1THz synchronous tuning of two optical synthesizers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neuhaus, Rudolf; Rohde, Felix; Benkler, Erik; Puppe, Thomas; Raab, Christoph; Unterreitmayer, Reinhard; Zach, Armin; Telle, Harald R.; Stuhler, Jürgen

2016-04-01

Single-frequency optical synthesizers (SFOS) provide an optical field with arbitrarily adjustable frequency and phase which is phase-coherently linked to a reference signal. Ideally, they combine the spectral resolution of narrow linewidth frequency stabilized lasers with the broad spectral coverage of frequency combs in a tunable fashion. In state-of-the-art SFOSs tuning across comb lines requires comb line order switching,1, 2 which imposes technical overhead with problems like forbidden frequency gaps or strong phase glitches. Conventional tunable lasers often tune over only tens of GHz before mode-hops occur. Here, we present a novel type of SFOSs, which relies on a serrodyne technique with conditional flyback,3 shifting the carrier frequency of the employed frequency comb without an intrusion into the comb generator. It utilizes a new continuously tunable diode laser that tunes mode-hop-free across the full gain spectrum of the integrated laser diode. We investigate the tuning behavior of two identical SFOSs that share a common reference, by comparing the phases of their output signals. Previously, we achieved phase-stable and cycle-slip free frequency tuning over 28.1 GHz with a maximum zero-to-peak phase deviation of 62 mrad4 when sharing a common comb generator. With the new continuously tunable lasers, the SFOSs tune synchronously across nearly 17800 comb lines (1 THz). The tuning range in this approach can be extended to the full bandwidth of the frequency comb and the 110 nm mode-hop-free tuning range of the diode laser.

Cochlear microphonic broad tuning curves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ayat, Mohammad; Teal, Paul D.; Searchfield, Grant D.; Razali, Najwani

2015-12-01

It is known that the cochlear microphonic voltage exhibits much broader tuning than does the basilar membrane motion. The most commonly used explanation for this is that when an electrode is inserted at a particular point inside the scala media, the microphonic potentials of neighbouring hair cells have different phases, leading to cancelation at the electrodes location. In situ recording of functioning outer hair cells (OHCs) for investigating this hypothesis is exceptionally difficult. Therefore, to investigate the discrepancy between the tuning curves of the basilar membrane and those of the cochlear microphonic, and the effect of phase cancellation of adjacent hair cells on the broadness of the cochlear microphonic tuning curves, we use an electromechanical model of the cochlea to devise an experiment. We explore the effect of adjacent hair cells (i.e., longitudinal phase cancellation) on the broadness of the cochlear microphonic tuning curves in different locations. The results of the experiment indicate that active longitudinal coupling (i.e., coupling with active adjacent outer hair cells) only slightly changes the broadness of the CM tuning curves. The results also demonstrate that there is a π phase difference between the potentials produced by the hair bundle and the soma near the place associated with the characteristic frequency based on place-frequency maps (i.e., the best place). We suggest that the transversal phase cancellation (caused by the phase difference between the hair bundle and the soma) plays a far more important role than longitudinal phase cancellation in the broadness of the cochlear microphonic tuning curves. Moreover, by increasing the modelled longitudinal resistance resulting the cochlear microphonic curves exhibiting sharper tuning. The results of the simulations suggest that the passive network of the organ of Corti determines the phase difference between the hair bundle and soma, and hence determines the sharpness of the cochlear microphonic tuning curves.

The Rhythm Aftereffect: Support for Time Sensitive Neurons with Broad Overlapping Tuning Curves

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Becker, Mark W.; Rasmussen, Ian P.

2007-01-01

Ivry [Ivry, R. B. (1996). The representation of temporal information in perception and motor control. Current Opinion in Neurobiology, 6, 851-857.] proposed that explicit coding of brief time intervals is accomplished by neurons that are tuned to a preferred temporal interval and have broad overlapping tuning curves. This proposal is analogous to…

Genome-Wide Tuning of Protein Expression Levels to Rapidly Engineer Microbial Traits.

PubMed

Freed, Emily F; Winkler, James D; Weiss, Sophie J; Garst, Andrew D; Mutalik, Vivek K; Arkin, Adam P; Knight, Rob; Gill, Ryan T

2015-11-20

The reliable engineering of biological systems requires quantitative mapping of predictable and context-independent expression over a broad range of protein expression levels. However, current techniques for modifying expression levels are cumbersome and are not amenable to high-throughput approaches. Here we present major improvements to current techniques through the design and construction of E. coli genome-wide libraries using synthetic DNA cassettes that can tune expression over a ∼10(4) range. The cassettes also contain molecular barcodes that are optimized for next-generation sequencing, enabling rapid and quantitative tracking of alleles that have the highest fitness advantage. We show these libraries can be used to determine which genes and expression levels confer greater fitness to E. coli under different growth conditions.

Broadband sensitive pump-probe setup for ultrafast optical switching of photonic nanostructures and semiconductors.

PubMed

Euser, Tijmen G; Harding, Philip J; Vos, Willem L

2009-07-01

We describe an ultrafast time resolved pump-probe spectroscopy setup aimed at studying the switching of nanophotonic structures. Both femtosecond pump and probe pulses can be independently tuned over broad frequency range between 3850 and 21,050 cm(-1). A broad pump scan range allows a large optical penetration depth, while a broad probe scan range is crucial to study strongly photonic crystals. A new data acquisition method allows for sensitive pump-probe measurements, and corrects for fluctuations in probe intensity and pump stray light. We observe a tenfold improvement of the precision of the setup compared to laser fluctuations, allowing a measurement accuracy of better than DeltaR=0.07% in a 1 s measurement time. Demonstrations of the improved technique are presented for a bulk Si wafer, a three-dimensional Si inverse opal photonic bandgap crystal, and z-scan measurements of the two-photon absorption coefficient of Si, GaAs, and the three-photon absorption coefficient of GaP in the infrared wavelength range.

Broadly wavelength tunable acousto-optically Q-switched Tm:Lu2SiO5 laser.

PubMed

Feng, T; Yang, K; Zhao, S; Zhao, J; Qiao, W; Li, T; Zheng, L; Xu, J

2014-09-20

A broadly wavelength tunable acousto-optically Q-switched Tm:Lu2SiO5 (Tm:LSO) laser is presented for the first time, to our best knowledge. The emission wavelength was tuned in a broad spectral region over 111 nm ranging from 1959 to 2070 nm. A shortest pulse duration of 345 ns with beam quality of M(2)≤1.65 was obtained at pulse repetition frequency (PRF) of 1 kHz, corresponding to a maximum single pulse energy of 0.26 mJ and peak power of 0.75 kW. The experimental results indicated that Tm:LSO crystal has outstanding potential for obtaining broadly wavelength tunable and low-PRF laser pulses at 2 μm.

Understanding Fire Through Improved Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

Aztec(TradeMark) is the commercial name for Southwest Sciences laser. The laser has coarse tuning ranges of 10 nanometers (nm) to 30 nm at wavelengths ranging from 630 nm to 2,300 nm, making it the only commercially available external cavity diode laser with wavelengths beyond 1,650 nm. The laser's high-speed tuning in both coarse and fine wavelength regimes allows for increased trace gas detection. With the automated coarse tuning option, the Aztec sweeps through its wavelength range in less than 1 millisecond. While some diode lasers can only detect one type, or species, of a trace gas, the Aztec's broad wavelength tuning provides access to multiple trace gas species. The Aztec has a wide range of applications for both NASA and commercial users, from protecting astronauts in space to improving combustion processes on Earth. It may serve as a new tool for planetary exploration, as it can detect a wide range of multiple gas species in planetary atmospheres. The laser could optically detect gaseous indicators of incipient fires on the International Space Station and Space Shuttle, as well as detect low concentrations of potentially toxic gases in spacecraft crew habitats. The laser could also provide more accurate fire detection in aircraft cargo compartments. Since the Aztec can detect several gases that only evolve during an actual fire, its implementation could reduce the large number of commercial aircraft landings that currently occur due to false alarms. Other applications include environmental and industrial process monitoring.

Economy of scale: a motion sensor with variable speed tuning.

PubMed

Perrone, John A

2005-01-26

We have previously presented a model of how neurons in the primate middle temporal (MT/V5) area can develop selectivity for image speed by using common properties of the V1 neurons that precede them in the visual motion pathway (J. A. Perrone & A. Thiele, 2002). The motion sensor developed in this model is based on two broad classes of V1 complex neurons (sustained and transient). The S-type neuron has low-pass temporal frequency tuning, p(omega), and the T-type has band-pass temporal frequency tuning, m(omega). The outputs from the S and T neurons are combined in a special way (weighted intersection mechanism [WIM]) to generate a sensor tuned to a particular speed, v. Here I go on to show that if the S and T temporal frequency tuning functions have a particular form (i.e., p(omega)/(m(omega) = k/omega), then a motion sensor with variable speed tuning can be generated from just two V1 neurons. A simple scaling of the S- or T-type neuron output before it is incorporated into the WIM model produces a motion sensor that can be tuned to a wide continuous range of optimal speeds.

25Gb/s 1V-driving CMOS ring modulator with integrated thermal tuning.

PubMed

Li, Guoliang; Zheng, Xuezhe; Yao, Jin; Thacker, Hiren; Shubin, Ivan; Luo, Ying; Raj, Kannan; Cunningham, John E; Krishnamoorthy, Ashok V

2011-10-10

We report a high-speed ring modulator that fits many of the ideal qualities for optical interconnect in future exascale supercomputers. The device was fabricated in a 130 nm SOI CMOS process, with 7.5 μm ring radius. Its high-speed section, employing PN junction that works at carrier-depletion mode, enables 25 Gb/s modulation and an extinction ratio >5 dB with only 1V peak-to-peak driving. Its thermal tuning section allows the device to work in broad wavelength range, with a tuning efficiency of 0.19 nm/mW. Based on microwave characterization and circuit modeling, the modulation energy is estimated ~7 fJ/bit. The whole device fits in a compact 400 μm2 footprint.

Electronic sideband locking of a broadly tunable 318.6 nm ultraviolet laser to an ultra-stable optical cavity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bai, Jiandong; Wang, Jieying; He, Jun; Wang, Junmin

2017-04-01

We demonstrate frequency stabilization of a tunable 318.6 nm ultraviolet (UV) laser system using electronic sideband locking. By indirectly changing the frequency of a broadband electro-optic phase modulator, the laser can be continuously tuned over 4 GHz, while a 637.2 nm laser is directly stabilized to a high-finesse ultra-stable optical cavity. The doubling cavity also remains locked to the 637.2 nm light. We show that the tuning range depends mainly on the gain-flattening region of the modulator and the piezo-tunable range of the seed laser. The frequency-stabilized tunable UV laser system is able to compensate for the offset between reference and target frequencies, and has potential applications in precision spectroscopy of cold atoms.

Sample Skewness as a Statistical Measurement of Neuronal Tuning Sharpness

PubMed Central

Samonds, Jason M.; Potetz, Brian R.; Lee, Tai Sing

2014-01-01

We propose using the statistical measurement of the sample skewness of the distribution of mean firing rates of a tuning curve to quantify sharpness of tuning. For some features, like binocular disparity, tuning curves are best described by relatively complex and sometimes diverse functions, making it difficult to quantify sharpness with a single function and parameter. Skewness provides a robust nonparametric measure of tuning curve sharpness that is invariant with respect to the mean and variance of the tuning curve and is straightforward to apply to a wide range of tuning, including simple orientation tuning curves and complex object tuning curves that often cannot even be described parametrically. Because skewness does not depend on a specific model or function of tuning, it is especially appealing to cases of sharpening where recurrent interactions among neurons produce sharper tuning curves that deviate in a complex manner from the feedforward function of tuning. Since tuning curves for all neurons are not typically well described by a single parametric function, this model independence additionally allows skewness to be applied to all recorded neurons, maximizing the statistical power of a set of data. We also compare skewness with other nonparametric measures of tuning curve sharpness and selectivity. Compared to these other nonparametric measures tested, skewness is best used for capturing the sharpness of multimodal tuning curves defined by narrow peaks (maximum) and broad valleys (minima). Finally, we provide a more formal definition of sharpness using a shape-based information gain measure and derive and show that skewness is correlated with this definition. PMID:24555451

Tuning selective reflection of light by surface anchoring in cholesteric cells with oblique helicoidal structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iadlovska, Olena S.; Maxwell, Graham R.; Babakhanova, Greta; Mehl, Georg H.; Welch, Christopher; Shiyanovskii, Sergij V.; Lavrentovich, Oleg D.

2018-04-01

Selective reflection of light by oblique helicoidal cholesteric (ChOH) can be tuned in a very broad spectral range by an applied electric field. In this work, we demonstrate that the peak wavelength of the selective reflection can be controlled by surface alignment of the director in sandwich cells. The peak wavelength is blue-shifted when the surface alignment is perpendicular to the bounding plates and red-shifted when it is planar. The effect is explained by the electric field redistribution within the cell caused by spatially varying heliconical ChOH structure. The observed phenomenon can be used in sensing applications.

Influence of Molecular Shape on Molecular Orientation and Stability of Vapor-Deposited Organic Semiconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walters, Diane M.; Johnson, Noah D.; Ediger, M. D.

Physical vapor deposition is commonly used to prepare active layers in organic electronics. Recently, it has been shown that molecular orientation and packing can be tuned by changing the substrate temperature during deposition, while still producing macroscopically homogeneous films. These amorphous materials can be highly anisotropic when prepared with low substrate temperatures, and they can exhibit exceptional kinetic stability; films retain their favorable packing when heated to high temperatures. Here, we study the influence of molecular shape on molecular orientation and stability. We investigate disc-shaped molecules, such as TCTA and m-MTDATA, nearly spherical molecules, such as Alq3, and linear molecules covering a broad range of aspect ratios, such as p-TTP and BSB-Cz. Disc-shaped molecules have preferential horizontal orientation when deposited at low substrate temperatures, and their orientation can be tuned by changing the substrate temperature. Alq3 forms stable, amorphous films that are optically isotropic when vapor deposited over a broad range of substrate temperatures. This work may guide the choice of material and deposition conditions for vapor-deposited films used in organic electronics and allow for more efficient devices to be fabricated.

Real-time spectroscopic sensing using a widely tunable external cavity-QCL with MOEMS diffraction grating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ostendorf, Ralf; Butschek, Lorenz; Merten, André; Grahmann, Jan; Jarvis, Jan; Hugger, Stefan; Fuchs, Frank; Wagner, Joachim

2016-02-01

We present spectroscopic measurements performed with an EC-QCL combining a broadly tunable quantum cascade laser chip with a tuning range of more than 300 cm-1 and a resonantly driven MOEMS scanner with an integrated diffraction grating for wavelength selection in Littrow configuration. The grating geometry was optimized to provide high diffraction efficiency over the wide tuning range of the QCL, thus assuring high power density and high spectral resolution in the MIR range. The MOEMS scanner has a resonance frequency of 1 kHz, hence allowing for two full wavelength scans, one up and the other downwards, within 1 ms. The capability for real-time spectroscopic sensing based on MOEMS EC-QCLs is demonstrated by transmission measurements performed on polystyrene reference absorber sheets as well as on gaseous samples of carbon monoxide. For the latter one, a large portion of the characteristic CO absorption band containing several absorption lines in the range of 2070 cm-1 to 2280 cm-1 can be monitored in real-time.

Power and efficiency scaling of diode pumped Cr:LiSAF lasers: 770-1110 nm tuning range and frequency doubling to 387-463 nm.

PubMed

Demirbas, Umit; Baali, Ilyes

2015-10-15

We report significant average power and efficiency scaling of diode-pumped Cr:LiSAF lasers in continuous-wave (cw), cw frequency-doubled, and mode-locked regimes. Four single-emitter broad-area laser diodes around 660 nm were used as the pump source, which provided a total pump power of 7.2 W. To minimize thermal effects, a 20 mm long Cr:LiSAF sample with a relatively low Cr-concentration (0.8%) was used as the gain medium. In cw laser experiments, 2.4 W of output power, a slope efficiency of 50%, and a tuning range covering the 770-1110 nm region were achieved. Intracavity frequency doubling with beta-barium borate (BBO) crystals generated up to 1160 mW of blue power and a record tuning range in the 387-463 nm region. When mode locked with a saturable absorber mirror, the laser produced 195 fs pulses with 580 mW of average power around 820 nm at a 100.3 MHz repetition rate. The optical-to-optical conversion efficiency of the system was 33% in cw, 16% in cw frequency-doubled, and 8% in cw mode-locked regimes.

A Search for Some Wide-Range Tunable Dye Laser Systems Working on the ’Exciplex’ Principle.

DTIC Science & Technology

The ’ exciplex ’ mechanism of radiation emission from a dye affords one means of producing a broad fluorescent spectrum without adding to the...emissions from both the dye and the exciplex may appear, thereby permitting an even greater tuning range. Two mechanisms apply: the ’proton exciplex ...8217, which relates to changes in conventional acidity and basicity in the excited state; and the ’molecular exciplex ’, which relates to changes in

Wide-Band Spatially Tunable Photonic Bandgap in Visible Spectral Range and Laser based on a Polymer Stabilized Blue Phase

PubMed Central

Lin, Jia-De; Wang, Tsai-Yen; Mo, Ting-Shan; Huang, Shuan-Yu; Lee, Chia-Rong

2016-01-01

This work successfully develops a largely-gradient-pitched polymer-stabilized blue phase (PSBP) photonic bandgap (PBG) device with a wide-band spatial tunability in nearly entire visible region within a wide blue phase (BP) temperature range including room temperature. The device is fabricated based on the reverse diffusion of two injected BP-monomer mixtures with a low and a high chiral concentrations and afterwards through UV-curing. This gradient-pitched PSBP can show a rainbow-like reflection appearance in which the peak wavelength of the PBG can be spatially tuned from the blue to the red regions at room temperature. The total tuning spectral range for the cell is as broad as 165 nm and covers almost the entire visible region. Based on the gradient-pitched PSBP, a spatially tunable laser is also demonstrated in this work. The temperature sensitivity of the lasing wavelength for the laser is negatively linear and approximately −0.26 nm/°C. The two devices have a great potential for use in applications of photonic devices and displays because of their multiple advantages, such as wide-band tunability, wide operated temperature range, high stability and reliability, no issue of hysteresis, no need of external controlling sources, and not slow tuning speed (mechanically). PMID:27456475

Broad emission band of Yb3+ in the nonlinear Nb:RbTiOPO4 crystal: origin and applications.

PubMed

Carvajal, J J; Ciatto, G; Mateos, X; Schmidt, A; Griebner, U; Petrov, V; Boulon, G; Brenier, A; Peña, A; Pujol, M C; Aguiló, M; Díaz, F

2010-03-29

By means of micro-structural and optical characterization of the Yb:Nb:RbTiOPO(4) crystal, we demonstrated that the broad emission band of Yb(3+) in these crystals is due to the large splitting of the ytterbium ground state only, and not to a complex multisite occupation by the ytterbium ions in the crystals. We used this broad emission band to demonstrate wide laser tuning range and generation of femtosecond laser pulses. Passive mode-locked laser operation has been realized by using a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror, generating ultra short laser pulses of 155 fs, which were very stable in time, under Ti:sapphire laser pumping at 1053 nm.

Response Growth With Sound Level in Auditory-Nerve Fibers After Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

PubMed Central

Heinz, Michael G.; Young, Eric D.

2010-01-01

People with sensorineural hearing loss are often constrained by a reduced acoustic dynamic range associated with loudness recruitment; however, the neural correlates of loudness and recruitment are still not well understood. The growth of auditory-nerve (AN) activity with sound level was compared in normal-hearing cats and in cats with a noise-induced hearing loss to test the hypothesis that AN-fiber rate-level functions are steeper in impaired ears. Stimuli included best-frequency and fixed-frequency tones, broadband noise, and a brief speech token. Three types of impaired responses were observed. 1) Fibers with rate-level functions that were similar across all stimuli typically had broad tuning, consistent with outer-hair-cell (OHC) damage. 2) Fibers with a wide dynamic range and shallow slope above threshold often retained sharp tuning, consistent with primarily inner-hair-cell (IHC) damage. 3) Fibers with very steep rate-level functions for all stimuli had thresholds above approximately 80 dB SPL and very broad tuning, consistent with severe IHC and OHC damage. Impaired rate-level slopes were on average shallower than normal for tones, and were steeper in only limited conditions. There was less variation in rate-level slopes across stimuli in impaired fibers, presumably attributable to the lack of suppression-induced reductions in slopes for complex stimuli relative to BF-tone slopes. Sloping saturation was observed less often in impaired fibers. These results illustrate that AN fibers do not provide a simple representation of the basilar-membrane I/O function and suggest that both OHC and IHC damage can affect AN response growth. PMID:14534289

Analysis of tuning methods in semiconductor frequency-selective surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shemelya, Corey; Palm, Dominic; Fip, Tassilo; Rahm, Marco

2017-02-01

Advanced technology, such as sensing and communication equipment, has recently begun to combine optically sensitive nano-scale structures with customizable semiconductor material systems. Included within this broad field of study is the aptly named frequency-selective surface; which is unique in that it can be artificially designed to produce a specific electromagnetic or optical response. With the inherent utility of a frequency-selective surface, there has been an increased interest in the area of dynamic frequency-selective surfaces, which can be altered through optical or electrical tuning. This area has had exciting break throughs as tuning methods have evolved; however, these methods are typically energy intensive (optical tuning) or have met with limited success (electrical tuning). As such, this work investigates multiple structures and processes which implement semiconductor electrical biasing and/or optical tuning. Within this study are surfaces ranging from transmission meta-structures to metamaterial surface-waves and the associated coupling schemes. This work shows the utility of each design, while highlighting potential methods for optimizing dynamic meta-surfaces. As an added constraint, the structures were also designed to operate in unison with a state-of-the-art Ti:Sapphire Spitfire Ace and Spitfire Ace PA dual system (12 Watt) with pulse front matching THz generation and an EOS detection system. Additionally, the Ti:Sapphire laser system would provide the means for optical tunablity, while electrical tuning can be obtained through external power supplies.

Temporal properties of responses to sound in the ventral nucleus of the lateral lemniscus.

PubMed

Recio-Spinoso, Alberto; Joris, Philip X

2014-02-01

Besides the rapid fluctuations in pressure that constitute the "fine structure" of a sound stimulus, slower fluctuations in the sound's envelope represent an important temporal feature. At various stages in the auditory system, neurons exhibit tuning to envelope frequency and have been described as modulation filters. We examine such tuning in the ventral nucleus of the lateral lemniscus (VNLL) of the pentobarbital-anesthetized cat. The VNLL is a large but poorly accessible auditory structure that provides a massive inhibitory input to the inferior colliculus. We test whether envelope filtering effectively applies to the envelope spectrum when multiple envelope components are simultaneously present. We find two broad classes of response with often complementary properties. The firing rate of onset neurons is tuned to a band of modulation frequencies, over which they also synchronize strongly to the envelope waveform. Although most sustained neurons show little firing rate dependence on modulation frequency, some of them are weakly tuned. The latter neurons are usually band-pass or low-pass tuned in synchronization, and a reverse-correlation approach demonstrates that their modulation tuning is preserved to nonperiodic, noisy envelope modulations of a tonal carrier. Modulation tuning to this type of stimulus is weaker for onset neurons. In response to broadband noise, sustained and onset neurons tend to filter out envelope components over a frequency range consistent with their modulation tuning to periodically modulated tones. The results support a role for VNLL in providing temporal reference signals to the auditory midbrain.

Demonstration of a rapidly-swept external cavity quantum cascade laser for atmospheric sensing applications

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

Brumfield, Brian E.; Taubman, Matthew S.; Phillips, Mark C.

2016-07-01

The application of quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) in atmospheric science for trace detection of gases has been demonstrated using sensors in point or remote sensing configurations. Many of these systems utilize single narrowly-tunable (~10 cm-1) distributed feedback (DFB-) QCLs that limit simultaneous detection to a restricted number of small chemical species like H2O or N2O. The narrow wavelength range of DFB-QCLs precludes accurate quantification of large chemical species with broad rotationally-unresolved vibrational spectra, such as volatile organic compounds, that play an important role in the chemistry of the atmosphere. External-cavity (EC-) QCL systems are available that offer tuning ranges >100more » cm-1, making them excellent IR sources for measuring multiple small and large chemical species in the atmosphere. While the broad wavelength coverage afforded by an EC system enables measurements of large chemical species, most commercial systems can only be swept over their entire wavelength range at less than 10 Hz. This prohibits broadband simultaneous measurements of multiple chemicals in plumes from natural or industrial sources where turbulence and/or chemical reactivity are resulting in rapid changes in chemical composition on sub-1s timescales. At Pacific Northwest National Laboratory we have developed rapidly-swept EC-QCL technology that acquires broadband absorption spectra (~100 cm-1) on ms timescales. The spectral resolution of this system has enabled simultaneous measurement of narrow rotationally-resolved atmospherically-broadened lines from small chemical species, while offering the broad tuning range needed to measure broadband spectral features from multiple large chemical species. In this talk the application of this technology for open-path atmospheric measurements will be discussed based on results from laboratory measurements with simulated plumes of chemicals. The performance offered by the system for simultaneous detection of multiple chemical species will be presented.« less

Demonstration of a Rapidly-Swept External Cavity Quantum Cascade Laser for Atmospheric Sensing Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brumfield, Brian E.; Taubman, Matthew S.; Phillips, Mark C.; Suter, Jonathan D.

2016-06-01

The application of quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) in atmospheric science for trace detection of gases has been demonstrated using sensors in point or remote sensing configurations. Many of these systems utilize single narrowly-tunable (˜10 wn) distributed feedback (DFB-) QCLs that limit simultaneous detection to a restricted number of small chemical species like H2O or N2O. The narrow wavelength range of DFB-QCLs precludes accurate quantification of large chemical species with broad rotationally-unresolved vibrational spectra, such as volatile organic compounds, that play an important role in the chemistry of the atmosphere. External-cavity (EC-) QCL systems are available that offer tuning ranges greater than 100 wn, making them excellent IR sources for measuring multiple small and large chemical species in the atmosphere. While the broad wavelength coverage afforded by an EC system enables measurements of large chemical species, most commercial systems can only be swept over their entire wavelength range at less than 10 Hz. This prohibits broadband simultaneous measurements of multiple chemicals in plumes from natural or industrial sources where turbulence and/or chemical reactivity are resulting in rapid changes in chemical composition on sub-1s timescales. At Pacific Northwest National Laboratory we have developed rapidly-swept EC-QCL technology that acquires broadband absorption spectra (˜100 wn) on ms timescales. The spectral resolution of this system has enabled simultaneous measurement of narrow rotationally-resolved atmospherically-broadened lines from small chemical species, while offering the broad tuning range needed to measure broadband spectral features from multiple large chemical species. In this talk the application of this technology for open-path atmospheric measurements will be discussed based on results from laboratory measurements with simulated plumes of chemicals. The performance offered by the system for simultaneous detection of multiple chemical species will be presented. The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is operated for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) by the Battelle Memorial Institute under Contract No. DE-AC05-76RL01830.

General method for the synthesis of hierarchical nanocrystal-based mesoporous materials.

PubMed

Rauda, Iris E; Buonsanti, Raffaella; Saldarriaga-Lopez, Laura C; Benjauthrit, Kanokraj; Schelhas, Laura T; Stefik, Morgan; Augustyn, Veronica; Ko, Jesse; Dunn, Bruce; Wiesner, Ulrich; Milliron, Delia J; Tolbert, Sarah H

2012-07-24

Block copolymer templating of inorganic materials is a robust method for the production of nanoporous materials. The method is limited, however, by the fact that the molecular inorganic precursors commonly used generally form amorphous porous materials that often cannot be crystallized with retention of porosity. To overcome this issue, here we present a general method for the production of templated mesoporous materials from preformed nanocrystal building blocks. The work takes advantage of recent synthetic advances that allow organic ligands to be stripped off of the surface of nanocrystals to produce soluble, charge-stabilized colloids. Nanocrystals then undergo evaporation-induced co-assembly with amphiphilic diblock copolymers to form a nanostructured inorganic/organic composite. Thermal degradation of the polymer template results in nanocrystal-based mesoporous materials. Here, we show that this method can be applied to nanocrystals with a broad range of compositions and sizes, and that assembly of nanocrystals can be carried out using a broad family of polymer templates. The resultant materials show disordered but homogeneous mesoporosity that can be tuned through the choice of template. The materials also show significant microporosity, formed by the agglomerated nanocrystals, and this porosity can be tuned by the nanocrystal size. We demonstrate through careful selection of the synthetic components that specifically designed nanostructured materials can be constructed. Because of the combination of open and interconnected porosity, high surface area, and compositional tunability, these materials are likely to find uses in a broad range of applications. For example, enhanced charge storage kinetics in nanoporous Mn(3)O(4) is demonstrated here.

Open and Closed Loop Stability of Hingeless Rotor Helicopter Air and Ground Resonance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, M. I.; Bailey, D. J.; Hirschbein, M. S.

1974-01-01

The air and ground resonance instabilities of hingeless rotor helicopters are examined on a relatively broad parametric basis including the effects of blade tuning, virtual hinge locations, and blade hysteresis damping, as well as size and scale effects in the gross weight range from 5,000 to 48,000 pounds. A special case of a 72,000 pound helicopter air resonance instability is also included. The study shows that nominal to moderate and readily achieved levels of blade inertial hysteresis damping in conjunction with a variety of tuning and/or feedback conditions are highly effective in dealing with these instabilities. Tip weights and reductions in pre-coning angles are also shown to be effective means for improving the air resonance instability.

Amorphous oxide alloys as interfacial layers with broadly tunable electronic structures for organic photovoltaic cells

PubMed Central

Zhou, Nanjia; Kim, Myung-Gil; Loser, Stephen; Smith, Jeremy; Yoshida, Hiroyuki; Guo, Xugang; Song, Charles; Jin, Hosub; Chen, Zhihua; Yoon, Seok Min; Freeman, Arthur J.; Chang, Robert P. H.; Facchetti, Antonio; Marks, Tobin J.

2015-01-01

In diverse classes of organic optoelectronic devices, controlling charge injection, extraction, and blocking across organic semiconductor–inorganic electrode interfaces is crucial for enhancing quantum efficiency and output voltage. To this end, the strategy of inserting engineered interfacial layers (IFLs) between electrical contacts and organic semiconductors has significantly advanced organic light-emitting diode and organic thin film transistor performance. For organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices, an electronically flexible IFL design strategy to incrementally tune energy level matching between the inorganic electrode system and the organic photoactive components without varying the surface chemistry would permit OPV cells to adapt to ever-changing generations of photoactive materials. Here we report the implementation of chemically/environmentally robust, low-temperature solution-processed amorphous transparent semiconducting oxide alloys, In-Ga-O and Ga-Zn-Sn-O, as IFLs for inverted OPVs. Continuous variation of the IFL compositions tunes the conduction band minima over a broad range, affording optimized OPV power conversion efficiencies for multiple classes of organic active layer materials and establishing clear correlations between IFL/photoactive layer energetics and device performance. PMID:26080437

Amorphous oxide alloys as interfacial layers with broadly tunable electronic structures for organic photovoltaic cells

DOE PAGES

Zhou, Nanjia; Kim, Myung -Gil; Loser, Stephen; ...

2015-06-15

In diverse classes of organic optoelectronic devices, controlling charge injection, extraction, and blocking across organic semiconductor– inorganic electrode interfaces is crucial for enhancing quantum efficiency and output voltage. To this end, the strategy of inserting engineered interfacial layers (IFLs) between electrical contacts and organic semiconductors has significantly advanced organic light-emitting diode and organic thin film transistor performance. For organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices, an electronically flexible IFL design strategy to incrementally tune energy level matching between the inorganic electrode system and the organic photoactive components without varying the surface chemistry would permit OPV cells to adapt to ever-changing generations of photoactivemore » materials. Here we report the implementation of chemically/environmentally robust, low-temperature solution-processed amorphous transparent semiconducting oxide alloys, In-Ga-O and Ga-Zn-Sn-O, as IFLs for inverted OPVs. Lastly, continuous variation of the IFL compositions tunes the conduction band minima over a broad range, affording optimized OPV power conversion efficiencies for multiple classes of organic active layer materials and establishing clear correlations between IFL/photoactive layer energetics and device performance.« less

Amorphous oxide alloys as interfacial layers with broadly tunable electronic structures for organic photovoltaic cells.

PubMed

Zhou, Nanjia; Kim, Myung-Gil; Loser, Stephen; Smith, Jeremy; Yoshida, Hiroyuki; Guo, Xugang; Song, Charles; Jin, Hosub; Chen, Zhihua; Yoon, Seok Min; Freeman, Arthur J; Chang, Robert P H; Facchetti, Antonio; Marks, Tobin J

2015-06-30

In diverse classes of organic optoelectronic devices, controlling charge injection, extraction, and blocking across organic semiconductor-inorganic electrode interfaces is crucial for enhancing quantum efficiency and output voltage. To this end, the strategy of inserting engineered interfacial layers (IFLs) between electrical contacts and organic semiconductors has significantly advanced organic light-emitting diode and organic thin film transistor performance. For organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices, an electronically flexible IFL design strategy to incrementally tune energy level matching between the inorganic electrode system and the organic photoactive components without varying the surface chemistry would permit OPV cells to adapt to ever-changing generations of photoactive materials. Here we report the implementation of chemically/environmentally robust, low-temperature solution-processed amorphous transparent semiconducting oxide alloys, In-Ga-O and Ga-Zn-Sn-O, as IFLs for inverted OPVs. Continuous variation of the IFL compositions tunes the conduction band minima over a broad range, affording optimized OPV power conversion efficiencies for multiple classes of organic active layer materials and establishing clear correlations between IFL/photoactive layer energetics and device performance.

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

Liu, Shengqiang; Li, Jie; Yu, Junsheng, E-mail: jsyu@uestc.edu.cn

A color tuning index (I{sub CT}) parameter for evaluating the color change capability of color-tunable organic light-emitting diodes (CT-OLEDs) was proposed and formulated. And a series of CT-OLEDs, consisting of five different carrier/exciton adjusting interlayers (C/EALs) inserted between two complementary emitting layers, were fabricated and applied to disclose the relationship between I{sub CT} and C/EALs. The result showed that the trend of electroluminescence spectra behavior in CT-OLEDs has good accordance with I{sub CT} values, indicating that the I{sub CT} parameter is feasible for the evaluation of color variation. Meanwhile, by changing energy level and C/EAL thickness, the optimized device withmore » the widest color tuning range was based on N,N′-dicarbazolyl-3,5-benzene C/EAL, exhibiting the highest I{sub CT} value of 41.2%. Based on carrier quadratic hopping theory and exciton transfer model, two fitting I{sub CT} formulas derived from the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy level and triplet energy level were simulated. Finally, a color tuning prediction (CTP) model was developed to deduce the I{sub CT} via C/EAL HOMO and triplet energy levels, and verified by the fabricated OLEDs with five different C/EALs. We believe that the CTP model assisted with I{sub CT} parameter will be helpful for fabricating high performance CT-OLEDs with a broad range of color tuning.« less

Fluorogel elastomers with tunable transparency, elasticity, shape-memory, and antifouling properties

DOE PAGES

Yao, Xi; Dunn, Stuart S.; Kim, Philseok; ...

2014-03-18

In this study, omniphobic fluorogel elastomers were prepared by photocuring perfluorinated acrylates and a perfluoropolyether crosslinker. By tuning either the chemical composition or the temperature that control the crystallinity of the resulting polymer chains, a broad range of optical and mechanical properties of the fluorogel can be achieved. After infusing with fluorinated lubricants, the fluorogels showed excellent resistance to wetting by various liquids and anti-biofouling behavior, while maintaining cytocompatiblity.

Generation of high-power subpicosecond pulses at 155 nm.

PubMed

Mossavi, K; Fricke, L; Liu, P; Wellegehausen, B

1995-06-15

Subpicosecond vacuum-ultraviolet radiation at 155 nm with pulse energies above 0.2 mJ has been obtained by near-resonant four-wave difference-frequency mixing in a Xe gas jet. Laser fields for the mixing process have been generated by a short-pulse KrF dye excimer laser system and a Raman converter. The process permits tuning in a broad vacuum-ultraviolet range and can be scaled up to higher output energies.

Active molecular plasmonics: tuning surface plasmon resonances by exploiting molecular dimensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Kai; Leong, Eunice Sok Ping; Rukavina, Michael; Nagao, Tadaaki; Liu, Yan Jun; Zheng, Yuebing

2015-06-01

Molecular plasmonics explores and exploits the molecule-plasmon interactions on metal nanostructures to harness light at the nanoscale for nanophotonic spectroscopy and devices. With the functional molecules and polymers that change their structural, electrical, and/or optical properties in response to external stimuli such as electric fields and light, one can dynamically tune the plasmonic properties for enhanced or new applications, leading to a new research area known as active molecular plasmonics (AMP). Recent progress in molecular design, tailored synthesis, and self-assembly has enabled a variety of scenarios of plasmonic tuning for a broad range of AMP applications. Dimension (i.e., zero-, two-, and threedimensional) of the molecules on metal nanostructures has proved to be an effective indicator for defining the specific scenarios. In this review article, we focus on structuring the field of AMP based on the dimension of molecules and discussing the state of the art of AMP. Our perspective on the upcoming challenges and opportunities in the emerging field of AMP is also included.

Linear optical properties of the monoclinic bismuth borate BiB3O6

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hellwig, H.; Liebertz, J.; Bohatý, L.

2000-07-01

New materials for nonlinear optical (NLO) applications are still of great interest. The monoclinic BiB3O6 (BIBO) shows exceptionally large NLO coefficients. In this article we will present the linear optical properties in the wavelength range between 350 and 2400 nm, the phase matching conditions calculated for second harmonic generation, and optical parametric oscillation. Angular bandwidth data are also given. The wide tuning range of phase matched directions together with the monoclinic symmetry allow a broad variety of applications. The laser damage threshold is comparable to high quality lithium triborate.

Design of Strain-Engineered GeSn/GeSiSn Quantum Dots for Mid-IR Direct Bandgap Emission on Si Substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Saigh, Reem; Baira, Mourad; Salem, Bassem; Ilahi, Bouraoui

2018-06-01

Strain-engineered self-assembled GeSn/GeSiSn quantum dots in Ge matrix have been numerically investigated aiming to study their potentiality towards direct bandgap emission in the mid-IR range. The use of GeSiSn alloy as surrounding media for GeSn quantum dots (QD) allows adjusting the strain around the QD through the variation of Si and/or Sn composition. Accordingly, the lattice mismatch between the GeSn quantum dots and the GeSiSn surrounding layer has been tuned between - 2.3 and - 4.5% through the variation of the Sn barrier composition for different dome-shaped QD sizes. The obtained results show that the emission wavelength, fulfilling the specific QD directness criteria, can be successively tuned over a broad mid-IR range from 3 up to7 μm opening new perspectives for group IV laser sources fully integrated in Si photonic systems for sensing applications.

Honey bee forager thoracic temperature inside the nest is tuned to broad-scale differences in recruitment motivation.

PubMed

Sadler, Nik; Nieh, James C

2011-02-01

Insects that regulate flight muscle temperatures serve as crucial pollinators in a broad range of ecosystems, in part because they forage over a wide span of temperatures. Honey bees are a classic example and maintain their thoracic muscles at temperatures (T(th)) tuned to the caloric benefits of floral resources. Using infrared thermography, we tested the hypothesis that forager motivation to recruit nestmates for a food source is positively correlated with T(th). We trained bees to a sucrose feeder located 5-100 m from the nest. Recruiting foragers had a significantly higher average T(th) (2.7°C higher) when returning from 2.5 mol l(-1) sucrose (65% w/w) than when returning from 1.0 mol l(-1) sucrose (31% w/w). Foragers exhibited significantly larger thermal fluctuations the longer they spent inside the nest between foraging trips. The difference between maximum and minimum temperatures during a nest visit (T(range)) increased with total duration of the nest visit (0.7°C increase per additional min spent inside the nest). Bees that recruited nestmates (waggle or round danced) were significantly warmer, with a 1.4-1.5 times higher ΔT(th) (difference between T(th) and nest ambient air temperature) than bees who tremble danced or simply walked on the nest floor without recruiting between foraging bouts. However, recruiter T(th) was not correlated with finer-scale measures of motivation: the number of waggle dance circuits or waggle dance return phase duration. These results support the hypothesis that forager T(th) within the nest is correlated to broad-scale differences in foraging motivation.

Differences between mechanical and neural tuning at the apex of the intact guinea pig cochlea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Recio-Spinoso, Alberto; Oghalai, John S.

2018-05-01

While most of human speech information is contained within frequencies < 3-4 kHz, only a few mechanical measurements have been made in cochlear regions responsive to such low frequencies. Furthermore, the data that do exist are difficult to interpret given the technical difficulties in performing the experiments and/or the artifacts that result from opening the otic capsule bone to visualize the organ of Corti. Here, we overcame historical technical limitations and non-invasively measured sound-induced vibrations within the apex of the guinea pig cochlea using volumetric optical coherence tomography vibrometry (VOCTV). We found that vibrations within apical cochlear regions, with neural tuning below 2 kHz, demonstrate low-pass filter characteristics. There was evidence of a low-level of broad-band cochlear amplification that did not sharpen frequency selectivity. We compared the vibratory responses we measured to previously-measured single-unit auditory nerve tuning curves in the same frequency range, and found that mechanical responses do not match neural responses. These data suggest that, for low frequency cochlear regions, inner hair cells not only transduce vibrations of the organ of Corti but also sharpen frequency tuning.

Visual attention spreads broadly but selects information locally.

PubMed

Shioiri, Satoshi; Honjyo, Hajime; Kashiwase, Yoshiyuki; Matsumiya, Kazumichi; Kuriki, Ichiro

2016-10-19

Visual attention spreads over a range around the focus as the spotlight metaphor describes. Spatial spread of attentional enhancement and local selection/inhibition are crucial factors determining the profile of the spatial attention. Enhancement and ignorance/suppression are opposite effects of attention, and appeared to be mutually exclusive. Yet, no unified view of the factors has been provided despite their necessity for understanding the functions of spatial attention. This report provides electroencephalographic and behavioral evidence for the attentional spread at an early stage and selection/inhibition at a later stage of visual processing. Steady state visual evoked potential showed broad spatial tuning whereas the P3 component of the event related potential showed local selection or inhibition of the adjacent areas. Based on these results, we propose a two-stage model of spatial attention with broad spread at an early stage and local selection at a later stage.

V1 orientation plasticity is explained by broadly tuned feedforward inputs and intracortical sharpening.

PubMed

Teich, Andrew F; Qian, Ning

2010-03-01

Orientation adaptation and perceptual learning change orientation tuning curves of V1 cells. Adaptation shifts tuning curve peaks away from the adapted orientation, reduces tuning curve slopes near the adapted orientation, and increases the responses on the far flank of tuning curves. Learning an orientation discrimination task increases tuning curve slopes near the trained orientation. These changes have been explained previously in a recurrent model (RM) of orientation selectivity. However, the RM generates only complex cells when they are well tuned, so that there is currently no model of orientation plasticity for simple cells. In addition, some feedforward models, such as the modified feedforward model (MFM), also contain recurrent cortical excitation, and it is unknown whether they can explain plasticity. Here, we compare plasticity in the MFM, which simulates simple cells, and a recent modification of the RM (MRM), which displays a continuum of simple-to-complex characteristics. Both pre- and postsynaptic-based modifications of the recurrent and feedforward connections in the models are investigated. The MRM can account for all the learning- and adaptation-induced plasticity, for both simple and complex cells, while the MFM cannot. The key features from the MRM required for explaining plasticity are broadly tuned feedforward inputs and sharpening by a Mexican hat intracortical interaction profile. The mere presence of recurrent cortical interactions in feedforward models like the MFM is insufficient; such models have more rigid tuning curves. We predict that the plastic properties must be absent for cells whose orientation tuning arises from a feedforward mechanism.

Work probability distribution for a ferromagnet with long-ranged and short-ranged correlations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhattacharjee, J. K.; Kirkpatrick, T. R.; Sengers, J. V.

2018-04-01

Work fluctuations and work probability distributions are fundamentally different in systems with short-ranged versus long-ranged correlations. Specifically, in systems with long-ranged correlations the work distribution is extraordinarily broad compared to systems with short-ranged correlations. This difference profoundly affects the possible applicability of fluctuation theorems like the Jarzynski fluctuation theorem. The Heisenberg ferromagnet, well below its Curie temperature, is a system with long-ranged correlations in very low magnetic fields due to the presence of Goldstone modes. As the magnetic field is increased the correlations gradually become short ranged. Hence, such a ferromagnet is an ideal system for elucidating the changes of the work probability distribution as one goes from a domain with long-ranged correlations to a domain with short-ranged correlations by tuning the magnetic field. A quantitative analysis of this crossover behavior of the work probability distribution and the associated fluctuations is presented.

Solar Transparent Radiators by Optical Nanoantennas.

PubMed

Jönsson, Gustav; Tordera, Daniel; Pakizeh, Tavakol; Jaysankar, Manoj; Miljkovic, Vladimir; Tong, Lianming; Jonsson, Magnus P; Dmitriev, Alexandre

2017-11-08

Architectural windows are a major cause of thermal discomfort as the inner glazing during cold days can be several degrees colder than the indoor air. Mitigating this, the indoor temperature has to be increased, leading to unavoidable thermal losses. Here we present solar thermal surfaces based on complex nanoplasmonic antennas that can raise the temperature of window glazing by up to 8 K upon solar irradiation while transmitting light with a color rendering index of 98.76. The nanoantennas are directional, can be tuned to absorb in different spectral ranges, and possess a structural integrity that is not substrate-dependent, and thus they open up for application on a broad range of surfaces.

Multiple tuning of magnetic biskyrmions using in situ L-TEM in centrosymmetric MnNiGa alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Licong; Zhang, Ying; He, Min; Ding, Bei; Wang, Wenhong; Li, Jianqi; Cai, Jianwang; Wang, Shouguo; Wu, Guangheng; Shen, Baogen

2018-02-01

Magnetic skyrmions are topologically protected spin configurations and have recently received growingly attention in magnetic materials. The existence of biskyrmions within a broad temperature range has been identified in our newly-discovered MnNiGa material, promising for potential application in physics and technological study. Here, the biskyrmion microscopic origination from the spin configuration evolution of stripe ground state is experimentally identified. The biskyrmion manipulations based on the influences of the basic microstructures and external factors such as grain boundary confinement, sample thickness, electric current, magnetic field and temperature have been systematically studied by using real-space Lorentz transmission electron microscopy. These multiple tuning options help to understand the essential properties of MnNiGa and predict a significant step forward for the realization of skyrmion-based spintronic devices.

Distinguishing the central drive to tremor in Parkinson's disease and essential tremor.

PubMed

Brittain, John-Stuart; Cagnan, Hayriye; Mehta, Arpan R; Saifee, Tabish A; Edwards, Mark J; Brown, Peter

2015-01-14

Parkinson's disease (PD) and essential tremor (ET) are the two most common movement disorders. Both have been associated with similar patterns of network activation leading to the suggestion that they may result from similar network dysfunction, specifically involving the cerebellum. Here, we demonstrate that parkinsonian tremors and ETs result from distinct patterns of interactions between neural oscillators. These patterns are reflected in the tremors' derived frequency tolerance, a novel measure readily attainable from bedside accelerometry. Frequency tolerance characterizes the temporal evolution of tremor by quantifying the range of frequencies over which the tremor may be considered stable. We found that patients with PD (N = 24) and ET (N = 21) were separable based on their frequency tolerance, with PD associated with a broad range of stable frequencies whereas ET displayed characteristics consistent with a more finely tuned oscillatory drive. Furthermore, tremor was selectively entrained by transcranial alternating current stimulation applied over cerebellum. Narrow frequency tolerances predicted stronger entrainment of tremor by stimulation, providing good evidence that the cerebellum plays an important role in pacing those tremors. The different patterns of frequency tolerance could be captured with a simple model based on a broadly coupled set of neural oscillators for PD, but a more finely tuned set of oscillators in ET. Together, these results reveal a potential organizational principle of the human motor system, whose disruption in PD and ET dictates how patients respond to empirical, and potentially therapeutic, interventions that interact with their underlying pathophysiology. Copyright © 2015 Brittain et al.

Distinguishing the Central Drive to Tremor in Parkinson's Disease and Essential Tremor

PubMed Central

Brittain, John-Stuart; Cagnan, Hayriye; Mehta, Arpan R.; Saifee, Tabish A.; Edwards, Mark J.

2015-01-01

Parkinson's disease (PD) and essential tremor (ET) are the two most common movement disorders. Both have been associated with similar patterns of network activation leading to the suggestion that they may result from similar network dysfunction, specifically involving the cerebellum. Here, we demonstrate that parkinsonian tremors and ETs result from distinct patterns of interactions between neural oscillators. These patterns are reflected in the tremors' derived frequency tolerance, a novel measure readily attainable from bedside accelerometry. Frequency tolerance characterizes the temporal evolution of tremor by quantifying the range of frequencies over which the tremor may be considered stable. We found that patients with PD (N = 24) and ET (N = 21) were separable based on their frequency tolerance, with PD associated with a broad range of stable frequencies whereas ET displayed characteristics consistent with a more finely tuned oscillatory drive. Furthermore, tremor was selectively entrained by transcranial alternating current stimulation applied over cerebellum. Narrow frequency tolerances predicted stronger entrainment of tremor by stimulation, providing good evidence that the cerebellum plays an important role in pacing those tremors. The different patterns of frequency tolerance could be captured with a simple model based on a broadly coupled set of neural oscillators for PD, but a more finely tuned set of oscillators in ET. Together, these results reveal a potential organizational principle of the human motor system, whose disruption in PD and ET dictates how patients respond to empirical, and potentially therapeutic, interventions that interact with their underlying pathophysiology. PMID:25589772

Intelligent Systems for Stabilizing Mode-Locked Lasers and Frequency Combs: Machine Learning and Equation-Free Control Paradigms for Self-Tuning Optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kutz, J. Nathan; Brunton, Steven L.

2015-12-01

We demonstrate that a software architecture using innovations in machine learning and adaptive control provides an ideal integration platform for self-tuning optics. For mode-locked lasers, commercially available optical telecom components can be integrated with servocontrollers to enact a training and execution software module capable of self-tuning the laser cavity even in the presence of mechanical and/or environmental perturbations, thus potentially stabilizing a frequency comb. The algorithm training stage uses an exhaustive search of parameter space to discover best regions of performance for one or more objective functions of interest. The execution stage first uses a sparse sensing procedure to recognize the parameter space before quickly moving to the near optimal solution and maintaining it using the extremum seeking control protocol. The method is robust and equationfree, thus requiring no detailed or quantitatively accurate model of the physics. It can also be executed on a broad range of problems provided only that suitable objective functions can be found and experimentally measured.

Is Perceptual Narrowing Too Narrow?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cashon, Cara H.; Denicola, Christopher A.

2011-01-01

There is a growing list of examples illustrating that infants are transitioning from having earlier abilities that appear more "universal," "broadly tuned," or "unconstrained" to having later abilities that appear more "specialized," "narrowly tuned," or "constrained." Perceptual narrowing, a well-known phenomenon related to face, speech, and…

Controlling band alignments by artificial interface dipoles at perovskite heterointerfaces

DOE PAGES

Yajima, Takeaki; Hikita, Yasuyuki; Minohara, Makoto; ...

2015-04-07

The concept ‘the interface is the device' is embodied in a wide variety of interfacial electronic phenomena and associated applications in oxide materials, ranging from catalysts and clean energy systems to emerging multifunctional devices. Many device properties are defined by the band alignment, which is often influenced by interface dipoles. On the other hand, the ability to purposefully create and control interface dipoles is a relatively unexplored degree of freedom for perovskite oxides, which should be particularly effective for such ionic materials. Here we demonstrate tuning the band alignment in perovskite metal-semiconductor heterojunctions over a broad range of 1.7 eV.more » This is achieved by the insertion of positive or negative charges at the interface, and the resultant dipole formed by the induced screening charge. This approach can be broadly used in applications where decoupling the band alignment from the constituent work functions and electron affinities can enhance device functionality.« less

Switchable Scattering Meta-Surfaces for Broadband Terahertz Modulation

PubMed Central

Unlu, M.; Hashemi, M. R.; Berry, C. W.; Li, S.; Yang, S.-H.; Jarrahi, M.

2014-01-01

Active tuning and switching of electromagnetic properties of materials is of great importance for controlling their interaction with electromagnetic waves. In spite of their great promise, previously demonstrated reconfigurable metamaterials are limited in their operation bandwidth due to their resonant nature. Here, we demonstrate a new class of meta-surfaces that exhibit electrically-induced switching in their scattering parameters at room temperature and over a broad range of frequencies. Structural configuration of the subwavelength meta-molecules determines their electromagnetic response to an incident electromagnetic radiation. By reconfiguration of the meta-molecule structure, the strength of the induced electric field and magnetic field in the opposite direction to the incident fields are varied and the scattering parameters of the meta-surface are altered, consequently. We demonstrate a custom-designed meta-surface with switchable scattering parameters at a broad range of terahertz frequencies, enabling terahertz intensity modulation with record high modulation depths and modulation bandwidths through a fully integrated, voltage-controlled device platform at room temperature. PMID:25028123

Multiple adaptable mechanisms early in the primate visual pathway

PubMed Central

Dhruv, Neel T.; Tailby, Chris; Sokol, Sach H.; Lennie, Peter

2011-01-01

We describe experiments that isolate and characterize multiple adaptable mechanisms that influence responses of orientation-selective neurons in primary visual cortex (V1) of anesthetized macaque (Macaca fascicularis). The results suggest that three adaptable stages of machinery shape neural responses in V1: a broadly-tuned early stage and a spatio-temporally tuned later stage, both of which provide excitatory input, and a normalization pool that is also broadly tuned. The early stage and the normalization pool are revealed by adapting gratings that themselves fail to evoke a response from the neuron: either low temporal frequency gratings at the null orientation or gratings of any orientation drifting at high temporal frequencies. When effective, adapting stimuli that altered the sensitivity of these two mechanisms caused reductions of contrast gain and often brought about a paradoxical increase in response gain due to a relatively greater desensitization of the normalization pool. The tuned mechanism is desensitized only by stimuli well-matched to a neuron’s receptive field. We could thus infer desensitization of the tuned mechanism by comparing effects obtained with adapting gratings of preferred and null orientation modulated at low temporal frequencies. PMID:22016535

A physicochemical investigation of ionic liquid mixtures† †Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c4sc02931c Click here for additional data file.

PubMed Central

Clough, Matthew T.; Crick, Colin R.; Gräsvik, John; Niedermeyer, Heiko; Whitaker, Oliver P.

2015-01-01

Ionic liquids have earned the reputation of being ‘designer solvents’ due to the wide range of accessible properties and the degree of fine-tuning afforded by varying the constituent ions. Mixtures of ionic liquids offer the opportunity for further fine-tuning of properties. A broad selection of common ionic liquid cations and anions are employed to create a sample of binary and reciprocal binary ionic liquid mixtures, which are analysed and described in this paper. Physical properties such as the conductivity, viscosity, density and phase behaviour (glass transition temperatures) are examined. In addition, thermal stabilities of the mixtures are evaluated. The physical properties examined for these formulations are found to generally adhere remarkably closely to ideal mixing laws, with a few consistent exceptions, allowing for the facile prediction and control of properties of ionic liquid mixtures. PMID:29560198

Role of scaffold network in controlling strain and functionalities of nanocomposite films

DOE PAGES

Chen, Aiping; Hu, Jia -Mian; Lu, Ping; ...

2016-06-10

One novel approach to manipulating functionalities in correlated complex oxides is strain. However, significant epitaxial strain can only be achieved in ultrathin layers. We show that, under direct lattice matching framework, large and uniform vertical strain up to 2% can be achieved to significantly modify the magnetic anisotropy, magnetism, and magnetotransport properties in heteroepitaxial nanoscaffold films, over a few hundred nanometers in thickness. Comprehensive designing principles of large vertical strain have been proposed. Phase-field simulations not only reveal the strain distribution but also suggest that the ultimate strain is related to the vertical interfacial area and interfacial dislocation density. Moreover,more » by changing the nanoscaffold density and dimension, the strain and the magnetic properties can be tuned. The established correlation among the vertical interface—strain—properties in nanoscaffold films can consequently be used to tune other functionalities in a broad range of complex oxide films far beyond critical thickness.« less

Role of scaffold network in controlling strain and functionalities of nanocomposite films

PubMed Central

Chen, Aiping; Hu, Jia-Mian; Lu, Ping; Yang, Tiannan; Zhang, Wenrui; Li, Leigang; Ahmed, Towfiq; Enriquez, Erik; Weigand, Marcus; Su, Qing; Wang, Haiyan; Zhu, Jian-Xin; MacManus-Driscoll, Judith L.; Chen, Long-Qing; Yarotski, Dmitry; Jia, Quanxi

2016-01-01

Strain is a novel approach to manipulating functionalities in correlated complex oxides. However, significant epitaxial strain can only be achieved in ultrathin layers. We show that, under direct lattice matching framework, large and uniform vertical strain up to 2% can be achieved to significantly modify the magnetic anisotropy, magnetism, and magnetotransport properties in heteroepitaxial nanoscaffold films, over a few hundred nanometers in thickness. Comprehensive designing principles of large vertical strain have been proposed. Phase-field simulations not only reveal the strain distribution but also suggest that the ultimate strain is related to the vertical interfacial area and interfacial dislocation density. By changing the nanoscaffold density and dimension, the strain and the magnetic properties can be tuned. The established correlation among the vertical interface—strain—properties in nanoscaffold films can consequently be used to tune other functionalities in a broad range of complex oxide films far beyond critical thickness. PMID:27386578

Engineering of gadofluoroprobes: Broad-spectrum applications from cancer diagnosis to therapy

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

Dutta, Ranu A., E-mail: ranu.dutta16@gmail.com; NanoeRA medicare Private Limited, Uttar Pradesh; Sharma, Prashant K.

2014-01-13

The engineering of the Gadolinium based nanostructures have been demonstrated in this paper. Nanostructures of α-Gd{sub 2}S{sub 3} exhibit a unique transition between ferromagnetic state and paramagnetic state of the system. It was demonstrated that their properties could be tuned for a wide range of applications ranging from hyperthermia to Magnetic Resonance Imaging, owing to their magnetic moments and large relaxivities. Metallic Gd nanoparticles obtained by reduction method were employed for cancer imaging in mice. The Gd nanoparticles were coated with Curcumin and their biomedical implications in the field of simultaneous diagnosis and therapy of cancer and related diseases hasmore » been discussed.« less

The Encoding of Sound Source Elevation in the Human Auditory Cortex.

PubMed

Trapeau, Régis; Schönwiesner, Marc

2018-03-28

Spatial hearing is a crucial capacity of the auditory system. While the encoding of horizontal sound direction has been extensively studied, very little is known about the representation of vertical sound direction in the auditory cortex. Using high-resolution fMRI, we measured voxelwise sound elevation tuning curves in human auditory cortex and show that sound elevation is represented by broad tuning functions preferring lower elevations as well as secondary narrow tuning functions preferring individual elevation directions. We changed the ear shape of participants (male and female) with silicone molds for several days. This manipulation reduced or abolished the ability to discriminate sound elevation and flattened cortical tuning curves. Tuning curves recovered their original shape as participants adapted to the modified ears and regained elevation perception over time. These findings suggest that the elevation tuning observed in low-level auditory cortex did not arise from the physical features of the stimuli but is contingent on experience with spectral cues and covaries with the change in perception. One explanation for this observation may be that the tuning in low-level auditory cortex underlies the subjective perception of sound elevation. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT This study addresses two fundamental questions about the brain representation of sensory stimuli: how the vertical spatial axis of auditory space is represented in the auditory cortex and whether low-level sensory cortex represents physical stimulus features or subjective perceptual attributes. Using high-resolution fMRI, we show that vertical sound direction is represented by broad tuning functions preferring lower elevations as well as secondary narrow tuning functions preferring individual elevation directions. In addition, we demonstrate that the shape of these tuning functions is contingent on experience with spectral cues and covaries with the change in perception, which may indicate that the tuning functions in low-level auditory cortex underlie the perceived elevation of a sound source. Copyright © 2018 the authors 0270-6474/18/383252-13$15.00/0.

Adaptive Helmholtz resonators and passive vibration absorbers for cylinder interior noise control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Estève, Simon J.; Johnson, Marty E.

2005-12-01

This paper presents an adaptive-passive solution to control the broadband sound transmission into rocket payload fairings. The treatment is composed of passive distributed vibration absorbers (DVAs) and adaptive Helmholtz resonators (HR). Both the frequency domain and time-domain model of a simply supported cylinder excited by an external plane wave are developed. To tune vibration absorbers to tonal excitation, a tuning strategy, based on the phase information between the velocity of the absorber mass and the velocity of the host structure is used here in a new fashion to tune resonators to peaks in the broadband acoustic spectrum of a cavity. This tuning law, called the dot-product method, only uses two microphone signals local to each HR, which allows the adaptive Helmholtz resonator (AHR) to be manufactured as an autonomous device with power supply, sensor, actuator and controller integrated. Numerical simulations corresponding to a 2.8 m long 2.5 m diameter composite cylinder prototype demonstrate that, as long as the structure modes, which strongly couple to the acoustic cavity, are damped with a DVA treatment, the dot-product method tune multiple HRs to a near-optimal solution over a broad frequency range (40-160 Hz). An adaptive HR prototype with variable opening is built and characterized. Experiments conducted on the cylinder prototype with eight AHRs demonstrate the ability of resonators adapted with the dot-product method to converge to near-optimal noise attenuation in a frequency band including multiple resonances.

GaN-based metamaterial terahertz bandpass filter design: tunability and ultra-broad passband attainment.

PubMed

Khodaee, M; Banakermani, M; Baghban, H

2015-10-10

Engineering metamaterial-based devices such as terahertz bandpass filters (BPFs) play a definitive role in advancement of terahertz technology. In this article, we propose a design procedure to obtain a considerably broadband terahertz BPF at a normal incidence; it shows promising filtering characteristics, including a wide passband of ∼1.34  THz at a central frequency of 1.17 THz, a flat top in a broad band, and high transmission, compared to previous reports. Then, exploiting the voltage-dependent carrier density control in an AlGaN/GaN heterostructure with a Schottky gate configuration, we investigate the tuning of the transmission properties in a narrow-band terahertz filter. A combination of the ultra-wide, flat-top BPF in series with the tunable, narrow band filter designed in the current study offers the ability to tune the desired resonance frequency along with high out-of-band rejection and the suppression of unwanted resonances in a large spectral range. The proposed structure exhibits a frequency tunability of 103 GHz for a voltage change between -8 and 2 V, and a transmission amplitude change of ∼0.51. This scheme may open up a route for the improved design of terahertz filters and modulators.

Equilibrium Gold Nanoclusters Quenched with Biodegradable Polymers

PubMed Central

Murthy, Avinash K.; Stover, Robert J.; Borwankar, Ameya U.; Nie, Golay D.; Gourisankar, Sai; Truskett, Thomas M.; Sokolov, Konstantin V.; Johnston, Keith P.

2013-01-01

Although sub-100 nm nanoclusters of metal nanoparticles are of interest in many fields including biomedical imaging, sensors and catalysis, it has been challenging to control their morphologies and chemical properties. Herein, a new concept is presented to assemble equilibrium Au nanoclusters of controlled size by tuning the colloidal interactions with a polymeric stabilizer, PLA(1k)-b-PEG(10k)-b-PLA(1k). The nanoclusters form upon mixing a dispersion of ~5 nm Au nanospheres with a polymer solution followed by partial solvent evaporation. A weakly adsorbed polymer quenches the equilibrium nanocluster size and provides steric stabilization. Nanocluster size is tuned from ~20 nm to ~40 nm by experimentally varying the final Au nanoparticle concentration and the polymer/Au ratio, along with the charge on the initial Au nanoparticle surface. Upon biodegradation of the quencher, the nanoclusters reversibly and fully dissociate to individual ~5 nm primary particles. Equilibrium cluster size is predicted semi-quantitatively with a free energy model that balances short-ranged depletion and van der Waals attractions with longer-ranged electrostatic repulsion, as a function of the Au and polymer concentrations. The close spacings of the Au nanoparticles in the clusters produce strong NIR extinction over a broad range of wavelengths from 650 to 900 nm, which is of practical interest in biomedical imaging. PMID:23230905

Vocal tract resonances in singing: The soprano voice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joliveau, Elodie; Smith, John; Wolfe, Joe

2004-10-01

The vocal tract resonances of trained soprano singers were measured while they sang a range of vowels softly at different pitches. The measurements were made by broad band acoustic excitation at the mouth, which allowed the resonances of the tract to be measured simultaneously with and independently from the harmonics of the voice. At low pitch, when the lowest resonance frequency R1 exceeded f0, the values of the first two resonances R1 and R2 varied little with frequency and had values consistent with normal speech. At higher pitches, however, when f0 exceeded the value of R1 observed at low pitch, R1 increased with f0 so that R1 was approximately equal to f0. R2 also increased over this high pitch range, probably as an incidental consequence of the tuning of R1. R3 increased slightly but systematically, across the whole pitch range measured. There was no evidence that any resonances are tuned close to harmonics of the pitch frequency except for R1 at high pitch. The variations in R1 and R2 at high pitch mean that vowels move, converge, and overlap their positions on the vocal plane (R2,R1) to an extent that implies loss of intelligibility. .

Optically stabilized Erbium fiber frequency comb with hybrid mode-locking and a broad tunable range of repetition rate.

PubMed

Yang, Honglei; Wu, Xuejian; Zhang, Hongyuan; Zhao, Shijie; Yang, Lijun; Wei, Haoyun; Li, Yan

2016-12-01

We present an optically stabilized Erbium fiber frequency comb with a broad repetition rate tuning range based on a hybrid mode-locked oscillator. We lock two comb modes to narrow-linewidth reference lasers in turn to investigate the best performance of control loops. The control bandwidth of fast and slow piezoelectric transducers reaches 70 kHz, while that of pump current modulation with phase-lead compensation is extended to 32 kHz, exceeding laser intrinsic response. Eventually, simultaneous lock of both loops is realized to totally phase-stabilize the comb, which will facilitate precision dual-comb spectroscopy, laser ranging, and timing distribution. In addition, a 1.8-MHz span of the repetition rate is achieved by an automatic optical delay line that is helpful in manufacturing a secondary comb with a similar repetition rate. The oscillator is housed in a homemade temperature-controlled box with an accuracy of ±0.02  K, which not only keeps high signal-to-noise ratio of the beat notes with reference lasers, but also guarantees self-starting at the same mode-locking every time.

Tuning the physical properties of amorphous In–Zn–Sn–O thin films using combinatorial sputtering

DOE PAGES

Ndione, Paul F.; Zakutayev, A.; Kumar, M.; ...

2016-12-05

Transparent conductive oxides and amorphous oxide semiconductors are important materials for many modern technologies. Here, we explore the ternary indium zinc tin oxide (IZTO) using combinatorial synthesis and spatially resolved characterization. The electrical conductivity, work function, absorption onset, mechanical hardness, and elastic modulus of the optically transparent (>85%) amorphous IZTO thin films were found to be in the range of 10–2415 S/cm, 4.6–5.3 eV, 3.20–3.34 eV, 9.0–10.8 GPa, and 111–132 GPa, respectively, depending on the cation composition and the deposition conditions. Furthermore, this study enables control of IZTO performance over a broad range of cation compositions.

Laser dye DCM: CW, synchronously pumped, cavity pumped and single-frequency performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marason, E. G.

