel insight into the improvement of materials fabrication and applications.

Nano-optical conveyor belt, part II: Demonstration of handoff between near-field optical traps.

PubMed

Zheng, Yuxin; Ryan, Jason; Hansen, Paul; Cheng, Yao-Te; Lu, Tsung-Ju; Hesselink, Lambertus

2014-06-11

Optical tweezers have been widely used to manipulate biological and colloidal material, but the diffraction limit of far-field optics makes focused beams unsuitable for manipulating nanoscale objects with dimensions much smaller than the wavelength of light. While plasmonic structures have recently been successful in trapping nanoscale objects with high positioning accuracy, using such structures for manipulation over longer range has remained a significant challenge. In this work, we introduce a conveyor belt design based on a novel plasmonic structure, the resonant C-shaped engraving (CSE). We show how long-range manipulation is made possible by means of handoff between neighboring CSEs, and we present a simple technique for controlling handoff by rotating the polarization of laser illumination. We experimentally demonstrate handoff between a pair of CSEs for polystyrene spheres 200, 390, and 500 nm in diameter. We then extend this technique and demonstrate controlled particle transport down a 4.5 μm long "nano-optical conveyor belt."

All-Optical Nanoscale Thermometry using Silicon-Vacancy Centers in Diamond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, Christian; Evans, Ruffin; Sipahigil, Alp; Bhaskar, Mihir; Sukachev, Denis; Lukin, Mikhail

2017-04-01

Accurate thermometry at the nanoscale is a difficult challenge, but building such a thermometer would be a powerful tool for discovering and understanding new processes in biology, chemistry and physics. Applications include cell-selective treatment of disease, engineering of more efficient integrated circuits, or even the development of new chemical and biological reactions. In this work, we study how the bulk properties of the Silicon Vacancy center (SiV) in diamond depend on temperature, and use them to measure temperature with 100mK accuracy. Using SiVs in 200 nm nanodiamonds, we measure the temperature with 100 nm spatial resolution over a 10 μm area.

An asymmetric pair of vortices adjacent to a spinning cylinder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iosilevskii, G.; Seginer, A.

The two-dimensional flow field over a spinning circular cylinder is analyzed using an extension of the Foeppl method. Equilibrium equations for two asymmetric point vortices in the wake of the cylinder are solved for a case when both vortices are equidistant from the cylinder. The two Foeppl solutions for the cylinder are presented. It is observed that the spin does not affect the angle between the two vortices; however, it displaces the vortex pair in the spin direction and the sinus of the displacement angle is proportional to the spin rate.

Rocket Science at the Nanoscale.

PubMed

Li, Jinxing; Rozen, Isaac; Wang, Joseph

2016-06-28

Autonomous propulsion at the nanoscale represents one of the most challenging and demanding goals in nanotechnology. Over the past decade, numerous important advances in nanotechnology and material science have contributed to the creation of powerful self-propelled micro/nanomotors. In particular, micro- and nanoscale rockets (MNRs) offer impressive capabilities, including remarkable speeds, large cargo-towing forces, precise motion controls, and dynamic self-assembly, which have paved the way for designing multifunctional and intelligent nanoscale machines. These multipurpose nanoscale shuttles can propel and function in complex real-life media, actively transporting and releasing therapeutic payloads and remediation agents for diverse biomedical and environmental applications. This review discusses the challenges of designing efficient MNRs and presents an overview of their propulsion behavior, fabrication methods, potential rocket fuels, navigation strategies, practical applications, and the future prospects of rocket science and technology at the nanoscale.

Vortices and the related principles of hydrodynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Betz, A

1921-01-01

Here, conceptions concerning vortices are illustrated by the simplest possible examples. Mathematical formulas and similar means of presentation, which, for the most part, do not help the understanding of persons not versed therein, have been avoided as much as possible. Instead, the author has endeavored to demonstrate the phenomena by means of simple geometrical and mechanical illustrations. For the sake of clarity, the author chiefly considers currents in one plane only, a situation that can be readily represented by diagrams. Some of the peculiarities of vortices in three dimensional flow are briefly discussed.

Imparting small vorticity to a Bianchi type-VIh empty spacetime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Batakis, Nikos A.

1981-04-01

We present and briefly discuss a Bianchi type-VIh empty spacetime. The field equations have been solved after being linearized with respect to a parameter which imparts vorticity to the model. The limit of zero vorticity is an already known solution.

Internal and vorticity waves in decaying stratified flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matulka, A.; Cano, D.

2009-04-01

Most predictive models fail when forcing at the Rossby deformation Radius is important and a large range of scales have to be taken into account. When mixing of reactants or pollutants has to be accounted, the range of scales spans from hundreds of Kilometers to the Bachelor or Kolmogorov sub milimiter scales. We present some theoretical arguments to describe the flow in terms of the three dimensional vorticity equations, using a lengthscale related to the vorticity (or enstrophy ) transport. Effect of intermittent eddies and non-homogeneity of diffusion are also key issues in the environment because both stratification and rotation body forces are important and cause anisotropy/non-homogeneity. These problems need further theoretical, numerical and observational work and one approach is to try to maximize the relevant geometrical information in order to understand and therefore predict these complex environmental dispersive flows. The importance of the study of turbulence structure and its relevance in diffusion of contaminants in environmental flows is clear when we see the effect of environmental disasters such as the Prestige oil spill or the Chernobil radioactive cloud spread in the atmosphere. A series of Experiments have been performed on a strongly stratified two layer fluid consisting of Brine in the bottom and freshwater above in a 1 square meter tank. The evolution of the vortices after the passage of a grid is video recorded and Particle tracking is applied on small pliolite particles floating at the interface. The combination of internal waves and vertical vorticity produces two separate time scales that may produce resonances. The vorticity is seen to oscilate in a complex way, where the frecuency decreases with time.

Nonlinear axisymmetric and three-dimensional vorticity dynamics in a swirling jet model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martin, J. E.; Meiburg, E.

1996-01-01

The mechanisms of vorticity concentration, reorientation, and stretching are investigated in a simplified swirling jet model, consisting of a line vortex along the jet axis surrounded by a jet shear layer with both azimuthal and streamwise vorticity. Inviscid three-dimensional vortex dynamics simulations demonstrate the nonlinear interaction and competition between a centrifugal instability and Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities feeding on both components of the base flow vorticity. Under axisymmetric flow conditions, it is found that the swirl leads to the emergence of counterrotating vortex rings, whose circulation, in the absence of viscosity, can grow without bounds. Scaling laws are provided for the growth of these rings, which trigger a pinch-off mechanism resulting in a strong decrease of the local jet diameter. In the presence of an azimuthal disturbance, the nonlinear evolution of the flow depends strongly on the initial ratio of the azimuthal and axisymmetric perturbation amplitudes. The long term dynamics of the jet can be dominated by counterrotating vortex rings connected by braid vortices, by like-signed rings and streamwise braid vortices, or by wavy streamwise vortices alone.

On hairpin vortex generation from near-wall streamwise vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yinshan; Huang, Weixi; Xu, Chunxiao

2015-04-01

The generation of a hairpin vortex from near-wall streamwise vortices is studied via the direct numerical simulation (DNS) of the streak transient growth in the minimal channel flow at . The streak profile is obtained by conditionally averaging the DNS data of the fully developed turbulent channel flow at the same Reynolds number. The near-wall streamwise vortices are produced by the transient growth of the streak which is initially subjected to the sinuous perturbation of the spanwise velocity. It is shown that the arch head of the hairpin vortex first grows from the downstream end of the stronger streamwise vortex and then connects with the weaker, opposite-signed streamwise vortex in their overlap region, forming a complete individual hairpin structure. The vorticity transport along the vortex lines indicates that the strength increase and the spatial expansion of the arch head are due to the stretching and the turning of the vorticity vector, respectively. The hairpin packets could be further produced from the generated individual hairpin vortex following the parent-offspring process.

Numerical Modeling Studies of Wake Vortices: Real Case Simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shen, Shao-Hua; Ding, Feng; Han, Jongil; Lin, Yuh-Lang; Arya, S. Pal; Proctor, Fred H.

1999-01-01

A three-dimensional large-eddy simulation model, TASS, is used to simulate the behavior of aircraft wake vortices in a real atmosphere. The purpose for this study is to validate the use of TASS for simulating the decay and transport of wake vortices. Three simulations are performed and the results are compared with the observed data from the 1994-1995 Memphis field experiments. The selected cases have an atmospheric environment of weak turbulence and stable stratification. The model simulations are initialized with appropriate meteorological conditions and a post roll-up vortex system. The behavior of wake vortices as they descend within the atmospheric boundary layer and interact with the ground is discussed.

Simulating living organisms with populations of point vortices

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schmieder, R.W.

1995-07-01

The author has found that time-averaged images of small populations of point vortices can exhibit motions suggestive of the behavior of individual organisms. As an example, the author shows that collections of point vortices confined in a box and subjected to heating can generate patterns that are broadly similar to interspecies defense in certain sea anemones. It is speculated that other simple dynamical systems can be found to produce similar complex organism-like behavior.

Isotropic enhancement in the critical current density of YBCO thin films incorporating nanoscale Y2BaCuO5 inclusions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jha, Alok K.; Matsumoto, Kaname; Horide, Tomoya; Saini, Shrikant; Mele, Paolo; Ichinose, Ataru; Yoshida, Yutaka; Awaji, Satoshi

2017-09-01

The effect of incorporation of nanoscale Y2BaCuO5 (Y211) inclusions on the vortex pinning properties of YBa2Cu3O7-δ (YBCO or Y123) superconducting thin films is investigated in detail on the basis of variation of critical current density (JC) with applied magnetic field and also with the orientation of the applied magnetic field at two different temperatures: 77 K and 65 K. Surface modified target approach is employed to incorporate nanoscale Y211 inclusions into the superconducting YBCO matrix. The efficiency of Y211 nanoinclusions in reducing the angular anisotropy of critical current density is found to be significant. The observed angular dependence of the critical current density is discussed on the basis of mutually occupied volume by a vortex and spherical and/or planar defect. A dip in JC near the ab-plane is also observed which has been analyzed on the basis of variation of pinning potential corresponding to a spherical (3-D) or planar (2-D) pinning center and has been attributed to a reduced interaction volume of the vortices with a pinning center and competing nature of the potentials due to spherical and planar defects.

The Born–Infeld vortices induced from a generalized Higgs mechanism

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

We construct self-dual Born–Infeld vortices induced from a generalized Higgs mechanism. Two specific models of the theory are of focused interest where the Higgs potential is either of a |ϕ|4- or |ϕ|6-type. For the |ϕ|4-model, we obtain a sharp existence and uniqueness theorem for doubly periodic and planar vortices. For doubly periodic solutions, a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence is explicitly derived in terms of the vortex number, the Born–Infeld parameter, and the size of the periodic lattice domain. For the |ϕ|6-model, we show that both topological and non-topological vortices are present. This new phenomenon distinguishes the model from the classical Born–Infeld–Higgs theory studied earlier in the literature. A series of results regarding doubly periodic, topological, and non-topological vortices in the |ϕ|6-model are also established. PMID:27274694

The influence of convective activity on the vorticity budget

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Townsend, T. L.; Scoggins, J. R.

1983-01-01

The influence of convective activity on the vorticity budget was determined during the AVE VII and AVE-SESAME I periods. This was accomplished by evaluating each term in the expanded vorticity equation with twisting and tilting and friction representing the residual of all other terms. Convective areas were delineated by use of radar summary charts. The influence of convective activity was established by analyzing contoured fields of each term as well as numerical values and profiles of the various terms in convective and nonconvective areas. Vertical motion was computed by the kinematic method, and all computations were performed over the central United States using a grid spacing of 158 km. The results show that, in convective areas in particular, the residual is of comparable magnitude to the horizontal advection and divergence terms, and therefore, cannot be neglected. In convective areas, the residual term represents a sink of vorticity below 500 mb and a strong source near 300 mb. In nonconvective areas, the residual was small in magnitude at all levels, but tended to be negative (vorticity sink) at 300 mb. The local change term, over convective areas, tended to be balanced by the residual term, and appeared to be a good indicator of development (vorticity becoming more cyclonic). Finally, the shape of the vertical profiles of the term in the budget equation agreed with those found by other investigators for easterly waves, but the terms were one order of magnitude larger than those for easterly waves.

Numerical prediction of the spatial and temporal characteristics of the aero-optical disturbance produced by a helicopter in hover

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelly, Ryan T.

Aero-optical disturbances produced from turbulent compressible flow-fields can seriously degrade the performance of an optical signal. At compressible flight speeds these disturbances stem from the density variations present in turbulent boundary layers and free shear layers; however helicopters typically operate at incompressible speeds, which nearly eliminates the aberrating effect of these flows. For helicopter platforms the sources of aberration originate from the high subsonic flow-field near the rotor blade tips in the form of rotor-tip vortices and from the high temperatures of the engine effluence. During hover the shed rotor-tip vortices and engine effluence convect with the rotor wake encircling the airframe and subsequently a helicopter mounted optical system. The aero-optical effects of the wake beneath a hovering helicopter were analyzed using a combination of Unsteady RANS (URANS) and Large-Eddy Simulations (LES). The spatial and temporal characteristics of the numerical optical wavefronts were compared to full-scale aero-optic experimental measurements. The results indicate that the turbulence of the rotor-tip vortices contributes to the higher order aberrations measured experimentally and that the thermal exhaust plumes effectively limit the optical field-of-regard to forward- and side-looking beam directions. This information along with the computed optical aberrations of the wake can be used to guide the development of adaptive-optic systems or other beam-control approaches.

Effect of potential vorticity flux on the circulation in the South China Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Yaohua; Sun, Junchuan; Wang, Yonggang; Wei, Zexun; Yang, Dezhou; Qu, Tangdong

2017-08-01

This study analyzes temperature and salinity products from the U.S. Navy Generalized Digital Environment Model. To avoid the fictitious assumption of no-motion reference level, a P-vector inverse method is employed to derive geostrophic velocity. Line integral of geostrophic velocity shows evidence for the existence of a sandwiched circulation in the South China Sea (SCS), i.e., cyclonic circulation in the subsurface and deep layers and anticyclonic in the intermediate layer. To reveal the factors responsible for the sandwiched circulation, we derive the potential vorticity equation based on a four-and-a-half-layer quasi-geostrophic model and apply theoretical potential vorticity constraint to density layers. The result shows that the sandwiched circulation is largely induced by planetary potential vorticity flux through lateral boundaries, mainly the Luzon Strait. This dynamical mechanism lies in the fact that the net potential vorticity inflow in the subsurface and deep layers leads to a positive layer-average vorticity in the SCS basin, yielding vortex stretching and a cyclonic basin-wide circulation. On the contrary, the net potential vorticity outflow in the intermediate layer induces a negative layer-average vorticity, generating an anticyclonic basin-wide circulation in the SCS. Furthermore, by illustrating different consequence from depth/density layers, we clarify that density layers are essential for applying theoretical potential vorticity constraint to the isolated deep SCS basin.

Nanoscale Ionic Liquids

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-11-01

Technical Report 11 December 2005 - 30 November 2006 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Nanoscale Ionic Liquids 5b. GRANT NUMBER FA9550-06-1-0012...Title: Nanoscale Ionic Liquids Principal Investigator: Emmanuel P. Giannelis Address: Materials Science and Engineering, Bard Hall, Cornell University...based fluids exhibit high ionic conductivity. The NFs are typically synthesized by grafting a charged, oligomeric corona onto the nanoparticle cores

Matter in the form of toroidal electromagnetic vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hagen, Wilhelm F.

2015-09-01

The creation of charged elementary particles from neutral photons is explained as a conversion process of electromagnetic (EM) energy from linear to circular motion at the speed of light into two localized, toroidal shaped vortices of trapped EM energy that resist change of motion, perceptible as particles with inertia and hence mass. The photon can be represented as a superposition of left and right circular polarized transverse electric fields of opposite polarity originating from a common zero potential axis, the optical axis of the photon. If these components are separated by interaction with a strong field (nucleon) they would curl up into two electromagnetic vortices (EMV) due to longitudinal magnetic field components forming toroids. These vortices are perceptible as opposite charged elementary particles e+/- . These spinning toroids generate extended oscillating fields that interact with stationary field oscillations. The velocity-dependent frequency differences cause beat signals equivalent to matter waves, leading to interference. The extended fields entangled with every particle explain wave particle duality issues. Spin and magnetic moment are the natural outcome of these gyrating particles. As the energy and hence mass of the electron increases with acceleration so does its size shrink proportional to its reduced wavelength. The artificial weak and strong nuclear forces can be easily explained as different manifestations of the intermediate EM forces. The unstable neutron consists of a proton surrounded by a contracted and captured electron. The associated radial EM forces represent the weak nuclear force. The deuteron consists of two axially separated protons held together by a centrally captured electron. The axial EM forces represent the strong nuclear force, providing stability for "neutrons" only within nucleons. The same principles were applied to determine the geometries of force-balanced nuclei. The alpha-particle emerges as a very compact

Lidar investigation of wake vortices generated by a landing aircraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smalikho, Igor N.; Banakh, Viktor A.; Falits, Andrey V.

2017-11-01

The results of measurements of parameters of aircraft wake vortices by a Stream Line coherent Doppler lidar during the three-day experiment on the airfield of Tolmachevo Airport are presented. We have analyzed spatial dynamics and evolution of the wake vortices generated by aircrafts of various types: from the Airbus A319 passenger aircraft to the heavy Boeing B747-8 cargo aircraft entering the landing at Tolmachevo Airport. It is shown that the Stream Line lidar may well be used to obtain reliable information about the presence and intensity of aircraft wake vortices in the vicinity of the runway.

"Submesoscale Soup" Vorticity and Tracer Statistics During the Lateral Mixing Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shcherbina, A.; D'Asaro, E. A.; Lee, C. M.; Molemaker, J.; McWilliams, J. C.

2012-12-01

A detailed view of upper-ocean velocity, vorticity, and tracer statistics was obtained by a unique synchronized two-vessel survey in the North Atlantic in winter 2012. In winter, North Atlantic Mode water region south of the Gulf Stream is filled with an energetic, homogeneous, and well-developed submesoscale turbulence field - the "submesoscale soup". Turbulence in the soup is produced by frontogenesis and the surface layer instability of mesoscale eddy flows in the vicinity of the Gulf Stream. This region is a convenient representation of the inertial range of the geophysical turbulence forward cascade spanning scales of o(1-100km). During the Lateral Mixing Experiment in February-March 2012, R/Vs Atlantis and Knorr were run on parallel tracks 1 km apart for 500 km in the submesoscale soup region. Synchronous ADCP sampling provided the first in-situ estimates of full 3-D vorticity and divergence without the usual mix of spatial and temporal aliasing. Tracer distributions were also simultaneously sampled by both vessels using the underway and towed instrumentation. Observed vorticity distribution in the mixed layer was markedly asymmetric, with sparse strands of strong anticyclonic vorticity embedded in a weak, predominantly cyclonic background. While the mean vorticity was close to zero, distribution skewness exceeded 2. These observations confirm theoretical and numerical model predictions for an active submesoscale turbulence field. Submesoscale vorticity spectra also agreed well with the model prediction.

An efficient and general numerical method to compute steady uniform vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luzzatto-Fegiz, Paolo; Williamson, Charles H. K.

2011-07-01

Steady uniform vortices are widely used to represent high Reynolds number flows, yet their efficient computation still presents some challenges. Existing Newton iteration methods become inefficient as the vortices develop fine-scale features; in addition, these methods cannot, in general, find solutions with specified Casimir invariants. On the other hand, available relaxation approaches are computationally inexpensive, but can fail to converge to a solution. In this paper, we overcome these limitations by introducing a new discretization, based on an inverse-velocity map, which radically increases the efficiency of Newton iteration methods. In addition, we introduce a procedure to prescribe Casimirs and remove the degeneracies in the steady vorticity equation, thus ensuring convergence for general vortex configurations. We illustrate our methodology by considering several unbounded flows involving one or two vortices. Our method enables the computation, for the first time, of steady vortices that do not exhibit any geometric symmetry. In addition, we discover that, as the limiting vortex state for each flow is approached, each family of solutions traces a clockwise spiral in a bifurcation plot consisting of a velocity-impulse diagram. By the recently introduced "IVI diagram" stability approach [Phys. Rev. Lett. 104 (2010) 044504], each turn of this spiral is associated with a loss of stability for the steady flows. Such spiral structure is suggested to be a universal feature of steady, uniform-vorticity flows.