1981-04-01

Laser dye DCM exhibits a tuning range of 605 to 725 nm with a lasing efficiency as high as 34% when pumped by the 488 nm line of the argon ion laser, placing it among the most efficient and broadly tunable dyes known. Performance of the dye is characterized for four laser systems: 1) continuous wave, 2) synchronously pumped (SP), 3) cavity dumped synchrompously pumped (SPCD) and 4) single-frequency ring dye laser. Pulse peak powers were as high as 520 W and 2.8 kW for SP and SPCD systems respectively.

Versatile, ultra-low sample volume gas analyzer using a rapid, broad-tuning ECQCL and a hollow fiber gas cell

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

Kriesel, Jason M.; Makarem, Camille N.; Phillips, Mark C.

We describe a versatile mid-infrared (Mid-IR) spectroscopy system developed to measure the concentration of a wide range of gases with an ultra-low sample size. The system combines a rapidly-swept external cavity quantum cascade laser (ECQCL) with a hollow fiber gas cell. The ECQCL has sufficient spectral resolution and reproducibility to measure gases with narrow features (e.g., water, methane, ammonia, etc.), and also the spectral tuning range needed to measure volatile organic compounds (VOCs), (e.g., aldehydes, ketones, hydrocarbons), sulfur compounds, chlorine compounds, etc. The hollow fiber is a capillary tube having an internal reflective coating optimized for transmitting the Mid-IR lasermore » beam to a detector. Sample gas introduced into the fiber (e.g., internal volume = 0.6 ml) interacts strongly with the laser beam, and despite relatively modest path lengths (e.g., L ~ 3 m), the requisite quantity of sample needed for sensitive measurements can be significantly less than what is required using conventional IR laser spectroscopy systems. Example measurements are presented including quantification of VOCs relevant for human breath analysis with a sensitivity of ~2 picomoles at a 1 Hz data rate.« less

Versatile, ultra-low sample volume gas analyzer using a rapid, broad-tuning ECQCL and a hollow fiber gas cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kriesel, Jason M.; Makarem, Camille N.; Phillips, Mark C.; Moran, James J.; Coleman, Max L.; Christensen, Lance E.; Kelly, James F.

2017-05-01

We describe a versatile mid-infrared (Mid-IR) spectroscopy system developed to measure the concentration of a wide range of gases with an ultra-low sample size. The system combines a rapidly-swept external cavity quantum cascade laser (ECQCL) with a hollow fiber gas cell. The ECQCL has sufficient spectral resolution and reproducibility to measure gases with narrow features (e.g., water, methane, ammonia, etc.), and also the spectral tuning range needed to measure volatile organic compounds (VOCs), (e.g., aldehydes, ketones, hydrocarbons), sulfur compounds, chlorine compounds, etc. The hollow fiber is a capillary tube having an internal reflective coating optimized for transmitting the Mid-IR laser beam to a detector. Sample gas introduced into the fiber (e.g., internal volume = 0.6 ml) interacts strongly with the laser beam, and despite relatively modest path lengths (e.g., L 3 m), the requisite quantity of sample needed for sensitive measurements can be significantly less than what is required using conventional IR laser spectroscopy systems. Example measurements are presented including quantification of VOCs relevant for human breath analysis with a sensitivity of 2 picomoles at a 1 Hz data rate.

Ultrasensitive, real-time analysis of biomarkers in breath using tunable external cavity laser and off-axis cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bayrakli, Ismail; Akman, Hatice

2015-03-01

A robust biomedical sensor for ultrasensitive detection of biomarkers in breath based on a tunable external cavity laser (ECL) and an off-axis cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy (OA-CEAS) using an amplitude stabilizer is developed. A single-mode, narrow-linewidth, tunable ECL is demonstrated. A broadly coarse wavelength tuning range of 720 cm-1 for the spectral range between 6890 and 6170 cm-1 is achieved by rotating the diffraction grating forming a Littrow-type external-cavity configuration. A mode-hop-free tuning range of 1.85 cm-1 is obtained. The linewidths below 140 kHz are recorded. The ECL is combined with an OA-CEAS to perform laser chemical sensing. Our system is able to detect any molecule in breath at concentrations to the ppbv range that have absorption lines in the spectral range between 1450 and 1620 nm. Ammonia is selected as target molecule to evaluate the performance of the sensor. Using the absorption line of ammonia at 6528.76 cm-1, a minimum detectable absorption coefficient of approximately 1×10-8 cm-1 is demonstrated for 256 averages. This is achieved for a 1.4-km absorption path length and a 2-s data-acquisition time. These results yield a detection sensitivity of approximately 8.6×10-10 cm-1 Hz-1/2. Ammonia in exhaled breath is analyzed and found in a concentration of 870 ppb for our example.

Ultrasensitive, real-time analysis of biomarkers in breath using tunable external cavity laser and off-axis cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy.

PubMed

Bayrakli, Ismail; Akman, Hatice

2015-03-01

A robust biomedical sensor for ultrasensitive detection of biomarkers in breath based on a tunable external cavity laser (ECL) and an off-axis cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy (OA-CEAS) using an amplitude stabilizer is developed. A single-mode, narrow-linewidth, tunable ECL is demonstrated. A broadly coarse wavelength tuning range of 720 cm⁻¹ for the spectral range between 6890 and 6170 cm⁻¹ is achieved by rotating the diffraction grating forming a Littrow-type external-cavity configuration. A mode-hop-free tuning range of 1.85 cm⁻¹ is obtained. The linewidths below 140 kHz are recorded. The ECL is combined with an OA-CEAS to perform laser chemical sensing. Our system is able to detect any molecule in breath at concentrations to the ppbv range that have absorption lines in the spectral range between 1450 and 1620 nm. Ammonia is selected as target molecule to evaluate the performance of the sensor. Using the absorption line of ammonia at 6528.76 cm⁻¹, a minimum detectable absorption coefficient of approximately 1×10⁻⁸ cm⁻¹ is demonstrated for 256 averages. This is achieved for a 1.4-km absorption path length and a 2-s data-acquisition time. These results yield a detection sensitivity of approximately 8.6×10⁻¹⁰ cm⁻¹ Hz(-1/2). Ammonia in exhaled breath is analyzed and found in a concentration of 870 ppb for our example.

Opponent Coding of Sound Location (Azimuth) in Planum Temporale is Robust to Sound-Level Variations

PubMed Central

Derey, Kiki; Valente, Giancarlo; de Gelder, Beatrice; Formisano, Elia

2016-01-01

Coding of sound location in auditory cortex (AC) is only partially understood. Recent electrophysiological research suggests that neurons in mammalian auditory cortex are characterized by broad spatial tuning and a preference for the contralateral hemifield, that is, a nonuniform sampling of sound azimuth. Additionally, spatial selectivity decreases with increasing sound intensity. To accommodate these findings, it has been proposed that sound location is encoded by the integrated activity of neuronal populations with opposite hemifield tuning (“opponent channel model”). In this study, we investigated the validity of such a model in human AC with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and a phase-encoding paradigm employing binaural stimuli recorded individually for each participant. In all subjects, we observed preferential fMRI responses to contralateral azimuth positions. Additionally, in most AC locations, spatial tuning was broad and not level invariant. We derived an opponent channel model of the fMRI responses by subtracting the activity of contralaterally tuned regions in bilateral planum temporale. This resulted in accurate decoding of sound azimuth location, which was unaffected by changes in sound level. Our data thus support opponent channel coding as a neural mechanism for representing acoustic azimuth in human AC. PMID:26545618

Tuning group-velocity dispersion by optical force.

PubMed

Jiang, Wei C; Lin, Qiang

2013-07-15

We propose an optomechanical approach for dispersion dynamic tuning and microengineering by taking advantage of the optical force in nano-optomechanical structures. Simulations of a suspended coupled silicon waveguide show that the zero-dispersion wavelength can be tuned by 40 nm by an optical pump power of 3 mW. Our approach exhibits great potential for broad applications in dispersion-sensitive processes, which not only offers a new root toward versatile tunable nonlinear photonics but may also open up a great avenue toward a new regime of nonlinear dynamics coupling between nonlinear optical and optomechanical effects.

Evolution of an intricate J-protein network driving protein disaggregation in eukaryotes.

PubMed

Nillegoda, Nadinath B; Stank, Antonia; Malinverni, Duccio; Alberts, Niels; Szlachcic, Anna; Barducci, Alessandro; De Los Rios, Paolo; Wade, Rebecca C; Bukau, Bernd

2017-05-15

Hsp70 participates in a broad spectrum of protein folding processes extending from nascent chain folding to protein disaggregation. This versatility in function is achieved through a diverse family of J-protein cochaperones that select substrates for Hsp70. Substrate selection is further tuned by transient complexation between different classes of J-proteins, which expands the range of protein aggregates targeted by metazoan Hsp70 for disaggregation. We assessed the prevalence and evolutionary conservation of J-protein complexation and cooperation in disaggregation. We find the emergence of a eukaryote-specific signature for interclass complexation of canonical J-proteins. Consistently, complexes exist in yeast and human cells, but not in bacteria, and correlate with cooperative action in disaggregation in vitro. Signature alterations exclude some J-proteins from networking, which ensures correct J-protein pairing, functional network integrity and J-protein specialization. This fundamental change in J-protein biology during the prokaryote-to-eukaryote transition allows for increased fine-tuning and broadening of Hsp70 function in eukaryotes.

Frequency-agile dual-comb spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Millot, Guy; Pitois, Stéphane; Yan, Ming; Hovhannisyan, Tatevik; Bendahmane, Abdelkrim; Hänsch, Theodor W.; Picqué, Nathalie

2016-01-01

Spectroscopic gas sensing and its applications to, for example, trace detection or chemical kinetics, require ever more demanding measurement times, acquisition rates, sensitivities, precisions and broad tuning ranges. Here, we propose a new approach to near-infrared molecular spectroscopy, utilizing advanced concepts of optical telecommunications and supercontinuum photonics. We generate, without mode-locked lasers, two frequency combs of slightly different repetition frequencies and moderate, but rapidly tunable, spectral span. The output of a frequency-agile continuous-wave laser is split and sent into two electro-optic intensity modulators. Flat-top low-noise frequency combs are produced by wave-breaking in a nonlinear optical fibre of normal dispersion. With a dual-comb spectrometer, we record Doppler-limited spectra spanning 60 GHz within 13 μs and an 80 kHz refresh rate, at a tuning speed of 10 nm s-1. The sensitivity for weak absorption is enhanced by a long gas-filled hollow-core fibre. New opportunities for real-time diagnostics may be opened up, even outside the laboratory.

Toward the realization of a compact chemical sensor platform using quantum cascade lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holthoff, Ellen L.; Marcus, Logan S.; Pellegrino, Paul M.

2015-05-01

The Army is investigating several spectroscopic techniques (e.g., infrared spectroscopy) that could allow for an adaptable sensor platform. Traditionally, chemical sensing platforms have been hampered by the opposing concerns of increasing sensor capability while maintaining a minimal package size. Current sensors, although reasonably sized, are geared to more classical chemical threats, and the ability to expand their capabilities to a broader range of emerging threats is uncertain. Recently, photoacoustic spectroscopy, employed in a sensor format, has shown enormous potential to address these ever-changing threats, while maintaining a compact sensor design. In order to realize the advantage of photoacoustic sensor miniaturization, light sources of comparable size are required. Recent research has employed quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) in combination with MEMS-scale photoacoustic cell designs. The continuous tuning capability of QCLs over a broad wavelength range in the mid-infrared spectral region greatly expands the number of compounds that can be identified. Results have demonstrated that utilizing a tunable QCL with a MEMS-scale photoacoustic cell produces favorable detection limits (ppb levels) for chemical targets (e.g., dimethyl methyl phosphonate (DMMP), vinyl acetate, 1,4-dioxane). Although our chemical sensing research has benefitted from the broad tuning capabilities of QCLs, the limitations of these sources must be considered. Current commercially available tunable systems are still expensive and obviously geared more toward laboratory operation, not fielding. Although the laser element itself is quite small, the packaging, power supply, and controller remain logistical burdens. Additionally, operational features such as continuous wave (CW) modulation and laser output powers while maintaining wide tunability are not yet ideal for a variety of sensing applications. In this paper, we will discuss our continuing evaluation of QCL technology as it matures in relation to our ultimate goal of a universal compact chemical sensor platform.

Diversity of coding profiles of mechanoreceptors in glabrous skin of kittens.

PubMed

Gibson, J M; Beitel, R E; Welker, W

1975-03-21

We examined stimulul-response (S-R) profiles of 35 single mechanoreceptive afferent units having small receptive fields in glabrous forepaw skin of 24 anesthetized domestic kittens. Single unit activity was recorded with tungsten microelectrodes from cervical dorsal root ganglia. The study was designed to be as quantitatively descriptive as possible. We indented each unit's receptive field with a broad battery of simple, carefully controlled stimuli whose major parameters, including amplitude, velocity, acceleration, duration, and interstimulus interval were systematically varied. Stimuli were delivered by a small probe driven by a feedback-controlled axial displacement generator. Single unit discharge data were analyzed by a variety of direct and derived measures including dot patterns, peristimulus histograms, instantaneous and mean instantaneous firing rates, tuning curves, thresholds for amplitude and velocity, adaptation rates, dynamic and static sensitivities, and others. We found that with respect to any of the S-R transactions examined, the properties of our sample of units were continuously and broadly distributed. Any one unit might exhibit either a slow or rapid rate of adaptation, or might superficially appear to preferentially code a single stimulus parameter such as amplitude or velocity. But when the entire range of responsiveness of units to the entire stimulus battery was surveyed by a variety of analytic techniques, we were unable to find any justifiable basis for designation of discrete categories of S-R profiles. Intermediate response types were always found, and in general, all units were both broadly tuned and capable of responding to integrals of several stimulus parameters, our data argue against the usefulness of evaluating a unit's S-R coding capabilities by means of a limited ste of stimulation of response analysis procedures.

Cochlear-implant spatial selectivity with monopolar, bipolar and tripolar stimulation.

PubMed

Zhu, Ziyan; Tang, Qing; Zeng, Fan-Gang; Guan, Tian; Ye, Datian

2012-01-01

Sharp spatial selectivity is critical to auditory performance, particularly in pitch-related tasks. Most contemporary cochlear implants have employed monopolar stimulation that produces broad electric fields, which presumably contribute to poor pitch and pitch-related performance by implant users. Bipolar or tripolar stimulation can generate focused electric fields but requires higher current to reach threshold and, more interestingly, has not produced any apparent improvement in cochlear-implant performance. The present study addressed this dilemma by measuring psychophysical and physiological spatial selectivity with both broad and focused stimulations in the same cohort of subjects. Different current levels were adjusted by systematically measuring loudness growth for each stimulus, each stimulation mode, and in each subject. Both psychophysical and physiological measures showed that, although focused stimulation produced significantly sharper spatial tuning than monopolar stimulation, it could shift the tuning position or even split the tuning tips. The altered tuning with focused stimulation is interpreted as a result of poor electrode-to-neuron interface in the cochlea, and is suggested to be mainly responsible for the lack of consistent improvement in implant performance. A linear model could satisfactorily quantify the psychophysical and physiological data and derive the tuning width. Significant correlation was found between the individual physiological and psychophysical tuning widths, and the correlation was improved by log-linearly transforming the physiological data to predict the psychophysical data. Because the physiological measure took only one-tenth of the time of the psychophysical measure, the present model is of high clinical significance in terms of predicting and improving cochlear-implant performance. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cochlear Implant Spatial Selectivity with Monopolar, Bipolar and Tripolar Stimulation

PubMed Central

Zhu, Ziyan; Tang, Qing; Zeng, Fan-Gang; Guan, Tian; Ye, Datian

2011-01-01

Sharp spatial selectivity is critical to auditory performance, particularly in pitch related tasks. Most contemporary cochlear implants have employed monopolar stimulation that produces broad electric fields, which presumably contribute to poor pitch and pitch-related performance by implant users. Bipolar or tripolar stimulation can generate focused electric fields but requires higher current to reach threshold and, more interestingly, has not produced any apparent improvement in cochlear implant performance. The present study addressed this dilemma by measuring psychophysical and physiological spatial selectivity with both broad and focused stimulations in the same cohort of subjects. Different current levels were adjusted by systematically measuring loudness growth for each stimulus, each stimulation mode, and in each subject. Both psychophysical and physiological measures showed that, although focused stimulation produced significantly sharper spatial tuning than monopolar stimulation, it could shift the tuning position or even split the tuning tips. The altered tuning with focused stimulation is interpreted as a result of poor electrode-to-neuron interface in the cochlea, and is suggested to be mainly responsible for the lack of consistent improvement in implant performance. A linear model could satisfactorily quantify the psychophysical and physiological data and derive the tuning width. Significant correlation was found between the individual physiological and psychophysical tuning widths, and the correlation was improved by log-linearly transforming the physiological data to predict the psychophysical data. Because the physiological measure took only one-tenth of the time of the psychophysical measure, the present model is of high clinical significance in terms of predicting and improving cochlear implant performance. PMID:22138630

Wavelength-agile near-IR optical parametric oscillator using a deposited silicon waveguide.

PubMed

Wang, Ke-Yao; Foster, Mark A; Foster, Amy C

2015-06-15

Using a deposited hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) waveguide, we demonstrate ultra-broad bandwidth (60 THz) parametric amplification via four-wave mixing (FWM), and subsequently achieve the first silicon optical parametric oscillator (OPO) at near-IR wavelengths. Utilization of the time-dispersion-tuned technique provides an optical source with active wavelength tuning over 42 THz with a fixed pump wave.

Spatially tuned normalization explains attention modulation variance within neurons.

PubMed

Ni, Amy M; Maunsell, John H R

2017-09-01

Spatial attention improves perception of attended parts of a scene, a behavioral enhancement accompanied by modulations of neuronal firing rates. These modulations vary in size across neurons in the same brain area. Models of normalization explain much of this variance in attention modulation with differences in tuned normalization across neurons (Lee J, Maunsell JHR. PLoS One 4: e4651, 2009; Ni AM, Ray S, Maunsell JHR. Neuron 73: 803-813, 2012). However, recent studies suggest that normalization tuning varies with spatial location both across and within neurons (Ruff DA, Alberts JJ, Cohen MR. J Neurophysiol 116: 1375-1386, 2016; Verhoef BE, Maunsell JHR. eLife 5: e17256, 2016). Here we show directly that attention modulation and normalization tuning do in fact covary within individual neurons, in addition to across neurons as previously demonstrated. We recorded the activity of isolated neurons in the middle temporal area of two rhesus monkeys as they performed a change-detection task that controlled the focus of spatial attention. Using the same two drifting Gabor stimuli and the same two receptive field locations for each neuron, we found that switching which stimulus was presented at which location affected both attention modulation and normalization in a correlated way within neurons. We present an equal-maximum-suppression spatially tuned normalization model that explains this covariance both across and within neurons: each stimulus generates equally strong suppression of its own excitatory drive, but its suppression of distant stimuli is typically less. This new model specifies how the tuned normalization associated with each stimulus location varies across space both within and across neurons, changing our understanding of the normalization mechanism and how attention modulations depend on this mechanism. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Tuned normalization studies have demonstrated that the variance in attention modulation size seen across neurons from the same cortical area can be largely explained by between-neuron differences in normalization strength. Here we demonstrate that attention modulation size varies within neurons as well and that this variance is largely explained by within-neuron differences in normalization strength. We provide a new spatially tuned normalization model that explains this broad range of observed normalization and attention effects. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

Tunable meta-atom using liquid metal embedded in stretchable polymer

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

Liu, Peng; Yang, Siming; Wang, Qiugu

2015-07-07

Reconfigurable metamaterials have great potential to alleviate complications involved in using passive metamaterials to realize emerging electromagnetic functions, such as dynamical filtering, sensing, and cloaking. This paper presents a new type of tunable meta-atoms in the X-band frequency range (8–12 GHz) toward reconfigurable metamaterials. The meta-atom is made of all flexible materials compliant to the surface of an interaction object. It uses a liquid metal-based split-ring resonator as its core constituent embedded in a highly flexible elastomer. We demonstrate that simple mechanical stretching of the meta-atom can lead to the great flexibility in reconfiguring its resonance frequency continuously over moremore » than 70% of the X-band frequency range. The presented meta-atom technique provides a simple approach to dynamically tune response characteristics of metamaterials over a broad frequency range.« less

Widely tunable two-colour seeded free-electron laser source for resonant-pump resonant-probe magnetic scattering

PubMed Central

Ferrari, Eugenio; Spezzani, Carlo; Fortuna, Franck; Delaunay, Renaud; Vidal, Franck; Nikolov, Ivaylo; Cinquegrana, Paolo; Diviacco, Bruno; Gauthier, David; Penco, Giuseppe; Ribič, Primož Rebernik; Roussel, Eleonore; Trovò, Marco; Moussy, Jean-Baptiste; Pincelli, Tommaso; Lounis, Lounès; Manfredda, Michele; Pedersoli, Emanuele; Capotondi, Flavio; Svetina, Cristian; Mahne, Nicola; Zangrando, Marco; Raimondi, Lorenzo; Demidovich, Alexander; Giannessi, Luca; De Ninno, Giovanni; Danailov, Miltcho Boyanov; Allaria, Enrico; Sacchi, Maurizio

2016-01-01

The advent of free-electron laser (FEL) sources delivering two synchronized pulses of different wavelengths (or colours) has made available a whole range of novel pump–probe experiments. This communication describes a major step forward using a new configuration of the FERMI FEL-seeded source to deliver two pulses with different wavelengths, each tunable independently over a broad spectral range with adjustable time delay. The FEL scheme makes use of two seed laser beams of different wavelengths and of a split radiator section to generate two extreme ultraviolet pulses from distinct portions of the same electron bunch. The tunability range of this new two-colour source meets the requirements of double-resonant FEL pump/FEL probe time-resolved studies. We demonstrate its performance in a proof-of-principle magnetic scattering experiment in Fe–Ni compounds, by tuning the FEL wavelengths to the Fe and Ni 3p resonances. PMID:26757813

Bistable Topological Insulator with Exciton-Polaritons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kartashov, Yaroslav V.; Skryabin, Dmitry V.

2017-12-01

The functionality of many nonlinear and quantum optical devices relies on the effect of optical bistability. Using microcavity exciton-polaritons in a honeycomb arrangement of microcavity pillars, we report the resonance response and bistability of topological edge states. A balance between the pump, loss, and nonlinearity ensures a broad range of dynamical stability and controls the distribution of power between counterpropagating states on the opposite edges of the honeycomb lattice stripe. Tuning energy and polarization of the pump photons, while keeping their momentum constant, we demonstrate control of the propagation direction of the dominant edge state. Our results facilitate the development of practical applications of topological photonics.

Opponent Coding of Sound Location (Azimuth) in Planum Temporale is Robust to Sound-Level Variations.

PubMed

Derey, Kiki; Valente, Giancarlo; de Gelder, Beatrice; Formisano, Elia

2016-01-01

Coding of sound location in auditory cortex (AC) is only partially understood. Recent electrophysiological research suggests that neurons in mammalian auditory cortex are characterized by broad spatial tuning and a preference for the contralateral hemifield, that is, a nonuniform sampling of sound azimuth. Additionally, spatial selectivity decreases with increasing sound intensity. To accommodate these findings, it has been proposed that sound location is encoded by the integrated activity of neuronal populations with opposite hemifield tuning ("opponent channel model"). In this study, we investigated the validity of such a model in human AC with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and a phase-encoding paradigm employing binaural stimuli recorded individually for each participant. In all subjects, we observed preferential fMRI responses to contralateral azimuth positions. Additionally, in most AC locations, spatial tuning was broad and not level invariant. We derived an opponent channel model of the fMRI responses by subtracting the activity of contralaterally tuned regions in bilateral planum temporale. This resulted in accurate decoding of sound azimuth location, which was unaffected by changes in sound level. Our data thus support opponent channel coding as a neural mechanism for representing acoustic azimuth in human AC. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press.

An approach to control tuning range and speed in 1D ternary photonic band gap material nano-layered optical filter structures electro-optically

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zia, Shahneel; Banerjee, Anirudh

2016-05-01

This paper demonstrates a way to control spectrum tuning capability in one-dimensional (1D) ternary photonic band gap (PBG) material nano-layered structures electro-optically. It is shown that not only tuning range, but also tuning speed of tunable optical filters based on 1D ternary PBG structures can be controlled Electro-optically. This approach finds application in tuning range enhancement of 1D Ternary PBG structures and compensating temperature sensitive transmission spectrum shift in 1D Ternary PBG structures.

An approach to control tuning range and speed in 1D ternary photonic band gap material nano-layered optical filter structures electro-optically

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

Zia, Shahneel, E-mail: shahneelzia@gmail.com; Banerjee, Anirudh, E-mail: abanerjee@amity.edu

2016-05-06

This paper demonstrates a way to control spectrum tuning capability in one-dimensional (1D) ternary photonic band gap (PBG) material nano-layered structures electro-optically. It is shown that not only tuning range, but also tuning speed of tunable optical filters based on 1D ternary PBG structures can be controlled Electro-optically. This approach finds application in tuning range enhancement of 1D Ternary PBG structures and compensating temperature sensitive transmission spectrum shift in 1D Ternary PBG structures.

Role of inhibition in the specification of orientation selectivity of cells in the cat striate cortex.

PubMed

Bonds, A B

1989-01-01

Mechanisms supporting orientation selectivity of cat striate cortical cells were studied by stimulation with two superimposed sine-wave gratings of different orientations. One grating (base) generated a discharge of known amplitude which could be modified by the second grating (mask). Masks presented at nonoptimal orientations usually reduced the base-generated response, but the degree of reduction varied widely between cells. Cells with narrow orientation tuning tended to be more susceptible to mask presence than broadly tuned cells; similarly, simple cells generally showed more response reduction than did complex cells. The base and mask stimuli were drifted at different temporal frequencies which, in simple cells, permitted the identification of individual response components from each stimulus. This revealed that the reduction of the base response by the mask usually did not vary regularly with mask orientation, although response facilitation from the mask was orientation selective. In some sharply tuned simple cells, response reduction had clear local maxima near the limits of the cell's orientation-tuning function. Response reduction resulted from a nearly pure rightward shift of the response versus log contrast function. The lowest mask contrast yielding reduction was within 0.1-0.3 log unit of the lowest contrast effective for excitation. The temporal-frequency bandpass of the response-reduction mechanism resembled that of most cortical cells. The spatial-frequency bandpass was much broader than is typical for single cortical cells, spanning essentially the entire visual range of the cat. These findings are compatible with a model in which weak intrinsic orientation-selective excitation is enhanced in two stages: (1) control of threshold by nonorientation-selective inhibition that is continuously dependent on stimulus contrast; and (2) in the more narrowly tuned cells, orientation-selective inhibition that has local maxima serving to increase the slope of the orientation-tuning function.

Longitudinal spread of mechanical excitation through tectorial membrane traveling waves

PubMed Central

Sellon, Jonathan B.; Farrahi, Shirin; Ghaffari, Roozbeh; Freeman, Dennis M.

2015-01-01

The mammalian inner ear separates sounds by their frequency content, and this separation underlies important properties of human hearing, including our ability to understand speech in noisy environments. Studies of genetic disorders of hearing have demonstrated a link between frequency selectivity and wave properties of the tectorial membrane (TM). To understand these wave properties better, we developed chemical manipulations that systematically and reversibly alter TM stiffness and viscosity. Using microfabricated shear probes, we show that (i) reducing pH reduces TM stiffness with little change in TM viscosity and (ii) adding PEG increases TM viscosity with little change in TM stiffness. By applying these manipulations in measurements of TM waves, we show that TM wave speed is determined primarily by stiffness at low frequencies and by viscosity at high frequencies. Both TM viscosity and stiffness affect the longitudinal spread of mechanical excitation through the TM over a broad range of frequencies. Increasing TM viscosity or decreasing stiffness reduces longitudinal spread of mechanical excitation, thereby coupling a smaller range of best frequencies and sharpening tuning. In contrast, increasing viscous loss or decreasing stiffness would tend to broaden tuning in resonance-based TM models. Thus, TM wave and resonance mechanisms are fundamentally different in the way they control frequency selectivity. PMID:26438861

Adding words to the brain's visual dictionary: novel word learning selectively sharpens orthographic representations in the VWFA.

PubMed

Glezer, Laurie S; Kim, Judy; Rule, Josh; Jiang, Xiong; Riesenhuber, Maximilian

2015-03-25

The nature of orthographic representations in the human brain is still subject of much debate. Recent reports have claimed that the visual word form area (VWFA) in left occipitotemporal cortex contains an orthographic lexicon based on neuronal representations highly selective for individual written real words (RWs). This theory predicts that learning novel words should selectively increase neural specificity for these words in the VWFA. We trained subjects to recognize novel pseudowords (PWs) and used fMRI rapid adaptation to compare neural selectivity with RWs, untrained PWs (UTPWs), and trained PWs (TPWs). Before training, PWs elicited broadly tuned responses, whereas responses to RWs indicated tight tuning. After training, TPW responses resembled those of RWs, whereas UTPWs continued to show broad tuning. This change in selectivity was specific to the VWFA. Therefore, word learning appears to selectively increase neuronal specificity for the new words in the VWFA, thereby adding these words to the brain's visual dictionary. Copyright © 2015 the authors 0270-6474/15/354965-08$15.00/0.

Homeostatic enhancement of sensory transduction

PubMed Central

Milewski, Andrew R.; Ó Maoiléidigh, Dáibhid; Salvi, Joshua D.; Hudspeth, A. J.

2017-01-01

Our sense of hearing boasts exquisite sensitivity, precise frequency discrimination, and a broad dynamic range. Experiments and modeling imply, however, that the auditory system achieves this performance for only a narrow range of parameter values. Small changes in these values could compromise hair cells’ ability to detect stimuli. We propose that, rather than exerting tight control over parameters, the auditory system uses a homeostatic mechanism that increases the robustness of its operation to variation in parameter values. To slowly adjust the response to sinusoidal stimulation, the homeostatic mechanism feeds back a rectified version of the hair bundle’s displacement to its adaptation process. When homeostasis is enforced, the range of parameter values for which the sensitivity, tuning sharpness, and dynamic range exceed specified thresholds can increase by more than an order of magnitude. Signatures in the hair cell’s behavior provide a means to determine through experiment whether such a mechanism operates in the auditory system. Robustness of function through homeostasis may be ensured in any system through mechanisms similar to those that we describe here. PMID:28760949

Fine-tuned broad binding capability of human lipocalin-type prostaglandin D synthase for various small lipophilic ligands.

PubMed

Kume, Satoshi; Lee, Young-Ho; Nakatsuji, Masatoshi; Teraoka, Yoshiaki; Yamaguchi, Keisuke; Goto, Yuji; Inui, Takashi

2014-03-18

The hydrophobic cavity of lipocalin-type prostaglandin D synthase (L-PGDS) has been suggested to accommodate various lipophilic ligands through hydrophobic effects, but its energetic origin remains unknown. We characterized 18 buffer-independent binding systems between human L-PGDS and lipophilic ligands using isothermal titration calorimetry. Although the classical hydrophobic effect was mostly detected, all complex formations were driven by favorable enthalpic gains. Gibbs energy changes strongly correlated with the number of hydrogen bond acceptors of ligand. Thus, the broad binding capability of L-PGDS for ligands should be viewed as hydrophilic interactions delicately tuned by enthalpy-entropy compensation using combined effects of hydrophilic and hydrophobic interactions. Copyright © 2014 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Wide range optofluidically tunable multimode interference fiber laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antonio-Lopez, J. E.; Sanchez-Mondragon, J. J.; LiKamWa, P.; May-Arrioja, D. A.

2014-08-01

An optofluidically tunable fiber laser based on multimode interference (MMI) effects with a wide tuning range is proposed and demonstrated. The tunable mechanism is based on an MMI fiber filter fabricated using a special fiber known as no-core fiber, which is a multimode fiber (MMF) without cladding. Therefore, when the MMI filter is covered by liquid the optical properties of the no-core fiber are modified, which allow us to tune the peak wavelength response of the MMI filter. Rather than applying the liquid on the entire no-core fiber, we change the liquid level along the no-core fiber, which provides a highly linear tuning response. In addition, by selecting the adequate refractive index of the liquid we can also choose the tuning range. We demonstrate the versatility of the optofluidically tunable MMI filter by wavelength tuning two different gain media, erbium doped fiber and a semiconductor optical amplifier, achieving tuning ranges of 55 and 90 nm respectively. In both cases, we achieve side-mode suppression ratios (SMSR) better than 50 dBm with output power variations of less than 0.76 dBm over the whole tuning range.

Self-ordered, controlled structure nanoporous membranes using constant current anodization.

PubMed

Lee, Kwan; Tang, Yun; Ouyang, Min

2008-12-01

We report a constant current (CC) based anodization technique to fabricate and control structure of mechanically stable anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes with a long-range ordered hexagonal nanopore pattern. For the first time we show that interpore distance (Dint) of a self-ordered nanopore feature can be continuously tuned over a broad range with CC anodization and is uniquely defined by the conductivity of sulfuric acid as electrolyte. We further demonstrate that this technique can offer new degrees of freedom for engineering planar nanopore structures by fine tailoring the CC based anodization process. Our results not only facilitate further understanding of self-ordering mechanism of alumina membranes but also provide a fast, simple (without requirement of prepatterning or preoxide layer), and flexible methodology for controlling complex nanoporous structures, thus offering promising practical applications in nanotechnology.

Multicolour synthesis in lanthanide-doped nanocrystals through cation exchange in water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Sanyang; Qin, Xian; An, Zhongfu; Zhu, Yihan; Liang, Liangliang; Han, Yu; Huang, Wei; Liu, Xiaogang

2016-10-01

Meeting the high demand for lanthanide-doped luminescent nanocrystals across a broad range of fields hinges upon the development of a robust synthetic protocol that provides rapid, just-in-time nanocrystal preparation. However, to date, almost all lanthanide-doped luminescent nanomaterials have relied on direct synthesis requiring stringent controls over crystal nucleation and growth at elevated temperatures. Here we demonstrate the use of a cation exchange strategy for expeditiously accessing large classes of such nanocrystals. By combining the process of cation exchange with energy migration, the luminescence properties of the nanocrystals can be easily tuned while preserving the size, morphology and crystal phase of the initial nanocrystal template. This post-synthesis strategy enables us to achieve upconversion luminescence in Ce3+ and Mn2+-activated hexagonal-phased nanocrystals, opening a gateway towards applications ranging from chemical sensing to anti-counterfeiting.

Resonant antenna probes for tip-enhanced infrared near-field microscopy.

PubMed

Huth, Florian; Chuvilin, Andrey; Schnell, Martin; Amenabar, Iban; Krutokhvostov, Roman; Lopatin, Sergei; Hillenbrand, Rainer

2013-03-13

We report the development of infrared-resonant antenna probes for tip-enhanced optical microscopy. We employ focused-ion-beam machining to fabricate high-aspect ratio gold cones, which replace the standard tip of a commercial Si-based atomic force microscopy cantilever. Calculations show large field enhancements at the tip apex due to geometrical antenna resonances in the cones, which can be precisely tuned throughout a broad spectral range from visible to terahertz frequencies by adjusting the cone length. Spectroscopic analysis of these probes by electron energy loss spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared near-field spectroscopy corroborates their functionality as resonant antennas and verifies the broad tunability. By employing the novel probes in a scattering-type near-field microscope and imaging a single tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), we experimentally demonstrate high-performance mid-infrared nanoimaging of molecular absorption. Our probes offer excellent perspectives for optical nanoimaging and nanospectroscopy, pushing the detection and resolution limits in many applications, including nanoscale infrared mapping of organic, molecular, and biological materials, nanocomposites, or nanodevices.

Poisson-Like Spiking in Circuits with Probabilistic Synapses

PubMed Central

Moreno-Bote, Rubén

2014-01-01

Neuronal activity in cortex is variable both spontaneously and during stimulation, and it has the remarkable property that it is Poisson-like over broad ranges of firing rates covering from virtually zero to hundreds of spikes per second. The mechanisms underlying cortical-like spiking variability over such a broad continuum of rates are currently unknown. We show that neuronal networks endowed with probabilistic synaptic transmission, a well-documented source of variability in cortex, robustly generate Poisson-like variability over several orders of magnitude in their firing rate without fine-tuning of the network parameters. Other sources of variability, such as random synaptic delays or spike generation jittering, do not lead to Poisson-like variability at high rates because they cannot be sufficiently amplified by recurrent neuronal networks. We also show that probabilistic synapses predict Fano factor constancy of synaptic conductances. Our results suggest that synaptic noise is a robust and sufficient mechanism for the type of variability found in cortex. PMID:25032705

Combinatorial Screening for Transgenic Yeasts with High Cellulase Activities in Combination with a Tunable Expression System

PubMed Central

Ito, Yoichiro; Yamanishi, Mamoru; Ikeuchi, Akinori; Imamura, Chie; Matsuyama, Takashi

2015-01-01

Combinatorial screening used together with a broad library of gene expression cassettes is expected to produce a powerful tool for the optimization of the simultaneous expression of multiple enzymes. Recently, we proposed a highly tunable protein expression system that utilized multiple genome-integrated target genes to fine-tune enzyme expression in yeast cells. This tunable system included a library of expression cassettes each composed of three gene-expression control elements that in different combinations produced a wide range of protein expression levels. In this study, four gene expression cassettes with graded protein expression levels were applied to the expression of three cellulases: cellobiohydrolase 1, cellobiohydrolase 2, and endoglucanase 2. After combinatorial screening for transgenic yeasts simultaneously secreting these three cellulases, we obtained strains with higher cellulase expressions than a strain harboring three cellulase-expression constructs within one high-performance gene expression cassette. These results show that our method will be of broad use throughout the field of metabolic engineering. PMID:26692026

A pH-tunable nanofluidic diode with a broad range of rectifying properties.

PubMed

Ali, Mubarak; Ramirez, Patricio; Mafé, Salvador; Neumann, Reinhard; Ensinger, Wolfgang

2009-03-24

The use of fixed charge nanopores in practical applications requires tuning externally the electrostatic interaction between the charged groups and the ionic permeants in order to allow integrating a variety of functions on the same nanostructure. We design, produce, and characterize, theoretically and experimentally, a single-track amphoteric nanopore functionalized with lysine and histidine chains whose positive and negative charges are very sensitive to the external pH. This nanofluidic diode with amphoteric chains attached to the pore surface allows for a broad set of rectification properties supported by a single nanodevice. A definite plus is to functionalize these groups on a conical nanopore with well-defined, controlled structural asymmetry which gives virtually every rectification characteristic that may be required in practical applications. Nanometerscaled amphoteric pores are of general interest because of the potential applications in drug delivery systems, ion-exchange membranes for separation of biomacromolecules, antifouling materials with reduced molecular adsorption, and biochemical sensors.

Tuning calcite morphology and growth acceleration by a rational design of highly stable protein-mimetics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Chun-Long; Qi, Jiahui; Tao, Jinhui; Zuckermann, Ronald N.; Deyoreo, James J.

2014-09-01

In nature, proteins play a significant role in biomineral formation. One of the ultimate goals of bioinspired materials science is to develop highly stable synthetic molecules that mimic the function of these natural proteins by controlling crystal formation. Here, we demonstrate that both the morphology and the degree of acceleration or inhibition observed during growth of calcite in the presence of peptoids can be rationally tuned by balancing the electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions, with hydrophobic interactions playing the dominant role. While either strong electrostatic or hydrophobic interactions inhibit growth and reduces expression of the {104} faces, correlations between peptoid-crystal binding energies and observed changes in calcite growth indicate moderate electrostatic interactions allow peptoids to weakly adsorb while moderate hydrophobic interactions cause disruption of surface-adsorbed water layers, leading to growth acceleration with retained expression of the {104} faces. This study provides fundamental principles for designing peptoids as crystallization promoters, and offers a straightforward screening method based on macroscopic crystal morphology. Because peptoids are sequence-specific, highly stable, and easily synthesized, peptoid-enhanced crystallization offers a broad range of potential applications.

Tuning calcite morphology and growth acceleration by a rational design of highly stable protein-mimetics

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

Chen, Chunlong; Qi, Jiahui; Tao, Jinhui

2014-09-05

In nature, proteins play a significant role in biomineral formation. One of the ultimate goals of bioinspired materials science is to develop highly stable synthetic molecules that mimic the function of these natural proteins by controlling crystal formation. Here, we demonstrate that both the morphology and the degree of acceleration or inhibition observed during growth of calcite in the presence of peptoids can be rationally tuned by balancing the electrostatic interactions (EI) and hydrophobic interactions (HI), with HI playing the dominant role. While either strong EI or HI inhibit growth and suppress (104) face expression, correlations between peptoid-crystal binding energiesmore » and observed changes in calcite growth indicate moderate EI allow peptoids to weakly adsorb while moderate HI cause disruption of surface-adsorbed water layers, leading to growth acceleration with retained expression of (104) faces. This study provides fundamental principles for designing peptoids as crystallization promoters, and offers a straightforward screening method based on macroscopic crystal morphology. Because peptoids are sequence-specific, highly stable, and easily synthesized, peptoid-enhanced crystallization offers a broad range of potential applications.« less

Tuning calcite morphology and growth acceleration by a rational design of highly stable protein-mimetics

PubMed Central

Chen, Chun-Long; Qi, Jiahui; Tao, Jinhui; Zuckermann, Ronald N.; DeYoreo, James J.

2014-01-01

In nature, proteins play a significant role in biomineral formation. One of the ultimate goals of bioinspired materials science is to develop highly stable synthetic molecules that mimic the function of these natural proteins by controlling crystal formation. Here, we demonstrate that both the morphology and the degree of acceleration or inhibition observed during growth of calcite in the presence of peptoids can be rationally tuned by balancing the electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions, with hydrophobic interactions playing the dominant role. While either strong electrostatic or hydrophobic interactions inhibit growth and reduces expression of the {104} faces, correlations between peptoid-crystal binding energies and observed changes in calcite growth indicate moderate electrostatic interactions allow peptoids to weakly adsorb while moderate hydrophobic interactions cause disruption of surface-adsorbed water layers, leading to growth acceleration with retained expression of the {104} faces. This study provides fundamental principles for designing peptoids as crystallization promoters, and offers a straightforward screening method based on macroscopic crystal morphology. Because peptoids are sequence-specific, highly stable, and easily synthesized, peptoid-enhanced crystallization offers a broad range of potential applications. PMID:25189418

A Soft Gripper with Rigidity Tunable Elastomer Strips as Ligaments.

PubMed

Nasab, Amir Mohammadi; Sabzehzar, Amin; Tatari, Milad; Majidi, Carmel; Shan, Wanliang

2017-12-01

Like their natural counterparts, soft bioinspired robots capable of actively tuning their mechanical rigidity can rapidly transition between a broad range of motor tasks-from lifting heavy loads to dexterous manipulation of delicate objects. Reversible rigidity tuning also enables soft robot actuators to reroute their internal loading and alter their mode of deformation in response to intrinsic activation. In this study, we demonstrate this principle with a three-fingered pneumatic gripper that contains "programmable" ligaments that change stiffness when activated with electrical current. The ligaments are composed of a conductive, thermoplastic elastomer composite that reversibly softens under resistive heating. Depending on which ligaments are activated, the gripper will bend inward to pick up an object, bend laterally to twist it, and bend outward to release it. All of the gripper motions are generated with a single pneumatic source of pressure. An activation-deactivation cycle can be completed within 15 s. The ability to incorporate electrically programmable ligaments in a pneumatic or hydraulic actuator has the potential to enhance versatility and reduce dependency on tubing and valves.

Die Fledermaus: Regarding Optokinetic Contrast Sensitivity and Light-Adaptation, Chicks Are Mice with Wings

PubMed Central

Shi, Qing; Stell, William K.

2013-01-01

Background Through adaptation, animals can function visually under an extremely broad range of light intensities. Light adaptation starts in the retina, through shifts in photoreceptor sensitivity and kinetics plus modulation of visual processing in retinal circuits. Although considerable research has been conducted on retinal adaptation in nocturnal species with rod-dominated retinas, such as the mouse, little is known about how cone-dominated avian retinas adapt to changes in mean light intensity. Methodology/Principal Findings We used the optokinetic response to characterize contrast sensitivity (CS) in the chick retina as a function of spatial frequency and temporal frequency at different mean light intensities. We found that: 1) daytime, cone-driven CS was tuned to spatial frequency; 2) nighttime, presumably rod-driven CS was tuned to temporal frequency and spatial frequency; 3) daytime, presumably cone-driven CS at threshold intensity was invariant with temporal and spatial frequency; and 4) daytime photopic CS was invariant with clock time. Conclusion/Significance Light- and dark-adaptational changes in CS were investigated comprehensively for the first time in the cone-dominated retina of an avian, diurnal species. The chick retina, like the mouse retina, adapts by using a “day/night” or “cone/rod” switch in tuning preference during changes in lighting conditions. The chick optokinetic response is an attractive model for noninvasive, behavioral studies of adaptation in retinal circuitry in health and disease. PMID:24098693

Extended and quasi-continuous tuning of quantum cascade lasers using superstructure gratings and integrated heaters

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

Bidaux, Yves, E-mail: yves.bidaux@alpeslasers.ch; Institute for Quantum Electronics, ETH-Zurich, CH-8093 Zurich; Bismuto, Alfredo, E-mail: alfredo.bismuto@alpeslasers.ch

2015-11-30

In this work, we demonstrate broad electrical tuning of quantum cascade lasers at 9.25 μm, 8.5 μm, and 4.4 μm in continuous wave operation using Vernier-effect distributed Bragg reflectors based on superstructure gratings. Integrated micro-heaters allow to switch from one Vernier channel to the other, while predictable and mode-hop free tuning can be obtained in each channel modulating the laser current with a side mode suppression ratio as high as 30 dB. The resulting device behaves effectively as a switchable multicolour tunable source. Tuning up to 6.5% of the central wavelength is observed. To prove the importance of the developed devices for high resolutionmore » molecular spectroscopy, a N{sub 2}O absorption spectrum has been measured.« less

Synaptic Basis for Differential Orientation Selectivity between Complex and Simple Cells in Mouse Visual Cortex

PubMed Central

Li, Ya-tang; Liu, Bao-hua; Chou, Xiao-lin; Zhang, Li I.

2015-01-01

In the primary visual cortex (V1), orientation-selective neurons can be categorized into simple and complex cells primarily based on their receptive field (RF) structures. In mouse V1, although previous studies have examined the excitatory/inhibitory interplay underlying orientation selectivity (OS) of simple cells, the synaptic bases for that of complex cells have remained obscure. Here, by combining in vivo loose-patch and whole-cell recordings, we found that complex cells, identified by their overlapping on/off subfields, had significantly weaker OS than simple cells at both spiking and subthreshold membrane potential response levels. Voltage-clamp recordings further revealed that although excitatory inputs to complex and simple cells exhibited a similar degree of OS, inhibition in complex cells was more narrowly tuned than excitation, whereas in simple cells inhibition was more broadly tuned than excitation. The differential inhibitory tuning can primarily account for the difference in OS between complex and simple cells. Interestingly, the differential synaptic tuning correlated well with the spatial organization of synaptic input: the inhibitory visual RF in complex cells was more elongated in shape than its excitatory counterpart and also was more elongated than that in simple cells. Together, our results demonstrate that OS of complex and simple cells is differentially shaped by cortical inhibition based on its orientation tuning profile relative to excitation, which is contributed at least partially by the spatial organization of RFs of presynaptic inhibitory neurons. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Simple and complex cells, two classes of principal neurons in the primary visual cortex (V1), are generally thought to be equally selective for orientation. In mouse V1, we report that complex cells, identified by their overlapping on/off subfields, has significantly weaker orientation selectivity (OS) than simple cells. This can be primarily attributed to the differential tuning selectivity of inhibitory synaptic input: inhibition in complex cells is more narrowly tuned than excitation, whereas in simple cells inhibition is more broadly tuned than excitation. In addition, there is a good correlation between inhibitory tuning selectivity and the spatial organization of inhibitory inputs. These complex and simple cells with differential degree of OS may provide functionally distinct signals to different downstream targets. PMID:26245969

Synaptic Basis for Differential Orientation Selectivity between Complex and Simple Cells in Mouse Visual Cortex.

PubMed

Li, Ya-tang; Liu, Bao-hua; Chou, Xiao-lin; Zhang, Li I; Tao, Huizhong W

2015-08-05

In the primary visual cortex (V1), orientation-selective neurons can be categorized into simple and complex cells primarily based on their receptive field (RF) structures. In mouse V1, although previous studies have examined the excitatory/inhibitory interplay underlying orientation selectivity (OS) of simple cells, the synaptic bases for that of complex cells have remained obscure. Here, by combining in vivo loose-patch and whole-cell recordings, we found that complex cells, identified by their overlapping on/off subfields, had significantly weaker OS than simple cells at both spiking and subthreshold membrane potential response levels. Voltage-clamp recordings further revealed that although excitatory inputs to complex and simple cells exhibited a similar degree of OS, inhibition in complex cells was more narrowly tuned than excitation, whereas in simple cells inhibition was more broadly tuned than excitation. The differential inhibitory tuning can primarily account for the difference in OS between complex and simple cells. Interestingly, the differential synaptic tuning correlated well with the spatial organization of synaptic input: the inhibitory visual RF in complex cells was more elongated in shape than its excitatory counterpart and also was more elongated than that in simple cells. Together, our results demonstrate that OS of complex and simple cells is differentially shaped by cortical inhibition based on its orientation tuning profile relative to excitation, which is contributed at least partially by the spatial organization of RFs of presynaptic inhibitory neurons. Simple and complex cells, two classes of principal neurons in the primary visual cortex (V1), are generally thought to be equally selective for orientation. In mouse V1, we report that complex cells, identified by their overlapping on/off subfields, has significantly weaker orientation selectivity (OS) than simple cells. This can be primarily attributed to the differential tuning selectivity of inhibitory synaptic input: inhibition in complex cells is more narrowly tuned than excitation, whereas in simple cells inhibition is more broadly tuned than excitation. In addition, there is a good correlation between inhibitory tuning selectivity and the spatial organization of inhibitory inputs. These complex and simple cells with differential degree of OS may provide functionally distinct signals to different downstream targets. Copyright © 2015 the authors 0270-6474/15/3511081-13$15.00/0.

Parametrization of Combined Quantum Mechanical and Molecular Mechanical Methods: Bond-Tuned Link Atoms.

PubMed

Wu, Xin-Ping; Gagliardi, Laura; Truhlar, Donald G

2018-05-30

Combined quantum mechanical and molecular mechanical (QM/MM) methods are the most powerful available methods for high-level treatments of subsystems of very large systems. The treatment of the QM-MM boundary strongly affects the accuracy of QM/MM calculations. For QM/MM calculations having covalent bonds cut by the QM-MM boundary, it has been proposed previously to use a scheme with system-specific tuned fluorine link atoms. Here, we propose a broadly parametrized scheme where the parameters of the tuned F link atoms depend only on the type of bond being cut. In the proposed new scheme, the F link atom is tuned for systems with a certain type of cut bond at the QM-MM boundary instead of for a specific target system, and the resulting link atoms are call bond-tuned link atoms. In principle, the bond-tuned link atoms can be as convenient as the popular H link atoms, and they are especially well adapted for high-throughput and accurate QM/MM calculations. Here, we present the parameters for several kinds of cut bonds along with a set of validation calculations that confirm that the proposed bond-tuned link-atom scheme can be as accurate as the system-specific tuned F link-atom scheme.

Gain and frequency tuning within the mouse cochlear apex

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

Oghalai, John S.; Raphael, Patrick D.; Gao, Simon

Normal mammalian hearing requires cochlear outer hair cell active processes that amplify the traveling wave with high gain and sharp tuning, termed cochlear amplification. We have used optical coherence tomography to study cochlear amplification within the apical turn of the mouse cochlea. We measured not only classical basilar membrane vibratory tuning curves but also vibratory responses from the rest of the tissues that compose the organ of Corti. Basilar membrane tuning was sharp in live mice and broad in dead mice, whereas other regions of the organ of Corti demonstrated phase shifts consistent with additional filtering beyond that provided bymore » basilar membrane mechanics. We use these experimental data to support a conceptual framework of how cochlear amplification is tuned within the mouse cochlear apex. We will also study transgenic mice with targeted mutations that affect different biomechanical aspects of the organ of Corti in an effort to localize the underlying processes that produce this additional filtering.« less

Tuning the Selectivity of Single-Site Supported Metal Catalysts with Ionic Liquids

DOE PAGES

Babucci, Melike; Fang, Chia -Yu; Hoffman, Adam S.; ...

2017-09-11

1,3-Dialkylimidazolium ionic liquid coatings act as electron donors, increasing the selectivity for partial hydrogenation of 1,3-butadiene catalyzed by iridium complexes supported on high-surface-area γ-Al 2O 3. High-energy-resolution fluorescence detection X-ray absorption near-edge structure (HERFD XANES) measurements quantify the electron donation and are correlated with the catalytic activity and selectivity. Furthermore, the results demonstrate broad opportunities to tune electronic environments and catalytic properties of atomically dispersed supported metal catalysts.

Compact silicon photonic wavelength-tunable laser diode with ultra-wide wavelength tuning range

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

Kita, Tomohiro, E-mail: tkita@ecei.tohoku.ac.jp; Tang, Rui; Yamada, Hirohito

2015-03-16

We present a wavelength-tunable laser diode with a 99-nm-wide wavelength tuning range. It has a compact wavelength-tunable filter with high wavelength selectivity fabricated using silicon photonics technology. The silicon photonic wavelength-tunable filter with wide wavelength tuning range was realized using two ring resonators and an asymmetric Mach-Zehnder interferometer. The wavelength-tunable laser diode fabricated by butt-joining a silicon photonic filter and semiconductor optical amplifier shows stable single-mode operation over a wide wavelength range.

Liquid-phase epitaxy grown PbSnTe distributed feedback laser diodes with broad continuous single-mode tuning range

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hsieh, H.-H.; Fonstad, C. G.

1980-01-01

Distributed feedback (DFB) pulsed laser operation has been demonstrated in stripe geometry Pb(1-x)Sn(x)Te double-heterostructures grown by liquid-phase epitaxy. The grating structure of 0.79 micron periodicity operates in first order near 12.8 microns and was fabricated prior to the liquid-phase epitaxial growth using holographic exposure techniques. These DFB lasers had moderate thresholds, 3.6 kA/sq cm, and the output power versus current curves exhibited a sharp turn-on free of kinks. Clean, single-mode emission spectra, continuously tunable over a range in excess of 20 per cm, centered about 780 per cm (12.8 microns), and at an average rate of 1.2 per cm-K from 9 to 26 K, were observed. While weaker modes could at times be seen in the spectrum, substantially single-mode operation was obtained over the entire operating range and to over 10 times threshold.

Electrically tunable metasurface perfect absorbers for ultrathin mid-infrared optical modulators.

PubMed

Yao, Yu; Shankar, Raji; Kats, Mikhail A; Song, Yi; Kong, Jing; Loncar, Marko; Capasso, Federico

2014-11-12

Dynamically reconfigurable metasurfaces open up unprecedented opportunities in applications such as high capacity communications, dynamic beam shaping, hyperspectral imaging, and adaptive optics. The realization of high performance metasurface-based devices remains a great challenge due to very limited tuning ranges and modulation depths. Here we show that a widely tunable metasurface composed of optical antennas on graphene can be incorporated into a subwavelength-thick optical cavity to create an electrically tunable perfect absorber. By switching the absorber in and out of the critical coupling condition via the gate voltage applied on graphene, a modulation depth of up to 100% can be achieved. In particular, we demonstrated ultrathin (thickness < λ0/10) high speed (up to 20 GHz) optical modulators over a broad wavelength range (5-7 μm). The operating wavelength can be scaled from the near-infrared to the terahertz by simply tailoring the metasurface and cavity dimensions.

Two-color pump-probe laser spectroscopy instrument with picosecond time-resolved electronic delay and extended scan range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Anchi; Ye, Xiong; Ionascu, Dan; Cao, Wenxiang; Champion, Paul M.

2005-11-01

An electronically delayed two-color pump-probe instrument was developed using two synchronized laser systems. The instrument has picosecond time resolution and can perform scans over hundreds of nanoseconds without the beam divergence and walk-off effects that occur using standard spatial delay systems. A unique picosecond Ti :sapphire regenerative amplifier was also constructed without the need for pulse stretching and compressing optics. The picosecond regenerative amplifier has a broad wavelength tuning range, which suggests that it will make a significant contribution to two-color pump-probe experiments. To test this instrument we studied the rotational correlation relaxation of myoglobin (τr=8.2±0.5ns) in water as well as the geminate rebinding kinetics of oxygen to myoglobin (kg1=1.7×1011s-1, kg2=3.4×107s-1). The results are consistent with, and improve upon, previous studies.

Tunable dual-band graphene-based infrared reflectance filter.

PubMed

Goldflam, Michael D; Ruiz, Isaac; Howell, Stephen W; Wendt, Joel R; Sinclair, Michael B; Peters, David W; Beechem, Thomas E

2018-04-02

We experimentally demonstrated an actively tunable optical filter that controls the amplitude of reflected long-wave-infrared light in two separate spectral regions concurrently. Our device exploits the dependence of the excitation energy of plasmons in a continuous and unpatterned sheet of graphene on the Fermi-level, which can be controlled via conventional electrostatic gating. The filter enables simultaneous modification of two distinct spectral bands whose positions are dictated by the device geometry and graphene plasmon dispersion. Within these bands, the reflected amplitude can be varied by over 15% and resonance positions can be shifted by over 90 cm -1 . Electromagnetic simulations verify that tuning arises through coupling of incident light to graphene plasmons by a grating structure. Importantly, the tunable range is determined by a combination of graphene properties, device structure, and the surrounding dielectrics, which dictate the plasmon dispersion. Thus, the underlying design shown here is applicable across a broad range of infrared frequencies.

Towards fractional-order capacitors with broad tunable constant phase angles: multi-walled carbon nanotube-polymer composite as a case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agambayev, Agamyrat; Rajab, Karam H.; Hassan, Ali H.; Farhat, Mohamed; Bagci, Hakan; Salama, Khaled N.

2018-02-01

In this study, multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) filled polyevinelidenefluoride-trifluoroethylene-chlorofluoroethylene composites are used to realize fractional-order capacitors (FOCs). A solution-mixing and drop-casting approach is used to fabricate the composite. Due to the high aspect ratio of MWCNTs, percolation regime starts at a small weight percentage (wt%), 1.00%.The distributed MWCNTs inside the polymer act as an electrical network of micro-capacitors and micro-resistors, which, in effect, behaves like a FOC. The resulting FOCs’ constant phase angle (CPA) can be tuned from -65{\\hspace{0pt}}^\\circ to -7{\\hspace{0pt}}^\\circ by changing the wt% of the MWCNTs. This is the largest dynamic range reported so far at the frequency range from 150 kHz to 2 MHz for an FOC. Furthermore, the CPA and pseudo-capacitance are shown to be practically stable (with less than 1% variation) when the applied voltage is, changed between 500 µV and 5 V. For a fixed value of CPA, the pseudo-capacitance can be tuned by changing the thickness of the composite, which can be done in a straightforward manner via the solution-mixing and drop-casting fabrication approach. Finally, it is shown that the frequency of a Hartley oscillator built using an FOC is almost 15 times higher than that of a Hartley oscillator built using a conventional capacitor.

Spatial selectivity and binaural responses in the inferior colliculus of the great horned owl.

PubMed

Volman, S F; Konishi, M

1989-09-01

In this study we have investigated the processing of auditory cues for sound localization in the great horned owl (Bubo virginianus). Previous studies have shown that the barn owl, whose ears are asymmetrically oriented in the vertical plane, has a 2-dimensional, topographic representation of auditory space in the external division of the inferior colliculus (ICx). As in the barn owl, the great horned owl's ICx is anatomically distinct and projects to the optic tectum. Neurons in ICx respond over only a small range of azimuths (mean = 32 degrees), and azimuth is topographically mapped. In contrast to the barn owl, the great horned owl has bilaterally symmetrical ears and its receptive fields are not restricted in elevation. The binaural cues available for sound localization were measured both with cochlear microphonic recordings and with a microphone attached to a probe tube in the auditory canal. Interaural time disparity (ITD) varied monotonically with azimuth. Interaural intensity differences (IID) also changed with azimuth, but the largest IIDs were less than 15 dB, and the variation was not monotonic. Neither ITD nor IID varied systematically with changes in the vertical position of a sound source. We used dichotic stimulation to determine the sensitivity of ICx neurons to these binaural cues. Best ITD of ICx units was topographically mapped and strongly correlated with receptive-field azimuth. The width of ITD tuning curves, measured at 50% of the maximum response, averaged 72 microseconds. All ICx neurons responded only to binaural stimulation and had nonmonotonic IID tuning curves. Best IID was weakly, but significantly, correlated with best ITD (r = 0.39, p less than 0.05). The IID tuning curves, however, were broad (mean 50% width = 24 dB), and 67% of the units had best IIDs within 5 dB of 0 dB IID. ITD tuning was sensitive to variations in IID in the direction opposite to that expected for time-intensity trading, but the magnitude of this effect was only 1.5 microseconds/dB IID. We conclude that, in the great horned owl, the spatial selectivity of ICx neurons arises primarily from their ITD tuning. Except for the absence of elevation selectivity and the narrow range of best IIDs, ICx in the great horned owl appears to be organized much the same as in the barn owl.

Band Gap Tuning via Lattice Contraction and Octahedral Tilting in Perovskite Materials for Photovoltaics

DOE PAGES

Prasanna, Rohit; Gold-Parker, Aryeh; Leijtens, Tomas; ...

2017-07-13

Tin and lead iodide perovskite semiconductors of the composition AMX 3, where M is a metal and X is a halide, are leading candidates for high efficiency low cost tandem photovoltaics, in part because they have band gaps that can be tuned over a wide range by compositional substitution. We experimentally identify two competing mechanisms through which the A-site cation influences the band gap of 3D metal halide perovskites. Using a smaller A-site cation can distort the perovskite lattice in two distinct ways: by tilting the MX 6 octahedra or by simply contracting the lattice isotropically. The former effect tendsmore » to raise the band gap, while the latter tends to decrease it. Lead iodide perovskites show an increase in band gap upon partial substitution of the larger formamidinium with the smaller cesium, due to octahedral tilting. Perovskites based on tin, which is slightly smaller than lead, show the opposite trend: they show no octahedral tilting upon Cs-substitution but only a contraction of the lattice, leading to progressive reduction of the band gap. We outline a strategy to systematically tune the band gap and valence and conduction band positions of metal halide perovskites through control of the cation composition. Using this strategy, we demonstrate solar cells that harvest light in the infrared up to 1040 nm, reaching a stabilized power conversion efficiency of 17.8%, showing promise for improvements of the bottom cell of all-perovskite tandem solar cells. In conclusion, the mechanisms of cation-based band gap tuning we describe are broadly applicable to 3D metal halide perovskites and will be useful in further development of perovskite semiconductors for optoelectronic applications.« less

Band Gap Tuning via Lattice Contraction and Octahedral Tilting in Perovskite Materials for Photovoltaics

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

Prasanna, Rohit; Gold-Parker, Aryeh; Leijtens, Tomas

Tin and lead iodide perovskite semiconductors of the composition AMX 3, where M is a metal and X is a halide, are leading candidates for high efficiency low cost tandem photovoltaics, in part because they have band gaps that can be tuned over a wide range by compositional substitution. We experimentally identify two competing mechanisms through which the A-site cation influences the band gap of 3D metal halide perovskites. Using a smaller A-site cation can distort the perovskite lattice in two distinct ways: by tilting the MX 6 octahedra or by simply contracting the lattice isotropically. The former effect tendsmore » to raise the band gap, while the latter tends to decrease it. Lead iodide perovskites show an increase in band gap upon partial substitution of the larger formamidinium with the smaller cesium, due to octahedral tilting. Perovskites based on tin, which is slightly smaller than lead, show the opposite trend: they show no octahedral tilting upon Cs-substitution but only a contraction of the lattice, leading to progressive reduction of the band gap. We outline a strategy to systematically tune the band gap and valence and conduction band positions of metal halide perovskites through control of the cation composition. Using this strategy, we demonstrate solar cells that harvest light in the infrared up to 1040 nm, reaching a stabilized power conversion efficiency of 17.8%, showing promise for improvements of the bottom cell of all-perovskite tandem solar cells. In conclusion, the mechanisms of cation-based band gap tuning we describe are broadly applicable to 3D metal halide perovskites and will be useful in further development of perovskite semiconductors for optoelectronic applications.« less

Band Gap Tuning via Lattice Contraction and Octahedral Tilting in Perovskite Materials for Photovoltaics.

PubMed

Prasanna, Rohit; Gold-Parker, Aryeh; Leijtens, Tomas; Conings, Bert; Babayigit, Aslihan; Boyen, Hans-Gerd; Toney, Michael F; McGehee, Michael D

2017-08-16

Tin and lead iodide perovskite semiconductors of the composition AMX 3 , where M is a metal and X is a halide, are leading candidates for high efficiency low cost tandem photovoltaics, in part because they have band gaps that can be tuned over a wide range by compositional substitution. We experimentally identify two competing mechanisms through which the A-site cation influences the band gap of 3D metal halide perovskites. Using a smaller A-site cation can distort the perovskite lattice in two distinct ways: by tilting the MX 6 octahedra or by simply contracting the lattice isotropically. The former effect tends to raise the band gap, while the latter tends to decrease it. Lead iodide perovskites show an increase in band gap upon partial substitution of the larger formamidinium with the smaller cesium, due to octahedral tilting. Perovskites based on tin, which is slightly smaller than lead, show the opposite trend: they show no octahedral tilting upon Cs-substitution but only a contraction of the lattice, leading to progressive reduction of the band gap. We outline a strategy to systematically tune the band gap and valence and conduction band positions of metal halide perovskites through control of the cation composition. Using this strategy, we demonstrate solar cells that harvest light in the infrared up to 1040 nm, reaching a stabilized power conversion efficiency of 17.8%, showing promise for improvements of the bottom cell of all-perovskite tandem solar cells. The mechanisms of cation-based band gap tuning we describe are broadly applicable to 3D metal halide perovskites and will be useful in further development of perovskite semiconductors for optoelectronic applications.

Deep learning and model predictive control for self-tuning mode-locked lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baumeister, Thomas; Brunton, Steven L.; Nathan Kutz, J.

2018-03-01

Self-tuning optical systems are of growing importance in technological applications such as mode-locked fiber lasers. Such self-tuning paradigms require {\\em intelligent} algorithms capable of inferring approximate models of the underlying physics and discovering appropriate control laws in order to maintain robust performance for a given objective. In this work, we demonstrate the first integration of a {\\em deep learning} (DL) architecture with {\\em model predictive control} (MPC) in order to self-tune a mode-locked fiber laser. Not only can our DL-MPC algorithmic architecture approximate the unknown fiber birefringence, it also builds a dynamical model of the laser and appropriate control law for maintaining robust, high-energy pulses despite a stochastically drifting birefringence. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this method on a fiber laser which is mode-locked by nonlinear polarization rotation. The method advocated can be broadly applied to a variety of optical systems that require robust controllers.

Frequency control of a spin-torque oscillator using magnetostrictive anisotropy

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

Park, Min Gyu Albert; Lee, Seok-Hee, E-mail: bgpark@kaist.ac.kr, E-mail: shlee@kaist.edu; Baek, Seung-heon Chris

2016-01-11

We report the working principle of a spin-torque oscillator, of which the frequency is efficiently controlled by manipulating the magnetostrictive anisotropy. To justify the scheme, we simulate a conventional magnetic-tunnel junction-based oscillator which is fabricated on a piezoelectric material. By applying mechanical stress to a free layer using a piezoelectric material, the oscillation frequency can be controlled to ensure a broad tuning range without a significant reduction of the dynamic resistance variation. Such controllability, which appears in the absence of an external magnetic field, will not only enable the integration of spin-torque oscillators and conventional complimentary metal-oxide semiconductor technology butmore » will also broaden the applicability of spin-torque oscillators.« less

Exciton Seebeck effect in molecular systems

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

Yan, Yun-An, E-mail: yunan@nano.gznc.edu.cn; Cai, Shaohong

2014-08-07

We investigate the exciton dynamics under temperature difference with the hierarchical equations of motion. Through a nonperturbative simulation of the transient absorption of a heterogeneous trimer model, we show that the temperature difference causes exciton population redistribution and affects the exciton transfer time. It is found that one can reproduce not only the exciton population redistribution but also the change of the exciton transfer time induced by the temperature difference with a proper tuning of the site energies of the aggregate. In this sense, there exists a site energy shift equivalence for any temperature difference in a broad range. Thismore » phenomenon is similar to the Seebeck effect as well as spin Seebeck effect and can be named as exciton Seebeck effect.« less

Modular HPC I/O characterization with Darshan

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

Snyder, Shane; Carns, Philip; Harms, Kevin

2016-11-13

Contemporary high-performance computing (HPC) applications encompass a broad range of distinct I/O strategies and are often executed on a number of different compute platforms in their lifetime. These large-scale HPC platforms employ increasingly complex I/O subsystems to provide a suitable level of I/O performance to applications. Tuning I/O workloads for such a system is nontrivial, and the results generally are not portable to other HPC systems. I/O profiling tools can help to address this challenge, but most existing tools only instrument specific components within the I/O subsystem that provide a limited perspective on I/O performance. The increasing diversity of scientificmore » applications and computing platforms calls for greater flexibililty and scope in I/O characterization.« less

Frequency-tunable circular polarization beam splitter using a graphene-dielectric sub-wavelength film.

PubMed

Chen, Tuo; He, Sailing

2014-08-11

Manipulating the circular polarization of light is of great importance in chemistry and biology, as chiral molecules exhibit different physiological properties when exposed to different circularly polarized waves. Here we suggest a graphene/dielectric-stacked structure, which has both the properties of an epsilon-near-zero material and the high Hall conductivity of graphene. The proposed sub-wavelength structure demonstrates efficient manipulation of circular polarization properties of light. In a quite broad frequency range and at a large oblique incidence angle, the present magnetically active structure is transparent for one circularly polarized wave, and opaque for another. Such an effect can be further tuned by changing the magnitude of the applied magnetic field and chemical potential of graphene.

Molecular structure of bottlebrush polymers in melts

PubMed Central

Paturej, Jarosław; Sheiko, Sergei S.; Panyukov, Sergey; Rubinstein, Michael

2016-01-01

Bottlebrushes are fascinating macromolecules that display an intriguing combination of molecular and particulate features having vital implications in both living and synthetic systems, such as cartilage and ultrasoft elastomers. However, the progress in practical applications is impeded by the lack of knowledge about the hierarchic organization of both individual bottlebrushes and their assemblies. We delineate fundamental correlations between molecular architecture, mesoscopic conformation, and macroscopic properties of polymer melts. Numerical simulations corroborate theoretical predictions for the effect of grafting density and side-chain length on the dimensions and rigidity of bottlebrushes, which effectively behave as a melt of flexible filaments. These findings provide quantitative guidelines for the design of novel materials that allow architectural tuning of their properties in a broad range without changing chemical composition. PMID:28861466

Broadband standoff detection of large molecules by mid-infrared active coherent laser spectrometry.

PubMed

Macleod, Neil A; Molero, Francisco; Weidmann, Damien

2015-01-26

A widely tunable active coherent laser spectrometer (ACLaS) has been demonstrated for standoff detection of broadband absorbers in the 1280 to 1318 cm^-1 spectral region using an external cavity quantum cascade laser as a mid-infrared source. The broad tuning range allows detection and quantification of vapor phase molecules, such as dichloroethane, ethylene glycol dinitrate, and tetrafluoroethane. The level of confidence in molecular mixing ratios retrieved from interfering spectral measurements is assessed in a quantitative manner. A first qualitative demonstration of condensed phase chemical detection on nitroacetanilide has also been conducted. Detection performances of the broadband ACLaS have been placed in the context of explosive detection and compared to that obtained using distributed feedback quantum cascade lasers.

Stability enhancement and electronic tunability of two-dimensional SbIV compounds via surface functionalization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Wenhan; Guo, Shiying; Liu, Xuhai; Cai, Bo; Song, Xiufeng; Zhu, Zhen; Zhang, Shengli

2018-01-01

We propose a family of hydrogenated- and halogenated-SbIV (SbIVX-2) materials that simultaneously have two-dimensional (2D) structures, high stability and appealing electronic properties. Based on first-principles total-energy and vibrational-spectra calculations, SbIVX-2 monolayers are found both thermally and dynamically stable. Varying IV and X elements can rationally tune the electronic properties of SbIVX-2 monolayers, effectively modulating the band gap from 0 to 3.42 eV. Regarding such superior stability and broad band-gap range, SbIVX-2 monolayers are expected to be synthesized in experiments and taken as promising candidates for low-dimensional electronic and optoelectronic devices, such as blue-to-ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (LED) and photodetectors.

Origami structures for tunable thermal expansion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boatti, Elisa; Bertoldi, Katia

Materials with engineered thermal expansion, capable of achieving targeted and extreme area/volume changes in response to variations in temperature, are important for a number of aerospace, optical, energy, and microelectronic applications. While most of the proposed structures with tunable coefficient of thermal expansion consist of bi-material 2D or 3D lattices, here we propose a periodic metastructure based on a bilayer Miura-Ori origami fold. We combine experiments and simulations to demonstrate that by tuning the geometrical and mechanical parameters an extremely broad range of thermal expansion coefficients can be obtained, spanning both negative and positive values. Additionally, the thermal properties along different directions can be adjusted independently. Differently from all previously reported systems, the proposed structure is non-porous.

Application of a broadly tunable SG-DBR QCL for multi-species trace gas spectroscopy.

PubMed

Diba, Abdou S; Xie, Feng; Gross, Barry; Hughes, Lawrence C; Zah, Chung-en; Moshary, Fred

2015-10-19

Feasibility of using a mid-Infrared tunable sampled-grating distributed Bragg reflectors quantum cascade laser for high resolution multicomponent trace gas spectroscopy is demonstrated. By controlling the driving currents to the front and back sections of the laser, we were able to tune a pulsed 4.55 µm laser over a frequency range a of 30 cm(-1) with high resolution, accuracy and repeatability. The laser was applied to absorption spectroscopy of ambient and reduced pressure (150 Torr) air in a 205 meters multi-pass Herriott cell, and by using standard LSQ fitting to a spectral database of these trace gases (HITRAN), the concentrations of nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide, and water vapor were retrieved.

Diode-pumped Kerr-lens mode-locked Yb:CaGdAlO4 laser with tunable wavelength

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Ziye; Zhu, Jiangfeng; Wang, Junli; Wang, Zhaohua; Wei, Zhiyi; Xu, Xiaodong; Zheng, Lihe; Su, Liangbi; Xu, Jun

2016-01-01

We experimentally demonstrated a wavelength tunable Kerr-lens mode-locked femtosecond laser based on an Yb:CaGdAlO4 (Yb:CGA) crystal. The Kerr-lens mode-locked wavelength tuning range was from 1043.5 to 1076 nm, as broad as 32.5 nm, by slightly tilting the end mirror. Pulses as short as 60 fs were generated at the central wavelength of 1043.8 nm with an average output power of 66 mW. By using an output coupler with 1.5% transmittance, the Kerr-lens mode-locked average output power reached 127 mW with a pulse duration of 81 fs at a central wavelength of 1049.5 nm.

Rolled-Up Three-Dimensional Metamaterials with a Tunable Plasma Frequency in the Visible Regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwaiger, Stephan; Bröll, Markus; Krohn, Andreas; Stemmann, Andrea; Heyn, Christian; Stark, Yuliya; Stickler, Daniel; Heitmann, Detlef; Mendach, Stefan

2009-04-01

We propose and realize a novel concept of a self-organized three-dimensional metamaterial with a plasma frequency in the visible regime. We utilize the concept of self-rolling strained layers to roll up InGaAs/GaAs/Ag multilayers with multiple rotations. The walls of the resulting tubes represent a radial superlattice with a tunable layer thickness ratio and lattice constant. We show that the plasma frequency of the radial superlattice can be tuned over a broad range in the visible and near infrared by changing the layer thickness ratio in good agreement with an effective metamaterial description. Finite difference time domain simulations reveal that the rolled-up radial superlattices can be used as hyperlenses in the visible.

A 5GHz Band Low Noise and Wide Tuning Range Si-CMOS VCO with a Novel Varactors Pair Circuit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ta, Tuan Thanh; Kameda, Suguru; Takagi, Tadashi; Tsubouchi, Kazuo

In this paper, a fully integrated 5GHz voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) is presented. The VCO is designed with 0.18µm silicon complementary metal oxide semiconductor (Si-CMOS) process. To achieve low phase noise, a novel varactors pair circuit is proposed to cancel effects of capacitance fluctuation that makes harmonic currents which increase phase noise of VCO. The VCO with the proposed varactor circuit has tuning range from 5.1GHz to 6.1GHz (relative value of 17.9%) and phase noise of lower than -110.8dBc/Hz at 1MHz offset over the full tuning range. Figure-of-merit-with-tuning-range (FOMT) of the proposed VCO is -182dBc/Hz.

Block-copolymer assisted fabrication of anisotropic plasmonic nanostructures.

PubMed

Gunder, Calbi J; Dhara, Pijush Kanti; Manna, Uttam; Biswas, Mahua

2018-05-30

The anisotropic nanostructures of noble metals are of great interest for plasmonic applications due to the possibility of tuning the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) across the UV-VIS-NIR without sacrificing the linewidth as well as to achieve larger local field enhancement. Here, we report a simple and promising fabrication method of anisotropic gold nanostructures film using polystyrene-b-2-vinylpyridine (PS-b-P2VP) block copolymers (BCP) as a template. In this approach, PS-b-P2VP spherical micelles were first synthesized as a template followed by selective deposition of Au precursor inside P2VP core of the micelles using ethanol solution of Au salt. Subsequently, heat treatment of the precursor deposited BCP films followed by removal of the BCP template produced anisotropic gold nanostructures of various shapes, such as octahedron, decahedron, tetrahedron, triangles, and triangular prism. A temperature and time dependent annealing of the fabricated nanostructures led to the formation of clusters at higher temperature. Furthermore, measurement of ensemble extinction spectra of the anisotropic Au nanoparticle films showed two broad distinct LSPR peaks; one in the visible range (~ 660 nm), and the other in the NIR range (~ 875 nm). The electrodynamic simulation showed that octahedron and decahedron nanoparticles are responsible for the LSPR response in the visible; whereas the triangular shapes are responsible for the LSPR response in the NIR. Our work is expected to open up a new direction of synthesis of anisotropic nanostructures of noble metals that can be utilized to tune the LSPR response across the UV-VIS-NIR range using a simple BCP template-based method. © 2018 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Ultraviolet filters in stomatopod crustaceans: diversity, ecology and evolution.

PubMed

Bok, Michael J; Porter, Megan L; Cronin, Thomas W

2015-07-01

Stomatopod crustaceans employ unique ultraviolet (UV) optical filters in order to tune the spectral sensitivities of their UV-sensitive photoreceptors. In the stomatopod species Neogonodactylus oerstedii, we previously found four filter types, produced by five distinct mycosporine-like amino acid pigments in the crystalline cones of their specialized midband ommatidial facets. This UV-spectral tuning array produces receptors with at least six distinct spectral sensitivities, despite expressing only two visual pigments. Here, we present a broad survey of these UV filters across the stomatopod order, examining their spectral absorption properties in 21 species from seven families in four superfamilies. We found that UV filters are present in three of the four superfamilies, and evolutionary character reconstruction implies that at least one class of UV filter was present in the ancestor of all modern stomatopods. Additionally, postlarval stomatopods were observed to produce the UV filters simultaneously alongside development of the adult eye. The absorbance properties of the filters are consistent within a species; however, between species we found a great deal of diversity, both in the number of filters and in their spectral absorbance characteristics. This diversity correlates with the habitat depth ranges of these species, suggesting that species living in shallow, UV-rich environments may tune their UV spectral sensitivities more aggressively. We also found additional, previously unrecognized UV filter types in the crystalline cones of the peripheral eye regions of some species, indicating the possibility for even greater stomatopod visual complexity than previously thought. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Resonant absorption induced fast melting studied with mid-IR QCLs.

PubMed

Lu, Jie; Lv, Yankun; Ji, Youxin; Tang, Xiaoliang; Qi, Zeming; Li, Liangbin

2017-02-01

We demonstrate the use of a pump-probe setup based on two mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) to investigate the melting and crystallization of materials through resonant absorption. A combination of pump and probe beams fulfills the two-color synchronous detection. Furthermore, narrow linewidth advances the accuracy of measurements and the character of broad tuning range of QCLs enables wide applications in various sample and multiple structures. 1-Eicosene was selected as a simple model system to verify the feasibility of this method. A pulsed QCL was tuned to the absorption peak of CH 2 bending vibration at 1467 cm -1 to resonantly heat the sample. The other QCL in continuous mode was tuned to 1643 cm -1 corresponding the C=C stretching vibration to follow the fast melting dynamics. By monitoring the transmission intensity variation of pump and probe beams during pump-probe experiments, the resonant absorption induced fast melting and re-crystallization of 1-Eicosene can be studied. Results show that the thermal effect and melting behaviors strongly depend on the pump wavelength (resonant or non-resonant) and energy, as well as the pump time. The realization and detection of melting and recrystallization can be performed in tens of milliseconds, which improves the time resolution of melting process study based on general mid-infrared spectrum by orders of magnitude. The availability of resonant heating and detections based on mid-infrared QCLs is expected to enable new applications in melting study.

Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization.

PubMed

Perszyk, Danielle R; Waxman, Sandra R

2017-04-19

At birth, infants not only prefer listening to human vocalizations, but also have begun to link these vocalizations to cognition: For infants as young as three months of age, listening to human language supports object categorization, a core cognitive capacity. This precocious link is initially broad: At 3 and 4 months, vocalizations of both humans and nonhuman primates support categorization. But by 6 months, infants have narrowed the link: Only human vocalizations support object categorization. Here we ask what guides infants as they tune their initially broad link to a more precise one, engaged only by the vocalizations of our species. Across three studies, we use a novel exposure paradigm to examine the effects of experience. We document that merely exposing infants to nonhuman primate vocalizations enables infants to preserve the early-established link between this signal and categorization. In contrast, exposing infants to backward speech - a signal that fails to support categorization at any age - offers no such advantage. Our findings reveal the power of early experience as infants specify which signals, from an initially broad set, they will continue to link to cognition.

Tunable light emission by exciplex state formation between hybrid halide perovskite and core/shell quantum dots: Implications in advanced LEDs and photovoltaics.

PubMed

Sanchez, Rafael S; de la Fuente, Mauricio Solis; Suarez, Isaac; Muñoz-Matutano, Guillermo; Martinez-Pastor, Juan P; Mora-Sero, Ivan

2016-01-01

We report the first observation of exciplex state electroluminescence due to carrier injection between the hybrid lead halide perovskite (MAPbI3-xClx) and quantum dots (core/shell PbS/CdS). Single layers of perovskite (PS) and quantum dots (QDs) have been produced by solution processing methods, and their photoluminescent properties are compared to those of bilayer samples in both PS/QD and QD/PS configurations. Exciplex emission at lower energies than the band gap of both PS and QD has been detected. The exciplex emission wavelength of this mixed system can be simply tuned by controlling the QD size. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have been fabricated using those configurations, which provide light emission with considerably low turn-on potential. The "color" of the LED can also be tuned by controlling the applied bias. The presence of the exciplex state PS and QDs opens up a broad range of possibilities with important implications not only in tunable LEDs but also in the preparation of intermediate band gap photovoltaic devices with the potentiality of surpassing the Shockley-Queisser limit.

Tunable light emission by exciplex state formation between hybrid halide perovskite and core/shell quantum dots: Implications in advanced LEDs and photovoltaics

PubMed Central

Sanchez, Rafael S.; de la Fuente, Mauricio Solis; Suarez, Isaac; Muñoz-Matutano, Guillermo; Martinez-Pastor, Juan P.; Mora-Sero, Ivan

2016-01-01

We report the first observation of exciplex state electroluminescence due to carrier injection between the hybrid lead halide perovskite (MAPbI3–xClx) and quantum dots (core/shell PbS/CdS). Single layers of perovskite (PS) and quantum dots (QDs) have been produced by solution processing methods, and their photoluminescent properties are compared to those of bilayer samples in both PS/QD and QD/PS configurations. Exciplex emission at lower energies than the band gap of both PS and QD has been detected. The exciplex emission wavelength of this mixed system can be simply tuned by controlling the QD size. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have been fabricated using those configurations, which provide light emission with considerably low turn-on potential. The “color” of the LED can also be tuned by controlling the applied bias. The presence of the exciplex state PS and QDs opens up a broad range of possibilities with important implications not only in tunable LEDs but also in the preparation of intermediate band gap photovoltaic devices with the potentiality of surpassing the Shockley-Queisser limit. PMID:26844299

Diode-pumped continuous-wave and femtosecond Cr:LiCAF lasers with high average power in the near infrared, visible and near ultraviolet.

PubMed

Demirbas, Umit; Baali, Ilyes; Acar, Durmus Alp Emre; Leitenstorfer, Alfred

2015-04-06

We demonstrate continuous-wave (cw), cw frequency-doubled, cw mode-locked and Q-switched mode-locked operation of multimode diode-pumped Cr:LiCAF lasers with record average powers. Up to 2.54 W of cw output is obtained around 805 nm at an absorbed pump power of 5.5 W. Using intracavity frequency doubling with a BBO crystal, 0.9 W are generated around 402 nm, corresponding to an optical-to-optical conversion efficiency of 12%. With an intracavity birefringent tuning plate, the fundamental and frequency-doubled laser output is tuned continuously in a broad wavelength range from 745 nm to 885 nm and from 375 to 440 nm, respectively. A saturable Bragg reflector is used to initiate and sustain mode locking. In the cw mode-locked regime, the Cr:LiCAF laser produces 105-fs long pulses near 810 nm with an average power of 0.75 W. The repetition rate is 96.4 MHz, resulting in pulse energies of 7.7 nJ and peak powers of 65 kW. In Q-switched mode-locked operation, pulses with energies above 150 nJ are generated.

Polarization independent polymer waveguide tunable receivers incorporating a micro-optic circulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Xiaoping; Park, Tae-Hyun; Park, Su-Hyun; Seo, Jun-Kyu; Oh, Min-Cheol

2018-06-01

In order to simplify the receiver configuration in a wavelength division multiplexed optical fiber network, compact wavelength tunable filters have long been expected to be used as channel selectors. Bragg reflector inherently has the most suitable reflection spectrum for filtering a single wavelength from the densely multiplexed wavelength signal. Polymer has high thermo-optic coefficient and good thermal insulation property compared to the other optical waveguide materials such as silicon and silica materials. This can be used to broadly tune the reflection spectrum of Bragg reflector using a simple micro-heater. In this work, a micro-optic circulator component and a polymeric Bragg reflector device are assembled to produce a small form factor tunable receiver. Compared to the integrated-optical versions, the micro-optics are based on well-developed manufacturing processes and can achieve competitive production yields. The device exhibits high reflectivity with a flat top passband, and a polarization dependence of 0.06 nm achieved by virtue of the low birefringence of LFR polymer, which make a significant contribution to the implementation of polarization independent tunable receiver. The wavelength tuning range of 40 nm is demonstrated by using a bottom located heater with a groove for heat isolation.

Resonance strategies used in Bulgarian women's singing style: a pilot study.

PubMed

Henrich, Nathalie; Kiek, Mara; Smith, John; Wolfe, Joe

2007-01-01

Are the characteristic timbre and loudness of Bulgarian women's singing related to tuning of resonances of the vocal tract? We studied an Australian female singer, who practises and teaches Bulgarian singing technique. Two different vocal qualities of this style were studied. The louder teshka is characterized by a sonorous voice production. The less loud leka has a smoother timbre that is closer to that of the head voice register. Six vowels in each of teshka, leka and the subject's 'normal' (i.e. Western rather than Bulgarian) style were studied. The acoustic resonances of the singer's vocal tract were measured directly during singing by injecting a synthesized, broad-band acoustic current. This singer does not use resonance tuning consistently in her classical Western style. However, in both teshka and leka, she tunes the first tract resonance close to the second harmonic of the voice for most vowels. This tuning boosts the power output in the radiation field for that harmonic. This tuning also contributes to the very strong second harmonic which is a characteristic of the timbre identified as the Bulgarian style.

Characterization of a multi-module tunable EC-QCL system for mid-infrared biofluid spectroscopy for hospital use and personalized diabetes technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grafen, M.; Nalpantidis, K.; Ostendorf, A.; Ihrig, D.; Heise, H. M.

2016-03-01

Blood glucose monitoring systems are important point-of-care devices for the hospital and personalised diabetes technology. FTIR-spectrometers have been successfully employed for the development of continuous bed-side monitoring systems in combination with micro-dialysis. For implementation in miniaturised portable systems, external-cavity quantum cascade lasers (EC-QCL) are suited. An ultra-broadly tunable pulsed EC-QCL system, covering a spectral range from 1920 to 780 cm-1, has been characterised with regard to the spectral emission profiles and wavenumber scale accuracy. The measurement of glucose in aqueous solution is presented and problems with signal linearity using Peltier-cooled MCT-detectors are discussed. The use of larger optical sample pathlengths for attenuating the laser power in transmission measurements has recently been suggested and implemented, but implications for broad mid-infrared measurements have now been investigated. The utilization of discrete wavenumber variables as an alternative for sweep-tune measurements has also been studied and sparse multivariate calibration models intended for clinical chemistry applications are described for glucose and lactate.

Abnormal spatial frequency channels in esotropic cats.

PubMed

Holopigian, K; Blake, R

1984-01-01

A noise masking paradigm was used to measure spatial tuning for the deviating and nondeviating eyes of two esotropic cats and for one eye of a control cat. With increasing noise contrast, masking grew more slowly for both the deviating and the nondeviating eyes of the esotropic cats than for the control cat; apparently, contrast coding is impaired for both eyes of the esotropic cats. Masking with band-reject filtered noise indicated that detection channels for either eye of the esotropic cats were twice as broadly tuned as those for the control cat. In a subsequent experiment, the spatial tuning characteristics of two human esotropes were found to be normal, indicating a fundamental difference between human esotropia and esotropia induced in cats by the section of an eye muscle.

Optical frequency up-conversion by supercontinuum-free widely-tunable fiber-optic Cherenkov radiation

PubMed Central

Tu, Haohua; Boppart, Stephen A.

2010-01-01

Spectrally-isolated narrowband Cherenkov radiation from commercial nonlinear photonic crystal fibers is demonstrated as an ultrafast optical source with a visible tuning range of 485–690 nm, which complementarily extends the near-infrared tuning range of 690–1020 nm from the corresponding femtosecond Ti:sapphire pump laser. Pump-to-signal conversion efficiency routinely surpasses 10%, enabling multimilliwatt visible output across the entire tuning range. Appropriate selection of fiber parameters and pumping conditions efficiently suppresses the supercontinuum generation typically associated with Cherenkov radiation. PMID:19506636

A 0.7 V 6.66-9.36 GHz wide tuning range CMOS LC VCO with small chip size

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jun-Da; Zhang, Jie

2017-10-01

The circuit designs are based on TSMC 0.18 μm CMOS standard technology model. The designed circuit uses transformer coupling technology in order to decrease chip area and increase the Q value. The switched-capacitor topology array enables the voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) to be tuned between 6.66 and 9.36 GHz with 4.9 mW power consumption at supply voltage of 0.7 V, and the tuning range of the circuit can reach 33.7%. The measured phase noise is -110.5 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset from the carrier frequency of 7.113 GHz. The output power level is about -1.22 dBm. The figure-of-merit and figure-of-merit-with-tuning range of the VCO are about -180.7 and -191.25 dBc/Hz, respectively. The chip area is 0.429 mm2 excluding the pads. The presented ultra-wideband VCO leads to a better performance in terms of power consumption, tuning range, chip size and output power level for low supply voltage.

Extremely frequency-widened terahertz wave generation using Cherenkov-type radiation.

PubMed

Suizu, Koji; Koketsu, Kaoru; Shibuya, Takayuki; Tsutsui, Toshihiro; Akiba, Takuya; Kawase, Kodo

2009-04-13

Terahertz (THz) wave generation based on nonlinear frequency conversion is promising way for realizing a tunable monochromatic bright THz-wave source. Such a development of efficient and wide tunable THz-wave source depends on discovery of novel brilliant nonlinear crystal. Important factors of a nonlinear crystal for THz-wave generation are, 1. High nonlinearity and 2. Good transparency at THz frequency region. Unfortunately, many nonlinear crystals have strong absorption at THz frequency region. The fact limits efficient and wide tunable THz-wave generation. Here, we show that Cherenkov radiation with waveguide structure is an effective strategy for achieving efficient and extremely wide tunable THz-wave source. We fabricated MgO-doped lithium niobate slab waveguide with 3.8 microm of thickness and demonstrated difference frequency generation of THz-wave generation with Cherenkov phase matching. Extremely frequency-widened THz-wave generation, from 0.1 to 7.2 THz, without no structural dips successfully obtained. The tuning frequency range of waveguided Cherenkov radiation source was extremely widened compare to that of injection seeded-Terahertz Parametric Generator. The tuning range obtained in this work for THz-wave generation using lithium niobate crystal was the widest value in our knowledge. The highest THz-wave energy obtained was about 3.2 pJ, and the energy conversion efficiency was about 10(-5) %. The method can be easily applied for many conventional nonlinear crystals, results in realizing simple, reasonable, compact, high efficient and ultra broad band THz-wave sources.

A Small RNA-Catalytic Argonaute Pathway Tunes Germline Transcript Levels to Ensure Embryonic Divisions

PubMed Central

Gerson-Gurwitz, Adina; Wang, Shaohe; Sathe, Shashank; Green, Rebecca; Yeo, Gene W.; Oegema, Karen; Desai, Arshad

2016-01-01

SUMMARY Multiple division cycles without growth are a characteristic feature of early embryogenesis. The female germline loads proteins and RNAs into oocytes to support these divisions, which lack many quality control mechanisms operating in somatic cells undergoing growth. Here we describe a small RNA-Argonaute pathway that ensures early embryonic divisions in C. elegans by employing catalytic slicing activity to broadly tune, instead of silence, germline gene expression. Misregulation of one target, a kinesin-13 microtubule depolymerase, underlies a major phenotype associated with pathway loss. Tuning of target transcript levels is guided by density of homologous small RNAs, whose generation must ultimately be related to target sequence. Thus, the tuning action of a small RNA-catalytic Argonaute pathway generates oocytes capable of supporting embryogenesis. We speculate that the specialized nature of germline chromatin led to emergence of small RNA-catalytic Argonaute pathways in the female germline as a post-transcriptional control layer to optimize oocyte composition. PMID:27020753

Continuous tuning of two-section, single-mode terahertz quantum-cascade lasers by fiber-coupled, near-infrared illumination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hempel, Martin; Röben, Benjamin; Niehle, Michael; Schrottke, Lutz; Trampert, Achim; Grahn, Holger T.

2017-05-01

The dynamical tuning due to rear facet illumination of single-mode, terahertz (THz) quantum-cascade lasers (QCLs) which employ distributed feedback gratings are compared to the tuning of single-mode QCLs based on two-section cavities. The THz QCLs under investigation emit in the range of 3 to 4.7 THz. The tuning is achieved by illuminating the rear facet of the QCL with a fiber-coupled light source emitting at 777 nm. Tuning ranges of 5.0 and 11.9 GHz under continuous-wave and pulsed operation, respectively, are demonstrated for a single-mode, two-section cavity QCL emitting at about 3.1 THz, which exhibits a side-mode suppression ratio better than -25 dB.

Valence electronic structure of cobalt phthalocyanine from an optimally tuned range-separated hybrid functional.

PubMed

Brumboiu, Iulia Emilia; Prokopiou, Georgia; Kronik, Leeor; Brena, Barbara

2017-07-28

We analyse the valence electronic structure of cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc) by means of optimally tuning a range-separated hybrid functional. The tuning is performed by modifying both the amount of short-range exact exchange (α) included in the hybrid functional and the range-separation parameter (γ), with two strategies employed for finding the optimal γ for each α. The influence of these two parameters on the structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of CoPc is thoroughly investigated. The electronic structure is found to be very sensitive to the amount and range in which the exact exchange is included. The electronic structure obtained using the optimal parameters is compared to gas-phase photo-electron data and GW calculations, with the unoccupied states additionally compared with inverse photo-electron spectroscopy measurements. The calculated spectrum with tuned γ, determined for the optimal value of α = 0.1, yields a very good agreement with both experimental results and with GW calculations that well-reproduce the experimental data.

A Fiber Bragg Grating Sensor Interrogation System Based on a Linearly Wavelength-Swept Thermo-Optic Laser Chip

PubMed Central

Lee, Hyung-Seok; Lee, Hwi Don; Kim, Hyo Jin; Cho, Jae Du; Jeong, Myung Yung; Kim, Chang-Seok

2014-01-01

A linearized wavelength-swept thermo-optic laser chip was applied to demonstrate a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor interrogation system. A broad tuning range of 11.8 nm was periodically obtained from the laser chip for a sweep rate of 16 Hz. To measure the linear time response of the reflection signal from the FBG sensor, a programmed driving signal was directly applied to the wavelength-swept laser chip. The linear wavelength response of the applied strain was clearly extracted with an R-squared value of 0.99994. To test the feasibility of the system for dynamic measurements, the dynamic strain was successfully interrogated with a repetition rate of 0.2 Hz by using this FBG sensor interrogation system. PMID:25177803

A totally phosphine-free synthesis of metal telluride nanocrystals by employing alkylamides to replace alkylphosphines for preparing highly reactive tellurium precursors.

PubMed

Yao, Dong; Liu, Yi; Zhao, Wujun; Wei, Haotong; Luo, Xintao; Wu, Zhennan; Dong, Chunwei; Zhang, Hao; Yang, Bai

2013-10-21

Despite the developments in the wet chemical synthesis of high-quality semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) with diverse elemental compositions, telluride NCs are still irreplaceable materials owing to their excellent photovoltaic and thermoelectric performances. Herein we demonstrate the dissolution of elemental tellurium (Te) in a series of alkylamides by sodium borohydride (NaBH4) reduction at relatively low temperature to produce highly reactive precursors for hot-injection synthesis of telluride NCs. The capability to tune the reactivity of Te precursors by selecting injection temperature permits control of NC size over a broad range. The current preparation of Te precursors is simple, economical, and totally phosphine-free, which will promote the commercial synthesis and applications of telluride NCs.

Liquid nitrogen-assisted synthesis of fluorescent carbon dots from Blueberry and their performance in Fe3+ detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aslandaş, Ayşe Merve; Balcı, Neslihan; Arık, Mustafa; Şakiroğlu, Halis; Onganer, Yavuz; Meral, Kadem

2015-11-01

Fluorescent carbon dots (C-dots) were synthesized by a facile method containing liquid N2 treatment and centrifuge processes. The photophysical properties of the C-dots in an aqueous solution were examined at various conditions such as concentration, temperature, pH and excitation wavelength by using UV-vis absorption, fluorescence and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopies. The C-dots emitted a broad fluorescence between approximately 350-550 nm and their fluorescence was tuned by changing excitation wavelength. The as-prepared C-dots were applied to Fe3+ detection from aqueous solution. Spectroscopic data revealed that the as-prepared C-dots were used to detect Fe3+ in the range of 12.5 μM to 100 μM as a fluorescence sensor.

Single-Crystalline UiO-67-Type Porous Network Stable to Boiling Water, Solvent Loss, and Oxidation.

PubMed

Wong, Yan-Lung; Yee, Ka-Kit; Hou, Yun-Long; Li, Jiaqian; Wang, Zuankai; Zeller, Matthias; Hunter, Allen D; Xu, Zhengtao

2018-06-04

With methylthio groups flanking the carboxyl groups, the 3,3',5,5'-tetrakis(methylthio)biphenyl dicarboxylate (TMBPD) linker forms a zirconium(IV) carboxylate porous framework featuring the topology of the UiO-67 prototype, i.e., with a face-centered-cubic array of the Zr 6 O 4 (OH) 4 clusters. Thioether functionalization proves valuable because the ZrTMBPD crystal is found to be exceptionally stable not only upon long-term exposure to air but also in boiling water and a broad range of pH conditions. The hydrophobicity of the metal-organic framework can also be tuned by simple H 2 O 2 oxidation, as illustrated in the water contact-angle measurement of the pristine and H 2 O 2 -treated ZrTMBPD solid.

Systematic Tuning and Multifunctionalization of Covalent Organic Polymers for Enhanced Carbon Capture

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

Xiang, Zhonghua; Mercado, Rocio; Huck, Johanna M.

Porous covalent polymers are attracting increasing interest in the fields of gas adsorption, gas separation, and catalysis due to their fertile synthetic polymer chemistry, large internal surface areas, and ultrahigh hydrothermal stabilities. While precisely manipulating the porosities of porous organic materials for targeted applications remains challenging, we show how a large degree of diversity can be achieved in covalent organic polymers by incorporating multiple functionalities into a single framework, as is done for crystalline porous materials. Here, we synthesized 17 novel porous covalent organic polymers (COPs) with finely tuned porosities, a wide range of Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) specific surface areas ofmore » 430–3624 m2 g–1, and a broad range of pore volumes of 0.24–3.50 cm3 g–1, all achieved by tailoring the length and geometry of building blocks. Furthermore, we are the first to successfully incorporate more than three distinct functional groups into one phase for porous organic materials, which has been previously demonstrated in crystalline metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). COPs decorated with multiple functional groups in one phase can lead to enhanced properties that are not simply linear combinations of the pure component properties. For instance, in the dibromobenzene-lined frameworks, the bi- and multifunctionalized COPs exhibit selectivities for carbon dioxide over nitrogen twice as large as any of the singly functionalized COPs. These multifunctionalized frameworks also exhibit a lower parasitic energy cost for carbon capture at typical flue gas conditions than any of the singly functionalized frameworks. Despite the significant improvement, these frameworks do not yet outperform the current state-of-art technology for carbon capture. Nonetheless, the tuning strategy presented here opens up avenues for the design of novel catalysts, the synthesis of functional sensors from these materials, and the improvement in the performance of existing covalent organic polymers by multifunctionalization.« less

Modelling the physical properties of glasslike carbon foams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Letellier, M.; Macutkevic, J.; Bychanok, D.; Kuzhir, P.; Delgado-Sanchez, C.; Naguib, H.; Ghaffari Mosanenzadeh, S.; Fierro, V.; Celzard, A.

2017-07-01

In this work, model alveolar materials - carbon cellular and/or carbon reticulated foams - were produced in order to study and to model their physical properties. It was shown that very different morphologies could be obtained whereas the constituting vitreous carbon from which they were made remained exactly the same. Doing so, the physical properties of these foams were expected to depend neither on the composition nor on the carbonaceous texture but only on the porous structure, which could be tuned for the first time for having a constant pore size in a range of porosities, or a range of pore sizes at fixed porosity. The physical properties were then investigated through mechanical, acoustic, thermal and electromagnetic measurements. The results demonstrate the roles played by bulk density and cell size on all physical properties. Whereas some of the latter strongly depend on porosity and/or pore size, others are independent of pore size. It is expected that these results apply to many other kinds of rigid foams used in a broad range of different applications. The present results therefore open the route to their optimisation.

Listening to the calls of the wild: The role of experience in linking language and cognition in young infants.

PubMed

Perszyk, Danielle R; Waxman, Sandra R

2016-08-01

Well before they understand their first words, infants have begun to link language and cognition. This link is initially broad: At 3months, listening to both human and nonhuman primate vocalizations supports infants' object categorization, a building block of cognition. But by 6months, the link has narrowed: Only human vocalizations support categorization. What mechanisms underlie this rapid tuning process? Here, we document the crucial role of infants' experience as infants tune this link to cognition. Merely exposing infants to nonhuman primate vocalizations permits them to preserve, rather than sever, the link between these signals and categorization. Exposing infants to backward speech-a signal that fails to support categorization in the first year of life-does not have this advantage. This new evidence illuminates the central role of early experience as infants specify which signals, from an initially broad set, they will continue to link to core cognitive capacities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Drosophila Gustatory Receptor Required for Strychnine Sensation

PubMed Central

Lee, Youngseok; Moon, Seok Jun; Wang, Yijin

2015-01-01

Strychnine is a potent, naturally occurring neurotoxin that effectively protects plants from animal pests by deterring feeding behavior. In insects, such as the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, bitter-tasting aversive compounds are detected primarily through a family of gustatory receptors (GRs), which are expressed in gustatory receptor neurons. We previously described multiple GRs that eliminate the behavioral avoidance to all bitter compounds tested, with the exception of strychnine. Here, we report the identity of a strychnine receptor, referred to as GR47a. We generated a mutation in Gr47a and found that it eliminated strychnine repulsion and strychnine-induced action potentials. GR47a was narrowly tuned, as the responses to other avoidance compounds were unaffected in the mutant animals. This analysis supports an emerging model that Drosophila GRs fall broadly into two specificity classes—one class is comprised of core receptors that are broadly required, whereas the other class, which includes GR47a, consists of narrowly tuned receptors that define chemical specificity. PMID:26187906

Tunable Magnetic Resonance in Microwave Spintronics Devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Yunpeng; Fan, Xin; Xie, Yunsong; Zhou, Yang; Wang, Tao; Wilson, Jeffrey D.; Simons, Rainee N.; Chui, Sui-Tat; Xiao, John Q.

2015-01-01

Magnetic resonance is one of the key properties of magnetic materials for the application of microwave spintronics devices. The conventional method for tuning magnetic resonance is to use an electromagnet, which provides very limited tuning range. Hence, the quest for enhancing the magnetic resonance tuning range without using an electromagnet has attracted tremendous attention. In this paper, we exploit the huge exchange coupling field between magnetic interlayers, which is on the order of 4000 Oe and also the high frequency modes of coupled oscillators to enhance the tuning range. Furthermore, we demonstrate a new scheme to control the magnetic resonance frequency. Moreover, we report a shift in the magnetic resonance frequency as high as 20 GHz in CoFe based tunable microwave spintronics devices, which is 10X higher than conventional methods.

Tunable Magnetic Resonance in Microwave Spintronics Devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Yunpeng; Fan, Xin; Xie, Yungsong; Zhou, Yang; Wang, Tao; Wilson, Jeffrey D.; Simons, Rainee N.; Chui, Sui-Tat; Xiao, John Q.

2015-01-01

Magnetic resonance is one of the key properties of magnetic materials for the application of microwave spintronics devices. The conventional method for tuning magnetic resonance is to use an electromagnet, which provides very limited tuning range. Hence, the quest for enhancing the magnetic resonance tuning range without using an electromagnet has attracted tremendous attention. In this paper, we exploit the huge exchange coupling field between magnetic interlayers, which is on the order of 4000 Oe and also the high frequency modes of coupled oscillators to enhance the tuning range. Furthermore, we demonstrate a new scheme to control the magnetic resonance frequency. Moreover, we report a shift in the magnetic resonance frequency as high as 20 GHz in CoFe-based tunable microwave spintronics devices, which is 10X higher than conventional methods.

Pair-Wise and Many-Body Dispersive Interactions Coupled to an Optimally Tuned Range-Separated Hybrid Functional.

PubMed

Agrawal, Piyush; Tkatchenko, Alexandre; Kronik, Leeor

2013-08-13

We propose a nonempirical, pair-wise or many-body dispersion-corrected, optimally tuned range-separated hybrid functional. This functional retains the advantages of the optimal-tuning approach in the prediction of the electronic structure. At the same time, it gains accuracy in the prediction of binding energies for dispersively bound systems, as demonstrated on the S22 and S66 benchmark sets of weakly bound dimers.

Differential Modulation of Excitatory and Inhibitory Neurons during Periodic Stimulation

PubMed Central

Mahmud, Mufti; Vassanelli, Stefano

2016-01-01

Non-invasive transcranial neuronal stimulation, in addition to deep brain stimulation, is seen as a promising therapeutic and diagnostic approach for an increasing number of neurological diseases such as epilepsy, cluster headaches, depression, specific type of blindness, and other central nervous system disfunctions. Improving its effectiveness and widening its range of use may strongly rely on development of proper stimulation protocols that are tailored to specific brain circuits and that are based on a deep knowledge of different neuron types response to stimulation. To this aim, we have performed a simulation study on the behavior of excitatory and inhibitory neurons subject to sinusoidal stimulation. Due to the intrinsic difference in membrane conductance properties of excitatory and inhibitory neurons, we show that their firing is differentially modulated by the wave parameters. We analyzed the behavior of the two neuronal types for a broad range of stimulus frequency and amplitude and demonstrated that, within a small-world network prototype, parameters tuning allow for a selective enhancement or suppression of the excitation/inhibition ratio. PMID:26941602

Plasmonic metamaterial based unified broadband absorber/near infrared emitter for thermophotovoltaic system based on hexagonally packed tungsten doughnuts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Behera, Saraswati; Joseph, Joby

2017-11-01

In this paper, we report a simple and effective design of a polarization independent and wide incident angle plasmonic metamaterial based unified broadband absorber and thermal emitter consisting of hexagonally packed tungsten doughnuts (hexa-rings) for thermophotovoltaic system. The proposed design shows more than 85% of absorption over 0.3 to 2.18 μm, that is, over the broad spectral range from the ultraviolet to the near infrared (NIR), and 100% absorption and thermal emission at 2.18 μm. Further, the NIR plasmonic absorption and thermal emission peak is tuned from the spectral range 2.18 to 3 μm for different low bandgap photovoltaic materials by varying the design parameters such as inner and outer ring radius, instead of varying any other design parameters in the proposed design. The possibility of the realization of hexa-doughnut structures through a single-step phase engineered interference lithography technique is also demonstrated through the realization of micro/nanostructure samples over large area.

Elevated gold ellipse nanoantenna dimers as sensitive and tunable surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy substrates

DOE PAGES

Jubb, A. M.; Jiao, Y.; Eres, Gyula; ...

2016-02-15

Here we demonstrate large area arrays of elevated gold ellipse dimers with precisely controlled gaps for use as sensitive and highly controllable surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates. The significantly enhanced Raman signal observed with SERS arises from both localized and long range plasmonic effects. By controlling the geometry of a SERS substrate, in this case the size and aspect ratio of individual ellipses, the plasmon resonance can be tuned in a broad wavelength range, providing a method for designing the response of SERS substrates at different excitation wavelengths. Plasmon effects exhibited by the elevated gold ellipse dimer substrates aremore » also demonstrated and confirmed through finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulations. A plasmon resonance red shift with an increase of the ellipse aspect ratio is observed, allowing systematic control of the resulting SERS signal intensity. Optimized elevated ellipse dimer substrates with 10±2 nm gaps exhibit uniform SERS enhancement factors on the order of 10 9 for adsorbed p-mercaptoaniline molecules.« less

Chloride ions induce order-disorder transition at water-oxide interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deshmukh, Sanket; Kamath, Ganesh; Ramanathan, Shriram; Sankaranarayanan, Subramanian K. R. S.

2013-12-01

Water can form quasi-two-dimensional ordered layers near a solid interface. The solvation dynamics and ionic transport phenomena through this ordered water structure is of direct relevance to a variety of problems in interface science. Molecular dynamics simulations are used to study the impact of local fluctuation of the chloride ion density in the vicinity of an oxide surface on the structure and dynamics of water layers. We demonstrate that local increase in chloride ions beyond a threshold concentration near the water-MgO (100) interface introduces an order-disorder transition of this two-dimensional layered network into bulklike water, leading to increased diffusional characteristics and reduced hydrogen bonding lifetimes. We find that the extent of this order-disorder transition can be tuned by modifying the defect chemistry and nature of the underlying substrate. The kinetic fluidity resulting from order-disorder transition at high chloride ion concentration has significance for a broad range of phenomena, ranging from freezing point depression of brine to onset of aqueous corrosion.

Tunable dual-band graphene-based infrared reflectance filter

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

Goldflam, Michael D.; Ruiz, Isaac; Howell, Stephen W.

Here, we experimentally demonstrated an actively tunable optical filter that controls the amplitude of reflected long-wave-infrared light in two separate spectral regions concurrently. Our device exploits the dependence of the excitation energy of plasmons in a continuous and unpatterned sheet of graphene on the Fermi-level, which can be controlled via conventional electrostatic gating. The filter enables simultaneous modification of two distinct spectral bands whose positions are dictated by the device geometry and graphene plasmon dispersion. Within these bands, the reflected amplitude can be varied by over 15% and resonance positions can be shifted by over 90 cm –1. Electromagnetic simulationsmore » verify that tuning arises through coupling of incident light to graphene plasmons by a grating structure. Importantly, the tunable range is determined by a combination of graphene properties, device structure, and the surrounding dielectrics, which dictate the plasmon dispersion. Thus, the underlying design shown here is applicable across a broad range of infrared frequencies.« less

Tunable dual-band graphene-based infrared reflectance filter

DOE PAGES

Goldflam, Michael D.; Ruiz, Isaac; Howell, Stephen W.; ...

2018-03-23

Here, we experimentally demonstrated an actively tunable optical filter that controls the amplitude of reflected long-wave-infrared light in two separate spectral regions concurrently. Our device exploits the dependence of the excitation energy of plasmons in a continuous and unpatterned sheet of graphene on the Fermi-level, which can be controlled via conventional electrostatic gating. The filter enables simultaneous modification of two distinct spectral bands whose positions are dictated by the device geometry and graphene plasmon dispersion. Within these bands, the reflected amplitude can be varied by over 15% and resonance positions can be shifted by over 90 cm –1. Electromagnetic simulationsmore » verify that tuning arises through coupling of incident light to graphene plasmons by a grating structure. Importantly, the tunable range is determined by a combination of graphene properties, device structure, and the surrounding dielectrics, which dictate the plasmon dispersion. Thus, the underlying design shown here is applicable across a broad range of infrared frequencies.« less

Terahertz Frequency-Domain Spectroscopy of Low-Pressure Acetonitrile Gas by a Photomixing Terahertz Synthesizer Referenced to Dual Optical Frequency Combs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsieh, Yi-Da; Kimura, Hiroto; Hayashi, Kenta; Minamikawa, Takeo; Mizutani, Yasuhiro; Yamamoto, Hirotsugu; Iwata, Tetsuo; Inaba, Hajime; Minoshima, Kaoru; Hindle, Francis; Yasui, Takeshi

2016-09-01

A terahertz (THz) frequency synthesizer based on photomixing of two near-infrared lasers with a sub-THz to THz frequency offset is a powerful tool for spectroscopy of polar gas molecules due to its broad spectral coverage; however, its frequency accuracy and resolution are relatively low. To tune the output frequency continuously and widely while maintaining its traceability to a frequency standard, we developed a photomixing THz synthesizer phase-locked to dual optical frequency combs (OFCs). While the phase-locking to dual OFCs ensured continuous tuning within a spectral range of 120 GHz, in addition to the traceability to the frequency standard, use of a broadband uni-traveling carrier photodiode for photomixing enabled the generation of CW-THz radiation within a frequency range from 0.2 to 1.5 THz. We demonstrated THz frequency-domain spectroscopy of gas-phase acetonitrile CH3CN and its isotope CH3 13CN in the frequency range of 0.600-0.720 THz using this THz synthesizer. Their rotational transitions were assigned with a frequency accuracy of 8.42 × 10-8 and a frequency resolution of 520 kHz. Furthermore, the concentration of the CH3CN gas at 20 Pa was determined to be (5.41 ± 0.05) × 1014 molecules/cm3 by curve fitting analysis of the measured absorbance spectrum, and the mixture ratio of the mixed CH3CN/CH3 13CN gas was determined to be 1:2.26 with a gas concentration of 1014-1015 molecules/cm3. The developed THz synthesizer is highly promising for high-precision THz-FDS of low-pressure molecular gases and will enable the qualitative and quantitative analyses of multiple gases.

Discrete tuning concept for fiber-integrated lasers based on tailored FBG arrays and a theta cavity layout.

PubMed

Tiess, Tobias; Becker, Martin; Rothhardt, Manfred; Bartelt, Hartmut; Jäger, Matthias

2017-03-15

We demonstrate a novel tuning concept for pulsed fiber-integrated lasers with a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) array as a discrete and tailored spectral filter, as well as a modified laser design. Based on a theta cavity layout, the structural delay lines originating from the FBG array are balanced, enabling a constant repetition rate and stable pulse properties over the full tuning range. The emission wavelength is electrically tuned with respect to the filter properties based on an adapted temporal gating scheme using an acousto-optic modulator. This concept has been investigated with an Yb-doped fiber laser, demonstrating excellent emission properties with high signal contrast (>35  dB) and narrow linewidth (<150  pm) over a tuning range of 25 nm.

Selective tuning of high-Q silicon photonic crystal nanocavities via laser-assisted local oxidation.

PubMed

Chen, Charlton J; Zheng, Jiangjun; Gu, Tingyi; McMillan, James F; Yu, Mingbin; Lo, Guo-Qiang; Kwong, Dim-Lee; Wong, Chee Wei

2011-06-20

We examine the cavity resonance tuning of high-Q silicon photonic crystal heterostructures by localized laser-assisted thermal oxidation using a 532 nm continuous wave laser focused to a 2.5 μm radius spot-size. The total shift is consistent with the parabolic rate law. A tuning range of up to 8.7 nm is achieved with ∼ 30 mW laser powers. Over this tuning range, the cavity Qs decreases from 3.2×10(5) to 1.2×10(5). Numerical simulations model the temperature distributions in the silicon photonic crystal membrane and the cavity resonance shift from oxidation.

A Computational Study of How Orientation Bias in the Lateral Geniculate Nucleus Can Give Rise to Orientation Selectivity in Primary Visual Cortex

PubMed Central

Kuhlmann, Levin; Vidyasagar, Trichur R.

2011-01-01

Controversy remains about how orientation selectivity emerges in simple cells of the mammalian primary visual cortex. In this paper, we present a computational model of how the orientation-biased responses of cells in lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) can contribute to the orientation selectivity in simple cells in cats. We propose that simple cells are excited by lateral geniculate fields with an orientation-bias and disynaptically inhibited by unoriented lateral geniculate fields (or biased fields pooled across orientations), both at approximately the same retinotopic co-ordinates. This interaction, combined with recurrent cortical excitation and inhibition, helps to create the sharp orientation tuning seen in simple cell responses. Along with describing orientation selectivity, the model also accounts for the spatial frequency and length–response functions in simple cells, in normal conditions as well as under the influence of the GABAA antagonist, bicuculline. In addition, the model captures the response properties of LGN and simple cells to simultaneous visual stimulation and electrical stimulation of the LGN. We show that the sharp selectivity for stimulus orientation seen in primary visual cortical cells can be achieved without the excitatory convergence of the LGN input cells with receptive fields along a line in visual space, which has been a core assumption in classical models of visual cortex. We have also simulated how the full range of orientations seen in the cortex can emerge from the activity among broadly tuned channels tuned to a limited number of optimum orientations, just as in the classical case of coding for color in trichromatic primates. PMID:22013414

Serpentine Ultralong Path with Extended Routing (SUPER) High Resolution Traveling Wave Ion Mobility-MS using Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations

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

Deng, Liulin; Webb, Ian K.; Garimella, Sandilya V. B.

Ion mobility (IM) separations have a broad range of analytical applications, but insufficient resolution limits many applications. Here we report on traveling wave (TW) ion mobility (IM) separations in a Serpentine Ultra-long Path with Extended Routing (SUPER) Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations (SLIM) module in conjunction with mass spectrometry (MS). The extended routing utilized multiple passes was facilitated by the introduction of a lossless ion switch at the end of the ion path that either directed ions to the MS detector or to another pass through the serpentine separation region, providing theoretically unlimited TWIM path lengths. Ions were confined inmore » the SLIM by rf fields in conjunction with a DC guard bias, enabling essentially lossless TW transmission over greatly extended paths (e.g., ~1094 meters over 81 passes through the 13.5 m serpentine path). In this multi-pass SUPER TWIM provided resolution approximately proportional to the square root of the number of passes (or path length). More than 30-fold higher IM resolution for Agilent tuning mix m/z 622 and 922 ions (~340 vs. ~10) was achieved for 40 passes compared to commercially available drift tube IM and other TWIM-based platforms. An initial evaluation of the isomeric sugars Lacto-N-hexaose and Lacto-N-neohexaose showed the isomeric structures to be baseline resolved, and a new conformational feature for Lacto-N-neohexaose was revealed after 9 passes. The new SLIM SUPER high resolution TWIM platform has broad utility in conjunction with MS and is expected to enable a broad range of previously challenging or intractable separations.« less

Contributions of Rod and Cone Pathways to Retinal Direction Selectivity Through Development

PubMed Central

Rosa, Juliana M.; Morrie, Ryan D.; Baertsch, Hans C.

2016-01-01

Direction selectivity is a robust computation across a broad stimulus space that is mediated by activity of both rod and cone photoreceptors through the ON and OFF pathways. However, rods, S-cones, and M-cones activate the ON and OFF circuits via distinct pathways and the relative contribution of each to direction selectivity is unknown. Using a variety of stimulation paradigms, pharmacological agents, and knockout mice that lack rod transduction, we found that inputs from the ON pathway were critical for strong direction-selective (DS) tuning in the OFF pathway. For UV light stimulation, the ON pathway inputs to the OFF pathway originated with rod signaling, whereas for visible stimulation, the ON pathway inputs to the OFF pathway originated with both rod and M-cone signaling. Whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings revealed that blocking the ON pathway reduced directional tuning in the OFF pathway via a reduction in null-side inhibition, which is provided by OFF starburst amacrine cells (SACs). Consistent with this, our recordings from OFF SACs confirmed that signals originating in the ON pathway contribute to their excitation. Finally, we observed that, for UV stimulation, ON contributions to OFF DS tuning matured earlier than direct signaling via the OFF pathway. These data indicate that the retina uses multiple strategies for computing DS responses across different colors and stages of development. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The retina uses parallel pathways to encode different features of the visual scene. In some cases, these distinct pathways converge on circuits that mediate a distinct computation. For example, rod and cone pathways enable direction-selective (DS) ganglion cells to encode motion over a wide range of light intensities. Here, we show that although direction selectivity is robust across light intensities, motion discrimination for OFF signals is dependent upon ON signaling. At eye opening, ON directional tuning is mature, whereas OFF DS tuning is significantly reduced due to a delayed maturation of S-cone to OFF cone bipolar signaling. These results provide evidence that the retina uses multiple strategies for computing DS responses across different stimulus conditions. PMID:27629718

Systematic characterization of a 1550 nm microelectromechanical (MEMS)-tunable vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) with 7.92 THz tuning range for terahertz photomixing systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haidar, M. T.; Preu, S.; Cesar, J.; Paul, S.; Hajo, A. S.; Neumeyr, C.; Maune, H.; Küppers, F.

2018-01-01

Continuous-wave (CW) terahertz (THz) photomixing requires compact, widely tunable, mode-hop-free driving lasers. We present a single-mode microelectromechanical system (MEMS)-tunable vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) featuring an electrothermal tuning range of 64 nm (7.92 THz) that exceeds the tuning range of commercially available distributed-feedback laser (DFB) diodes (˜4.8 nm) by a factor of about 13. We first review the underlying theory and perform a systematic characterization of the MEMS-VCSEL, with particular focus on the parameters relevant for THz photomixing. These parameters include mode-hop-free CW tuning with a side-mode-suppression-ratio >50 dB, a linewidth as narrow as 46.1 MHz, and wavelength and polarization stability. We conclude with a demonstration of a CW THz photomixing setup by subjecting the MEMS-VCSEL to optical beating with a DFB diode driving commercial photomixers. The achievable THz bandwidth is limited only by the employed photomixers. Once improved photomixers become available, electrothermally actuated MEMS-VCSELs should allow for a tuning range covering almost the whole THz domain with a single system.

Spectrotemporal Processing in Spectral Tuning Modules of Cat Primary Auditory Cortex

PubMed Central

Atencio, Craig A.; Schreiner, Christoph E.

2012-01-01

Spectral integration properties show topographical order in cat primary auditory cortex (AI). Along the iso-frequency domain, regions with predominantly narrowly tuned (NT) neurons are segregated from regions with more broadly tuned (BT) neurons, forming distinct processing modules. Despite their prominent spatial segregation, spectrotemporal processing has not been compared for these regions. We identified these NT and BT regions with broad-band ripple stimuli and characterized processing differences between them using both spectrotemporal receptive fields (STRFs) and nonlinear stimulus/firing rate transformations. The durations of STRF excitatory and inhibitory subfields were shorter and the best temporal modulation frequencies were higher for BT neurons than for NT neurons. For NT neurons, the bandwidth of excitatory and inhibitory subfields was matched, whereas for BT neurons it was not. Phase locking and feature selectivity were higher for NT neurons. Properties of the nonlinearities showed only slight differences across the bandwidth modules. These results indicate fundamental differences in spectrotemporal preferences - and thus distinct physiological functions - for neurons in BT and NT spectral integration modules. However, some global processing aspects, such as spectrotemporal interactions and nonlinear input/output behavior, appear to be similar for both neuronal subgroups. The findings suggest that spectral integration modules in AI differ in what specific stimulus aspects are processed, but they are similar in the manner in which stimulus information is processed. PMID:22384036

Testing inferior colliculus neurons for selectivity to the rate or duration of frequency modulated sweeps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faure, Paul A.; Morrison, James A.; Valdizón-Rodríguez, Roberto

2018-05-01

Here we propose a method for testing how the responses of so-called "FM duration-tuned neurons (DTNs)" encode temporal properties of frequency modulated (FM) sweeps to determine if the responses of so-called "FM duration-tuned neurons (DTNs)" are tuned to FM rate or FM duration. Based on previous studies it was unclear if the responses of "FM DTNs" were tuned to signal duration, like pure-tone DTNs, or FM sweep rate. We tested this using single-unit extracellular recording in the inferior colliculus (IC) of the big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus). We presented IC cells with linear FM sweeps that were varied in FM center frequency (CEF) and spectral bandwidth (BW) to measure the FM rate tuning responses of a cell. We also varied FM signal duration to measure the best duration (BD) and temporal BW of duration tuning of a cell. We then doubled (and halved) the best FM BW, while keeping the CEF constant, and remeasured the BD and temporal BW of duration tuning with FM bandwidth manipulated signals. We reasoned that the range of excitatory signal durations should not change in a true FM DTN whose responses are tuned to signal duration; however, when stimulated with bandwidth manipulated FM sounds the range of excitatory signal durations should predictably vary in a FM rate-tuned cell. Preliminary data indicate that our stimulus paradigm can disambiguate whether the evoked responses of an IC neuron are FM sweep rate tuned or FM duration tuned.

Semiconductor lasers with a continuous tuning range above 100 nm in the nearest IR spectral region

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

Kostin, Yu O; Lobintsov, A A; Shramenko, M V

2015-08-31

We have developed two new types of lasers based on quantum-confined semiconductor optical amplifiers with an acousto-optic tunable filter in an external fibre ring cavity. The lasers offer continuous wavelength tuning ranges from 780 to 885 and from 880 to 1010 nm, 20 mW of cw output power, and a tuning rate up to 10{sup 4} nm s{sup -1} at an instantaneous spectral linewidth less than 0.1 nm. (lasers)

Tm:germanate Fiber Laser: Tuning And Q-switching

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barnes, Norman P.; Walsh, Brian M.; Reichle, Donald J.; DeYoung, R. J.; Jiang, Shibin

2007-01-01

A Tm:germanate fiber laser produced >0.25 mJ/pulse in a 45 ns pulse. It is capable of producing multiple Q-switched pulses from a single p ump pulse. With the addition of a diffraction grating, Tm:germanate f iber lasers produced a wide, but length dependent, tuning range. By s electing the fiber length, the tuning range extends from 1.88 to 2.04 ?m. These traits make Tm:germanate lasers suitable for remote sensin g of water vapor.

High Thermoelectric Power Factor of a Diketopyrrolopyrrole-Based Low Bandgap Polymer via Finely Tuned Doping Engineering

PubMed Central

Jung, In Hwan; Hong, Cheon Taek; Lee, Un-Hak; Kang, Young Hun; Jang, Kwang-Suk; Cho, Song Yun

2017-01-01

We studied the thermoelectric properties of a diketopyrrolopyrrole-based semiconductor (PDPP3T) via a precisely tuned doping process using Iron (III) chloride. In particular, the doping states of PDPP3T film were linearly controlled depending on the dopant concentration. The outstanding Seebeck coefficient of PDPP3T assisted the excellent power factors (PFs) over 200 μW m−1K−2 at the broad range of doping concentration (3–8 mM) and the maximum PF reached up to 276 μW m−1K−2, which is much higher than that of poly(3-hexylthiophene), 56 μW m−1K−2. The high-mobility of PDPP3T was beneficial to enhance the electrical conductivity and the low level of total dopant volume was important to maintain high Seebeck coefficients. In addition, the low bandgap PDPP3T polymer effiectively shifted its absorption into near infra-red area and became more colorless after doping, which is great advantage to realize transparent electronic devices. Our results give importance guidance to develop thermoelectric semiconducting polymers and we suggest that the use of low bandgap and high-mobility polymers, and the accurate control of the doping levels are key factors for obtaining the high thermoelectric PF. PMID:28317929

Voltage Control of Metal-insulator Transition and Non-volatile Ferroelastic Switching of Resistance in VOx/PMN-PT Heterostructures

PubMed Central

Nan, Tianxiang; Liu, Ming; Ren, Wei; Ye, Zuo-Guang; Sun, Nian X.

2014-01-01

The central challenge in realizing electronics based on strongly correlated electronic states, or ‘Mottronics', lies in finding an energy efficient way to switch between the distinct collective phases with a control voltage in a reversible and reproducible manner. In this work, we demonstrate that a voltage-impulse-induced ferroelastic domain switching in the (011)-oriented 0.71Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.29PbTiO3 (PMN-PT) substrates allows a robust non-volatile tuning of the metal-insulator transition in the VOx films deposited onto them. In such a VOx/PMN-PT heterostructure, the unique two-step electric polarization switching covers up to 90% of the entire poled area and contributes to a homogeneous in-plane anisotropic biaxial strain, which, in turn, enables the lattice changes and results in the suppression of metal-insulator transition in the mechanically coupled VOx films by 6 K with a resistance change up to 40% over a broad range of temperature. These findings provide a framework for realizing in situ and non-volatile tuning of strain-sensitive order parameters in strongly correlated materials, and demonstrate great potentials in delivering reconfigurable, compactable, and energy-efficient electronic devices. PMID:25088796

Compensating Level-Dependent Frequency Representation in Auditory Cortex by Synaptic Integration of Corticocortical Input

PubMed Central

Happel, Max F. K.; Ohl, Frank W.

2017-01-01

Robust perception of auditory objects over a large range of sound intensities is a fundamental feature of the auditory system. However, firing characteristics of single neurons across the entire auditory system, like the frequency tuning, can change significantly with stimulus intensity. Physiological correlates of level-constancy of auditory representations hence should be manifested on the level of larger neuronal assemblies or population patterns. In this study we have investigated how information of frequency and sound level is integrated on the circuit-level in the primary auditory cortex (AI) of the Mongolian gerbil. We used a combination of pharmacological silencing of corticocortically relayed activity and laminar current source density (CSD) analysis. Our data demonstrate that with increasing stimulus intensities progressively lower frequencies lead to the maximal impulse response within cortical input layers at a given cortical site inherited from thalamocortical synaptic inputs. We further identified a temporally precise intercolumnar synaptic convergence of early thalamocortical and horizontal corticocortical inputs. Later tone-evoked activity in upper layers showed a preservation of broad tonotopic tuning across sound levels without shifts towards lower frequencies. Synaptic integration within corticocortical circuits may hence contribute to a level-robust representation of auditory information on a neuronal population level in the auditory cortex. PMID:28046062

Infrared Spectroscopy of Explosives Residues: Measurement Techniques and Spectral Analysis

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

Phillips, Mark C.; Bernacki, Bruce E.

2015-03-11

Infrared laser spectroscopy of explosives is a promising technique for standoff and non-contact detection applications. However, the interpretation of spectra obtained in typical standoff measurement configurations presents numerous challenges. Understanding the variability in observed spectra from explosives residues and particles is crucial for design and implementation of detection algorithms with high detection confidence and low false alarm probability. We discuss a series of infrared spectroscopic techniques applied toward measuring and interpreting the reflectance spectra obtained from explosives particles and residues. These techniques utilize the high spectral radiance, broad tuning range, rapid wavelength tuning, high scan reproducibility, and low noise ofmore » an external cavity quantum cascade laser (ECQCL) system developed at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The ECQCL source permits measurements in configurations which would be either impractical or overly time-consuming with broadband, incoherent infrared sources, and enables a combination of rapid measurement speed and high detection sensitivity. The spectroscopic methods employed include standoff hyperspectral reflectance imaging, quantitative measurements of diffuse reflectance spectra, reflection-absorption infrared spectroscopy, microscopic imaging and spectroscopy, and nano-scale imaging and spectroscopy. Measurements of explosives particles and residues reveal important factors affecting observed reflectance spectra, including measurement geometry, substrate on which the explosives are deposited, and morphological effects such as particle shape, size, orientation, and crystal structure.« less

Voltage control of metal-insulator transition and non-volatile ferroelastic switching of resistance in VOx/PMN-PT heterostructures.

PubMed

Nan, Tianxiang; Liu, Ming; Ren, Wei; Ye, Zuo-Guang; Sun, Nian X

2014-08-04

The central challenge in realizing electronics based on strongly correlated electronic states, or 'Mottronics', lies in finding an energy efficient way to switch between the distinct collective phases with a control voltage in a reversible and reproducible manner. In this work, we demonstrate that a voltage-impulse-induced ferroelastic domain switching in the (011)-oriented 0.71Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.29PbTiO3 (PMN-PT) substrates allows a robust non-volatile tuning of the metal-insulator transition in the VOx films deposited onto them. In such a VOx/PMN-PT heterostructure, the unique two-step electric polarization switching covers up to 90% of the entire poled area and contributes to a homogeneous in-plane anisotropic biaxial strain, which, in turn, enables the lattice changes and results in the suppression of metal-insulator transition in the mechanically coupled VOx films by 6 K with a resistance change up to 40% over a broad range of temperature. These findings provide a framework for realizing in situ and non-volatile tuning of strain-sensitive order parameters in strongly correlated materials, and demonstrate great potentials in delivering reconfigurable, compactable, and energy-efficient electronic devices.

Realisation and optical engineering of linear variable bandpass filters in nanoporous anodic alumina photonic crystals.

PubMed

Sukarno; Law, Cheryl Suwen; Santos, Abel

2017-06-08

We present the first realisation of linear variable bandpass filters in nanoporous anodic alumina (NAA-LVBPFs) photonic crystal structures. NAA gradient-index filters (NAA-GIFs) are produced by sinusoidal pulse anodisation and used as photonic crystal platforms to generate NAA-LVBPFs. The anodisation period of NAA-GIFs is modified from 650 to 850 s to systematically tune the characteristic photonic stopband of these photonic crystals across the UV-visible-NIR spectrum. Then, the nanoporous structure of NAA-GIFs is gradually widened along the surface under controlled conditions by wet chemical etching using a dip coating approach aiming to create NAA-LVBPFs with finely engineered optical properties. We demonstrate that the characteristic photonic stopband and the iridescent interferometric colour displayed by these photonic crystals can be tuned with precision across the surface of NAA-LVBPFs by adjusting the fabrication and etching conditions. Here, we envisage for the first time the combination of the anodisation period and etching conditions as a cost-competitive, facile, and versatile nanofabrication approach that enables the generation of a broad range of unique LVBPFs covering the spectral regions. These photonic crystal structures open new opportunities for multiple applications, including adaptive optics, hyperspectral imaging, fluorescence diagnostics, spectroscopy, and sensing.