Local and global Λ polarization in a vortical fluid

DOE PAGES

Li, Hui; Petersen, Hannah; Pang, Long -Gang; ...

2017-09-25

We compute the fermion spin distribution in the vortical fluid created in off-central high energy heavy-ion collisions. We employ the event-by-event (3+1)D viscous hydrodynamic model. The spin polarization density is proportional to the local fluid vorticity in quantum kinetic theory. As a result of strong collectivity, the spatial distribution of the local vorticity on the freeze-out hyper-surface strongly correlates to the rapidity and azimuthal angle distribution of fermion spins. We investigate the sensitivity of the local polarization to the initial fluid velocity in the hydrodynamic model and compute the global polarization of Λ hyperons by the AMPT model. The energymore » dependence of the global polarization agrees with the STAR data.« less

Local and global Λ polarization in a vortical fluid

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Hui; Petersen, Hannah; Pang, Long -Gang

We compute the fermion spin distribution in the vortical fluid created in off-central high energy heavy-ion collisions. We employ the event-by-event (3+1)D viscous hydrodynamic model. The spin polarization density is proportional to the local fluid vorticity in quantum kinetic theory. As a result of strong collectivity, the spatial distribution of the local vorticity on the freeze-out hyper-surface strongly correlates to the rapidity and azimuthal angle distribution of fermion spins. We investigate the sensitivity of the local polarization to the initial fluid velocity in the hydrodynamic model and compute the global polarization of Λ hyperons by the AMPT model. The energymore » dependence of the global polarization agrees with the STAR data.« less

Size Effects in Nanoscale Structural Phenomena

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McElhinny, Kyle Matthew

The creation of nanostructures offers the opportunity to modify and tune properties in ways inaccessible in bulk materials. A key component in this development is the introduction of size effects which reduce the physical size, dimensionality, and increase the contribution of surface effects. The size effects strongly modify the structural dynamics in nanoscale systems and leads to changes in the vibrational, electrical, and optical properties. An increased level of understanding and control of nanoscale structural dynamics will enable more precise control over nanomaterial transport properties. My work has shown that 1D spatial confinement through the creation of semiconducting nanomembranes modifies the phonon population and dispersion. X ray thermal diffuse scattering distributions show an excess in intensity for nanomembranes less than 100 nm in thickness, for phonon modes with wavevectors spanning the entire Brillouin zone. This excess intensity indicates the development of new low energy phonon modes or the softening of elastic constants. Furthermore, an additional anisotropy in the phonon dispersion is observed with a symmetry matching the direction of spatial confinement. This work has also extended x ray thermal diffuse scattering for use in studying nanomaterials. In electro- and photoactive monolayers a structural reconfiguration can be produced by external optical stimuli. I have developed an electro and photoactive molecular monolayers on oxide surfaces. Using x ray reflectivity, I have evaluated the organization and reconfiguration of molecular monolayers deposited by Langmuir Blodgett technique. I have designed and probed the reconfiguration of optically reconfigurable monolayers of azobenzene donor molecules on semiconducting surfaces. These monolayers reconfigure through a cooperative switching process leading to the development of large isomeric domains. This work represents an advancement in the interpretation of x ray reflectivity from molecular

What can vortices tell us about vocal fold vibration and voice production.

PubMed

Khosla, Sid; Murugappan, Shanmugam; Gutmark, Ephraim

2008-06-01

Much clinical research on laryngeal airflow has assumed that airflow is unidirectional. This review will summarize what additional knowledge can be obtained about vocal fold vibration and voice production by studying rotational motion, or vortices, in laryngeal airflow. Recent work suggests two types of vortices that may strongly contribute to voice quality. The first kind forms just above the vocal folds during glottal closing, and is formed by flow separation in the glottis; these flow separation vortices significantly contribute to rapid closing of the glottis, and hence, to producing loudness and high frequency harmonics in the acoustic spectrum. The second is a group of highly three-dimensional and coherent supraglottal vortices, which can produce sound by interaction with structures in the vocal tract. Present work is also described that suggests that certain laryngeal pathologies, such as asymmetric vocal fold tension, will significantly modify both types of vortices, with adverse impact on sound production: decreased rate of glottal closure, increased broadband noise, and a decreased signal to noise ratio. Recent research supports the hypothesis that glottal airflow contains certain vortical structures that significantly contribute to voice quality.

3D visualization of unsteady 2D airplane wake vortices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ma, Kwan-Liu; Zheng, Z. C.

1994-01-01

Air flowing around the wing tips of an airplane forms horizontal tornado-like vortices that can be dangerous to following aircraft. The dynamics of such vortices, including ground and atmospheric effects, can be predicted by numerical simulation, allowing the safety and capacity of airports to be improved. In this paper, we introduce three-dimensional techniques for visualizing time-dependent, two-dimensional wake vortex computations, and the hazard strength of such vortices near the ground. We describe a vortex core tracing algorithm and a local tiling method to visualize the vortex evolution. The tiling method converts time-dependent, two-dimensional vortex cores into three-dimensional vortex tubes. Finally, a novel approach calculates the induced rolling moment on the following airplane at each grid point within a region near the vortex tubes and thus allows three-dimensional visualization of the hazard strength of the vortices. We also suggest ways of combining multiple visualization methods to present more information simultaneously.

Agradient velocity, vortical motion and gravity waves in a rotating shallow-water model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sutyrin Georgi, G.

2004-07-01

A new approach to modelling slow vortical motion and fast inertia-gravity waves is suggested within the rotating shallow-water primitive equations with arbitrary topography. The velocity is exactly expressed as a sum of the gradient wind, described by the Bernoulli function,B, and the remaining agradient part, proportional to the velocity tendency. Then the equation for inverse potential vorticity,Q, as well as momentum equations for agradient velocity include the same source of intrinsic flow evolution expressed as a single term J (B, Q), where J is the Jacobian operator (for any steady state J (B, Q) = 0). Two components of agradient velocity are responsible for the fast inertia-gravity wave propagation similar to the traditionally used divergence and ageostrophic vorticity. This approach allows for the construction of balance relations for vortical dynamics and potential vorticity inversion schemes even for moderate Rossby and Froude numbers assuming the characteristic value of |J(B, Q)| = to be small. The components of agradient velocity are used as the fast variables slaved to potential vorticity that allows for diagnostic estimates of the velocity tendency, the direct potential vorticity inversion with the accuracy of 2 and the corresponding potential vorticity-conserving agradient velocity balance model (AVBM). The ultimate limitations of constructing the balance are revealed in the form of the ellipticity condition for balanced tendency of the Bernoulli function which incorporates both known criteria of the formal stability: the gradient wind modified by the characteristic vortical Rossby wave phase speed should be subcritical. The accuracy of the AVBM is illustrated by considering the linear normal modes and coastal Kelvin waves in the f-plane channel with topography.

Friction laws at the nanoscale.

PubMed

Mo, Yifei; Turner, Kevin T; Szlufarska, Izabela

2009-02-26

Macroscopic laws of friction do not generally apply to nanoscale contacts. Although continuum mechanics models have been predicted to break down at the nanoscale, they continue to be applied for lack of a better theory. An understanding of how friction force depends on applied load and contact area at these scales is essential for the design of miniaturized devices with optimal mechanical performance. Here we use large-scale molecular dynamics simulations with realistic force fields to establish friction laws in dry nanoscale contacts. We show that friction force depends linearly on the number of atoms that chemically interact across the contact. By defining the contact area as being proportional to this number of interacting atoms, we show that the macroscopically observed linear relationship between friction force and contact area can be extended to the nanoscale. Our model predicts that as the adhesion between the contacting surfaces is reduced, a transition takes place from nonlinear to linear dependence of friction force on load. This transition is consistent with the results of several nanoscale friction experiments. We demonstrate that the breakdown of continuum mechanics can be understood as a result of the rough (multi-asperity) nature of the contact, and show that roughness theories of friction can be applied at the nanoscale.

Lattice Boltzmann model capable of mesoscopic vorticity computation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Cheng; Guo, Zhaoli; Wang, Lian-Ping

2017-11-01

It is well known that standard lattice Boltzmann (LB) models allow the strain-rate components to be computed mesoscopically (i.e., through the local particle distributions) and as such possess a second-order accuracy in strain rate. This is one of the appealing features of the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) which is of only second-order accuracy in hydrodynamic velocity itself. However, no known LB model can provide the same quality for vorticity and pressure gradients. In this paper, we design a multiple-relaxation time LB model on a three-dimensional 27-discrete-velocity (D3Q27) lattice. A detailed Chapman-Enskog analysis is presented to illustrate all the necessary constraints in reproducing the isothermal Navier-Stokes equations. The remaining degrees of freedom are carefully analyzed to derive a model that accommodates mesoscopic computation of all the velocity and pressure gradients from the nonequilibrium moments. This way of vorticity calculation naturally ensures a second-order accuracy, which is also proven through an asymptotic analysis. We thus show, with enough degrees of freedom and appropriate modifications, the mesoscopic vorticity computation can be achieved in LBM. The resulting model is then validated in simulations of a three-dimensional decaying Taylor-Green flow, a lid-driven cavity flow, and a uniform flow passing a fixed sphere. Furthermore, it is shown that the mesoscopic vorticity computation can be realized even with single relaxation parameter.

Generation of Vorticity by Slow Conductive Cooling Flows.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meerson, Baruch; Glasner, Ami; Livne, Eli

1996-11-01

Rapid energy release in a gas produces a ``hot channel" or ``fireball", depending on the energy release geometry. During its relaxation, the ``hot channel" develops significant vorticity and turbulence(J.M. Picone, J.P. Boris, J.R. Greig, M. Raleigh, and R.F. Fernsler, J. Atmos. Sci. 38), 2056 (1981). that strongly enhance its cooling. Picone and Boris(J.M. Picone and J.P. Boris, Phys. Fluids 26), 365 (1983). attributed the effect to an earlier, plasma-expansion-related stage of the process. We show that vorticity can also be produced on a longer time scale. After a few acoustic times, the plasma pressure becomes very close to the ambient pressure. As the temperature is still high, slow (subacoustic) conductive cooling flow (CCF) develops that cools the cavity and fills it with gas from the periphery(B. Meerson, Phys. Fluids A 1), 887 (1989); D. Kaganovich, B. Meerson, A. Zigler, C. Cohen, and J. Levin, Phys. Plasmas 3, 631 (1996).. Due to asymmetries, this flow develops significant vorticity on the heat-conduction time scale. We present a simplified theory for this effect that employs, as a zero-order solution, a novel two-dimensional (2d) similarity solution for an irrotational isobaric CCF. We also report on gas-dynamic simulations in 2d (with the heat transfer taken into account) which show vorticity generation by the slow CCF.

Vortical Flow Prediction Using an Adaptive Unstructured Grid Method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pirzadeh, Shahyar Z.

2001-01-01

A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method has been employed to compute vortical flows around slender wing/body configurations. The emphasis of the paper is on the effectiveness of an adaptive grid procedure in "capturing" concentrated vortices generated at sharp edges or flow separation lines of lifting surfaces flying at high angles of attack. The method is based on a tetrahedral unstructured grid technology developed at the NASA Langley Research Center. Two steady-state, subsonic, inviscid and Navier-Stokes flow test cases are presented to demonstrate the applicability of the method for solving practical vortical flow problems. The first test case concerns vortex flow over a simple 65deg delta wing with different values of leading-edge bluntness, and the second case is that of a more complex fighter configuration. The superiority of the adapted solutions in capturing the vortex flow structure over the conventional unadapted results is demonstrated by comparisons with the windtunnel experimental data. The study shows that numerical prediction of vortical flows is highly sensitive to the local grid resolution and that the implementation of grid adaptation is essential when applying CFD methods to such complicated flow problems.

Nanoimprinting on optical fiber end faces for chemical sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kostovski, G.; White, D. J.; Mitchell, A.; Austin, M. W.; Stoddart, P. R.

2008-04-01

Optical fiber surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensors offer a potential solution to monitoring low chemical concentrations in-situ or in remote sensing scenarios. We demonstrate the use of nanoimprint lithography to fabricate SERS-compatible nanoarrays on the end faces of standard silica optical fibers. The antireflective nanostructure found on cicada wings was used as a convenient template for the nanoarray, as high sensitivity SERS substrates have previously been demonstrated on these surfaces. Coating the high fidelity replicas with silver creates a dense array of regular nanoscale plasmonic resonators. A monolayer of thiophenol was used as a low concentration analyte, from which strong Raman spectra were collected using both direct endface illumination and through-fiber interrogation. This unique combination of nanoscale replication with optical fibers demonstrates a high-resolution, low-cost approach to fabricating high-performance optical fiber chemical sensors.

On the evolution of vortices in massive protoplanetary discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pierens, Arnaud; Lin, Min-Kai

2018-05-01

It is expected that a pressure bump can be formed at the inner edge of a dead-zone, and where vortices can develop through the Rossby Wave Instability (RWI). It has been suggested that self-gravity can significantly affect the evolution of such vortices. We present the results of 2D hydrodynamical simulations of the evolution of vortices forming at a pressure bump in self-gravitating discs with Toomre parameter in the range 4 - 30. We consider isothermal plus non-isothermal disc models that employ either the classical β prescription or a more realistic treatment for cooling. The main aim is to investigate whether the condensating effect of self-gravity can stabilize vortices in sufficiently massive discs. We confirm that in isothermal disc models with Q ≳ 15, vortex decay occurs due to the vortex self-gravitational torque. For discs with 3≲ Q ≲ 7, the vortex develops gravitational instabilities within its core and undergoes gravitational collapse, whereas more massive discs give rise to the formation of global eccentric modes. In non-isothermal discs with β cooling, the vortex maintains a turbulent core prior to undergoing gravitational collapse for β ≲ 0.1, whereas it decays if β ≥ 1. In models that incorpore both self-gravity and a better treatment for cooling, however, a stable vortex is formed with aspect ratio χ ˜ 3 - 4. Our results indicate that self-gravity significantly impacts the evolution of vortices forming in protoplanetary discs, although the thermodynamical structure of the vortex is equally important for determining its long-term dynamics.

The Effect of Dust on the Martian Polar Vortices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guzewich, Scott D.; Toigo, A. D.; Waugh, D. W.

2016-01-01

The influence of atmospheric dust on the dynamics and stability of the martian polar vortices is examined, through analysis of Mars Climate Sounder observations and MarsWRF general circulation model simulations. We show that regional and global dust storms produce transient vortex warming events that partially or fully disrupt the northern winter polar vortex for brief periods. Increased atmospheric dust heating alters the Hadley circulation and shifts the downwelling branch of the circulation poleward, leading to a disruption of the polar vortex for a period of days to weeks. Through our simulations, we find this effect is dependent on the atmospheric heating rate, which can be changed by increasing the amount of dust in the atmosphere or by altering the dust optical properties (e.g., single scattering albedo). Despite this, our simulations show that some level of atmospheric dust is necessary to produce a distinct northern hemisphere winter polar vortex.

The effect of dust on the martian polar vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guzewich, Scott D.; Toigo, A. D.; Waugh, D. W.

2016-11-01

The influence of atmospheric dust on the dynamics and stability of the martian polar vortices is examined, through analysis of Mars Climate Sounder observations and MarsWRF general circulation model simulations. We show that regional and global dust storms produce ;transient vortex warming; events that partially or fully disrupt the northern winter polar vortex for brief periods. Increased atmospheric dust heating alters the Hadley circulation and shifts the downwelling branch of the circulation poleward, leading to a disruption of the polar vortex for a period of days to weeks. Through our simulations, we find this effect is dependent on the atmospheric heating rate, which can be changed by increasing the amount of dust in the atmosphere or by altering the dust optical properties (e.g., single scattering albedo). Despite this, our simulations show that some level of atmospheric dust is necessary to produce a distinct northern hemisphere winter polar vortex.

Optical modulator including grapene

DOEpatents

Liu, Ming; Yin, Xiaobo; Zhang, Xiang

2016-06-07

The present invention provides for a one or more layer graphene optical modulator. In a first exemplary embodiment the optical modulator includes an optical waveguide, a nanoscale oxide spacer adjacent to a working region of the waveguide, and a monolayer graphene sheet adjacent to the spacer. In a second exemplary embodiment, the optical modulator includes at least one pair of active media, where the pair includes an oxide spacer, a first monolayer graphene sheet adjacent to a first side of the spacer, and a second monolayer graphene sheet adjacent to a second side of the spacer, and at least one optical waveguide adjacent to the pair.

Rapid expulsion of microswimmers by a vortical flow

DOE PAGES

Sokolov, Andrey; Aranson, Igor S.

2016-03-23

Interactions of microswimmers with their fluid environment are exceptionally complex. Macroscopic shear flow alters swimming trajectories in a highly nontrivial way and results in dramatic reduction of viscosity and heterogeneous bacterial distributions. Here we report on experimental and theoretical studies of rapid expulsion of microswimmers, such as motile bacteria, by a vortical flow created by a rotating microparticle. We observe a formation of a macroscopic depletion area in a high-shear region, in the vicinity of a microparticle. The rapid migration of bacteria from the shear-rich area is caused by a vortical structure of the flow rather than intrinsic random fluctuationsmore » of bacteria orientations, in stark contrast to planar shear flow. Our mathematical model reveals that expulsion is a combined effect of motility and alignment by a vortical flow. Our findings offer a novel approach for manipulation of motile microorganisms and shed light on bacteria-flow interactions.« less

Pair interactions of heavy vortices in quantum fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pshenichnyuk, Ivan A.

2018-02-01

The dynamics of quantum vortex pairs carrying heavy doping matter trapped inside their cores is studied. The nonlinear classical matter field formalism is used to build a universal mathematical model of a heavy vortex applicable to different types of quantum mixtures. It is shown how the usual vortex dynamics typical for undoped pairs qualitatively changes when heavy dopants are used: heavy vortices with opposite topological charges (chiralities) attract each other, while vortices with the same charge are repelled. The force responsible for such behavior appears as a result of superposition of vortices velocity fields in the presence of doping substance and can be considered as a special realization of the Magnus effect. The force is evaluated quantitatively and its inverse proportionality to the distance is demonstrated. The mechanism described in this paper gives an example of how a light nonlinear classical field may realize repulsive and attractive interactions between embedded heavy impurities.

Propagation and scattering of acoustic-vorticity waves in annular swirling flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golubev, Vladimir Viktorovich

1997-08-01

The dissertation presents a fundamental extension of unsteady aerodynamic theory developed to predict fluctuating forces on aircraft structural components. These excitations may result from a variety of upstream flow non-uniformities such as atmospheric turbulence, airframe tip vortices and wakes, engine inlet distortions and secondary flows. In the frame of reference of a downstream aircraft component, an upstream flow non- uniformity appears as a propagating vorticity wave (a gust). Classical treatment of gust interaction problems developed for uniform, potential upstream mean flows is based on the fact that it is possible to consider separately incident or scattered acoustic, entropic and vortical modes of unsteady flow motion. A purely vortical gust remains 'frozen' as it convects with the flow. The coupling between different unsteady components may occur only at the surface of a solid structure, or in the close vicinity of a lifting body. The classical approach, however, is not justified for an aircraft engine system where the internal turbomachinery flow is non-uniform and non-potential as it exhibits a strong swirling motion. In such a flow, acting centrifugal and Coriolis forces couple the various unsteady modes which thus can no longer be determined independently of each other. The new developed theory follows the decomposition of unsteady velocity field into vortical and potential components. In spite of the modal coupling, this decomposition elucidates the physical phenomena associated with unsteady swirling motion by indicating the degree of interaction between the various modes. It paves the way for generalizing the classical definition of a gust for vortical swirling flows. The concept of a generalized gust is developed based on the eigenmode pseudospectral analysis of the coupled equations of unsteady swirling motion. This analysis reveals two distinct regions of eigenvalues corresponding to pressure-dominated nearly-sonic and vorticity- dominated

Laser-velocimeter surveys of merging vortices in a wind tunnel: Complete data and analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Corsiglia, V. R.; Iversen, J. D.; Orloff, K. L.