Breath analysis with broadly tunable quantum cascade lasers.

PubMed

Wörle, Katharina; Seichter, Felicia; Wilk, Andreas; Armacost, Chris; Day, Tim; Godejohann, Matthias; Wachter, Ulrich; Vogt, Josef; Radermacher, Peter; Mizaikoff, Boris

2013-03-05

With the availability of broadly tunable external cavity quantum cascade lasers (EC-QCLs), particularly bright mid-infrared (MIR; 3-20 μm) light sources are available offering high spectral brightness along with an analytically relevant spectral tuning range of >2 μm. Accurate isotope ratio determination of (12)CO2 and (13)CO2 in exhaled breath is of critical importance in the field of breath analysis, which may be addressed via measurements in the MIR spectral regime. Here, we combine for the first time an EC-QCL tunable across the (12)CO2/(13)CO2 spectral band with a miniaturized hollow waveguide gas cell for quantitatively determining the (12)CO2/(13)CO2 ratio within the exhaled breath of mice. Due to partially overlapping spectral features, these studies are augmented by appropriate multivariate data evaluation and calibration techniques based on partial least-squares regression along with optimized data preprocessing. Highly accurate determinations of the isotope ratio within breath samples collected from a mouse intensive care unit validated via hyphenated gas chromatography-mass spectrometry confirm the viability of IR-HWG-EC-QCL sensing techniques for isotope-selective exhaled breath analysis.

All optical reconfiguration of optomechanical filters.

PubMed

Deotare, Parag B; Bulu, Irfan; Frank, Ian W; Quan, Qimin; Zhang, Yinan; Ilic, Rob; Loncar, Marko

2012-05-22

Reconfigurable optical filters are of great importance for applications in optical communication and information processing. Of particular interest are tuning techniques that take advantage of mechanical deformation of the devices, as they offer wider tuning range. Here we demonstrate reconfiguration of coupled photonic crystal nanobeam cavities by using optical gradient force induced mechanical actuation. Propagating waveguide modes that exist over a wide wavelength range are used to actuate the structures and control the resonance of localized cavity modes. Using this all-optical approach, more than 18 linewidths of tuning range is demonstrated. Using an on-chip temperature self-referencing method, we determine that 20% of the total tuning was due to optomechanical reconfiguration and the rest due to thermo-optic effects. By operating the device at frequencies higher than the thermal cutoff, we show high-speed operation dominated by just optomechanical effects. Independent control of mechanical and optical resonances of our structures is also demonstrated.

Double Brillouin frequency spaced multiwavelength Brillouin-erbium fiber laser with 50 nm tuning range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, J. F.; Liao, T. Q.; Zhang, C.; Zhang, R. X.; Miao, C. Y.; Tong, Z. R.

2012-09-01

A 50 nm tuning range multiwavelength Brillouin-erbium fiber laser (MWBEFL) with double Brillouin frequency spacing is presented. Two separated gain blocks with symmetrical architecture, consisted by erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs) and Brillouin gain media, are used to generate double Brillouin frequency spacing. The wider tuning range is realized by eliminating the self-lasing cavity modes existing in conventional MWBEFLs because of the absence of the physical mirrors at the ends of the linear cavity. The Brillouin pump (BP) is preamplified by the EDFA before entering the single-mode fiber (SMF), which leads to the reduction of threshold power and the generation enhancement of Brillouin Stokes (BS) signals. Four channels with 0.176 nm spacing are achieved at 2 mW BP power and 280 mW 980 nm pump power which can be tuned from 1525 to 1575 nm.

Telerobotic control of a mobile coordinated robotic server

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Gordon

1991-01-01

Results from the Master's Degree Thesis of Mr. Robert Stanley, a graduate student supervised by the principal investigator on this project is reported. The goal of this effort is to develop advanced control methods for flexible space manipulator systems. As such, a fuzzy logic controller has been developed in which model structure as well as parameter constraints are not required for compensation. A general rule base is formulated using quantized linguistic terms; it is then augmented to a traditional integral control. The resulting hybrid fuzzy controller stabilizes the structure over a broad range of uncertainties, including unknown initial conditions. An off-line tuning approach using phase portraits gives further insight into the algorithm. The approach was applied to a three-degree-of-freedom manipulator system - the prototype of the coordinated flexible manipulator system currently being designed and built at North Carolina State University.

Solution-processed nanoparticle super-float-gated organic field-effect transistor as un-cooled ultraviolet and infrared photon counter.

PubMed

Yuan, Yongbo; Dong, Qingfeng; Yang, Bin; Guo, Fawen; Zhang, Qi; Han, Ming; Huang, Jinsong

2013-01-01

High sensitivity photodetectors in ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) range have broad civilian and military applications. Here we report on an un-cooled solution-processed UV-IR photon counter based on modified organic field-effect transistors. This type of UV detectors have light absorbing zinc oxide nanoparticles (NPs) sandwiched between two gate dielectric layers as a floating gate. The photon-generated charges on the floating gate cause high resistance regions in the transistor channel and tune the source-drain output current. This "super-float-gating" mechanism enables very high sensitivity photodetectors with a minimum detectable ultraviolet light intensity of 2.6 photons/μm(2)s at room temperature as well as photon counting capability. Based on same mechansim, infrared photodetectors with lead sulfide NPs as light absorbing materials have also been demonstrated.

Broadband non-polarizing terahertz beam splitters with variable split ratio

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Minggui; Xu, Quan; Wang, Qiu; Zhang, Xueqian; Li, Yanfeng; Gu, Jianqiang; Tian, Zhen; Zhang, Xixiang; Han, Jiaguang; Zhang, Weili

2017-08-01

Seeking effective terahertz functional devices has always aroused extensive attention. Of particular interest is the terahertz beam splitter. Here, we have proposed, designed, manufactured, and tested a broadband non-polarizing terahertz beam splitter with a variable split ratio based on an all-dielectric metasurface. The metasurface was created by patterning a dielectric surface of the N-step phase gradient and etching to a few hundred micrometers. The conversion efficiency as high as 81% under the normal incidence at 0.7 THz was achieved. Meanwhile, such a splitter works well over a broad frequency range. The split ratio of the proposed design can be continuously tuned by simply shifting the metasurface, and the angle of emergences can also be easily adjusted by choosing the step of phase gradients. The proposed design is non-polarizing, and its performance is kept under different polarizations.

Low thermal emissivity surfaces using AgNW thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pantoja, Elisa; Bhatt, Rajendra; Liu, Anping; Gupta, Mool C.

2017-12-01

The properties of silver nanowire (AgNW) films in the optical and infrared spectral regime offer an interesting opportunity for a broad range of applications that require low-emissivity coatings. This work reports a method to reduce the thermal emissivity of substrates by the formation of low-emissivity AgNW coating films from solution. The spectral emissivity was characterized by thermal imaging with an FLIR camera, followed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. In a combined experimental and simulation study, we provide fundamental data of the transmittance, reflectance, haze, and emissivity of AgNW thin films. Emissivity values were finely tuned by modifying the concentration of the metal nanowires in the films. The simulation models based on the transfer matrix method developed for the AgNW thin films provided optical values that show a good agreement with the measurements.

Functional Maps of Mechanosensory Features in the Drosophila Brain.

PubMed

Patella, Paola; Wilson, Rachel I

2018-04-23

Johnston's organ is the largest mechanosensory organ in Drosophila. It contributes to hearing, touch, vestibular sensing, proprioception, and wind sensing. In this study, we used in vivo 2-photon calcium imaging and unsupervised image segmentation to map the tuning properties of Johnston's organ neurons (JONs) at the site where their axons enter the brain. We then applied the same methodology to study two key brain regions that process signals from JONs: the antennal mechanosensory and motor center (AMMC) and the wedge, which is downstream of the AMMC. First, we identified a diversity of JON response types that tile frequency space and form a rough tonotopic map. Some JON response types are direction selective; others are specialized to encode amplitude modulations over a specific range (dynamic range fractionation). Next, we discovered that both the AMMC and the wedge contain a tonotopic map, with a significant increase in tonotopy-and a narrowing of frequency tuning-at the level of the wedge. Whereas the AMMC tonotopic map is unilateral, the wedge tonotopic map is bilateral. Finally, we identified a subregion of the AMMC/wedge that responds preferentially to the coherent rotation of the two mechanical organs in the same angular direction, indicative of oriented steady air flow (directional wind). Together, these maps reveal the broad organization of the primary and secondary mechanosensory regions of the brain. They provide a framework for future efforts to identify the specific cell types and mechanisms that underlie the hierarchical re-mapping of mechanosensory information in this system. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rational engineering of nanoporous anodic alumina optical bandpass filters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santos, Abel; Pereira, Taj; Law, Cheryl Suwen; Losic, Dusan

2016-08-01

Herein, we present a rationally designed advanced nanofabrication approach aiming at producing a new type of optical bandpass filters based on nanoporous anodic alumina photonic crystals. The photonic stop band of nanoporous anodic alumina (NAA) is engineered in depth by means of a pseudo-stepwise pulse anodisation (PSPA) approach consisting of pseudo-stepwise asymmetric current density pulses. This nanofabrication method makes it possible to tune the transmission bands of NAA at specific wavelengths and bandwidths, which can be broadly modified across the UV-visible-NIR spectrum through the anodisation period (i.e. time between consecutive pulses). First, we establish the effect of the anodisation period as a means of tuning the position and width of the transmission bands of NAA across the UV-visible-NIR spectrum. To this end, a set of nanoporous anodic alumina bandpass filters (NAA-BPFs) are produced with different anodisation periods, ranging from 500 to 1200 s, and their optical properties (i.e. characteristic transmission bands and interferometric colours) are systematically assessed. Then, we demonstrate that the rational combination of stacked NAA-BPFs consisting of layers of NAA produced with different PSPA periods can be readily used to create a set of unique and highly selective optical bandpass filters with characteristic transmission bands, the position, width and number of which can be precisely engineered by this rational anodisation approach. Finally, as a proof-of-concept, we demonstrate that the superposition of stacked NAA-BPFs produced with slight modifications of the anodisation period enables the fabrication of NAA-BPFs with unprecedented broad transmission bands across the UV-visible-NIR spectrum. The results obtained from our study constitute the first comprehensive rationale towards advanced NAA-BPFs with fully controllable photonic properties. These photonic crystal structures could become a promising alternative to traditional optical bandpass filters based on glass and plastic.Herein, we present a rationally designed advanced nanofabrication approach aiming at producing a new type of optical bandpass filters based on nanoporous anodic alumina photonic crystals. The photonic stop band of nanoporous anodic alumina (NAA) is engineered in depth by means of a pseudo-stepwise pulse anodisation (PSPA) approach consisting of pseudo-stepwise asymmetric current density pulses. This nanofabrication method makes it possible to tune the transmission bands of NAA at specific wavelengths and bandwidths, which can be broadly modified across the UV-visible-NIR spectrum through the anodisation period (i.e. time between consecutive pulses). First, we establish the effect of the anodisation period as a means of tuning the position and width of the transmission bands of NAA across the UV-visible-NIR spectrum. To this end, a set of nanoporous anodic alumina bandpass filters (NAA-BPFs) are produced with different anodisation periods, ranging from 500 to 1200 s, and their optical properties (i.e. characteristic transmission bands and interferometric colours) are systematically assessed. Then, we demonstrate that the rational combination of stacked NAA-BPFs consisting of layers of NAA produced with different PSPA periods can be readily used to create a set of unique and highly selective optical bandpass filters with characteristic transmission bands, the position, width and number of which can be precisely engineered by this rational anodisation approach. Finally, as a proof-of-concept, we demonstrate that the superposition of stacked NAA-BPFs produced with slight modifications of the anodisation period enables the fabrication of NAA-BPFs with unprecedented broad transmission bands across the UV-visible-NIR spectrum. The results obtained from our study constitute the first comprehensive rationale towards advanced NAA-BPFs with fully controllable photonic properties. These photonic crystal structures could become a promising alternative to traditional optical bandpass filters based on glass and plastic. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: An example demonstrating the effect of pore widening on the position and width of the transmission band of a NAA-BPF and a comprehensive table summarising the position and FWHM of the different bands of the NAA-BPFs produced in this study. See DOI: 10.1039/c6nr03490j

A Drosophila Gustatory Receptor Required for Strychnine Sensation.

PubMed

Lee, Youngseok; Moon, Seok Jun; Wang, Yijin; Montell, Craig

2015-09-01

Strychnine is a potent, naturally occurring neurotoxin that effectively protects plants from animal pests by deterring feeding behavior. In insects, such as the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, bitter-tasting aversive compounds are detected primarily through a family of gustatory receptors (GRs), which are expressed in gustatory receptor neurons. We previously described multiple GRs that eliminate the behavioral avoidance to all bitter compounds tested, with the exception of strychnine. Here, we report the identity of a strychnine receptor, referred to as GR47a. We generated a mutation in Gr47a and found that it eliminated strychnine repulsion and strychnine-induced action potentials. GR47a was narrowly tuned, as the responses to other avoidance compounds were unaffected in the mutant animals. This analysis supports an emerging model that Drosophila GRs fall broadly into two specificity classes-one class is comprised of core receptors that are broadly required, whereas the other class, which includes GR47a, consists of narrowly tuned receptors that define chemical specificity. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Wide wavelength range tunable one-dimensional silicon nitride nano-grating guided mode resonance filter based on azimuthal rotation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yukino, Ryoji; Sahoo, Pankaj K.; Sharma, Jaiyam; Takamura, Tsukasa; Joseph, Joby; Sandhu, Adarsh

2017-01-01

We describe wavelength tuning in a one dimensional (1D) silicon nitride nano-grating guided mode resonance (GMR) structure under conical mounting configuration of the device. When the GMR structure is rotated about the axis perpendicular to the surface of the device (azimuthal rotation) for light incident at oblique angles, the conditions for resonance are different than for conventional GMR structures under classical mounting. These resonance conditions enable tuning of the GMR peak position over a wide range of wavelengths. We experimental demonstrate tuning over a range of 375 nm between 500 nm˜875 nm. We present a theoretical model to explain the resonance conditions observed in our experiments and predict the peak positions with show excellent agreement with experiments. Our method for tuning wavelengths is simpler and more efficient than conventional procedures that employ variations in the design parameters of structures or conical mounting of two-dimensional (2D) GMR structures and enables a single 1D GMR device to function as a high efficiency wavelength filter over a wide range of wavelengths. We expect tunable filters based on this technique to be applicable in a wide range of fields including astronomy and biomedical imaging.

Widely tunable laser frequency offset lock with 30 GHz range and 5 THz offset.

PubMed

Biesheuvel, J; Noom, D W E; Salumbides, E J; Sheridan, K T; Ubachs, W; Koelemeij, J C J

2013-06-17

We demonstrate a simple and versatile method to greatly extend the tuning range of optical frequency shifting devices, such as acousto-optic modulators (AOMs). We use this method to stabilize the frequency of a tunable narrow-band continuous-wave (CW) laser to a transmission maximum of an external Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) with a tunable frequency offset. This is achieved through a servo loop which contains an in-loop AOM for simple radiofrequency (RF) tuning of the optical frequency over the full 30 GHz mode-hop-free tuning range of the CW laser. By stabilizing the length of the FPI to a stabilized helium-neon (HeNe) laser (at 5 THz offset from the tunable laser) we simultaneously transfer the ~ 1 MHz absolute frequency stability of the HeNe laser to the entire 30 GHz range of the tunable laser. Thus, our method allows simple, wide-range, fast and reproducible optical frequency tuning and absolute optical frequency measurements through RF electronics, which is here demonstrated by repeatedly recording a 27-GHz-wide molecular iodine spectrum at scan rates up to 500 MHz/s. General technical aspects that determine the performance of the method are discussed in detail.

Tuning characteristics of narrowband THz radiation generated via optical rectification in periodically poled lithium niobate.

PubMed

Weiss, C; Torosyan, G; Meyn, J P; Wallenstein, R; Beigang, R; Avetisyan, Y

2001-04-23

The tuning properties of pulsed narrowband THz radiation generated via optical rectification in periodically poled lithium niobate have been investigated. Using a disk-shaped periodically poled crystal tuning was easily accomplished by rotating the crystal around its axis and observing the generated THz radiation in forward direction. In this way no beam deflection during tuning was observed. The total tuning range extended from 180 GHz up to 830 GHz and was limited by the poling period of 127 microm which determines the maximum THz frequency in forward direction.

Twist-induced tuning in tapered fiber couplers.

PubMed

Birks, T A

1989-10-01

The power-splitting ratio of fused tapered single-mode fiber couplers can be reversibly tuned by axial twisting without affecting loss. The twist-tuning behavior of a range of different tapered couplers is described. A simple expression for twist-tuning can be derived by representing the effects of twist by a change in the refractive index profile. Good agreement between this expression and experimental results is demonstrated. Repeated tuning over tens of thousands of cycles is found not to degrade coupler performance, and a number of practical applications, including a freely tunable tapered coupler, are described.

Neural correlates of binaural masking level difference in the inferior colliculus of the barn owl (Tyto alba).

PubMed

Asadollahi, Ali; Endler, Frank; Nelken, Israel; Wagner, Hermann

2010-08-01

Humans and animals are able to detect signals in noisy environments. Detection improves when the noise and the signal have different interaural phase relationships. The resulting improvement in detection threshold is called the binaural masking level difference. We investigated neural mechanisms underlying the release from masking in the inferior colliculus of barn owls in low-frequency and high-frequency neurons. A tone (signal) was presented either with the same interaural time difference as the noise (masker) or at a 180 degrees phase shift as compared with the interaural time difference of the noise. The changes in firing rates induced by the addition of a signal of increasing level while masker level was kept constant was well predicted by the relative responses to the masker and signal alone. In many cases, the response at the highest signal levels was dominated by the response to the signal alone, in spite of a significant response to the masker at low signal levels, suggesting the presence of occlusion. Detection thresholds and binaural masking level differences were widely distributed. The amount of release from masking increased with increasing masker level. Narrowly tuned neurons in the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus had detection thresholds that were lower than or similar to those of broadly tuned neurons in the external nucleus of the inferior colliculus. Broadly tuned neurons exhibited higher masking level differences than narrowband neurons. These data suggest that detection has different spectral requirements from localization.

Fine tuning of nanopipettes using atomic layer deposition for single molecule sensing.

PubMed

Sze, Jasmine Y Y; Kumar, Shailabh; Ivanov, Aleksandar P; Oh, Sang-Hyun; Edel, Joshua B

2015-07-21

Nanopipettes are an attractive single-molecule tool for identification and characterisation of nucleic acids and proteins in solutions. They enable label-free analysis and reveal individual molecular properties, which are generally masked by ensemble averaging. Having control over the pore dimensions is vital to ensure that the dimensions of the molecules being probed match those of the pore for optimization of the signal to noise. Although nanopipettes are simple and easy to fabricate, challenges exist, especially when compared to more conventional solid-state analogues. For example, a sub-20 nm pore diameter can be difficult to fabricate and the batch-to-batch reproducibility is often poor. To improve on this limitation, atomic layer deposition (ALD) is used to deposit ultrathin layers of alumina (Al2O3) on the surface of the quartz nanopipettes enabling sub-nm tuning of the pore dimensions. Here, Al2O3 with a thickness of 8, 14 and 17 nm was deposited onto pipettes with a starting pore diameter of 75 ± 5 nm whilst a second batch had 5 and 8 nm Al2O3 deposited with a starting pore diameter of 25 ± 3 nm respectively. This highly conformal process coats both the inner and outer surfaces of pipettes and resulted in the fabrication of pore diameters as low as 7.5 nm. We show that Al2O3 modified pores do not interfere with the sensing ability of the nanopipettes and can be used for high signal-to-noise DNA detection. ALD provides a quick and efficient (batch processing) for fine-tuning nanopipettes for a broad range of applications including the detection of small biomolecules like RNA, aptamers and DNA-protein interactions at the single molecule level.

Model-based analysis of pattern motion processing in mouse primary visual cortex

PubMed Central

Muir, Dylan R.; Roth, Morgane M.; Helmchen, Fritjof; Kampa, Björn M.

2015-01-01

Neurons in sensory areas of neocortex exhibit responses tuned to specific features of the environment. In visual cortex, information about features such as edges or textures with particular orientations must be integrated to recognize a visual scene or object. Connectivity studies in rodent cortex have revealed that neurons make specific connections within sub-networks sharing common input tuning. In principle, this sub-network architecture enables local cortical circuits to integrate sensory information. However, whether feature integration indeed occurs locally in rodent primary sensory areas has not been examined directly. We studied local integration of sensory features in primary visual cortex (V1) of the mouse by presenting drifting grating and plaid stimuli, while recording the activity of neuronal populations with two-photon calcium imaging. Using a Bayesian model-based analysis framework, we classified single-cell responses as being selective for either individual grating components or for moving plaid patterns. Rather than relying on trial-averaged responses, our model-based framework takes into account single-trial responses and can easily be extended to consider any number of arbitrary predictive models. Our analysis method was able to successfully classify significantly more responses than traditional partial correlation (PC) analysis, and provides a rigorous statistical framework to rank any number of models and reject poorly performing models. We also found a large proportion of cells that respond strongly to only one stimulus class. In addition, a quarter of selectively responding neurons had more complex responses that could not be explained by any simple integration model. Our results show that a broad range of pattern integration processes already take place at the level of V1. This diversity of integration is consistent with processing of visual inputs by local sub-networks within V1 that are tuned to combinations of sensory features. PMID:26300738

Is there sufficient evidence for tuning fork tests in diagnosing fractures? A systematic review.

PubMed

Mugunthan, Kayalvili; Doust, Jenny; Kurz, Bodo; Glasziou, Paul

2014-08-04

To determine the diagnostic accuracy of tuning fork tests for detecting fractures. Systematic review of primary studies evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of tuning fork tests for the presence of fracture. We searched MEDLINE, CINAHL, AMED, EMBASE, Sports Discus, CAB Abstracts and Web of Science from commencement to November 2012. We manually searched the reference lists of any review papers and any identified relevant studies. Two reviewers independently reviewed the list of potentially eligible studies and rated the studies for quality using the QUADAS-2 tool. Data were extracted to form 2×2 contingency tables. The primary outcome measure was the accuracy of the test as measured by its sensitivity and specificity with 95% CIs. We included six studies (329 patients), with two types of tuning fork tests (pain induction and loss of sound transmission). The studies included patients with an age range 7-60 years. The prevalence of fracture ranged from 10% to 80%. The sensitivity of the tuning fork tests was high, ranging from 75% to 100%. The specificity of the tests was highly heterogeneous, ranging from 18% to 95%. Based on the studies in this review, tuning fork tests have some value in ruling out fractures, but are not sufficiently reliable or accurate for widespread clinical use. The small sample size of the studies and the observed heterogeneity make generalisable conclusion difficult. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Oxygen measurements at high pressures with vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, J.; Sanders, S. T.; Jeffries, J. B.; Hanson, R. K.

Measurements of oxygen concentration at high pressures (to 10.9 bar) were made using diode-laser absorption of oxygen A-band transitions near 760 nm. The wide current-tuning frequency range (>30 cm-1) of vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) was exploited to enable the first scanned-wavelength demonstration of diode-laser absorption at high pressures; this strategy is more robust than fixed-wavelength strategies, particularly in hostile environments. The wide tuning range and rapid frequency response of the current tuning were further exploited to demonstrate wavelength-modulation absorption spectroscopy in a high-pressure environment. The minimum detectable absorbance demonstrated, 1×10-4, corresponds to 800 ppm-m oxygen detectivity at room temperature and is limited by etalon noise. The rapid- and wide-frequency tunability of VCSELs should significantly expand the application domain of absorption-based sensors limited in the past by the small current-tuning frequency range (typically <2 cm-1) of conventional edge-emitting diode lasers.

High-repetition-rate widely tunable LiF : \\mathbf{\\mathsf{F}}_\\mathbf{\\mathsf{2}}^{-} color center lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Men, Shaojie; Liu, Zhaojun; Cong, Zhenhua; Rao, Han; Zhang, Sasa; Liu, Yang; Zverev, Petr G.; Konyushkin, Vasily A.; Zhang, Xingyu

2016-02-01

High-repetition-rate tunable LiF:\\text{F}2- color center lasers pumped by quasi-continuous-wave diode-side-pumped acousto-optically Q-switched Nd:YAG laser are demonstrated. Littrow-grating and Littman-grating tuning schemes are studied respectively. In the Littrow-grating scheme, the tuning range was 1085 nm to 1275 nm, and the maximal average output power was 275 mW. In the Littman-grating scheme, the tuning range was 1105.5 nm to 1215.5 nm, and the maximal average output power was 135 mW.

Optical hydrogen sensors based on metal-hydrides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slaman, M.; Westerwaal, R.; Schreuders, H.; Dam, B.

2012-06-01

For many hydrogen related applications it is preferred to use optical hydrogen sensors above electrical systems. Optical sensors reduce the risk of ignition by spark formation and are less sensitive to electrical interference. Currently palladium and palladium alloys are used for most hydrogen sensors since they are well known for their hydrogen dissociation and absorption properties at relatively low temperatures. The disadvantages of palladium in sensors are the low optical response upon hydrogen loading, the cross sensitivity for oxygen and carbon, the limited detection range and the formation of micro-cracks after some hydrogen absorption/desorption cycles. In contrast to Pd, we find that the use of magnesium or rear earth bases metal-hydrides in optical hydrogen sensors allow tuning of the detection levels over a broad pressure range, while maintaining a high optical response. We demonstrate a stable detection layer for detecting hydrogen below 10% of the lower explosion limit in an oxygen rich environment. This detection layer is deposited at the bare end of a glass fiber as a micro-mirror and is covered with a thin layer of palladium. The palladium layer promotes the hydrogen uptake at room temperature and acts as a hydrogen selective membrane. To protect the sensor for a long time in air a final layer of a hydrophobic fluorine based coating is applied. Such a sensor can be used for example as safety detector in automotive applications. We find that this type of fiber optic hydrogen sensor is also suitable for hydrogen detection in liquids. As example we demonstrate a sensor for detecting a broad range of concentrations in transformer oil. Such a sensor can signal a warning when sparks inside a high voltage power transformer decompose the transformer oil over a long period.

Dynamic tuning of chemiresistor sensitivity using mechanical strain

DOEpatents

Martin, James E; Read, Douglas H

2014-09-30

The sensitivity of a chemiresistor sensor can be dynamically tuned using mechanical strain. The increase in sensitivity is a smooth, continuous function of the applied strain, and the effect can be reversible. Sensitivity tuning enables the response curve of the sensor to be dynamically optimized for sensing analytes, such as volatile organic compounds, over a wide concentration range.

How to use a phase-only spatial light modulator as a color display.

PubMed

Harm, Walter; Jesacher, Alexander; Thalhammer, Gregor; Bernet, Stefan; Ritsch-Marte, Monika

2015-02-15

We demonstrate that a parallel aligned liquid crystal on silicon (PA-LCOS) spatial light modulator (SLM) without any attached color mask can be used as a full color display with white light illumination. The method is based on the wavelength dependence of the (voltage controlled) birefringence of the liquid crystal pixels. Modern SLMs offer a wide range over which the birefringence can be modulated, leading (in combination with a linear polarizer) to several intensity modulation periods of a reflected light wave as a function of the applied voltage. Because of dispersion, the oscillation period strongly depends on the wavelength. Thus each voltage applied to an SLM pixel corresponds to another reflected color spectrum. For SLMs with a sufficiently broad tuning range, one obtains a color palette (i.e., a "color lookup-table"), which allows one to display color images. An advantage over standard liquid crystal displays (LCDs), which use color masks in front of the individual pixels, is that the light efficiency and the display resolution are increased by a factor of three.

Multi-material Additive Manufacturing of Metamaterials with Giant, Tailorable Negative Poisson's Ratios.

PubMed

Chen, Da; Zheng, Xiaoyu

2018-06-14

Nature has evolved with a recurring strategy to achieve unusual mechanical properties through coupling variable elastic moduli from a few GPa to below KPa within a single tissue. The ability to produce multi-material, three-dimensional (3D) micro-architectures with high fidelity incorporating dissimilar components has been a major challenge in man-made materials. Here we show multi-modulus metamaterials whose architectural element is comprised of encoded elasticity ranging from rigid to soft. We found that, in contrast to ordinary architected materials whose negative Poisson's ratio is dictated by their geometry, these type of metamaterials are capable of displaying Poisson's ratios from extreme negative to zero, independent of their 3D micro-architecture. The resulting low density metamaterials is capable of achieving functionally graded, distributed strain amplification capabilities within the metamaterial with uniform micro-architectures. Simultaneous tuning of Poisson's ratio and moduli within the 3D multi-materials could open up a broad array of material by design applications ranging from flexible armor, artificial muscles, to actuators and bio-mimetic materials.

Broadband plasmonic perfect light absorber in the visible spectrum for solar cell applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mudachathi, Renilkumar; Tanaka, Takuo

2018-03-01

The coupling of electromagnetic waves with subwavelength metal structures results in the perfect light absorption and has been extensively explored in the recent years for many possible applications like photovoltaics, sensing, photodetectors, emitters and camouflaging systems to name a few. Herein we present the design and fabrication of a broadband plasmonic light absorber using aluminum as functional material for operation in the visible frequency range. The metal structures can be tuned in size to manipulate the plasmonic resonance; thereby light absorption at any desired wavelengths could be realized. Thus the broadband light absorber in the visible spectrum is designed using metal structures of different sizes supporting non-overlapping individual resonances at regular intervals of wavelengths. The metal structures of different sizes are grouped in to a single unit cell and the absorber is fabricated by periodically arranging these unit cells in a square lattice. Light absorption of more than 90% for over a broad wavelength range of 200 nm from 425 nm to 650 nm in the visible spectrum is demonstrated.

Sequential Infiltration Synthesis for the Design of Low Refractive Index Surface Coatings with Controllable Thickness

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

Berman, Diana; Guha, Supratik; Lee, Byeongdu

Control over refractive index and thickness of surface coatings is central to the design of low refraction films used in applications ranging from optical computing to antireflective coatings. Here, we introduce gas-phase sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS) as a robust, powerful and efficient approach to deposit conformal coatings with very low refractive indices. We demonstrate that the refractive indices of inorganic coatings can be efficiently tuned by the number of cycles used in the SIS process, composition and selective swelling of the of the polymer template. We show that the refractive index of Al 2O 3 can be lowered from 1.76more » down to 1.1 using this method. The thickness of the Al 2O 3 coating can be efficiently controlled by the swelling of the block copolymer template in ethanol at elevated temperature, thereby enabling deposition of both single-layer and graded-index broadband anti-reflective coatings. Using this technique, Fresnel reflections of glass can be reduced to as low as 0.1% under normal illumination over a broad spectral range.« less

Sequential Infiltration Synthesis for the Design of Low Refractive Index Surface Coatings with Controllable Thickness

DOE PAGES

Berman, Diana; Guha, Supratik; Lee, Byeongdu; ...

2017-01-31

Control over refractive index and thickness of surface coatings is central to the design of low refraction films used in applications ranging from optical computing to antireflective coatings. Here, we introduce gas-phase sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS) as a robust, powerful and efficient approach to deposit conformal coatings with very low refractive indices. We demonstrate that the refractive indices of inorganic coatings can be efficiently tuned by the number of cycles used in the SIS process, composition and selective swelling of the of the polymer template. We show that the refractive index of Al 2O 3 can be lowered from 1.76more » down to 1.1 using this method. The thickness of the Al 2O 3 coating can be efficiently controlled by the swelling of the block copolymer template in ethanol at elevated temperature, thereby enabling deposition of both single-layer and graded-index broadband anti-reflective coatings. Using this technique, Fresnel reflections of glass can be reduced to as low as 0.1% under normal illumination over a broad spectral range.« less

Sequential Infiltration Synthesis for the Design of Low Refractive Index Surface Coatings with Controllable Thickness

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

Berman, Diana; Guha, Supratik; Lee, Byeongdu

Control over refractive index and thickness of surface coatings is central to the design of low refraction films used in applications ranging from optical computing to antireflective coatings. Here, we introduce gas-phase sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS) as a robust, powerful, and efficient approach to deposit conformal coatings with very low refractive indices. We demonstrate that the refractive indices of inorganic coatings can be efficiently tuned by the number of cycles used in the SIS process, composition, and selective swelling of the of the polymer template. We show that the refractive index of Al2O3 can be lowered from 1.76 down tomore » 1.1 using this method. The thickness of the Al2O3 coating can be efficiently controlled by the swelling of the block copolymer template in ethanol at elevated temperature, thereby enabling deposition of both single-layer and graded-index broadband antireflective coatings. Using this technique, Fresnel reflections of glass can be reduced to as low as 0.1% under normal illumination over a broad spectral range.« less

Sequential Infiltration Synthesis for the Design of Low Refractive Index Surface Coatings with Controllable Thickness.

PubMed

Berman, Diana; Guha, Supratik; Lee, Byeongdu; Elam, Jeffrey W; Darling, Seth B; Shevchenko, Elena V

2017-03-28

Control over refractive index and thickness of surface coatings is central to the design of low refraction films used in applications ranging from optical computing to antireflective coatings. Here, we introduce gas-phase sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS) as a robust, powerful, and efficient approach to deposit conformal coatings with very low refractive indices. We demonstrate that the refractive indices of inorganic coatings can be efficiently tuned by the number of cycles used in the SIS process, composition, and selective swelling of the of the polymer template. We show that the refractive index of Al 2 O 3 can be lowered from 1.76 down to 1.1 using this method. The thickness of the Al 2 O 3 coating can be efficiently controlled by the swelling of the block copolymer template in ethanol at elevated temperature, thereby enabling deposition of both single-layer and graded-index broadband antireflective coatings. Using this technique, Fresnel reflections of glass can be reduced to as low as 0.1% under normal illumination over a broad spectral range.

Colossal magnetic phase transition asymmetry in mesoscale FeRh stripes

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

Uhlir, V.; Arregi, J. A.; Fullerton, E. E.

Coupled order parameters in phase-transition materials can be controlled using various driving forces such as temperature, magnetic and electric field, strain, spin-polarized currents and optical pulses. Tuning the material properties to achieve efficient transitions would enable fast and low-power electronic devices. Here we show that the first-order metamagnetic phase transition in FeRh films becomes strongly asymmetric in mesoscale structures. In patterned FeRh stripes we observed pronounced supercooling and an avalanche-like abrupt transition from the ferromagnetic to the antiferromagnetic phase, while the reverse transition remains nearly continuous over a broad temperature range. Although modest asymmetry signatures have been found in FeRhmore » films, the effect is dramatically enhanced at the mesoscale. The activation volume of the antiferromagnetic phase is more than two orders of magnitude larger than typical magnetic heterogeneities observed in films. Finally, the collective behaviour upon cooling results from the role of long-range ferromagnetic exchange correlations that become important at the mesoscale and should be a general property of first-order metamagnetic phase transitions.« less

Colossal magnetic phase transition asymmetry in mesoscale FeRh stripes

DOE PAGES

Uhlir, V.; Arregi, J. A.; Fullerton, E. E.

2016-10-11

Coupled order parameters in phase-transition materials can be controlled using various driving forces such as temperature, magnetic and electric field, strain, spin-polarized currents and optical pulses. Tuning the material properties to achieve efficient transitions would enable fast and low-power electronic devices. Here we show that the first-order metamagnetic phase transition in FeRh films becomes strongly asymmetric in mesoscale structures. In patterned FeRh stripes we observed pronounced supercooling and an avalanche-like abrupt transition from the ferromagnetic to the antiferromagnetic phase, while the reverse transition remains nearly continuous over a broad temperature range. Although modest asymmetry signatures have been found in FeRhmore » films, the effect is dramatically enhanced at the mesoscale. The activation volume of the antiferromagnetic phase is more than two orders of magnitude larger than typical magnetic heterogeneities observed in films. Finally, the collective behaviour upon cooling results from the role of long-range ferromagnetic exchange correlations that become important at the mesoscale and should be a general property of first-order metamagnetic phase transitions.« less

Intersensory Perception at Birth: Newborns Match Nonhuman Primate Faces and Voices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewkowicz, David J.; Leo, Irene; Simion, Francesca

2010-01-01

Previous studies have shown that infants, including newborns, can match previously unseen and unheard human faces and vocalizations. More recently, it has been reported that infants as young as 4 months of age also can match the faces and vocalizations of other species raising the possibility that such broad multisensory perceptual tuning is…

Specialization of the Motor System in Infancy: From Broad Tuning to Selectively Specialized Purposeful Actions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

D'Souza, Hana; Cowie, Dorothy; Karmiloff-Smith, Annette; Bremner, Andrew J.

2017-01-01

In executing purposeful actions, adults select sufficient and necessary limbs. But infants often move goal-irrelevant limbs, suggesting a developmental process of motor specialization. Two experiments with 9- and 12-month-olds revealed gradual decreases in extraneous movements in non-acting limbs during unimanual actions. In Experiment 1,…

Transition-Metal Nitride Core@Noble-Metal Shell Nanoparticles as Highly CO Tolerant Catalysts

DOE PAGES

Garg, Aaron; Milina, Maria; Ball, Madelyn; ...

2017-05-25

Core–shell architectures offer an effective way to tune and enhance the properties of noble-metal catalysts. Herein, we demonstrate the synthesis of Pt shell on titanium tungsten nitride core nanoparticles (Pt/TiWN) by high temperature ammonia nitridation of a parent core–shell carbide material (Pt/TiWC). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed significant core-level shifts for Pt shells supported on TiWN cores, corresponding to increased stabilization of the Pt valence d-states. The modulation of the electronic structure of the Pt shell by the nitride core translated into enhanced CO tolerance during hydrogen electrooxidation in the presence of CO. In conclusion, the ability to control shell coveragemore » and vary the heterometallic composition of the shell and nitride core opens up attractive opportunities to synthesize a broad range of new materials with tunable catalytic properties.« less

Photo-induced refractive index and topographical surface gratings in functionalized nanocarbon solid film

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

McGee, David J.; Ferrie, John; Plachy, Aljoscha

2015-11-02

We demonstrate that a single-walled carbon nanotube network noncovalently coupled with a pyrene-modified azo-benzene chromophore functions as a host matrix for a broad range of photo-orientation and photomechanical effects. The chromophore could be efficiently reoriented through repeated trans-cis-trans isomerization under linearly polarized 480 nm light, with Δn of 0.012 at 650 nm and fast characteristic rise-times of 0.12 s. Erasable phase diffraction gratings could also be written, with permanent surface relief gratings forming at sufficiently long irradiation times. In addition to demonstrating a mechanism for photo-manipulation of single-walled carbon nanotubes, these results show photo-orientation of chromophores in azo-functionalized single-walled carbon nanotube networks asmore » a path towards the photosensitive tuning of the electrostatic environment of the nanotube.« less

Physical investigation of a quad confinement plasma source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knoll, Aaron; Lucca Fabris, Andrea; Young, Christopher; Cappelli, Mark

2016-10-01

Quad magnetic confinement plasma sources are novel magnetized DC discharges suitable for applications in a broad range of fields, particularly space propulsion, plasma etching and deposition. These sources contain a square discharge channel with magnetic cusps at the four lateral walls, enhancing plasma confinement and electron residence time inside the device. The magnetic field topology is manipulated using four independent electromagnets on each edge of the channel, tuning the properties of the generated plasma. We characterize the plasma ejected from the quad confinement sources using a combination of traditional electrostatic probes and non-intrusive laser-based diagnostics. Measurements show a strong ion acceleration layer located 8 cm downstream of the exit plane, beyond the extent of the magnetic field. The ion velocity field is investigated with different magnetic configurations, demonstrating how ion trajectories may be manipulated. C.Y. acknowledges support from the DOE NSSA Stewardship Science Graduate Fellowship under contract DE-FC52-08NA28752.

Self-peeling of impacting droplets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Ruiter, Jolet; Soto, Dan; Varanasi, Kripa K.

2018-01-01

Whether an impacting droplet sticks or not to a solid surface has been conventionally controlled by functionalizing the target surface or by using additives in the drop. Here we report on an unexpected self-peeling phenomenon that can happen even on smooth untreated surfaces by taking advantage of the solidification of the impacting drop and the thermal properties of the substrate. We control this phenomenon by tuning the coupling of the short-timescale fluid dynamics--leading to interfacial defects upon local freezing--and the longer-timescale thermo-mechanical stresses--leading to global deformation. We establish a regime map that predicts whether a molten metal drop impacting onto a colder substrate will bounce, stick or self-peel. In many applications, avoiding adhesion of impacting droplets around designated target surfaces can be as crucial as bonding onto them to minimize waste or cleaning. These insights have broad applicability in processes ranging from thermal spraying and additive manufacturing to extreme ultraviolet lithography.

High power pumped MID-IR wavelength devices using nonlinear frequency mixing (NFM)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sanders, Steven (Inventor); Lang, Robert J. (Inventor); Waarts, Robert G. (Inventor)

2001-01-01

Laser diode pumped mid-IR wavelength sources include at least one high power, near-IR wavelength, injection and/or sources wherein one or both of such sources may be tunable providing a pump wave output beam to a quasi-phase matched (QPM) nonlinear frequency mixing (NFM) device. The NFM device may be a difference frequency mixing (DFM) device or an optical parametric oscillation (OPO) device. Wavelength tuning of at least one of the sources advantageously provides the ability for optimizing pump or injection wavelengths to match the QPM properties of the NFM device enabling a broad range of mid-IR wavelength selectivity. Also, pump powers are gain enhanced by the addition of a rare earth amplifier or oscillator, or a Raman/Brillouin amplifier or oscillator between the high power source and the NFM device. Further, polarization conversion using Raman or Brillouin wavelength shifting is provided to optimize frequency conversion efficiency in the NFM device.

High power pumped mid-IR wavelength systems using nonlinear frequency mixing (NFM) devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sanders, Steven (Inventor); Lang, Robert J. (Inventor); Waarts, Robert G. (Inventor)

1999-01-01

Laser diode pumped mid-IR wavelength systems include at least one high power, near-IR wavelength, injection and/or sources wherein one or both of such sources may be tunable providing a pump wave output beam to a quasi-phase matched (QPM) nonlinear frequency mixing (NFM) device. The NFM device may be a difference frequency mixing (DFM) device or an optical parametric oscillation (OPO) device. Wavelength tuning of at least one of the sources advantageously provides the ability for optimizing pump or injection wavelengths to match the QPM properties of the NFM device enabling a broad range of mid-IR wavelength selectivity. Also, pump powers are gain enhanced by the addition of a rare earth amplifier or oscillator, or a Raman/Brillouin amplifier or oscillator between the high power source and the NFM device. Further, polarization conversion using Raman or Brillouin wavelength shifting is provided to optimize frequency conversion efficiency in the NFM device.

Frequency conversion system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sanders, Steven (Inventor); Lang, Robert J. (Inventor)

2001-01-01

Laser diode pumped mid-IR wavelength sources include at least one high power, near-IR wavelength, injection and/or sources wherein one or both of such sources may be tunable providing a pump wave output beam to a quasi-phase matched (QPM) nonlinear frequency mixing (NFM) device. The NFM device may be a difference frequency mixing (DFM) device or an optical parametric oscillation (OPO) device. Wavelength tuning of at least one of the sources advantageously provides the ability for optimizing pump or injection wavelengths to match the QPM properties of the NFM device enabling a broad range of mid-IR wavelength selectivity. Also, pump powers are gain enhanced by the addition of a rare earth amplifier or oscillator, or a Raman/Brillouin amplifier or oscillator between the high power source and the NFM device. Further, polarization conversion using Raman or Brillouin wavelength shifting is provided to optimize frequency conversion efficiency in the NFM device.

Quantum Control of Graphene Plasmon Excitation and Propagation at Heaviside Potential Steps.

PubMed

Wang, Dongli; Fan, Xiaodong; Li, Xiaoguang; Dai, Siyuan; Wei, Laiming; Qin, Wei; Wu, Fei; Zhang, Huayang; Qi, Zeming; Zeng, Changgan; Zhang, Zhenyu; Hou, Jianguo

2018-02-14

Quantum mechanical effects of single particles can affect the collective plasmon behaviors substantially. In this work, the quantum control of plasmon excitation and propagation in graphene is demonstrated by adopting the variable quantum transmission of carriers at Heaviside potential steps as a tuning knob. First, the plasmon reflection is revealed to be tunable within a broad range by varying the ratio γ between the carrier energy and potential height, which originates from the quantum mechanical effect of carrier propagation at potential steps. Moreover, the plasmon excitation by free-space photos can be regulated from fully suppressed to fully launched in graphene potential wells also through adjusting γ, which defines the degrees of the carrier confinement in the potential wells. These discovered quantum plasmon effects offer a unified quantum-mechanical solution toward ultimate control of both plasmon launching and propagating, which are indispensable processes in building plasmon circuitry.

Transition-Metal Nitride Core@Noble-Metal Shell Nanoparticles as Highly CO Tolerant Catalysts

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

Garg, Aaron; Milina, Maria; Ball, Madelyn

Core–shell architectures offer an effective way to tune and enhance the properties of noble-metal catalysts. Herein, we demonstrate the synthesis of Pt shell on titanium tungsten nitride core nanoparticles (Pt/TiWN) by high temperature ammonia nitridation of a parent core–shell carbide material (Pt/TiWC). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed significant core-level shifts for Pt shells supported on TiWN cores, corresponding to increased stabilization of the Pt valence d-states. The modulation of the electronic structure of the Pt shell by the nitride core translated into enhanced CO tolerance during hydrogen electrooxidation in the presence of CO. In conclusion, the ability to control shell coveragemore » and vary the heterometallic composition of the shell and nitride core opens up attractive opportunities to synthesize a broad range of new materials with tunable catalytic properties.« less

Structuring Stokes correlation functions using vector-vortex beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Vijay; Anwar, Ali; Singh, R. P.

2018-01-01

Higher order statistical correlations of the optical vector speckle field, formed due to scattering of a vector-vortex beam, are explored. Here, we report on the experimental construction of the Stokes parameters covariance matrix, consisting of all possible spatial Stokes parameters correlation functions. We also propose and experimentally realize a new Stokes correlation functions called Stokes field auto correlation functions. It is observed that the Stokes correlation functions of the vector-vortex beam will be reflected in the respective Stokes correlation functions of the corresponding vector speckle field. The major advantage of proposing Stokes correlation functions is that the Stokes correlation function can be easily tuned by manipulating the polarization of vector-vortex beam used to generate vector speckle field and to get the phase information directly from the intensity measurements. Moreover, this approach leads to a complete experimental Stokes characterization of a broad range of random fields.

Wavelength adjustability of frequency conversion light of Yb-doped fiber laser based on FBGs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dobashi, Kazuma; Tomihari, Yasuhiro; Imai, Koichi; Hirohashi, Junji; Makio, Satoshi

2018-02-01

We focused on wavelength conversion of simple and compact CW Yb-Doped fiber laser based on FBGs with wavelength adjustable function. By controlling temperatures of FBGs in fiber laser, it was possible to tune oscillated wavelength from 1064.101 nm to 1064.414 nm with more than 20 W in CW operation mode. Based on this fundamental light, frequency converted light (SHG and THG) were generated by utilizing two PP:Mg-SLT devises. We obtained more than 3 W of SHG light with tuning range of 150 pm and more than 35 mW of THG with tuning range of 100 pm. By selecting FBG grating and QPM grating properly, we can realize adjustable wavelength laser with the same scheme from 1040 nm to 1090 nm and their SHG/THG. With this combination of FBG based fiber laser and QPM devices, it is possible to tune the wavelength just by temperature tuning without any changes of beam shape and beam pointing.

Electrically tunable laser based on heliconical cholesteric (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiang, Jie; Varanytsia, Andrii; Minkowski, Fred; Paterson, Daniel A.; Imrie, Corrie T.; Lavrentovich, Oleg D.; Palffy-Muhoray, Peter

2016-09-01

STUDENT CONTRIBUTION: Cholesteric liquid crystals (CLC) self-assemble into a periodic supramolecular helical structure with properties of a one-dimensional photonic crystal. The CLCs doped with a fluorescent dye and optical pump enable a distributed feedback cavity and lasing [1]. Although lasing was observed in range of wavelength from near UV to near IR, a practical method of tuning of emission wavelength from a dye-doped CLC without structural destruction of a helix is not demonstrated yet. In this work, we demonstrate an electrically tunable dye-doped CLC laser based on the so-called oblique helicoidal, or heliconical, CLC state [2,3]. In this state, the molecules twist around the helicoidal axis, making an angle smaller than 90 degrees with the axis. Molecular tilt makes the heliconical structure different from the regular CLC (in which the molecules are perpendicular to the axis) and enable electric tunability [2,3]. An electric field applied parallel to the heliconical axis changes the pitch but does not realign the axis. When the field increases, the pitch decreases. As a result, the selective reflection band and a lasing wavelength move towards shorter wavelength. Using heliconical CLC and two laser dyes DCM and LD688, we demonstrate effective tuning of the laser emission wavelength from 574 nm to 722 nm. With appropriate laser dyes, the spectrum can be extended from near UV to near IR. Efficient electric tuning in the broad spectral range and small size of the heliconical cholesteric lasers makes them potentially useful for optical and biomedical applications. [1] P. Palffy-Muhoay, W.Y. Cao, M. Moreira, B. Taheri, A. Munoz, Photonics and lasing in liquid crystal [2] J. Xiang, S.V. Shiyanovskii, C.T. Imrie, O.D. Lavrentovich, Electrooptic Response of Chiral Nematic Liquid Crystals with Oblique Helicoidal Director, Phys Rev Lett, 112 (2014) 217801. [3] J. Xiang, Y.N. Li, Q. Li, D.A. Paterson, J.M.D. Storey, C.T. Imrie, O.D. Lavrentovich, Electrically Tunable Selective Reflection of Light from Ultraviolet to Visible and Infrared by Heliconical Cholesterics, Adv Mater, 27 (2015) 3014-3018.

21-nm-range wavelength-tunable L-band Er-doped fiber linear-cavity laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Shiquan; Zhao, Chunliu; Li, Zhaohui; Ding, Lei; Yuan, Shuzhong; Dong, Xiaoyi

2001-10-01

A novel method, which utilizes amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) as a secondary pump source, is presented for implanting a linear cavity erbium-doped fiber laser operating in L-Band. The output wavelength tuned from 1566 nm to 1587 nm, about 21 nm tuning range, was obtained in the experiment and the stability of the laser is very good.

Sensing Performance Analysis on Quartz Tuning Fork-Probe at the High Order Vibration Mode for Multi-Frequency Scanning Probe Microscopy

PubMed Central

Gao, Fengli; Li, Xide

2018-01-01

Multi-frequency scanning near-field optical microscopy, based on a quartz tuning fork-probe (QTF-p) sensor using the first two orders of in-plane bending symmetrical vibration modes, has recently been developed. This method can simultaneously achieve positional feedback (based on the 1st in-plane mode called the low mode) and detect near-field optically induced forces (based on the 2nd in-plane mode called the high mode). Particularly, the high mode sensing performance of the QTF-p is an important issue for characterizing the tip-sample interactions and achieving higher resolution microscopic imaging but the related researches are insufficient. Here, we investigate the vibration performance of QTF-p at high mode based on the experiment and finite element method. The frequency spectrum characteristics are obtained by our homemade laser Doppler vibrometer system. The effects of the properties of the connecting glue layer and the probe features on the dynamic response of the QTF-p sensor at the high mode are investigated for optimization design. Finally, compared with the low mode, an obvious improvement of quality factor, of almost 50%, is obtained at the high mode. Meanwhile, the QTF-p sensor has a high force sensing sensitivity and a large sensing range at the high mode, indicating a broad application prospect for force sensing. PMID:29364847

Differential Receptive Field Properties of Parvalbumin and Somatostatin Inhibitory Neurons in Mouse Auditory Cortex.

PubMed

Li, Ling-Yun; Xiong, Xiaorui R; Ibrahim, Leena A; Yuan, Wei; Tao, Huizhong W; Zhang, Li I

2015-07-01

Cortical inhibitory circuits play important roles in shaping sensory processing. In auditory cortex, however, functional properties of genetically identified inhibitory neurons are poorly characterized. By two-photon imaging-guided recordings, we specifically targeted 2 major types of cortical inhibitory neuron, parvalbumin (PV) and somatostatin (SOM) expressing neurons, in superficial layers of mouse auditory cortex. We found that PV cells exhibited broader tonal receptive fields with lower intensity thresholds and stronger tone-evoked spike responses compared with SOM neurons. The latter exhibited similar frequency selectivity as excitatory neurons. The broader/weaker frequency tuning of PV neurons was attributed to a broader range of synaptic inputs and stronger subthreshold responses elicited, which resulted in a higher efficiency in the conversion of input to output. In addition, onsets of both the input and spike responses of SOM neurons were significantly delayed compared with PV and excitatory cells. Our results suggest that PV and SOM neurons engage in auditory cortical circuits in different manners: while PV neurons may provide broadly tuned feedforward inhibition for a rapid control of ascending inputs to excitatory neurons, the delayed and more selective inhibition from SOM neurons may provide a specific modulation of feedback inputs on their distal dendrites. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Frequency doubling of a tunable ytterbium-doped fibre laser in KTP crystals phase-matched in the XY and YZ planes

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

Akulov, V A; Kablukov, S I; Babin, Sergei A

2012-02-28

This paper presents an experimental study of frequency doubling of a tunable ytterbium-doped fibre laser in KTP crystals phase-matched in the XY and YZ planes. In the XY plane, we obtained continuous tuning in the range 528 - 540 nm through intracavity frequency doubling. The second-harmonic power reached 450 mW for 18 W of multimode diode pump power, which was five times higher in comparison with single-pass frequency doubling. In a single-pass configuration in the YZ plane, we obtained a wide tuning range (527 - 551 nm) in the green spectral region and a second-harmonic power of {approx}10 mW. Themore » tuning range was only limited by the mechanical performance of the fibre Bragg grating and can potentially be extended to the entire lasing range of the ytterbium-doped fibre laser.« less

Breadth of tuning in taste afferent neurons varies with stimulus strength

PubMed Central

Wu, An; Dvoryanchikov, Gennady; Pereira, Elizabeth; Chaudhari, Nirupa; Roper, Stephen D.

2015-01-01

Gustatory stimuli are detected by taste buds and transmitted to the hindbrain via sensory afferent neurons. Whether each taste quality (sweet, bitter and so on) is encoded by separate neurons (‘labelled lines') remains controversial. We used mice expressing GCaMP3 in geniculate ganglion sensory neurons to investigate taste-evoked activity. Using confocal calcium imaging, we recorded responses to oral stimulation with prototypic taste stimuli. Up to 69% of neurons respond to multiple tastants. Moreover, neurons tuned to a single taste quality at low concentration become more broadly tuned when stimuli are presented at higher concentration. Responses to sucrose and monosodium glutamate are most related. Although mice prefer dilute NaCl solutions and avoid concentrated NaCl, we found no evidence for two separate populations of sensory neurons that encode this distinction. Altogether, our data suggest that taste is encoded by activity in patterns of peripheral sensory neurons and challenge the notion of strict labelled line coding. PMID:26373451

Irradiated three-dimensional Luttinger semimetal: A factory for engineering Weyl semimetals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghorashi, Sayed Ali Akbar; Hosur, Pavan; Ting, Chin-Sen

2018-05-01

We study the interaction between elliptically polarized light and a three-dimensional Luttinger semimetal with quadratic band touching using Floquet theory. In the absence of light, the touching bands can have the same or the opposite signs of the curvature; in each case, we show that simply tuning the light parameters allows us to create a zoo of Weyl semimetallic phases. In particular, we find that double- and single-Weyl points can coexist at different energies, and they can be tuned to be type I or type II. We also find an unusual phase transition, in which a pair of Weyl nodes form at finite momentum and disappear off to infinity. Considering the broad tunability of light and abundance of materials described by the Luttinger Hamiltonian, such as certain pyrochlore iridates, half-Heuslers, and zinc-blende semiconductors, we believe this work can lay the foundation for creating Weyl semimetals in the laboratory and dynamically tuning between them.

Current-controlled curvature of coated micromirrors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Wei; Talghader, Joseph J.

2003-06-01

Precise control of micromirror curvature is critical in many optical microsystems. Micromirrors with current-controlled curvature are demonstrated. The working principle is that resistive heating changes the temperature of the micromirrors and thermal expansion induces a controlled curvature whose magnitude is determined by coating design. For example, for wide focal-length tuning, the radius of curvature of a gold-coated mirror was tuned from 2.5 to 8.2 mm over a current-induced temperature range from 22° to 72 °C. For fine focal-length tuning, the radius of curvature of a dielectric-coated (SiO2/Y2O3 λ/4 pairs) mirror was tuned from -0.68 to -0.64 mm over a current-induced temperature range from 22 to 84 °C. These results should be readily extendable to mirror flattening or real-time adaptive shape control.

Multiple wavelength tunable surface-emitting laser arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang-Hasnain, Connie J.; Harbison, J. P.; Zah, Chung-En; Maeda, M. W.; Florez, L. T.; Stoffel, N. G.; Lee, Tien-Pei

1991-06-01

Techniques to achieve wavelength multiplexing and tuning capabilities in vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) are described, and experimental results are given. The authors obtained 140 unique, uniformly separated, single-mode wavelength emissions from a 7 x 20 VCSEL array. Large total wavelength span (about 430 A) and small wavelength separation (about 3 A) are obtained simultaneously with uncompromised laser performance. All 140 lasers have nearly the same threshold currents, voltages, and resistances. Wavelength tuning is obtained by using a three-mirror coupled-cavity configuration. The three-mirror laser is a two-terminal device and requires only one top contact. Discrete tuning with a range as large as 61 A is achieved with a small change in drive current of only 10.5 mA. The VCSEL output power variation is within 5 dB throughout the entire tuning range.

Self-tuning bandpass filter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deboo, G. J.; Hedlund, R. C. (Inventor)

1973-01-01

An electronic filter is described which simultaneously maintains a constant bandwidth and a constant center frequency gain as the input signal frequency varies, and remains self-tuning to that center frequency over a decade range. The filter utilizes a field effect transistor (FET) as a voltage variable resistance in the bandpass frequency determining circuit. The FET is responsive to a phase detector to achieve self-tuning.

High energy, widely tunable Si-prism-array coupled terahertz-wave parametric oscillator with a deformed pump and optimal crystal location for angle tuning.

PubMed

Zhang, Ruiliang; Qu, Yanchen; Zhao, Weijiang; Chen, Zhenlei

2017-03-20

A high energy, widely tunable Si-prism-array coupled terahertz-wave parametric oscillator (TPO) has been demonstrated by using a deformed pump. The deformed pump is cut from a beam spot of 2 mm in diameter by a 1-mm-wide slit. In comparison with a small pump spot (1-mm diameter), the THz-wave coupling area for the deformed pump is increased without limitation to the low-frequency end of the tuning range. Besides, the crystal location is specially designed to eliminate the alteration of the output position of the pump during angle tuning, so the initially adjusted nearest pumped region to the THz-wave exit surface is maintained throughout the tuning range. The tuning range is 0.58-2.5 THz for the deformed pump, while its low frequency end is limited at approximately 1.2 THz for the undeformed pump with 2 mm diameter. The highest THz-wave output of 2 μJ, which is 2.25 times as large as that from the pump of 1 mm in diameter, is obtained at 1.15 THz under 38 mJ (300  MW/cm²) pumping. The energy conversion efficiency is 5.3×10^-5.

A disorder-based strategy for tunable, broadband wave attenuation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Weiting; Celli, Paolo; Cardella, Davide; Gonella, Stefano

2017-04-01

One of the most daunting limitations of phononic crystals and acoustic/elastic metamaterials is their passivity: a given configuration is bound to display its phononic properties only around its design point, i.e., working at some pre-determined operating conditions. In the past decade, this shortcoming has inspired the design of phononic media with tunable wave characteristics; noteworthy results have been obtained through a family of methodologies involving shunted piezoelectric elements. Shunting a piezoelectric element means connecting it to a passive electric circuit; tunability stems from the ability to modify the effective mechanical properties of the piezoelectric medium by modifying the circuit characteristics. One of the most popular shunting circuits is the resistor-inductor, which allows the patch-and-shunt system to behave as an electromechanical resonator. A common motif among the works employing shunted piezos for phononic control is periodicity: the patches are typically periodically placed in the domain and the circuits are identically tuned. The objective of this work is to demonstrate that the wave attenuation performance of structures with shunted piezoelectric patches can be improved by leveraging notions of organized disorder. Based on the idea of rainbow trapping broadband wave attenuation obtained by tuning an array of resonators at distinct neighboring frequencies we design and test an electromechanical waveguide structure capable of attenuating waves over broad frequency ranges. In order to emphasize the fact that periodicity is not a binding requirement when working with RL shunts (which induce locally resonant bandgaps), we report on the performance of random arrangements of patches. In an attempt to demonstrate the tunability attribute of our strategy, we take advantage of the reconfigurability of the circuits to show how a single waveguide can attenuate both waves and vibrations over different frequency ranges.

Theoretical studies of structure-property relations in graphene-based carbon nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maroudas, Dimitrios

2014-03-01

This presentation focuses on establishing relations between atomic structure, electronic structure, and properties in graphene-based carbon nanostructures through first-principles density functional theory calculations and molecular-dynamics simulations. We have analyzed carbon nanostructure formation from twisted bilayer graphene, upon creation of interlayer covalent C-C bonds due to patterned hydrogenation or fluorination. For small twist angles and twist angles near 30 degrees, interlayer covalent bonding generates superlattices of diamond-like nanocrystals and of fullerene-like configurations, respectively, embedded within the graphene layers. The electronic band gaps of these superlattices can be tuned through selective chemical functionalization and creation of interlayer bonds, and range from a few meV to over 1.2 eV. The mechanical properties of these superstructures also can be precisely tuned by controlling the extent of chemical functionalization. Importantly, the shear modulus is shown to increase monotonically with the fraction of sp3-hybridized C-C bonds. We have also studied collective interactions of multiple defects such as random distributions of vacancies in single-layer graphene (SLG). We find that a crystalline-to-amorphous structural transition occurs at vacancy concentrations of 5-10% over a broad temperature range. The structure of our defect-induced amorphized graphene is in excellent agreement with experimental observations of SLG exposed to a high electron irradiation dose. Simulations of tensile tests on these irradiated graphene sheets identify trends for the ultimate tensile strength, failure strain, and toughness as a function of vacancy concentration. The vacancy-induced amorphization transition is accompanied by a brittle-to-ductile transition in the failure response of irradiated graphene sheets and even heavily damaged samples exhibit tensile strengths near 30 GPa, in significant excess of those typical of engineering materials.

Sharpening coarse-to-fine stereo vision by perceptual learning: asymmetric transfer across the spatial frequency spectrum

PubMed Central

Tran, Truyet T.; Craven, Ashley P.; Leung, Tsz-Wing; Chat, Sandy W.; Levi, Dennis M.

2016-01-01

Neurons in the early visual cortex are finely tuned to different low-level visual features, forming a multi-channel system analysing the visual image formed on the retina in a parallel manner. However, little is known about the potential ‘cross-talk’ among these channels. Here, we systematically investigated whether stereoacuity, over a large range of target spatial frequencies, can be enhanced by perceptual learning. Using narrow-band visual stimuli, we found that practice with coarse (low spatial frequency) targets substantially improves performance, and that the improvement spreads from coarse to fine (high spatial frequency) three-dimensional perception, generalizing broadly across untrained spatial frequencies and orientations. Notably, we observed an asymmetric transfer of learning across the spatial frequency spectrum. The bandwidth of transfer was broader when training was at a high spatial frequency than at a low spatial frequency. Stereoacuity training is most beneficial when trained with fine targets. This broad transfer of stereoacuity learning contrasts with the highly specific learning reported for other basic visual functions. We also revealed strategies to boost learning outcomes ‘beyond-the-plateau’. Our investigations contribute to understanding the functional properties of the network subserving stereovision. The ability to generalize may provide a key principle for restoring impaired binocular vision in clinical situations. PMID:26909178

Glutamate is an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the Drosophila olfactory system.

PubMed

Liu, Wendy W; Wilson, Rachel I

2013-06-18

Glutamatergic neurons are abundant in the Drosophila central nervous system, but their physiological effects are largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the effects of glutamate in the Drosophila antennal lobe, the first relay in the olfactory system and a model circuit for understanding olfactory processing. In the antennal lobe, one-third of local neurons are glutamatergic. Using in vivo whole-cell patch clamp recordings, we found that many glutamatergic local neurons are broadly tuned to odors. Iontophoresed glutamate hyperpolarizes all major cell types in the antennal lobe, and this effect is blocked by picrotoxin or by transgenic RNAi-mediated knockdown of the GluClα gene, which encodes a glutamate-gated chloride channel. Moreover, antennal lobe neurons are inhibited by selective activation of glutamatergic local neurons using a nonnative genetically encoded cation channel. Finally, transgenic knockdown of GluClα in principal neurons disinhibits the odor responses of these neurons. Thus, glutamate acts as an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the antennal lobe, broadly similar to the role of GABA in this circuit. However, because glutamate release is concentrated between glomeruli, whereas GABA release is concentrated within glomeruli, these neurotransmitters may act on different spatial and temporal scales. Thus, the existence of two parallel inhibitory transmitter systems may increase the range and flexibility of synaptic inhibition.

Sweeping shunted electro-magnetic tuneable vibration absorber: Design and implementation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turco, E.; Gardonio, P.

2017-10-01

This paper presents a study on the design and implementation of a time-varying shunted electro-magnetic Tuneable Vibration Absorber for broad-band vibration control of thin structures. A time-varying RL-shunt is used to harmonically vary the stiffness and damping properties of the Tuneable Vibration Absorber so that its mechanical fundamental natural frequency is continuously swept in a given broad frequency band whereas its mechanical damping is continuously adapted to maximize the vibration absorption from the hosting structure where it is mounted. The paper first recalls the tuning and positioning criteria for the case where a classical Tuneable Vibration Absorber is installed on a thin walled cylindrical structure to reduce the response of a resonating flexural mode. It then discusses the design of the time-varying shunt circuit to produce the desired stiffness and damping variations in the electro-magnetic Tuneable Vibration Absorber. Finally, it presents a numerical study on the flexural vibration and interior sound control effects produced when an array of these shunted electro-magnetic Tuneable Vibration Absorbers are mounted on a thin walled cylinder subject to a rain-on-the-roof stochastic excitation. The study shows that the array of proposed systems effectively controls the cylinder flexural response and interior noise over a broad frequency band without need of tuning and thus system identification of the structure. Therefore, the systems can be successfully used also on structures whose physical properties vary in time because of temperature changes or tensioning effects for example.

Precision and Fast Wavelength Tuning of a Dynamically Phase-Locked Widely-Tunable Laser

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Numata, Kenji; Chen, Jeffrey R.; Wu, Stewart T.

2012-01-01

We report a precision and fast wavelength tuning technique demonstrated for a digital-supermode distributed Bragg reflector laser. The laser was dynamically offset-locked to a frequency-stabilized master laser using an optical phase-locked loop, enabling precision fast tuning to and from any frequencies within a 40-GHz tuning range. The offset frequency noise was suppressed to the statically offset-locked level in less than 40 s upon each frequency switch, allowing the laser to retain the absolute frequency stability of the master laser. This technique satisfies stringent requirements for gas sensing lidars and enables other applications that require such well-controlled precision fast tuning.

Non-Uniform Bias Enhancement of a Varactor-Tuned FSS used with a Low Profile 2.4 GHz Dipole Antenna

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cure, David; Weller, Thomas M.; Miranda, Felix A.

2012-01-01

In this paper a low profile antenna using a nonuniformly biased varactor-tuned frequency selective surface (FSS) is presented. The tunable FSS avoids the use of vias and has a simplified DC bias network. The voltages to the DC bias ports can be varied independently allowing adjustment in the frequency response and enhanced radiation properties. The measured data demonstrate tunability from 2.15 GHz to 2.63 GHz with peak efficiencies that range from 50% to 90% and instantaneous bandwidths of 50 MHz to 280 MHz within the tuning range. The total antenna thickness is approximately lambda/45.

Polarization-independent refractive index tuning using gold nanoparticle-stabilized blue phase liquid crystals.

PubMed

Yabu, Shuhei; Tanaka, Yuma; Tagashira, Kenji; Yoshida, Hiroyuki; Fujii, Akihiko; Kikuchi, Hirotsugu; Ozaki, Masanori

2011-09-15

Polarization-independent refractive index (RI) modulation can be achieved in blue phase (BP) liquid crystals (LCs) by applying an electric field parallel to the direction of light transmission. One of the problems limiting the achievable tuning range is the field-induced phase transition to the cholesteric phase, which is birefringent and chiral. Here we report the RI modulation capabilities of gold nanoparticle-doped BPs I and II, and we show that field-induced BP-cholesteric transition is suppressed in nanoparticle-doped BP II. Because the LC remains optically isotropic even at high applied voltages, a larger RI tuning range can be achieved.

Sensitivity of black carbon concentrations and climate impact to aging and scavenging in OsloCTM2-M7

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lund, Marianne T.; Berntsen, Terje K.; Samset, Bjørn H.

2017-05-01

Accurate representation of black carbon (BC) concentrations in climate models is a key prerequisite for understanding its net climate impact. BC aging and scavenging are treated very differently in current models. Here, we examine the sensitivity of three-dimensional (3-D), temporally resolved BC concentrations to perturbations to individual model processes in the chemistry transport model OsloCTM2-M7. The main goals are to identify processes related to aerosol aging and scavenging where additional observational constraints may most effectively improve model performance, in particular for BC vertical profiles, and to give an indication of how model uncertainties in the BC life cycle propagate into uncertainties in climate impacts. Coupling OsloCTM2 with the microphysical aerosol module M7 allows us to investigate aging processes in more detail than possible with a simpler bulk parameterization. Here we include, for the first time in this model, a treatment of condensation of nitric acid on BC. Using kernels, we also estimate the range of radiative forcing and global surface temperature responses that may result from perturbations to key tunable parameters in the model. We find that BC concentrations in OsloCTM2-M7 are particularly sensitive to convective scavenging and the inclusion of condensation by nitric acid. The largest changes are found at higher altitudes around the Equator and at low altitudes over the Arctic. Convective scavenging of hydrophobic BC, and the amount of sulfate required for BC aging, are found to be key parameters, potentially reducing bias against HIAPER Pole-to-Pole Observations (HIPPO) flight-based measurements by 60 to 90 %. Even for extensive tuning, however, the total impact on global-mean surface temperature is estimated to less than 0.04 K. Similar results are found when nitric acid is allowed to condense on the BC aerosols. We conclude, in line with previous studies, that a shorter atmospheric BC lifetime broadly improves the comparison with measurements over the Pacific. However, we also find that the model-measurement discrepancies can not be uniquely attributed to uncertainties in a single process or parameter. Model development therefore needs to be focused on improvements to individual processes, supported by a broad range of observational and experimental data, rather than tuning of individual, effective parameters such as the global BC lifetime.

Dense encoding of natural odorants by ensembles of sparsely activated neurons in the olfactory bulb

PubMed Central

Gschwend, Olivier; Beroud, Jonathan; Vincis, Roberto; Rodriguez, Ivan; Carleton, Alan

2016-01-01

Sensory information undergoes substantial transformation along sensory pathways, usually encompassing sparsening of activity. In the olfactory bulb, though natural odorants evoke dense glomerular input maps, mitral and tufted (M/T) cells tuning is considered to be sparse because of highly odor-specific firing rate change. However, experiments used to draw this conclusion were either based on recordings performed in anesthetized preparations or used monomolecular odorants presented at arbitrary concentrations. In this study, we evaluated the lifetime and population sparseness evoked by natural odorants by capturing spike temporal patterning of neuronal assemblies instead of individual M/T tonic activity. Using functional imaging and tetrode recordings in awake mice, we show that natural odorants at their native concentrations are encoded by broad assemblies of M/T cells. While reducing odorant concentrations, we observed a reduced number of activated glomeruli representations and consequently a narrowing of M/T tuning curves. We conclude that natural odorants at their native concentrations recruit M/T cells with phasic rather than tonic activity. When encoding odorants in assemblies, M/T cells carry information about a vast number of odorants (lifetime sparseness). In addition, each natural odorant activates a broad M/T cell assembly (population sparseness). PMID:27824096

In situ and nonvolatile photoluminescence tuning and nanodomain writing demonstrated by all-solid-state devices based on graphene oxide.

PubMed

Tsuchiya, Takashi; Tsuruoka, Tohru; Terabe, Kazuya; Aono, Masakazu

2015-02-24

In situ and nonvolatile tuning of photoluminescence (PL) has been achieved based on graphene oxide (GO), the PL of which is receiving much attention because of various potential applications of the oxide (e.g., display, lighting, and nano-biosensor). The technique is based on in situ and nonvolatile tuning of the sp(2) domain fraction to the sp(3) domain fraction (sp(2)/sp(3) fraction) in GO through an electrochemical redox reaction achieved by solid electrolyte thin films. The all-solid-state variable PL device was fabricated by GO and proton-conducting mesoporous SiO2 thin films, which showed an extremely low PL background. The device successfully tuned the PL peak wavelength in a very wide range from 393 to 712 nm, covering that for chemically tuned GO, by adjusting the applied DC voltage within several hundred seconds. We also demonstrate the sp(2)/sp(3) fraction tuning using a conductive atomic force microscope. The device achieved not only writing, but also erasing of the sp(2)/sp(3)-fraction-tuned nanodomain (both directions operation). The combination of these techniques is applicable to a wide range of nano-optoelectronic devices including nonvolatile PL memory devices and on-demand rewritable biosensors that can be integrated into nano- and microtips which are transparent, ultrathin, flexible, and inexpensive.

An adjustable RF tuning element for microwave, millimeter wave, and submillimeter wave integrated circuits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lubecke, Victor M.; Mcgrath, William R.; Rutledge, David B.

1991-01-01

Planar RF circuits are used in a wide range of applications from 1 GHz to 300 GHz, including radar, communications, commercial RF test instruments, and remote sensing radiometers. These circuits, however, provide only fixed tuning elements. This lack of adjustability puts severe demands on circuit design procedures and materials parameters. We have developed a novel tuning element which can be incorporated into the design of a planar circuit in order to allow active, post-fabrication tuning by varying the electrical length of a coplanar strip transmission line. It consists of a series of thin plates which can slide in unison along the transmission line, and the size and spacing of the plates are designed to provide a large reflection of RF power over a useful frequency bandwidth. Tests of this structure at 1 GHz to 3 Ghz showed that it produced a reflection coefficient greater than 0.90 over a 20 percent bandwidth. A 2 GHz circuit incorporating this tuning element was also tested to demonstrate practical tuning ranges. This structure can be fabricated for frequencies as high as 1000 GHz using existing micromachining techniques. Many commercial applications can benefit from this micromechanical RF tuning element, as it will aid in extending microwave integrated circuit technology into the high millimeter wave and submillimeter wave bands by easing constraints on circuit technology.

Optically Tuned Fiber Gratings

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-03-01

why we use a bulk polarization beam splitter . The fibre grating length was 50 cm with centre wavelength at 1550 nm. Fig.8 shows results of the...characteristics of glasses with enhanced non -linearity. In accordance with the specification, a fiber grating should be tuned within the range of 1...intensity pulse and has successfully demonstrated optically-tuned fiber grating. 19980617 115 14. SUBJECT TERMS Fibre Optics, Non -linear Optical

Tuning Ferritin’s band gap through mixed metal oxide nanoparticle formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olsen, Cameron R.; Embley, Jacob S.; Hansen, Kameron R.; Henrichsen, Andrew M.; Peterson, J. Ryan; Colton, John S.; Watt, Richard K.

2017-05-01

This study uses the formation of a mixed metal oxide inside ferritin to tune the band gap energy of the ferritin mineral. The mixed metal oxide is composed of both Co and Mn, and is formed by reacting aqueous Co2+ with {{{{MnO}}}4}- in the presence of apoferritin. Altering the ratio between the two reactants allowed for controlled tuning of the band gap energies. All minerals formed were indirect band gap materials, with indirect band gap energies ranging from 0.52 to 1.30 eV. The direct transitions were also measured, with energy values ranging from 2.71 to 3.11 eV. Tuning the band gap energies of these samples changes the wavelengths absorbed by each mineral, increasing ferritin’s potential in solar-energy harvesting. Additionally, the success of using {{{{MnO}}}4}- in ferritin mineral formation opens the possibility for new mixed metal oxide cores inside ferritin.

On the accuracy of ERS-1 orbit predictions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koenig, Rolf; Li, H.; Massmann, Franz-Heinrich; Raimondo, J. C.; Rajasenan, C.; Reigber, C.

1993-01-01

Since the launch of ERS-1, the D-PAF (German Processing and Archiving Facility) provides regularly orbit predictions for the worldwide SLR (Satellite Laser Ranging) tracking network. The weekly distributed orbital elements are so called tuned IRV's and tuned SAO-elements. The tuning procedure, designed to improve the accuracy of the recovery of the orbit at the stations, is discussed based on numerical results. This shows that tuning of elements is essential for ERS-1 with the currently applied tracking procedures. The orbital elements are updated by daily distributed time bias functions. The generation of the time bias function is explained. Problems and numerical results are presented. The time bias function increases the prediction accuracy considerably. Finally, the quality assessment of ERS-1 orbit predictions is described. The accuracy is compiled for about 250 days since launch. The average accuracy lies in the range of 50-100 ms and has considerably improved.

Monolithic single mode interband cascade lasers with wide wavelength tunability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

von Edlinger, M.; Weih, R.; Scheuermann, J.; Nähle, L.; Fischer, M.; Koeth, J.; Kamp, M.; Höfling, S.

2016-11-01

Monolithic two-section interband cascade lasers offering a wide wavelength tunability in the wavelength range around 3.7 μm are presented. Stable single mode emission in several wavelength channels was realized using the concept of binary superimposed gratings and two-segment Vernier-tuning. The wavelength selective elements in the two segments were based on specially designed lateral metal grating structures defined by electron beam lithography. A dual-step dry etch process provided electrical separation between the segments. Individual current control of the segments allowed wavelength channel selection as well as continuous wavelength tuning within channels. A discontinuous tuning range extending over 158 nm in up to six discrete wavelength channels was achieved. Mode hop free wavelength tuning up to 14 nm was observed within one channel. The devices can be operated in continuous wave mode up to 30 °C with the output powers of 3.5 mW around room temperature.

Performance testing of a mid-infrared spectroscopic system for clinical chemistry applications utilising an ultra-broadband tunable EC-QCL radiation source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grafen, M.; Nalpantidis, K.; Ihrig, D.; Heise, H. M.; Ostendorf, A.

2016-03-01

Mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy is a valuable analytical method for patient monitoring within point-of-care diagnostics. For implementation, quantum cascade lasers (QCL) appear to be most suited regarding miniaturization, complexity and eventually also costs. External cavity (EC) - QCLs offer broad tuning ranges and recently, ultra-broadly tunable systems covering spectral ranges around the mid-infrared fingerprint region became commercially available. Using such a system, transmission spectra from the wavenumber interval of 780 to 1920 cm-1, using a thermoelectrically cooled MCT-detector, were recorded while switching the aqueous glucose concentrations between 0, 50 and 100 mg/dL. In order to optimize the system performance, a multi-parameter study was carried out, varying laser pulse width, duty cycle, sweep speed and the optical sample pathlength for scoring the absorbance noise. Exploratory factor analysis with pattern recognition tools (PCA, LDA) was used for the raw data, providing more than 10 significantly contributing factors. With the glucose signal causing 20 % of the total variance, further factors include short-term drift possibly related to thermal effects, long-term drift due to varying atmospheric water vapour in the lab, as well as wavenumber shifts and drifts of the single tuners. For performance testing, the noise equivalent concentration was estimated based on cross-validated Partial-Least Squares (PLS) predictions and the a-posteriori obtained scores of the factor analysis. Based on the optimized parameters, a noise equivalent glucose concentration of 1.5 mg/dL was achieved.

Integrated programmable photonic filter on the silicon-on-insulator platform.

PubMed

Liao, Shasha; Ding, Yunhong; Peucheret, Christophe; Yang, Ting; Dong, Jianji; Zhang, Xinliang

2014-12-29

We propose and demonstrate a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) on-chip programmable filter based on a four-tap finite impulse response structure. The photonic filter is programmable thanks to amplitude and phase modulation of each tap controlled by thermal heaters. We further demonstrate the tunability of the filter central wavelength, bandwidth and variable passband shape. The tuning range of the central wavelength is at least 42% of the free spectral range. The bandwidth tuning range is at least half of the free spectral range. Our scheme has distinct advantages of compactness, capability for integrating with electronics.

Searching for the optimal synthesis parameters of InP/CdxZn1-xSe quantum dots when combined with a broad band phosphor to optimize color rendering and efficacy of a hybrid remote phosphor white LED

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryckaert, Jana; Correia, António; Smet, Kevin; Tessier, Mickael D.; Dupont, Dorian; Hens, Zeger; Hanselaer, Peter; Meuret, Youri

2017-09-01

Combining traditional phosphors with a broad emission spectrum and non-scattering quantum dots with a narrow emission spectrum can have multiple advantages for white LEDs. It allows to reduce the amount of scattering in the wavelength conversion element, increasing the efficiency of the complete system. Furthermore, the unique possibility to tune the emission spectrum of quantum dots allows to optimize the resulting LED spectrum in order to achieve optimal color rendering properties for the light source. However, finding the optimal quantum dot properties to achieve optimal efficacy and color rendering is a non-trivial task. Instead of simply summing up the emission spectra of the blue LED, phosphor and quantum dots, we propose a complete simulation tool that allows an accurate analysis of the final performance for a range of different quantum dot synthesis parameters. The recycling of the reflected light from the wavelength conversion element by the LED package is taken into account, as well as the re-absorption and the associated red-shift. This simulation tool is used to vary two synthesis parameters (core size and cadmium fraction) of InP/CdxZn1-xSe quantum dots. We find general trends for the ideal quantum dot that should be combined with a specific YAG:Ce broad band phosphor to obtain optimal efficiency and color rendering for a white LED with a specific pumping LED and recycling cavity, with a desired CCT of 3500K.

Precision and fast wavelength tuning of a dynamically phase-locked widely-tunable laser.

PubMed

Numata, Kenji; Chen, Jeffrey R; Wu, Stewart T

2012-06-18

We report a precision and fast wavelength tuning technique demonstrated for a digital-supermode distributed Bragg reflector laser. The laser was dynamically offset-locked to a frequency-stabilized master laser using an optical phase-locked loop, enabling precision fast tuning to and from any frequencies within a ~40-GHz tuning range. The offset frequency noise was suppressed to the statically offset-locked level in less than ~40 μs upon each frequency switch, allowing the laser to retain the absolute frequency stability of the master laser. This technique satisfies stringent requirements for gas sensing lidars and enables other applications that require such well-controlled precision fast tuning.

Fast and wide tuning wavelength-swept source based on dispersion-tuned fiber optical parametric oscillator.

PubMed

Zhou, Yue; Cheung, Kim K Y; Li, Qin; Yang, Sigang; Chui, P C; Wong, Kenneth K Y

2010-07-15

We demonstrate a dispersion-tuned fiber optical parametric oscillator (FOPO)-based swept source with a sweep rate of 40 kHz and a wavelength tuning range of 109 nm around 1550 nm. The cumulative speed exceeds 4,000,000 nm/s. The FOPO is pumped by a sinusoidally modulated pump, which is driven by a clock sweeping linearly from 1 to 1.0006 GHz. A spool of dispersion-compensating fiber is added inside the cavity to perform dispersion tuning. The instantaneous linewidth is 0.8 nm without the use of any wavelength selective element inside the cavity. 1 GHz pulses with pulse width of 150 ps are generated.

All-fiber, ultra-wideband tunable laser at 2 μm.

PubMed

Li, Z; Alam, S U; Jung, Y; Heidt, A M; Richardson, D J

2013-11-15

We report a direct diode-pumped all-fiber tunable laser source at 2 μm with a tuning range of more than 250 nm. A 3 dB power flatness of 200 nm with a maximum output power of 30 mW at 1930 nm was achieved. The laser has a high optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) of more than 40 dB across the whole tuning range.

A high-speed, tunable silicon photonic ring modulator integrated with ultra-efficient active wavelength control.

PubMed

Zheng, Xuezhe; Chang, Eric; Amberg, Philip; Shubin, Ivan; Lexau, Jon; Liu, Frankie; Thacker, Hiren; Djordjevic, Stevan S; Lin, Shiyun; Luo, Ying; Yao, Jin; Lee, Jin-Hyoung; Raj, Kannan; Ho, Ron; Cunningham, John E; Krishnamoorthy, Ashok V

2014-05-19

We report the first complete 10G silicon photonic ring modulator with integrated ultra-efficient CMOS driver and closed-loop wavelength control. A selective substrate removal technique was used to improve the ring tuning efficiency. Limited by the thermal tuner driver output power, a maximum open-loop tuning range of about 4.5nm was measured with about 14mW of total tuning power including the heater driver circuit power consumption. Stable wavelength locking was achieved with a low-power mixed-signal closed-loop wavelength controller. An active wavelength tracking range of > 500GHz was demonstrated with controller energy cost of only 20fJ/bit.

Tuning the resonance frequencies and mode shapes in a large range multi-degree of freedom micromirror.

PubMed

Morrison, Jessica; Imboden, Matthias; Bishop, David J

2017-04-03

The ability to actively shift the primary resonance of a 2D scanning micromirror allows the user to set the scanning direction, set the scanning frequency, and lift otherwise degenerate modes in a symmetrically designed system. In most cases, resonant scanning micromirrors require frequency stability in order to perform imaging and projection functions properly. This paper suggests a method to tune the tip and tilt resonant frequencies in real time while actively suppressing or allowing degeneracy of the two modes in a symmetric electrothermal micromirror. We show resonant frequency tuning with a range of degeneracy separation of 470 Hz or by approximately ±15% and controllable coupling.

Ultra-wideband all-fiber tunable Tm/Ho-co-doped laser at 2 μm.

PubMed

Xue, Guanghui; Zhang, Bin; Yin, Ke; Yang, Weiqiang; Hou, Jing

2014-10-20

We demonstrate an all-fiber tunable Tm/Ho-codoped laser operating in the 2 μm wavelength region. The wavelength tuning range of the Tm/Ho-codoped fiber laser (THFL) with 1-m length of Tm/Ho-codoped fiber (THDF) was from 1727 nm to 2030 nm. Efficient short wavelength operation and ultra-wide wavelength tuning range of 303 nm were both achieved. To the best of our knowledge, this is the broadest tuning range that has been reported for an all-fiber rare-earth-doped laser to date. By increasing the THDF length to 2 m, the obtainable wavelength of the THFL was further red-shifted to the range from 1768 nm to 2071 nm. The output power of the THFL was scaled up from 1810 nm to 2010 nm by using a stage of Tm/Ho-codoped fiber amplifier (THFA), which exhibited the maximum slope efficiency of 42.6% with output power of 408 mW at 1910 nm.

Phase-tuning Metasurface for Circularly Polarized Broadside Radiation in Broadband.

PubMed

Zhang, Youfei; Wang, Haogang; Liao, Dashuang; Fu, Weijie

2018-02-14

Metasurface antennas (MAs) have been proposed as innovative alternatives to conventional bulky configurations for satellite applications because of their low profile, low cost, and high gain. The general method of surface impedance modulation for designing MAs is complicated, and achieving broad operation bandwidth remains a challenge because of its high dispersion response. We propose a novel and easy technique to control cylindrical surface waves radiated by a phase-tuning metasurface. Simultaneously, this technique exhibits a considerably wide working bandwidth. A detailed analysis of the radiation mechanism is discussed. A left-hand circularly polarized (LHCP) antenna and a right-hand circularly polarized (RHCP) antenna that are based on the phase-tuning metasurface are simulated and measured. The measured fractional 3-dB gain bandwidth and gain are higher than 17% and 15.57 dBi, respectively, which are consistent with the simulated results. Moreover, 30% 3-dB axial ratio is achieved for the LHCP and RHCP antennas. To the best knowledge of the authors, it is for the first time to realize a circularly polarized broadband MA by using the phase-tuning mechanism. The approach can be regarded as a new starting point for antenna design, thereby paving the way for the development of broadband and low-profile antennas for future satellite communication.

View-tolerant face recognition and Hebbian learning imply mirror-symmetric neural tuning to head orientation

PubMed Central

Leibo, Joel Z.; Liao, Qianli; Freiwald, Winrich A.; Anselmi, Fabio; Poggio, Tomaso

2017-01-01

SUMMARY The primate brain contains a hierarchy of visual areas, dubbed the ventral stream, which rapidly computes object representations that are both specific for object identity and robust against identity-preserving transformations like depth-rotations [1, 2]. Current computational models of object recognition, including recent deep learning networks, generate these properties through a hierarchy of alternating selectivity-increasing filtering and tolerance-increasing pooling operations, similar to simple-complex cells operations [3, 4, 5, 6]. Here we prove that a class of hierarchical architectures and a broad set of biologically plausible learning rules generate approximate invariance to identity-preserving transformations at the top level of the processing hierarchy. However, all past models tested failed to reproduce the most salient property of an intermediate representation of a three-level face-processing hierarchy in the brain: mirror-symmetric tuning to head orientation [7]. Here we demonstrate that one specific biologically-plausible Hebb-type learning rule generates mirror-symmetric tuning to bilaterally symmetric stimuli like faces at intermediate levels of the architecture and show why it does so. Thus the tuning properties of individual cells inside the visual stream appear to result from group properties of the stimuli they encode and to reflect the learning rules that sculpted the information-processing system within which they reside. PMID:27916522

The advantage of flexible neuronal tunings in neural network models for motor learning

PubMed Central

Marongelli, Ellisha N.; Thoroughman, Kurt A.

2013-01-01

Human motor adaptation to novel environments is often modeled by a basis function network that transforms desired movement properties into estimated forces. This network employs a layer of nodes that have fixed broad tunings that generalize across the input domain. Learning is achieved by updating the weights of these nodes in response to training experience. This conventional model is unable to account for rapid flexibility observed in human spatial generalization during motor adaptation. However, added plasticity in the widths of the basis function tunings can achieve this flexibility, and several neurophysiological experiments have revealed flexibility in tunings of sensorimotor neurons. We found a model, Locally Weighted Projection Regression (LWPR), which uniquely possesses the structure of a basis function network in which both the weights and tuning widths of the nodes are updated incrementally during adaptation. We presented this LWPR model with training functions of different spatial complexities and monitored incremental updates to receptive field widths. An inverse pattern of dependence of receptive field adaptation on experienced error became evident, underlying both a relationship between generalization and complexity, and a unique behavior in which generalization always narrows after a sudden switch in environmental complexity. These results implicate a model that is flexible in both basis function widths and weights, like LWPR, as a viable alternative model for human motor adaptation that can account for previously observed plasticity in spatial generalization. This theory can be tested by using the behaviors observed in our experiments as novel hypotheses in human studies. PMID:23888141

Design and Analysis of Broad-Band Fixed-Tuned Submillimeter-Waveguide Multipliers using MMIC Style Circuit Topology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bruston, J.; Kim, M.; Martin, S. C.; Mehdi, I.; Smith, R. P.; Siegel, P. H.

1996-01-01

The design and analysis of varactor diode doubler, quadrupler and cascaded doubler circuits for 320 and 640 GHz have been completed. A new approach has been employed to produce a tunerless waveguide mount with a very flexible, frequency scaleable, MMIC style multiplier circuit. The concept, design, predicted performance and measurements on some of the constituent mount elements are presented.

Contagious behavior: an alternative approach to mirror-like phenomena.

PubMed

Provine, Robert R

2014-04-01

Contagious behaviors such as yawning and itching/scratching have mirror-like properties and clearly defined stimulus and motor parameters; they are also relatively easy to study and should be part of the debate about mirror neurons and the neurological mechanisms of social behavior. The broadly tuned, multimodal stimuli of contagious behavior challenge present accounts of mirror mechanisms that focus on specific, mirrored acts.

Development of a quartz tuning-fork-based force sensor for measurements in the tens of nanoNewton force range during nanomanipulation experiments

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

Oiko, V. T. A., E-mail: oiko@ifi.unicamp.br; Rodrigues, V.; Ugarte, D.

2014-03-15

Understanding the mechanical properties of nanoscale systems requires new experimental and theoretical tools. In particular, force sensors compatible with nanomechanical testing experiments and with sensitivity in the nN range are required. Here, we report the development and testing of a tuning-fork-based force sensor for in situ nanomanipulation experiments inside a scanning electron microscope. The sensor uses a very simple design for the electronics and it allows the direct and quantitative force measurement in the 1–100 nN force range. The sensor response is initially calibrated against a nN range force standard, as, for example, a calibrated Atomic Force Microscopy cantilever; subsequently,more » applied force values can be directly derived using only the electric signals generated by the tuning fork. Using a homemade nanomanipulator, the quantitative force sensor has been used to analyze the mechanical deformation of multi-walled carbon nanotube bundles, where we analyzed forces in the 5–40 nN range, measured with an error bar of a few nN.« less

A MEMS Multi-Cantilever Variable Capacitor On Metamaterial

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-26

tuning range [38]. 21 Bakri- Kassem and Mansour [39] have developed a parallel-plate variable capac- itor with carrier beams between the plates to...downwards, however, the carrier beams slightly bend down with the movable plate, still prevent- ing it from pulling-in. Bakri- Kassem and Mansour’s... Kassem and R. R. Mansour, “A high-tuning-range mems variable ca- pacitor using carrier beams,” Canadian Journal of Electrical and Computer En- gineering

Tradeoff between magnet volume and tuning capacitor in a free piston Stirling engine power generation system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Z. X.; Nasar, S. A.; Rosswurm, Mark

This paper presents the criteria in selecting the size of the tuning capacitor, and the cost tradeoff between magnet volume and tuning capacitor in a free piston Stirling engine power generation system. The permissible range of capacitor size corresponding to different magnet volume, in order to prevent magnet demagnetization and stabilize the operation of the system, is determined. Within the permissible range suitable capacitor size may be selected to compensate the inductive load of the system to improve the overall power factor. If the capacitor size is not in the permissible range, there would exist a danger of losing magnet strength, or unstable operation of the engine that would destroy the engine due to unbounded amplitude of piston oscillations. The theory developed is then applied to a practical system, and the cost tradeoff between magnet volume and capacitor is studied.

Ultimate high power operation of 9xx-nm single emitter broad stripe laser diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaifuchi, Yoshikazu; Yamagata, Yuji; Nogawa, Ryozaburo; Morohashi, Rintaro; Yamada, Yumi; Yamaguchi, Masayuki

2017-02-01

Design optimization of single emitter broad stripe 9xx-nm laser diodes was studied to achieve ultimate high power and high efficiency operation for a use in fiber laser pumping and other industrial applications. We tuned laser vertical layer design and stripe width in terms of optical confinement as well as electrical resistance. As a result, newly designed LDs with 4mm-long cavity and 220 μm-wide stripe successfully demonstrate maximum CW output power as high as 33 W and high efficiency operation of more than 60 % PCE even at 27 W output power. In pulse measurement, the maximum output of 68 W was obtained.

Broadly tunable terahertz difference-frequency generation in quantum cascade lasers on silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Seungyong; Kim, Jae Hyun; Jiang, Yifan; Vijayraghavan, Karun; Belkin, Mikhail A.

2018-01-01

We report broadly tunable terahertz (THz) sources based on intracavity Cherenkov difference-frequency generation in quantum cascade lasers transfer-printed on high-resistivity silicon substrates. Spectral tuning from 1.3 to 4.3 THz was obtained from a 2-mm long laser chip using a modified Littrow external cavity setup. The THz power output and the midinfrared-to-THz conversion efficiency of the devices transferred on silicon are dramatically enhanced, compared with the devices on a native semi-insulating InP substrate. Enhancement is particularly significant at higher THz frequencies, where the tail of the Reststrahlen band results in a strong absorption of THz light in the InP substrate.

Glass-embedded two-dimensional silicon photonic crystal devices with a broad bandwidth waveguide and a high quality nanocavity.

PubMed

Jeon, Seung-Woo; Han, Jin-Kyu; Song, Bong-Shik; Noda, Susumu

2010-08-30

To enhance the mechanical stability of a two-dimensional photonic crystal slab structure and maintain its excellent performance, we designed a glass-embedded silicon photonic crystal device consisting of a broad bandwidth waveguide and a nanocavity with a high quality (Q) factor, and then fabricated the structure using spin-on glass (SOG). Furthermore, we showed that the refractive index of the SOG could be tuned from 1.37 to 1.57 by varying the curing temperature of the SOG. Finally, we demonstrated a glass-embedded heterostructured cavity with an ultrahigh Q factor of 160,000 by adjusting the refractive index of the SOG.

Optically Tuned MM-Wave IMPATT Source.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-07-01

phase of the work has been extended and generalised. Accuracy of the theory in predicting tuning at the higher oscillator voltage swings has been greatly...Accuracy of the theory in predicting tuning at the higher oscillator voltage swings has been greatly improved by reformulating the Bessel function...voltage modulation and a peak optically injected locking current of 100 pA the predicted ftl locking range would be 540MHz, a practicaUy useful value. 4

Orientation masking and cross-orientation suppression (XOS): implications for estimates of filter bandwidth.

PubMed

Meese, Tim S; Holmes, David J

2010-10-01

Most contemporary models of spatial vision include a cross-oriented route to suppression (masking from a broadly tuned inhibitory pool), which is most potent at low spatial and high temporal frequencies (T. S. Meese & D. J. Holmes, 2007). The influence of this pathway can elevate orientation-masking functions without exciting the target mechanism, and because early psychophysical estimates of filter bandwidth did not accommodate this, it is likely that they have been overestimated for this corner of stimulus space. Here we show that a transient 40% contrast mask causes substantial binocular threshold elevation for a transient vertical target, and this declines from a mask orientation of 0° to about 40° (indicating tuning), and then more gently to 90°, where it remains at a factor of ∼4. We also confirm that cross-orientation masking is diminished or abolished at high spatial frequencies and for sustained temporal modulation. We fitted a simple model of pedestal masking and cross-orientation suppression (XOS) to our data and those of G. C. Phillips and H. R. Wilson (1984) and found the dependency of orientation bandwidth on spatial frequency to be much less than previously supposed. An extension of our linear spatial pooling model of contrast gain control and dilution masking (T. S. Meese & R. J. Summers, 2007) is also shown to be consistent with our results using filter bandwidths of ±20°. Both models include tightly and broadly tuned components of divisive suppression. More generally, because XOS and/or dilution masking can affect the shape of orientation-masking curves, we caution that variations in bandwidth estimates might reflect variations in processes that have nothing to do with filter bandwidth.

[History of the tuning fork. III: On the way to quantitative pure-tone measurement. Pictures from the history of otorhinolaryngology, represented by instruments from the collection of the Ingolstadt German Medical History Museum].

PubMed

Feldmann, H

1997-07-01

Weber's and Rinne's tuning-fork tests were for a long time considered unreliable, as they often seemed to yield inconsistent results. The sources of error were manifold and lay in the fields of physics, physiology, pathophysiology, and psychology. When the problems came to be understood, more sophisticated instruments and techniques were developed. The prongs of the tuning fork were fitted with clamps to deaden overtones when it was put into vibration (Politzer 1870). By shifting the clamps along the prongs the tone of the tuning fork could be varied in a range up to one octave (Könlg 1878). A knob of hom or metal was fixed to the end of the shaft to ensure a good coupling to the skull when testing bone conduction (Lucae 1886). A small hammer fixed to the shaft and driven by a spring would activate the tuning fork with reproducible strength (Lucae 1899). A wedge-shaped figure drawn on the lateral surface of the clamps would allow one to optically control the amplitude of vibration (Gradenigo 1899). The time during which a patient hears the tuning fork after it has been struck as compared to that of a normal hearing subject was measured as parameter of hearing acutiy (v. Conta 1864). A number of tuning forks at intervals of one octave each were assembled in sets to cover the whole frequency range of hearing. The most sophisticated example of these sets was the Bezold-Edelmann continuous tone series (1894). It comprised ten tuning forks with sliding clamps, two pipes of the organ type, and a Galton whistle. With this instrumentation it was possible to test the whole range of hearing. The results of testing the hearing via air conduction and bone conduction measured in duration and calculated as percentage of normal hearing were presented in charts (Hartmann 1885, Gradenigo 1893) which can be considered precursors of modern audiograms. The evolution of these instruments and methods is described in detail and illustrated by exhibits from the museum.

Integrated tuned vibration absorbers: a theoretical study.

PubMed

Gardonio, Paolo; Zilletti, Michele

2013-11-01

This article presents a simulation study on two integrated tuned vibration absorbers (TVAs) designed to control the global flexural vibration of lightly damped thin structures subject to broad frequency band disturbances. The first one consists of a single axial switching TVA composed by a seismic mass mounted on variable axial spring and damper elements so that the characteristic damping and natural frequency of the absorber can be switched iteratively to control the resonant response of three flexural modes of the hosting structure. The second one consists of a single three-axes TVA composed by a seismic mass mounted on axial and rotational springs and dampers, which are arranged in such a way that the suspended mass is characterized by uncoupled heave and pitch-rolling vibrations. In this case the three damping and natural frequency parameters of the absorber are tuned separately to control three flexural modes of the hosting structure. The simulation study shows that the proposed single-unit absorbers produce, respectively, 5.3 and 8.7 dB reductions of the global flexural vibration of a rectangular plate between 20 and 120 Hz.

Polarization-tuned Dynamic Color Filters Incorporating a Dielectric-loaded Aluminum Nanowire Array

PubMed Central

Raj Shrestha, Vivek; Lee, Sang-Shin; Kim, Eun-Soo; Choi, Duk-Yong

2015-01-01

Nanostructured spectral filters enabling dynamic color-tuning are saliently attractive for implementing ultra-compact color displays and imaging devices. Realization of polarization-induced dynamic color-tuning via one-dimensional periodic nanostructures is highly challenging due to the absence of plasmonic resonances for transverse-electric polarization. Here we demonstrate highly efficient dynamic subtractive color filters incorporating a dielectric-loaded aluminum nanowire array, providing a continuum of customized color according to the incident polarization. Dynamic color filtering was realized relying on selective suppression in transmission spectra via plasmonic resonance at a metal-dielectric interface and guided-mode resonance for a metal-clad dielectric waveguide, each occurring at their characteristic wavelengths for transverse-magnetic and electric polarizations, respectively. A broad palette of colors, including cyan, magenta, and yellow, has been attained with high transmission beyond 80%, by tailoring the period of the nanowire array and the incident polarization. Thanks to low cost, high durability, and mass producibility of the aluminum adopted for the proposed devices, they are anticipated to be diversely applied to color displays, holographic imaging, information encoding, and anti-counterfeiting. PMID:26211625

Temperature-Induced Remodeling of the Photosynthetic Machinery Tunes Photosynthesis in the Thermophilic Alga Cyanidioschyzon merolae1

PubMed Central

Nikolova, Denitsa; Weber, Dieter; Scholz, Martin

2017-01-01

The thermophilic alga C. merolae thrives in extreme environments (low pH and temperature between 40°C and 56°C). In this study, we investigated the acclimation process of the alga to a colder temperature (25°C). A long-term cell growth experiment revealed an extensive remodeling of the photosynthetic apparatus in the first 250 h of acclimation, which was followed by cell growth to an even higher density than the control (grown at 42°C) cell density. Once the cells were shifted to the lower temperature, the proteins of the light-harvesting antenna were greatly down-regulated and the phycobilisome composition was altered. The amount of PSI and PSII subunits was also decreased, but the chlorophyll to photosystems ratio remained unchanged. The 25°C cells possessed a less efficient photon-to-oxygen conversion rate and require a 2.5 times higher light intensity to reach maximum photosynthetic efficiency. With respect to chlorophyll, however, the photosynthetic oxygen evolution rate of the 25°C culture was 2 times higher than the control. Quantitative proteomics revealed that acclimation requires, besides remodeling of the photosynthetic apparatus, also adjustment of the machinery for protein folding, degradation, and homeostasis. In summary, these remodeling processes tuned photosynthesis according to the demands placed on the system and revealed the capability of C. merolae to grow under a broad range of temperatures. PMID:28270628

Tuning pathological brain oscillations with neurofeedback: a systems neuroscience framework

PubMed Central

Ros, Tomas; J. Baars, Bernard; Lanius, Ruth A.; Vuilleumier, Patrik

2014-01-01

Neurofeedback (NFB) is emerging as a promising technique that enables self-regulation of ongoing brain oscillations. However, despite a rise in empirical evidence attesting to its clinical benefits, a solid theoretical basis is still lacking on the manner in which NFB is able to achieve these outcomes. The present work attempts to bring together various concepts from neurobiology, engineering, and dynamical systems so as to propose a contemporary theoretical framework for the mechanistic effects of NFB. The objective is to provide a firmly neurophysiological account of NFB, which goes beyond traditional behaviorist interpretations that attempt to explain psychological processes solely from a descriptive standpoint whilst treating the brain as a “black box”. To this end, we interlink evidence from experimental findings that encompass a broad range of intrinsic brain phenomena: starting from “bottom-up” mechanisms of neural synchronization, followed by “top-down” regulation of internal brain states, moving to dynamical systems plus control-theoretic principles, and concluding with activity-dependent as well as homeostatic forms of brain plasticity. In support of our framework, we examine the effects of NFB in several brain disorders, including attention-deficit hyperactivity (ADHD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In sum, it is argued that pathological oscillations emerge from an abnormal formation of brain-state attractor landscape(s). The central thesis put forward is that NFB tunes brain oscillations toward a homeostatic set-point which affords an optimal balance between network flexibility and stability (i.e., self-organised criticality (SOC)). PMID:25566028

100-GHz Phase Switch/Mixer Containing a Slot-Line Transition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gaier, Todd; Wells, Mary; Dawson, Douglas

2009-01-01

A circuit that can function as a phase switch, frequency mixer, or frequency multiplier operates over a broad frequency range in the vicinity of 100 GHz. Among the most notable features of this circuit is a grounded uniplanar transition (in effect, a balun) between a slot line and one of two coplanar waveguides (CPWs). The design of this circuit is well suited to integration of the circuit into a microwave monolithic integrated circuit (MMIC) package. One CPW is located at the input end and one at the output end of the top side of a substrate on which the circuit is fabricated (see Figure 1). The input CPW feeds the input signal to antiparallel flip-chip Schottky diodes connected to the edges of the slot line. Phase switching is effected by the combination of (1) the abrupt transition from the input CPW to the slot line and (2) CPW ground tuning effected by switching of the bias on the diodes. Grounding of the slot metal to the bottom metal gives rise to a frequency cutoff in the slot. This cutoff is valuable for separating different frequency components when the circuit is used as a mixer or multiplier. Proceeding along the slot line toward the output end, one encounters the aforementioned transition, which couples the slot line to the output CPW. Impedance tuning of the transition is accomplished by use of a high-impedance section immediately before the transition.

High Sensitivity Long-Wavelength Infrared QWIP Focal Plane Array Based Instrument for Remote Sensing of Icy Satellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gunapala, S.; Bandara, S.; Ivanov, A.

2003-01-01

GaAs based Quantum Well Infrared Photodetector (QWIP) technology has shown remarkable success in advancing low cost, highly uniform, high-operability, large format multi-color focal plane arrays. QWIPs afford greater flexibility than the usual extrinsically doped semiconductor IR detectors. The wavelength of the peak response and cutoff can be continuously tailored over a range wide enough to enable light detection at any wavelength range between 6 and 20 micron. The spectral band-width of these detectors can be tuned from narrow (Deltalambda/lambda is approximately 10%) to wide (Deltalambda/lambda is approximately 40%) allowing various applications. Furthermore, QWIPs offer low cost per pixel and highly uniform large format focal plane arrays due to mature GaAs/AlGaAs growth and processing technologies. The other advantages of GaAs/AlGaAs based QWIPS are higher yield, lower l/f noise and radiation hardness (1.5 Mrad). In this presentation, we will discuss our recent demonstrations of 640x512 pixel narrow-band, broad-band, multi-band focal plane arrays, and the current status of the development of 1024x1024 pixel long-wavelength infrared QWIP focal plane arrays.

Magnetic field-controlled gene expression in encapsulated cells

PubMed Central

Ortner, Viktoria; Kaspar, Cornelius; Halter, Christian; Töllner, Lars; Mykhaylyk, Olga; Walzer, Johann; Günzburg, Walter H.; Dangerfield, John A.; Hohenadl, Christine; Czerny, Thomas

2012-01-01

Cell and gene therapies have an enormous range of potential applications, but as for most other therapies, dosing is a critical issue, which makes regulated gene expression a prerequisite for advanced strategies. Several inducible expression systems have been established, which mainly rely on small molecules as inducers, such as hormones or antibiotics. The application of these inducers is difficult to control and the effects on gene regulation are slow. Here we describe a novel system for induction of gene expression in encapsulated cells. This involves the modification of cells to express potential therapeutic genes under the control of a heat inducible promoter and the co-encapsulation of these cells with magnetic nanoparticles. These nanoparticles produce heat when subjected to an alternating magnetic field; the elevated temperatures in the capsules then induce gene expression. In the present study we define the parameters of such systems and provide proof-of-principle using reporter gene constructs. The fine-tuned heating of nanoparticles in the magnetic field allows regulation of gene expression from the outside over a broad range and within short time. Such a system has great potential for advancement of cell and gene therapy approaches. PMID:22197778

Spontaneous otoacoustic emissions, threshold microstructure, and psychophysical tuning over a wide frequency range in humansa

PubMed Central

Baiduc, Rachael R.; Lee, Jungmee; Dhar, Sumitrajit

2014-01-01

Hearing thresholds have been shown to exhibit periodic minima and maxima, a pattern known as threshold microstructure. Microstructure has previously been linked to spontaneous otoacoustic emissions (SOAEs) and normal cochlear function. However, SOAEs at high frequencies (>4 kHz) have been associated with hearing loss or cochlear pathology in some reports. Microstructure would not be expected near these high-frequency SOAEs. Psychophysical tuning curves (PTCs), the expression of frequency selectivity, may also be altered by SOAEs. Prior comparisons of tuning between ears with and without SOAEs demonstrated sharper tuning in ears with emissions. Here, threshold microstructure and PTCs were compared at SOAE frequencies ranging between 1.2 and 13.9 kHz using subjects without SOAEs as controls. Results indicate: (1) Threshold microstructure is observable in the vicinity of SOAEs of all frequencies; (2) PTCs are influenced by SOAEs, resulting in shifted tuning curve tips, multiple tips, or inversion. High frequency SOAEs show a greater effect on PTC morphology. The influence of most SOAEs at high frequencies on threshold microstructure and PTCs is consistent with those at lower frequencies, suggesting that high-frequency SOAEs reflect the same cochlear processes that lead to SOAEs at lower frequencies. PMID:24437770

Electroabsorption-modulated widely tunable DBR laser transmitter for WDM-PONs.

PubMed

Han, Liangshun; Liang, Song; Wang, Huitao; Qiao, Lijun; Xu, Junjie; Zhao, Lingjuan; Zhu, Hongliang; Wang, Baojun; Wang, Wei

2014-12-01

We present an InP based distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) laser transmitter which has a wide wavelength tuning range and a high chip output power for wavelength division multiplexing passive optical network (WDM-PON) applications. By butt-jointing InGaAsP with 1.45 µm emission wavelength as the material of the grating section, the laser wavelength can be tuned for over 13 nm by the DBR current. Accompanied by varying the chip temperature, the tuning range can be further enlarged to 16 nm. With the help of the integrated semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA), the largest chip output power is over 30 mW. The electroabsorption modulator (EAM) is integrated into the device by the selective-area growth (SAG) technique. The 3 dB small signal modulation bandwidth of the EAM is over 13 GHz. The device has both a simple tuning scheme and a simple fabrication procedure, making it suitable for low cost massive production which is desirable for WDM-PON uses.

Grating-assisted demodulation of interferometric optical sensors.

PubMed

Yu, Bing; Wang, Anbo

2003-12-01

Accurate and dynamic control of the operating point of an interferometric optical sensor to produce the highest sensitivity is crucial in the demodulation of interferometric optical sensors to compensate for manufacturing errors and environmental perturbations. A grating-assisted operating-point tuning system has been designed that uses a diffraction grating and feedback control, functions as a tunable-bandpass optical filter, and can be used as an effective demodulation subsystem in sensor systems based on optical interferometers that use broadband light sources. This demodulation method has no signal-detection bandwidth limit, a high tuning speed, a large tunable range, increased interference fringe contrast, and the potential for absolute optical-path-difference measurement. The achieved 40-nm tuning range, which is limited by the available source spectrum width, 400-nm/s tuning speed, and a step resolution of 0.4 nm, is sufficient for most practical measurements. A significant improvement in signal-to-noise ratio in a fiber Fabry-Perot acoustic-wave sensor system proved that the expected fringe contrast and sensitivity increase.

Output-Mirror-Tuning Terahertz-Wave Parametric Oscillator with an Asymmetrical Porro-Prism Resonator Configuration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ruiliang; Qu, Yanchen; Zhao, Weijiang; Liu, Chuang; Chen, Zhenlei

2017-06-01

We demonstrate a terahertz-wave parametric oscillator (TPO) with an asymmetrical porro-prism (PP) resonator configuration, consisting of a close PP corner reflector and a distant output mirror relative to the MgO:LiNbO3 crystal. Based on this cavity, frequency tuning of Stokes and the accompanied terahertz (THz) waves is realized just by rotating the plane mirror. Furthermore, THz output with high efficiency and wide tuning range is obtained. Compared with a conventional TPO employing a plane-parallel resonator of the same cavity length and output loss, the low end of the frequency tuning range is extended to 0.96 THz from 1.2 THz. The highest output obtained at 1.28 THz is enhanced by about 25%, and the oscillation threshold pump energy measured at 1.66 THz is reduced by about 4.5%. This resonator configuration also shows some potential to simplify the structure and application for intracavity TPOs.

A reconfigurable liquid metal antenna driven by electrochemically controlled capillarity

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

Wang, M.; Adams, J. J., E-mail: jjadams2@ncsu.edu; Trlica, C.

2015-05-21

We describe a new electrochemical method for reversible, pump-free control of liquid eutectic gallium and indium (EGaIn) in a capillary. Electrochemical deposition (or removal) of a surface oxide on the EGaIn significantly lowers (or increases) its interfacial tension as a means to induce the liquid metal in (or out) of the capillary. A fabricated prototype demonstrates this method in a reconfigurable antenna application in which EGaIn forms the radiating element. By inducing a change in the physical length of the EGaIn, the operating frequency of the antenna tunes over a large bandwidth. This purely electrochemical mechanism uses low, DC voltagesmore » to tune the antenna continuously and reversibly between 0.66 GHz and 3.4 GHz resulting in a 5:1 tuning range. Gain and radiation pattern measurements agree with electromagnetic simulations of the device, and its measured radiation efficiency varies from 41% to 70% over its tuning range.« less

Distortion-product otoacoustic emission reflection-component delays and cochlear tuning: estimates from across the human lifespan.

PubMed

Abdala, Carolina; Guérit, François; Luo, Ping; Shera, Christopher A

2014-04-01

A consistent relationship between reflection-emission delay and cochlear tuning has been demonstrated in a variety of mammalian species, as predicted by filter theory and models of otoacoustic emission (OAE) generation. As a step toward the goal of studying cochlear tuning throughout the human lifespan, this paper exploits the relationship and explores two strategies for estimating delay trends-energy weighting and peak picking-both of which emphasize data at the peaks of the magnitude fine structure. Distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) at 2f1-f2 were recorded, and their reflection components were extracted in 184 subjects ranging in age from prematurely born neonates to elderly adults. DPOAEs were measured from 0.5-4 kHz in all age groups and extended to 8 kHz in young adults. Delay trends were effectively estimated using either energy weighting or peak picking, with the former method yielding slightly shorter delays and the latter somewhat smaller confidence intervals. Delay and tuning estimates from young adults roughly match those obtained from SFOAEs. Although the match is imperfect, reflection-component delays showed the expected bend (apical-basal transition) near 1 kHz, consistent with a break in cochlear scaling. Consistent with other measures of tuning, the term newborn group showed the longest delays and sharpest tuning over much of the frequency range.

Song repertoire across the generations: a comparison of music therapy majors' and senior citizens' recognitions.

PubMed

Prickett, C A; Bridges, M S

2000-01-01

This study examined whether a basic song repertoire of folk-type melodies which can be accompanied with principal triads exists in the senior citizen population and compared this repertoire with that of music therapy students. An audiotape of the tunes of 25 standard songs, assumed in previous research to be known by everyone who has finished 6th grade, was played for undergraduate music therapy students (N = 78) and for healthy, active senior citizens (N = 78). None of the senior citizens had received any music therapy services, although many were involved in music activities such as the senior choir at church. Music therapy majors identified significantly more tunes than did the older listeners. Further analysis indicated that there is a good deal of overlap in the repertoires of these two groups. Sixteen tunes were recognized by 80% of therapy students; 10 songs were recognized by 80% of the seniors; the 10 songs identified by these seniors were 10 of the top 11 identified by the college students ("Kumbaya" was not known by the older listeners). Six songs could not be named by 50% of the students; 7 songs could not be named by 50% of the seniors; these two lists contained five common selections ("Oh Shenandoah," "Kookaburra," "Down in the Valley," "Shalom Chaverim," and "Tinga Layo"). Given the growth of the senior segment of the American population, the expansion of services for them, and the popularity of including music activities among these services, it would appear that music therapy students' basic knowledge of a repertoire of songs which are known to older people and which can easily be accompanied with principal triads is adequate, even though the range of songs which could be identified was broad (11-24) and the mean correctly named was merely 70.82% of a set which other investigators, teachers, and professional organizations have said represent a minimal repertoire for all citizens beyond the 6th grade.

Viscoelastic effects on frequency tuning of a dielectric elastomer membrane resonator

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

Zhou, Jianyou; Jiang, Liying, E-mail: lyjiang@eng.uwo.ca; Khayat, Roger E.

2014-03-28

As a recent application of dielectric elastomers (DEs), DE resonators have become an alternative to conventional silicon-based resonators used in MEMS and have attracted much interest from the research community. However, most existing modeling works for the DE resonators ignore the intrinsic viscoelastic effect of the material that may strongly influence their dynamic performance. Based on the finite-deformation viscoelasticity theory for dielectrics, this paper theoretically examines the in-plane oscillation of a DE membrane resonator to demonstrate how the material viscoelasticity affects the actuation and frequency tuning processes of the resonator. From the simulation results, it is concluded that not onlymore » the applied voltage can change the natural frequency of the resonator, but also the inelastic deformation contributes to frequency tuning. Due to the viscoelasticity of the material, the electrical loading rate influences the actuation process of the DE resonator, while it has little effect on the final steady frequency tuned by the prescribed voltage within the safety range. With the consideration of the typical failure modes of the resonator and the evolution process of the material, the tunable frequency range and the safe range of the applied voltage of the DE membrane resonator with different dimension parameters are determined in this work, which are found to be dependent on the electrical loading rate. This work is expected to provide a better understanding on the frequency tuning of viscoelastic DE membrane resonators and a guideline for the design of DE devices.« less

Wide single-mode tuning in quantum cascade lasers with asymmetric Mach-Zehnder interferometer type cavities with separately biased arms

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

Zheng, Mei C., E-mail: meizheng@princeton.edu; Gmachl, Claire F.; Liu, Peter Q.

2013-11-18

We report on the experimental demonstration of a widely tunable single mode quantum cascade laser with Asymmetric Mach-Zehnder (AMZ) interferometer type cavities with separately biased arms. Current and, consequently, temperature tuning of the two arms of the AMZ type cavity resulted in a single mode tuning range of 20 cm{sup −1} at 80 K in continuous-wave mode operation, a ten-fold improvement from the lasers under a single bias current. In addition, we also observed a five fold increase in the tuning rate as compared to the AMZ cavities controlled by one bias current.

Midinfrared Surface Plasmons in Carbon Nanotube Plasmonic Metasurface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Afinogenov, Boris I.; Kopylova, Daria S.; Abrashitova, Ksenia A.; Bessonov, Vladimir O.; Anisimov, Anton S.; Dyakov, Sergey A.; Gippius, Nikolay A.; Gladush, Yuri G.; Fedyanin, Andrey A.; Nasibulin, Albert G.

2018-02-01

We report an experimental observation of the midinfrared surface plasmon excited in a carbon nanotube plasmonic metasurface. The absorption of a 400-nm-thick single-walled carbon nanotube film perforated with laser-drilled subwavelength holes arranged in a 2D lattice is resonantly enhanced by 75% as compared with the unstructured film. The enhancement of absorption has a resonant behavior associated with the excitation of the surface plasmon and occurs at the wavelengths around 15 μ m for the lattice period of 10 μ m . The spectral position and the magnitude of the resonance are controlled entirely by the structure geometry and can be tuned in a broad range. We demonstrate that periodic patterning can be applied to tailor the bolometric performance of carbon nanotube thin films. Namely, the voltage response of the metasurface is enhanced by 100% at the wavelength of the plasmon resonance as compared with the unstructured film. We discuss mechanisms of the enhancement and compare experimental results with the finite-difference time-domain and scattering-matrix method simulations.

Self-assembled cationic amphiphiles as antimicrobial peptides mimics: Role of hydrophobicity, linkage type, and assembly state.

PubMed

Zhang, Yingyue; Algburi, Ammar; Wang, Ning; Kholodovych, Vladyslav; Oh, Drym O; Chikindas, Michael; Uhrich, Kathryn E

2017-02-01

Inspired by high promise using naturally occurring antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) to treat infections caused by antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, cationic amphiphiles (CAms) were strategically designed as synthetic mimics to overcome associated limitations, including high manufacture cost and low metabolic stability. CAms with facially amphiphilic conformation were expected to demonstrate membrane-lytic properties and thus reduce tendency of resistance development. By systematically tuning the hydrophobicity, CAms with optimized compositions exhibited potent broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity (with minimum inhibitory concentrations in low μg/mL range) as well as negligible hemolytic activity. Electron microscope images revealed the morphological and ultrastructure changes of bacterial membranes induced by CAm treatment and validated their membrane-disrupting mechanism. Additionally, an all-atom molecular dynamics simulation was employed to understand the CAm-membrane interaction on molecular level. This study shows that these CAms can serve as viable scaffolds for designing next generation of AMP mimics as antimicrobial alternatives to combat drug-resistant pathogens. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of measured and predicted performance of a SIS waveguide mixer at 345 GHz

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Honingh, C. E.; Delange, G.; Dierichs, M. M. T. M.; Schaeffer, H. H. A.; Wezelman, J.; Vandekuur, J.; Degraauw, T.; Klapwijk, T. M.

1992-01-01

The measured gain and noise of a SIS waveguide mixer at 345 GHz have been compared with theoretical values, calculated from the quantum mixer theory using a three port model. As a mixing element, we use a series array of two Nb-Al2O3-Nb SIS junctions. The area of each junction is 0.8 sq microns and the normal state resistance is 52 omega. The embedding impedance of the mixer has been determined from the pumped DC-IV curves of the junction and is compared to results from scale model measurements (105 x). Good agreement was obtained. The measured mixer gain, however, is a factor of 0.45 plus or minus 0.5 lower than the theoretical predicted gain. The measured mixer noise temperature is a factor of 4-5 higher than the calculated one. These discrepancies are independent on pump power and are valid for a broad range of tuning conditions.

High-energy and ultra-wideband tunable terahertz source with DAST crystal via difference frequency generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Yixin; Wang, Yuye; Xu, Degang; Nie, Meitong; Yan, Chao; Tang, Longhuang; Shi, Jia; Feng, Jiachen; Yan, Dexian; Liu, Hongxiang; Teng, Bing; Feng, Hua; Yao, Jianquan

2018-01-01

We have demonstrated a high-energy and broadly tunable monochromatic terahertz (THz) source based on difference frequency generation (DFG) in DAST crystal. A high-energy dual-wavelength optical parametric oscillator with two KTP crystals was constructed as a light source for DFG, where the effect of blue light was first observed accompanying with tunable dual-wavelength pump light due to different nonlinear processes. The THz frequency was tuned randomly in the range of 0.3-19.6 THz. The highest energy of 870 nJ/pulse was obtained at 18.9 THz under the intense pump intensity of 247 MW/cm2. The THz energy dips above 3 THz have been analyzed and mainly attributed to the resonance absorption induced by lattice vibration in DAST crystal. The dependence of THz output on the input energy was studied experimentally, and THz output saturation was observed. Furthermore, tests of transmission spectroscopy of four typical samples were demonstrated with this ultra-wideband THz source.

A novel ultra-broadband single polarization single mode photonic crystal fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Linghong; Zheng, Yi; Hou, Lantian; Zheng, Kai; Peng, Jiying; Zhao, Xingtao

2017-08-01

The concept of employing a central hole infiltrated with nematic liquid crystal (NLC) and two additional air holes in the core region is exploited to obtain an ultra-broadband single polarization single mode photonic crystal fiber (SPSM-PCF). The effects of structural parameters on the SPSM operation are studied using the full-vectorial finite element method. Numerical results show that the proposed structure can attain the SPSM operation bandwidth of 1610 nm (from 1.51 to 3.12 μm) with confinement loss lower than 0.01 dB/km. The SPSM operation range can also be widely tuned to shorter wavelengths by adjusting the structure parameters. And meanwhile, a broad dispersion-flattened SPSM PCF is also obtained around the communication wavelength. Moreover, the dual-core SPSM PCF has also been investigated, enabling potential applications in the wavelength splitter of 1.31 and 1.55 μm bands at a short fiber length of 1.629 mm with SPSM operation.

CW-pumped telecom band polarization entangled photon pair generation in a Sagnac interferometer.

PubMed

Li, Yan; Zhou, Zhi-Yuan; Ding, Dong-Sheng; Shi, Bao-Sen

2015-11-02

Polarization entangled photon pair source is widely used in many quantum information processing applications such as teleportation, quantum communications, quantum computation and high precision quantum metrology. We report on the generation of a continuous-wave pumped 1550 nm polarization entangled photon pair source at telecom wavelength using a type-II periodically poled KTiOPO(4) (PPKTP) crystal in a Sagnac interferometer. Hong-Ou-Mandel (HOM) interference measurement yields signal and idler photon bandwidth of 2.4 nm. High quality of entanglement is verified by various kinds of measurements, for example two-photon interference fringes, Bell inequality and quantum states tomography. The source can be tuned over a broad range against temperature or pump power without loss of visibilities. This source will be used in our future experiments such as generation of orbital angular momentum entangled source at telecom wavelength for quantum frequency up-conversion, entanglement based quantum key distributions and many other quantum optics experiments at telecom wavelengths.

Efficient continuous-wave, broadly tunable and passive Q-switching lasers based on a Tm3+:CaF2 crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jingjing; Zhang, Cheng; Zu, Yuqian; Fan, Xiuwei; Liu, Jie; Guo, Xinsheng; Qian, Xiaobo; Su, Liangbi

2018-04-01

Laser operations in the continuous-wave as well as in the pulsed regime of a 4 at.% Tm3+:CaF2 crystal are reported. For the continuous-wave operation, a maximum average output power of 1.15 W was achieved, and the corresponding slope efficiency was more than 64%. A continuous tuning range of about 160 nm from 1877-2036 nm was achieved using a birefringent filter. Using Argentum nanorods as a saturable absorber, the significant pulsed operation of a passively Q-switched Tm3+:CaF2 laser was observed at 1935.4 nm for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. A maximum output power of 385 mW with 41.4 µJ pulse energy was obtained under an absorbed pump power of 2.04 W. The present results indicate that the Tm3+:CaF2 lasers could be promising laser sources to operate in the eye-safe spectral region.

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

Chen, Zhuoyu; Yuan, Hongtao; Xie, Yanwu

Carrier density and disorder are two crucial parameters that control the properties of correlated two-dimensional electron systems. Furthermore, in order to disentangle their individual contributions to quantum phenomena, independent tuning of these two parameters is required. By utilizing a hybrid liquid/solid electric dual-gate geometry acting on the conducting LaAlO 3/SrTiO 3 heterointerface, we obtain an additional degree of freedom to strongly modify the electron confinement profile and thus the strength of interfacial scattering, independent from the carrier density. A dual-gate controlled nonlinear Hall effect is a direct manifestation of this profile, which can be quantitatively understood by a Poisson–Schrödinger sub-bandmore » model. In particular, the large nonlinear dielectric response of SrTiO 3 enables a very wide range of tunable density and disorder, far beyond that for conventional semiconductors. This study provides a broad framework for understanding various reported phenomena at the LaAlO 3/SrTiO 3 interface.« less

T2N as a new tool for robust electrophysiological modeling demonstrated for mature and adult-born dentate granule cells

PubMed Central

Mongiat, Lucas Alberto; Schwarzacher, Stephan Wolfgang

2017-01-01

Compartmental models are the theoretical tool of choice for understanding single neuron computations. However, many models are incomplete, built ad hoc and require tuning for each novel condition rendering them of limited usability. Here, we present T2N, a powerful interface to control NEURON with Matlab and TREES toolbox, which supports generating models stable over a broad range of reconstructed and synthetic morphologies. We illustrate this for a novel, highly detailed active model of dentate granule cells (GCs) replicating a wide palette of experiments from various labs. By implementing known differences in ion channel composition and morphology, our model reproduces data from mouse or rat, mature or adult-born GCs as well as pharmacological interventions and epileptic conditions. This work sets a new benchmark for detailed compartmental modeling. T2N is suitable for creating robust models useful for large-scale networks that could lead to novel predictions. We discuss possible T2N application in degeneracy studies. PMID:29165247

Neuronal differentiation is associated with a redox-regulated increase of copper flow to the secretory pathway

PubMed Central

Hatori, Yuta; Yan, Ye; Schmidt, Katharina; Furukawa, Eri; Hasan, Nesrin M.; Yang, Nan; Liu, Chin-Nung; Sockanathan, Shanthini; Lutsenko, Svetlana

2016-01-01

Brain development requires a fine-tuned copper homoeostasis. Copper deficiency or excess results in severe neuro-pathologies. We demonstrate that upon neuronal differentiation, cellular demand for copper increases, especially within the secretory pathway. Copper flow to this compartment is facilitated through transcriptional and metabolic regulation. Quantitative real-time imaging revealed a gradual change in the oxidation state of cytosolic glutathione upon neuronal differentiation. Transition from a broad range of redox states to a uniformly reducing cytosol facilitates reduction of the copper chaperone Atox1, liberating its metal-binding site. Concomitantly, expression of Atox1 and its partner, a copper transporter ATP7A, is upregulated. These events produce a higher flux of copper through the secretory pathway that balances copper in the cytosol and increases supply of the cofactor to copper-dependent enzymes, expression of which is elevated in differentiated neurons. Direct link between glutathione oxidation and copper compartmentalization allows for rapid metabolic adjustments essential for normal neuronal function. PMID:26879543

Neuronal differentiation is associated with a redox-regulated increase of copper flow to the secretory pathway.

PubMed

Hatori, Yuta; Yan, Ye; Schmidt, Katharina; Furukawa, Eri; Hasan, Nesrin M; Yang, Nan; Liu, Chin-Nung; Sockanathan, Shanthini; Lutsenko, Svetlana

2016-02-16

Brain development requires a fine-tuned copper homoeostasis. Copper deficiency or excess results in severe neuro-pathologies. We demonstrate that upon neuronal differentiation, cellular demand for copper increases, especially within the secretory pathway. Copper flow to this compartment is facilitated through transcriptional and metabolic regulation. Quantitative real-time imaging revealed a gradual change in the oxidation state of cytosolic glutathione upon neuronal differentiation. Transition from a broad range of redox states to a uniformly reducing cytosol facilitates reduction of the copper chaperone Atox1, liberating its metal-binding site. Concomitantly, expression of Atox1 and its partner, a copper transporter ATP7A, is upregulated. These events produce a higher flux of copper through the secretory pathway that balances copper in the cytosol and increases supply of the cofactor to copper-dependent enzymes, expression of which is elevated in differentiated neurons. Direct link between glutathione oxidation and copper compartmentalization allows for rapid metabolic adjustments essential for normal neuronal function.

Agrobacterium tumefaciens recognizes its host environment using ChvE to bind diverse plant sugars as virulence signals

PubMed Central

Hu, Xiaozhen; Zhao, Jinlei; DeGrado, William F.; Binns, Andrew N.

2013-01-01

Agrobacterium tumefaciens is a broad host range plant pathogen that combinatorially recognizes diverse host molecules including phenolics, low pH, and aldose monosaccharides to activate its pathogenic pathways. Chromosomal virulence gene E (chvE) encodes a periplasmic-binding protein that binds several neutral sugars and sugar acids, and subsequently interacts with the VirA/VirG regulatory system to stimulate virulence (vir) gene expression. Here, a combination of genetics, X-ray crystallography, and isothermal calorimetry reveals how ChvE binds the different monosaccharides and also shows that binding of sugar acids is pH dependent. Moreover, the potency of a sugar for vir gene expression is modulated by a transport system that also relies on ChvE. These two circuits tune the overall system to respond to sugar concentrations encountered in vivo. Finally, using chvE mutants with restricted sugar specificities, we show that there is host variation in regard to the types of sugars that are limiting for vir induction. PMID:23267119

Strong-field control and enhancement of chiral response in bi-elliptical high-order harmonic generation: an analytical model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ayuso, David; Decleva, Piero; Patchkovskii, Serguei; Smirnova, Olga

2018-06-01

The generation of high-order harmonics in a medium of chiral molecules driven by intense bi-elliptical laser fields can lead to strong chiroptical response in a broad range of harmonic numbers and ellipticities (Ayuso et al 2018 J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys. 51 06LT01). Here we present a comprehensive analytical model that can describe the most relevant features arising in the high-order harmonic spectra of chiral molecules driven by strong bi-elliptical fields. Our model recovers the physical picture underlying chiral high-order harmonic generation (HHG) based on ultrafast chiral hole motion and identifies the rotationally invariant molecular pseudoscalars responsible for chiral dynamics. Using the chiral molecule propylene oxide as an example, we show that one can control and enhance the chiral response in bi-elliptical HHG by tailoring the driving field, in particular by tuning its frequency, intensity and ellipticity, exploiting a suppression mechanism of achiral background based on the linear Stark effect.

Crossing Over from Attractive to Repulsive Interactions in a Tunneling Bosonic Josephson Junction.

PubMed

Spagnolli, G; Semeghini, G; Masi, L; Ferioli, G; Trenkwalder, A; Coop, S; Landini, M; Pezzè, L; Modugno, G; Inguscio, M; Smerzi, A; Fattori, M

2017-06-09

We explore the interplay between tunneling and interatomic interactions in the dynamics of a bosonic Josephson junction. We tune the scattering length of an atomic ^{39}K Bose-Einstein condensate confined in a double-well trap to investigate regimes inaccessible to other superconducting or superfluid systems. In the limit of small-amplitude oscillations, we study the transition from Rabi to plasma oscillations by crossing over from attractive to repulsive interatomic interactions. We observe a critical slowing down in the oscillation frequency by increasing the strength of an attractive interaction up to the point of a quantum phase transition. With sufficiently large initial oscillation amplitude and repulsive interactions, the system enters the macroscopic quantum self-trapping regime, where we observe coherent undamped oscillations with a self-sustained average imbalance of the relative well population. The exquisite agreement between theory and experiments enables the observation of a broad range of many body coherent dynamical regimes driven by tunable tunneling energy, interactions and external forces, with applications spanning from atomtronics to quantum metrology.