1978-01-01

The merger of two corotating vortices was studied with a laser velocimeter designed to measure the two cross-stream components of velocity. Measurements were made at several downstream distances in the vortex wake shed by two semispan wings mounted on the wind-tunnel walls. The velocity data provided wall-defined contours of crossflow velocity, stream function, and vorticity for a variety of test conditions. Downstream of the merger point, the vorticity was found to be independent of the downstream distance for radii smaller than r/b = 0.05. For larger radii, the vorticity depended on the distance from the wing. Upstream of the merger, a multicell vorticity pattern was found.

Long-lived planetary vortices and their evolution: Conservative intermediate geostrophic model.

PubMed

Sutyrin, Georgi G.

1994-06-01

Large, long-lived vortices, surviving during many turnaround times and far longer than the dispersive linear Rossby wave packets, are abundant in planetary atmospheres and oceans. Nonlinear effects which prevent dispersive decay of intense cyclones and anticyclones and provide their self-propelling propagation are revised here using shallow water equations and their balanced approximations. The main physical mechanism allowing vortical structures to be long-lived in planetary fluid is the quick fluid rotation inside their cores which prevents growth in the amplitude of asymmetric circulation arising due to the beta-effect. Intense vortices of both signs survive essentially longer than the linear Rossby wave packet if their azimuthal velocity is much larger than the Rossby wave speed. However, in the long-time evolution, cyclonic and anticyclonic vortices behave essentially differently that is illustrated by the conservative intermediate geostrophic model. Asymmetric circulation governing vortex propagation is described by the azimuthal mode m=1 for the initial value problem as well as for steadily propagating solutions. Cyclonic vortices move west-poleward decaying gradually due to Rossby wave radiation while anticyclonic ones adjust to non-radiating solitary vortices. Slow weakening of an intense cyclone with decreasing of its size and shrinking of the core is described assuming zero azimuthal velocity outside the core while drifting poleward. The poleward tendency of the cyclone motion relative to the stirring flow corresponds to characteristic trajectories of tropical cyclones in the Earth's atmosphere. The asymmetry in dispersion-nonlinear properties of cyclones and anticyclones is thought to be one of the essential reasons for the observed predominance of anticyclones among long-lived vortices in the atmospheres of the giant planets and also among intrathermoclinic eddies in the ocean.

Integrated all-optical logic discriminators based on plasmonic bandgap engineering

PubMed Central

Lu, Cuicui; Hu, Xiaoyong; Yang, Hong; Gong, Qihuang

2013-01-01

Optical computing uses photons as information carriers, opening up the possibility for ultrahigh-speed and ultrawide-band information processing. Integrated all-optical logic devices are indispensible core components of optical computing systems. However, up to now, little experimental progress has been made in nanoscale all-optical logic discriminators, which have the function of discriminating and encoding incident light signals according to wavelength. Here, we report a strategy to realize a nanoscale all-optical logic discriminator based on plasmonic bandgap engineering in a planar plasmonic microstructure. Light signals falling within different operating wavelength ranges are differentiated and endowed with different logic state encodings. Compared with values previously reported, the operating bandwidth is enlarged by one order of magnitude. Also the SPP light source is integrated with the logic device while retaining its ultracompact size. This opens up a way to construct on-chip all-optical information processors and artificial intelligence systems. PMID:24071647

Gravity–capillary waves in finite depth on flows of constant vorticity

PubMed Central

Hsu, Hung-Chu; Francius, Marc; Kharif, Christian

2016-01-01

This paper considers two-dimensional periodic gravity–capillary waves propagating steadily in finite depth on a linear shear current (constant vorticity). A perturbation series solution for steady periodic waves, accurate up to the third order, is derived using a classical Stokes expansion procedure, which allows us to include surface tension effects in the analysis of wave–current interactions in the presence of constant vorticity. The analytical results are then compared with numerical computations with the full equations. The main results are (i) the phase velocity is strongly dependent on the value of the vorticity; (ii) the singularities (Wilton singularities) in the Stokes expansion in powers of wave amplitude that correspond to a Bond number of 1/2 and 1/3, which are the consequences of the non-uniformity in the ordering of the Fourier coefficients, are found to be influenced by vorticity; (iii) different surface profiles of capillary–gravity waves are computed and the effect of vorticity on those profiles is shown to be important, in particular that the solutions exhibit type-2-like wave features, characterized by a secondary maximum on the surface profile with a trough between the two maxima. PMID:27956873

Optical spatial differentiator based on subwavelength high-contrast gratings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Zhewei; Si, Jiangnan; Yu, Xuanyi; Deng, Xiaoxu

2018-04-01

An optical spatial differentiator based on subwavelength high-contrast gratings (HCGs) is proposed experimentally. The spatial differentiation property of the subwavelength HCG is analyzed by calculating its spatial spectral transfer function based on the periodic waveguide theory. By employing the FDTD solutions, the performance of the subwavelength HCG spatial differentiator was investigated numerically. The subwavelength HCG differentiator with the thickness at the nanoscale was fabricated on the quartz substrate by electron beam lithography and Bosch deep silicon etching. Observed under an optical microscope with a CCD camera, the spatial differentiation of the incident field profile was obtained by the subwavelength HCG differentiator in transmission without Fourier lens. By projecting the images of slits, letter "X," and a cross on the subwavelength HCG differentiator, edge detections of images were obtained in transmission. With the nanoscale HCG structure and simple optical implementation, the proposed optical spatial differentiator provides the prospects for applications in optical computing systems and parallel data processing.

Dust-trapping Rossby vortices in protoplanetary disks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meheut, H.; Meliani, Z.; Varniere, P.; Benz, W.

2012-09-01

Context. One of the most challenging steps in planet formation theory is the one leading to the formation of planetesimals of kilometre size. A promising scenario involves the existence of vortices able to concentrate a large amount of dust and grains in their centres. Up to now this scenario has mostly been studied in 2D razor thin disks. A 3D study including, simultaneously, the formation and resulting dust concentration of the vortices with vertical settling, is still missing. Aims: The Rossby wave instability self-consistently forms 3D vortices, which have the unique quality of presenting a large-scale vertical velocity in their centre. Here we aim to study how this newly discovered effect can alter the dynamic evolution of the dust. Methods: We performed global 3D simulations of the RWI in a radially and vertically stratified disk using the code MPI-AMRVAC. After the growth phase of the instability, the gas and solid phases are modelled by a bi-fluid approach, where the dust is considered as a fluid without pressure. Both the drag force of the gas on the dust and the back reaction of the dust on the gas are included. Multiple grain sizes from 1 mm to 5 cm are used with a constant density distribution. Results: We obtain in a short timescale a high concentration of the largest grains in the vortices. Indeed, in 3 rotations the dust-to-gas density ratio grows from 10-2 to unity leading to a concentration of mass up to that of Mars in one vortex. The presence of the radial drift is also at the origin of a dust pile-up at the radius of the vortices. Lastly, the vertical velocity of the gas in the vortex causes the sedimentation process to be reversed, the mm size dust is lifted and higher concentrations are obtained in the upper layer than in the midplane. Conclusions: The Rossby wave instability is a promising mechanism for planetesimal formation, and the results presented here can be of particular interest in the context of future observations of protoplanetary

Emergence of acoustic waves from vorticity fluctuations: impact of non-normality.

PubMed

George, Joseph; Sujith, R I

2009-10-01

Chagelishvili et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 79, 3178 (1997)] discovered a linear mechanism of acoustic wave emergence from vorticity fluctuations in shear flows. This paper illustrates how this "nonresonant" phenomenon is related to the non-normality of the operator governing the linear dynamics of disturbances in shear flows. The non-self-adjoint nature of the governing operator causes the emergent acoustic wave to interact strongly with the vorticity disturbance. Analytical expressions are obtained for the nondivergent vorticity perturbation. A discontinuity in the x component of the velocity field corresponding to the vorticity disturbance was originally identified to be the cause of acoustic wave emergence. However, a different mechanism is proposed in this paper. The correct "acoustic source" is identified and the reason for the abrupt nature of wave emergence is explained. The impact of viscous damping is also discussed.

Observations of Electron Vorticity in the Inner Plasmasheet and Its Relationship to Reconnection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gurgiolo, Chris A.; Goldstein, Melvyn L.; Matthaeus, William H.; Vinas, Adolfo -F.

2011-01-01

Spatial derivatives of the electron moments can be estimated using data from the four Cluster spacecraft. Using spatial derivatives of the velocity we have computed the vorticity in the plasmasheet for several crossings. What we have found is that vorticity appears to be a common feature in the inner plasmasheet. We will show a number of examples. In at least some of the observations the vorticity is well correlated with the passage of Cluster through the ion diffusion region of known reconnection events. That most of the vorticity events observed are reconnection related cannot be dismissed and in fact observations of vorticity may provide a means to locate times when the Cluster spacecraft are magnetically connected to regions where reconnection is taking place. Understanding the role and source of the vorticity should advance our understanding of the dissipation of the turbulence associated with reconnection. In the course of the presentation we will also touch on the methods used to estimate the spatial derivatives as well as the limitations and assumptions involved.

Chip-integrated ultrawide-band all-optical logic comparator in plasmonic circuits

PubMed Central

Lu, Cuicui; Hu, Xiaoyong; Yang, Hong; Gong, Qihuang

2014-01-01

Optical computing opens up the possibility for the realization of ultrahigh-speed and ultrawide-band information processing. Integrated all-optical logic comparator is one of the indispensable core components of optical computing systems. Unfortunately, up to now, no any nanoscale all-optical logic comparator suitable for on-chip integration applications has been realized experimentally. Here, we report a subtle and effective technical solution to circumvent the obstacles of inherent Ohmic losses of metal and limited propagation length of SPPs. A nanoscale all-optical logic comparator suitable for on-chip integration applications is realized in plasmonic circuits directly. The incident single-bit (or dual-bit) logic signals can be compared and the comparison results are endowed with different logic encodings. An ultrabroad operating wavelength range from 700 to 1000 nm, and an ultrahigh output logic-state contrast-ratio of more than 25 dB are realized experimentally. No high power requirement is needed. Though nanoscale SPP light source and the logic comparator device are integrated into the same plasmonic chip, an ultrasmall feature size is maintained. This work not only paves a way for the realization of complex logic device such as adders and multiplier, but also opens up the possibility for realizing quantum solid chips based on plasmonic circuits. PMID:24463956

Chip-integrated ultrawide-band all-optical logic comparator in plasmonic circuits.

PubMed

Lu, Cuicui; Hu, Xiaoyong; Yang, Hong; Gong, Qihuang

2014-01-27

Optical computing opens up the possibility for the realization of ultrahigh-speed and ultrawide-band information processing. Integrated all-optical logic comparator is one of the indispensable core components of optical computing systems. Unfortunately, up to now, no any nanoscale all-optical logic comparator suitable for on-chip integration applications has been realized experimentally. Here, we report a subtle and effective technical solution to circumvent the obstacles of inherent Ohmic losses of metal and limited propagation length of SPPs. A nanoscale all-optical logic comparator suitable for on-chip integration applications is realized in plasmonic circuits directly. The incident single-bit (or dual-bit) logic signals can be compared and the comparison results are endowed with different logic encodings. An ultrabroad operating wavelength range from 700 to 1000 nm, and an ultrahigh output logic-state contrast-ratio of more than 25 dB are realized experimentally. No high power requirement is needed. Though nanoscale SPP light source and the logic comparator device are integrated into the same plasmonic chip, an ultrasmall feature size is maintained. This work not only paves a way for the realization of complex logic device such as adders and multiplier, but also opens up the possibility for realizing quantum solid chips based on plasmonic circuits.

Cloud vortices

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

Cloud vortices off Heard Island, south Indian Ocean. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this true-color image of sea ice off Heard Island on Nov 2, 2015 at 5:02 AM EST (09:20 UTC). Credit: NASA/GSFC/Jeff Schmaltz/MODIS Land Rapid Response Team NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Comparison Between Vortices Created and Evolving During Fixed and Dynamic Solar Wind Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Collado-Vega, Yaireska M.; Kessel, R. L.; Sibeck, David Gary; Kalb, V. L.; Boller, R. A.; Rastaetter, L.

2013-01-01

We employ Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations to examine the creation and evolution of plasma vortices within the Earth's magnetosphere for steady solar wind plasma conditions. Very few vortices form during intervals of such solar wind conditions. Those that do remain in fixed positions for long periods (often hours) and exhibit rotation axes that point primarily in the x or y direction, parallel (or antiparallel) to the local magnetospheric magnetic field direction. Occasionally, the orientation of the axes rotates from the x direction to another direction. We compare our results with simulations previously done for unsteady solar wind conditions. By contrast, these vortices that form during intervals of varying solar wind conditions exhibit durations ranging from seconds (in the case of those with axes in the x or y direction) to minutes (in the case of those with axes in the z direction) and convect antisunward. The local-time dependent sense of rotation seen in these previously reported vortices suggests an interpretation in terms of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. For steady conditions, the biggest vortices developed on the dayside (about 6R(E) in diameter), had their rotation axes aligned with the y direction and had the longest periods of duration. We attribute these vortices to the flows set up by reconnection on the high latitude magnetopause during intervals of northward Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) orientation. This is the first time that vortices due to high-latitude reconnection have been visualized. The model also successfully predicts the principal characteristics of previously reported plasma vortices within the magnetosphere, namely their dimension, flow velocities, and durations.

Control of Flap Vortices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greenblatt, David

2005-01-01

A wind tunnel investigation was carried out on a semi-span wing model to assess the feasibility of controlling vortices emanating from outboard flaps and tip-flaps by actively varying the degree of boundary layer separation. Separation was varied by means of perturbations produced from segmented zero-efflux oscillatory blowing slots, while estimates of span loadings and vortex sheet strengths were obtained by integrating wing surface pressures. These estimates were used as input to inviscid rollup relations as a means of predicting changes to the vortex characteristics resulting from the perturbations. Surveys of flow in the wake of the outboard and tip-flaps were made using a seven-hole probe, from which the vortex characteristics were directly deduced. Varying the degree of separation had a marked effect on vortex location, strength, tangential velocity, axial velocity and size for both outboard and tip-flaps. Qualitative changes in vortex characteristics were well predicted by the inviscid rollup relations, while the failure to account for viscosity was presumed to be the main reason for observed discrepancies. Introducing perturbations near the outboard flap-edges or on the tip-flap exerted significant control over vortices while producing negligible lift excursions.

Nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond: nanoscale sensors for physics and biology.

PubMed

Schirhagl, Romana; Chang, Kevin; Loretz, Michael; Degen, Christian L

2014-01-01

Crystal defects in diamond have emerged as unique objects for a variety of applications, both because they are very stable and because they have interesting optical properties. Embedded in nanocrystals, they can serve, for example, as robust single-photon sources or as fluorescent biomarkers of unlimited photostability and low cytotoxicity. The most fascinating aspect, however, is the ability of some crystal defects, most prominently the nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center, to locally detect and measure a number of physical quantities, such as magnetic and electric fields. This metrology capacity is based on the quantum mechanical interactions of the defect's spin state. In this review, we introduce the new and rapidly evolving field of nanoscale sensing based on single NV centers in diamond. We give a concise overview of the basic properties of diamond, from synthesis to electronic and magnetic properties of embedded NV centers. We describe in detail how single NV centers can be harnessed for nanoscale sensing, including the physical quantities that may be detected, expected sensitivities, and the most common measurement protocols. We conclude by highlighting a number of the diverse and exciting applications that may be enabled by these novel sensors, ranging from measurements of ion concentrations and membrane potentials to nanoscale thermometry and single-spin nuclear magnetic resonance.

Nonlinear Dynamics of Vortices in Different Types of Grain Boundaries

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sheikhzada, Ahmad

As a major component of linear particle accelerators, superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) resonator cavities are required to operate with lowest energy dissipation and highest accelerating gradient. SRF cavities are made of polycrystalline materials in which grain boundaries can limit maximum RF currents and produce additional power dissipation sources due to local penetration of Josephson vortices. The essential physics of vortex penetration and mechanisms of dissipation of vortices driven by strong RF currents along networks of grain boundaries and their contribution to the residual surface resistance have not been well understood. To evaluate how GBs can limit the performance of SRF materials,more » particularly Nb and Nb3Sn, we performed extensive numerical simulations of nonlinear dynamics of Josephson vortices in grain boundaries under strong dc and RF fields. The RF power due to penetration of vortices both in weakly-coupled and strongly-coupled grain boundaries was calculated as functions of the RF field and frequency. The result of this calculation manifested a quadratic dependence of power to field amplitude at strong RF currents, an illustration of resistive behavior of grain boundaries. Our calculations also showed that the surface resistance is a complicated function of field controlled by penetration and annihilation of vortices and antivortices in strong RF fields which ultimately saturates to normal resistivity of grain boundary. We found that Cherenkov radiation of rapidly moving vortices in grain boundaries can produce a new instability causing generation of expanding vortex-antivortex pair which ultimately drives the entire GB in a resistive state. This effect is more pronounced in polycrystalline thin film and multilayer coating structures in which it can cause significant increase in power dissipation and results in hysteresis effects in I-V characteristics, particularly at low temperatures.« less

Coherent Vortices in Strongly Coupled Liquids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashwin, J.; Ganesh, R.

2011-04-01

Strongly coupled liquids are ubiquitous in both nature and laboratory plasma experiments. They are unique in the sense that their average potential energy per particle dominates over the average kinetic energy. Using “first principles” molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we report for the first time the emergence of isolated coherent tripolar vortices from the evolution of axisymmetric flows in a prototype two-dimensional (2D) strongly coupled liquid, namely, the Yukawa liquid. Linear growth rates directly obtained from MD simulations are compared with a generalized hydrodynamic model. Our MD simulations reveal that the tripolar vortices persist over several turn over times and hence may be observed in strongly coupled liquids such as complex plasma, liquid metals and astrophysical systems such as white dwarfs and giant planetary interiors, thereby making the phenomenon universal.

Criterion for Identifying Vortices in High-Pressure Flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bellan, Josette; Okong'o, Nora

2007-01-01

A study of four previously published computational criteria for identifying vortices in high-pressure flows has led to the selection of one of them as the best. This development can be expected to contribute to understanding of high-pressure flows, which occur in diverse settings, including diesel, gas turbine, and rocket engines and the atmospheres of Jupiter and other large gaseous planets. Information on the atmospheres of gaseous planets consists mainly of visual and thermal images of the flows over the planets. Also, validation of recently proposed computational models of high-pressure flows entails comparison with measurements, which are mainly of visual nature. Heretofore, the interpretation of images of high-pressure flows to identify vortices has been based on experience with low-pressure flows. However, high-pressure flows have features distinct from those of low-pressure flows, particularly in regions of high pressure gradient magnitude caused by dynamic turbulent effects and by thermodynamic mixing of chemical species. Therefore, interpretations based on low-pressure behavior may lead to misidentification of vortices and other flow structures in high-pressure flows. The study reported here was performed in recognition of the need for one or more quantitative criteria for identifying coherent flow structures - especially vortices - from previously generated flow-field data, to complement or supersede the determination of flow structures by visual inspection of instantaneous fields or flow animations. The focus in the study was on correlating visible images of flow features with various quantities computed from flow-field data.

Effects of Taylor-Görtler vortices on turbulent flows in a spanwise-rotating channel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, Yijun; Huang, Weixi; Xu, Chunxiao

2016-11-01

Fully developed turbulent channel flow with spanwise rotation has been studied by direct numerical simulation at Rem = 2800, 7000 and 20000 with rotation number 0 <= Rom <= 0.5. The width of the computational box is adjusted for each case to contain two pairs of Taylor-Görtler (TG) vortices. Under a low rotation rate, the turbulent vortical structures are strongly affected by the TG vortices. A conditional average method is employed to investigate the effects. In the upwash region where the fluid is pumped away from the pressure wall by the TG vortices, turbulence is enhanced, while the reverse is the case in the downwash region. Through budget analysis of the transport equation of vorticity fluctuation, it is revealed that the stretching along the wall-normal direction caused by the TG vortices plays an important role in initiating the difference of turbulence intensity between the two regions, which is further augmented by the Coriolis force in the streamwise direction. The effects of TG vortices is weakened at higher Reynolds number. Meanwhile, the shear stress on the suction wall is observed to fluctuate in a quasi-periodic manner at Rem = 7000 and Rom = 0.3, which is induced by the TG vortices. The work is supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Project No. 11490551, 11472154, 11322221, 11132005).