Single mode, short cavity, Pb-salt diode lasers operating in the 5, 10, and 30-microns spectral regions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Linden, K. J.

1985-01-01

Pb-salt diode lasers are being used as frequency-tunable infrared sources in high resolution spectroscopy and heterodyne detection applications. Recent advances in short cavity, stripe-geometry laser configurations have led to significant increases in maximum CW operating temperature, single mode operation, and increased single mode tuning range. This paper describes short cavity, stripe geometry lasers operating in the 5, 10, and 30-microns spectral regions, with single mode tuning ranges of over 6/cm.

Vibration of the organ of Corti within the cochlear apex in mice

PubMed Central

Gao, Simon S.; Wang, Rosalie; Raphael, Patrick D.; Moayedi, Yalda; Groves, Andrew K.; Zuo, Jian; Applegate, Brian E.

2014-01-01

The tonotopic map of the mammalian cochlea is commonly thought to be determined by the passive mechanical properties of the basilar membrane. The other tissues and cells that make up the organ of Corti also have passive mechanical properties; however, their roles are less well understood. In addition, active forces produced by outer hair cells (OHCs) enhance the vibration of the basilar membrane, termed cochlear amplification. Here, we studied how these biomechanical components interact using optical coherence tomography, which permits vibratory measurements within tissue. We measured not only classical basilar membrane tuning curves, but also vibratory responses from the rest of the organ of Corti within the mouse cochlear apex in vivo. As expected, basilar membrane tuning was sharp in live mice and broad in dead mice. Interestingly, the vibratory response of the region lateral to the OHCs, the “lateral compartment,” demonstrated frequency-dependent phase differences relative to the basilar membrane. This was sharply tuned in both live and dead mice. We then measured basilar membrane and lateral compartment vibration in transgenic mice with targeted alterations in cochlear mechanics. Prestin499/499, Prestin−/−, and TectaC1509G/C1509G mice demonstrated no cochlear amplification but maintained the lateral compartment phase difference. In contrast, SfswapTg/Tg mice maintained cochlear amplification but did not demonstrate the lateral compartment phase difference. These data indicate that the organ of Corti has complex micromechanical vibratory characteristics, with passive, yet sharply tuned, vibratory characteristics associated with the supporting cells. These characteristics may tune OHC force generation to produce the sharp frequency selectivity of mammalian hearing. PMID:24920025

Modulation-Frequency-Specific Adaptation in Awake Auditory Cortex

PubMed Central

Beitel, Ralph E.; Vollmer, Maike; Heiser, Marc A.; Schreiner, Christoph E.

2015-01-01

Amplitude modulations are fundamental features of natural signals, including human speech and nonhuman primate vocalizations. Because natural signals frequently occur in the context of other competing signals, we used a forward-masking paradigm to investigate how the modulation context of a prior signal affects cortical responses to subsequent modulated sounds. Psychophysical “modulation masking,” in which the presentation of a modulated “masker” signal elevates the threshold for detecting the modulation of a subsequent stimulus, has been interpreted as evidence of a central modulation filterbank and modeled accordingly. Whether cortical modulation tuning is compatible with such models remains unknown. By recording responses to pairs of sinusoidally amplitude modulated (SAM) tones in the auditory cortex of awake squirrel monkeys, we show that the prior presentation of the SAM masker elicited persistent and tuned suppression of the firing rate to subsequent SAM signals. Population averages of these effects are compatible with adaptation in broadly tuned modulation channels. In contrast, modulation context had little effect on the synchrony of the cortical representation of the second SAM stimuli and the tuning of such effects did not match that observed for firing rate. Our results suggest that, although the temporal representation of modulated signals is more robust to changes in stimulus context than representations based on average firing rate, this representation is not fully exploited and psychophysical modulation masking more closely mirrors physiological rate suppression and that rate tuning for a given stimulus feature in a given neuron's signal pathway appears sufficient to engender context-sensitive cortical adaptation. PMID:25878263

Fast continuous tuning of terahertz quantum-cascade lasers by rear-facet illumination

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

Hempel, Martin, E-mail: hempel@pdi-berlin.de; Röben, Benjamin; Schrottke, Lutz

2016-05-09

GaAs-based terahertz quantum-cascade lasers (QCLs) are continuously tuned in their emission frequency by illuminating the rear facet with a near-infrared, high-power diode laser. For QCLs emitting around 3.1 THz, the maximum tuning range amounts to 2.8 GHz for continuous-wave operation at a heat sink temperature of 55 K, while in pulsed mode 9.1 and 8.0 GHz are achieved at 35 and 55 K, respectively.

All-fibre ytterbium laser tunable within 45 nm

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

Abdullina, S R; Babin, S A; Vlasov, A A

2007-12-31

A tunable ytterbium-doped fibre laser is fabricated. The laser is tuned by using a tunable fibre Bragg grating (FBG) as a selecting intracavity element. The laser is tunable within 45 nm (from 1063 to 1108 nm) and emits {approx}6 W in the line of width {approx}0.15 nm, the output power and linewidth being virtually invariable within the tuning range. The method is proposed for synchronous tuning the highly reflecting and output FBGs, and a tunable ytterbium all-fibre laser is built. (lasers)

Thermally tunable silicon racetrack resonators with ultralow tuning power.

PubMed

Dong, Po; Qian, Wei; Liang, Hong; Shafiiha, Roshanak; Feng, Dazeng; Li, Guoliang; Cunningham, John E; Krishnamoorthy, Ashok V; Asghari, Mehdi

2010-09-13

We present thermally tunable silicon racetrack resonators with an ultralow tuning power of 2.4 mW per free spectral range. The use of free-standing silicon racetrack resonators with undercut structures significantly enhances the tuning efficiency, with one order of magnitude improvement of that for previously demonstrated thermo-optic devices without undercuts. The 10%-90% switching time is demonstrated to be ~170 µs. Such low-power tunable micro-resonators are particularly useful as multiplexing devices and wavelength-tunable silicon microcavity modulators.

The microprocessor-based synthesizer controller

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wick, M. R.

1980-01-01

Implementation and performance of the microprocessor-based controllers and Dana Digiphase Synthesizer (DCO) installed in the Deep Space Network exciter in the 64-meter and 34-meter subnets to support uplink tuning required for the Voyager-Saturn Encounter is discussed. Test data in tests conducted during the production of the controllers verified the design objective for phase control accuracy of 10 to the - 12 power cycles in eight hours during ramping. Tests conducted require a phase error between a theoretical calculated value and the actual phase of no greater than + or - 1 cycle. Tests included (1) a ramp over a period of eight hours using a ramp rate which covers the synthesizer tuning range (40-51 MHz) and (2) a ramp sequence using the maximum rate (+ or kHz/s) over the tuning range.

Farm Tractor Tune-Up and Service Specifications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bryant, J. G.; And Others

Tune-up and service specifications for 10 major tractor manufacturers are presented in the handbook. In addition, the following tables are included: (1) spark plug heat-range comparisons, (2) freezing protection, (3) pressures for farm tractor tires, (4) use of calcium chloride for liquid weighting, (5) comparisons of American Petroleum Institute…

View-Tolerant Face Recognition and Hebbian Learning Imply Mirror-Symmetric Neural Tuning to Head Orientation.

PubMed

Leibo, Joel Z; Liao, Qianli; Anselmi, Fabio; Freiwald, Winrich A; Poggio, Tomaso

2017-01-09

The primate brain contains a hierarchy of visual areas, dubbed the ventral stream, which rapidly computes object representations that are both specific for object identity and robust against identity-preserving transformations, like depth rotations [1, 2]. Current computational models of object recognition, including recent deep-learning networks, generate these properties through a hierarchy of alternating selectivity-increasing filtering and tolerance-increasing pooling operations, similar to simple-complex cells operations [3-6]. Here, we prove that a class of hierarchical architectures and a broad set of biologically plausible learning rules generate approximate invariance to identity-preserving transformations at the top level of the processing hierarchy. However, all past models tested failed to reproduce the most salient property of an intermediate representation of a three-level face-processing hierarchy in the brain: mirror-symmetric tuning to head orientation [7]. Here, we demonstrate that one specific biologically plausible Hebb-type learning rule generates mirror-symmetric tuning to bilaterally symmetric stimuli, like faces, at intermediate levels of the architecture and show why it does so. Thus, the tuning properties of individual cells inside the visual stream appear to result from group properties of the stimuli they encode and to reflect the learning rules that sculpted the information-processing system within which they reside. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Glottal behavior in the high soprano range and the transition to the whistle register.

PubMed

Garnier, Maëva; Henrich, Nathalie; Crevier-Buchman, Lise; Vincent, Coralie; Smith, John; Wolfe, Joe

2012-01-01

The high soprano range was investigated by acoustic and electroglottographic measurements of 12 sopranos and high-speed endoscopy of one of these. A single laryngeal transition was observed on glissandi above the primo passaggio. It supports the existence of two distinct laryngeal mechanisms in the high soprano range: M2 and M3, underlying head and whistle registers. The laryngeal transition occurred gradually over several tones within the interval D#5-D6. It occurred over a wider range and was completed at a higher pitch for trained than untrained sopranos. The upper limit of the laryngeal transition during glissandi was accompanied by pitch jumps or instabilities, but, for most singers, it did not coincide with the upper limit of R1:f(0) tuning (i.e., tuning the first resonance to the fundamental frequency). However, pitch jumps could also be associated with changes in resonance tuning. Four singers demonstrated an overlap range over which they could sing with a full head or fluty resonant quality. Glottal behaviors underlying these two qualities were similar to the M2 and M3 mechanisms respectively. Pitch jumps and discontinuous glottal and spectral changes characteristic of a M2-M3 laryngeal transition were observed on decrescendi produced within this overlap range. © 2012 Acoustical Society of America.

Measurements of CO, CO2, OH, and H2O in room-temperature and combustion gases by use of a broadly current-tuned multisection InGaAsP diode laser.

PubMed

Upschulte, B L; Sonnenfroh, D M; Allen, M G

1999-03-20

A new laser technology that achieves nearly 100-nm quasi-continuous tuning with only injection-current control in a four-section grating-coupler sampled-reflector laser was used to detect CO and CO(2) simultaneously in room-temperature gas mixtures. The same grating-coupler sampled-reflector laser was used to perform in situ measurements of CO, H(2)O, and OH in the exhaust gases of a CH(4)-air flame. This laser is being evaluated for inclusion in a multispecies combustion-emissions exhaust-analysis sensor, and its operational characteristics as they have an impact on gas sensing are described. Preliminary results suggest that this single laser can be used to replace multilaser sensor configurations for some combustion-emissions monitoring applications.

Process-morphology scaling relations quantify self-organization in capillary densified nanofiber arrays.

PubMed

Kaiser, Ashley L; Stein, Itai Y; Cui, Kehang; Wardle, Brian L

2018-02-07

Capillary-mediated densification is an inexpensive and versatile approach to tune the application-specific properties and packing morphology of bulk nanofiber (NF) arrays, such as aligned carbon nanotubes. While NF length governs elasto-capillary self-assembly, the geometry of cellular patterns formed by capillary densified NFs cannot be precisely predicted by existing theories. This originates from the recently quantified orders of magnitude lower than expected NF array effective axial elastic modulus (E), and here we show via parametric experimentation and modeling that E determines the width, area, and wall thickness of the resulting cellular pattern. Both experiments and models show that further tuning of the cellular pattern is possible by altering the NF-substrate adhesion strength, which could enable the broad use of this facile approach to predictably pattern NF arrays for high value applications.

Taste Receptor Cells That Discriminate Between Bitter Stimuli

PubMed Central

Caicedo, Alejandro; Roper, Stephen D.

2013-01-01

Recent studies showing that single taste bud cells express multiple bitter taste receptors have reignited a long-standing controversy over whether single gustatory receptor cells respond selectively or broadly to tastants. We examined calcium responses of rat taste receptor cells in situ to a panel of bitter compounds to determine whether individual cells distinguish between bitter stimuli. Most bitter-responsive taste cells were activated by only one out of five compounds tested. In taste cells that responded to multiple stimuli, there were no significant associations between any two stimuli. Bitter sensation does not appear to occur through the activation of a homogeneous population of broadly tuned bitter-sensitive taste cells. Instead, different bitter stimuli may activate different subpopulations of bitter-sensitive taste cells. PMID:11222863

Analysis and design of negative resistance oscillators using surface transverse wave-based single port resonators.

PubMed

Avramov, Ivan D

2003-03-01

This practically oriented paper presents the fundamentals for analysis, optimization, and design of negative resistance oscillators (NRO) stabilized with surface transverse wave (STW)-based single-port resonators (SPR). Data on a variety of high-Q, low-loss SPR devices in the 900- to 2000-MHz range, suitable for NRO applications, are presented, and a simple method for SPR parameter extraction through Pi-circuit measurements is outlined. Negative resistance analysis, based on S-parameter data of the active device, is performed on a tuned-base, grounded collector transistor NRO, known for its good stability and tuning at microwave frequencies. By adding a SPR in the emitter network, the static transducer capacitance is absorbed by the circuit and is used to generate negative resistance only over the narrow bandwidth of the acoustic device, eliminating the risk of spurious oscillations. The analysis allows exact prediction of the oscillation frequency, tuning range, loaded Q, and excess gain. Simulation and experimental data on a 915-MHz fixed-frequency NRO and a wide tuning range, voltage-controlled STW oscillator, built and tested experimentally, are presented. Practical design aspects including the choice of transistor, negative feedback circuits, load coupling, and operation at the highest phase slope for minimum phase noise are discussed.

Characteristics of optical parametric oscillator synchronously pumped by Yb:KGW laser and based on periodically poled potassium titanyl phosphate crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vengelis, Julius; Tumas, Adomas; Pipinytė, Ieva; Kuliešaitė, Miglė; Tamulienė, Viktorija; Jarutis, Vygandas; Grigonis, Rimantas; Sirutkaitis, Valdas

2018-03-01

We present experimental data and numerical simulation results obtained during investigation of synchronously pumped optical parametric oscillator (SPOPO) pumped by femtosecond Yb:KGW laser (central wavelength at 1033 nm). The nonlinear medium for parametric generation was periodically poled potassium titanyl phosphate crystal (PPKTP). Maximum parametric light conversion efficiency from pump power to signal power was more than 37.5% at λs=1530 nm wavelength, whereas the achieved signal wave continuous tuning range was from 1470 nm to 1970 nm with signal pulse durations ranging from 91 fs to roughly 280 fs. We demonstrated wavelength tuning by changing cavity length and PPKTP crystal grating period and also discussed net cavity group delay dispersion (GDD) influence on SPOPO output radiation characteristics. The achieved high pump to signal conversion efficiency and easy wavelength tuning make this device a very promising alternative to Ti:sapphire based SPOPOs as a source of continuously tunable femtosecond laser radiation in the near and mid-IR range.

Precision and broadband frequency swept laser source based on high-order modulation-sideband injection-locking.

PubMed

Wei, Fang; Lu, Bin; Wang, Jian; Xu, Dan; Pan, Zhengqing; Chen, Dijun; Cai, Haiwen; Qu, Ronghui

2015-02-23

A precision and broadband laser frequency swept technique is experimentally demonstrated. Using synchronous current compensation, a slave diode laser is dynamically injection-locked to a specific high-order modulation-sideband of a narrow-linewidth master laser modulated by an electro-optic modulator (EOM), whose driven radio frequency (RF) signal can be agilely, precisely controlled by a frequency synthesizer, and the high-order modulation-sideband enables multiplied sweep range and tuning rate. By using 5th order sideband injection-locking, the original tuning range of 3 GHz and tuning rate of 0.5 THz/s is multiplied by 5 times to 15 GHz and 2.5 THz/s respectively. The slave laser has a 3 dB-linewidth of 2.5 kHz which is the same to the master laser. The settling time response of a 10 MHz frequency switching is 2.5 µs. By using higher-order modulation-sideband and optimized experiment parameters, an extended sweep range and rate could be expected.

A New Approach to Identify Optimal Properties of Shunting Elements for Maximum Damping of Structural Vibration Using Piezoelectric Patches

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Park, Junhong; Palumbo, Daniel L.

2004-01-01

The use of shunted piezoelectric patches in reducing vibration and sound radiation of structures has several advantages over passive viscoelastic elements, e.g., lower weight with increased controllability. The performance of the piezoelectric patches depends on the shunting electronics that are designed to dissipate vibration energy through a resistive element. In past efforts most of the proposed tuning methods were based on modal properties of the structure. In these cases, the tuning applies only to one mode of interest and maximum tuning is limited to invariant points when based on den Hartog's invariant points concept. In this study, a design method based on the wave propagation approach is proposed. Optimal tuning is investigated depending on the dynamic and geometric properties that include effects from boundary conditions and position of the shunted piezoelectric patch relative to the structure. Active filters are proposed as shunting electronics to implement the tuning criteria. The developed tuning methods resulted in superior capabilities in minimizing structural vibration and noise radiation compared to other tuning methods. The tuned circuits are relatively insensitive to changes in modal properties and boundary conditions, and can applied to frequency ranges in which multiple modes have effects.

The Art and Science of Climate Model Tuning

DOE PAGES

Hourdin, Frederic; Mauritsen, Thorsten; Gettelman, Andrew; ...

2017-03-31

The process of parameter estimation targeting a chosen set of observations is an essential aspect of numerical modeling. This process is usually named tuning in the climate modeling community. In climate models, the variety and complexity of physical processes involved, and their interplay through a wide range of spatial and temporal scales, must be summarized in a series of approximate submodels. Most submodels depend on uncertain parameters. Tuning consists of adjusting the values of these parameters to bring the solution as a whole into line with aspects of the observed climate. Tuning is an essential aspect of climate modeling withmore » its own scientific issues, which is probably not advertised enough outside the community of model developers. Optimization of climate models raises important questions about whether tuning methods a priori constrain the model results in unintended ways that would affect our confidence in climate projections. Here, we present the definition and rationale behind model tuning, review specific methodological aspects, and survey the diversity of tuning approaches used in current climate models. We also discuss the challenges and opportunities in applying so-called objective methods in climate model tuning. Here, we discuss how tuning methodologies may affect fundamental results of climate models, such as climate sensitivity. The article concludes with a series of recommendations to make the process of climate model tuning more transparent.« less

The Art and Science of Climate Model Tuning

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

Hourdin, Frederic; Mauritsen, Thorsten; Gettelman, Andrew

The process of parameter estimation targeting a chosen set of observations is an essential aspect of numerical modeling. This process is usually named tuning in the climate modeling community. In climate models, the variety and complexity of physical processes involved, and their interplay through a wide range of spatial and temporal scales, must be summarized in a series of approximate submodels. Most submodels depend on uncertain parameters. Tuning consists of adjusting the values of these parameters to bring the solution as a whole into line with aspects of the observed climate. Tuning is an essential aspect of climate modeling withmore » its own scientific issues, which is probably not advertised enough outside the community of model developers. Optimization of climate models raises important questions about whether tuning methods a priori constrain the model results in unintended ways that would affect our confidence in climate projections. Here, we present the definition and rationale behind model tuning, review specific methodological aspects, and survey the diversity of tuning approaches used in current climate models. We also discuss the challenges and opportunities in applying so-called objective methods in climate model tuning. Here, we discuss how tuning methodologies may affect fundamental results of climate models, such as climate sensitivity. The article concludes with a series of recommendations to make the process of climate model tuning more transparent.« less

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

Babucci, Melike; Fang, Chia -Yu; Hoffman, Adam S.

1,3-Dialkylimidazolium ionic liquid coatings act as electron donors, increasing the selectivity for partial hydrogenation of 1,3-butadiene catalyzed by iridium complexes supported on high-surface-area γ-Al 2O 3. High-energy-resolution fluorescence detection X-ray absorption near-edge structure (HERFD XANES) measurements quantify the electron donation and are correlated with the catalytic activity and selectivity. Furthermore, the results demonstrate broad opportunities to tune electronic environments and catalytic properties of atomically dispersed supported metal catalysts.

Leveraging electrokinetics for the active control of dendritic fullerene-1 release across a nanochannel membrane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bruno, Giacomo; Geninatti, Thomas; Hood, R. Lyle; Fine, Daniel; Scorrano, Giovanni; Schmulen, Jeffrey; Hosali, Sharath; Ferrari, Mauro; Grattoni, Alessandro

2015-03-01

General adoption of advanced treatment protocols such as chronotherapy will hinge on progress in drug delivery technologies that provide precise temporal control of therapeutic release. Such innovation is also crucial to future medicine approaches such as telemedicine. Here we present a nanofluidic membrane technology capable of achieving active and tunable control of molecular transport through nanofluidic channels. Control was achieved through application of an electric field between two platinum electrodes positioned on either surface of a 5.7 nm nanochannel membrane designed for zero-order drug delivery. Two electrode configurations were tested: laser-cut foils and electron beam deposited thin-films, configurations capable of operating at low voltage (<=1.5 V), and power (100 nW). Temporal, reproducible tuning and interruption of dendritic fullerene 1 (DF-1) transport was demonstrated over multi-day release experiments. Conductance tests showed limiting currents in the low applied potential range, implying ionic concentration polarization (ICP) at the interface between the membrane's micro- and nanochannels, even in concentrated solutions (<=1 M NaCl). The ability of this nanotechnology platform to facilitate controlled delivery of molecules and particles has broad applicability to next-generation therapeutics for numerous pathologies, including autoimmune diseases, circadian dysfunction, pain, and stress, among others.General adoption of advanced treatment protocols such as chronotherapy will hinge on progress in drug delivery technologies that provide precise temporal control of therapeutic release. Such innovation is also crucial to future medicine approaches such as telemedicine. Here we present a nanofluidic membrane technology capable of achieving active and tunable control of molecular transport through nanofluidic channels. Control was achieved through application of an electric field between two platinum electrodes positioned on either surface of a 5.7 nm nanochannel membrane designed for zero-order drug delivery. Two electrode configurations were tested: laser-cut foils and electron beam deposited thin-films, configurations capable of operating at low voltage (<=1.5 V), and power (100 nW). Temporal, reproducible tuning and interruption of dendritic fullerene 1 (DF-1) transport was demonstrated over multi-day release experiments. Conductance tests showed limiting currents in the low applied potential range, implying ionic concentration polarization (ICP) at the interface between the membrane's micro- and nanochannels, even in concentrated solutions (<=1 M NaCl). The ability of this nanotechnology platform to facilitate controlled delivery of molecules and particles has broad applicability to next-generation therapeutics for numerous pathologies, including autoimmune diseases, circadian dysfunction, pain, and stress, among others. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr06209d

Distortion-product otoacoustic emission suppression tuning curves in humans

PubMed Central

Gorga, Michael P.; Neely, Stephen T.; Kopun, Judy; Tan, Hongyang

2011-01-01

Distortion-product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) suppression data as a function of suppressor level (L3) for f2 frequencies from 0.5 to 8 kHz and L2 levels from 10 to 60 dB sensation level were used to construct suppression tuning curves (STCs). DPOAE levels in the presence of suppressors were converted into decrement versus L3 functions, and the L3 levels resulting in 3 dB decrements were derived by transformed linear regression. These L3 levels were plotted as a function of f3 to construct STCs. When f3 is represented on an octave scale, STCs were similar in shape across f2 frequency. These STCs were analyzed to provide estimates of gain (tip-to-tail difference) and tuning (QERB). Both gain and tuning decreased as L2 increased, regardless of f2, but the trend with f2 was not monotonic. A roughly linear relation was observed between gain and tuning at each frequency, such that gain increased by 4–16 dB (mean ≈ 5 dB) for every unit increase in QERB, although the pattern varied with frequency. These findings suggest consistent nonlinear processing across a wide frequency range in humans, although the nonlinear operation range is frequency dependent. PMID:21361440

Wideband electromagnetic energy harvesting from ambient vibrations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mallick, Dhiman; Podder, Pranay; Roy, Saibal

2015-06-01

Different bandwidth widening schemes of electromagnetic energy harvesters have been reported in this work. The devices are fabricated on FR4 substrate using laser micromachining techniques. The linear device operate in a narrow band around the resonance; in order to tune resonant frequency of the device electrically, two different types of complex load topologies are adopted. Using capacitive load, the resonant frequency is tuned in the low frequency direction whereas using inductive load, the resonant frequency is tuned in the high frequency direction. An overall tuning range of ˜2.4 Hz is obtained at 0.3g though the output power dropped significantly over the tuning range. In order to improve the off-resonance performance, nonlinear oscillation based systems are adopted. A specially designed spring arm with fixed-guided configuration produced single well nonlinear monostable configuration. With increasing input acceleration, wider bandwidth is obtained with such a system as large displacement, stretching nonlinearity comes into play and 9.55 Hz bandwidth is obtained at 0.5g. The repulsive force between one static and one vibrating oppositely polarized magnets are used to generate bistable nonlinear potential system. The distance between the mentioned magnets is varied between 4 to 10 mm to produce tunable nonlinearity with a maximum half power bandwidth over 3 Hz at 0.5g.

Low-loss tunable 1D ITO-slot photonic crystal nanobeam cavity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amin, Rubab; Tahersima, Mohammad H.; Ma, Zhizhen; Suer, Can; Liu, Ke; Dalir, Hamed; Sorger, Volker J.

2018-05-01

Tunable optical material properties enable novel applications in both versatile metamaterials and photonic components including optical sources and modulators. Transparent conductive oxides (TCOs) are able to highly tune their optical properties with applied bias via altering their free carrier concentration and hence plasma dispersion. The TCO material indium tin oxide (ITO) exhibits unity-strong index change and epsilon-near-zero behavior. However, with such tuning the corresponding high optical losses, originating from the fundamental Kramers–Kronig relations, result in low cavity finesse. However, achieving efficient tuning in ITO-cavities without using light–matter interaction enhancement techniques such as polaritonic modes, which are inherently lossy, is a challenge. Here we discuss a novel one-dimensional photonic crystal nanobeam cavity to deliver a cavity system offering a wide range of resonance tuning range, while preserving physical compact footprints. We show that a vertical silicon-slot waveguide incorporating an actively gated-ITO layer delivers ∼3.4 nm of tuning. By deploying distributed feedback, we are able to keep the Q-factor moderately high with tuning. Combining this with the sub-diffraction limited mode volume (0.1 (λ/2n)3) from the photonic (non-plasmonic) slot waveguide, facilitates a high Purcell factor exceeding 1000. This strong light–matter-interaction shows that reducing the mode volume of a cavity outweighs reducing the losses in diffraction limited modal cavities such as those from bulk Si3N4. These tunable cavities enable future modulators and optical sources such as tunable lasers.

Design and Testing of a Dynamically-Tuned Magnetostrictive Spring with Electrically-Controlled Stiffness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scheidler, Justin; Asnani, Vivake M.; Dapino, Marcelo J.

2015-01-01

This paper details the development of an electrically-controlled, variable-stiffness spring based on magnetostrictive materials. The device, termed a magnetostrictive Varispring, can be applied as a semi-active vibration isolator or switched stiffness vibration controller for reducing transmitted vibrations. The Varispring is designed using 1D linear models that consider the coupled electrical response, mechanically-induced magnetic diffusion, and the effect of internal mass on dynamic stiffness. Modeling results illustrate that a Terfenol-D-based Varispring has a rise time almost an order of magnitude smaller and a magnetic diffusion cut-off frequency over two orders of magnitude greater than a Galfenol-based Varispring. The results motivate the use of laminated Terfenol-D rods for a greater stiffness tuning range and increased bandwidth. The behavior of a prototype Varispring is examined under vibratory excitation up to 6 MPa and 25 Hz using a dynamic load frame. For this prototype, stiffness is indirectly varied by controlling the excitation current. Preliminary measurements of continuous stiffness tuning via sinusoidal currents up to 1 kHz are presented. The measurements demonstrate that the Young's modulus of the Terfenol-D rod inside the Varispring can be continuously varied by up to 21.9 GPa. The observed stiffness tuning range is relatively constant up to 500 Hz, but significantly decreases thereafter. The stiffness tuning range can be greatly increased by improving the current and force control such that a more consistent current can be applied and the Varispring can be accurately tested at a more optimal bias stress.

Even subtle cultural differences affect face tuning.

PubMed

Pavlova, Marina A; Heiz, Julie; Sokolov, Alexander N; Fallgatter, Andreas J; Barisnikov, Koviljka

2018-01-01

Culture shapes social cognition in many ways. Yet cultural impact on face tuning remains largely unclear. Here typically developing females and males from the French-speaking part of Switzerland were presented with a set of Arcimboldo-like Face-n-Food images composed of food ingredients and in different degree resembling a face. The outcome had been compared with previous findings obtained in young adults of the South-West Germany. In that study, males exhibit higher thresholds for face tuning on the Face-n-Food task than females. In Swiss participants, no gender differences exist in face tuning. Strikingly, males from the French-speaking part of Switzerland possess higher sensitivity to faces than their German peers, whereas no difference in face tuning occurs between females. The outcome indicates that even relatively subtle cultural differences as well as culture by gender interaction can modulate social cognition. Clarification of the nature of cultural impact on face tuning as well as social cognition at large is of substantial value for understanding a wide range of neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental conditions.

Fabrication of thin ZnO films with wide-range tuned optical properties by reactive magnetron sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davydova, A.; Tselikov, G.; Dilone, D.; Rao, K. V.; Kabashin, A. V.; Belova, L.

2018-02-01

We report the manufacturing of thin zinc oxide films by reactive magnetron sputtering at room temperature, and examine their structural and optical properties. We show that the partial oxygen pressure in DC mode can have dramatic effect on absorption and refractive index (RI) of the films in a broad spectral range. In particular, the change of the oxygen pressure from 7% to 5% can lead to either conventional crystalline ZnO films having low absorption and characteristic descending dependence of RI from 2.4-2.7 RIU in the visible to 1.8-2 RIU in the near-infrared (1600 nm) range, or to untypical films, composed of ZnO nano-crystals embedded into amorphous matrix, exhibiting unexpectedly high absorption in the visible-infrared region and ascending dependence of RI with values varying from 1.5 RIU in the visible to 4 RIU in the IR (1600 nm), respectively. Untypical optical characteristics in the second case are explained by defects in ZnO structure arising due to under-oxidation of ZnO crystals. We also show that the observed defect-related film structure remains stable even after annealing of films under relatively high temperatures (30 min under 450 °C). We assume that both types of films can be of importance for photovoltaic (as contact or active layers, respectively), as well as for chemical or biological sensing, optoelectronics etc.

Frequency adjustable MEMS vibration energy harvester

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Podder, P.; Constantinou, P.; Amann, A.; Roy, S.

2016-10-01

Ambient mechanical vibrations offer an attractive solution for powering the wireless sensor nodes of the emerging “Internet-of-Things”. However, the wide-ranging variability of the ambient vibration frequencies pose a significant challenge to the efficient transduction of vibration into usable electrical energy. This work reports the development of a MEMS electromagnetic vibration energy harvester where the resonance frequency of the oscillator can be adjusted or tuned to adapt to the ambient vibrational frequency. Micro-fabricated silicon spring and double layer planar micro-coils along with sintered NdFeB micro-magnets are used to construct the electromagnetic transduction mechanism. Furthermore, another NdFeB magnet is adjustably assembled to induce variable magnetic interaction with the transducing magnet, leading to significant change in the spring stiffness and resonance frequency. Finite element analysis and numerical simulations exhibit substantial frequency tuning range (25% of natural resonance frequency) by appropriate adjustment of the repulsive magnetic interaction between the tuning and transducing magnet pair. This demonstrated method of frequency adjustment or tuning have potential applications in other MEMS vibration energy harvesters and micromechanical oscillators.

Precise and versatile formula for birefringent filters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shao, Zhongxing

1996-07-01

In an investigation of extraordinary-(E-) ray behavior and the index of refraction for E waves in a uniaxial crystal, a precise and versatile formula for birefringent filters, based on the exact construction of the optical path difference, is set up with neither the approximation Delta n = no - ne less than or equals no (or n e), nor the ambiguity sin( theta )/sin(rw) = ne. The exact construction gives the correct variation of the position and the dimension in each path, yielding the path difference while the filter is tuning. The formula is applicable not only to a filter with its optical axis parallel to the entrance surface (FAPS) but also to a filter with its axis inclined to the surface (FAIS). Also, the formula indicates that a FAIS allows laser wavelengths to be tuned over a wider range than does a FAPS. The origin of the wider range is interpreted to be the greater variation in the index for the FAIS while the filter is tuning. With the help of the formula we design a FAIS for tuning a cw 42.25.Lc.

High-speed tunable microwave photonic notch filter based on phase modulator incorporated Lyot filter.

PubMed

Ge, Jia; Feng, Hanlin; Scott, Guy; Fok, Mable P

2015-01-01

A high-speed tunable microwave photonic notch filter with ultrahigh rejection ratio is presented, which is achieved by semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA)-based single-sideband modulation and optical spectral filtering with a phase modulator-incorporated Lyot (PM-Lyot) filter. By varying the birefringence of the phase modulator through electro-optic effect, electrically tuning of the microwave photonic notch filter is experimentally achieved at tens of gigahertz speed. The use of SOA-polarizer based single-sideband modulation scheme provides good sideband suppression over a wide frequency range, resulting in an ultrahigh rejection ratio of the microwave photonic notch filter. Stable filter spectrum with bandstop rejection ratio over 60 dB is observed over a frequency tuning range from 1.8 to 10 GHz. Compare with standard interferometric notch filter, narrower bandwidth and sharper notch profile are achieved with the unique PM-Lyot filter, resulting in better filter selectivity. Moreover, bandwidth tuning is also achieved through polarization adjustment inside the PM-Lyot filter, that the 10-dB filter bandwidth is tuned from 0.81 to 1.85 GHz.

Novel Electrically Tunable Microwave Solenoid Inductor and Compact Phase Shifter Utilizing Permaloy and PZT Thin Films

DOE PAGES

Wang, Tengxing; Jiang, Wei; Divan, Ralu; ...

2017-08-03

A Permalloy (Py) thin film enabled tunable 3-D solenoid inductor is designed and fabricated. The special configuration of magnetic core is discussed and by selectively patterning Py thin film, the proposed tunable inductor can work at frequency up to several GHz range. The inductance of the solenoid inductor can be electrically tuned by dc current and the tunability is above 10%. Utilizing the implemented Py enabled tunable solenoid inductor and Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) thin film enabled metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor, a compact fully electrically tunable lumped elements phase shifter is achieved. The tunable phase shifter has both inductive and capacitivemore » tunability and the dual tunability significantly improves the tuning range and design flexibility. Moreover, the dual tunability is able to retain the equivalent characteristic impedance of the device in the process of the phase being tuned. Here, the phase of the device can be tuned by fully electrical methods and when dc current and dc voltage are provided, the length normalized phase tunability is up to 210°/cm« less

Many-body localization in a long range XXZ model with random-field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Bo

2016-12-01

Many-body localization (MBL) in a long range interaction XXZ model with random field are investigated. Using the exact diagonal method, the MBL phase diagram with different tuning parameters and interaction range is obtained. It is found that the phase diagram of finite size results supplies strong evidence to confirm that the threshold interaction exponent α = 2. The tuning parameter Δ can efficiently change the MBL edge in high energy density stats, thus the system can be controlled to transfer from thermal phase to MBL phase by changing Δ. The energy level statistics data are consistent with result of the MBL phase diagram. However energy level statistics data cannot detect the thermal phase correctly in extreme long range case.

Full-color tuning in binary polymer:perovskite nanocrystals organic-inorganic hybrid blends

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perulli, A.; Balena, A.; Fernandez, M.; Nedelcu, G.; Cretí, A.; Kovalenko, M. V.; Lomascolo, M.; Anni, M.

2018-04-01

The excellent optical and electronic properties of metal halide perovskites recently proposed these materials as interesting active materials for optoelectronic applications. In particular, the high color purity of perovskite colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) had recently motivated their exploration as active materials for light emitting diodes with tunable emission across the visible range. In this work, we investigated the emission properties of binary blends of conjugated polymers and perovskite NCs. We demonstrate that the emission color of the blends is determined by the superposition of the component photoluminescence spectra, allowing color tuning by acting on the blend relative composition. The use of two different polymers, two different perovskite NCs, and different blend compositions is exploited to tune the blend color in the blue-green, yellow-red, and blue-red ranges, including white light generation.

An electronically tuned wideband probehead for NQR spectroscopy in the VHF range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scharfetter, Hermann

2016-10-01

Nuclear quadrupole resonance spectroscopy is an analytical method which allows to characterize materials which contain quadrupolar nuclei, i.e. nuclei with spin ⩾1. The measurement technology is similar to that of NMR except that no static magnetic field is necessary. In contrast to NMR, however, it is frequently necessary to scan spectra with a very large bandwidth with a span of several tens of % of the central frequency so as to localize unknown peaks. Standard NMR probeheads which are typically constructed as resonators must be tuned and matched to comparatively narrow bands and must thus be re-tuned and re-matched very frequently when scanning over a whole NQR spectrum. At low frequencies up to few MHz dedicated circuits without the need for tuning and matching have been developed, but many quadrupole nuclei have transitions in the VHF range between several tens of MHz up to several hundreds of MHz. Currently available commercial NQR probeheads employ stepper motors for setting mechanically tuneable capacitors in standard NMR resonators. These yield high quality factors (Q) and thus high SNR but are relatively large and clumsy and do not allow for fast frequency sweeps. This article presents a new concept for a NQR probehead which combines a previously published no-tune no-match wideband concept for the transmit (TX) pulse with an electronically tuneable receive (RX) part employing varactor diodes. The prototype coil provides a TX frequency range of 57 MHz with a center frequency of 97.5 MHz with a return loss of ⩽-15 dB. During RX the resonator is tuned and matched automatically to the right frequency via control voltages which are read out from a previously generated lookup table, thus providing high SNR. The control voltages which bias the varactors settle very fast and allow for hopping to the next frequency point in the spectrum within less than 100 μs. Experiments with a test sample of ZnBr2 proved the feasibility of the method.

A facetless regrowth-free single mode laser based on MMI couplers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caro, Ludovic; Kelly, Niall P.; Dernaika, Mohamad; Shayesteh, Maryam; Morrissey, Padraic E.; Alexander, Justin K.; Peters, Frank H.

2017-09-01

This paper presents a facetless, tunable laser operating near 1575 nm, as well as a theoretical model predicting spectral features of the laser. The lasers were fabricated without regrowth or advanced lithography techniques, and are based on MMI couplers and etched facets. Coarse vernier tuning was achieved over a range of 25 nm, while fine, thermal tuning was also demonstrated over a range of 1.5 nm. SMSR values of 25 dB and higher were observed, with a measured laser linewidth of 600 kHz.

Modeling Enclosure Design in Above-Grade Walls

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

Lstiburek, J.; Ueno, K.; Musunuru, S.

2016-03-01

This report describes the modeling of typical wall assemblies that have performed well historically in various climate zones. The WUFI (Warme und Feuchte instationar) software (Version 5.3) model was used. A library of input data and results are provided. The provided information can be generalized for application to a broad population of houses, within the limits of existing experience. The WUFI software model was calibrated or tuned using wall assemblies with historically successful performance. The primary performance criteria or failure criteria establishing historic performance was moisture content of the exterior sheathing. The primary tuning parameters (simulation inputs) were airflow andmore » specifying appropriate material properties. Rational hygric loads were established based on experience - specifically rain wetting and interior moisture (RH levels). The tuning parameters were limited or bounded by published data or experience. The WUFI templates provided with this report supply useful information resources to new or less-experienced users. The files present various custom settings that will help avoid results that will require overly conservative enclosure assemblies. Overall, better material data, consistent initial assumptions, and consistent inputs among practitioners will improve the quality of WUFI modeling, and improve the level of sophistication in the field.« less

Continuous-wave broadly tunable Cr 2+:ZnSe laser pumped by a thulium fiber laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sennaroglu, Alphan; Demirbas, Umit; Vermeulen, Nathalie; Ottevaere, Heidi; Thienpont, Hugo

2006-12-01

We describe a compact, broadly tunable, continuous-wave (cw) Cr 2+:ZnSe laser pumped by a thulium fiber laser at 1800 nm. In the experiments, a polycrystalline ZnSe sample with a chromium concentration of 9.5 × 10 18 cm -3 was used. Free-running laser output was around 2500 nm. Output couplers with transmissions of 3%, 6%, and 15% were used to characterize the power performance of the laser. Best power performance was obtained with a 15% transmitting output coupler. In this case, as high as 640 mW of output power was obtained with 2.5 W of pump power at a wavelength of 2480 nm. The stimulated emission cross-section values determined from laser threshold data and emission measurements were in good agreement. Finally, broad, continuous tuning of the laser was demonstrated between 2240 and 2900 nm by using an intracavity Brewster cut MgF 2 prism and a single set of optics.

A self-tuning automatic voltage regulator designed for an industrial environment

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

Flynn, D.; Hogg, B.W.; Swidenbank, E.

Examination of the performance of fixed parameter controllers has resulted in the development of self-tuning strategies for excitation control of turbogenerator systems. In conjunction with the advanced control algorithms, sophisticated measurement techniques have previously been adopted on micromachine systems to provide generator terminal quantities. In power stations, however, a minimalist hardware arrangement would be selected leading to relatively simple measurement techniques. The performance of a range of self-tuning schemes is investigated on an industrial test-bed, employing a typical industrial hardware measurement system. Individual controllers are implemented on a standard digital automatic voltage regulator, as installed in power stations. This employsmore » a VME platform, and the self-tuning algorithms are introduced by linking to a transputer network. The AVR includes all normal features, such as field forcing, VAR limiting and overflux protection. Self-tuning controller performance is compared with that of a fixed gain digital AVR.« less

Energy level alignment at molecule-metal interfaces from an optimally tuned range-separated hybrid functional

DOE PAGES

Liu, Zhen-Fei; Egger, David A.; Refaely-Abramson, Sivan; ...

2017-02-21

The alignment of the frontier orbital energies of an adsorbed molecule with the substrate Fermi level at metal-organic interfaces is a fundamental observable of significant practical importance in nanoscience and beyond. Typical density functional theory calculations, especially those using local and semi-local functionals, often underestimate level alignment leading to inaccurate electronic structure and charge transport properties. Here, we develop a new fully self-consistent predictive scheme to accurately compute level alignment at certain classes of complex heterogeneous molecule-metal interfaces based on optimally tuned range-separated hybrid functionals. Starting from a highly accurate description of the gas-phase electronic structure, our method by constructionmore » captures important nonlocal surface polarization effects via tuning of the long-range screened exchange in a range-separated hybrid in a non-empirical and system-specific manner. We implement this functional in a plane-wave code and apply it to several physisorbed and chemisorbed molecule-metal interface systems. Our results are in quantitative agreement with experiments, the both the level alignment and work function changes. This approach constitutes a new practical scheme for accurate and efficient calculations of the electronic structure of molecule-metal interfaces.« less

Energy level alignment at molecule-metal interfaces from an optimally tuned range-separated hybrid functional

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhen-Fei; Egger, David A.; Refaely-Abramson, Sivan; Kronik, Leeor; Neaton, Jeffrey B.

2017-03-01

The alignment of the frontier orbital energies of an adsorbed molecule with the substrate Fermi level at metal-organic interfaces is a fundamental observable of significant practical importance in nanoscience and beyond. Typical density functional theory calculations, especially those using local and semi-local functionals, often underestimate level alignment leading to inaccurate electronic structure and charge transport properties. In this work, we develop a new fully self-consistent predictive scheme to accurately compute level alignment at certain classes of complex heterogeneous molecule-metal interfaces based on optimally tuned range-separated hybrid functionals. Starting from a highly accurate description of the gas-phase electronic structure, our method by construction captures important nonlocal surface polarization effects via tuning of the long-range screened exchange in a range-separated hybrid in a non-empirical and system-specific manner. We implement this functional in a plane-wave code and apply it to several physisorbed and chemisorbed molecule-metal interface systems. Our results are in quantitative agreement with experiments, the both the level alignment and work function changes. Our approach constitutes a new practical scheme for accurate and efficient calculations of the electronic structure of molecule-metal interfaces.

Directional tuning of human forearm muscle afferents during voluntary wrist movements

PubMed Central

Jones, Kelvin E; Wessberg, Johan; Vallbo, Åke B

2001-01-01

Single unit activity was recorded with the microneurography technique from sixteen spindle afferents and one Golgi tendon organ afferent originating from the forearm extensor muscles. Impulse rates were studied while subjects performed unobstructed aiming movements at the wrist in eight different directions 45 deg apart. In addition, similar imposed movements were performed while the subject was instructed to remain relaxed. Movement amplitudes were about 5 deg and the speed 10–30 deg s−1. Joint movements were translated to movements of a cursor on a monitor to provide visual feedback. Individual spindle afferents modulated their activity over a number of targets, i.e. were broadly tuned, during these aiming movements. The preferred direction for a spindle afferent was the same during both passive and active movements, indicating that the fusimotor effects associated with active contractions had little or no effect on the direction of tuning. The direction of tuning of individual spindle afferents could be predicted from the biomechanically inferred length changes of the parent muscle. Thus spindle afferents responded as stretch receptors, i.e. impulse rates increased with lengthening and decreased with shortening, in active as well as passive movements. Spindles from muscles, which continuously counteracted gravity exhibited a stretch response and directional tuning during the phase of movement alone whereas their position sensitivity was poor. In contrast, spindle afferents from the muscles that had no or minimal antigravity role were directionally tuned during both the dynamic and the static phase of the aiming task and their position sensitivity was substantially higher. In spite of the limited data base from three extensor muscles it could be demonstrated that wrist joint position was remarkably well encoded in the ensemble muscle spindle data. In some cases the ensemble muscle spindle data encoded the instantaneous trajectory of movement as well. PMID:11600696

The representation of sound localization cues in the barn owl's inferior colliculus

PubMed Central

Singheiser, Martin; Gutfreund, Yoram; Wagner, Hermann

2012-01-01

The barn owl is a well-known model system for studying auditory processing and sound localization. This article reviews the morphological and functional organization, as well as the role of the underlying microcircuits, of the barn owl's inferior colliculus (IC). We focus on the processing of frequency and interaural time (ITD) and level differences (ILD). We first summarize the morphology of the sub-nuclei belonging to the IC and their differentiation by antero- and retrograde labeling and by staining with various antibodies. We then focus on the response properties of neurons in the three major sub-nuclei of IC [core of the central nucleus of the IC (ICCc), lateral shell of the central nucleus of the IC (ICCls), and the external nucleus of the IC (ICX)]. ICCc projects to ICCls, which in turn sends its information to ICX. The responses of neurons in ICCc are sensitive to changes in ITD but not to changes in ILD. The distribution of ITD sensitivity with frequency in ICCc can only partly be explained by optimal coding. We continue with the tuning properties of ICCls neurons, the first station in the midbrain where the ITD and ILD pathways merge after they have split at the level of the cochlear nucleus. The ICCc and ICCls share similar ITD and frequency tuning. By contrast, ICCls shows sigmoidal ILD tuning which is absent in ICCc. Both ICCc and ICCls project to the forebrain, and ICCls also projects to ICX, where space-specific neurons are found. Space-specific neurons exhibit side peak suppression in ITD tuning, bell-shaped ILD tuning, and are broadly tuned to frequency. These neurons respond only to restricted positions of auditory space and form a map of two-dimensional auditory space. Finally, we briefly review major IC features, including multiplication-like computations, correlates of echo suppression, plasticity, and adaptation. PMID:22798945

Atomic Linkage Flexibility Tuned Isotropic Negative, Zero, and Positive Thermal Expansion in MZrF 6 (M = Ca, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Zn)

DOE PAGES

Hu, Lei; Chen, Jun; Xu, Jiale; ...

2016-10-26

The controllable isotropic thermal expansion with a broad coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) window is intriguing but remains challenge. Herein we report a cubic MZrF 6 series (M = Ca, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni and Zn), which exhibit controllable thermal expansion over a wide temperature range and with a broader CTE window (–6.69 to +18.23 × 10 –6/K). In particular, an isotropic zero thermal expansion (ZTE) is achieved in ZnZrF 6, which is one of the rarely documented hightemperature isotropic ZTE compounds. By utilizing temperature dependent high-energy synchrotron X-ray total scattering diffraction, it is found that the flexibility of metal···Fmore » atomic linkages in MZrF 6 plays a critical role in distinct thermal expansions. The flexible metal···F atomic linkages induce negative thermal expansion (NTE) for CaZrF 6, whereas the stiff ones bring positive thermal expansion (PTE) for 6. Thermal expansion could be transformed from striking negative, to zero, and finally to considerable positive though tuning the flexibility of metal···F atomic linkages by substitution with a series of cations on M sites of MZrF 6. In conclusion, the present study not only extends the scope of NTE families and rare high-temperature isotropic ZTE compounds but also proposes a new method to design systematically controllable isotropic thermal expansion frameworks from the perspective of atomic linkage flexibility.« less

Design and Fabrication of a Universal Soft Gripper

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sabzehzar, Amin

Inspired from nature, soft robots capable of actively tuning their mechanical rigidity can rapidly transition between a broad range of motor tasks, from lifting heavy loads to dexterous manipulation of delicate objects. Reversible rigidity tuning also enables soft robotic actuators to reroute their internal loading and alter their mode of deformation in response to intrinsic activation. In this study, we demonstrate this principle with a three-fingered pneumatic gripper that contains programmable ligaments that change stiness when activated with electrical current. The ligaments are composed of a conductive thermoplastic elastomer composite that reversibly softens under resistive heating. Depending on which ligaments are activated, the gripper will bend inward to pick up an object, bend laterally to twist it, or bend outward to release it. Each finger consists of three PDMS phalanges that are attached with two Ecoflex joints. Three ligaments (strips of a cPBE-PDMS composite layer) are attached along the finger and are stimulated with electricity individually. When the high pressure air is injected in the hollow middle part of the finger, the finger will be bent in the opposite direction of the stimulated cPBE-PDMS element (softer wall). This enables the gripper's fingers to grab and twist objects with dierent sizes and shapes. All of the gripper motions are generated with a single pneumatic source of pressure and are controlled with an electrical board. The ability to incorporate electrically programmable ligaments in pneumatic or hydraulic actuators has the potential to enhance versatility and reduce dependency on tubing and valves. In this study, an activation/deactivation cycle can be completed within 15 s.

Investigation of microcantilever array with ordered nanoporous coatings for selective chemical detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, J.-H.; Houk, R. T. J.; Robinson, A.; Greathouse, J. A.; Thornberg, S. M.; Allendorf, M. D.; Hesketh, P. J.

2010-04-01

In this paper we demonstrate the potential for novel nanoporous framework materials (NFM) such as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) to provide selectivity and sensitivity to a broad range of analytes including explosives, nerve agents, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). NFM are highly ordered, crystalline materials with considerable synthetic flexibility resulting from the presence of both organic and inorganic components within their structure. Detection of chemical weapons of mass destruction (CWMD), explosives, toxic industrial chemicals (TICs), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) using micro-electro-mechanical-systems (MEMS) devices, such as microcantilevers and surface acoustic wave sensors, requires the use of recognition layers to impart selectivity. Traditional organic polymers are dense, impeding analyte uptake and slowing sensor response. The nanoporosity and ultrahigh surface areas of NFM enhance transport into and out of the NFM layer, improving response times, and their ordered structure enables structural tuning to impart selectivity. Here we describe experiments and modeling aimed at creating NFM layers tailored to the detection of water vapor, explosives, CWMD, and VOCs, and their integration with the surfaces of MEMS devices. Force field models show that a high degree of chemical selectivity is feasible. For example, using a suite of MOFs it should be possible to select for explosives vs. CWMD, VM vs. GA (nerve agents), and anthracene vs. naphthalene (VOCs). We will also demonstrate the integration of various NFM with the surfaces of MEMS devices and describe new synthetic methods developed to improve the quality of VFM coatings. Finally, MOF-coated MEMS devices show how temperature changes can be tuned to improve response times, selectivity, and sensitivity.

Robust and Bright Photoluminescence from Colloidal Nanocrystal/Al2O3 Composite Films Fabricated by Atomic Layer Deposition.

PubMed

Palei, Milan; Caligiuri, Vincenzo; Kudera, Stefan; Krahne, Roman

2018-06-22

Colloidal nanocrystals are a promising fluorescent class of materials whose spontaneous emission features can be tuned over a broad spectral range via their composition, geometry, and size. However, toward embedding nanocrystal films in elaborated device geometries, one significant drawback is the sensitivity of their emission properties on further fabrication processes like lithography, metal or oxide deposition, etc. In this work, we demonstrate how bright-emitting and robust thin films can be obtained by combining nanocrystal deposition from solutions via spin coating with subsequent atomic layer deposition of alumina. For the resulting composite films, the layer thickness can be controlled on the nanoscale and their refractive index can be finely tuned by the amount of deposited alumina. Ellipsometry is used to measure the real and imaginary part of the dielectric permittivity, which gives direct access to the wavelength dependent refractive index and absorbance of the film. Detailed analysis of the photophysics of thin films of core-shell nanocrystals with different shapes and different shell thicknesses allows to correlate the behavior of the photoluminescence and of the decay lifetime to the changes in the nonradiative rate that are induced by the alumina deposition. We show that the photoemission properties of such composite films are stable in wavelength and intensity over several months and that the photoluminescence completely recovers from heating processes up to 240 °C. The latter is particularly interesting since it demonstrates robustness to the typical heat treatment that is needed in several process steps like resist-based lithography and deposition by thermal or electron beam evaporation of metals or oxides.

Atomic Linkage Flexibility Tuned Isotropic Negative, Zero, and Positive Thermal Expansion in MZrF 6 (M = Ca, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Zn)

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

Hu, Lei; Chen, Jun; Xu, Jiale

The controllable isotropic thermal expansion with a broad coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) window is intriguing but remains challenge. Herein we report a cubic MZrF 6 series (M = Ca, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni and Zn), which exhibit controllable thermal expansion over a wide temperature range and with a broader CTE window (–6.69 to +18.23 × 10 –6/K). In particular, an isotropic zero thermal expansion (ZTE) is achieved in ZnZrF 6, which is one of the rarely documented hightemperature isotropic ZTE compounds. By utilizing temperature dependent high-energy synchrotron X-ray total scattering diffraction, it is found that the flexibility of metal···Fmore » atomic linkages in MZrF 6 plays a critical role in distinct thermal expansions. The flexible metal···F atomic linkages induce negative thermal expansion (NTE) for CaZrF 6, whereas the stiff ones bring positive thermal expansion (PTE) for 6. Thermal expansion could be transformed from striking negative, to zero, and finally to considerable positive though tuning the flexibility of metal···F atomic linkages by substitution with a series of cations on M sites of MZrF 6. In conclusion, the present study not only extends the scope of NTE families and rare high-temperature isotropic ZTE compounds but also proposes a new method to design systematically controllable isotropic thermal expansion frameworks from the perspective of atomic linkage flexibility.« less

Receptive-field subfields of V2 neurons in macaque monkeys are adult-like near birth.

PubMed

Zhang, Bin; Tao, Xiaofeng; Shen, Guofu; Smith, Earl L; Ohzawa, Izumi; Chino, Yuzo M

2013-02-06

Infant primates can discriminate texture-defined form despite their relatively low visual acuity. The neuronal mechanisms underlying this remarkable visual capacity of infants have not been studied in nonhuman primates. Since many V2 neurons in adult monkeys can extract the local features in complex stimuli that are required for form vision, we used two-dimensional dynamic noise stimuli and local spectral reverse correlation to measure whether the spatial map of receptive-field subfields in individual V2 neurons is sufficiently mature near birth to capture local features. As in adults, most V2 neurons in 4-week-old monkeys showed a relatively high degree of homogeneity in the spatial matrix of facilitatory subfields. However, ∼25% of V2 neurons had the subfield map where the neighboring facilitatory subfields substantially differed in their preferred orientations and spatial frequencies. Over 80% of V2 neurons in both infants and adults had "tuned" suppressive profiles in their subfield maps that could alter the tuning properties of facilitatory profiles. The differences in the preferred orientations between facilitatory and suppressive profiles were relatively large but extended over a broad range. Response immaturities in infants were mild; the overall strength of facilitatory subfield responses was lower than that in adults, and the optimal correlation delay ("latency") was longer in 4-week-old infants. These results suggest that as early as 4 weeks of age, the spatial receptive-field structure of V2 neurons is as complex as in adults and the ability of V2 neurons to compare local features of neighboring stimulus elements is nearly adult like.

Frequency Tuning of Vibration Absorber Using Topology Optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harel, Swapnil Subhash

A tuned mass absorber is a system for reducing the amplitude in one oscillator by coupling it to a second oscillator. If tuned correctly, the maximum amplitude of the first oscillator in response to a periodic driver will be lowered, and much of the vibration will be 'transferred' to the second oscillator. The tuned vibration absorber (TVA) has been utilized for vibration control purposes in many sectors of Civil/Automotive/Aerospace Engineering for many decades since its inception. Time and again we come across a situation in which a vibratory system is required to run near resonance. In the past, approaches have been made to design such auxiliary spring mass tuned absorbers for the safety of the structures. This research focuses on the development and optimization of continuously tuned mass absorbers as a substitute to the discretely tuned mass absorbers (spring- mass system). After conducting the study of structural behavior, the boundary condition and frequency to which the absorber is to be tuned are determined. The Modal analysis approach is used to determine mode shapes and frequencies. The absorber is designed and optimized using the topology optimization tool, which simultaneously designs, optimizes and tunes the absorber to the desired frequency. The tuned, optimized absorber, after post processing, is attached to the target structure. The number of the absorbers are increased to amplify bandwidth and thereby upgrade the safety of structure for a wide range of frequency. The frequency response analysis is carried out using various combinations of structure and number of absorber cell.

Adaptation and inhibition underlie responses to time-varying interaural phase cues in a model of inferior colliculus neurons.

PubMed

Borisyuk, Alla; Semple, Malcolm N; Rinzel, John

2002-10-01

A mathematical model was developed for exploring the sensitivity of low-frequency inferior colliculus (IC) neurons to interaural phase disparity (IPD). The formulation involves a firing-rate-type model that does not include spikes per se. The model IC neuron receives IPD-tuned excitatory and inhibitory inputs (viewed as the output of a collection of cells in the medial superior olive). The model cell possesses cellular properties of firing rate adaptation and postinhibitory rebound (PIR). The descriptions of these mechanisms are biophysically reasonable, but only semi-quantitative. We seek to explain within a minimal model the experimentally observed mismatch between responses to IPD stimuli delivered dynamically and those delivered statically (McAlpine et al. 2000; Spitzer and Semple 1993). The model reproduces many features of the responses to static IPD presentations, binaural beat, and partial range sweep stimuli. These features include differences in responses to a stimulus presented in static or dynamic context: sharper tuning and phase shifts in response to binaural beats, and hysteresis and "rise-from-nowhere" in response to partial range sweeps. Our results suggest that dynamic response features are due to the structure of inputs and the presence of firing rate adaptation and PIR mechanism in IC cells, but do not depend on a specific biophysical mechanism. We demonstrate how the model's various components contribute to shaping the observed phenomena. For example, adaptation, PIR, and transmission delay shape phase advances and delays in responses to binaural beats, adaptation and PIR shape hysteresis in different ranges of IPD, and tuned inhibition underlies asymmetry in dynamic tuning properties. We also suggest experiments to test our modeling predictions: in vitro simulation of the binaural beat (phase advance at low beat frequencies, its dependence on firing rate), in vivo partial range sweep experiments (dependence of the hysteresis curve on parameters), and inhibition blocking experiments (to study inhibitory tuning properties by observation of phase shifts).

Discrimination between olfactory receptor agonists and non-agonists.

PubMed

Topin, Jérémie; de March, Claire A; Charlier, Landry; Ronin, Catherine; Antonczak, Serge; Golebiowski, Jérôme

2014-08-11

A joint approach combining free-energy calculations and calcium-imaging assays on the broadly tuned human 1G1 olfactory receptor is reported. The free energy of binding of ten odorants was computed by means of molecular-dynamics simulations. This state function allows separating the experimentally determined eight agonists from the two non-agonists. This study constitutes a proof-of-principle for the computational deorphanization of olfactory receptors. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The human bitter taste receptor TAS2R10 is tailored to accommodate numerous diverse ligands.

PubMed

Born, Stephan; Levit, Anat; Niv, Masha Y; Meyerhof, Wolfgang; Behrens, Maik

2013-01-02

Bitter taste is a basic taste modality, required to safeguard animals against consuming toxic substances. Bitter compounds are recognized by G-protein-coupled bitter taste receptors (TAS2Rs). The human TAS2R10 responds to the toxic strychnine and numerous other compounds. The mechanism underlying the development of the broad tuning of some TAS2Rs is not understood. Using comparative modeling, site-directed mutagenesis, and functional assays, we identified residues involved in agonist-induced activation of TAS2R10, and investigated the effects of different substitutions on the receptor's response profile. Most interestingly, mutations in S85(3.29) and Q175(5.40) have differential impact on stimulation with different agonists. The fact that single point mutations lead to improved responses for some agonists and to decreased activation by others indicates that the binding site has evolved to optimally accommodate multiple agonists at the expense of reduced potency. TAS2R10 shares the agonist strychnine with TAS2R46, another broadly tuned receptor. Engineering the key determinants for TAS2R46 activation by strychnine in TAS2R10 caused a loss of response to strychnine, indicating that these paralog receptors display different strychnine-binding modes, which suggests independent acquisition of agonist specificities. This implies that the gene duplication event preceding primate speciation was accompanied by independent evolution of the strychnine-binding sites.

Experimental studies of a zeeman-tuned xenon laser differential absorption apparatus.

PubMed

Linford, G J

1973-06-01

A Zeeman-tuned cw xenon laser differential absorption device is described. The xenon laser was tuned by axial magnetic fields up to 5500 G generated by an unusually large water-cooled dc solenoid. Xenon laser lines at 3.37 micro, 3.51 micro, and 3.99 micro were tuned over ranges of 6 A, 6 A, and 11 A, respectively. To date, this apparatus has been used principally to study the details of formaldehyde absorption lines lying near the 3 .508-micro xenon laser transition. These experiments revealed that the observed absorption spectrum of formaldehyde exhibits a sufficiently unique spectral structure that the present technique may readily be used to measure relative concentrations of formaldehyde in samples of polluted air.

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

Susarla, Sandhya; Kochat, Vidya; Kutana, Alex

Transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) alloys form a broad class of two-dimensional (2D) layered materials with tunable bandgaps leading to interesting optoelectronic applications. In the bottom-up approach of building these atomically thin materials, atomic doping plays a crucial role. Here we demonstrate a single step CVD (chemical vapor deposition) growth procedure for obtaining binary alloys and heterostructures by tuning atomic composition. We show that a minute doping of tin during the growth phase of the Mo 1–xW xS 2 alloy system leads to formation of lateral and vertical heterostructure growth. High angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) imagingmore » and density functional theory (DFT) calculations also support the modified stacking and growth mechanism due to the nonisomorphous Sn substitution. Our experiments demonstrate the possibility of growing heterostructures of TMD alloys whose spectral responses can be desirably tuned for various optoelectronic applications.« less

Agile multicasting based on cascaded χ(2) nonlinearities in a step-chirped periodically poled lithium niobate.

PubMed

Ahlawat, Meenu; Bostani, Ameneh; Tehranchi, Amirhossein; Kashyap, Raman

2013-08-01

We experimentally demonstrate the possibility of agile multicasting for wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) networks, of a single-channel to two and seven channels over the C band, also extendable to S and L bands. This is based on cascaded χ(2) nonlinear mixing processes, namely, second-harmonic generation (SHG)-sum-frequency generation (SFG) and difference-frequency generation (DFG) in a 20-mm-long step-chirped periodically poled lithium niobate crystal, specially designed and fabricated for a 28-nm-wide SH-SF bandwidth centered at around 1.55 μm. The multiple idlers are simultaneously tuned by detuning the pump wavelengths within the broad SH-SF bandwidth. By selectively tuning the pump wavelengths over less than 10 and 6 nm, respectively, multicasting into two and seven idlers is successfully achieved across ~70 WDM channels within the 50 GHz International Telecommunication Union grid spacing.

Frequency tuning of synaptic inhibition underlying duration-tuned neurons in the mammalian inferior colliculus

PubMed Central

Valdizón-Rodríguez, Roberto

2017-01-01

Inhibition plays an important role in creating the temporal response properties of duration-tuned neurons (DTNs) in the mammalian inferior colliculus (IC). Neurophysiological and computational studies indicate that duration selectivity in the IC is created through the convergence of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs offset in time. We used paired-tone stimulation and extracellular recording to measure the frequency tuning of the inhibition acting on DTNs in the IC of the big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus). We stimulated DTNs with pairs of tones differing in duration, onset time, and frequency. The onset time of a short, best-duration (BD), probe tone set to the best excitatory frequency (BEF) was varied relative to the onset of a longer-duration, nonexcitatory (NE) tone whose frequency was varied. When the NE tone frequency was near or within the cell’s excitatory bandwidth (eBW), BD tone-evoked spikes were suppressed by an onset-evoked inhibition. The onset of the spike suppression was independent of stimulus frequency, but both the offset and duration of the suppression decreased as the NE tone frequency departed from the BEF. We measured the inhibitory frequency response area, best inhibitory frequency (BIF), and inhibitory bandwidth (iBW) of each cell. We found that the BIF closely matched the BEF, but the iBW was broader and usually overlapped the eBW measured from the same cell. These data suggest that temporal selectivity of midbrain DTNs is created and preserved by having cells receive an onset-evoked, constant-latency, broadband inhibition that largely overlaps the cell’s excitatory receptive field. We conclude by discussing possible neural sources of the inhibition. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Duration-tuned neurons (DTNs) arise from temporally offset excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs. We used single-unit recording and paired-tone stimulation to measure the spectral tuning of the inhibitory inputs to DTNs. The onset of inhibition was independent of stimulus frequency; the offset and duration of inhibition systematically decreased as the stimulus departed from the cell’s best excitatory frequency. Best inhibitory frequencies matched best excitatory frequencies; however, inhibitory bandwidths were more broadly tuned than excitatory bandwidths. PMID:28100657

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

Dontsova, E I; Kablukov, S I; Babin, Sergei A

A cladding-pumped ytterbium-doped fibre laser has been tuned to shorter emission wavelengths (from 1040 to 1017 nm). The laser output power obtained has been compared to calculation results. We have studied frequency doubling of the laser in a KTiOPO{sub 4} (KTP) crystal with type II phase matching in the XY plane and demonstrated wavelength tuning in the range 510 - 520 nm. (lasers)

Temperature Tunable Air-Gap Etalon Filter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krainak, Michael A.; Stephen, Mark A.; Lunt, David L.

1998-01-01

We report on experimental measurements of a temperature tuned air-gap etalon filter. The filter exhibits temperature dependent wavelength tuning of 54 pm/C. It has a nominal center wavelength of 532 nm. The etalon filter has a 27 pm optical bandpass and 600 pm free spectral range (finesse approximately 22). The experimental results are in close agreement with etalon theory.

Tunable narrow linewidth all-fiber thulium-doped fiber laser in a 2 µm-band using two Hi-Bi fiber optical loop mirrors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Posada-Ramírez, B.; Durán-Sánchez, M.; Álvarez-Tamayo, R. I.; Ibarra-Escamilla, B.; Hernández-Arriaga, M. V.; Sánchez-de-la-Llave, D.; Kuzin, E. A.

2017-08-01

We propose an all-fiber Tm-doped fiber laser with a tunable and narrow laser line generated in a wavelength region of 2 µm. A single laser line with a linewidth below 0.05 nm, tunable in a wavelength range of 44.25 nm, is obtained. The laser linewidth and the discrete wavelength tuning range depend on the characteristics of the two fiber optical loop mirrors with high birefringence in the loop that forms the cavity. Dual-wavelength laser operation is also observed at tuning range limits with a wavelength separation of 47 nm. Alternate wavelength switching is also observed.

Spectrally-broad coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering hyper-microscopy utilizing a Stokes supercontinuum pumped at 800 nm

PubMed Central

Porquez, Jeremy G.; Cole, Ryan A.; Tabarangao, Joel T.; Slepkov, Aaron D.