Nanoscale plasmonic waveguides for filtering and demultiplexing devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akjouj, A.; Noual, A.; Pennec, Y.; Bjafari-Rouhani, B.

2010-05-01

Numerical simulations, based on a FDTD (finite-difference-time-domain) method, of infrared light propagation for add/drop filtering in two-dimensional (2D) Ag-SiO2-Ag resonators are reported to design 2D Y-bent plasmonic waveguides with possible applications in telecommunication WDM (wavelength demultiplexing). First, we study optical transmission and reflection of a nanoscale SiO2 waveguide coupled to a nanocavity of the same insulator located either inside or on the side of a linear waveguide sandwiched between Ag. According to the inside or outside positioning of the nanocavity with respect to the waveguide, the transmission spectrum displays peaks or dips, respectively, which occur at the same central frequency. A fundamental study of the possible cavity modes in the near-infrared frequency band is also given. These filtering properties are then exploited to propose a nanoscale demultiplexer based on a Y-shaped plasmonic waveguide for separation of two different wavelengths, in selection or rejection, from an input broadband signal around 1550 nm. We detail coupling of the 2D add/drop Y connector to two cavities inserted on each of its branches.

The generation of two-dimensional vortices by transverse oscillation of a soap film

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Afenchenko, V.O.; Ezersky, A.B.; Kiyashko, S.V.

1998-02-01

An experimental investigation of the dynamics of horizontal soap films stretched over circular or square boundaries undergoing periodic transverse oscillations at frequencies in the range 20{endash}200 Hz is reported. Concomitant with modes of transverse flexural oscillations, it was observed that two-dimensional vortices in the plane of the film are excited. The vortices may be either (i) large, scaling with the size of the cavity or (ii) small, localized at a wavelength or half-wavelength of the membrane modes. In the experiments a stable generation of one, two, {hor_ellipsis}, ten pairs of counter-rotating vortices were observed in finite regions of amplitude-frequency parametermore » space. The circulation strength of vortices in a given vortex pattern increases with increasing external forcing and with decreasing soap film thickness. A theoretical model based on the wave-boundary interaction of excited Marangoni waves reveals a vorticity generation mechanism active in vibrating soap films. This model shows that vorticity is generated throughout the entire liquid volume by viscous diffusion, and qualitatively reproduces many steady vortex patterns observed in the experiment. However, the model cannot explain the existence of the sometimes intense vortices observed far from the film boundary that do not appear to be generated by diffusive processes. {copyright} {ital 1998 American Institute of Physics.}« less

Fully alternating, triaxial electric or magnetic fields offer new routes to fluid vorticity

DOE PAGES

Martin, James E.; Solis, Kyle J.

2014-10-31

Noncontact methods of generating strong fluid vorticity are important to problems involving heat and mass transfer, fluid mixing, active wetting, and droplet transport. Furthermore, because zero or even negative shear viscosities can be induced, vorticity can greatly extend the control range of the smart fluids used in magnetorheological devices. In recent work we have shown that a particular class of ac/ac/dc triaxial fields (so-called symmetry-breaking rational fields) can create strong vorticity in magnetic particle suspensions and have presented a theory of the vorticity that is based on the symmetry of the 2-d Lissajous trajectories of the field and its converse.more » In this paper we demonstrate that there are three countably infinite sets of fully alternating ac/ac/ac triaxial fields whose frequencies form rational triads that have the symmetry required to drive fluid vorticity. The symmetry of the 3-d Lissajous trajectories of the field and its converse can be derived and from this the direction of the vorticity axis can be predicted, as can the dependence of the sign of the vorticity on the phase relations between the three field components. Experimental results are presented that validate the symmetry theory. These discoveries significantly broaden the class of triaxial fields that can be exploited to produce strong noncontact flow.« less

An evaluation method for nanoscale wrinkle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Y. P.; Wang, C. G.; Zhang, L. M.; Tan, H. F.

2016-06-01

In this paper, a spectrum-based wrinkling analysis method via two-dimensional Fourier transformation is proposed aiming to solve the difficulty of nanoscale wrinkle evaluation. It evaluates the wrinkle characteristics including wrinkling wavelength and direction simply using a single wrinkling image. Based on this method, the evaluation results of nanoscale wrinkle characteristics show agreement with the open experimental results within an error of 6%. It is also verified to be appropriate for the macro wrinkle evaluation without scale limitations. The spectrum-based wrinkling analysis is an effective method for nanoscale evaluation, which contributes to reveal the mechanism of nanoscale wrinkling.

Super-resolution optical imaging and magnetometry using NV centers in diamond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaskula, Jean-Christophe; Trifonov, Alexei; Glenn, David; Bar-Gill, Nir; Walsworth, Ronald

2013-05-01

We report progress done on the development and application of depletion-based techniques for super-resolution (nanoscale) optical imaging and magnetometry using NV centers in diamond. In particulare we are integrating stimulated emission depletion (STED) and ground state depletion (GSD) imaging techniques with advanced pulsed sequences for AC magnetometry. NV centers in diamond do not bleach under optical excitation, have long-lived electronic spin coherence and spin-state-dependent fluorescence, and are not biotoxic. Thus NV-diamond has great potential in quantum science and as a nanoscale magnetic biosensor.

Approach and separation of quantum vortices with balanced cores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kerr, Robert M.; Rorai, C.; Skipper, J.; Sreenivasan, K. R.

2014-11-01

Using two innovations, smooth but different, scaling laws for the reconnection of pairs of initially orthogonal and anti-parallel quantum vortices are obtained using the three-dimensional Gross-Pitaevskii equations. For the anti-parallel case, the scaling laws just before and after reconnection obey the dimensional δ ~ | t - tr| 1 / 2 prediction with temporal symmetry about the reconnection time tr and physical space symmetry about xr, the mid-point between the vortices, with extensions forming the edges of an equilateral pyramid. For all of the orthogonal cases, before reconnection δin ~(t -tr) 1 / 3 and after reconnection δout ~(tr - t) 2 / 3 , which are respectively slower and faster than the dimensional prediction. In these cases, the reconnection takes place in a plane defined by the directions of the curvature and vorticity. Robert.Kerr@warwick.ac.uk.

Vorticity scaling and intermittency in drift-interchange plasma turbulence

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dura, P. D.; Hnat, B.; Robinson, J.

2012-09-15

The effects of spatially varying magnetic field strength on the scaling properties of plasma turbulence, modelled by an extended form of Hasegawa-Wakatani model, are investigated. We study changes in the intermittency of the velocity, density, and vorticity fields, as functions of the magnetic field inhomogeneity C=-{partial_derivative} ln B/{partial_derivative}x. While the velocity fluctuations are always self-similar and their scaling is unaffected by the value of C, the intermittency levels in density and vorticity change with parameter C, reflecting morphological changes in the coherent structures due to the interchange mechanism. Given the centrality of vorticity in conditioning plasma transport, this result ismore » of interest in scaling the results of transport measurements and simulations in tokamak edge plasmas, where drift-interchange turbulence in the presence of a magnetic field gradient is likely to occur.« less

Customization of Protein Single Nanowires for Optical Biosensing.

PubMed

Sun, Yun-Lu; Sun, Si-Ming; Wang, Pan; Dong, Wen-Fei; Zhang, Lei; Xu, Bin-Bin; Chen, Qi-Dai; Tong, Li-Min; Sun, Hong-Bo

2015-06-24

An all-protein single-nanowire optical biosensor is constructed by a facile and general femtosecond laser direct writing approach with nanoscale structural customization. As-formed protein single nanowires show excellent optical properties (fine waveguiding performance and bio-applicable transmission windows), and are utilized as evanescent optical nanobiosensors for label-free biotin detection. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Zebrafish models for functional and toxicological screening of nanoscale drug delivery systems: promoting preclinical applications

PubMed Central

Lee, Keon Yong; Jang, Gun Hyuk; Byun, Cho Hyun; Jeun, Minhong

2017-01-01

Preclinical screening with animal models is an important initial step in clinical translation of new drug delivery systems. However, establishing efficacy, biodistribution, and biotoxicity of complex, multicomponent systems in small animal models can be expensive and time-consuming. Zebrafish models represent an alternative for preclinical studies for nanoscale drug delivery systems. These models allow easy optical imaging, large sample size, and organ-specific studies, and hence an increasing number of preclinical studies are employing zebrafish models. In this review, we introduce various models and discuss recent studies of nanoscale drug delivery systems in zebrafish models. Also in the end, we proposed a guideline for the preclinical trials to accelerate the progress in this field. PMID:28515222

Zebrafish models for functional and toxicological screening of nanoscale drug delivery systems: promoting preclinical applications.

PubMed

Lee, Keon Yong; Jang, Gun Hyuk; Byun, Cho Hyun; Jeun, Minhong; Searson, Peter C; Lee, Kwan Hyi

2017-06-30

Preclinical screening with animal models is an important initial step in clinical translation of new drug delivery systems. However, establishing efficacy, biodistribution, and biotoxicity of complex, multicomponent systems in small animal models can be expensive and time-consuming. Zebrafish models represent an alternative for preclinical studies for nanoscale drug delivery systems. These models allow easy optical imaging, large sample size, and organ-specific studies, and hence an increasing number of preclinical studies are employing zebrafish models. In this review, we introduce various models and discuss recent studies of nanoscale drug delivery systems in zebrafish models. Also in the end, we proposed a guideline for the preclinical trials to accelerate the progress in this field. © 2017 The Author(s).

Temperature Measurement by a Nanoscale Electron Probe Using Energy Gain and Loss Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Idrobo, Juan Carlos; Lupini, Andrew R.; Feng, Tianli; Unocic, Raymond R.; Walden, Franklin S.; Gardiner, Daniel S.; Lovejoy, Tracy C.; Dellby, Niklas; Pantelides, Sokrates T.; Krivanek, Ondrej L.

2018-03-01

Heat dissipation in integrated nanoscale devices is a major issue that requires the development of nanoscale temperature probes. Here, we report the implementation of a method that combines electron energy gain and loss spectroscopy to provide a direct measurement of the local temperature in the nanoenvironment. Loss and gain peaks corresponding to an optical-phonon mode in boron nitride were measured from room temperature to ˜1600 K . Both loss and gain peaks exhibit a shift towards lower energies as the sample is heated up. First-principles calculations of the temperature-induced phonon frequency shifts provide insights into the origin of this effect and confirm the experimental data. The experiments and theory presented here open the doors to the study of anharmonic effects in materials by directly probing phonons in the electron microscope.

Experiments on Electron-Plasma Vortex Motion Driven by a Background Vorticity Gradient.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kabantsev, A. A.; Driscoll, C. F.

2000-10-01

The interaction of self-trapped vortices with a background vorticity gradient plays an important role in 2D hydrodynamics, including various aspects of relaxation and self-organization of 2D turbulence. In the present experiments, electron plasma columns with monotonically decreasing density profiles provide a vorticity background with (negative) shear in the rotational flow. Clumps of extra electrons are then retrograde vortices, rotating against the background shear; and regions with a deficit of electrons (holes) are prograde vortices. Theory predicts that clumps move up the background gradient, and holes move down the gradient, with velocities which depend differently on the ratio of the vortex trapping length to vortex radius, l / r_v. The present experiments show quantitative agreement with recent theory and simulations,(D.A. Schecter and D.H.E. Dubin, Phys. Rev. Lett. 83), 2191 (1999). for the accessible regime of 0.2 < l/rv < 2. The experiments also show that moving clumps leave a spiral density wake, and that instability of these wakes results in a large number of long-lived holes.

Endocytosis of Nanoscale Systems for Cancer Treatments.

PubMed

Chen, Kai; Li, Xue; Zhu, Hongyan; Gong, Qiyong; Luo, Kui

2017-04-28

Advances of nanoscale systems for cancer treatment have been involved in enabling highly regulated site-specific localization to sub cellular organelles hidden beneath cell membranes. Thus far, the cellular entry of these nanoscale systems has been not fully understood. Endocytosisis a form of active transport in which cell transports elected extracellular molecules (such as proteins, viruses, micro-organisms and nanoscale systems) are allowed into cell interiors by engulfing them in an energy-dependent process. This process appears at the plasma membrane surface and contains internalization of the cell membrane as well as the membrane proteins and lipids of cell. There are multiform pathways of endocytosis for nanoscale systems. Further comprehension for the mechanisms of endocytosis is achieved with a combination of efficient genetic manipulations, cell dynamic imaging, and chemical endocytosis inhibitors. This review provides an account of various endocytic pathways, itemizes current methods to study endocytosis of nanoscale systems, discusses some factors associated with cellular uptake for nanoscale systems and introduces the trafficking behavior for nanoscale systems with active targeting. An insight into the endocytosis mechanism is urgent and significant for developing safe and efficient nanoscale systems for cancer diagnosis and therapy. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Synthesis, dynamics and photophysics of nanoscale systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirkovic, Tihana

The emerging field of nanotechnology, which spans diverse areas such as nanoelectronics, medicine, chemical and pharmaceutical industries, biotechnology and computation, focuses on the development of devices whose improved performance is based on the utilization of self-assembled nanoscale components exhibiting unique properties owing to their miniaturized dimensions. The first phase in the conception of such multifunctional devices based on integrated technologies requires the study of basic principles behind the functional mechanism of nanoscale components, which could originate from individual nanoobjects or result as a collective behaviour of miniaturized unit structures. The comprehensive studies presented in this thesis encompass the mechanical, dynamical and photophysical aspects of three nanoscale systems. A newly developed europium sulfide nanocrystalline material is introduced. Advances in synthetic methods allowed for shape control of surface-functionalized EuS nanocrystals and the fabrication of multifunctional EuS-CdSe hybrid particles, whose unique structural and optical properties hold promise as useful attributes of integrated materials in developing technologies. A comprehensive study based on a new class of multifunctional nanomaterials, derived from the basic unit of barcoded metal nanorods is presented. Their chemical composition affords them the ability to undergo autonomous motion in the presence of a suitable fuel. The nature of their chemically powered self-propulsion locomotion was investigated, and plausible mechanisms for various motility modes were presented. Furthermore functionalization of striped metallic nanorods has been realized through the incorporation of chemically controlled flexible hinges displaying bendable properties. The structural aspect of the light harvesting machinery of a photosynthetic cryptophyte alga, Rhodomonas CS24, and the mobility of the antenna protein, PE545, in vivo were investigated. Information obtained

Efficient collective swimming by harnessing vortices through deep reinforcement learning.

PubMed

Verma, Siddhartha; Novati, Guido; Koumoutsakos, Petros

2018-06-05

Fish in schooling formations navigate complex flow fields replete with mechanical energy in the vortex wakes of their companions. Their schooling behavior has been associated with evolutionary advantages including energy savings, yet the underlying physical mechanisms remain unknown. We show that fish can improve their sustained propulsive efficiency by placing themselves in appropriate locations in the wake of other swimmers and intercepting judiciously their shed vortices. This swimming strategy leads to collective energy savings and is revealed through a combination of high-fidelity flow simulations with a deep reinforcement learning (RL) algorithm. The RL algorithm relies on a policy defined by deep, recurrent neural nets, with long-short-term memory cells, that are essential for capturing the unsteadiness of the two-way interactions between the fish and the vortical flow field. Surprisingly, we find that swimming in-line with a leader is not associated with energetic benefits for the follower. Instead, "smart swimmer(s)" place themselves at off-center positions, with respect to the axis of the leader(s) and deform their body to synchronize with the momentum of the oncoming vortices, thus enhancing their swimming efficiency at no cost to the leader(s). The results confirm that fish may harvest energy deposited in vortices and support the conjecture that swimming in formation is energetically advantageous. Moreover, this study demonstrates that deep RL can produce navigation algorithms for complex unsteady and vortical flow fields, with promising implications for energy savings in autonomous robotic swarms.

Pinning, flux diodes and ratchets for vortices interacting with conformal pinning arrays

DOE PAGES

Olson Reichhardt, C. J.; Wang, Y. L.; Xiao, Z. L.; ...

2016-05-31

A conformal pinning array can be created by conformally transforming a uniform triangular pinning lattice to produce a new structure in which the six-fold ordering of the original lattice is conserved but where there is a spatial gradient in the density of pinning sites. Here we examine several aspects of vortices interacting with conformal pinning arrays and how they can be used to create a flux flow diode effect for driving vortices in different directions across the arrays. Under the application of an ac drive, a pronounced vortex ratchet effect occurs where the vortices flow in the easy direction ofmore » the array asymmetry. When the ac drive is applied perpendicular to the asymmetry direction of the array, it is possible to realize a transverse vortex ratchet effect where there is a generation of a dc flow of vortices perpendicular to the ac drive due to the creation of a noise correlation ratchet by the plastic motion of the vortices. We also examine vortex transport in experiments and compare the pinning effectiveness of conformal arrays to uniform triangular pinning arrays. In conclusion, we find that a triangular array generally pins the vortices more effectively at the first matching field and below, while the conformal array is more effective at higher fields where interstitial vortex flow occurs.« less

Multi-dimensional upwinding-based implicit LES for the vorticity transport equations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foti, Daniel; Duraisamy, Karthik

2017-11-01

Complex turbulent flows such as rotorcraft and wind turbine wakes are characterized by the presence of strong coherent structures that can be compactly described by vorticity variables. The vorticity-velocity formulation of the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations is employed to increase numerical efficiency. Compared to the traditional velocity-pressure formulation, high order numerical methods and sub-grid scale models for the vorticity transport equation (VTE) have not been fully investigated. Consistent treatment of the convection and stretching terms also needs to be addressed. Our belief is that, by carefully designing sharp gradient-capturing numerical schemes, coherent structures can be more efficiently captured using the vorticity-velocity formulation. In this work, a multidimensional upwind approach for the VTE is developed using the generalized Riemann problem-based scheme devised by Parish et al. (Computers & Fluids, 2016). The algorithm obtains high resolution by augmenting the upwind fluxes with transverse and normal direction corrections. The approach is investigated with several canonical vortex-dominated flows including isolated and interacting vortices and turbulent flows. The capability of the technique to represent sub-grid scale effects is also assessed. Navy contract titled ``Turbulence Modelling Across Disparate Length Scales for Naval Computational Fluid Dynamics Applications,'' through Continuum Dynamics, Inc.

Nonlinear development and secondary instability of Gortler vortices in hypersonic flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fu, Yibin B.; Hall, Philip

1991-01-01

In a hypersonic boundary layer over a wall of variable curvature, the region most susceptible to Goertler vortices is the temperature adjustment layer over which the basic state temperature decreases monotonically to its free stream value. Except for a special wall curvature distribution, the evolution of Goertler vortices trapped in the temperature adjustment layer will in general be strongly affected by the boundary layer growth through the O(M sup 3/2) curvature of the basic state, where M is the free stream Mach number. Only when the local wavenumber becomes as large as of order M sup 3/8, do nonparallel effects become negligible in the determination of stability properties. In the latter case, Goertler vortices will be trapped in a thin layer of O(epsilon sup 1/2) thickness which is embedded in the temperature adjustment layer; here epsilon is the inverse of the local wavenumber. A weakly nonlinear theory is presented in which the initial nonlinear development of Goertler vortices in the neighborhood of the neutral position is studied and two coupled evolution equations are derived. From these, it can be determined whether the vortices are decaying or growing depending on the sign of a constant which is related to wall curvature and the basic state temperature.

Dielectric Metasurface as a Platform for Spatial Mode Conversion in Nanoscale Waveguides.

PubMed

Ohana, David; Desiatov, Boris; Mazurski, Noa; Levy, Uriel

2016-12-14

We experimentally demonstrate a nanoscale mode converter that performs coupling between the first two transverse electric-like modes of a silicon-on-insulator waveguide. The device operates by introducing a nanoscale periodic perturbation in its effective refractive index along the propagation direction and a graded effective index profile along its transverse direction. The periodic perturbation provides phase matching between the modes, while the graded index profile, which is realized by the implementation of nanoscale dielectric metasurface consisting of silicon features that are etched into the waveguide taking advantage of the effective medium concept, provides the overlap between the modes. Following the device design and numerical analysis using three-dimensional finite difference time domain simulations, we have fabricated the device and characterized it by directly measuring the modal content using optical imaging microscopy. From these measurements, the mode purity is estimated to be 95% and the transmission relative to an unperturbed strip waveguide is as high as 88%. Finally, we extend this approach to accommodate for the coupling between photonic and plasmonic modes. Specifically, we design and numerically demonstrate photonic to plasmonic mode conversion in a hybrid waveguide in which photonic and surface plasmon polariton modes can be guided in the silicon core and in the silicon/metal interface, respectively. The same method can also be used for coupling between symmetric and antisymmetric plasmonic modes in metal-insulator-metal or insulator-metal-insulator structures. On the basis of the current demonstration, we believe that such nanoscale dielectric metasurface-based mode converters can now be realized and become an important building block in future nanoscale photonic and plasmonic devices. Furthermore, the demonstrated platform can be used for the implementation of other chip scale components such as splitters, combiners couplers, and more.

Complementary Speckle Patterns: Deterministic Interchange of Intrinsic Vortices and Maxima through Scattering Media.

PubMed

Gateau, Jérôme; Rigneault, Hervé; Guillon, Marc

2017-01-27

Intensity maxima and zeros of speckle patterns obtained behind a diffuser are experimentally interchanged by applying a spiral phase delay of charge ±1 to the impinging coherent beam. This transform arises from the expectation that tightly focused beams, which have a planar wave front around the focus, are so changed into vortex beams and vice versa. The statistics of extrema locations and the intensity distribution of the so-generated "complementary" patterns are characterized by numerical simulations. It is demonstrated experimentally that the incoherent superposition of the three "complementary speckle patterns" yield a synthetic speckle grain size enlarged by a factor of sqrt[3]. A cyclic permutation of optical vortices and intensity maxima is unexpectedly observed and discussed.

Simulation of Venus polar vortices with the non-hydrostatic general circulation model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodin, Alexander V.; Mingalev, Oleg; Orlov, Konstantin

2012-07-01

The dynamics of Venus atmosphere in the polar regions presents a challenge for general circulation models. Numerous images and hyperspectral data from Venus Express mission shows that above 60 degrees latitude atmospheric motion is substantially different from that of the tropical and extratropical atmosphere. In particular, extended polar hoods composed presumably of fine haze particles, as well as polar vortices revealing mesoscale wave perturbations with variable zonal wavenumbers, imply the significance of vertical motion in these circulation elements. On these scales, however, hydrostatic balance commonly used in the general circulation models is no longer valid, and vertical forces have to be taken into account to obtain correct wind field. We present the first non-hydrostatic general circulation model of the Venus atmosphere based on the full set of gas dynamics equations. The model uses uniform grid with the resolution of 1.2 degrees in horizontal and 200 m in the vertical direction. Thermal forcing is simulated by means of relaxation approximation with specified thermal profile and time scale. The model takes advantage of hybrid calculations on graphical processors using CUDA technology in order to increase performance. Simulations show that vorticity is concentrated at high latitudes within planetary scale, off-axis vortices, precessing with a period of 30 to 40 days. The scale and position of these vortices coincides with polar hoods observed in the UV images. The regions characterized with high vorticity are surrounded by series of small vortices which may be caused by shear instability of the zonal flow. Vertical velocity component implies that in the central part of high vorticity areas atmospheric flow is downwelling and perturbed by mesoscale waves with zonal wavenumbers 1-4, resembling observed wave structures in the polar vortices. Simulations also show the existence of areas with strong vertical flow, concentrated in spiral branches extending

Motion in Jupiter's Atmospheric Vortices (Near-infrared filters)

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-03-26

Two frame "movie" of a pair of vortices in Jupiter's southern hemisphere. The two frames are separated by ten hours. The right oval is rotating counterclockwise, like other anticyclonic bright vortices in Jupiter's atmosphere. The left vortex is a cyclonic (clockwise) vortex. The differences between them (their brightness, their symmetry, and their behavior) are clues to how Jupiter's atmosphere works. The frames span about fifteen degrees in latitude and longitude and are centered at 141 degrees west longitude and 36 degrees south planetocentric latitude. Both vortices are about 3500 kilometers in diameter in the north-south direction. The images were taken in near infrared light at 756 nanometers and show clouds that are at a pressure level of about 1 bar in Jupiter's atmosphere. North is at the top. The smallest resolved features are tens of kilometers in size. These images were taken on May 7, 1997, at a range of 1.5 million kilometers by the Solid State Imaging system on NASA's Galileo spacecraft. An animation is available at http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA01230

Large Eddy Simulation of Wake Vortices in the Convective Boundary Layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, Yuh-Lang; Han, Jongil; Zhang, Jing; Ding, Feng; Arya, S. Pal; Proctor, Fred H.

2000-01-01

The behavior of wake vortices in a convective boundary layer is investigated using a validated large eddy simulation model. Our results show that the vortices are largely deformed due to strong turbulent eddy motion while a sinusoidal Crow instability develops. Vortex rising is found to be caused by the updrafts (thermals) during daytime convective conditions and increases with increasing nondimensional turbulence intensity eta. In the downdraft region of the convective boundary layer, vortex sinking is found to be accelerated proportional to increasing eta, with faster speed than that in an ideal line vortex pair in an inviscid fluid. Wake vortices are also shown to be laterally transported over a significant distance due to large turbulent eddy motion. On the other hand, the decay rate of the, vortices in the convective boundary layer that increases with increasing eta, is larger in the updraft region than in the downdraft region because of stronger turbulence in the updraft region.

Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology

National Institute of Standards and Technology Data Gateway

NIST Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology (Program website, free access)   Currently there is no database matching your keyword search, but the NIST Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology website may be of interest. The Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology enables science and industry by providing essential measurement methods, instrumentation, and standards to support all phases of nanotechnology development, from discovery to production.

Nanoscale integration is the next frontier for nanotechnology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Picraux, Samuel T

2009-01-01

in many ways, from exploiting field-effect transistor devices and low power complementary logic to enable the electronic watch and hand calculator in the 1970's, to today's microprocessors and memories with billions of devices and a computational power not imagined a few decades ago. The manipulation of charges on a chip, the new concepts in combining devices for logic functions, and the new approaches to computation, information processing, and imaging have all emerged from Kilby and Noyce's simple concept of integrating devices on a single chip. Moving from hard to soft materials, a second more recent example of integration is the DNA microarray. These microarrays, with up to millions of elements in a planar array that can be optically read out, can simultaneously measure the expression of 10's of thousands of genes to study the effects of disease and treatment, or screen for single nucleotide polymorphisms for uses ranging from forensics to predisposition to disease. While still at an early stage, microarrays have revolutionized biosciences by providing the means to interrogate the complex genetic control of biological functions. Just as integrated circuits and microarrays have led to completely new functionalities and performance, the integration of nanoscale materials and structures is anticipated to lead to new performance and enable the design of new functionalities not previously envisioned. The fundamental questions underlying integration go beyond just complex fabrication or the engineering of known solutions; they lead to new discoveries and new science. The scientific challenges around nanoscale integration necessitate the development of new knowledge that is central to the advance of nanotechnology. To move forward one must address key science questions that arise in nanoscience integration and go beyond a single system or materials area. New science and discoveries especially await around three questions. How does one: (1) Control energy transfer and

Phase locking of moving magnetic vortices in bridge-coupled nanodisks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhu, Qiyuan; Zheng, Qi; Liu, Xianyin

2015-05-07

In this paper, phase locking dynamics of vortices induced by spin transfer torque in bridge-coupled nanodisks are studied by micromagnetic simulations. In the presence of the bridge coupling, the required time for the phase locking is dramatically reduced, and the phase difference between the two vortices keeps at a nonzero value after the phase locking. Moreover, the phase difference is affected significantly by bridge coupling, Oersted field distribution, nanodisk size, as well as in-plane bias magnetic field. In addition, the coupled gyrotropic frequency of vortices depends linearly on the perpendicular magnetic field. This systematic study of phase locking parameters, especiallymore » the phase difference, is important for the applications of vortex-based spin-torque nano-oscillators.« less

A luminescent ratiometric pH sensor based on a nanoscale and biocompatible Eu/Tb-mixed MOF.

PubMed

Xia, Tifeng; Zhu, Fengliang; Jiang, Ke; Cui, Yuanjing; Yang, Yu; Qian, Guodong

2017-06-13

The precise and real-time monitoring of localized pH changes is of great importance in many engineering and environmental fields, especially for monitoring small pH changes in biological environments and living cells. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with their nanoscale processability show very promising applications in bioimaging and biomonitoring, but the fabrication of nanoscale MOFs is still a challenge. In this study, we synthesized a nanoscale mixed-lanthanide metal-organic framework by a microemulsion method. The morphology and size of the NMOF can be simply adjusted by the addition of different amounts of the CTAB surfactant. This NMOF exhibits significant pH-dependent luminescence emission, which can act as a self-referenced pH sensor based on two emissions of Tb 3+ at 545 nm and Eu 3+ at 618 nm in the pH range from 3.00 to 7.00. The MTT assay and optical microscopy assay demonstrate the low cytotoxicity and good biocompatibility of the nanosensor.

Paraboloids and Vortices in Hydrodynamics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodman, John M.

1969-01-01

Describes an apparatus designed to demonstrate vortical flow of a fluid. The apparatus consists of a transparent acrylic cylinder, with a drain hole, and mounted so that it can be rotated about its axis at speeds up to 1000 rpm. Experimental observations with water as the fluid under study are reported. (LC)

Vortices in Saturn’s Northern Hemisphere (2008–2015) Observed by Cassini ISS

PubMed Central

Trammell, Harold Justin; Li, Liming; Jiang, Xun; Pan, Yefeng; Smith, Mark A.; Bering, Edgar A.; Hörst, Sarah M.; Vasavada, Ashwin R.; Ingersoll, Andrew P.; Janssen, Michael A.; West, Robert A.; Porco, Carolyn C.; Li, Cheng; Simon, Amy A.; Baines, Kevin H.

2018-01-01

We use observations from the Imaging Science Subsystem on Cassini to create maps of Saturn’s Northern Hemisphere (NH) from 2008 to 2015, a time period including a seasonal transition (i.e., Spring Equinox in 2009) and the 2010 giant storm. The processed maps are used to investigate vortices in the NH during the period of 2008–2015. All recorded vortices have diameters (east-west) smaller than 6000 km except for the largest vortex that developed from the 2010 giant storm. The largest vortex decreased its diameter from ~11000 km in 2011 to ~5000 km in 2015, and its average diameter is ~6500 km during the period of 2011–2015. The largest vortex lasts at least 4 years, which is much longer than the lifetimes of most vortices (less than 1 year). The largest vortex drifts to north, which can be explained by the beta drift effect. The number of vortices displays varying behaviors in the meridional direction, in which the 2010 giant storm significantly affects the generation and development of vortices in the middle latitudes (25–45°N). In the higher latitudes (45–90°N), the number of vortices also displays strong temporal variations. The solar flux and the internal heat do not directly contribute to the vortex activities, leaving the temporal variations of vortices in the higher latitudes (45–90°N) unexplained. PMID:29629249

Detecting vortices in superconductors: Extracting one-dimensional topological singularities from a discretized complex scalar field

DOE PAGES

Phillips, Carolyn L.; Peterka, Tom; Karpeyev, Dmitry; ...

2015-02-20

In type II superconductors, the dynamics of superconducting vortices determine their transport properties. In the Ginzburg-Landau theory, vortices correspond to topological defects in the complex order parameter. Extracting their precise positions and motion from discretized numerical simulation data is an important, but challenging, task. In the past, vortices have mostly been detected by analyzing the magnitude of the complex scalar field representing the order parameter and visualized by corresponding contour plots and isosurfaces. However, these methods, primarily used for small-scale simulations, blur the fine details of the vortices, scale poorly to large-scale simulations, and do not easily enable isolating andmore » tracking individual vortices. In this paper, we present a method for exactly finding the vortex core lines from a complex order parameter field. With this method, vortices can be easily described at a resolution even finer than the mesh itself. The precise determination of the vortex cores allows the interplay of the vortices inside a model superconductor to be visualized in higher resolution than has previously been possible. Finally, by representing the field as the set of vortices, this method also massively reduces the data footprint of the simulations and provides the data structures for further analysis and feature tracking.« less

Large-Eddy Simulations of Dust Devils and Convective Vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spiga, Aymeric; Barth, Erika; Gu, Zhaolin; Hoffmann, Fabian; Ito, Junshi; Jemmett-Smith, Bradley; Klose, Martina; Nishizawa, Seiya; Raasch, Siegfried; Rafkin, Scot; Takemi, Tetsuya; Tyler, Daniel; Wei, Wei

2016-11-01

In this review, we address the use of numerical computations called Large-Eddy Simulations (LES) to study dust devils, and the more general class of atmospheric phenomena they belong to (convective vortices). We describe the main elements of the LES methodology. We review the properties, statistics, and variability of dust devils and convective vortices resolved by LES in both terrestrial and Martian environments. The current challenges faced by modelers using LES for dust devils are also discussed in detail.

Kinematics of velocity and vorticity correlations in turbulent flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bernard, P. S.

1983-01-01

The kinematic problem of calculating second-order velocity moments from given values of the vorticity covariance is examined. Integral representation formulas for second-order velocity moments in terms of the two-point vorticity correlation tensor are derived. The special relationships existing between velocity moments in isotropic turbulence are expressed in terms of the integral formulas yielding several kinematic constraints on the two-point vorticity correlation tensor in isotropic turbulence. Numerical evaluation of these constraints suggests that a Gaussian curve may be the only form of the longitudinal velocity correlation coefficient which is consistent with the requirement of isotropy. It is shown that if this is the case, then a family of exact solutions to the decay of isotropic turbulence may be obtained which contains Batchelor's final period solution as a special case. In addition, the computed results suggest a method of approximating the integral representation formulas in general turbulent shear flows.

Vorticity equation for MHD fast waves in geospace environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yamauchi, M.; Lundin, R.; Lui, A. T. Y.

1993-01-01

The MHD vorticity equation is modified in order to apply it to nonlinear MHD fast waves or shocks when their extent along the magnetic field is limited. Field-aligned current (FAC) generation is also discussed on the basis of this modified vorticity equation. When the wave normal is not aligned to the finite velocity convection and the source region is spatially limited, a longitudinal polarization causes a pair of plus and minus charges inside the compressional plane waves or shocks, generating a pair of FACs. This polarization is not related to the separation between the electrons and ions caused by their difference in mass, a separation which is inherent to compressional waves. The resultant double field-aligned current structure exists both with and without the contributions from curvature drift, which is questionable in terms of its contribution to vorticity change from the viewpoint of single-particle motion.

Transverse ac-driven and geometric ratchet effects for vortices in conformal crystal pinning arrays

DOE PAGES

Reichhardt, Charles; Reichhardt, Cynthia Jane Olsen

2016-02-11

A conformal pinning array is created by taking a conformal transformation of a uniform hexagonal lattice to create a structure in which the sixfold ordering of the original lattice is preserved but which has a spatial gradient in the pinning site density. With a series of conformal arrays it is possible to create asymmetric substrates, and it was previously shown that when an ac drive is applied parallel to the asymmetry direction, a pronounced ratchet effect occurs with a net dc flow of vortices in the same direction as the ac drive. Here, in this article, we show that whenmore » the ac drive is applied perpendicular to the substrate asymmetry direction, it is possible to realize a transverse ratchet effect where a net dc flow of vortices is generated perpendicular to the ac drive. The conformal transverse ratchet effect is distinct from previous versions of transverse ratchets in that it occurs due to the generation of non-Gaussian transverse vortex velocity fluctuations by the plastic motion of vortices, so that the system behaves as a noise correlation ratchet. The transverse ratchet effect is much more pronounced in the conformal arrays than in random gradient arrays and is absent in square gradient arrays due the different nature of the vortex flow in each geometry. We show that a series of reversals can occur in the transverse ratchet effect due to changes in the vortex flow across the pinning gradient as a function of vortex filling, pinning strength, and ac amplitude. We also consider the case where a dc drive applied perpendicular to the substrate asymmetry direction generates a net flow of vortices perpendicular to the dc drive, producing what is known as a geometric or drift ratchet that again arises due to non-Gaussian dynamically generated fluctuations. The drift ratchet is more efficient than the ac driven ratchet and also exhibits a series of reversals for varied parameters. Lastly, our results should be general to a wide class of systems

A nanoscale vacuum-tube diode triggered by few-cycle laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Higuchi, Takuya; Maisenbacher, Lothar; Liehl, Andreas; Dombi, Péter; Hommelhoff, Peter

2015-02-01

We propose and demonstrate a nanoscale vacuum-tube diode triggered by few-cycle near-infrared laser pulses. It represents an ultrafast electronic device based on light fields, exploiting near-field optical enhancement at surfaces of two metal nanotips. The sharper of the two tips displays a stronger field-enhancement, resulting in larger photoemission yields at its surface. One laser pulse with a peak intensity of 4.7 × 1011 W/cm2 triggers photoemission of ˜16 electrons from the sharper cathode tip, while emission from the blunter anode tip is suppressed by 19 dB to ˜0.2 electrons per pulse. Thus, the laser-triggered current between two tips exhibit a rectifying behavior, in analogy to classical vacuum-tube diodes. According to the kinetic energy of the emitted electrons and the distance between the tips, the total operation time of this laser-triggered nanoscale diode is estimated to be below 1 ps.

Tangled nonlinear driven chain reactions of all optical singularities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasil'ev, V. I.; Soskin, M. S.

2012-03-01

Dynamics of polarization optical singularities chain reactions in generic elliptically polarized speckle fields created in photorefractive crystal LiNbO3 was investigated in details Induced speckle field develops in the tens of minutes scale due to photorefractive 'optical damage effect' induced by incident beam of He-Ne laser. It was shown that polarization singularities develop through topological chain reactions of developing speckle fields driven by photorefractive nonlinearities induced by incident laser beam. All optical singularities (C points, optical vortices, optical diabolos,) are defined by instantaneous topological structure of the output wavefront and are tangled by singular optics lows. Therefore, they have develop in tangled way by six topological chain reactions driven by nonlinear processes in used nonlinear medium (photorefractive LiNbO3:Fe in our case): C-points and optical diabolos for right (left) polarized components domains with orthogonally left (right) polarized optical vortices underlying them. All elements of chain reactions consist from loop and chain links when nucleated singularities annihilated directly or with alien singularities in 1:9 ratio. The topological reason of statistics was established by low probability of far enough separation of born singularities pair from existing neighbor singularities during loop trajectories. Topology of developing speckle field was measured and analyzed by dynamic stokes polarimetry with few seconds' resolution. The hierarchy of singularities govern scenario of tangled chain reactions was defined. The useful space-time data about peculiarities of optical damage evolution were obtained from existence and parameters of 'islands of stability' in developing speckle fields.

Physical modeling of vortical cross-step flow in the American paddlefish, Polyodon spathula

PubMed Central

Brooks, Hannah; Haines, Grant E.; Lin, M. Carly

2018-01-01

Vortical cross-step filtration in suspension-feeding fish has been reported recently as a novel mechanism, distinct from other biological and industrial filtration processes. Although crossflow passing over backward-facing steps generates vortices that can suspend, concentrate, and transport particles, the morphological factors affecting this vortical flow have not been identified previously. In our 3D-printed models of the oral cavity for ram suspension-feeding fish, the angle of the backward-facing step with respect to the model’s dorsal midline affected vortex parameters significantly, including rotational, tangential, and axial speed. These vortices were comparable to those quantified downstream of the backward-facing steps that were formed by the branchial arches of preserved American paddlefish in a recirculating flow tank. Our data indicate that vortices in cross-step filtration have the characteristics of forced vortices, as the flow of water inside the oral cavity provides the external torque required to sustain forced vortices. Additionally, we quantified a new variable for ram suspension feeding termed the fluid exit ratio. This is defined as the ratio of the total open pore area for water leaving the oral cavity via spaces between branchial arches that are not blocked by gill rakers, divided by the total area for water entering through the gape during ram suspension feeding. Our experiments demonstrated that the fluid exit ratio in preserved paddlefish was a significant predictor of the flow speeds that were quantified anterior of the rostrum, at the gape, directly dorsal of the first ceratobranchial, and in the forced vortex generated by the first ceratobranchial. Physical modeling of vortical cross-step filtration offers future opportunities to explore the complex interactions between structural features of the oral cavity, vortex parameters, motile particle behavior, and particle morphology that determine the suspension, concentration, and

Quantitative flow analysis of swimming dynamics with coherent Lagrangian vortices.