2016-01-01

We demonstrate spectral-focusing based coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (SF-CARS) hyper-microscopy capable of probing vibrational frequencies from 630 cm−1 to 3250 cm−1 using a single Ti:Sapphire femtosecond laser operating at 800 nm, and a commercially-available supercontinuum-generating fibre module. A broad Stokes supercontinuum with significant spectral power at wavelengths between 800 nm and 940 nm is generated by power tuning the fibre module using atypically long and/or chirped ~200 fs pump pulses, allowing convenient access to lower vibrational frequencies in the fingerprint spectral region. This work significantly reduces the instrumental and technical requirements for multimodal CARS microscopy, while expanding the spectral capabilities of an established approach to SF-CARS. PMID:27867735

Neural tuning characteristics of auditory primary afferents in the chicken embryo.

PubMed

Jones, S M; Jones, T A

1995-02-01

Primary afferent activity was recorded from the cochlear ganglion in chicken embryos (Gallus domesticus) at 19 days of incubation (E19). The ganglion was accessed via the recessus scala tympani and impaled with glass micropipettes. Frequency tuning curves were obtained using a computerized threshold tracking procedure. Tuning curves were evaluated to determine characteristics frequencies (CFs), CF thresholds, slopes of low and high frequency flanks, and tip sharpness (Q10dB). The majority of tuning curves exhibited the typical 'V' shape described for older birds and, on average, appeared relatively mature based on mean values for CF thresholds (59.6 +/- 20.3 dBSPL) and tip sharpness (Q10dB = 5.2 +/- 3). The mean slopes of low (61.9 +/- 37 dB/octave) and high (64.6 +/- 33 dB/octave) frequency flanks although comparable were somewhat less than those reported for 21-day-old chickens. Approximately 14% of the tuning curves displayed an unusual 'saw-tooth' pattern. CFs ranged from 188 to 1623 Hz. The highest CF was well below those reported for post-hatch birds. In addition, a broader range of Q10dB values (1.2 to 16.9) may related to a greater variability in embryonic tuning curves. Overall, these data suggest that an impressive functional maturity exists in the embryo at E19. The most significant sign of immaturity was the limited expression of high frequencies. It is argued that the limited high CF in part may be due to the developing middle ear transfer function and/or to a functionally immature cochlear base.

Neural tuning characteristics of auditory primary afferents in the chicken embryo

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, S. M.; Jones, T. A.

1995-01-01

Primary afferent activity was recorded from the cochlear ganglion in chicken embryos (Gallus domesticus) at 19 days of incubation (E19). The ganglion was accessed via the recessus scala tympani and impaled with glass micropipettes. Frequency tuning curves were obtained using a computerized threshold tracking procedure. Tuning curves were evaluated to determine characteristics frequencies (CFs), CF thresholds, slopes of low and high frequency flanks, and tip sharpness (Q10dB). The majority of tuning curves exhibited the typical 'V' shape described for older birds and, on average, appeared relatively mature based on mean values for CF thresholds (59.6 +/- 20.3 dBSPL) and tip sharpness (Q10dB = 5.2 +/- 3). The mean slopes of low (61.9 +/- 37 dB/octave) and high (64.6 +/- 33 dB/octave) frequency flanks although comparable were somewhat less than those reported for 21-day-old chickens. Approximately 14% of the tuning curves displayed an unusual 'saw-tooth' pattern. CFs ranged from 188 to 1623 Hz. The highest CF was well below those reported for post-hatch birds. In addition, a broader range of Q10dB values (1.2 to 16.9) may related to a greater variability in embryonic tuning curves. Overall, these data suggest that an impressive functional maturity exists in the embryo at E19. The most significant sign of immaturity was the limited expression of high frequencies. It is argued that the limited high CF in part may be due to the developing middle ear transfer function and/or to a functionally immature cochlear base.

Angle-dependent strong-field molecular ionization rates with tuned range-separated time-dependent density functional theory.

PubMed

Sissay, Adonay; Abanador, Paul; Mauger, François; Gaarde, Mette; Schafer, Kenneth J; Lopata, Kenneth

2016-09-07

Strong-field ionization and the resulting electronic dynamics are important for a range of processes such as high harmonic generation, photodamage, charge resonance enhanced ionization, and ionization-triggered charge migration. Modeling ionization dynamics in molecular systems from first-principles can be challenging due to the large spatial extent of the wavefunction which stresses the accuracy of basis sets, and the intense fields which require non-perturbative time-dependent electronic structure methods. In this paper, we develop a time-dependent density functional theory approach which uses a Gaussian-type orbital (GTO) basis set to capture strong-field ionization rates and dynamics in atoms and small molecules. This involves propagating the electronic density matrix in time with a time-dependent laser potential and a spatial non-Hermitian complex absorbing potential which is projected onto an atom-centered basis set to remove ionized charge from the simulation. For the density functional theory (DFT) functional we use a tuned range-separated functional LC-PBE*, which has the correct asymptotic 1/r form of the potential and a reduced delocalization error compared to traditional DFT functionals. Ionization rates are computed for hydrogen, molecular nitrogen, and iodoacetylene under various field frequencies, intensities, and polarizations (angle-dependent ionization), and the results are shown to quantitatively agree with time-dependent Schrödinger equation and strong-field approximation calculations. This tuned DFT with GTO method opens the door to predictive all-electron time-dependent density functional theory simulations of ionization and ionization-triggered dynamics in molecular systems using tuned range-separated hybrid functionals.

Angle-dependent strong-field molecular ionization rates with tuned range-separated time-dependent density functional theory

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

Sissay, Adonay; Abanador, Paul; Mauger, François

2016-09-07

Strong-field ionization and the resulting electronic dynamics are important for a range of processes such as high harmonic generation, photodamage, charge resonance enhanced ionization, and ionization-triggered charge migration. Modeling ionization dynamics in molecular systems from first-principles can be challenging due to the large spatial extent of the wavefunction which stresses the accuracy of basis sets, and the intense fields which require non-perturbative time-dependent electronic structure methods. In this paper, we develop a time-dependent density functional theory approach which uses a Gaussian-type orbital (GTO) basis set to capture strong-field ionization rates and dynamics in atoms and small molecules. This involves propagatingmore » the electronic density matrix in time with a time-dependent laser potential and a spatial non-Hermitian complex absorbing potential which is projected onto an atom-centered basis set to remove ionized charge from the simulation. For the density functional theory (DFT) functional we use a tuned range-separated functional LC-PBE*, which has the correct asymptotic 1/r form of the potential and a reduced delocalization error compared to traditional DFT functionals. Ionization rates are computed for hydrogen, molecular nitrogen, and iodoacetylene under various field frequencies, intensities, and polarizations (angle-dependent ionization), and the results are shown to quantitatively agree with time-dependent Schrödinger equation and strong-field approximation calculations. This tuned DFT with GTO method opens the door to predictive all-electron time-dependent density functional theory simulations of ionization and ionization-triggered dynamics in molecular systems using tuned range-separated hybrid functionals.« less

Broadband tunable integrated CMOS pulser with 80-ps minimum pulse width for gain-switched semiconductor lasers.

PubMed

Chen, Shaoqiang; Diao, Shengxi; Li, Pengtao; Nakamura, Takahiro; Yoshita, Masahiro; Weng, Guoen; Hu, Xiaobo; Shi, Yanling; Liu, Yiqing; Akiyama, Hidefumi

2017-07-31

High power pulsed lasers with tunable pulse widths are highly favored in many applications. When combined with power amplification, gain-switched semiconductor lasers driven by broadband tunable electric pulsers can meet such requirements. For this reason, we designed and produced a low-cost integrated CMOS pulse generator with a minimum pulse width of 80 ps and a wide tuning range of up to 270 ns using a 40-nm microelectronic process technique. We used this pulser to drive a 1.3-µm semiconductor laser diode directly, and thereafter investigated the gain-switching properties of the laser system. The optical pulses consist of a spike followed by a steady state region. Tuning the width of the electrical pulse down to approximately 1.5 ns produces optical pulses consisting only of the spike, which has a minimum pulse-width of 100 ps. Moreover, the duration of the steady state can be tuned continuously by tuning the electrical pulse width, with a peak power of approximately 5 mW. The output voltage of the electric pulser has a tuning range of 0.8-1.5 V that can be used to directly drive semiconductor laser diodes with wavelengths in the near-infrared spectrum, which are suitable for power amplification with rare-earth doped fiber amplifiers.

A tuning algorithm for model predictive controllers based on genetic algorithms and fuzzy decision making.

PubMed

van der Lee, J H; Svrcek, W Y; Young, B R

2008-01-01

Model Predictive Control is a valuable tool for the process control engineer in a wide variety of applications. Because of this the structure of an MPC can vary dramatically from application to application. There have been a number of works dedicated to MPC tuning for specific cases. Since MPCs can differ significantly, this means that these tuning methods become inapplicable and a trial and error tuning approach must be used. This can be quite time consuming and can result in non-optimum tuning. In an attempt to resolve this, a generalized automated tuning algorithm for MPCs was developed. This approach is numerically based and combines a genetic algorithm with multi-objective fuzzy decision-making. The key advantages to this approach are that genetic algorithms are not problem specific and only need to be adapted to account for the number and ranges of tuning parameters for a given MPC. As well, multi-objective fuzzy decision-making can handle qualitative statements of what optimum control is, in addition to being able to use multiple inputs to determine tuning parameters that best match the desired results. This is particularly useful for multi-input, multi-output (MIMO) cases where the definition of "optimum" control is subject to the opinion of the control engineer tuning the system. A case study will be presented in order to illustrate the use of the tuning algorithm. This will include how different definitions of "optimum" control can arise, and how they are accounted for in the multi-objective decision making algorithm. The resulting tuning parameters from each of the definition sets will be compared, and in doing so show that the tuning parameters vary in order to meet each definition of optimum control, thus showing the generalized automated tuning algorithm approach for tuning MPCs is feasible.

Design of a lens table for a double toroidal electron spectrometer

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

Liu Xiaojng; Nicolas, Christophe; Miron, Catalin

2013-03-15

We report here on the method we developed to build a lens table for a four-element electrostatic transfer lens operated together with a double toroidal electron energy analyzer designed by one of us, and whose original design and further improvements are described in detail in Miron et al. [Rev. Sci. Instrum. 68, 3728 (1997)] and Le Guen et al. [Rev. Sci. Instrum. 73, 3885 (2002)]. Both computer simulations and laboratory instrument tuning were performed in order to build this lens table. The obtained result was tested for a broad range of electron kinetic energies and analyzer pass energies. Based onmore » this new lens table, allowing to easily computer control the spectrometer working conditions, we could routinely achieve an electron energy resolution ranging between 0.6% and 0.8% of the analyzer pass energy, while the electron count rate was also significantly improved. The establishment of such a lens table is of high importance to relieve experimentalists from the tedious laboring of the lens optimization, which was previously necessary prior to any measurement. The described method can be adapted to any type of electron/ion energy analyzer, and will thus be interesting for all experimentalists who own, or plan to build or improve their charged particle energy analyzers.« less

Rapid evolution of regulatory element libraries for tunable transcriptional and translational control of gene expression.

PubMed

Jin, Erqing; Wong, Lynn; Jiao, Yun; Engel, Jake; Holdridge, Benjamin; Xu, Peng

2017-12-01

Engineering cell factories for producing biofuels and pharmaceuticals has spurred great interests to develop rapid and efficient synthetic biology tools customized for modular pathway engineering. Along the way, combinatorial gene expression control through modification of regulatory element offered tremendous opportunity for fine-tuning gene expression and generating digital-like genetic circuits. In this report, we present an efficient evolutionary approach to build a range of regulatory control elements. The reported method allows for rapid construction of promoter, 5'UTR, terminator and trans -activating RNA libraries. Synthetic overlapping oligos with high portion of degenerate nucleotides flanking the regulatory element could be efficiently assembled to a vector expressing fluorescence reporter. This approach combines high mutation rate of the synthetic DNA with the high assembly efficiency of Gibson Mix. Our constructed library demonstrates broad range of transcriptional or translational gene expression dynamics. Specifically, both the promoter library and 5'UTR library exhibits gene expression dynamics spanning across three order of magnitude. The terminator library and trans -activating RNA library displays relatively narrowed gene expression pattern. The reported study provides a versatile toolbox for rapidly constructing a large family of prokaryotic regulatory elements. These libraries also facilitate the implementation of combinatorial pathway engineering principles and the engineering of more efficient microbial cell factory for various biomanufacturing applications.

Evaluation of DNA extraction methods and their clinical application for direct detection of causative bacteria in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis culture fluids from patients with peritonitis by using broad-range PCR.

PubMed

Kim, Si Hyun; Jeong, Haeng Soon; Kim, Yeong Hoon; Song, Sae Am; Lee, Ja Young; Oh, Seung Hwan; Kim, Hye Ran; Lee, Jeong Nyeo; Kho, Weon-Gyu; Shin, Jeong Hwan

2012-03-01

The aims of this study were to compare several DNA extraction methods and 16S rDNA primers and to evaluate the clinical utility of broad-range PCR in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) culture fluids. Six type strains were used as model organisms in dilutions from 10(8) to 10(0) colony-forming units (CFU)/mL for the evaluation of 5 DNA extraction methods and 5 PCR primer pairs. Broad-range PCR was applied to 100 CAPD culture fluids, and the results were compared with conventional culture results. There were some differences between the various DNA extraction methods and primer sets with regard to the detection limits. The InstaGene Matrix (Bio-Rad Laboratories, USA) and Exgene Clinic SV kits (GeneAll Biotechnology Co. Ltd, Korea) seem to have higher sensitivities than the others. The results of broad-range PCR were concordant with the results from culture in 97% of all cases (97/100). Two culture-positive cases that were broad-range PCR-negative were identified as Candida albicans, and 1 PCR-positive but culture-negative sample was identified as Bacillus circulans by sequencing. Two samples among 54 broad-range PCR-positive products could not be sequenced. There were differences in the analytical sensitivity of various DNA extraction methods and primers for broad-range PCR. The broad-range PCR assay can be used to detect bacterial pathogens in CAPD culture fluid as a supplement to culture methods.

Modification of modulated plasma plumes for the quasi-phase-matching of high-order harmonics in different spectral ranges

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

Ganeev, R. A., E-mail: rashid-ganeev@mail.ru; Ophthalmology and Advanced Laser Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, Saitama 350-0495; Boltaev, G. S.

We demonstrate the technique allowing the fine tuning of the distance between the laser-produced plasma plumes on the surfaces of different materials, as well as the variation of the sizes of these plumes. The modification of plasma formations is based on the tilting of the multi-slit mask placed between the heating laser beam and target surface, as well as the positioning of this mask in the telescope placed on the path of heating radiation. The modulated plasma plumes with the sizes of single plume ranging between 0.1 and 1 mm were produced on the manganese and silver targets. Modification of themore » geometrical parameters of plasma plumes proved to be useful for the fine tuning of the quasi-phase-matched high-order harmonics generated in such structures during propagation of the ultrashort laser pulses. We show the enhancement of some groups of harmonics along the plateau range and the tuning of maximally enhanced harmonic by variable modulation of the plasma.« less

Performance of an Optimally Tuned Range-Separated Hybrid Functional for 0-0 Electronic Excitation Energies.

PubMed

Jacquemin, Denis; Moore, Barry; Planchat, Aurélien; Adamo, Carlo; Autschbach, Jochen

2014-04-08

Using a set of 40 conjugated molecules, we assess the performance of an "optimally tuned" range-separated hybrid functional in reproducing the experimental 0-0 energies. The selected protocol accounts for the impact of solvation using a corrected linear-response continuum approach and vibrational corrections through calculations of the zero-point energies of both ground and excited-states and provides basis set converged data thanks to the systematic use of diffuse-containing atomic basis sets at all computational steps. It turns out that an optimally tuned long-range corrected hybrid form of the Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof functional, LC-PBE*, delivers both the smallest mean absolute error (0.20 eV) and standard deviation (0.15 eV) of all tested approaches, while the obtained correlation (0.93) is large but remains slightly smaller than its M06-2X counterpart (0.95). In addition, the efficiency of two other recently developed exchange-correlation functionals, namely SOGGA11-X and ωB97X-D, has been determined in order to allow more complete comparisons with previously published data.

Flying and swimming animals cruise at a Strouhal number tuned for high power efficiency.

PubMed

Taylor, Graham K; Nudds, Robert L; Thomas, Adrian L R

2003-10-16

Dimensionless numbers are important in biomechanics because their constancy can imply dynamic similarity between systems, despite possible differences in medium or scale. A dimensionless parameter that describes the tail or wing kinematics of swimming and flying animals is the Strouhal number, St = fA/U, which divides stroke frequency (f) and amplitude (A) by forward speed (U). St is known to govern a well-defined series of vortex growth and shedding regimes for airfoils undergoing pitching and heaving motions. Propulsive efficiency is high over a narrow range of St and usually peaks within the interval 0.2 < St < 0.4 (refs 3-8). Because natural selection is likely to tune animals for high propulsive efficiency, we expect it to constrain the range of St that animals use. This seems to be true for dolphins, sharks and bony fish, which swim at 0.2 < St < 0.4. Here we show that birds, bats and insects also converge on the same narrow range of St, but only when cruising. Tuning cruise kinematics to optimize St therefore seems to be a general principle of oscillatory lift-based propulsion.

78 FR 23826 - Information Collection Activities (Complaints, Petitions for Declaratory Orders, and Petitions...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-22

.... Under these statutory and regulatory sections, the Board provides procedures for persons to make a broad range of claims and to seek a broad range of remedies before the Board. The information collections... terminate a controversy or remove uncertainty. Because petitions for a declaratory order cover a broad range...

Broad-range PCR: past, present, or future of bacteriology?

PubMed

Renvoisé, A; Brossier, F; Sougakoff, W; Jarlier, V; Aubry, A

2013-08-01

PCR targeting the gene encoding 16S ribosomal RNA (commonly named broad-range PCR or 16S PCR) has been used for 20 years as a polyvalent tool to study prokaryotes. Broad-range PCR was first used as a taxonomic tool, then in clinical microbiology. We will describe the use of broad-range PCR in clinical microbiology. The first application was identification of bacterial strains obtained by culture but whose phenotypic or proteomic identification remained difficult or impossible. This changed bacterial taxonomy and allowed discovering many new species. The second application of broad-range PCR in clinical microbiology is the detection of bacterial DNA from clinical samples; we will review the clinical settings in which the technique proved useful (such as endocarditis) and those in which it did not (such as characterization of bacteria in ascites, in cirrhotic patients). This technique allowed identifying the etiological agents for several diseases, such as Whipple disease. This review is a synthesis of data concerning the applications, assets, and drawbacks of broad-range PCR in clinical microbiology. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

970-nm ridge waveguide diode laser bars for high power DWBC systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilkens, Martin; Erbert, Götz; Wenzel, Hans; Knigge, Andrea; Crump, Paul; Maaßdorf, Andre; Fricke, Jörg; Ressel, Peter; Strohmaier, Stephan; Schmidt, Berthold; Tränkle, Günther

2018-02-01

de lasers are key components in material processing laser systems. While mostly used as pump sources for solid state or fiber lasers, direct diode laser systems using dense wavelength multiplexing have come on the market in recent years. These systems are realized with broad area lasers typically, resulting in beam quality inferior to disk or fiber lasers. We will present recent results of highly efficient ridge waveguide (RW) lasers, developed for dense-wavelength-beamcombining (DWBC) laser systems expecting beam qualities comparable to solid state laser systems and higher power conversion efficiencies (PCE). The newly developed RW lasers are based on vertical structures with an extreme double asymmetric large optical cavity. Besides a low vertical divergence these structures are suitable for RW-lasers with (10 μm) broad ridges, emitting in a single mode with a good beam quality. The large stripe width enables a lateral divergence below 10° (95 % power content) and a high PCE by a comparably low series resistance. We present results of single emitters and small test arrays under different external feedback conditions. Single emitters can be tuned from 950 nm to 975 nm and reach 1 W optical power with more than 55 % PCE and a beam quality of M2 < 2 over the full wavelength range. The spectral width is below 30 pm FWHM. 5 emitter arrays were stabilized using the same setup. Up to now we reached 3 W optical power, limited by power supply, with 5 narrow spectral lines.

Wavelength shifting of intra-cavity photons: Adiabatic wavelength tuning in rapidly wavelength-swept lasers

PubMed Central

Jirauschek, Christian; Huber, Robert

2015-01-01

We analyze the physics behind the newest generation of rapidly wavelength tunable sources for optical coherence tomography (OCT), retaining a single longitudinal cavity mode during operation without repeated build up of lasing. In this context, we theoretically investigate the currently existing concepts of rapidly wavelength-swept lasers based on tuning of the cavity length or refractive index, leading to an altered optical path length inside the resonator. Specifically, we consider vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) with microelectromechanical system (MEMS) mirrors as well as Fourier domain mode-locked (FDML) and Vernier-tuned distributed Bragg reflector (VT-DBR) lasers. Based on heuristic arguments and exact analytical solutions of Maxwell’s equations for a fundamental laser resonator model, we show that adiabatic wavelength tuning is achieved, i.e., hopping between cavity modes associated with a repeated build up of lasing is avoided, and the photon number is conserved. As a consequence, no fundamental limit exists for the wavelength tuning speed, in principle enabling wide-range wavelength sweeps at arbitrary tuning speeds with narrow instantaneous linewidth. PMID:26203373

Tuning the sensing range of silicon pressure sensor by trench etching technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chou, Yu-Tuan; Lin, Hung-Yi; Hu, Hsin-Hua

2006-01-01

The silicon pressure sensor has been developed for over thirty years and widely used in automobiles, medical instruments, commercial electronics, etc. There are many different specifications of silicon pressure sensors that cover a very large sensing range, from less than 1 psi to as high as 1000 psi. The key elements of the silicon pressure sensor are a square membrane and the piezoresistive strain gages near the boundary of the membrane. The dimensions of the membrane determine the full sensing range and the sensitivity of the silicon sensor, including thickness and in-plane length. Unfortunately, in order to change the sensing range, the manufacturers need to order a customized epi wafer to get the desired thickness. All masks (usually six) have to be re-laid and re-fabricated for different membrane sizes. The existing technology requires at least three months to deliver the prototype for specific customer requests or the new application market. This research proposes a new approach to dramatically reduce the prototyping time from three months to one week. The concept is to tune the rigidity of the sensing membrane by modifying the boundary conditions without changing the plenary size. An extra mask is utilized to define the geometry and location of deep-RIE trenches and all other masks remain the same. Membranes with different depths and different patterns of trenches are designed for different full sensing ranges. The simulation results show that for a 17um thick and 750um wide membrane, the adjustable range by tuning trench depth is about 45% (from 5um to 10um), and can go to as high as 100% by tuning both the pattern and depth of the trenches. Based on an actual test in a product fabrication line, we verified that the total delivery time can be minimized to one week to make the prototyping very effective and cost-efficient.

Tilt-tuned etalon locking for tunable laser stabilization.

PubMed

Gibson, Bradley M; McCall, Benjamin J

2015-06-15

Locking to a fringe of a tilt-tuned etalon provides a simple, inexpensive method for stabilizing tunable lasers. Here, we describe the use of such a system to stabilize an external-cavity quantum cascade laser; the locked laser has an Allan deviation of approximately 1 MHz over a one-second integration period, and has a single-scan tuning range of approximately 0.4  cm(-1). The system is robust, with minimal alignment requirements and automated lock acquisition, and can be easily adapted to different wavelength regions or more stringent stability requirements with minor alterations.

Mode selection and tuning of single-frequency short-cavity VECSELs

DOE PAGES

Serkland, Darwin K.; So, Haley M.; Peake, Gregory M.; ...

2018-03-05

Here, we report on mode selection and tuning properties of vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VECSELs) containing coupled semiconductor and external cavities of total length less than 1 mm. Our goal is to create narrowlinewidth (<1MHz) single-frequency VECSELs that operate near 850 nm on a single longitudinal cavity resonance and tune versus temperature without mode hops. We have designed, fabricated, and measured VECSELs with external-cavity lengths ranging from 25 to 800 μm. Lastly, we compare simulated and measured coupled-cavity mode frequencies and discuss criteria for single mode selection.

A multiple degree of freedom electromechanical Helmholtz resonator.

PubMed

Liu, Fei; Horowitz, Stephen; Nishida, Toshikazu; Cattafesta, Louis; Sheplak, Mark

2007-07-01

The development of a tunable, multiple degree of freedom (MDOF) electromechanical Helmholtz resonator (EMHR) is presented. An EMHR consists of an orifice, backing cavity, and a compliant piezoelectric composite diaphragm. Electromechanical tuning of the acoustic impedance is achieved via passive electrical networks shunted across the piezoceramic. For resistive and capacitive loads, the EMHR is a 2DOF system possessing one acoustic and one mechanical DOF. When inductive ladder networks are employed, multiple electrical DOF are added. The dynamics of the multi-energy domain system are modeled using lumped elements and are represented in an equivalent electrical circuit, which is used to analyze the tunable acoustic input impedance of the EMHR. The two-microphone method is used to measure the acoustic impedance of two EMHR designs with a variety of resistive, capacitive, and inductive shunts. For the first design, the data demonstrate that the tuning range of the second resonant frequency for an EMHR with non-inductive shunts is limited by short- and open-circuit conditions, while an inductive shunt results in a 3DOF system possessing an enhanced tuning range. The second design achieves stronger coupling between the Helmholtz resonator and the piezoelectric backplate, and both resonant frequencies can be tuned with different non-inductive loads.

Spectrum-agile hundred-watt-level high-power random fiber laser enabled by watt-level tunable optical filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Jun; Xu, Jiangming; Song, Jiaxin; Wu, Hanshuo; Zhang, Hanwei; Wu, Jian; Zhou, Pu

2018-06-01

Through high-fidelity numerical modeling and careful system-parameter design, we demonstrate the spectral manipulation of a hundred-watt-level high-power random fiber laser (RFL) by employing a watt-level tunable optical filter. Consequently, a >100-W RFL with the spectrum-agile property is achieved. The central wavelength can be continuously tuned with a range of ∼20 nm, and the tuning range of the full width at half maximum linewidth, which is closely related to the central wavelength, covers ∼1.1 to ∼2.7 times of the minimum linewidth.

Multiple model self-tuning control for a class of nonlinear systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Miao; Wang, Xin; Wang, Zhenlei

2015-10-01

This study develops a novel nonlinear multiple model self-tuning control method for a class of nonlinear discrete-time systems. An increment system model and a modified robust adaptive law are proposed to expand the application range, thus eliminating the assumption that either the nonlinear term of the nonlinear system or its differential term is global-bounded. The nonlinear self-tuning control method can address the situation wherein the nonlinear system is not subject to a globally uniformly asymptotically stable zero dynamics by incorporating the pole-placement scheme. A novel, nonlinear control structure based on this scheme is presented to improve control precision. Stability and convergence can be confirmed when the proposed multiple model self-tuning control method is applied. Furthermore, simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Reconfigurable silicon thermo-optical device based on spectral tuning of ring resonators.

PubMed

Fegadolli, William S; Almeida, Vilson R; Oliveira, José Edimar Barbosa

2011-06-20

A novel tunable and reconfigurable thermo-optical device is theoretically proposed and analyzed in this paper. The device is designed to be entirely compatible with CMOS process and to work as a thermo-optical filter or modulator. Numerical results, made by means of analytical and Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) methods, show that a compact device enables a broad bandwidth operation, of up to 830 GHz, which allows the device to work under a large temperature variation, of up to 96 K.

Broadly tunable, low timing jitter, high repetition rate optoelectronic comb generator

PubMed Central

Metcalf, A. J.; Quinlan, F.; Fortier, T. M.; Diddams, S. A.; Weiner, A. M.

2016-01-01

We investigate the low timing jitter properties of a tunable single-pass optoelectronic frequency comb generator. The scheme is flexible in that both the repetition rate and center frequency can be continuously tuned. When operated with 10 GHz comb spacing, the integrated residual pulse-to-pulse timing jitter is 11.35 fs (1 Hz to 10 MHz) with no feedback stabilization. The corresponding phase noise at 1 Hz offset from the photodetected 10 GHz carrier is −100 dBc/Hz. PMID:26865734

Quasi-continuous frequency tunable terahertz quantum cascade lasers with coupled cavity and integrated photonic lattice.

PubMed

Kundu, Iman; Dean, Paul; Valavanis, Alexander; Chen, Li; Li, Lianhe; Cunningham, John E; Linfield, Edmund H; Davies, A Giles

2017-01-09

We demonstrate quasi-continuous tuning of the emission frequency from coupled cavity terahertz frequency quantum cascade lasers. Such coupled cavity lasers comprise a lasing cavity and a tuning cavity which are optically coupled through a narrow air slit and are operated above and below the lasing threshold current, respectively. The emission frequency of these devices is determined by the Vernier resonance of longitudinal modes in the lasing and the tuning cavities, and can be tuned by applying an index perturbation in the tuning cavity. The spectral coverage of the coupled cavity devices have been increased by reducing the repetition frequency of the Vernier resonance and increasing the ratio of the free spectral ranges of the two cavities. A continuous tuning of the coupled cavity modes has been realized through an index perturbation of the lasing cavity itself by using wide electrical heating pulses at the tuning cavity and exploiting thermal conduction through the monolithic substrate. Single mode emission and discrete frequency tuning over a bandwidth of 100 GHz and a quasi-continuous frequency coverage of 7 GHz at 2.25 THz is demonstrated. An improvement in the side mode suppression and a continuous spectral coverage of 3 GHz is achieved without any degradation of output power by integrating a π-phase shifted photonic lattice in the laser cavity.

Tunable dual-channel filter based on the photonic crystal with air defects.

PubMed

Zhao, Xiaodan; Yang, Yibiao; Wen, Jianhua; Chen, Zhihui; Zhang, Mingda; Fei, Hongming; Hao, Yuying

2017-07-01

We propose a tuning filter containing two channels by inserting a defect layer (Air/Si/Air/Si/Air) into a one-dimensional photonic crystal of Si/SiO 2 , which is on the symmetry of the defect. Two transmission peaks (1528.98 and 1564.74 nm) appear in the optical communication S-band and C-band, and the transmittance of these two channels is up to 100%. In addition, this design realizes multi-channel filtering to process large dynamic range or multiple independent signals in the near-infrared band by changing the structure. The tuning range will be enlarged, and the channels can be moved in this range through the easy control of air thickness and incident angle.

Zeolites with Continuously Tuneable Porosity**

PubMed Central

Wheatley, Paul S; Chlubná-Eliášová, Pavla; Greer, Heather; Zhou, Wuzong; Seymour, Valerie R; Dawson, Daniel M; Ashbrook, Sharon E; Pinar, Ana B; McCusker, Lynne B; Opanasenko, Maksym; Čejka, Jiří; Morris, Russell E

2014-01-01

Zeolites are important materials whose utility in industry depends on the nature of their porous structure. Control over microporosity is therefore a vitally important target. Unfortunately, traditional methods for controlling porosity, in particular the use of organic structure-directing agents, are relatively coarse and provide almost no opportunity to tune the porosity as required. Here we show how zeolites with a continuously tuneable surface area and micropore volume over a wide range can be prepared. This means that a particular surface area or micropore volume can be precisely tuned. The range of porosity we can target covers the whole range of useful zeolite porosity: from small pores consisting of 8-rings all the way to extra-large pores consisting of 14-rings. PMID:25284344

Vibration reduction in a tilting rotor using centrifugal pendulum vibration absorbers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Chengzhi; Shaw, Steven W.; Parker, Robert G.

2016-12-01

This paper investigates vibration reduction in a rigid rotor with tilting, rotational, and translational motions using centrifugal pendulum vibration absorbers (CPVAs). A linearized vibration model is derived for the system consisting of the rotor and multiple sets of absorbers tuned to different orders. Each group of absorbers lies in a given plane perpendicular to the rotor rotation axis. Gyroscopic system modal analysis is applied to derive the steady-state response of the absorbers and the rotor to external, rotor-order, periodic forces and torques with frequency mΩ, where Ω is the mean rotor speed and m is the engine order (rotor-order). It is found that an absorber group with tuning order m is effective at reducing the rotor translational, tilting, and rotational vibrations, provided certain conditions are met. When the periodic force and torque are caused by N substructures that are equally spaced around the rotor, the rotor translational and tilting vibrations at order j are addressed by two absorber groups with tuning orders jN±1. In this case, the rotor rotational vibration at order j can be attenuated by an absorber group with tuning order jN. The results show how the response depends on the load amplitudes and order, the rotor speed, and design parameters associated with the sets of absorbers, most importantly, their tuning, mass, and plane of placement. In the ideal case with zero damping and exact tuning of the absorber sets, the vibrations can be eliminated for a range of loads over which the linearized model holds. The response for systems with detuned absorbers is also determined, which is relevant to applications where small detuning is employed due to robustness issues, and to allow for a larger range of operating loads over which the absorbers are effective. The system also exhibits undesirable resonances very close to these tuning conditions, an issue that is difficult to resolve and deserves further investigation.

Effects of temperature on tuning of the auditory pathway in the cicada Tettigetta josei (Hemiptera, Tibicinidae).

PubMed

Fonseca, P J; Correia, T

2007-05-01

The effects of temperature on hearing in the cicada Tettigetta josei were studied. The activity of the auditory nerve and the responses of auditory interneurons to stimuli of different frequencies and intensities were recorded at different temperatures ranging from 16 degrees C to 29 degrees C. Firstly, in order to investigate the temperature dependence of hearing processes, we analyzed its effects on auditory tuning, sensitivity, latency and Q(10dB). Increasing temperature led to an upward shift of the characteristic hearing frequency, to an increase in sensitivity and to a decrease in the latency of the auditory response both in the auditory nerve recordings (periphery) and in some interneurons at the metathoracic-abdominal ganglionic complex (MAC). Characteristic frequency shifts were only observed at low frequency (3-8 kHz). No changes were seen in Q(10dB). Different tuning mechanisms underlying frequency selectivity may explain the results observed. Secondly, we investigated the role of the mechanical sensory structures that participate in the transduction process. Laser vibrometry measurements revealed that the vibrations of the tympanum and tympanal apodeme are temperature independent in the biologically relevant range (18-35 degrees C). Since the above mentioned effects of temperature are present in the auditory nerve recordings, the observed shifts in frequency tuning must be performed by mechanisms intrinsic to the receptor cells. Finally, the role of potassium channels in the response of the auditory system was investigated using a specific inhibitor of these channels, tetraethylammonium (TEA). TEA caused shifts on tuning and sensitivity of the summed response of the receptors similar to the effects of temperature. Thus, potassium channels are implicated in the tuning of the receptor cells.

Standoff detection of turbulent chemical mixture plumes using a swept external cavity quantum cascade laser

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

Phillips, Mark C.; Brumfield, Brian E.

We demonstrate standoff detection of turbulent mixed-chemical plumes using a broadly-tunable external cavity quantum cascade laser (ECQCL). The ECQCL was directed through plumes of mixed methanol/ethanol vapor to a partially-reflective surface located 10 m away. The reflected power was measured as the ECQCL was swept over its tuning range of 930-1065 cm-1 (9.4-10.8 µm) at rates up to 200 Hz. Analysis of the transmission spectra though the plume was performed to determine chemical concentrations with time resolution of 0.005 s. Comparison of multiple spectral sweep rates of 2 Hz, 20 Hz, and 200 Hz shows that higher sweep rates reducemore » effects of atmospheric and source turbulence, resulting in lower detection noise and more accurate measurement of the rapidly-changing chemical concentrations. Detection sensitivities of 0.13 ppm*m for MeOH and 1.2 ppm*m for EtOH are demonstrated for a 200 Hz spectral sweep rate, normalized to 1 s detection time.« less

Compact Nonlinear Yagi-Uda Nanoantennas.

PubMed

Xiong, Xiaoyan Y Z; Jiang, Li Jun; Sha, Wei E I; Lo, Yat Hei; Chew, Weng Cho

2016-01-07

Nanoantennas have demonstrated unprecedented capabilities for manipulating the intensity and direction of light emission over a broad frequency range. The directional beam steering offered by nanoantennas has important applications in areas including microscopy, spectroscopy, quantum computing, and on-chip optical communication. Although both the physical principles and experimental realizations of directional linear nanoantennas has become increasingly mature, angular control of nonlinear radiation using nanoantennas has not been explored yet. Here we propose a novel concept of nonlinear Yagi-Uda nanoantenna to direct second harmonic radiation from a metallic nanosphere. By carefully tuning the spacing and dimensions of two lossless dielectric elements, which function respectively as a compact director and reflector, the second harmonic radiation is deflected 90 degrees with reference to the incident light (pump) direction. This abnormal light-bending phenomenon is due to the constructive and destructive interference between the second harmonic radiation governed by a special selection rule and the induced electric dipolar and magnetic quadrupolar radiation from the two dielectric antenna elements. Simultaneous spectral and spatial isolation of scattered second harmonic waves from incident fundamental waves pave a new way towards nonlinear signal detection and sensing.

Demonstration of ultra-high recyclable energy densities in domain-engineered ferroelectric films.

PubMed

Cheng, Hongbo; Ouyang, Jun; Zhang, Yun-Xiang; Ascienzo, David; Li, Yao; Zhao, Yu-Yao; Ren, Yuhang

2017-12-08

Dielectric capacitors have the highest charge/discharge speed among all electrical energy devices, but lag behind in energy density. Here we report dielectric ultracapacitors based on ferroelectric films of Ba(Zr 0.2 ,Ti 0.8 )O 3 which display high-energy densities (up to 166 J cm -3 ) and efficiencies (up to 96%). Different from a typical ferroelectric whose electric polarization is easily saturated, these Ba(Zr 0.2 ,Ti 0.8 )O 3 films display a much delayed saturation of the electric polarization, which increases continuously from nearly zero at remnant in a multipolar state, to a large value under the maximum electric field, leading to drastically improved recyclable energy densities. This is achieved by the creation of an adaptive nano-domain structure in these perovskite films via phase engineering and strain tuning. The lead-free Ba(Zr 0.2 ,Ti 0.8 )O 3 films also show excellent dielectric and energy storage performance over a broad frequency and temperature range. These findings may enable broader applications of dielectric capacitors in energy storage, conditioning, and conversion.

MOCVD growth of vertically aligned InGaN nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuo, H. C.; Su Oh, Tae; Ku, P.-C.

2013-05-01

In this work, we report the growth of vertically aligned bulk InGaN nanowires (NWs) on r-plane sapphire substrate by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). Through the optimization process of growth conditions, such as growth temperature and pressure, we obtained high density InGaN NWs consisting of one (0001) polar- and two equivalent {1101} semi-polar planes. We have shown the highest InGaN NWs wire density of 8×108 cm-2,with an average diameter of 300 nm and a length of 2 μm. From results of photoluminescence (PL) at 30 K and 300 K, we observed the intense and broad emission peak from InGaN NWs at around 595 nm, and confirmed that the luminescence could be tuned from 580 nm to 660 nm by controlling the indium flow (TMIn) rate. Our results indicate that MOCVD-grown InGaN NWs can be effective absorbers of the blue-green range of solar spectrum and may be one of the good candidates for high efficiency photovoltaic devices targeting at blue-green photons.

Plasmonics of magnetic and topological graphene-based nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuzmin, Dmitry A.; Bychkov, Igor V.; Shavrov, Vladimir G.; Temnov, Vasily V.

2018-02-01

Graphene is a unique material in the study of the fundamental limits of plasmonics. Apart from the ultimate single-layer thickness, its carrier concentration can be tuned by chemical doping or applying an electric field. In this manner, the electrodynamic properties of graphene can be varied from highly conductive to dielectric. Graphene supports strongly confined, propagating surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) in a broad spectral range from terahertz to mid-infrared frequencies. It also possesses a strong magneto-optical response and thus provides complimentary architectures to conventional magneto-plasmonics based on magneto-optically active metals or dielectrics. Despite a large number of review articles devoted to plasmonic properties and applications of graphene, little is known about graphene magneto-plasmonics and topological effects in graphene-based nanostructures, which represent the main subject of this review. We discuss several strategies to enhance plasmonic effects in topologically distinct closed surface landscapes, i.e. graphene nanotubes, cylindrical nanocavities and toroidal nanostructures. A novel phenomenon of the strongly asymmetric SPP propagation on chiral meta-structures and the fundamental relations between structural and plasmonic topological indices are reviewed.

Compact Nonlinear Yagi-Uda Nanoantennas

PubMed Central

Xiong, Xiaoyan Y. Z.; Jiang, Li Jun; Sha, Wei E. I.; Lo, Yat Hei; Chew, Weng Cho

2016-01-01

Nanoantennas have demonstrated unprecedented capabilities for manipulating the intensity and direction of light emission over a broad frequency range. The directional beam steering offered by nanoantennas has important applications in areas including microscopy, spectroscopy, quantum computing, and on-chip optical communication. Although both the physical principles and experimental realizations of directional linear nanoantennas has become increasingly mature, angular control of nonlinear radiation using nanoantennas has not been explored yet. Here we propose a novel concept of nonlinear Yagi-Uda nanoantenna to direct second harmonic radiation from a metallic nanosphere. By carefully tuning the spacing and dimensions of two lossless dielectric elements, which function respectively as a compact director and reflector, the second harmonic radiation is deflected 90 degrees with reference to the incident light (pump) direction. This abnormal light-bending phenomenon is due to the constructive and destructive interference between the second harmonic radiation governed by a special selection rule and the induced electric dipolar and magnetic quadrupolar radiation from the two dielectric antenna elements. Simultaneous spectral and spatial isolation of scattered second harmonic waves from incident fundamental waves pave a new way towards nonlinear signal detection and sensing. PMID:26738692

Modifying ultrafast optical response of sputtered VOX nanostructures in a broad spectral range by altering post annealing atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kürüm, U.; Yaglioglu, H. G.; Küçüköz, B.; Oksuzoglu, R. M.; Yıldırım, M.; Yağcı, A. M.; Yavru, C.; Özgün, S.; Tıraş, T.; Elmali, A.

2015-01-01

Nanostructured VOX thin films were grown in a dc magnetron sputter system under two different Ar:O2 gas flow ratios. The films were annealed under vacuum and various ratios of O2/N2 atmospheres. The insulator-to-metal transition properties of the thin films were investigated by temperature dependent resistance measurement. Photo induced insulator-to-metal transition properties were investigated by Z-scan and ultrafast white light continuum pump probe spectroscopy measurements. Experiments showed that not only insulator-to-metal transition, but also wavelength dependence (from NIR to VIS) and time scale (from ns to ultrafast) of nonlinear optical response of the VOX thin films could be fine tuned by carefully adjusting post annealing atmosphere despite different initial oxygen content in the production. Fabricated VO2 thin films showed reflection change in the visible region due to photo induced phase transition. The results have general implications for easy and more effective fabrication of the nanostructured oxide systems with controllable electrical, optical, and ultrafast optical responses.

Temperature-driven massless Kane fermions in HgCdTe crystals

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

Teppe, F.; Marcinkiewicz, M.; Krishtopenko, S. S.

2016-08-30

It has recently been shown that electronic states in bulk gapless HgCdTe offer another realization of pseudo-relativistic three-dimensional particles in condensed matter systems. These single valley relativistic states, massless Kane fermions, cannot be described by any other relativistic particles. Furthermore, the HgCdTe band structure can be continuously tailored by modifying cadmium content or temperature. At critical concentration or temperature, the bandgap collapses as the system undergoes a semimetal-to-semiconductor topological phase transition between the inverted and normal alignments. Here, using far-infrared magneto-spectroscopy we explore the continuous evolution of band structure of bulk HgCdTe as temperature is tuned across the topological phasemore » transition. We demonstrate that the rest mass of Kane fermions changes sign at critical temperature, whereas their velocity remains constant. The velocity universal value of (1.07±0.05) × 106 m s -1 remains valid in a broad range of temperatures and Cd concentrations, indicating a striking universality of the pseudo-relativistic description of the Kane fermions in HgCdTe.« less

Dual-Gate Modulation of Carrier Density and Disorder in an Oxide Two-Dimensional Electron System

DOE PAGES

Chen, Zhuoyu; Yuan, Hongtao; Xie, Yanwu; ...

2016-09-08

Carrier density and disorder are two crucial parameters that control the properties of correlated two-dimensional electron systems. Furthermore, in order to disentangle their individual contributions to quantum phenomena, independent tuning of these two parameters is required. By utilizing a hybrid liquid/solid electric dual-gate geometry acting on the conducting LaAlO 3/SrTiO 3 heterointerface, we obtain an additional degree of freedom to strongly modify the electron confinement profile and thus the strength of interfacial scattering, independent from the carrier density. A dual-gate controlled nonlinear Hall effect is a direct manifestation of this profile, which can be quantitatively understood by a Poisson–Schrödinger sub-bandmore » model. In particular, the large nonlinear dielectric response of SrTiO 3 enables a very wide range of tunable density and disorder, far beyond that for conventional semiconductors. This study provides a broad framework for understanding various reported phenomena at the LaAlO 3/SrTiO 3 interface.« less

Ultrahigh Surface Area Three-Dimensional Porous Graphitic Carbon from Conjugated Polymeric Molecular Framework

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Porous graphitic carbon is essential for many applications such as energy storage devices, catalysts, and sorbents. However, current graphitic carbons are limited by low conductivity, low surface area, and ineffective pore structure. Here we report a scalable synthesis of porous graphitic carbons using a conjugated polymeric molecular framework as precursor. The multivalent cross-linker and rigid conjugated framework help to maintain micro- and mesoporous structures, while promoting graphitization during carbonization and chemical activation. The above unique design results in a class of highly graphitic carbons at temperature as low as 800 °C with record-high surface area (4073 m2 g–1), large pore volume (2.26 cm–3), and hierarchical pore architecture. Such carbons simultaneously exhibit electrical conductivity >3 times more than activated carbons, very high electrochemical activity at high mass loading, and high stability, as demonstrated by supercapacitors and lithium–sulfur batteries with excellent performance. Moreover, the synthesis can be readily tuned to make a broad range of graphitic carbons with desired structures and compositions for many applications. PMID:27162953

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

Mahadevapuram, Nikhila; Mitra, Indranil; Sridhar, Shyam

Thin films of lamellar poly(styrene-b-methyl methacrylate) (PS-PMMA) block copolymers are widely investigated for surface patterning. These materials can generate dense arrays of nanoscale lines when the lamellar domains are oriented perpendicular to the substrate. To stabilize this preferred domain orientation, we tuned the substrate surface energy using oxidation of hydrophobic silane coatings. This simple approach is effective for a broad range of PS-PMMA film thicknesses when the oxidation time is optimized, which demonstrates that the substrate coating is energetically neutral with respect to PS and PMMA segments. The lamellar films are characterized by high densities of defects that exhibit amore » strong dependence on film thickness: in-plane topological defects disrupt the lateral order in ultrathin films, while lamellar domains in thick films can bend and tilt to large misorientation angles. As a result, the types and densities of these defects are similar to those observed with other classes of neutral substrate coatings, such as random copolymer brushes, which demonstrates that oxidized silanes can be used to control PS-PMMA self assembly in thin films.« less

Mechanics of an Asymmetric Hard-Soft Lamellar Nanomaterial

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

Shi, Weichao; Fredrickson, Glenn H.; Kramer, Edward J.

2016-03-24

Nanolayered lamellae are common structures in nanoscience and nanotechnology, but most are nearly symmetric in layer thickness. Here, we report on the structure and mechanics of highly asymmetric and thermodynamically stable soft–hard lamellar structures self-assembled from optimally designed PS 1-(PI-b-PS 2) 3 miktoarm star block copolymers. The remarkable mechanical properties of these strong and ductile PS (polystyrene)-based nanomaterials can be tuned over a broad range by varying the hard layer thickness while maintaining the soft layer thickness constant at 13 nm. Upon deformation, thin PS lamellae (<100 nm) exhibited kinks and predamaged/damaged grains, as well as cavitation in the softmore » layers. In contrast, deformation of thick lamellae (>100 nm) manifests cavitation in both soft and hard nanolayers. In situ tensile-SAXS experiments revealed the evolution of cavities during deformation and confirmed that the damage in such systems reflects both plastic deformation by shear and residual cavities. The aspects of the mechanics should point to universal deformation behavior in broader classes of asymmetric hard–soft lamellar materials, whose properties are just being revealed for versatile applications.« less

Temperature effects on tunable cw Alexandrite lasers under diode end-pumping.

PubMed

Kerridge-Johns, William R; Damzen, Michael J

2018-03-19

Diode pumped Alexandrite is a promising route to high power, efficient and inexpensive lasers with a broad (701 nm to 858 nm) gain bandwidth; however, there are challenges with its complex laser dynamics. We present an analytical model applied to experimental red diode end-pumped Alexandrite lasers, which enabled a record 54 % slope efficiency with an output power of 1.2 W. A record lowest lasing wavelength (714 nm) and record tuning range (104 nm) was obtained by optimising the crystal temperature between 8 °C and 105 °C in the vibronic mode. The properties of Alexandrite and the analytical model were examined to understand and give general rules in optimising Alexandrite lasers, along with their fundamental efficiency limits. It was found that the lowest threshold laser wavelength was not necessarily the most efficient, and that higher and lower temperatures were optimal for longer and shorter laser wavelengths, respectively. The pump excited to ground state absorption ratio was measured to decrease from 0.8 to 0.7 by changing the crystal temperature from 10 °C to 90 °C.

Paramagnetic ionic liquids for measurements of density using magnetic levitation.

PubMed

Bwambok, David K; Thuo, Martin M; Atkinson, Manza B J; Mirica, Katherine A; Shapiro, Nathan D; Whitesides, George M

2013-09-03

Paramagnetic ionic liquids (PILs) provide new capabilities to measurements of density using magnetic levitation (MagLev). In a typical measurement, a diamagnetic object of unknown density is placed in a container containing a PIL. The container is placed between two magnets (typically NdFeB, oriented with like poles facing). The density of the diamagnetic object can be determined by measuring its position in the magnetic field along the vertical axis (levitation height, h), either as an absolute value or relative to internal standards of known density. For density measurements by MagLev, PILs have three advantages over solutions of paramagnetic salts in aqueous or organic solutions: (i) negligible vapor pressures; (ii) low melting points; (iii) high thermal stabilities. In addition, the densities, magnetic susceptibilities, glass transition temperatures, thermal decomposition temperatures, viscosities, and hydrophobicities of PILs can be tuned over broad ranges by choosing the cation-anion pair. The low melting points and high thermal stabilities of PILs provide large liquidus windows for density measurements. This paper demonstrates applications and advantages of PILs in density-based analyses using MagLev.

High speed ultra-broadband amplitude modulators with ultrahigh extinction >65 dB.

PubMed

Liu, S; Cai, H; DeRose, C T; Davids, P; Pomerene, A; Starbuck, A L; Trotter, D C; Camacho, R; Urayama, J; Lentine, A

2017-05-15

We experimentally demonstrate ultrahigh extinction ratio (>65 dB) amplitude modulators (AMs) that can be electrically tuned to operate across a broad spectral range of 160 nm from 1480 - 1640 nm and 95 nm from 1280 - 1375 nm. Our on-chip AMs employ one extra coupler compared with conventional Mach-Zehnder interferometers (MZI), thus form a cascaded MZI (CMZI) structure. Either directional or adiabatic couplers are used to compose the CMZI AMs and experimental comparisons are made between these two different structures. We investigate the performance of CMZI AMs under extreme conditions such as using 95:5 split ratio couplers and unbalanced waveguide losses. Electro-optic phase shifters are also integrated in the CMZI AMs for high-speed operation. Finally, we investigate the output optical phase when the amplitude is modulated, which provides us valuable information when both amplitude and phase are to be controlled. Our demonstration not only paves the road to applications such as quantum information processing that requires high extinction ratio AMs but also significantly alleviates the tight fabrication tolerance needed for large-scale integrated photonics.

Ordering of lamellar block copolymers on oxidized silane coatings

DOE PAGES

Mahadevapuram, Nikhila; Mitra, Indranil; Sridhar, Shyam; ...

2016-01-02

Thin films of lamellar poly(styrene-b-methyl methacrylate) (PS-PMMA) block copolymers are widely investigated for surface patterning. These materials can generate dense arrays of nanoscale lines when the lamellar domains are oriented perpendicular to the substrate. To stabilize this preferred domain orientation, we tuned the substrate surface energy using oxidation of hydrophobic silane coatings. This simple approach is effective for a broad range of PS-PMMA film thicknesses when the oxidation time is optimized, which demonstrates that the substrate coating is energetically neutral with respect to PS and PMMA segments. The lamellar films are characterized by high densities of defects that exhibit amore » strong dependence on film thickness: in-plane topological defects disrupt the lateral order in ultrathin films, while lamellar domains in thick films can bend and tilt to large misorientation angles. As a result, the types and densities of these defects are similar to those observed with other classes of neutral substrate coatings, such as random copolymer brushes, which demonstrates that oxidized silanes can be used to control PS-PMMA self assembly in thin films.« less

Photothermal therapy of Lewis lung carcinoma in mice using gold nanoshells on carboxylated polystyrene spheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Huiyu; Chen, Dong; Tang, Fangqiong; Du, Gangjun; Li, Linlin; Meng, Xianwei; Liang, Wei; Zhang, Yangde; Teng, Xu; Li, Yi

2008-11-01

A new approach towards the design of gold nanoshells on carboxylated polystyrene spheres (GNCPSs) is reported here. Gold nanoshells were self-assembled on the surface of carboxylated polystyrene spheres by a seed growth method. Chitosan (CHI) was used as a functional agent of carboxylated polystyrene spheres for attaching gold seeds. The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak of GNCPSs can be tuned, greatly redshifted, over a broad spectral range including the near-infrared (NIR) wavelength region, which provides maximal penetration of light through tissue. Irradiation of GNCPSs at their peak extinction coefficient results in the conversion of light to heat energy that produces a local rise in temperature. Our study revealed that the Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) in mice treated with GNCPSs exposed to a low dose of NIR light (808 nm, 4 W cm-2) induced irreversible tissue damage. The tumor volumes of the treatment group by GNCPSs were significantly lower than those of control groups, with an average inhibition rate over 55% (P<0.005). This study proves that GNCPSs are promising in plasmonic photothermal tumor therapy.

Closed-loop neuromodulation of spinal sensorimotor circuits controls refined locomotion after complete spinal cord injury.

PubMed

Wenger, Nikolaus; Moraud, Eduardo Martin; Raspopovic, Stanisa; Bonizzato, Marco; DiGiovanna, Jack; Musienko, Pavel; Morari, Manfred; Micera, Silvestro; Courtine, Grégoire

2014-09-24

Neuromodulation of spinal sensorimotor circuits improves motor control in animal models and humans with spinal cord injury. With common neuromodulation devices, electrical stimulation parameters are tuned manually and remain constant during movement. We developed a mechanistic framework to optimize neuromodulation in real time to achieve high-fidelity control of leg kinematics during locomotion in rats. We first uncovered relationships between neuromodulation parameters and recruitment of distinct sensorimotor circuits, resulting in predictive adjustments of leg kinematics. Second, we established a technological platform with embedded control policies that integrated robust movement feedback and feed-forward control loops in real time. These developments allowed us to conceive a neuroprosthetic system that controlled a broad range of foot trajectories during continuous locomotion in paralyzed rats. Animals with complete spinal cord injury performed more than 1000 successive steps without failure, and were able to climb staircases of various heights and lengths with precision and fluidity. Beyond therapeutic potential, these findings provide a conceptual and technical framework to personalize neuromodulation treatments for other neurological disorders. Copyright © 2014, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Libraries of Synthetic TALE-Activated Promoters: Methods and Applications.

PubMed

Schreiber, T; Tissier, A

2016-01-01

The discovery of proteins with programmable DNA-binding specificities triggered a whole array of applications in synthetic biology, including genome editing, regulation of transcription, and epigenetic modifications. Among those, transcription activator-like effectors (TALEs) due to their natural function as transcription regulators, are especially well-suited for the development of orthogonal systems for the control of gene expression. We describe here the construction and testing of libraries of synthetic TALE-activated promoters which are under the control of a single TALE with a given DNA-binding specificity. These libraries consist of a fixed DNA-binding element for the TALE, a TATA box, and variable sequences of 19 bases upstream and 43 bases downstream of the DNA-binding element. These libraries were cloned using a Golden Gate cloning strategy making them usable as standard parts in a modular cloning system. The broad range of promoter activities detected and the versatility of these promoter libraries make them valuable tools for applications in the fine-tuning of expression in metabolic engineering projects or in the design and implementation of regulatory circuits. © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Color discrimination with broadband photoreceptors.

PubMed

Schnaitmann, Christopher; Garbers, Christian; Wachtler, Thomas; Tanimoto, Hiromu

2013-12-02

Color vision is commonly assumed to rely on photoreceptors tuned to narrow spectral ranges. In the ommatidium of Drosophila, the four types of so-called inner photoreceptors express different narrow-band opsins. In contrast, the outer photoreceptors have a broadband spectral sensitivity and were thought to exclusively mediate achromatic vision. Using computational models and behavioral experiments, we demonstrate that the broadband outer photoreceptors contribute to color vision in Drosophila. The model of opponent processing that includes the opsin of the outer photoreceptors scored the best fit to wavelength discrimination data. To experimentally uncover the contribution of individual photoreceptor types, we restored phototransduction of targeted photoreceptor combinations in a blind mutant. Dichromatic flies with only broadband photoreceptors and one additional receptor type can discriminate different colors, indicating the existence of a specific output comparison of the outer and inner photoreceptors. Furthermore, blocking interneurons postsynaptic to the outer photoreceptors specifically impaired color but not intensity discrimination. Our findings show that receptors with a complex and broad spectral sensitivity can contribute to color vision and reveal that chromatic and achromatic circuits in the fly share common photoreceptors. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The stimulus selectivity and connectivity of layer six principal cells reveals cortical microcircuits underlying visual processing.

PubMed

Vélez-Fort, Mateo; Rousseau, Charly V; Niedworok, Christian J; Wickersham, Ian R; Rancz, Ede A; Brown, Alexander P Y; Strom, Molly; Margrie, Troy W

2014-09-17

Sensory computations performed in the neocortex involve layer six (L6) cortico-cortical (CC) and cortico-thalamic (CT) signaling pathways. Developing an understanding of the physiological role of these circuits requires dissection of the functional specificity and connectivity of the underlying individual projection neurons. By combining whole-cell recording from identified L6 principal cells in the mouse primary visual cortex (V1) with modified rabies virus-based input mapping, we have determined the sensory response properties and upstream monosynaptic connectivity of cells mediating the CC or CT pathway. We show that CC-projecting cells encompass a broad spectrum of selectivity to stimulus orientation and are predominantly innervated by deep layer V1 neurons. In contrast, CT-projecting cells are ultrasparse firing, exquisitely tuned to orientation and direction information, and receive long-range input from higher cortical areas. This segregation in function and connectivity indicates that L6 microcircuits route specific contextual and stimulus-related information within and outside the cortical network. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ultrahigh Surface Area Three-Dimensional Porous Graphitic Carbon from Conjugated Polymeric Molecular Framework

DOE PAGES

To, John W. F.; Chen, Zheng; Yao, Hongbin; ...

2015-05-18

Porous graphitic carbon is essential for many applications such as energy storage devices, catalysts, and sorbents. However, current graphitic carbons are limited by low conductivity, low surface area, and ineffective pore structure. Here we report a scalable synthesis of porous graphitic carbons using a conjugated polymeric molecular framework as precursor. The multivalent cross-linker and rigid conjugated framework help to maintain micro- and mesoporous structures, while promoting graphitization during carbonization and chemical activation. The above unique design results in a class of highly graphitic carbons at temperature as low as 800 °C with record-high surface area (4073 m 2 g –1),more » large pore volume (2.26 cm –3), and hierarchical pore architecture. Such carbons simultaneously exhibit electrical conductivity >3 times more than activated carbons, very high electrochemical activity at high mass loading, and high stability, as demonstrated by supercapacitors and lithium–sulfur batteries with excellent performance. Moreover, the synthesis can be readily tuned to make a broad range of graphitic carbons with desired structures and compositions for many applications.« less

Nano/micro-scale magnetophoretic devices for biomedical applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lim, Byeonghwa; Vavassori, Paolo; Sooryakumar, R.; Kim, CheolGi

2017-01-01

In recent years there have been tremendous advances in the versatility of magnetic shuttle technology using nano/micro-scale magnets for digital magnetophoresis. While the technology has been used for a wide variety of single-cell manipulation tasks such as selection, capture, transport, encapsulation, transfection, or lysing of magnetically labeled and unlabeled cells, it has also expanded to include parallel actuation and study of multiple bio-entities. The use of nano/micro-patterned magnetic structures that enable remote control of the applied forces has greatly facilitated integration of the technology with microfluidics, thereby fostering applications in the biomedical arena. The basic design and fabrication of various scaled magnets for remote manipulation of individual and multiple beads/cells, and their associated energies and forces that underlie the broad functionalities of this approach, are presented. One of the most useful features enabled by such advanced integrated engineering is the capacity to remotely tune the magnetic field gradient and energy landscape, permitting such multipurpose shuttles to be implemented within lab-on-chip platforms for a wide range of applications at the intersection of cellular biology and biotechnology.

Fine-tuning gene networks using simple sequence repeats

PubMed Central

Egbert, Robert G.; Klavins, Eric

2012-01-01

The parameters in a complex synthetic gene network must be extensively tuned before the network functions as designed. Here, we introduce a simple and general approach to rapidly tune gene networks in Escherichia coli using hypermutable simple sequence repeats embedded in the spacer region of the ribosome binding site. By varying repeat length, we generated expression libraries that incrementally and predictably sample gene expression levels over a 1,000-fold range. We demonstrate the utility of the approach by creating a bistable switch library that programmatically samples the expression space to balance the two states of the switch, and we illustrate the need for tuning by showing that the switch’s behavior is sensitive to host context. Further, we show that mutation rates of the repeats are controllable in vivo for stability or for targeted mutagenesis—suggesting a new approach to optimizing gene networks via directed evolution. This tuning methodology should accelerate the process of engineering functionally complex gene networks. PMID:22927382

Watt-level tunable 1.5  μm narrow linewidth fiber ring laser based on a temperature tuning π-phase-shifted fiber Bragg grating.

PubMed

Sun, Junjie; Wang, Zefeng; Wang, Meng; Zhou, Zhiyue; Tang, Ni; Chen, Jinbao; Gu, Xijia

2017-11-10

A watt-level tunable 1.5 μm narrow linewidth fiber ring laser using a temperature tuning π-phase-shifted fiber Bragg grating (π-PSFBG) is demonstrated here, to the best of our knowledge, for the first time. The π-PSFBG is employed as both a narrow band filter and a wavelength tuning component, and its central wavelength is thermally tuned by a thermo-electric cooler. The maximum laser power is about 1.1 W with a linewidth of ∼318  MHz (∼2.57  pm) and a power fluctuation of less than 3%. The wavelength tuning range of the laser is about 1.29 nm with a sensitivity of ∼14.33  pm/°C, and the wavelength fluctuation is about 0.2 pm. This work provides important reference for tunable fiber lasers with both high power and narrow linewidth.

Tuned range separated hybrid functionals for solvated low bandgap oligomers

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

Queiroz, Thiago B. de, E-mail: thiago.branquinho-de-queiroz@uni-bayreuth.de; Kümmel, Stephan

2015-07-21

The description of charge transfer excitations has long been a challenge to time dependent density functional theory. The recently developed concept of “optimally tuned range separated hybrid (OT-RSH) functionals” has proven to describe charge transfer excitations accurately in many cases. However, describing solvated or embedded systems is yet a challenge. This challenge is not only computational but also conceptual, because the tuning requires identifying a specific orbital, typically the highest occupied one of the molecule under study. For solvated molecules, this orbital may be delocalized over the solvent. We here demonstrate that one way of overcoming this problem is tomore » use a locally projected self-consistent field diagonalization on an absolutely localized molecular orbital expansion. We employ this approach to determine ionization energies and the optical gap of solvated oligothiophenes, i.e., paradigm low gap systems that are of relevance in organic electronics. Dioxane solvent molecules are explicitly represented in our calculations, and the ambiguities of straightforward parameter tuning in solution are elucidated. We show that a consistent estimate of the optimal range separated parameter (ω) at the limit of bulk solvation can be obtained by gradually extending the solvated system. In particular, ω is influenced by the solvent beyond the first coordination sphere. For determining ionization energies, a considerable number of solvent molecules on the first solvation shell must be taken into account. We demonstrate that accurately calculating optical gaps of solvated systems using OT-RSH can be done in three steps: (i) including the chemical environment when determining the range-separation parameter, (ii) taking into account the screening due to the solvent, and (iii) using realistic molecular geometries.« less

Wide tuning range wavelength-swept laser with a single SOA at 1020 nm for ultrahigh resolution Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography.

PubMed

Lee, Sang-Won; Song, Hyun-Woo; Jung, Moon-Youn; Kim, Seung-Hwan

2011-10-24

In this study, we demonstrated a wide tuning range wavelength-swept laser with a single semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) at 1020 nm for ultrahigh resolution, Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography (UHR, FD-OCT). The wavelength-swept laser was constructed with an external line-cavity based on a Littman configuration. An optical wavelength selection filter consisted of a grating, a telescope, and a polygon scanner. Before constructing the optical wavelength selection filter, we observed that the optical power, the spectrum bandwidth, and the center wavelength of the SOA were affected by the temperature of the thermoelectric (TE) cooler in the SOA mount as well as the applied current. Therefore, to obtain a wide wavelength tuning range, we adjusted the temperature of the TE cooler in the SOA mount. When the temperature in the TE cooler was 9 °C, our swept source had a tuning range of 142 nm and a full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of 121.5 nm at 18 kHz. The measured instantaneous spectral bandwidth (δλ) is 0.085 nm, which was measured by an optical spectrum analyzer with a resolution bandwidth of 0.06 nm. This value corresponds to an imaging depth of 3.1 mm in air. Additionally, the averaged optical power of our swept source was 8.2 mW. In UHR, FD/SS-OCT using our swept laser, the measured axial resolution was 4.0 μm in air corresponding to 2.9 μm in tissue (n = 1.35). The sensitivity was measured to be 93.1 dB at a depth of 100 μm. Finally, we obtained retinal images (macular and optic disk) and a corneal image. © 2011 Optical Society of America

Structural origins of broadband emission from layered Pb-Br hybrid perovskites.

PubMed

Smith, Matthew D; Jaffe, Adam; Dohner, Emma R; Lindenberg, Aaron M; Karunadasa, Hemamala I

2017-06-01

Through structural and optical studies of a series of two-dimensional hybrid perovskites, we show that broadband emission upon near-ultraviolet excitation is common to (001) lead-bromide perovskites. Importantly, we find that the relative intensity of the broad emission correlates with increasing out-of-plane distortion of the Pb-(μ-Br)-Pb angle in the inorganic sheets. Temperature- and power-dependent photoluminescence data obtained on a representative (001) perovskite support an intrinsic origin to the broad emission from the bulk material, where photogenerated carriers cause excited-state lattice distortions mediated through electron-lattice coupling. In contrast, most inorganic phosphors contain extrinsic emissive dopants or emissive surface sites. The design rules established here could allow us to systematically optimize white-light emission from layered hybrid perovskites by fine-tuning the bulk crystal structure.

Cochlear partition tuning within the 2nd apical turn of the intact gerbil cochlea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Wei; Xia, Anping; Puria, Sunil; Applegate, Brian E.; Oghalai, John S.