PubMed

Huhn, F; van Rees, W M; Gazzola, M; Rossinelli, D; Haller, G; Koumoutsakos, P

2015-08-01

Undulatory swimmers flex their bodies to displace water, and in turn, the flow feeds back into the dynamics of the swimmer. At moderate Reynolds number, the resulting flow structures are characterized by unsteady separation and alternating vortices in the wake. We use the flow field from simulations of a two-dimensional, incompressible viscous flow of an undulatory, self-propelled swimmer and detect the coherent Lagrangian vortices in the wake to dissect the driving momentum transfer mechanisms. The detected material vortex boundary encloses a Lagrangian control volume that serves to track back the vortex fluid and record its circulation and momentum history. We consider two swimming modes: the C-start escape and steady anguilliform swimming. The backward advection of the coherent Lagrangian vortices elucidates the geometry of the vorticity field and allows for monitoring the gain and decay of circulation and momentum transfer in the flow field. For steady swimming, momentum oscillations of the fish can largely be attributed to the momentum exchange with the vortex fluid. For the C-start, an additionally defined jet fluid region turns out to balance the high momentum change of the fish during the rapid start.

Optically switchable photonic metasurfaces

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Waters, R. F.; MacDonald, K. F.; Hobson, P. A.

2015-08-24

We experimentally demonstrate an optically switchable gallium-based metasurface, in which a reversible light-induced transition between solid and liquid phases occurring in a confined nanoscale surface layer of the metal drives significant changes in reflectivity and absorption. The metasurface architecture resonantly enhances the metal's “active plasmonic” phase-change nonlinearity by an order of magnitude, offering high contrast all-optical switching in the near-infrared range at low, μW μm{sup −2}, excitation intensities.

Numerical Simulation of Protoplanetary Vortices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, H.; Barranco, J. A.; Marcus, P. S.

2003-01-01

The fluid dynamics within a protoplanetary disk has been attracting the attention of many researchers for a few decades. Previous works include, to list only a few among many others, the well-known prescription of Shakura & Sunyaev, the convective and instability study of Stone & Balbus and Hawley et al., the Rossby wave approach of Lovelace et al., as well as a recent work by Klahr & Bodenheimer, which attempted to identify turbulent flow within the disk. The disk is commonly understood to be a thin gas disk rotating around a central star with differential rotation (the Keplerian velocity), and the central quest remains as how the flow behavior deviates (albeit by a small amount) from a strong balance established between gravitational and centrifugal forces, transfers mass and momentum inward, and eventually forms planetesimals and planets. In earlier works we have briefly described the possible physical processes involved in the disk; we have proposed the existence of long-lasting, coherent vortices as an efficient agent for mass and momentum transport. In particular, Barranco et al. provided a general mathematical framework that is suitable for the asymptotic regime of the disk; Barranco & Marcus (2000) addressed a proposed vortex-dust interaction mechanism which might lead to planetesimal formation; and Lin et al. (2002), as inspired by general geophysical vortex dynamics, proposed basic mechanisms by which vortices can transport mass and angular momentum. The current work follows up on our previous effort. We shall focus on the detailed numerical implementation of our problem. We have developed a parallel, pseudo-spectral code to simulate the full three-dimensional vortex dynamics in a stably-stratified, differentially rotating frame, which represents the environment of the disk. Our simulation is validated with full diagnostics and comparisons, and we present our results on a family of three-dimensional, coherent equilibrium vortices.

Vortices revealed: Swimming faster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Houwelingen, Josje; van de Water, Willem; Kunnen, Rudie; van Heijst, Gertjan; Clercx, Herman

2016-11-01

Understanding and optimizing the propulsion in human swimming requires insight into the hydrodynamics of the flow around the swimmer. Experiments and simulations addressing the hydrodynamics of swimming have been conducted in studies before, including the visualization of the flow using particle image velocimetry (PIV). The main objective in this study is to develop a system to visualize the flow around a swimmer in practice inspired by this technique. The setup is placed in a regular swimming pool. The use of tracer particles and lasers to illuminate the particles is not allowed. Therefore, we choose to work with air bubbles with a diameter of 4 mm, illuminated by ambient light. Homogeneous bubble curtains are produced by tubes implemented in the bottom of the pool. The bubble motion is captured by six cameras placed in underwater casings. A first test with the setup has been conducted by pulling a cylinder through the bubbles and performing a PIV analysis. The vorticity plots of the resulting data show the expected vortex street behind the cylinder. The shedding frequency of the vortices resembles the expected frequency. Thus, it is possible to identify and follow the coherent structures. We will discuss these results and the first flow measurements around swimmers.

Tunneling decay of false vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Bum-Hoon; Lee, Wonwoo; MacKenzie, Richard; Paranjape, M. B.; Yajnik, U. A.; Yeom, Dong-han

2013-10-01

We consider the decay of vortices trapped in the false vacuum of a theory of scalar electrodynamics in 2+1 dimensions. The potential is inspired by models with intermediate symmetry breaking to a metastable vacuum that completely breaks a U(1) symmetry, while in the true vacuum, the symmetry is unbroken. The false vacuum is unstable through the formation of true vacuum bubbles; however, the rate of decay can be extremely long. On the other hand, the false vacuum can contain metastable vortex solutions. These vortices contain the true vacuum inside in addition to a unit of magnetic flux and the appropriate topologically nontrivial false vacuum outside. We numerically establish the existence of vortex solutions which are classically stable; however, they can decay via tunneling. In general terms, they tunnel to a configuration which is a large, thin-walled vortex configuration that is now classically unstable to the expansion of its radius. We compute an estimate for the tunneling amplitude in the semiclassical approximation. We believe our analysis would be relevant to superconducting thin films or superfluids.

An open-source platform to study uniaxial stress effects on nanoscale devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Signorello, G.; Schraff, M.; Zellekens, P.; Drechsler, U.; Bürge, M.; Steinauer, H. R.; Heller, R.; Tschudy, M.; Riel, H.

2017-05-01

We present an automatic measurement platform that enables the characterization of nanodevices by electrical transport and optical spectroscopy as a function of the uniaxial stress. We provide insights into and detailed descriptions of the mechanical device, the substrate design and fabrication, and the instrument control software, which is provided under open-source license. The capability of the platform is demonstrated by characterizing the piezo-resistance of an InAs nanowire device using a combination of electrical transport and Raman spectroscopy. The advantages of this measurement platform are highlighted by comparison with state-of-the-art piezo-resistance measurements in InAs nanowires. We envision that the systematic application of this methodology will provide new insights into the physics of nanoscale devices and novel materials for electronics, and thus contribute to the assessment of the potential of strain as a technology booster for nanoscale electronics.

Nanoscale Biosensor Based on Silicon Photonic Cavity for Home Healthcare Diagnostic Application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebrahimy, Mehdi N.; Moghaddam, Aydin B.; Andalib, Alireza; Naziri, Mohammad; Ronagh, Nazli

2015-09-01

In this paper, a new ultra-compact optical biosensor based on photonic crystal (phc) resonant cavity is proposed. This sensor has ability to work in chemical optical processes for the determination and analysis of liquid material. Here, we used an optical filter based on two-dimensional phc resonant cavity on a silicon layer and an active area is created in center of cavity. According to results, with increasing the refractive index of cavity, resonant wavelengths shift so that this phenomenon provides the ability to measure the properties of materials. This novel designed biosensor has more advantage to operate in the biochemical process for example sensing protein and DNA molecule refractive index. This nanoscale biosensor has quality factor higher than 1.5 × 104 and it is suitable to be used in the home healthcare diagnostic applications.

Dynamics of hairpin vortices and polymer-induced turbulent drag reduction.

PubMed

Kim, Kyoungyoun; Adrian, Ronald J; Balachandar, S; Sureshkumar, R

2008-04-04

It has been known for over six decades that the dissolution of minute amounts of high molecular weight polymers in wall-bounded turbulent flows results in a dramatic reduction in turbulent skin friction by up to 70%. First principles simulations of turbulent flow of model polymer solutions can predict the drag reduction (DR) phenomenon. However, the essential dynamical interactions between the coherent structures present in turbulent flows and polymer conformation field that lead to DR are poorly understood. We examine this connection via dynamical simulations that track the evolution of hairpin vortices, i.e., counter-rotating pairs of quasistreamwise vortices whose nonlinear autogeneration and growth, decay and breakup are centrally important to turbulence stress production. The results show that the autogeneration of new vortices is suppressed by the polymer stresses, thereby decreasing the turbulent drag.

Photocurrent mapping of near-field optical antenna resonances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnard, Edward S.; Pala, Ragip A.; Brongersma, Mark L.

2011-09-01

An increasing number of photonics applications make use of nanoscale optical antennas that exhibit a strong, resonant interaction with photons of a specific frequency. The resonant properties of such antennas are conventionally characterized by far-field light-scattering techniques. However, many applications require quantitative knowledge of the near-field behaviour, and existing local field measurement techniques provide only relative, rather than absolute, data. Here, we demonstrate a photodetector platform that uses a silicon-on-insulator substrate to spectrally and spatially map the absolute values of enhanced fields near any type of optical antenna by transducing local electric fields into photocurrent. We are able to quantify the resonant optical and materials properties of nanoscale (~50 nm) and wavelength-scale (~1 µm) metallic antennas as well as high-refractive-index semiconductor antennas. The data agree well with light-scattering measurements, full-field simulations and intuitive resonator models.

Feedback control of flow vorticity at low Reynolds numbers.

PubMed

Zeitz, Maria; Gurevich, Pavel; Stark, Holger

2015-03-01

Our aim is to explore strategies of feedback control to design and stabilize novel dynamic flow patterns in model systems of complex fluids. To introduce the control strategies, we investigate the simple Newtonian fluid at low Reynolds number in a circular geometry. Then, the fluid vorticity satisfies a diffusion equation. We determine the mean vorticity in the sensing area and use two control strategies to feed it back into the system by controlling the angular velocity of the circular boundary. Hysteretic feedback control generates self-regulated stable oscillations in time, the frequency of which can be adjusted over several orders of magnitude by tuning the relevant feedback parameters. Time-delayed feedback control initiates unstable vorticity modes for sufficiently large feedback strength. For increasing delay time, we first observe oscillations with beats and then regular trains of narrow pulses. Close to the transition line between the resting fluid and the unstable modes, these patterns are relatively stable over long times.

A Thermodynamically General Theory for Convective Circulations and Vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Renno, N. O.

2007-12-01

Convective circulations and vortices are common features of atmospheres that absorb low-entropy-energy at higher temperatures than they reject high-entropy-energy to space. These circulations range from small to planetary-scale and play an important role in the vertical transport of heat, momentum, and tracer species. Thus, the development of theoretical models for convective phenomena is important to our understanding of many basic features of planetary atmospheres. A thermodynamically general theory for convective circulations and vortices is proposed. The theory includes irreversible processes and quantifies the pressure drop between the environment and any point in a convective updraft. The article's main result is that the proposed theory provides an expression for the pressure drop along streamlines or streamtubes that is a generalization of Bernoulli's equation to convective circulations. We speculate that the proposed theory not only explains the intensity, but also shed light on other basic features of convective circulations and vortices.

Nanoscale imaging of clinical specimens using pathology-optimized expansion microscopy

PubMed Central

Zhao, Yongxin; Bucur, Octavian; Irshad, Humayun; Chen, Fei; Weins, Astrid; Stancu, Andreea L.; Oh, Eun-Young; DiStasio, Marcello; Torous, Vanda; Glass, Benjamin; Stillman, Isaac E.; Schnitt, Stuart J.; Beck, Andrew H.; Boyden, Edward S.

2017-01-01

Expansion microscopy (ExM), a method for improving the resolution of light microscopy by physically expanding the specimen, has not been applied to clinical tissue samples. Here we report a clinically optimized form of ExM that supports nanoscale imaging of human tissue specimens that have been fixed with formalin, embedded in paraffin, stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), and/or fresh frozen. The method, which we call expansion pathology (ExPath), converts clinical samples into an ExM-compatible state, then applies an ExM protocol with protein anchoring and mechanical homogenization steps optimized for clinical samples. ExPath enables ~70 nm resolution imaging of diverse biomolecules in intact tissues using conventional diffraction-limited microscopes, and standard antibody and fluorescent DNA in situ hybridization reagents. We use ExPath for optical diagnosis of kidney minimal-change disease, which previously required electron microscopy (EM), and demonstrate high-fidelity computational discrimination between early breast neoplastic lesions that to date have challenged human judgment. ExPath may enable the routine use of nanoscale imaging in pathology and clinical research. PMID:28714966

Nanoscale imaging of clinical specimens using pathology-optimized expansion microscopy.

PubMed

Zhao, Yongxin; Bucur, Octavian; Irshad, Humayun; Chen, Fei; Weins, Astrid; Stancu, Andreea L; Oh, Eun-Young; DiStasio, Marcello; Torous, Vanda; Glass, Benjamin; Stillman, Isaac E; Schnitt, Stuart J; Beck, Andrew H; Boyden, Edward S

2017-08-01

Expansion microscopy (ExM), a method for improving the resolution of light microscopy by physically expanding a specimen, has not been applied to clinical tissue samples. Here we report a clinically optimized form of ExM that supports nanoscale imaging of human tissue specimens that have been fixed with formalin, embedded in paraffin, stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and/or fresh frozen. The method, which we call expansion pathology (ExPath), converts clinical samples into an ExM-compatible state, then applies an ExM protocol with protein anchoring and mechanical homogenization steps optimized for clinical samples. ExPath enables ∼70-nm-resolution imaging of diverse biomolecules in intact tissues using conventional diffraction-limited microscopes and standard antibody and fluorescent DNA in situ hybridization reagents. We use ExPath for optical diagnosis of kidney minimal-change disease, a process that previously required electron microscopy, and we demonstrate high-fidelity computational discrimination between early breast neoplastic lesions for which pathologists often disagree in classification. ExPath may enable the routine use of nanoscale imaging in pathology and clinical research.

Helical vortices: viscous dynamics and instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rossi, Maurice; Selcuk, Can; Delbende, Ivan; Ijlra-Upmc Team; Limsi-Cnrs Team

2014-11-01

Understanding the dynamical properties of helical vortices is of great importance for numerous applications such as wind turbines, helicopter rotors, ship propellers. Locally these flows often display a helical symmetry: fields are invariant through combined axial translation of distance Δz and rotation of angle θ = Δz / L around the same z-axis, where 2 πL denotes the helix pitch. A DNS code with built-in helical symmetry has been developed in order to compute viscous quasi-steady basic states with one or multiple vortices. These states will be characterized (core structure, ellipticity, ...) as a function of the pitch, without or with an axial flow component. The instability modes growing in the above base flows and their growth rates are investigated by a linearized version of the DNS code coupled to an Arnoldi procedure. This analysis is complemented by a helical thin-cored vortex filaments model. ANR HELIX.

Nanoscale potentiometry.

PubMed

Bakker, Eric; Pretsch, Ernö

2008-01-01

Potentiometric sensors share unique characteristics that set them apart from other electrochemical sensors. Potentiometric nanoelectrodes have been reported and successfully used for many decades, and we review these developments. Current research chiefly focuses on nanoscale films at the outer or the inner side of the membrane, with outer layers for increasing biocompatibility, expanding the sensor response, or improving the limit of detection (LOD). Inner layers are mainly used for stabilizing the response and eliminating inner aqueous contacts or undesired nanoscale layers of water. We also discuss the ultimate detectability of ions with such sensors and the power of coupling the ultra-low LODs of ion-selective electrodes with nanoparticle labels to give attractive bioassays that can compete with state-of-the-art electrochemical detection.

Generating and manipulating quantized vortices on-demand in a Bose-Einstein condensate: A numerical study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gertjerenken, B.; Kevrekidis, P. G.; Carretero-González, R.

Here, we numerically investigate an experimentally viable method for generating and manipulating on-demand several vortices in a highly oblate atomic Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) in order to initialize complex vortex distributions for studies of vortex dynamics. The method utilizes moving laser beams to generate, capture, and transport vortices inside and outside the BEC. This methodology is examined in detail and shows a wide parameter range of applicability for the prototypical two-vortex case, as well as case examples of producing and manipulating several vortices for which there is no net circulation, corresponding to equal numbers of positive and negative circulation vortices, andmore » cases for which there is one net quantum of circulation. We also find that the presence of dissipation can help stabilize the pinning of the vortices on their respective laser beam pinning sites. Finally, we illustrate how to utilize laser beams as repositories that hold large numbers of vortices and how to deposit individual vortices in a sequential fashion in the repositories in order to construct superfluid flows about the repository beams with several quanta of circulation.« less

Generating and manipulating quantized vortices on-demand in a Bose-Einstein condensate: A numerical study

DOE PAGES

Gertjerenken, B.; Kevrekidis, P. G.; Carretero-González, R.; ...

2016-02-01

Here, we numerically investigate an experimentally viable method for generating and manipulating on-demand several vortices in a highly oblate atomic Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) in order to initialize complex vortex distributions for studies of vortex dynamics. The method utilizes moving laser beams to generate, capture, and transport vortices inside and outside the BEC. This methodology is examined in detail and shows a wide parameter range of applicability for the prototypical two-vortex case, as well as case examples of producing and manipulating several vortices for which there is no net circulation, corresponding to equal numbers of positive and negative circulation vortices, andmore » cases for which there is one net quantum of circulation. We also find that the presence of dissipation can help stabilize the pinning of the vortices on their respective laser beam pinning sites. Finally, we illustrate how to utilize laser beams as repositories that hold large numbers of vortices and how to deposit individual vortices in a sequential fashion in the repositories in order to construct superfluid flows about the repository beams with several quanta of circulation.« less

Investigation on the special Smith-Purcell radiation from a nano-scale rectangular metallic grating

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Weiwei; Liu, Weihao, E-mail: liuwhao@ustc.edu.cn; Jia, Qika

The special Smith-Purcell radiation (S-SPR), which is from the radiating eigen modes of a grating, has remarkable higher intensity than the ordinary Smith-Purcell radiation. Yet in previous studies, the gratings were treated as perfect conductor without considering the surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) which are of significance for the nano-scale gratings especially in the optical region. In present paper, the rigorous theoretical investigations on the S-SPR from a nano-grating with SPPs taken into consideration are carried out. The dispersion relations and radiation characteristics are obtained, and the results are verified by simulations. According to the analyses, the tunable light radiation canmore » be achieved by the S-SPR from a nano-grating, which offers a new prospect for developing the nano-scale light sources.« less

Tin doped indium oxide anodes with artificially controlled nano-scale roughness using segregated Ag nanoparticles for organic solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Hyo-Joong; Ko, Eun-Hye; Noh, Yong-Jin; Na, Seok-In; Kim, Han-Ki

2016-09-01

Nano-scale surface roughness in transparent ITO films was artificially formed by sputtering a mixed Ag and ITO layer and wet etching of segregated Ag nanoparticles from the surface of the ITO film. Effective removal of self-segregated Ag particles from the grain boundaries and surface of the crystalline ITO film led to a change in only the nano-scale surface morphology of ITO film without changes in the sheet resistance and optical transmittance. A nano-scale rough surface of the ITO film led to an increase in contact area between the hole transport layer and the ITO anode, and eventually increased the hole extraction efficiency in the organic solar cells (OSCs). The heterojunction OSCs fabricated on the ITO anode with a nano-scale surface roughness exhibited a higher power conversion efficiency of 3.320%, than that (2.938%) of OSCs made with the reference ITO/glass. The results here introduce a new method to improve the performance of OSCs by simply modifying the surface morphology of the ITO anodes.

The Vorticity Budgets of North Atlantic Winter Marine Extratropical Cyclones Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azad, R.; Sorteberg, A.

2012-12-01

A partitioned form of the Zwack-Okossi (Z-O) tendency equation is employed to examine the composite role of dynamic and thermodynamic forcing mechanisms to the development of North Atlantic winter marine extratropical cyclones. The results provide a further insight into the budgets of near surface cyclonic geostrophic vorticity (CGV) and their evolution during the life cycle of mid-latitude low pressure systems. Of interest are the direct, indirect and net effects of the Z-O forcing mechanisms. The direct effect shows the contribution of each process to the near surface geostrophic vorticity tendency, while the indirect effect implies the contribution from the associated vertical motion and resulting adiabatic cooling or warming. The net effect is the sum of the direct and indirect effects.We found that the vorticity advection term is the largest net contributor to the development of the marine cyclones. The net positive effect of both the temperature advection and latent heating terms is smaller owing to the induced adiabatic cooling which reduces the positive direct contributions. The direct and indirect parts of ageostrophic tendency and friction terms support each other, resulting in significant net contributions at the low center.Comparisons of the composite contributions by the Z-O forcing terms at different pressure levels over the low center indicate that, in agreement with previous studies, the commencement of significant development is accompanied with the upper level cyclonic absolute vorticity advection, upper level warm advection and mid-to low level latent heating. However, during the end of the development, mid-tropospheric net contribution by vorticity advection term and low level warm advection controls the production of CGV. The former is due to both the presence of mid-level cyclonic vorticity advection and induced adiabatic warming over the composite low center.

Optical and mechanical design of a "zipper" photonic crystal optomechanical cavity.

PubMed

Chan, Jasper; Eichenfield, Matt; Camacho, Ryan; Painter, Oskar

2009-03-02

Design of a doubly-clamped beam structure capable of localizing mechanical and optical energy at the nanoscale is presented. The optical design is based upon photonic crystal concepts in which patterning of a nanoscale-cross-section beam can result in strong optical localization to an effective optical mode volume of 0.2 cubic wavelengths ( (lambdac)(3)). By placing two identical nanobeams within the near field of each other, strong optomechanical coupling can be realized for differential motion between the beams. Current designs for thin film silicon nitride beams at a wavelength of lambda?= 1.5 microm indicate that such structures can simultaneously realize an optical Q-factor of 7x10(6), motional mass m(u) approximately 40 picograms, mechanical mode frequency Omega(M)/2pi approximately 170 MHz, and an optomechanical coupling factor (g(OM) identical with domega(c)/dx = omega(c)/L(OM)) with effective length L(OM) approximately lambda= 1.5 microm.

Mapping Nanoscale Hotspots with Single-Molecule Emitters Assembled into Plasmonic Nanocavities Using DNA Origami

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Fabricating nanocavities in which optically active single quantum emitters are precisely positioned is crucial for building nanophotonic devices. Here we show that self-assembly based on robust DNA-origami constructs can precisely position single molecules laterally within sub-5 nm gaps between plasmonic substrates that support intense optical confinement. By placing single-molecules at the center of a nanocavity, we show modification of the plasmon cavity resonance before and after bleaching the chromophore and obtain enhancements of ≥4 × 103 with high quantum yield (≥50%). By varying the lateral position of the molecule in the gap, we directly map the spatial profile of the local density of optical states with a resolution of ±1.5 nm. Our approach introduces a straightforward noninvasive way to measure and quantify confined optical modes on the nanoscale. PMID:29166033

Mapping Nanoscale Hotspots with Single-Molecule Emitters Assembled into Plasmonic Nanocavities Using DNA Origami.

PubMed

Chikkaraddy, Rohit; Turek, V A; Kongsuwan, Nuttawut; Benz, Felix; Carnegie, Cloudy; van de Goor, Tim; de Nijs, Bart; Demetriadou, Angela; Hess, Ortwin; Keyser, Ulrich F; Baumberg, Jeremy J

2018-01-10

Fabricating nanocavities in which optically active single quantum emitters are precisely positioned is crucial for building nanophotonic devices. Here we show that self-assembly based on robust DNA-origami constructs can precisely position single molecules laterally within sub-5 nm gaps between plasmonic substrates that support intense optical confinement. By placing single-molecules at the center of a nanocavity, we show modification of the plasmon cavity resonance before and after bleaching the chromophore and obtain enhancements of ≥4 × 10 3 with high quantum yield (≥50%). By varying the lateral position of the molecule in the gap, we directly map the spatial profile of the local density of optical states with a resolution of ±1.5 nm. Our approach introduces a straightforward noninvasive way to measure and quantify confined optical modes on the nanoscale.

Mapping Nanoscale Hotspots with Single-Molecule Emitters Assembled into Plasmonic Nanocavities Using DNA Origami

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chikkaraddy, Rohit; Turek, V. A.; Kongsuwan, Nuttawut; Benz, Felix; Carnegie, Cloudy; van de Goor, Tim; de Nijs, Bart; Demetriadou, Angela; Hess, Ortwin; Keyser, Ulrich F.; Baumberg, Jeremy J.

2018-01-01

Fabricating nanocavities in which optically-active single quantum emitters are precisely positioned, is crucial for building nanophotonic devices. Here we show that self-assembly based on robust DNA-origami constructs can precisely position single molecules laterally within sub-5nm gaps between plasmonic substrates that support intense optical confinement. By placing single-molecules at the center of a nanocavity, we show modification of the plasmon cavity resonance before and after bleaching the chromophore, and obtain enhancements of $\\geq4\\times10^3$ with high quantum yield ($\\geq50$%). By varying the lateral position of the molecule in the gap, we directly map the spatial profile of the local density of optical states with a resolution of $\\pm1.5$ nm. Our approach introduces a straightforward non-invasive way to measure and quantify confined optical modes on the nanoscale.

Coherent Atom Optics with Optical Potentials: A Summary of New Phenomena with Bose-Einstein Condensates at the University of Arizona

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-10-08

differentially pumped two-cell vacuum system. A gas of Rb atoms, provided by SAES dispensers, fills a glass cell where laser cooling and magneto - optic ...mask [Fig. 1(b)] that was imaged onto the center of the trap . The sum of the magnetic and optical potentials created a triple-well trap , with three... Simulations of BEC growth in a toroidal trap show vortices (as in (b),(c)) and persistent currents. 4 The merging of experimental capabilities. [ongoing work

The characterisation of blood rotation in a human heart chamber based on statistical analysis of vorticity maps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wong, Kelvin K. L.; Kelso, Richard M.; Worthley, Stephen G.; Sanders, Prashanthan; Mazumdar, Jagannath; Abbott, Derek

2008-12-01

Modelling of non-stationary cardiac structures is complicated by the complexity of their intrinsic and extrinsic motion. The first known study of haemodynamics due to the beating of heart was made by Leonardo Da Vinci, giving the idea of fluid-solid interaction by describing how vortices develop during cardiac structural interaction with the blood. Heart morphology affects in changes of cardio dynamics during the systolic and diastolic phrases. In a chamber of the heart, vortices are discovered to exist as the result of the unique morphological changes of the cardiac chamber wall by using flow-imaging techniques such as phase contrast magnetic resonance imaging. The first part of this paper attempts to quantify vortex characteristics by means of calculating vorticity numerically and devising two dimensional vortical flow maps. The technique relies on determining the properties of vorticity using a statistical quantification of the flow maps and comparison of these quantities based on different scenarios. As the characteristics of our vorticity maps vary depending on the phase of a cardiac cycle, there is a need for robust quantification method to analyse vorticity. In the second part of the paper, the approach is then utilised for examining vortices within the human right atrium. Our study has shown that a proper quantification of vorticity for the flow field can indicate the strength and number of vortices within a heart chamber.

The generation of sound by vorticity waves in swirling duct flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howe, M. S.; Liu, J. T. C.

1977-01-01

Swirling flow in an axisymmetric duct can support vorticity waves propagating parallel to the axis of the duct. When the cross-sectional area of the duct changes a portion of the wave energy is scattered into secondary vorticity and sound waves. Thus the swirling flow in the jet pipe of an aeroengine provides a mechanism whereby disturbances produced by unsteady combustion or turbine blading can be propagated along the pipe and subsequently scattered into aerodynamic sound. In this paper a linearized model of this process is examined for low Mach number swirling flow in a duct of infinite extent. It is shown that the amplitude of the scattered acoustic pressure waves is proportional to the product of the characteristic swirl velocity and the perturbation velocity of the vorticity wave. The sound produced in this way may therefore be of more significance than that generated by vorticity fluctuations in the absence of swirl, for which the acoustic pressure is proportional to the square of the perturbation velocity. The results of the analysis are discussed in relation to the problem of excess jet noise.

Bound on the Slope of Steady Water Waves with Favorable Vorticity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strauss, Walter A.; Wheeler, Miles H.

2016-12-01

We consider the angle {θ} of inclination (with respect to the horizontal) of the profile of a steady two dimensional inviscid symmetric periodic or solitary water wave subject to gravity. Although {θ} may surpass 30° for some irrotational waves close to the extreme wave, Amick (Arch Ration Mech Anal 99(2):91-114, 1987) proved that for any irrotational wave the angle must be less than 31.15°. Is the situation similar for periodic or solitary waves that are not irrotational? The extreme Gerstner wave has infinite depth, adverse vorticity and vertical cusps ( θ = 90°). Moreover, numerical calculations show that even waves of finite depth can overturn if the vorticity is adverse. In this paper, on the other hand, we prove an upper bound of 45° on {θ} for a large class of waves with favorable vorticity and finite depth. In particular, the vorticity can be any constant with the favorable sign. We also prove a series of general inequalities on the pressure within the fluid, including the fact that any overturning wave must have a pressure sink.

Development of a Tip-Enhanced Near-Field Optical Microscope for Nanoscale Interrogation of Surface Chemistry and Plasmonic Phenomena

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heilman, Alexander Lee

Optical microscopy and spectroscopy are invaluable tools for the physical and chemical characterization of materials and surfaces in a wide range of scientific disciplines. However, the application of conventional optical methods in the study of nanomaterials is inherently limited by diffraction. Tip-enhanced near-field optical microscopy (TENOM) is a hybrid technique that marries optical spectroscopy with scanning probe microscopy to overcome the spatial resolution limit imposed by diffraction. By coupling optical energy into the plasmonic modes of a sharp metal probe tip, a strong, localized optical field is generated near the tip's apex and is used to enhance spectroscopic emissions within a sub-diffraction-limited volume. In this thesis, we describe the design, construction, validation, and application of a custom TENOM instrument with a unique attenuated total reflectance (ATR)-geometry excitation/detection system. The specific goals of this work were: (i) to develop a versatile TENOM instrument capable of investigating a variety of optical phenomena at the nanoscale, (ii) to use the instrument to demonstrate chemical interrogation of surfaces with sub-diffraction-limited spatial resolution (i.e., at super resolution), (iii) to apply the instrument to study plasmonic phenomena that influence spectroscopic enhancement in TENOM measurements, and (iv) to leverage resulting insights to develop systematic improvements that expand the ultimate capabilities of near-field optical interrogation techniques. The TENOM instrument described herein is comprised of three main components: an atomic force microscope (AFM), a side-on confocal Raman microscope, and a novel ATR excitation/detection system. The design of each component is discussed along with the results of relevant validation experiments, which were performed to rigorously assess each component's performance. Finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) optical simulations were also developed and used extensively to

Global solutions to random 3D vorticity equations for small initial data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barbu, Viorel; Röckner, Michael

2017-11-01

One proves the existence and uniqueness in (Lp (R3)) 3, 3/2 < p < 2, of a global mild solution to random vorticity equations associated to stochastic 3D Navier-Stokes equations with linear multiplicative Gaussian noise of convolution type, for sufficiently small initial vorticity. This resembles some earlier deterministic results of T. Kato [16] and are obtained by treating the equation in vorticity form and reducing the latter to a random nonlinear parabolic equation. The solution has maximal regularity in the spatial variables and is weakly continuous in (L3 ∩L 3p/4p - 6)3 with respect to the time variable. Furthermore, we obtain the pathwise continuous dependence of solutions with respect to the initial data. In particular, one gets a locally unique solution of 3D stochastic Navier-Stokes equation in vorticity form up to some explosion stopping time τ adapted to the Brownian motion.

Machine learning vortices at the Kosterlitz-Thouless transition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beach, Matthew J. S.; Golubeva, Anna; Melko, Roger G.

2018-01-01

Efficient and automated classification of phases from minimally processed data is one goal of machine learning in condensed-matter and statistical physics. Supervised algorithms trained on raw samples of microstates can successfully detect conventional phase transitions via learning a bulk feature such as an order parameter. In this paper, we investigate whether neural networks can learn to classify phases based on topological defects. We address this question on the two-dimensional classical XY model which exhibits a Kosterlitz-Thouless transition. We find significant feature engineering of the raw spin states is required to convincingly claim that features of the vortex configurations are responsible for learning the transition temperature. We further show a single-layer network does not correctly classify the phases of the XY model, while a convolutional network easily performs classification by learning the global magnetization. Finally, we design a deep network capable of learning vortices without feature engineering. We demonstrate the detection of vortices does not necessarily result in the best classification accuracy, especially for lattices of less than approximately 1000 spins. For larger systems, it remains a difficult task to learn vortices.

Streamwise Vorticity Generation in Laminar and Turbulent Jets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Demuren, Aodeji O.; Wilson, Robert V.

1999-01-01

Complex streamwise vorticity fields are observed in the evolution of non-circular jets. Generation mechanisms are investigated via Reynolds-averaged (RANS), large-eddy (LES) and direct numerical (DNS) simulations of laminar and turbulent rectangular jets. Complex vortex interactions are found in DNS of laminar jets, but axis-switching is observed only when a single instability mode is present in the incoming mixing layer. With several modes present, the structures are not coherent and no axis-switching occurs, RANS computations also produce no axis-switching. On the other hand, LES of high Reynolds number turbulent jets produce axis-switching even for cases with several instability modes in the mixing layer. Analysis of the source terms of the mean streamwise vorticity equation through post-processing of the instantaneous results shows that, complex interactions of gradients of the normal and shear Reynolds stresses are responsible for the generation of streamwise vorticity which leads to axis-switching. RANS computations confirm these results. k - epsilon turbulence model computations fail to reproduce the phenomenon, whereas algebraic Reynolds stress model (ASM) computations, in which the secondary normal and shear stresses are computed explicitly, succeeded in reproducing the phenomenon accurately.

On the size and distribution of rings and coherent vortices in the Sargasso Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luce, David L.; Rossby, Tom

2008-05-01

The container motor vessel CMV Oleander, which operates between New Jersey and Bermuda, crosses the Gulf Stream and Sargasso Sea all year round on a semiweekly schedule. Using an acoustic Doppler current profiler, measurements of upper ocean currents have been made on a regular basis since the fall of 1992. In this paper we examine the database for evidence of axisymmetric coherent vortices including the distribution and intensity of cold core rings. To detect the existence of coherent vortices, the patterns of current vectors averaged between 40 and 80 m depth were fit to an axisymmetric Gaussian vortex model. The parameters of the model were axis location, maximum tangential, or swirl, speed, and radius at which the maximum swirl was measured. We were able to distinguish between the well-known cold core "rings" (CCRs) pinched from the Gulf Stream, and a population of cyclonic and anticyclonic "vortices" in the Sargasso Sea. Both the rings and the Sargasso Sea vortices showed radii of 64 ± 18 km, albeit with different swirl speeds. The rings, close to the Gulf Stream, exhibited a typical maximum swirl speed of 0.98 ± 0.40 m s-1 and a center relative vorticity of 0.64 ± 0.35 × 10-4 s-1, almost 80% of the planetary vorticity for the region. The more uniform population of Sargasso Sea vortices contained approximately equal numbers of cyclones and anticyclones, with mean speeds of +0.43 and -0.55 m s-1, and center relative vorticities of +0.24 × 10-4 s-1 and -0.29 × 10-4 s-1, respectively.

Optical and terahertz energy concentration on the nanoscale in plasmonics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rusina, Anastasia

properties of spoof plasmons are of great interest for THz technology. INDEX WORDS: Nanoplasmonics, Surface plasmon polaritons, Adiabatic concentration, Full coherent control on nanoscale, Nanowedge, Terahertz, Coaxial waveguide, Spoof plasmons, Nanoscale, Nanofocus, Terahertz (THz) energy nanoconcentration

Achromatic elemental mapping beyond the nanoscale in the transmission electron microscope.

PubMed

Urban, K W; Mayer, J; Jinschek, J R; Neish, M J; Lugg, N R; Allen, L J

2013-05-03

Newly developed achromatic electron optics allows the use of wide energy windows and makes feasible energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy (EFTEM) at atomic resolution. In this Letter we present EFTEM images formed using electrons that have undergone a silicon L(2,3) core-shell energy loss, exhibiting a resolution in EFTEM of 1.35 Å. This permits elemental mapping beyond the nanoscale provided that quantum mechanical calculations from first principles are done in tandem with the experiment to understand the physical information encoded in the images.

Realization of arbitrarily long focus-depth optical vortices with spiral area-varying zone plates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Chenglong; Zang, Huaping; Du, Yanli; Tian, Yongzhi; Ji, Ziwen; Zhang, Jing; Fan, Quanping; Wang, Chuanke; Cao, Leifeng; Liang, Erjun

2018-05-01

We provide a methodology to realize an optical vortex with arbitrarily long focus-depth. With a technique of varying each zone area of a phase spiral zone plate one can obtain optics capable of generating ultra-long focus-depth optical vortex from a plane wave. The focal property of such optics was analysed using the Fresnel diffraction theory, and an experimental demonstration was performed to verify its effectiveness. Such optics may bring new opportunity and benefits for optical vortex application such as optical manipulation and lithography.

On the origin of vorticity in magnetic particle suspensions subjected to triaxial fields

DOE PAGES

Martin, James E.

2016-06-06

We have recently reported that two classes of time-dependent triaxial magnetic fields can induce vorticity in magnetic particle suspensions. The first class – symmetry-breaking fields – is comprised of two ac components and one dc component. The second class – rational triad fields – is comprised of three ac components. In both cases deterministic vorticity occurs when the ratios of the field frequencies form rational numbers. A strange aspect of these fields is that they produce fluid vorticity without generally having a circulating field vector, such as would occur in a rotating field. It has been shown, however, that themore » symmetry of the field trajectory, considered jointly with that of the converse field, allows vorticity to occur around one particular field axis. This axis might be any of the field components, and is determined by the relative frequencies of the field components. However, the symmetry theories give absolutely no insight into why vorticity should occur. In this paper we propose a particle-based model of vorticity in these driven fluids. This model proposes that particles form volatile chains that follow, but lag behind, the dynamic field vector. Furthermore, this model is consistent with the predictions of symmetry theory and gives reasonable agreement with previously reported torque density measurements for a variety of triaxial fields.« less

A Vorticity-preserving Hydrodynamical Scheme for Modeling Accretion Disk Flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seligman, Darryl; Laughlin, Gregory

2017-10-01

Vortices, turbulence, and unsteady nonlaminar flows are likely both prominent and dynamically important features of astrophysical disks. Such strongly nonlinear phenomena are often difficult, however, to simulate accurately, and are generally amenable to analytic treatment only in idealized form. In this paper, we explore the evolution of compressible two-dimensional flows using an implicit dual-time hydrodynamical scheme that strictly conserves vorticity (if applied to simulate inviscid flows for which Kelvin’s Circulation Theorem is applicable). The algorithm is based on the work of Lerat et al., who proposed it in the context of terrestrial applications such as the blade-vortex interactions generated by helicopter rotors. We present several tests of Lerat et al.'s vorticity-preserving approach, which we have implemented to second-order accuracy, providing side-by-side comparisons with other algorithms that are frequently used in protostellar disk simulations. The comparison codes include one based on explicit, second-order van Leer advection, one based on spectral methods, and another that implements a higher-order Godunov solver. Our results suggest that the Lerat et al. algorithm will be useful for simulations of astrophysical environments in which vortices play a dynamical role, and where strong shocks are not expected.

Optical components of adaptive systems for improving laser beam quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malakhov, Yuri I.; Atuchin, Victor V.; Kudryashov, Aleksis V.; Starikov, Fedor A.

2008-10-01

The short overview is given of optical equipment developed within the ISTC activity for adaptive systems of new generation allowing for correction of high-power laser beams carrying optical vortices onto the phase surface. They are the kinoform many-level optical elements of new generation, namely, special spiral phase plates and ordered rasters of microlenses, i.e. lenslet arrays, as well as the wide-aperture Hartmann-Shack sensors and bimorph deformable piezoceramics- based mirrors with various grids of control elements.