2018-05-01

Our understanding of cochlear amplification has been mainly informed by observations of the high-frequency basal region. Results from the few existing in vivo studies from the low-frequency apical region have suggested that cochlear amplification may be more broadly tuned and not as nonlinear as in the base. The current study explored micromechanics via sound evoked vibrations of the cochlear partition, including the organ of Corti (OoC), the basilar membrane (BM) and the tectorial membrane (TM), within the 2nd apical turn, corresponding to the 2.5 kHz best frequency region, of the gerbil cochlea using volumetric optical coherence tomography vibrometry (VOCTV), imaged non-invasively through the otic capsule bone in vivo. Sound induced radial displacements below 4 kHz showed similarities and differences to the well-established BM transverse responses at high-frequency basal region. Responses showed broader tuning, but similar gains at the best frequency and similar phase accumulation. The distinct difference found was the presence of compressive nonlinear growth with SPL below the best frequency down to 0.1 kHz observed at the outer hair cell (OHC) and reticular laminar (RL) locations but not in the BM or inner hair cell regions. These relative motions provide further insight on how OHC somatic forces are distributed within the cochlear partition.

Widely tunable short-infrared thulium and holmium doped fluorozirconate waveguide chip lasers.

PubMed

Lancaster, D G; Gross, S; Withford, M J; Monro, T M

2014-10-20

We report widely tunable (≈ 260 nm) Tm(3+) and Ho(3+) doped fluorozirconate (ZBLAN) glass waveguide extended cavity lasers with close to diffraction limited beam quality (M(2) ≈ 1.3). The waveguides are based on ultrafast laser inscribed depressed claddings. A Ti:sapphire laser pumped Tm(3+)-doped chip laser continuously tunes from 1725 nm to 1975 nm, and a Tm(3+)-sensitized Tm(3+):Ho(3+) chip laser displays tuning across both ions evidenced by a red enhanced tuning range of 1810 to 2053 nm. We also demonstrate a compact 790 nm diode laser pumped Tm(3+)-doped chip laser which tunes from 1750 nm to 1998 nm at a 14% incident slope efficiency, and a beam quality of M(2) ≈ 1.2 for a large mode-area waveguide with 70 µm core diameter.

External cavity quantum cascade lasers with ultra rapid acousto-optic tuning

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

Lyakh, A., E-mail: alyakh@pranalytica.com; Barron-Jimenez, R.; Dunayevskiy, I.

2015-04-06

We report operation of tunable external cavity quantum cascade lasers with emission wavelength controlled by an acousto-optic modulator (AOM). A long-wave infrared quantum cascade laser wavelength tuned from ∼8.5 μm to ∼9.8 μm when the AOM frequency was changed from ∼41MHz to ∼49 MHz. The laser delivered over 350 mW of average power at the center of the tuning curve in a linewidth of ∼4.7 cm{sup −1}. Measured wavelength switching time between any two wavelengths within the tuning range of the QCL was less than 1 μs. Spectral measurements of infrared absorption features of Freon demonstrated a capability of obtaining complete spectral data in less thanmore » 20 μs.« less

Electrical birefringence tuning of VCSELs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pusch, Tobias; Lindemann, Markus; Gerhardt, Nils C.; Hofmann, Martin R.; Michalzik, Rainer

2018-02-01

The birefringence splitting B, which is the frequency difference between the two fundamental linear polarization modes in vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs), is the key parameter determining the polarization dynamics of spin-VCSELs that can be much faster than the intensity dynamics. For easy handling and control, electrical tuning of B is favored. This was realized in an integrated chip by thermally induced strain via asymmetric heating with a birefringence tuning range of 45 GHz. In this paper we present our work on VCSEL structures mounted on piezoelectric transducers for strain generation. Furthermore we show a combination of both techniques, namely VCSELs with piezo-thermal birefringence tunability.

An approach to tune the amplitude of surface ripple patterns

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

Kumar, Tanuj; Kanjilal, D.; Kumar, Ashish

An approach is presented to tune the amplitude of ripple patterns using ion beam. By varying the depth location of amorphous/crystalline interface, ripple patterns of different amplitude with similar wavelength were grown on the surface of Si (100) using 50 keV Ar{sup +} beam irradiation. Atomic force microscopy study demonstrates the tuning of amplitude of ripples patterns for wide range. Rutherford backscattering channeling measurement was performed to measure the depth location of amorphous/crystalline interface. It is postulated that the ion beam stimulated solid flow inside the amorphous layer controls the wavelength, whereas mass rearrangement at amorphous/crystalline interface controls the amplitude.

Learned suppression for multiple distractors in visual search.

PubMed

Won, Bo-Yeong; Geng, Joy J

2018-05-07

Visual search for a target object occurs rapidly if there were no distractors to compete for attention, but this rarely happens in real-world environments. Distractors are almost always present and must be suppressed for target selection to succeed. Previous research suggests that one way this occurs is through the creation of a stimulus-specific distractor template. However, it remains unknown how information within such templates scale up with multiple distractors. Here we investigated the informational content of distractor templates created from repeated exposures to multiple distractors. We investigated this question using a visual search task in which participants searched for a gray square among colored squares. During "training," participants always saw the same set of colored distractors. During "testing," new distractor sets were interleaved with the trained distractors. The critical manipulation in each study was the distance (in color space) of the new test distractors from the trained distractors. We hypothesized that the pattern of distractor interference during testing would reveal the tuning of the suppression template: RTs should be commensurate with the degree to which distractor colors are encoded within the suppression template. Results from four experiments converged on the notion that the distractor template includes information about specific color values, but has broad "tuning," allowing suppression to generalize to new distractors. These results suggest that distractor templates, unlike target templates, encode multiple features and have broad representations, which have the advantage of generalizing suppression more easily to other potential distractors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

33 CFR 334.480 - Archers Creek, Ribbon Creek and Broad River, S.C.; U.S. Marine Corps Recruit Depot rifle and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Broad River, S.C.; U.S. Marine Corps Recruit Depot rifle and pistol ranges, Parris Island. 334.480... DEFENSE DANGER ZONE AND RESTRICTED AREA REGULATIONS § 334.480 Archers Creek, Ribbon Creek and Broad River... navigation: (1) At the rifle range. Archers Creek between Broad River and Beaufort River and Ribbon Creek...

33 CFR 334.480 - Archers Creek, Ribbon Creek and Broad River, S.C.; U.S. Marine Corps Recruit Depot rifle and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Broad River, S.C.; U.S. Marine Corps Recruit Depot rifle and pistol ranges, Parris Island. 334.480... DEFENSE DANGER ZONE AND RESTRICTED AREA REGULATIONS § 334.480 Archers Creek, Ribbon Creek and Broad River... navigation: (1) At the rifle range. Archers Creek between Broad River and Beaufort River and Ribbon Creek...

The opponent channel population code of sound location is an efficient representation of natural binaural sounds.

PubMed

Młynarski, Wiktor

2015-05-01

In mammalian auditory cortex, sound source position is represented by a population of broadly tuned neurons whose firing is modulated by sounds located at all positions surrounding the animal. Peaks of their tuning curves are concentrated at lateral position, while their slopes are steepest at the interaural midline, allowing for the maximum localization accuracy in that area. These experimental observations contradict initial assumptions that the auditory space is represented as a topographic cortical map. It has been suggested that a "panoramic" code has evolved to match specific demands of the sound localization task. This work provides evidence suggesting that properties of spatial auditory neurons identified experimentally follow from a general design principle- learning a sparse, efficient representation of natural stimuli. Natural binaural sounds were recorded and served as input to a hierarchical sparse-coding model. In the first layer, left and right ear sounds were separately encoded by a population of complex-valued basis functions which separated phase and amplitude. Both parameters are known to carry information relevant for spatial hearing. Monaural input converged in the second layer, which learned a joint representation of amplitude and interaural phase difference. Spatial selectivity of each second-layer unit was measured by exposing the model to natural sound sources recorded at different positions. Obtained tuning curves match well tuning characteristics of neurons in the mammalian auditory cortex. This study connects neuronal coding of the auditory space with natural stimulus statistics and generates new experimental predictions. Moreover, results presented here suggest that cortical regions with seemingly different functions may implement the same computational strategy-efficient coding.

Impaired Tuning of Neural Ensembles and the Pathophysiology of Schizophrenia: A Translational and Computational Neuroscience Perspective.

PubMed

Krystal, John H; Anticevic, Alan; Yang, Genevieve J; Dragoi, George; Driesen, Naomi R; Wang, Xiao-Jing; Murray, John D

2017-05-15

The functional optimization of neural ensembles is central to human higher cognitive functions. When the functions through which neural activity is tuned fail to develop or break down, symptoms and cognitive impairments arise. This review considers ways in which disturbances in the balance of excitation and inhibition might develop and be expressed in cortical networks in association with schizophrenia. This presentation is framed within a developmental perspective that begins with disturbances in glutamate synaptic development in utero. It considers developmental correlates and consequences, including compensatory mechanisms that increase intrinsic excitability or reduce inhibitory tone. It also considers the possibility that these homeostatic increases in excitability have potential negative functional and structural consequences. These negative functional consequences of disinhibition may include reduced working memory-related cortical activity associated with the downslope of the "inverted-U" input-output curve, impaired spatial tuning of neural activity and impaired sparse coding of information, and deficits in the temporal tuning of neural activity and its implication for neural codes. The review concludes by considering the functional significance of noisy activity for neural network function. The presentation draws on computational neuroscience and pharmacologic and genetic studies in animals and humans, particularly those involving N-methyl-D-aspartate glutamate receptor antagonists, to illustrate principles of network regulation that give rise to features of neural dysfunction associated with schizophrenia. While this presentation focuses on schizophrenia, the general principles outlined in the review may have broad implications for considering disturbances in the regulation of neural ensembles in psychiatric disorders. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Widely tunable chaotic fiber laser for WDM-PON detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Juan; Yang, Ling-zhen; Xu, Nai-jun; Wang, Juan-fen; Zhang, Zhao-xia; Liu, Xiang-lian

2014-05-01

A widely tunable high precision chaotic fiber laser is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. A tunable fiber Bragg grating (TFBG) filter is used as a tuning element to determine the turning range from 1533 nm to 1558 nm with a linewidth of 0.5 nm at any wavelength. The wide tuning range is capable of supporting 32 wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) channels with 100 GHz channel spacing. All single wavelengths are found to be chaotic with 10 GHz bandwidth. The full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the chaotic correlation curve of the different wavelengths is on a picosecond time scale, thereby offering millimeter spatial resolution in WDM detection.

Mapping variations in weight percent silica measured from multispectral thermal infrared imagery - Examples from the Hiller Mountains, Nevada, USA and Tres Virgenes-La Reforma, Baja California Sur, Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hook, S.J.; Dmochowski, J.E.; Howard, K.A.; Rowan, L.C.; Karlstrom, K.E.; Stock, J.M.

2005-01-01

Remotely sensed multispectral thermal infrared (8-13 ??m) images are increasingly being used to map variations in surface silicate mineralogy. These studies utilize the shift to longer wavelengths in the main spectral feature in minerals in this wavelength region (reststrahlen band) as the mineralogy changes from felsic to mafic. An approach is described for determining the amount of this shift and then using the shift with a reference curve, derived from laboratory data, to remotely determine the weight percent SiO2 of the surface. The approach has broad applicability to many study areas and can also be fine-tuned to give greater accuracy in a particular study area if field samples are available. The approach was assessed using airborne multispectral thermal infrared images from the Hiller Mountains, Nevada, USA and the Tres Virgenes-La Reforma, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Results indicate the general approach slightly overestimates the weight percent SiO2 of low silica rocks (e.g. basalt) and underestimates the weight percent SiO2 of high silica rocks (e.g. granite). Fine tuning the general approach with measurements from field samples provided good results for both areas with errors in the recovered weight percent SiO2 of a few percent. The map units identified by these techniques and traditional mapping at the Hiller Mountains demonstrate the continuity of the crystalline rocks from the Hiller Mountains southward to the White Hills supporting the idea that these ranges represent an essentially continuous footwall block below a regional detachment. Results from the Baja California data verify the most recent volcanism to be basaltic-andesite. ?? 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Tuning the specificity of a Two-in-One Fab against three angiogenic antigens by fully utilizing the information of deep mutational scanning.

PubMed

Koenig, Patrick; Sanowar, Sarah; Lee, Chingwei V; Fuh, Germaine

Monoclonal antibodies developed for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes need to demonstrate highly defined binding specificity profiles. Engineering of an antibody to enhance or reduce binding to related antigens is often needed to achieve the desired biologic activity without safety concern. Here, we describe a deep sequencing-aided engineering strategy to fine-tune the specificity of an angiopoietin-2 (Ang2)/vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) dual action Fab, 5A12.1 for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration. This antibody utilizes overlapping complementarity-determining region (CDR) sites for dual Ang2/VEGF interaction with K D in the sub-nanomolar range. However, it also exhibits significant (K D of 4 nM) binding to angiopoietin-1, which has high sequence identity with Ang2. We generated a large phage-displayed library of 5A12.1 Fab variants with all possible single mutations in the 6 CDRs. By tracking the change of prevalence of each mutation during various selection conditions, we identified 35 mutations predicted to decrease the affinity for Ang1 while maintaining the affinity for Ang2 and VEGF. We confirmed the specificity profiles for 25 of these single mutations as Fab protein. Structural analysis showed that some of the Fab mutations cluster near a potential Ang1/2 epitope residue that differs in the 2 proteins, while others are up to 15 Å away from the antigen-binding site and likely influence the binding interaction remotely. The approach presented here provides a robust and efficient method for specificity engineering that does not require prior knowledge of the antigen antibody interaction and can be broadly applied to antibody specificity engineering projects.

Spatial cue reliability drives frequency tuning in the barn Owl's midbrain

PubMed Central

Cazettes, Fanny; Fischer, Brian J; Pena, Jose L

2014-01-01

The robust representation of the environment from unreliable sensory cues is vital for the efficient function of the brain. However, how the neural processing captures the most reliable cues is unknown. The interaural time difference (ITD) is the primary cue to localize sound in horizontal space. ITD is encoded in the firing rate of neurons that detect interaural phase difference (IPD). Due to the filtering effect of the head, IPD for a given location varies depending on the environmental context. We found that, in barn owls, at each location there is a frequency range where the head filtering yields the most reliable IPDs across contexts. Remarkably, the frequency tuning of space-specific neurons in the owl's midbrain varies with their preferred sound location, matching the range that carries the most reliable IPD. Thus, frequency tuning in the owl's space-specific neurons reflects a higher-order feature of the code that captures cue reliability. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.04854.001 PMID:25531067

Widely bandwidth-tunable silicon filter with an unlimited free-spectral range.

PubMed

St-Yves, Jonathan; Bahrami, Hadi; Jean, Philippe; LaRochelle, Sophie; Shi, Wei

2015-12-01

Next-generation high-capacity optical networks require flexible allocation of spectrum resources, for which low-cost optical filters with an ultra-wide bandwidth tunability beyond 100 GHz are desired. We demonstrate an integrated band-pass filter with the bandwidth continuously tuned across 670 GHz (117-788 GHz) which, to the best of our knowledge, is the widest tuning span ever demonstrated on a silicon chip. The filter also features simultaneous wavelength tuning and an unlimited free spectral range. We measured an out-of-band contrast of up to 55 dB, low in-band ripples of less than 0.3 dB, and in-band group delay variation of less than 8 ps. This result was achieved using cascaded Bragg-grating-assisted contra-directional couplers and micro-heaters on the 220 nm silicon-on-insulator platform with a very compact footprint of less than 7000  μm2. Another design with the bandwidth continuously tunable from 50 GHz to 1 THz is also presented.

Tunable Thin-Film Resonator Coupled to Two Qubits in a 3D Cavity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ballard, Cody; Dutta, S. K.; Budoyo, R. P.; Voigt, K. D.; Lobb, C. J.; Wellstood, F. C.

We present preliminary results on using a tunable, thin-film lumped element LC resonator to couple two transmon qubits in a 3D microwave cavity. The cavity, which is used for readout, is made of aluminum and has a TE101 mode at 6.3 GHz. The LC resonator has a base frequency of about 5 GHz and the inductor contains two loops, each having a single Josephson junction. Applying magnetic flux to the loops modulates the overall inductance of the resonator allowing tuning over a 500 MHz range. Two Al/AlOx/Al transmon qubits are fabricated on the same sapphire substrate as the resonator, and are designed to have a charging energy of 200 MHz and a frequency that falls within the tuning range of the resonator. Observing the perturbations of the resonant frequencies of the qubits and the cavity as the LC resonator is tuned allows us to determine the coupling strengths between each qubit and the LC resonator and between the LC resonator and the cavity.

Widely wavelength tunable gain-switched Er³⁺-doped ZBLAN fiber laser around 2.8 μm.

PubMed

Wei, Chen; Luo, Hongyu; Shi, Hongxia; Lyu, YanJia; Zhang, Han; Liu, Yong

2017-04-17

In this paper, we demonstrate a wavelength widely tunable gain-switched Er³⁺-doped ZBLAN fiber laser around 2.8 μm. The laser can be tuned over 170 nm (2699 nm~2869.9 nm) for various pump power levels, while maintaining stable μs-level single-pulse gain-switched operation with controllable output pulse duration at a selectable repetition rate. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first wavelength tunable gain-switched fiber laser in the 3 μm spectral region with the broadest tuning range (doubling the record tuning range) of the pulsed fiber lasers around 3 μm. Influences of pump energy and power on the output gain-switched laser performances are investigated in detail. This robust, simple, and versatile mid-infrared pulsed fiber laser source is highly suitable for many applications including laser surgery, material processing, sensing, spectroscopy, as well as serving as a practical seed source in master oscillator power amplifiers.

Modifying the 5'-Cap for Click Reactions of Eukaryotic mRNA and To Tune Translation Efficiency in Living Cells.

PubMed

Holstein, Josephin M; Anhäuser, Lea; Rentmeister, Andrea

2016-08-26

The 5'-cap is a hallmark of eukaryotic mRNAs and plays fundamental roles in RNA metabolism, ranging from quality control to export and translation. Modifying the 5'-cap may thus enable modulation of the underlying processes and investigation or tuning of several biological functions. A straightforward approach is presented for the efficient production of a range of N7-modified caps based on the highly promiscuous methyltransferase Ecm1. We show that these, as well as N(2) -modified 5'-caps, can be used to tune translation of the respective mRNAs both in vitro and in cells. Appropriate modifications allow subsequent bioorthogonal chemistry, as demonstrated by intracellular live-cell labeling of a target mRNA. The efficient and versatile N7 manipulation of the mRNA cap makes mRNAs amenable to both modulation of their biological function and intracellular labeling, and represents a valuable addition to the chemical biology toolbox. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Tunable picosecond infrared pulses generated by stimulated electronic Raman scattering of a mode-locked Ti:Sapphire laser in potassium vapor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohde, H.; Lin, S.; Minoh, A.; Shimizu, F. O.; Aono, M.; Suzuki, T.

1996-01-01

A down-conversion to the mid-infrared region by using Stimulated Electronic Raman Scattering (SERS) in potassium vapor is described. The pump radiation is a frequency-doubled regeneratively amplified Ti:Sapphire laser with a pulse duration of 2 ps, pulse energy of 0.2 mJ, and repetition rate of 10 Hz. With the pumping frequency tuned around the potassium 4 s-5 p transition, nearly transform-limited infrared radiation tunable between 2.2 and 3.4 μm has been generated with a peak infrared energy of 12 µJ, corresponding to a quantum efficiency of 17%, and with a pulse duration of 2 ps. The present tuning range could be extended by extending the tuning range of the pump laser. In comparison, intense infrared radiation of 90 µJ energy but with a very narrow tunability around 2.9 μm has also been generated by SERS in barium vapor.

High-pressure cell for terahertz time-domain spectroscopy.

PubMed

Zhang, Wei; Nickel, Daniel; Mittleman, Daniel

2017-02-06

We introduce a sample cell that can be used for pressure-dependent terahertz time-domain spectroscopy. Compared with traditional far-IR spectroscopy with a diamond anvil cell, the larger aperture permits measurements down to much lower frequencies as low as 3.3 cm^-1 (0.1 THz), giving access to new spectroscopic results. The pressure tuning range reaches up to 34.4 MPa, while the temperature range is from 100 to 473 K. With this large range of tuning parameters, we are able to map out phase diagrams of materials based on their THz spectrum, as well as to track the changing of the THz spectrum within a single phase as a function of temperature and pressure. Pressure-dependent THz-TDS results for nitrogen and R-camphor are shown as an example.

A low-voltage fully balanced CMFF transconductor with improved linearity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calvo, B.; Celma, S.; Alegre, J. P.; Sanz, M. T.

2007-05-01

This paper presents a new low-voltage pseudo-differential continuous-time CMOS transconductor for wideband applications. The proposed cell is based on a feedforward cancellation of the input common-mode signal and keeps the input common mode voltage constant, while the transconductance is easily tunable through a continuous bias voltage. Linearity is preserved during the tuning process for a moderate range of transconductance values. Simulation results for a 0.35 μm CMOS design show a 1:2 G m tuning range with an almost constant bandwidth over 600 MHz. Total harmonic distortion figures are below -60 dB over the whole range at 10 MHz up to a 200 μA p-p differential output. The proposed cell consumes less than 1.2 mW from a single 2.0 V supply.

Hollow-Structured Graphene-Silicone-Composite-Based Piezoresistive Sensors: Decoupled Property Tuning and Bending Reliability.

PubMed

Luo, Ningqi; Huang, Yan; Liu, Jing; Chen, Shih-Chi; Wong, Ching Ping; Zhao, Ni

2017-10-01

A versatile flexible piezoresistive sensor should maintain high sensitivity in a wide linear range, and provide a stable and repeatable pressure reading under bending. These properties are often difficult to achieve simultaneously with conventional filler-matrix composite active materials, as tuning of one material component often results in change of multiple sensor properties. Here, a material strategy is developed to realize a 3D graphene-poly(dimethylsiloxane) hollow structure, where the electrical conductivity and mechanical elasticity of the composite can be tuned separately by varying the graphene layer number and the poly(dimethylsiloxane) composition ratio, respectively. As a result, the sensor sensitivity and linear range can be easily improved through a decoupled tuning process, reaching a sensitivity of 15.9 kPa -1 in a 60 kPa linear region, and the sensor also exhibits fast response (1.2 ms rising time) and high stability. Furthermore, by optimizing the density of the graphene percolation network and thickness of the composite, the stability and repeatability of the sensor output under bending are improved, achieving a measurement error below 6% under bending radius variations from -25 to +25 mm. Finally, the potential applications of these sensors in wearable medical devices and robotic vision are explored. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Distributed and Dynamic Neural Encoding of Multiple Motion Directions of Transparently Moving Stimuli in Cortical Area MT

PubMed Central

Xiao, Jianbo

2015-01-01

Segmenting visual scenes into distinct objects and surfaces is a fundamental visual function. To better understand the underlying neural mechanism, we investigated how neurons in the middle temporal cortex (MT) of macaque monkeys represent overlapping random-dot stimuli moving transparently in slightly different directions. It has been shown that the neuronal response elicited by two stimuli approximately follows the average of the responses elicited by the constituent stimulus components presented alone. In this scheme of response pooling, the ability to segment two simultaneously presented motion directions is limited by the width of the tuning curve to motion in a single direction. We found that, although the population-averaged neuronal tuning showed response averaging, subgroups of neurons showed distinct patterns of response tuning and were capable of representing component directions that were separated by a small angle—less than the tuning width to unidirectional stimuli. One group of neurons preferentially represented the component direction at a specific side of the bidirectional stimuli, weighting one stimulus component more strongly than the other. Another group of neurons pooled the component responses nonlinearly and showed two separate peaks in their tuning curves even when the average of the component responses was unimodal. We also show for the first time that the direction tuning of MT neurons evolved from initially representing the vector-averaged direction of slightly different stimuli to gradually representing the component directions. Our results reveal important neural processes underlying image segmentation and suggest that information about slightly different stimulus components is computed dynamically and distributed across neurons. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Natural scenes often contain multiple entities. The ability to segment visual scenes into distinct objects and surfaces is fundamental to sensory processing and is crucial for generating the perception of our environment. Because cortical neurons are broadly tuned to a given visual feature, segmenting two stimuli that differ only slightly is a challenge for the visual system. In this study, we discovered that many neurons in the visual cortex are capable of representing individual components of slightly different stimuli by selectively and nonlinearly pooling the responses elicited by the stimulus components. We also show for the first time that the neural representation of individual stimulus components developed over a period of ∼70–100 ms, revealing a dynamic process of image segmentation. PMID:26658869

Guide star lasers for adaptive optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberts, William Thomas, Jr.

Exploitation of the imaging capabilities of the new generation of ground-based astronomical telescopes relies heavily on Adaptive Optics (AO). Current AO system designs call for sodium guide star lasers capable of producing at least eight Watts of power tuned to the peak of the sodium D2 line, with a high duty cycle to avoid saturation, and with 0.5-1.0 GHz spectral broadening. This work comprises development and testing of six candidate laser systems and materials which may afford a path to achieving these goals. An end-pumped CW dye laser producing 4.0 Watts of tuned output power was developed and used to obtain the first accurate measurement of sodium layer scattering efficiency. Methods of optimizing the laser output through improving pump overlap efficiency and reducing the number of intracavity scattering surfaces are covered. The 1181 nm fluorescence peak of Mn5+ ion in Ba5 (PO4)3Cl could be tuned and doubled to reach 589 nm. While efforts to grow this crystal were under way, the Mn5+ ion in natural apatite (Ca5(PO4)3F) was studied as a potential laser material. Fluorescence saturation measurements and transmission saturation are presented, as well as efforts to obtain CW lasing in natural apatite. A Q-switched laser color-center laser in LiF : F-2 was developed and successfully tuned and doubled to the sodium D 2 line. Broad-band lasing of 80 mW and tuned narrow-band lasing of 35 mW at 1178 nm were obtained with 275 mW of input pump power at 1064 nm. The measured thermal properties of this material indicate its potential for scaling to much higher power. A Q-switched intracavity Raman laser was developed in which CaWO 4 was used to shift a Nd:YAG laser, the frequency-doubled output of which was centered at 589.3 nm. To obtain light at 589.0 nm, a compositionally tuned pump laser of Nd : Y3Ga1.1Al3.9O 12 was produced which generated the desired shift, but was inhomogeneous broadened, limiting the tunable power of the material. Finally, temperature tuning of a Nd:YAG laser was demonstrated in which the laser emitted up to 8.6 Watts at a temperature of -21.5 C, bringing the wavelength into a regime favorable for efficient Raman shifting by CaWO4.

The different origins of high- and low-ionization broad emission lines revealed by gravitational microlensing in the Einstein cross

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braibant, L.; Hutsemékers, D.; Sluse, D.; Anguita, T.

2016-07-01

We investigate the kinematics and ionization structure of the broad emission line region of the gravitationally lensed quasar QSO2237+0305 (the Einstein cross) using differential microlensing in the high- and low-ionization broad emission lines. We combine visible and near-infrared spectra of the four images of the lensed quasar and detect a large-amplitude microlensing effect distorting the high-ionization CIV and low-ionization Hα line profiles in image A. While microlensing only magnifies the red wing of the Balmer line, it symmetrically magnifies the wings of the CIV emission line. Given that the same microlensing pattern magnifies both the high- and low-ionization broad emission line regions, these dissimilar distortions of the line profiles suggest that the high- and low-ionization regions are governed by different kinematics. Since this quasar is likely viewed at intermediate inclination, we argue that the differential magnification of the blue and red wings of Hα favors a flattened, virialized, low-ionization region whereas the symmetric microlensing effect measured in CIV can be reproduced by an emission line formed in a polar wind, without the need of fine-tuned caustic configurations. Based on observations made with the ESO-VLT, Paranal, Chile; Proposals 076.B-0197 and 076.B-0607 (PI: Courbin).

Contribution of Innate Cortical Mechanisms to the Maturation of Orientation Selectivity in Parvalbumin Interneurons

PubMed Central

Figueroa Velez, Dario X.; Ellefsen, Kyle L.; Hathaway, Ethan R.; Carathedathu, Mathew C.

2017-01-01

The maturation of cortical parvalbumin-positive (PV) interneurons depends on the interaction of innate and experience-dependent factors. Dark-rearing experiments suggest that visual experience determines when broad orientation selectivity emerges in visual cortical PV interneurons. Here, using neural transplantation and in vivo calcium imaging of mouse visual cortex, we investigated whether innate mechanisms contribute to the maturation of orientation selectivity in PV interneurons. First, we confirmed earlier findings showing that broad orientation selectivity emerges in PV interneurons by 2 weeks after vision onset, ∼35 d after these cells are born. Next, we assessed the functional development of transplanted PV (tPV) interneurons. Surprisingly, 25 d after transplantation (DAT) and >2 weeks after vision onset, we found that tPV interneurons have not developed broad orientation selectivity. By 35 DAT, however, broad orientation selectivity emerges in tPV interneurons. Transplantation does not alter orientation selectivity in host interneurons, suggesting that the maturation of tPV interneurons occurs independently from their endogenous counterparts. Together, these results challenge the notion that the onset of vision solely determines when PV interneurons become broadly tuned. Our results reveal that an innate cortical mechanism contributes to the emergence of broad orientation selectivity in PV interneurons. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Early visual experience and innate developmental programs interact to shape cortical circuits. Visual-deprivation experiments have suggested that the onset of visual experience determines when interneurons mature in the visual cortex. Here we used neuronal transplantation and cellular imaging of visual responses to investigate the maturation of parvalbumin-positive (PV) interneurons. Our results suggest that the emergence of broad orientation selectivity in PV interneurons is innately timed. PMID:28123018

Stress-Triggered Phase Separation Is an Adaptive, Evolutionarily Tuned Response

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

Riback, Joshua A.; Katanski, Christopher D.; Kear-Scott, Jamie L.

In eukaryotic cells, diverse stresses trigger coalescence of RNA-binding proteins into stress granules. In vitro, stress-granule-associated proteins can demix to form liquids, hydrogels, and other assemblies lacking fixed stoichiometry. Observing these phenomena has generally required conditions far removed from physiological stresses. We show that poly(A)-binding protein (Pab1 in yeast), a defining marker of stress granules, phase separates and forms hydrogels in vitro upon exposure to physiological stress conditions. Other RNA-binding proteins depend upon low-complexity regions (LCRs) or RNA for phase separation, whereas Pab1’s LCR is not required for demixing, and RNA inhibits it. Based on unique evolutionary patterns, we createmore » LCR mutations, which systematically tune its biophysical properties and Pab1 phase separation in vitro and in vivo. Mutations that impede phase separation reduce organism fitness during prolonged stress. Poly(A)-binding protein thus acts as a physiological stress sensor, exploiting phase separation to precisely mark stress onset, a broadly generalizable mechanism.« less

Contact chemosensation of phytochemicals by insect herbivores

PubMed Central

Burse, Antje

2017-01-01

Contact chemosensation, or tasting, is a complex process governed by nonvolatile phytochemicals that tell host-seeking insects whether they should accept or reject a plant. During this process, insect gustatory receptors (GRs) contribute to deciphering a host plant's metabolic code. GRs recognise many different classes of nonvolatile compounds; some GRs are likely to be narrowly tuned and others, broadly tuned. Although primary and/or secondary plant metabolites influence the insect's feeding choice, their decoding by GRs is challenging, because metabolites in planta occur in complex mixtures that have additive or inhibitory effects; in diverse forms composed of structurally unrelated molecules; and at different concentrations depending on the plant species, its tissue and developmental stage. Future studies of the mechanism of insect herbivore GRs will benefit from functional characterisation taking into account the spatio-temporal dynamics and diversity of the plant's metabolome. Metabolic information, in turn, will help to elucidate the impact of single ligands and complex natural mixtures on the insect's feeding choice. PMID:28485430

Phase Segregation Behavior of Two-Dimensional Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Binary Alloys Induced by Dissimilar Substitution

DOE PAGES

Susarla, Sandhya; Kochat, Vidya; Kutana, Alex; ...

2017-08-15

Transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) alloys form a broad class of two-dimensional (2D) layered materials with tunable bandgaps leading to interesting optoelectronic applications. In the bottom-up approach of building these atomically thin materials, atomic doping plays a crucial role. Here we demonstrate a single step CVD (chemical vapor deposition) growth procedure for obtaining binary alloys and heterostructures by tuning atomic composition. We show that a minute doping of tin during the growth phase of the Mo 1–xW xS 2 alloy system leads to formation of lateral and vertical heterostructure growth. High angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) imagingmore » and density functional theory (DFT) calculations also support the modified stacking and growth mechanism due to the nonisomorphous Sn substitution. Our experiments demonstrate the possibility of growing heterostructures of TMD alloys whose spectral responses can be desirably tuned for various optoelectronic applications.« less

Electronic tunability of zero dispersion wavelengths in a spiral photonic crystal fiber for supercontinuum generation in the communication window

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hossain, Md. Nazmul; Alam, M. Shah; Mohsin, K. M.; Hasan, Dihan Md. Nuruddin

2011-08-01

A liquid crystal infiltrated spiral photonic crystal fiber (LCSPCF) is presented here for electrical tuning of two zero dispersion wavelengths (ZDWs) in the present communication window. The proposed LCSPCF shows tunability of the ZDWs from 1433 nm to 2136 nm due to the rotation of the infiltrated LC mesogen induced by the external electric field. Therefore, the ZDW can easily be shifted towards the available pump wavelength for effective supercontinuum generation (SCG) over a broad wavelength region. By tuning the bandwidth (BW) in between the two ZDWs the extension of the generated supercontinuum (SC) spectrum can also be electrically controlled. This will help the SCG in our desired band with optimum power budget. Moreover, the index guiding mechanism of the proposed soft glass LCSPCF shows improvement over the narrow operational bandwidth and the low nonlinearity of the band-gap guided silica LCPCF. Additionally, the solid core of the proposed LCSPCF is less lossy than the previously proposed liquid crystal core PCF.

Volume-wise destruction of the antiferromagnetic Mott insulating state through quantum tuning.

PubMed

Frandsen, Benjamin A; Liu, Lian; Cheung, Sky C; Guguchia, Zurab; Khasanov, Rustem; Morenzoni, Elvezio; Munsie, Timothy J S; Hallas, Alannah M; Wilson, Murray N; Cai, Yipeng; Luke, Graeme M; Chen, Bijuan; Li, Wenmin; Jin, Changqing; Ding, Cui; Guo, Shengli; Ning, Fanlong; Ito, Takashi U; Higemoto, Wataru; Billinge, Simon J L; Sakamoto, Shoya; Fujimori, Atsushi; Murakami, Taito; Kageyama, Hiroshi; Alonso, Jose Antonio; Kotliar, Gabriel; Imada, Masatoshi; Uemura, Yasutomo J

2016-08-17

RENiO3 (RE=rare-earth element) and V2O3 are archetypal Mott insulator systems. When tuned by chemical substitution (RENiO3) or pressure (V2O3), they exhibit a quantum phase transition (QPT) between an antiferromagnetic Mott insulating state and a paramagnetic metallic state. Because novel physics often appears near a Mott QPT, the details of this transition, such as whether it is first or second order, are important. Here, we demonstrate through muon spin relaxation/rotation (μSR) experiments that the QPT in RENiO3 and V2O3 is first order: the magnetically ordered volume fraction decreases to zero at the QPT, resulting in a broad region of intrinsic phase separation, while the ordered magnetic moment retains its full value until it is suddenly destroyed at the QPT. These findings bring to light a surprising universality of the pressure-driven Mott transition, revealing the importance of phase separation and calling for further investigation into the nature of quantum fluctuations underlying the transition.

Volume-wise destruction of the antiferromagnetic Mott insulating state through quantum tuning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frandsen, Benjamin A.; Liu, Lian; Cheung, Sky C.; Guguchia, Zurab; Khasanov, Rustem; Morenzoni, Elvezio; Munsie, Timothy J. S.; Hallas, Alannah M.; Wilson, Murray N.; Cai, Yipeng; Luke, Graeme M.; Chen, Bijuan; Li, Wenmin; Jin, Changqing; Ding, Cui; Guo, Shengli; Ning, Fanlong; Ito, Takashi U.; Higemoto, Wataru; Billinge, Simon J. L.; Sakamoto, Shoya; Fujimori, Atsushi; Murakami, Taito; Kageyama, Hiroshi; Alonso, Jose Antonio; Kotliar, Gabriel; Imada, Masatoshi; Uemura, Yasutomo J.

2016-08-01

RENiO3 (RE=rare-earth element) and V2O3 are archetypal Mott insulator systems. When tuned by chemical substitution (RENiO3) or pressure (V2O3), they exhibit a quantum phase transition (QPT) between an antiferromagnetic Mott insulating state and a paramagnetic metallic state. Because novel physics often appears near a Mott QPT, the details of this transition, such as whether it is first or second order, are important. Here, we demonstrate through muon spin relaxation/rotation (μSR) experiments that the QPT in RENiO3 and V2O3 is first order: the magnetically ordered volume fraction decreases to zero at the QPT, resulting in a broad region of intrinsic phase separation, while the ordered magnetic moment retains its full value until it is suddenly destroyed at the QPT. These findings bring to light a surprising universality of the pressure-driven Mott transition, revealing the importance of phase separation and calling for further investigation into the nature of quantum fluctuations underlying the transition.

Electronic frequency tuning of the acousto-optic mode-locking device of a laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Magdich, L. N.; Balakshy, V. I.; Mantsevich, S. N.

2017-11-01

The effect of the electronic tuning of the acoustic resonances in an acousto-optic mode-locking device of a laser is investigated theoretically and experimentally. The problem of the excitation of a Fabry-Perot acoustic resonator by a plate-like piezoelectric transducer (PET) is solved in the approximation of plane acoustic waves taking into consideration the actual parameters of an RF generator and the elements for matching the PET to the generator. Resonances are tuned by changing the matching inductance that was connected in parallel to the transducer of the acousto-optic cell. The cell used in the experiment was manufactured from fused silica and included a lithium niobate PET. Changes in the matching inductance in the range of 0.025 to 0.2 μH provided the acoustic-resonance frequency tuning by 0.19 MHz, which exceeds the acoustic- resonance half-width.

Phosphatase activity tunes two-component system sensor detection threshold.

PubMed

Landry, Brian P; Palanki, Rohan; Dyulgyarov, Nikola; Hartsough, Lucas A; Tabor, Jeffrey J

2018-04-12

Two-component systems (TCSs) are the largest family of multi-step signal transduction pathways in biology, and a major source of sensors for biotechnology. However, the input concentrations to which biosensors respond are often mismatched with application requirements. Here, we utilize a mathematical model to show that TCS detection thresholds increase with the phosphatase activity of the sensor histidine kinase. We experimentally validate this result in engineered Bacillus subtilis nitrate and E. coli aspartate TCS sensors by tuning their detection threshold up to two orders of magnitude. We go on to apply our TCS tuning method to recently described tetrathionate and thiosulfate sensors by mutating a widely conserved residue previously shown to impact phosphatase activity. Finally, we apply TCS tuning to engineer B. subtilis to sense and report a wide range of fertilizer concentrations in soil. This work will enable the engineering of tailor-made biosensors for diverse synthetic biology applications.

Monolayer coated gold nanoparticles for delivery applications

PubMed Central

Rana, Subinoy; Bajaj, Avinash; Mout, Rubul; Rotello, Vincent M.

2011-01-01

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) provide attractive vehicles for delivery of drugs, genetic materials, proteins, and small molecules. AuNPs feature low core toxicity coupled with the ability to parametrically control particle size and surface properties. In this review, we focus on engineering of the AuNP surface monolayer, highlighting recent advances in tuning monolayer structures for efficient delivery of drugs and biomolecules. This review covers two broad categories of particle functionalization, organic monolayers and biomolecule coatings, and discusses their applications in drug, DNA/RNA, protein and small molecule delivery. PMID:21925556

Multicolor photonic crystal laser array

DOEpatents

Wright, Jeremy B; Brener, Igal; Subramania, Ganapathi S; Wang, George T; Li, Qiming

2015-04-28

A multicolor photonic crystal laser array comprises pixels of monolithically grown gain sections each with a different emission center wavelength. As an example, two-dimensional surface-emitting photonic crystal lasers comprising broad gain-bandwidth III-nitride multiple quantum well axial heterostructures were fabricated using a novel top-down nanowire fabrication method. Single-mode lasing was obtained in the blue-violet spectral region with 60 nm of tuning (or 16% of the nominal center wavelength) that was determined purely by the photonic crystal geometry. This approach can be extended to cover the entire visible spectrum.

Inducible, tunable and multiplex human gene regulation using CRISPR-Cpf1-based transcription factors | Office of Cancer Genomics

Cancer.gov

Targeted and inducible regulation of mammalian gene expression is a broadly important research capability that may also enable development of novel therapeutics for treating human diseases. Here we demonstrate that a catalytically inactive RNA-guided CRISPR-Cpf1 nuclease fused to transcriptional activation domains can up-regulate endogenous human gene expression. We engineered drug-inducible Cpf1-based activators and show how this system can be used to tune the regulation of endogenous gene transcription in human cells.

Thermal gradient crystals as tuneable monochromator for high energy X-rays

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

Ruett, U.; Schulte-Schrepping, H.; Heuer, J.

2010-06-23

At the high energy synchrotron radiation beamline BW5 at DORIS III at DESY a new monochromator providing broad energy bandwidth and high reflectivity is in use. On a small 10x10x5 mm{sup 3} silicon crystal scattering at the (311) reflection a thermal gradient is applied, which tunes the scattered energy bandwidth. The (311) reflection strongly suppresses the higher harmonics allowing the use of an image plate detector for crystallography. The monochromator can be used at photon energies above 60 keV.

Controlling upconversion nanocrystals for emerging applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Bo; Shi, Bingyang; Jin, Dayong; Liu, Xiaogang

2015-11-01

Lanthanide-doped upconversion nanocrystals enable anti-Stokes emission with pump intensities several orders of magnitude lower than required by conventional nonlinear optical techniques. Their exceptional properties, namely large anti-Stokes shifts, sharp emission spectra and long excited-state lifetimes, have led to a diversity of applications. Here, we review upconversion nanocrystals from the perspective of fundamental concepts and examine the technical challenges in relation to emission colour tuning and luminescence enhancement. In particular, we highlight the advances in functionalization strategies that enable the broad utility of upconversion nanocrystals for multimodal imaging, cancer therapy, volumetric displays and photonics.

Microfluidic Extraction of Biomarkers using Water as Solvent

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Amashukeli, Xenia; Manohara, Harish; Chattopadhyay, Goutam; Mehdi, Imran

2009-01-01

A proposed device, denoted a miniature microfluidic biomarker extractor (mu-EX), would extract trace amounts of chemicals of interest from samples, such as soils and rocks. Traditionally, such extractions are performed on a large scale with hazardous organic solvents; each solvent capable of dissolving only those molecules lying within narrow ranges of specific chemical and physical characteristics that notably include volatility, electric charge, and polarity. In contrast, in the mu-EX, extractions could be performed by use of small amounts (typically between 0.1 and 100 L) of water as a universal solvent. As a rule of thumb, in order to enable solvation and extraction of molecules, it is necessary to use solvents that have polarity sufficiently close to the polarity of the target molecules. The mu-EX would make selection of specific organic solvents unnecessary, because mu-EX would exploit a unique property of liquid water: the possibility of tuning its polarity to match the polarity of organic solvents appropriate for extraction of molecules of interest. The change of the permittivity of water would be achieved by exploiting interactions between the translational states of water molecules and an imposed electromagnetic field in the frequency range of 300 to 600 GHz. On a molecular level, these interactions would result in disruption of the three-dimensional hydrogen-bonding network among liquid-water molecules and subsequent solvation and hydrolysis of target molecules. The mu-EX is expected to be an efficient means of hydrolyzing chemical bonds in complex macromolecules as well and, thus, enabling analysis of the building blocks of these complex chemical systems. The mu-EX device would include a microfluidic channel, part of which would lie within a waveguide coupled to an electronically tuned source of broad-band electromagnetic radiation in the frequency range from 300 to 600 GHz (see figure). The part of the microfluidic channel lying in the waveguide would constitute an interaction volume. The dimensions of the interaction volume would be chosen in accordance with the anticipated amount of solid sample material needed to ensure extraction of sufficient amount of target molecules for detection and analysis. By means that were not specified at the time of reporting the information for this article, the solid sample material would be placed in the interaction volume. Then the electromagnetic field would be imposed within the waveguide and water would be pumped through the interaction volume to effect the extraction.

Demonstration of a wireless, self-powered, electroacoustic liner system.

PubMed

Phipps, Alex; Liu, Fei; Cattafesta, Louis; Sheplak, Mark; Nishida, Toshikazu

2009-02-01

This paper demonstrates the system operation of a self-powered active liner for the suppression of aircraft engine noise. The fundamental element of the active liner system is an electromechanical Helmholtz resonator (EMHR), which consists of a Helmholtz resonator with one of its rigid walls replaced with a circular piezoceramic composite plate. For this system demonstration, two EMHR elements are used, one for acoustic impedance tuning and one for energy harvesting. The EMHR used for acoustic impedance tuning is shunted with a variable resistive load, while the EMHR used for energy harvesting is shunted to a flyback power converter and storage element. The desired acoustic impedance conditions are determined externally, and wirelessly transmitted to the liner system. The power for the receiver and the impedance tuning circuitry in the liner are supplied by the harvested energy. Tuning of the active liner is demonstrated at three different sound pressure levels (148, 151, and 153 dB) in order to show the robustness of the energy harvesting and storage system. An acoustic tuning range of approximately 200 Hz is demonstrated for each of the three available power levels.

Emission wavelength tuning of fluorescence by fine structural control of optical metamaterials with Fano resonance

PubMed Central

Moritake, Y.; Kanamori, Y.; Hane, K.

2016-01-01

We demonstrated fine emission wavelength tuning of quantum dot (QD) fluorescence by fine structural control of optical metamaterials with Fano resonance. An asymmetric-double-bar (ADB), which was composed of only two bars with slightly different bar lengths, was used to obtain Fano resonance in the optical region. By changing the short bar length of ADB structures with high dimensional accuracy in the order of 10 nm, resonant wavelengths of Fano resonance were controlled from 1296 to 1416 nm. Fluorescence of QDs embedded in a polymer layer on ADB metamaterials were modified due to coupling to Fano resonance and fine tuning from 1350 to 1376 nm was observed. Wavelength tuning of modified fluorescence was reproduced by analysis using absorption peaks of Fano resonance. Tuning range of modified fluorescence became narrow, which was interpreted by a simple Gaussian model and resulted from comparable FWHM in QD fluorescence and Fano resonant peaks. The results will help the design and fabrication of metamaterial devices with fluorophores such as light sources and biomarkers. PMID:27622503

Geometrical tuning art for entirely subwavelength grating waveguide based integrated photonics circuits

DOE PAGES

Wang, Zheng; Xu, Xiaochuan; Fan, Donglei; ...

2016-05-05

Here, subwavelength grating (SWG) waveguide is an intriguing alternative to conventional optical waveguides due to the extra degree of freedom it offers in tuning a few important waveguide properties, such as dispersion and refractive index. Devices based on SWG waveguides have demonstrated impressive performances compared to conventional waveguides. However, the high loss of SWG waveguide bends jeopardizes their applications in integrated photonic circuits. In this work, we propose a geometrical tuning art, which realizes a pre-distorted refractive index profile in SWG waveguide bends. The pre-distorted refractive index profile can effectively reduce the mode mismatch and radiation loss simultaneously, thus significantlymore » reduce the bend loss. This geometry tuning art has been numerically optimized and experimentally demonstrated in present study. Through such tuning, the average insertion loss of a 5 μm SWG waveguide bend is reduced drastically from 5.43 dB to 1.10 dB per 90° bend for quasi-TE polarization. In the future, the proposed scheme will be utilized to enhance performance of a wide range of SWG waveguide based photonics devices.« less

Geometrical tuning art for entirely subwavelength grating waveguide based integrated photonics circuits

PubMed Central

Wang, Zheng; Xu, Xiaochuan; Fan, Donglei; Wang, Yaguo; Subbaraman, Harish; Chen, Ray T.

2016-01-01

Subwavelength grating (SWG) waveguide is an intriguing alternative to conventional optical waveguides due to the extra degree of freedom it offers in tuning a few important waveguide properties, such as dispersion and refractive index. Devices based on SWG waveguides have demonstrated impressive performances compared to conventional waveguides. However, the high loss of SWG waveguide bends jeopardizes their applications in integrated photonic circuits. In this work, we propose a geometrical tuning art, which realizes a pre-distorted refractive index profile in SWG waveguide bends. The pre-distorted refractive index profile can effectively reduce the mode mismatch and radiation loss simultaneously, thus significantly reduce the bend loss. This geometry tuning art has been numerically optimized and experimentally demonstrated in present study. Through such tuning, the average insertion loss of a 5 μm SWG waveguide bend is reduced drastically from 5.43 dB to 1.10 dB per 90° bend for quasi-TE polarization. In the future, the proposed scheme will be utilized to enhance performance of a wide range of SWG waveguide based photonics devices. PMID:27145872

Geometrical tuning art for entirely subwavelength grating waveguide based integrated photonics circuits.

PubMed

Wang, Zheng; Xu, Xiaochuan; Fan, Donglei; Wang, Yaguo; Subbaraman, Harish; Chen, Ray T

2016-05-05

Subwavelength grating (SWG) waveguide is an intriguing alternative to conventional optical waveguides due to the extra degree of freedom it offers in tuning a few important waveguide properties, such as dispersion and refractive index. Devices based on SWG waveguides have demonstrated impressive performances compared to conventional waveguides. However, the high loss of SWG waveguide bends jeopardizes their applications in integrated photonic circuits. In this work, we propose a geometrical tuning art, which realizes a pre-distorted refractive index profile in SWG waveguide bends. The pre-distorted refractive index profile can effectively reduce the mode mismatch and radiation loss simultaneously, thus significantly reduce the bend loss. This geometry tuning art has been numerically optimized and experimentally demonstrated in present study. Through such tuning, the average insertion loss of a 5 μm SWG waveguide bend is reduced drastically from 5.43 dB to 1.10 dB per 90° bend for quasi-TE polarization. In the future, the proposed scheme will be utilized to enhance performance of a wide range of SWG waveguide based photonics devices.

Monolithic dual-mode distributed feedback semiconductor laser for tunable continuous-wave terahertz generation.

PubMed

Kim, Namje; Shin, Jaeheon; Sim, Eundeok; Lee, Chul Wook; Yee, Dae-Su; Jeon, Min Yong; Jang, Yudong; Park, Kyung Hyun

2009-08-03

We report on a monolithic dual-mode semiconductor laser operating in the 1550-nm range as a compact optical beat source for tunable continuous-wave (CW) terahertz (THz) generation. It consists of two distributed feedback (DFB) laser sections and one phase section between them. Each wavelength of the two modes can be independently tuned by adjusting currents in micro-heaters which are fabricated on the top of the each DFB section. The continuous tuning of the CW THz emission from Fe(+)-implanted InGaAs photomixers is successfully demonstrated using our dual-mode laser as the excitation source. The CW THz frequency is continuously tuned from 0.17 to 0.49 THz.

Wavelength tuning of multimode interference bandpass filters by mechanical bending: experiment and theory in comparison

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walbaum, T.; Fallnich, C.

2012-07-01

We present the tuning of multimode interference bandpass filters made of standard fibers by mechanical bending. Our setup allows continuous adjustment of the bending radius from infinity down to about 5 cm. The impact of bending on the transmission spectrum and on polarization is investigated experimentally, and a filter with a continuous tuning range of 13.6 nm and 86 % peak transmission was realized. By use of numerical simulations employing a semi-analytical mode expansion approach, we obtain quantitative understanding of the underlying physics. Further breakdown of the governing equations enables us to identify the fiber parameters that are relevant for the design of customized filters.

Fraunhofer filters to reduce solar background for optical communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kerr, E. L.

1986-01-01

A wavelength that lies within a spectral interval of reduced solar emission (a Fraunhofer line) can carry optical communications with reduced interference from direct or reflected background sunlight. Suitable Fraunhofer lines are located within the tuning range of good candidate lasers. The laser should be tunable dynamically to track Doppler shifts in the sunlight incident on any solar system body that may appear in the background as viewed by the receiver. A Fraunhofer filter used with a direct-detection receiver should be tuned to match the Doppler shifts of the source and background. The required tuning calculated here for various situations is also required if, instead, one uses a heterodyne receiver with limited post-detection bandwidth.

Tuning thermal conduction via extended defects in graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Huaqing; Xu, Yong; Zou, Xiaolong; Wu, Jian; Duan, Wenhui

2013-05-01

Designing materials for desired thermal conduction can be achieved via extended defects. We theoretically demonstrate the concept by investigating thermal transport in graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) with the extended line defects observed by recent experiments. Our nonequilibrium Green's function study excluding phonon-phonon interactions finds that thermal conductance can be tuned over wide ranges (more than 50% at room temperature), by controlling the orientation and the bond configuration of the embedded extended defect. Further transmission analysis reveals that the thermal-conduction tuning is attributed to two fundamentally different mechanisms, via modifying the phonon dispersion and/or tailoring the strength of defect scattering. The finding, applicable to other materials, provides useful guidance for designing materials with desired thermal conduction.

Composite Supraparticles with Tunable Light Emission

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Robust luminophores emitting light with broadly tunable colors are desirable in many applications such as light-emitting diode (LED)-based lighting, displays, integrated optoelectronics and biology. Nanocrystalline quantum dots with multicolor emission, from core- and shell-localized excitons, as well as solid layers of mixed quantum dots that emit different colors have been proposed. Here, we report on colloidal supraparticles that are composed of three types of Cd(Se,ZnS) core/(Cd,Zn)S shell nanocrystals with emission in the red, green, and blue. The emission of the supraparticles can be varied from pure to composite colors over the entire visible region and fine-tuned into variable shades of white light by mixing the nanocrystals in controlled proportions. Our approach results in supraparticles with sizes spanning the colloidal domain and beyond that combine versatility and processability with a broad, stable, and tunable emission, promising applications in lighting devices and biological research. PMID:28787121

Demonstration of optical parametric gain generation in the 1 μm regime based on a photonic crystal fiber pumped by a picosecond mode-locked ytterbium-doped fiber laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Lei; Yang, Si-Gang; Wang, Xiao-Jian; Gou, Dou-Dou; Chen, Hong-Wei; Chen, Ming-Hua; Xie, Shi-Zhong

2014-01-01

We report the experimental demonstration of the optical parametric gain generation in the 1 μm regime based on a photonic crystal fiber (PCF) with a zero group velocity dispersion (GVD) wavelength of 1062 nm pumped by a homemade tunable picosecond mode-locked ytterbium-doped fiber laser. A broad parametric gain band is obtained by pumping the PCF in the anomalous GVD regime with a relatively low power. Two separated narrow parametric gain bands are observed by pumping the PCF in the normal GVD regime. The peak of the parametric gain profile can be tuned from 927 to 1038 nm and from 1099 to 1228 nm. This widely tunable parametric gain band can be used for a broad band optical parametric amplifier, large span wavelength conversion or a tunable optical parametric oscillator.

Defect-induced infrared electroluminescence from radial GaInP/AlGaInP quantum well nanowire array light- emitting diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hussain, Laiq; Karimi, Mohammad; Berg, Alexander; Jain, Vishal; Borgström, Magnus T.; Gustafsson, Anders; Samuelson, Lars; Pettersson, Håkan

2017-12-01

Radial GaInP/AlGaInP nanowire array light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are promising candidates for novel high-efficiency solid state lighting due to their potentially large strain-free active emission volumes compared to planar LEDs. Moreover, by proper tuning of the diameter of the nanowires, the fraction of emitted light extracted can be significantly enhanced compared to that of planar LEDs. Reports so far on radial growth of nanowire LED structures, however, still point to significant challenges related to obtaining defect-free radial heterostructures. In this work, we present evidence of optically active growth-induced defects in a fairly broad energy range in vertically processed radial GaInP/AlGaInP quantum well nanowire array LEDs using a variety of complementary experimental techniques. In particular, we demonstrate strong infrared electroluminescence in a spectral range centred around 1 eV (1.2 μm) in addition to the expected red light emission from the quantum well. Spatially resolved cathodoluminescence studies reveal a patchy red light emission with clear spectral features along the NWs, most likely induced by variations in QW thickness, composition and barriers. Dark areas are attributed to infrared emission generated by competing defect-assisted radiative transitions, or to trapping mechanisms involving non-radiative recombination processes. Possible origins of the defects are discussed.

Noncontact atomic force microscopy in liquid environment with quartz tuning fork and carbon nanotube probe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kageshima, Masami; Jensenius, Henriette; Dienwiebel, Martin; Nakayama, Yoshikazu; Tokumoto, Hiroshi; Jarvis, Suzanne P.; Oosterkamp, Tjerk H.

2002-03-01

A force sensor for noncontact atomic force microscopy in liquid environment was developed by combining a multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT) probe with a quartz tuning fork. Solvation shells of octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane on a graphite surface were detected both in the frequency shift and dissipation. Due to the high aspect ratio of the CNT probe, the long-range background force was barely detectable in the solvation region.

Antireflection-coated blue GaN laser diodes in an external cavity and Doppler-free indium absorption spectroscopy.

PubMed

Hildebrandt, Lars; Knispel, Richard; Stry, Sandra; Sacher, Joachim R; Schael, Frank

2003-04-20

Commercially available GaN-based laser diodes were antireflection coated in our laboratory and operated in an external cavity in a Littrow configuration. A total tuning range of typically 4 nm and an optical output power of up to 30 mW were observed after optimization of the external cavity. The linewidth was measured with a beterodyne technique, and 0.8 MHz at a sweep time of 50 ms was obtained. The mode-hop-free tuning range was more than 50 GHz. We demonstrated the performance of the laser by detecting the saturated absorption spectrum of atomic indium at 410 nm, allowing observation of well-resolved Lamb dips.

Demonstration of a rapidly-swept external cavity quantum cascade laser for rapid and sensitive quantification of chemical mixtures

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

Brumfield, Brian E.; Taubman, Matthew S.; Phillips, Mark C.

2016-02-13

A rapidly-swept external cavity quantum cascade laser (ECQCL) system for fast open-path quantification of multiple chemicals and mixtures is presented. The ECQCL system is swept over its entire tuning range (>100 cm-1) at frequencies up to 200 Hz. At 200 Hz the wavelength tuning rate and spectral resolution are 2x104 cm-1/sec and < 0.2 cm-1, respectively. The capability of the current system to quantify changes in chemical concentrations on millesecond timescales is demonstrated at atmospheric pressure using an open-path multi-pass cell. The detection limits for chemicals ranged from ppb to ppm levels depending on the absorption cross-section.

Wave propagation in elastic and damped structures with stabilized negative-stiffness components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drugan, W. J.

2017-09-01

Effects on wave propagation achievable by introduction of a negative-stiffness component are investigated via perhaps the simplest discrete repeating element that can remain stable in the component's presence. When the system is elastic, appropriate tuning of the stabilized component's negative stiffness introduces a no-pass zone theoretically extending from zero to an arbitrarily high frequency, tunable by a mass ratio adjustment. When the negative-stiffness component is tuned to the system's stability limit and a mass ratio is sufficiently small, the system restricts propagation to waves of approximately a single arbitrary frequency, adjustable by tuning the stiffness ratio of the positive-stiffness components. The elastic system's general solutions are closed-form and transparent. When damping is added, the general solutions are still closed-form, but so complex that they do not clearly display how the negative stiffness component affects the system's response and how it should best be tuned to achieve desired effects. Approximate solutions having these features are obtained via four perturbation analyses: one for long wavelengths; one for small damping; and two for small mass ratios. The long-wavelengths solution shows that appropriate tuning of the negative-stiffness component can prevent propagation of long-wavelength waves. The small damping solution shows that the zero-damping low-frequency no-pass zone remains, while waves that do propagate are highly damped when a mass ratio is made small. Finally, very interesting effects are achievable at the full system's stability limit. For small mass ratios, the wavelength range of waves prohibited from propagation can be adjusted, from all to none, by tuning the system's damping: When one mass ratio is small, all waves with wavelengths larger than an arbitrary damping-adjusted value can be prohibited from propagation, while when the inverse of this mass ratio is small, all waves with wavelengths outside an arbitrary single adjustable value or range of values can be prohibited from propagation. All of the approximate solutions' analytically-transparent predictions are confirmed by the exact solution. The conclusions are that a stabilized tuned negative-stiffness component greatly enhances control of wave propagation in a purely elastic system, and when adjustable damping is added, even further control is facilitated.

Wavelength interrogation of fiber Bragg grating sensors based on crossed optical Gaussian filters.

PubMed

Cheng, Rui; Xia, Li; Zhou, Jiaao; Liu, Deming

2015-04-15

Conventional intensity-modulated measurements require to be operated in linear range of filter or interferometric response to ensure a linear detection. Here, we present a wavelength interrogation system for fiber Bragg grating sensors where the linear transition is achieved with crossed Gaussian transmissions. This unique filtering characteristic makes the responses of the two branch detections follow Gaussian functions with the same parameters except for a delay. The substraction of these two delayed Gaussian responses (in dB) ultimately leads to a linear behavior, which is exploited for the sensor wavelength determination. Beside its flexibility and inherently power insensitivity, the proposal also shows a potential of a much wider operational range. Interrogation of a strain-tuned grating was accomplished, with a wide sensitivity tuning range from 2.56 to 8.7 dB/nm achieved.

Two-Photon Pumped Synchronously Mode-Locked Bulk GaAs Laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, W. L.; Vaucher, A. M.; Ling, J. D.; Lee, C. H.

1982-04-01

Pulses 7 picoseconds or less in duration have been generated from a bulk GaAs crystal by a synchronous mode-locking technique. The GaAs crystal was optically pumped by two-photon absorption of the emission from a mode-locked Nd:glass laser. Two-photon absorption as the means of excitation increases the volume of the gain medium by increasing the pene-tration depth of the pump intensity, enabling generation of intra-cavity pulses with peak power in the megawatt range. Tuning of the wavelength of the GaAs emission is achieved by varying the temperature. A tuning range covering 840 nm to 885 nm has been observed over a temperature range from 97°K to 260°K. The intensity of the GaAs emission has also been observed to decrease as the temperature of the crystal is increased.

Strings on a Violin: Location Dependence of Frequency Tuning in Active Dendrites.

PubMed

Das, Anindita; Rathour, Rahul K; Narayanan, Rishikesh

2017-01-01

Strings on a violin are tuned to generate distinct sound frequencies in a manner that is firmly dependent on finger location along the fingerboard. Sound frequencies emerging from different violins could be very different based on their architecture, the nature of strings and their tuning. Analogously, active neuronal dendrites, dendrites endowed with active channel conductances, are tuned to distinct input frequencies in a manner that is dependent on the dendritic location of the synaptic inputs. Further, disparate channel expression profiles and differences in morphological characteristics could result in dendrites on different neurons of the same subtype tuned to distinct frequency ranges. Alternately, similar location-dependence along dendritic structures could be achieved through disparate combinations of channel profiles and morphological characteristics, leading to degeneracy in active dendritic spectral tuning. Akin to strings on a violin being tuned to different frequencies than those on a viola or a cello, different neuronal subtypes exhibit distinct channel profiles and disparate morphological characteristics endowing each neuronal subtype with unique location-dependent frequency selectivity. Finally, similar to the tunability of musical instruments to elicit distinct location-dependent sounds, neuronal frequency selectivity and its location-dependence are tunable through activity-dependent plasticity of ion channels and morphology. In this morceau, we explore the origins of neuronal frequency selectivity, and survey the literature on the mechanisms behind the emergence of location-dependence in distinct forms of frequency tuning. As a coda to this composition, we present some future directions for this exciting convergence of biophysical mechanisms that endow a neuron with frequency multiplexing capabilities.

Quartz tuning-fork oscillations in He II and drag coefficient

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gritsenko, I. A.; Zadorozhko, A. A.; Neoneta, A. S.; Chagovets, V. K.; Sheshin, G. A.

2011-07-01

The temperature dependencies of drag coefficient for quartz tuning forks of various geometric dimensions, immersed in the He II, were determined experimentally in the temperature range 0.1-3 K. It is identified, that these dependencies are similar, but the values of drag coefficient are different for tuning forks with different geometric dimensions. It is shown, that the obtained specific drag coefficient depends only on the temperature and frequency of vibrations, when the value of drag coefficient is normalized to the surface area of moving tuning-fork prong. The temperature dependencies of normalized drag coefficient for the tuning forks of various dimensions, wire, and microsphere, oscillating in the Не II, are compared. It is shown, that in the ballistic regime of scattering of quasiparticles, these dependencies are identical and have a slope proportional to T4, which is determined by the density of thermal excitations. In the hydrodynamic regime at T > 0.5 K, the behavior of the temperature dependence of specific drag coefficient is affected by the size and frequency of vibrating body. The empirical relation, which allows to describe the behavior of specific drag coefficient for vibrating tuning forks, microsphere, and wire everywhere over the temperature region and at various frequencies, is proposed.

Diode pumped tunable lasers based on Tm:CaF2 and Tm:Ho:CaF2 ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Šulc, Jan; Němec, Michal; Jelinková, Helena; Doroshenko, Maxim E.; Fedorov, Pavel P.; Osiko, Vyacheslav V.

2014-02-01

The Tm:CaF2 (4% of TmF3) and Tm:Ho:CaF2 (2% of TmF3, 0.3% of HoF3) ceramics, prepared using hot pressing, and hot formation technique had been used as an active medium of diode pumped mid-infrared tunable laser. A fibre (core diameter 400 μm, NA = 0.22) coupled laser diode (LIMO, HLU30F400-790) was used to longitudinal pumping. The laser diode was operating in the pulsed regime (6 ms pulse length, 10 Hz repetition rate). The duty-cycle 6% ensures a low thermal load even under the maximum diode pumping power amplitude 25W (ceramics samples were only air-cooled). The laser diode emission wavelength was 786 nm. The 80mm long semi-hemispherical laser resonator consisted of a flat pumping mirror (HR @ 1.85 - 2.15 μm, HT @ 0.78 μm) and a curved (r = 150mm) output coupler with a reflectivity of ˜ 98% @ 1.85 - 2.0 μm for Tm:CaF2 laser or ˜ 99.5% @ 2.0 - 2.15 μm for Ho:Tm:CaF2. Tuning of the laser was accomplished by using a birefringent filter (single 1.5mm thick quartz plate) placed inside the optical resonator at the Brewster angle. Both samples offered broad and smooth tuning possibilities in mid-IR spectral range and the lasers were continuously tunable over ˜ 100 nm. The obtained Tm:CaF2 tunability ranged from 1892 to 1992nm (the maximum output energy 1.8mJ was reached at 1952nm for absorbed pumping energy 78 mJ). In case of Tm:Ho:CaF2 laser tunability from 2016 to 2111nm was reached (the maximum output energy 1.5mJ was reached at 2083nm for absorbed pumping energy 53 mJ). Both these material are good candidates for a future investigation of high energy, ultra-short, laser pulse generation.

A cryostatic, fast scanning, wideband NQR spectrometer for the VHF range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scharfetter, Hermann; Bödenler, Markus; Narnhofer, Dominik

2018-01-01

In the search for a novel MRI contrast agent which relies on T1 shortening due to quadrupolar interaction between Bi nuclei and protons, a fast scanning wideband system for zero-field nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) spectroscopy is required. Established NQR probeheads with motor-driven tune/match stages are usually bulky and slow, which can be prohibitive if it comes to Bi compounds with low SNR (excessive averaging) and long quadrupolar T1 times. Moreover many experiments yield better results at low temperatures such as 77 K (liquid nitrogen, LN) thus requiring easy to use cryo-probeheads. In this paper we present electronically tuned wideband probeheads for bands in the frequency range 20-120 MHz which can be immersed in LN and which enable very fast explorative scans over the whole range. To this end we apply an interleaved subspectrum sampling strategy (ISS) which relies on the electronic tuning capability. The superiority of the new concept is demonstrated with an experimental scan of triphenylbismuth from 24 to 116 MHz, both at room temperature and in LN. Especially for the first transition which exhibits extremely long T1 times (64 ms) the and low signal the new approach allows an acceleration factor by more than 100 when compared to classical methods.