MAVEN Observations of Partially Developed Kelvin-Helmholtz Vortices at Mars.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ruhunusiri, Suranga; Halekas, J. S.; McFadden, J. P.; Connerney, J. E. P.; Espley, J. R.; Harada, Y.; Livi, R.; Seki, C.; Mazelle, C.; Brain, D.

2016-01-01

We present preliminary results and interpretations for Mars Atmospheric and Volatile EvolutioN,(MAVEN) observations of magnetosheath-ionospheric boundary oscillations at Mars. Using centrifugal force arguments, we first predict that a signature of fully rolled up Kelvin-Helmholtz vortices at Mars is sheath ions that have a bulk motion toward the Sun. The sheath ions adjacent to a vortex should also accelerate to speeds higher than the mean sheath velocity. We also predict that while the ionospheric ions that are in the vortex accelerate antisunward, they never attain speeds exceeding that of the sheath ions, in stark contrast to KH vortices that arise at the Earths magnetopause. We observe accelerated sheath and ionospheric ions, but we do not observe sheath ions that have a bulk motion toward the Sun. Thus, we interpret these observations as KH vortices that have not fully rolled up.

Velocity boundary conditions for vorticity formulations of the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kempka, S.N.; Strickland, J.H.; Glass, M.W.

1995-04-01

formulation to satisfy velocity boundary conditions for the vorticity form of the incompressible, viscous fluid momentum equations is presented. The tangential and normal components of the velocity boundary condition are satisfied simultaneously by creating vorticity adjacent to boundaries. The newly created vorticity is determined using a kinematical formulation which is a generalization of Helmholtz` decomposition of a vector field. Though it has not been generally recognized, these formulations resolve the over-specification issue associated with creating voracity to satisfy velocity boundary conditions. The generalized decomposition has not been widely used, apparently due to a lack of a useful physical interpretation. Anmore » analysis is presented which shows that the generalized decomposition has a relatively simple physical interpretation which facilitates its numerical implementation. The implementation of the generalized decomposition is discussed in detail. As an example the flow in a two-dimensional lid-driven cavity is simulated. The solution technique is based on a Lagrangian transport algorithm in the hydrocode ALEGRA. ALEGRA`s Lagrangian transport algorithm has been modified to solve the vorticity transport equation and the generalized decomposition, thus providing a new, accurate method to simulate incompressible flows. This numerical implementation and the new boundary condition formulation allow vorticity-based formulations to be used in a wider range of engineering problems.« less

Manipulating Energy Flow at the Nanoscale by Coupling Plasmons of Metal Nanostructures to Resonant Molecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiederrecht, Gary

2014-03-01

Collective hybrid excitations resulting from the coupling of metal nanostructures with organic molecules present unique opportunities for manipulating light-matter interactions at the nanoscale. In this talk, I discuss recent studies that are examples of the breadth of phenomena that are possible. First, the interactions of coupled plasmonic nanostructures with azobenzene-based polymers are described, in which the spatial features of the plasmonic near-field can be used to manipulate molecular motion. The directional molecular transport that results is shown to be useful for imaging the spatial and polarization features of the optical near-field. The modeling of this effect is described. Second, the coupling of excitonic molecular aggregates to metal nanostructures produces coherent coupling that provides added structure to the optical extinction spectra of metal nanoparticles, thereby by providing a photonic handle with which to manipulate energy flow on an ultrafast timescale. Monitoring the rate of energy flow as a function of photon energy reveals important information about the energy dissipation channels and the structural interactions between molecule and metal. Third, the strongly enhanced optical nonlinearity resulting from coupled plasmonic nanorods is described. The closely spaced nanorod material exhibits nonlocality of the optical response that has an unusually strong nonlinear dependence on incident light intensity. Electromagnetic modeling confirms the nonlocal response of the plasmonic metamaterial. The broader impact of collective hybrid excitations on nanophotonics applications is described. Use of the Center for Nanoscale Materials was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences under Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357.

Graded metascreens to enable a new degree of nanoscale light management

PubMed Central

Mohammadi Estakhri, Nasim; Argyropoulos, Christos; Alù, Andrea

2015-01-01

Optical metasurfaces, typically referred to as two-dimensional metamaterials, are arrays of engineered subwavelength inclusions suitably designed to tailor the light properties, including amplitude, phase and polarization state, over deeply subwavelength scales. By exploiting anomalous localized interactions of surface elements with optical waves, metasurfaces can go beyond the functionalities offered by conventional diffractive optical gratings. The innate simplicity of implementation and the distinct underlying physics of their wave–matter interaction distinguish metasurfaces from three-dimensional metamaterials and provide a valuable means of moulding optical waves in the desired manner. Here, we introduce a general approach based on the electromagnetic equivalence principle to develop and synthesize graded, non-periodic metasurfaces to generate arbitrarily prescribed distributions of electromagnetic waves. Graded metasurfaces are realized with a single layer of spatially modulated, electrically polarizable nanoparticles, tailoring the scattering response of the surface with nanoscale resolutions. We discuss promising applications based on the proposed local wave management technique, including the design of ultrathin optical carpet cloaks, alignment-free polarization beam splitters and a novel approach to enable broadband light absorption enhancement in thin-film solar cells. This concept opens up a practical route towards efficient planarized optical structures with potential impact on the integrated nanophotonic technology. PMID:26217059

Observations on streamwise vortices in laminar and turbulent boundary layers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morkovin, M. V.

1979-01-01

The frequent but often unsuspected presence of streamwise vortices in nominally two dimensional laminar and turbulent boundary layers and some of their consequences are described. Since there is no body of systematic information on streamwise vortices imbedded in boundary layers, a number of issues concerning their occurrence and behavior are discussed in the form of a set of succinct observations. Desirable experimental and numerical research to remedy the current lack of knowledge is recommended.

Aharonov-Bohm effect with many vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franchini, Fabio; Scharff Goldhaber, Alfred

2008-12-01

The Aharonov-Bohm (A-B) effect is the prime example of a zero-field-strength configuration where a nontrivial vector potential acquires physical significance, a typical quantum mechanical effect. We consider an extension of the traditional A-B problem, by studying a two-dimensional medium filled with many point-like vortices. Systems like this might be present within a type II superconducting layer in the presence of a strong magnetic field perpendicular to the layer, and have been studied in different limits. We construct an explicit solution for the wave function of a scalar particle moving within one such layer when the vortices occupy the sites of a square lattice and have all the same strength, equal to half of the flux quantum. From this construction, we infer some general characteristics of the spectrum, including the conclusion that such a flux array produces a repulsive barrier to an incident low-energy charged particle, so that the penetration probability decays exponentially with distance from the edge.

EDITORIAL: Sensitive structures: refractive indices in nanotechnology Sensitive structures: refractive indices in nanotechnology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demming, Anna

2012-12-01

Refractive index effects using nanoscale systems are frequently applied in new imaging, sensing and even visibility cloaking technology. In this issue, researchers in Japan use simulations and experiments to describe the confinement of optical vortices in nanoscale fin structures and the sensitivity of these systems to the refractive index of the surrounding media [1]. The effects of refraction as light rays pass between different media were recorded as long ago as the first century AD, by Ptolemy [2]. Over the following centuries the phenomena inspired Ibn Sahl in 984 [3], Thomas Harriot in 1602 [4], Willebrord Snellius in 1621 [5] and Rene Descartes in 1637 [6] to independently derive the more accurate and elegant equation for refraction so familiar to us today. Recent studies of the interactions between light and matter continue to reveal a wealth of phenomena that originate in the effects of the refractive indices of materials. Nanostructures can be used to manipulate conditions that affect the refractive indices of materials, such as temperature. A E Aliev et al at the University of Texas reported a striking demonstration of temperature-dependent refractive index effects using a free-standing, highly aligned carbon nanotube aerogel sheet [7]. They used the extremely low thermal capacitance and high heat transfer ability of transparent carbon nanotube sheets to enable high-frequency modulation of the sheet temperature over an enormous temperature range. The resulting sharp, rapidly changing gradient of the refractive index in the surrounding liquid or gas makes objects seem to disappear and can be used for visibility cloaking. Light-matter interaction resonances, where light is confined at the nanoscale, can be extremely sensitive to changes in the refractive index of the surrounding media [8], even allowing single-molecule detection [9]. Plasmons, the collective oscillations of electrons in response to incident light, are a typical example. Researchers at Rice

NANOSCALE BIOSENSORS IN ECOSYSTEM EXPOSURE RESEARCH

EPA Science Inventory

This powerpoint presentation presented information on nanoscale biosensors in ecosystem exposure research. The outline of the presentation is as follows: nanomaterials environmental exposure research; US agencies involved in nanosensor research; nanoscale LEDs in biosensors; nano...

Emergent vortices in populations of colloidal rollers

PubMed Central

Bricard, Antoine; Caussin, Jean-Baptiste; Das, Debasish; Savoie, Charles; Chikkadi, Vijayakumar; Shitara, Kyohei; Chepizhko, Oleksandr; Peruani, Fernando; Saintillan, David; Bartolo, Denis

2015-01-01

Coherent vortical motion has been reported in a wide variety of populations including living organisms (bacteria, fishes, human crowds) and synthetic active matter (shaken grains, mixtures of biopolymers), yet a unified description of the formation and structure of this pattern remains lacking. Here we report the self-organization of motile colloids into a macroscopic steadily rotating vortex. Combining physical experiments and numerical simulations, we elucidate this collective behaviour. We demonstrate that the emergent-vortex structure lives on the verge of a phase separation, and single out the very constituents responsible for this state of polar active matter. Building on this observation, we establish a continuum theory and lay out a strong foundation for the description of vortical collective motion in a broad class of motile populations constrained by geometrical boundaries. PMID:26088835

Zero absolute vorticity: insight from experiments in rotating laminar plane Couette flow.

PubMed

Suryadi, Alexandre; Segalini, Antonio; Alfredsson, P Henrik

2014-03-01

For pressure-driven turbulent channel flows undergoing spanwise system rotation, it has been observed that the absolute vorticity, i.e., the sum of the averaged spanwise flow vorticity and system rotation, tends to zero in the central region of the channel. This observation has so far eluded a convincing theoretical explanation, despite experimental and numerical evidence reported in the literature. Here we show experimentally that three-dimensional laminar structures in plane Couette flow, which appear under anticyclonic system rotation, give the same effect, namely, that the absolute vorticity tends to zero if the rotation rate is high enough. It is shown that this is equivalent to a local Richardson number of approximately zero, which would indicate a stable condition. We also offer an explanation based on Kelvin's circulation theorem to demonstrate that the absolute vorticity should remain constant and approximately equal to zero in the central region of the channel when going from the nonrotating fully turbulent state to any state with sufficiently high rotation.

Origin of chaos near three-dimensional quantum vortices: A general Bohmian theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tzemos, Athanasios C.; Efthymiopoulos, Christos; Contopoulos, George

2018-04-01

We provide a general theory for the structure of the quantum flow near three-dimensional (3D) nodal lines, i.e., one-dimensional loci where the 3D wave function becomes equal to zero. In suitably defined coordinates (comoving with the nodal line) the generic structure of the flow implies the formation of 3D quantum vortices. We show that such vortices are accompanied by nearby invariant lines of the comoving quantum flow, called X lines, which are normally hyperbolic. Furthermore, the stable and unstable manifolds of the X lines produce chaotic scatterings of nearby quantum (Bohmian) trajectories, thus inducing an intricate form of the quantum current in the neighborhood of each 3D quantum vortex. Generic formulas describing the structure around 3D quantum vortices are provided, applicable to an arbitrary choice of 3D wave function. We also give specific numerical examples as well as a discussion of the physical consequences of chaos near 3D quantum vortices.

Origin of chaos near three-dimensional quantum vortices: A general Bohmian theory.

PubMed

Tzemos, Athanasios C; Efthymiopoulos, Christos; Contopoulos, George

2018-04-01

We provide a general theory for the structure of the quantum flow near three-dimensional (3D) nodal lines, i.e., one-dimensional loci where the 3D wave function becomes equal to zero. In suitably defined coordinates (comoving with the nodal line) the generic structure of the flow implies the formation of 3D quantum vortices. We show that such vortices are accompanied by nearby invariant lines of the comoving quantum flow, called X lines, which are normally hyperbolic. Furthermore, the stable and unstable manifolds of the X lines produce chaotic scatterings of nearby quantum (Bohmian) trajectories, thus inducing an intricate form of the quantum current in the neighborhood of each 3D quantum vortex. Generic formulas describing the structure around 3D quantum vortices are provided, applicable to an arbitrary choice of 3D wave function. We also give specific numerical examples as well as a discussion of the physical consequences of chaos near 3D quantum vortices.

Optical Response of Metal Nanoantennas to Femtosecond Pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biswas, Sushmita; Heberle, Albert

2007-03-01

Nanoscale metal antennas are promising devices for focusing light down to dimensions much smaller than the wavelength of light. This focusing can lead to strong optical enhancement of the response of single molecules or quantum dots placed in the antenna gap, as well as strong nonlinearities. The optical response of such antenna, however, is not well understood yet. Here, we will present results of our investigations of the linear and nonlinear optical response of silver nanoscale bowtie antennas to excitation with near-infrared pulses from a femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser. The antennas were fabricated with electron beam lithography and a lift-of process on glass substrates and semiconductor materials. They have lengths of a few hundred nanometers and gaps between 10 and 100 nanometers. We will discuss polarization dependence of the excitation sensitivity, second harmonic generation and other nonlinear effects. References: [1] P. Muhlschlegel et al., Science ,1607(2005). [2] J.N. Farahani et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 95,017402(2005).

High-volume optical vortex multiplexing and de-multiplexing for free-space optical communication.

PubMed

Wang, Zhongxi; Zhang, N; Yuan, X-C

2011-01-17

We report an approach to the increase of signal channels in free-space optical communication based on composed optical vortices (OVs). In the encoding process, conventional algorithm employed for the generation of collinearly superimposed OVs is combined with a genetic algorithm to achieve high-volume OV multiplexing. At the receiver end, a novel Dammann vortex grating is used to analyze the multihelix beams with a large number of OVs. We experimentally demonstrate a digitized system which is capable of transmitting and receiving 16 OV channels simultaneously. This system is expected to be compatible with a high-speed OV multiplexing technique, with potentials to extremely high-volume information density in OV communication.

Nano-optomechanics with optically levitated nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neukirch, Levi P.; Vamivakas, A. Nick

2015-01-01

Nano-optomechanics is a vibrant area of research that continues to push the boundary of quantum science and measurement technology. Recently, it has been realised that the optical forces experienced by polarisable nanoparticles can provide a novel platform for nano-optomechanics with untethered mechanical oscillators. Remarkably, these oscillators are expected to exhibit quality factors approaching ?. The pronounced quality factors are a direct result of the mechanical oscillator being freed from a supporting substrate. This review provides an overview of the basic optical physics underpinning optical trapping and optical levitation experiments, it discusses a number of experimental approaches to optical trapping and finally outlines possible applications of this nano-optomechanics modality in hybrid quantum systems and nanoscale optical metrology.

Influence of deep vortices on the ocean surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ciani, Daniele; Carton, Xavier; Bashmachnikov, Igor; Chapron, Bertrand

2015-04-01

The oceanic motion at mesoscale (20-200 km) and submesoscale (0.5-20 km) is highly populated by vortices. These recirculating structures are more energetic than the mean flow, they trap water masses from their origination areas and advect them across the ocean, with consequent impact on the 3D distribution of heat and tracers. Mesoscale and submesoscale structures characterize the ocean dynamics both at the sea-surface and at intrathermocline depths (0-1500 m), and are presently investigated by means of model outputs and satellite (surface) data, the latest being the only way to get high resolution and synoptic observations at planetary scale (e.g., thermal-band observations, future altimetric observations given by the SWOT mission). The scientific question arising from this context is related to the role of the ocean surface for inferring informations on mesoscale and submesoscale vortices at depth. This study has also been motivated by the recent detection of subsurface eddies east of the Arabian Peninsula (PHYSINDIEN experiment - 2011). Using analytical models in the frame of the quasi-geostrophic (QG) theory, we could describe the theoretical altimetric signature of non-drifting and of drifting subsurface eddies. Numerical experiments, using both QG and primitive equations models, allowed us to investigate the surface expression of intrathermocline eddies interacting with baroclinic currents or evolving under planetary beta-effect. The eddies' characteristics (radius, depth, thickness, velocity) were varied in order to represent various oceanic examples (Meddies, Swoddies, Reddies, Peddies, Leddies). Idealized simulations with the ROMS model, confirming theoretical estimates, showed that drifting subsurface-intensified vortices can induce dipolar sea level anomalies, up to 3 cm. This result, compatibly with future SWOT measurement accuracies (about 2 cm), represents a contribution for systematic and synoptic detection of subsurface vortices.

A New Dynamical Core Based on the Prediction of the Curl of the Horizontal Vorticity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konor, C. S.; Randall, D. A.; Heikes, R. P.

2015-12-01

The Vector-Vorticity Dynamical core (VVM) developed by Jung and Arakawa (2008) has important advantages for the use with the anelastic and unified systems of equations. The VVM predicts the horizontal vorticity vector (HVV) at each interface and the vertical vorticity at the top layer of the model. To guarantee that the three-dimensional vorticity is nondivergent, the vertical vorticity at the interior layers is diagnosed from the horizontal divergence of the HVV through a vertical integral from the top to down. To our knowledge, this is the only dynamical core that guarantees the nondivergence of the three-dimensional vorticity. The VVM uses a C-type horizontal grid, which allows a computational mode. While the computational mode does not seem to be serious in the Cartesian grid applications, it may be serious in the icosahedral grid applications because of the extra degree of freedom in such grids. Although there are special filters to minimize the effects of this computational mode, we prefer to eliminate it altogether. We have developed a new dynamical core, which uses a Z-grid to avoid the computational mode mentioned above. The dynamical core predicts the curl of the HVV and diagnoses the horizontal divergence of the HVV from the predicted vertical vorticity. The three-dimensional vorticity is guaranteed to be nondivergent as in the VVM. In this presentation, we will introduce the new dynamical core and show results obtained by using Cartesian and hexagonal grids. We will also compare the solutions to that obtained by the VVM.

Induction of optical vortex in the crystals subjected to bending stresses.

PubMed

Skab, Ihor; Vasylkiv, Yurij; Vlokh, Rostyslav

2012-08-20

We describe a method for generation of optical vortices that relies on bending of transparent parallelepiped-shaped samples fabricated from either glass or crystalline solid materials. It is shown that the induced singularity of optical indicatrix rotation leads in general to appearance of a mixed screw-edge dislocation of the phase front of outgoing optical beam. At the same time, some specified geometrical parameters of the sample can ensure generation of a purely screw dislocation of the phase front and, as a result, a singly charged canonical optical vortex.

Dissociation transition of a composite lattice of magnetic vortices in the flux-flow regime of two-band superconductors.

PubMed

Lin, Shi-Zeng; Bulaevskii, Lev N

2013-02-22

In multiband superconductors, each superconducting condensate supports vortices with fractional quantum flux. In the ground state, vortices in different bands are spatially bounded together to form a composite vortex, carrying one quantum flux Φ(0). Here we predict dissociation of the composite vortices lattice in the flux flow state due to the disparity of the vortex viscosity and flux of the vortex in different bands. For a small driving current, composite vortices start to deform, but the constituting vortices in different bands move with the same velocity. For a large current, composite vortices dissociate and vortices in different bands move with different velocities. The dissociation transition shows up as an increase of flux flow resistivity. In the dissociated phase, Shapiro steps are developed when an ac current is superimposed with a dc current.

Visualization and Quantification of Rotor Tip Vortices in Helicopter Flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kao, David L.; Ahmad, Jasim U.; Holst, Terry L.

2015-01-01

This paper presents an automated approach for effective extraction, visualization, and quantification of vortex core radii from the Navier-Stokes simulations of a UH-60A rotor in forward flight. We adopt a scaled Q-criterion to determine vortex regions and then perform vortex core profiling in these regions to calculate vortex core radii. This method provides an efficient way of visualizing and quantifying the blade tip vortices. Moreover, the vortices radii are displayed graphically in a plane.

MMS Observations of Vorticity Near Sites of Magnetic Reconnection